The wife brought home a brew I don't know from a brewery I never heard of, an IPA from Roscoe's Hop House Craft Ale. Really REALLY good. 6 bucks for a 6-pack and I'd easily pay 10.
She also brought home some Blue Point Winter Ale. We both stopped drinking it once I picked out the strange flavor in there to be really close to flat cola...blech.
Hosted a beer tasting over the weekend and had about 15-20 people show up.
Leinenkugel Fireside Nut Brown
Rob, what did you think of the Leinenkugel Fireside Nut Brown? I found it in a Leiney's Explorer Pack a couple of years ago. The following year drove to Vegas and picked up 6 cases. Used some in making a turkey chili and it added a great flavor to it.
Went to dinner with the wife tonight and had a Sam Adams Chocolate Cherry Bock. It tasted just like chocolate covered cherries, a wonderful desert beer.
Went to dinner with the wife tonight and had a Sam Adams Chocolate Cherry Bock. It tasted just like chocolate covered cherries, a wonderful desert beer.
+1 to that. Had it an an Old Chicago out here. Was way better than their Chocolate Bock.
Rob, what did you think of the Leinenkugel Fireside Nut Brown? I found it in a Leiney's Explorer Pack a couple of years ago. The following year drove to Vegas and picked up 6 cases. Used some in making a turkey chili and it added a great flavor to it.
That was one of the few I didn't get to that night but I have a few left in the fridge. I'll try one soon and post thoughts.
Just trying to get into scotch, bought some Clan MacGregor, I like it. not expensive at all $9.00 for a bottle. Once I'm finished wit it I might buy something more expensive.
Picked up the Glenmorangie Artein - finished in Tuscan Wine Barrels. It's surprisingly light and the wine barrel influence doesn't really show through until the finish where it provides wood tannin structure more-so than fruit notes. Still a solid release from them.
Got together with a few friends who treated me to a Portsmouth Brewery Kate the Great (look it up - rated one of the best beers in the world) vertical tasting. 10 bottles in total - 06, 07, 07 double oak, 08, 09, 09 double oak, 10, 10 double oak, 11 and 11 double oak. Got to meet the brewer, Todd - great guy, and a couple of Stone Brewing Reps as Portsmouth (owned by Smuttynose) and Stone were collaborating on Custer's Last Stand.
These beers are absolutely amazing with notes of chocolate, coffee, earth, hops, molasses, maple and dark, ripe fruit. The younger double oaked bottles (only 46 bottles are released each year) brought notes of fresh oak to the bouquet, giving it a rich, red wine type of texture. For any beer geek, this is one to go on the bucket list. I'll be standing in line on March 5th (Kate Day) to try this stuff on tap. Gotta thank Joe and Stan for this opportunity.
Last night I tried the new Dogfish Head Ta Henket - not impressed - tasted like it was brewed with red beans; and their Black & Red - even worse - brewed with mint, tastes like sucrets.
Also went to another industry wine tasting last week for Burgundy wines. I'll find my notes and post those soon. Some unreleased stuff, some amazing stuff, some exclusive stuff, some incredibly expensive stuff.
Last night I started with making something I call a sapphire gimletini - 2 shots Bombay Sapphire, 3 shots Tito's vodka, splash of dry vermouth, put in shaker, lightly shaken, strained into a chilled martini glass, skewer two cocktail olives and two cocktail onions, sit back and enjoy. Then followed later with a couple glasses of Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban scotch.
Just trying to get into scotch, bought some Clan MacGregor, I like it. not expensive at all $9.00 for a bottle. Once I'm finished wit it I might buy something more expensive.
. If you want to try scotch, I would recommend getting a bottle of Balvenie 12 yr old Double Wood. I can normally find it around here for $36 to $42 a bottle which is about the lowest I will pay for a bottle of scotch. Plus I find the Balvenie a "best buy". Its complex, and hits its stride with just a small splash of water to open it up. I like Highland over Islay region scotch whiskys.
A cheap scotch whisky will often turn people off of scotch and is like going out for a high end steak with friends and bringing a McDonalds hamburger.
Last night had a Sierra Nevada Wet Hop and Ruthless Rye IPA. Jealous of you again Rob. Ive been wanting Kate the Great for a long time. I know I will probably never get it though because of the rarity lol.
Just trying to get into scotch, bought some Clan MacGregor, I like it. not expensive at all $9.00 for a bottle. Once I'm finished wit it I might buy something more expensive.
. If you want to try scotch, I would recommend getting a bottle of Balvenie 12 yr old Double Wood. I can normally find it around here for $36 to $42 a bottle which is about the lowest I will pay for a bottle of scotch. Plus I find the Balvenie a "best buy". Its complex, and hits its stride with just a small splash of water to open it up. I like Highland over Islay region scotch whiskys.
A cheap scotch whisky will often turn people off of scotch and is like going out for a high end steak with friends and bringing a McDonalds hamburger.
I second Balvenie as a scotch brand, the 12 YO Doublewood is amazing, I've got about half a bottle left and it's a great value.
One pot of coffee; one diet Pepsi, and three glasses of water so far. The trials of getting up every Sunday and Monday at 1am for work and working 12+ hour days. Though, if I get out of here by 3pm today, I'm going home and pouring a stiff glass of Buffalo Trace bourbon and hoping I have enough time for a cigar.
Discovered Kane brewery this weekend. Unfortunately they currently only sell kegs and I don't know how far they transport. But if you're in Asbury Park or anywhere on the jersey shore, hunt them down, you won't be disappointed.
Last night I had the Stone collaboration: Green Tea IPA - very nice IPA but the green tea doesn't come out until it warms a bit.
Recently had Gail's Prize Old Ale (brewed in 1996) - much like a dry sherry, notes of dried fruit, grain and yeast with no notable hop notes or bitterness, no carbonation at all and a very dry finish. Very interesting vintage ale.
Comments
She also brought home some Blue Point Winter Ale. We both stopped drinking it once I picked out the strange flavor in there to be really close to flat cola...blech.
Rob, what did you think of the Leinenkugel Fireside Nut Brown? I found it in a Leiney's Explorer Pack a couple of years ago. The following year drove to Vegas and picked up 6 cases. Used some in making a turkey chili and it added a great flavor to it.
Picked up the Glenmorangie Artein - finished in Tuscan Wine Barrels. It's surprisingly light and the wine barrel influence doesn't really show through until the finish where it provides wood tannin structure more-so than fruit notes. Still a solid release from them.
Got together with a few friends who treated me to a Portsmouth Brewery Kate the Great (look it up - rated one of the best beers in the world) vertical tasting. 10 bottles in total - 06, 07, 07 double oak, 08, 09, 09 double oak, 10, 10 double oak, 11 and 11 double oak. Got to meet the brewer, Todd - great guy, and a couple of Stone Brewing Reps as Portsmouth (owned by Smuttynose) and Stone were collaborating on Custer's Last Stand.
These beers are absolutely amazing with notes of chocolate, coffee, earth, hops, molasses, maple and dark, ripe fruit. The younger double oaked bottles (only 46 bottles are released each year) brought notes of fresh oak to the bouquet, giving it a rich, red wine type of texture. For any beer geek, this is one to go on the bucket list. I'll be standing in line on March 5th (Kate Day) to try this stuff on tap. Gotta thank Joe and Stan for this opportunity.
Last night I tried the new Dogfish Head Ta Henket - not impressed - tasted like it was brewed with red beans; and their Black & Red - even worse - brewed with mint, tastes like sucrets.
Also went to another industry wine tasting last week for Burgundy wines. I'll find my notes and post those soon. Some unreleased stuff, some amazing stuff, some exclusive stuff, some incredibly expensive stuff.
Recently had Gail's Prize Old Ale (brewed in 1996) - much like a dry sherry, notes of dried fruit, grain and yeast with no notable hop notes or bitterness, no carbonation at all and a very dry finish. Very interesting vintage ale.