ADULT BEVERAGES & THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM

[Iz Man]

I had the rare pleasure last night of imbibing one of the best ales I've ever tasted...
Harviestoun's Ola Dubh - 30yr
http://www.harviestoun.com/OlaDubh/


$18+ for one 11.2oz bottle.....but boy is it tasty.

The Scots really know what they're doing when it comes to brewing fine ales.

[Backglass]

Now that it is legal again in the USA, I picked up a bottle of French Absinthe to enjoy over the holidays.



No green fairy's, but an interesting and not at all unpleasant buzz.

[spurgistan]

Wait.. is the real stuff (like that) legal? I thought it was just craptacular low-thujone American absinthe that you could buy.

Wikipedia thinks so, too.

The prevailing consensus of interpretation of United States law and regulations among American absinthe connoisseurs is that, with the revision of thujone levels by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), it is now legal to purchase such a product for personal use in the U.S.

According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) food and beverages that contain Artemisia species must be thujone free[78]. Thujone free is defined as containing less than 10ppm thujone.[79] There is no corresponding US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) regulation.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection is inconsistent in saying whether Absinthe may or may not be imported. The Know Before You Go booklet flatly states "The importation of Absinthe and any other liquors or liqueurs that contain Artemisia absinthium is prohibited."[80] while the CBP's Prohibited and Restricted Items web page states that the importation of absinthe is not "prohibited" but subject to FDA and Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) approval like other distilled spirits.[81] Absinthe can be and occasionally is seized by United States Customs if it appears to be for human consumption and can be seized inside the US with a warrant.[82][83]

A faux-absinthe liquor called Absente, made with southern wormwood (Artemisia abrotanum) instead of grande wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), is sold legally in the United States. This was the first US approval referring to "absinthe" on the front label; the front label says "Absinthe Refined" but the TTB classified the product as liqueur.

In 2007, TTB relaxed the US absinthe ban, and approved several brands for sale.[84] These brands must pass TTB testing, which is performed by the Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry method[85]. The TTB considers a product to be thujone-free if the FDA’s test measures less than 10ppm (equal to 10mg/kg) thujone.[86] A US distillery also began producing and selling absinthe, the first US company to do so since 1912.[87]

[edit] Vanuatu

[Backglass]

Wait.. is the real stuff (like that) legal? I thought it was just craptacular low-thujone American absinthe that you could buy.

Wikipedia thinks so, too.

The prevailing consensus of interpretation of United States law and regulations among American absinthe connoisseurs is that, with the revision of thujone levels by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), it is now legal to purchase such a product for personal use in the U.S.

According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) food and beverages that contain Artemisia species must be thujone free[78]. Thujone free is defined as containing less than 10ppm thujone.[79] There is no corresponding US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) regulation.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection is inconsistent in saying whether Absinthe may or may not be imported. The Know Before You Go booklet flatly states "The importation of Absinthe and any other liquors or liqueurs that contain Artemisia absinthium is prohibited."[80] while the CBP's Prohibited and Restricted Items web page states that the importation of absinthe is not "prohibited" but subject to FDA and Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) approval like other distilled spirits.[81] Absinthe can be and occasionally is seized by United States Customs if it appears to be for human consumption and can be seized inside the US with a warrant.[82][83]

A faux-absinthe liquor called Absente, made with southern wormwood (Artemisia abrotanum) instead of grande wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), is sold legally in the United States. This was the first US approval referring to "absinthe" on the front label; the front label says "Absinthe Refined" but the TTB classified the product as liqueur.

In 2007, TTB relaxed the US absinthe ban, and approved several brands for sale.[84] These brands must pass TTB testing, which is performed by the Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry method[85]. The TTB considers a product to be thujone-free if the FDA’s test measures less than 10ppm (equal to 10mg/kg) thujone.[86] A US distillery also began producing and selling absinthe, the first US company to do so since 1912.[87]

[edit] Vanuatu

Correct. The ban was recently, and rightly lifted. The bottle above is made with Grand Wormwood...not the faux stuff.

Yes, these are authentic 19th century-style absinthes. The European Union and the US have food standards in place that directly and indirectly regulate absinthe's botanical content, and recent progress in knowledge of regulatory matters and distilling practice have made it possible to produce fully authentic absinthes which will meet US regulations.

While these Absinthe's are not absolutely 100% thujone free, the concentration of thujone falls within the current TTB standard for Thujone screening: 10ppm, roughly 10mg per liter, which is the European Union standard. Not that it matters much, because it's already been amply demonstrated that Thujone is unimportant to the quality or authenticity of absinthe.

Analysis of vintage Absinthe from the late 1800's and early 1900's shows surprisingly low levels of Thujone. The whole Thujone=Hallucinogen hype is just that, hype. It is now believed that the bizzarre effects of Absinthe back in the day weren't from the drink at all, but from the highly toxic chemicals many distillers added to turn the liquid bright green.

[Megadeth666]

The Rusty Nail is a classic anytime cocktail. This two liquor drink combines a fine Scotch with the sweet honey taste of Drambuie, a Scotch based liqueur from France. It is mostly served on the rocks, but can also be enjoyed up!

Fill a rocks glass with ice.

1 1/2 oz. Scotch
1/2 oz. Drambuie
Always pour the Drambuie last to allow it to mix with the lighter Scotch.

[Backglass]

The Rusty Nail is a classic anytime cocktail. This two liquor drink combines a fine Scotch with the sweet honey taste of Drambuie, a Scotch based liqueur from France. It is mostly served on the rocks, but can also be enjoyed up!

Fill a rocks glass with ice.

1 1/2 oz. Scotch
1/2 oz. Drambuie
Always pour the Drambuie last to allow it to mix with the lighter Scotch.

You know, that's one classic I have never tried...and I do "Loves my Scotch"!

(Note to self: Pick up some Drambuie on the way home).

Drambuie, a Scotch based liqueur from France

Careful you don't start a war! Drambuie is 100% Scottish. Maybe you are thinking of Cointreau?

[Megadeth666]

No war intended, I did not realize it said from France?...I am sure if your a scotch drinker you won't have cheap stuff, cause a great tasting Rusty only works with Premium

I HAD TO CUT BACK ON MY DRINKING THOUGH

[alex_white101]

A pint of Black Sheep for me. Delicous local bitter ale which goes down smooth and tasty! Struggle to drink anything else (well for the first pint anyway) though it does have a nasty habit of making you feel incredibly bloated (much like guinness).

[jonesthecurl]

I've had that, it was good. I can't remember what part of teh Uk it was in though...

[alex_white101]

I've had that, it was good. I can't remember what part of teh Uk it was in though...

I would assume its up north as thats where it is mainly concentrated, though due to the popularisation of the ale it is spreading down south and I once managed to get a bottle in London......

[nmhunate]

What the heck is wrong with you all?

Gin is where its at. Gin, gin, gin... it goes down smooth and tastes great!

James Bond did a major disservice to the world when he ordered a vodka martini... A vodka martini! Come on! A martini is Gin and you show the gin to a bottle of vermouth. Not Vodka

[jonesthecurl]

There are three things (and I'm a long-time drinker) I will not drink except if the party has run dry otherwise.
Guiness
Gin (not even the best slightly-blue Geneva or Vickie specials)
Pernod

[tauno]

I usually drink beer ( well, I live in Belgium, it would be foolish not to wouldn't it? ), whiskey when I want something stronger and the occasional absinthe ( but its quite hard to get your hands on a decent bottle where I live, so I have to last a year with the bottles I bring back from France in the summer).

[Backglass]

What the heck is wrong with you all?

Gin is where its at. Gin, gin, gin... it goes down smooth and tastes great!

My wife is a Tanqueray drinker. Personally, I think it smells/tastes like Pine-Sol.


Speaking of "T", while visiting London 8 years ago my wife ordered a Tanqueray & Tonic and the bartender looked at us like we had three heads. "Tanqueray?! What's that?" We ass-u-me'd that this "Imported London Dry Gin" would actually be available in London, but quickly learned it isn't popular in the UK and was made mainly for export to the US, much like Fosters in Australia. It was basically Beefeater or Gordons then. Any Brits confirm or deny this is still the case?

[MrDizzle]

Drinking some 312 right now....not a bad little beer

[jonesthecurl]

In NY yesterday, I had a beer in the ESPN club while the kids were throwing my money into various arcade machines.
The bar staff could tell me no more about the beer than I could see on the pump handle - but it was very nice.
It was a Winter Bourbon Cask Ale.
I guess it was made or kept, or at some point passed through, wooden casks that have been used in the Bourbon-making process. It gives a distinct twang to the beer. I only regret that it was served so cold that half the taste was gone.

Anyone know any more about this one?

[Shatners Bassoon]

Alcoholic perfection....just add ice,coke and lots of fresh lime

[Iz Man]

The bar staff could tell me no more about the beer than I could see on the pump handle - but it was very nice.

The lack of knowledge of the brews barkeeps serve is unfortunate. This even occurs at brew fests, including the immense GABF (Great American Beer Festival), where many servers just don't know anything about what they're serving.
Which is why I'd like to see brew pub & craft brewery bartenders be certified as official "Cicerone Servers". http://www.cicerone.org
I certainly would not apply this to a "Joe's Bar" barkeep; but if you're serving beer at an establishment that say, "prides itself", on its beer selection, you should know what you're serving.
You can take a free 10-question test to see if you qualify as a "Server" on the Cicerone website, BTW.

It was a Winter Bourbon Cask Ale.
I guess it was made or kept, or at some point passed through, wooden casks that have been used in the Bourbon-making process. It gives a distinct twang to the beer. I only regret that it was served so cold that half the taste was gone.
Anyone know any more about this one?

Well two things:
A cask conditioned ale means the beer is unfiltered, unpasteurized, and allowed to naturally develop its carbonation in the keg with the yeast that is left in suspension (sometimes additional yeast is added to "help out"). These are also referred to as "Real Ales".
A pump is used to assist dispensing because CO2 is not used as in "normal" keg dispensing systems. Sometimes they're gravity fed. They must be consumed quickly as oxidation can occur from the air used to pump (once again, as opposed to CO2).
Most Real Ales are on the malty side (versus hoppy), but there are no restrictions as to what can or should be cask conditioned. You're right about the serving temp. If a beer is served too cold, the temp inhibits the flavors. Which is why one needs to drink Coors Light at 33deg F...

Bourbon Barrel aging has become quite popular over the past few years. The wood (oak) lends a great character.
Homebrewers have access to oak cubes or oak chips that we add to the beer to simulate wood barrel aging (barrels can be expensive). Last year I made a Porter (~6.7%ABV) that I added oak cubes to. I soaked the cubes in a fifth of Maker's Mark Bourbon before adding (with the bourbon) to the beer. It turned out to be one of my favorites, and a crowd pleaser too.
Right now I have an English Old Ale (~8.5%ABV) that has some oak that I soaked in Jameson prior to adding. Looking forward to this one....
That "twang" you describe could be contributed to the bacteria (good bacteria) that live in the barrel. These bacteria also help to add a "flair" to beer that is very hard to achieve without aging in a barrel.

They're quite yummy.....old school....just like I like it....

[Megadeth666]

THIS IS FOR YOU IZ

[jonesthecurl]

Beer is evil, I'm trying to defeat it. I've seen off about 2000 gallons so far, but they keep getting reinforcements.

[jonesthecurl]

The bar staff could tell me no more about the beer than I could see on the pump handle - but it was very nice.

The lack of knowledge of the brews barkeeps serve is unfortunate. This even occurs at brew fests, including the immense GABF (Great American Beer Festival), where many servers just don't know anything about what they're serving.
Which is why I'd like to see brew pub & craft brewery bartenders be certified as official "Cicerone Servers". http://www.cicerone.org
I certainly would not apply this to a "Joe's Bar" barkeep; but if you're serving beer at an establishment that say, "prides itself", on its beer selection, you should know what you're serving.
You can take a free 10-question test to see if you qualify as a "Server" on the Cicerone website, BTW.

It was a Winter Bourbon Cask Ale.
I guess it was made or kept, or at some point passed through, wooden casks that have been used in the Bourbon-making process. It gives a distinct twang to the beer. I only regret that it was served so cold that half the taste was gone.
Anyone know any more about this one?

Well two things:
A cask conditioned ale means the beer is unfiltered, unpasteurized, and allowed to naturally develop its carbonation in the keg with the yeast that is left in suspension (sometimes additional yeast is added to "help out"). These are also referred to as "Real Ales".


A pump is used to assist dispensing because CO2 is not used as in "normal" keg dispensing systems. Sometimes they're gravity fed. They must be consumed quickly as oxidation can occur from the air used to pump (once again, as opposed to CO2).
Most Real Ales are on the malty side (versus hoppy), but there are no restrictions as to what can or should be cask conditioned. You're right about the serving temp. If a beer is served too cold, the temp inhibits the flavors. Which is why one needs to drink Coors Light at 33deg F...

Bourbon Barrel aging has become quite popular over the past few years. The wood (oak) lends a great character.
Homebrewers have access to oak cubes or oak chips that we add to the beer to simulate wood barrel aging (barrels can be expensive). Last year I made a Porter (~6.7%ABV) that I added oak cubes to. I soaked the cubes in a fifth of Maker's Mark Bourbon before adding (with the bourbon) to the beer. It turned out to be one of my favorites, and a crowd pleaser too.
Right now I have an English Old Ale (~8.5%ABV) that has some oak that I soaked in Jameson prior to adding. Looking forward to this one....
That "twang" you describe could be contributed to the bacteria (good bacteria) that live in the barrel. These bacteria also help to add a "flair" to beer that is very hard to achieve without aging in a barrel.

They're quite yummy.....old school....just like I like it....

Thanks for the assist - it turns out "cask" and "keg" mean the same as in the UK.

A coupla decades ago, I was a barman for a while, and I earned a gold lapel badge, ironically I don't recall what I had to remember to earn it.

The lever on the tap showed a snowman sitting on a wooden barrel with the afore-mentioned wording.
Brewery or any other details anyone?

[Iz Man]

Beer is evil, I'm trying to defeat it. I've seen off about 2000 gallons so far, but they keep getting reinforcements.

Keep up the fight....the only thing we can do at this point is to keep drinking......

Heavily.......lest we all drown in beer.....

Which reminds me of a story:

October 17, 1814
London, England

A huge vat which held over 135,000 gallons of fermenting beer succumbed to the wounds of age, and let its bounty loose with explosive force. The impact caused several other vats in the same building to rupture, and almost instantly the combined 323,000+ gallons of ale crashed through the brick structure and poured into the London parish of St. Giles...

The impact of this massive wave of beer was disastrous. Men and women were caught in the wave, tossed against walls and buried in debris. The beer completely destroyed two homes, and flooded many others. A wall at a nearby pub crumbled under the force, burying a barmaid there for several hours. Nine people were killed by the drink that day, all but one due to drowning. The ninth died of alcohol poisoning.

BUT WAIT.......THERE'S MORE !!! (the best part, I think)

Soon after the flood, survivors rushed in to save what they could of the precious ale, collecting it in pots, cans, and kettles. Some simply used their cupped hands to lap up the tepid pools of dirty beer.

It took weeks for the stink of beer to completely fade from the area. The brewery was later taken to court over the accident, but the entire event was determined to be an "Act of God" by the judge and jury, leaving no one responsible.

A merciful God......if you're gonna go, might as well be drunk...

[got tonkaed]

you seem like the man to ask...

Im heading over to Tokyo for lunar new year next week, and i figured id try some of the local beer...(alright i didnt figure it per say but its bound to happen). What should i be on the look out for, ive already tried Sapporo.

[Iz Man]

Im heading over to Tokyo for lunar new year next week, and i figured id try some of the local beer...(alright i didnt figure it per say but its bound to happen). What should i be on the look out for, ive already tried Sapporo.

When I was in Japan I lived on Asahi Dry. Of course, this was before I was "saved".....
Asahi Dry is quite popular in Japan, but it won't impress you; at least no more than Sapporo did.
Same goes for Kirin...
Japan has come a long way in producing craft beers though; and while I haven't indulged, here are some you may wish to try that my friends over at http://www.ratebeer.com have talked about:

Harvest Moon Brewery makes a plethora of styles. Including a Valentine Stout, a Barleywine (their highest rated on ratebeer) and a "Yuzu Ale".

A couple other breweries: Hitachino Nest (which seems to be popular over there), Mikuni, and Momokawa.
Now Momokawa is known for their Sake, but I think they make a few beers too, but I'm not sure.
Sake, by the way, is beer, not wine; because it is fermented from grain, not fruit.
Just a nice fun fact to throw in there.

In Tokyo, there's a restaurant/bar called Kura-Rin Ginza Lounge: Niigata Japanesque
website: http://www.swanlake.co.jp/main/kura_rin_ginza_info.htm
If you get a chance to go there, it appears they have a wide variety of craft brews.
Let me know how you did in Tokyo, its been a while since I've been there.
Happy beer-hunting !

[Iz Man]

well if you're going to bump a post so old, it'd better be about drinking......