The Finer Things In Life

[FlaSoxxJim]

My dissertation advisor got me 2 of Unibroue's Trois Pistoles and 2 of the Maudite as a gift for reaching a data collection milestone. I can't wait to give them a try!

 

Phenomenal beers, both of them.

[FlaSoxxJim]

Jasper's Mix is one of the secrets of the universe, now revealed by Ted Haigh. Fresh lime juice, sugar, fresh grated nutmeg, and a fairly insane amount of Angostura Bitters yields a base syrup that makes Jamaican dark and J Wray overproof rums absolutely sing.

Jasper Le Franc was a genius.

[southsider2k5]

Depends on what you are looking for in a "Canadian beer". For my money, I haven't tried anything that touches Unibroue which produces world-class Belgian style beers.

 

That said, I have a soft spot in my heart (holdover from mis-spent youth) for a few of the more traditional Canadian lagers and "cream ales" — most of which are themselves actually over-sweet and over-carbonated lagers. Red Cap, O'Keefe, McAuslin (several), Robin Hood Cream Ale, and yes, the venerable Labatt 50 were college-day favorites because thay actually had a bit of character to them.

 

There's a bunch of Canadian craft micros and brewpubs I'm dying to try and haven't yet been able to, so obviously there are huge gaps in my Canadian craft beer experience.

 

ETA: And how did I miss the most important Canadian Brewery of all??

 

 

Hoser.

[FlaSoxxJim]

The fun new cocktail of the night is the Apple Blossom, courtesy of Martin Doudoroff and Ted Haigh's indispensable online CocktailDB.

 

Apple Blossom

 

Shake in iced cocktail shaker & strain

1 1/2 oz applejack (4.5 cl, 3/8 gills)

3/4 oz apple juice (2 cl, 3/16 gills)

1/2 oz fresh lime juice (1.5 cl, 1/8 gills)

1/4 oz maple syrup (6 dashes, 1/16 gills)

 

I had a concern that the maple syrup woud be overpowering here, but it's not at all the case. Rather, the maple shows up just enough to balance out the tartness of the lime juice which in turn lets the apple juice and jack take the lead roles in the flavor profile of the cocktail.

 

It's funny. I've long-considered Laird's Applejack an historically significant yet obscure enough ingredient that it hardly warranted a spot in the already cramped liquor cabinet. Now that I've finally decided I need to keep it on hand, I find myself staring down a full 93 recipes in the CocktailDB that call for it. Supposedly George Washington was the product's biggest fan and evangelist, so who am I to argue with history?

Edited February 9, 2010 by FlaSoxxJim

[FlaSoxxJim]

I'm also going to have to add CocktailDB's Night Flight Cocktail to this evening's winners' circle.

 

Shake in iced cocktail shaker & strain

1 1/2 oz Rhum Negrita (4.5 cl, 3/8 gills)

1/2 oz fresh lime juice (1.5 cl, 1/8 gills)

1/2 oz maple syrup (1.5 cl, 1/8 gills)

 

I can't get Rhum Negrita here to save my life, so I sub'd Rhum Clement VSOP, a fine Martinique rhum agricole in its own right, though probably not quite as dark as Negrita. Substitution or not, this recipe yields a glorious traditional daiquiri-style cocktail that I'll definitely add to the regular rotation. Yum!

 

You may notice the common unusual ingredient this evening is maple syrup. Out of the ordinary by today's tired and lazy bartending standards, maple syrup used to be considered a drink mixing staple alongside real pomegranate grenadine and gomme syrup. It's a shame maple syrup has been relegated exclusively to the breakfast table, because it sure does add depth of flavor to the drinks it is used in.

[FlaSoxxJim]

Still exploring some maple syrup cocktails, and even getting away from rum once in a while.

 

This evening, I've been rocking the Maple Leaf, and continuing to grow my appreciation for bourbon as a venerable American spirit.

 

Variations on a theme, instead of rum, lime, and maple syrup, this drink features bourbon, lemon, and maple syrup. And it comes together beautifully.

 

For American whisky/whiskey, I'm certainly more likely to reach for rye than bourbon, whose sweetness I think often overpowers other cocktail components. Admittedly, I think I also carried a deep-seated bias against bourbon based on early encounters with mass-produced, cheap brands during my formative drinking years. That began to slowly change as small batch bourbons began to be marketed. Still, while I usually had a bottle of Maker's Mark or Knob Creek on hand to for those very occasional times when I'd crave a bourbon cocktail, this liquor was never a heavy favorite for me.

 

Like I said, though, I recognize my tastes for classic artisanal cocktails are maturing, and I'm really enjoying breaking the rum and beer routine now and then.

 

Interestingly, I'm not doing a small batch bourbon at the moment. Reading through a few of the classic cocktail guides (circa 1890-1930), several interesting cocktails specifically called for Old Forester. The first bottled bourbon dating from just after the Civil War, showcased in cocktails that looked worthwhile, and a good $10 cheaper than the cheapest small batch, I gave Forester a try. I was surprised at how much I liked it. Signature bourbon sweetness up front, but finishing a little more on the dry side, and with interesting flavor notes along the way. A closer look at the product reveals that Forester's relative dryness is the result of a higher than usual rye content in the mash. Aha! This is why I'm liking this one.

 

But. . . Back to the drink. Please think about spinning this one up with your bourbon of choice. Three easy ingredients, shake on ice and strain, and it's really very good.

[iamshack]

Bless your heart, Jim.

[FlaSoxxJim]

You should all be drinking what I'm drinking.

 

If the whole world was drinking what I'm drinking there would be world peace. At least until everyone finished their drinks.

 

Podgy and Jasper. . . The drink that ushered in world peace.

[FlaSoxxJim]

You should all be drinking what I'm drinking.

 

If the whole world was drinking what I'm drinking there would be world peace. At least until everyone finished their drinks.

 

Podgy and Jasper. . . The drink that ushered in world peace.

 

I'm telling you, this drink is my Mona Lisa, my Citizen Kane, and my Hamlet all rolled into one. Somebody get the Nobel Prize Committee on the line.

 

[G&T]

You should all be drinking what I'm drinking.

 

If the whole world was drinking what I'm drinking there would be world peace. At least until everyone finished their drinks.

 

Podgy and Jasper. . . The drink that ushered in world peace.

 

I'm pretty sure that's what people say about weed so...what's the secret ingredient in your drink?

[FlaSoxxJim]

I'm pretty sure that's what people say about weed so...what's the secret ingredient in your drink?

 

Homemade Jasper syrup (lime juice, Angoustura, and nutmeg) and pimento (allspice) dram, Trinidad and Jamaican rums, and a touch of honey.

 

Seriously amazing bit of alchemy going on in this drink. I'm in shock over how well it all comes together.

[SnB]

so i'm turning into a little bit of a scotch guy lately.

 

recommendations?

 

I'm just dabbling into it, so I don't know that much about it. I know single malt >>>>>> blended.

 

My favorite so far has been glenlivet.

[bmags]

In the selection of cheap wines in Brazil (now that I think in Reais instead of dollars, well, I have for months, but beside the point) I do love Rio Seco's malbec and bonarda, their cab, however, not so good

[Heads22]

I've developed a partialness to dos equis lately. Maybe it's because I'm so damn interesting.

[hogan873]

I just spent the weekend in St. Louis and partook in quite a few Schlafly Pale Ales. Aside from being difficult to pronounce correctly, I found this brew to be quite good. Gives me another reason to visit this great city.

[FlaSoxxJim]

so i'm turning into a little bit of a scotch guy lately.

 

recommendations?

 

I'm just dabbling into it, so I don't know that much about it. I know single malt >>>>>> blended.

 

My favorite so far has been glenlivet.

 

It's hard to beat a good single malt. For many years it was about the only alcohol I drank apart from beer and the occasional glass of wine.

 

My favorites are the Islay malts — peaty-smokey, dry, with slight hints of seaweed and salt. Laphroaig is my favorite and luckily readily available and affordable, but Lagavulin and Ardbeg are also great. There are a half-dozen other Islay distilleries whose products I've never had a chance to sample.

 

I also quite like Talisker, produced by a lone distillery on the Isle of Skye.

 

On the opposite sie of the flavor spectrum are the Speyside malts that I also like. Glenlivet comes from here, as does Glenfiddich. Cragganmore, Macallan, Knockando and Balvenie are my favorite Speysides.

 

I'm not a huge fan of either the Highland or Lowland malts, with Glenmorangie being probably the biggest exception. Most of them just seem sort of one-dimensional compared to the Islays and Speysides.

Edited February 18, 2010 by FlaSoxxJim

[SnB]

i was waiting for a Jim reply!

 

 

[FlaSoxxJim]

i was waiting for a Jim reply!

 

I was away camping with the family for the last four days, and out of the loop.

 

Definitely seek out one of the Islay malts. It's an extreme flavor experience and you may not immediately know what to think of it. With repeated tastings though, these smokey miracle scotches become favorites for many.

[SnB]

I was away camping with the family for the last four days, and out of the loop.

 

Definitely seek out one of the Islay malts. It's an extreme flavor experience and you may not immediately know what to think of it. With repeated tastings though, these smokey miracle scotches become favorites for many.

i have already jotted them down on my grocery list.

 

[hogan873]

Tomorrow is Friday...and pay day. I think a trip to Binny's is called for.

[FlaSoxxJim]

I'm pretty sure I've crowed about a noveau (sp?) tiki drink called the Blackstrap Betty that one a 2008 drink competition and has spread fairly widely within the plugged-in tikisphere. When last I spun this drink I did it without the Cruzan Single Barrel Estate rum the original recipe calls for, and the results were very good but not exactly what the inventor of the drink envisioned. Now with Cruzan Estate in hand, I mixed this curious drink up again, and it really is excellent.

 

Several ingredients that usually do not quite mesh with one another (e.g., lime and Coco Lopez) work wonderfully well together here. No single extreme flavor, this drink still achieves an impressive depth of layered flavors. The blackstrap rum, lime, and coconut cream create flavors reminiscent of Beachbum Berry's Coconaut but they are far more balanced here. The Cruzan Estate and the pineapple juice contribute to get a nice Painkiller vibe going. And the splash of Licor 43 adds some sweet complexity without overpowering the drink as I find Licor 43 can do.

 

This is an elegant yet playful drink worth trying. And in the spirit of try, try again. . . I think I'll have another.

 

[3E8]

Lagunitas is officially my favorite brewery. Every beer I've had from them hasn't just been good, they've been exceptionally flavorful but very drinkable at the same time. If Brown Shugga' is on tap at your local bar, do yourself a favor and try it out

[FlaSoxxJim]

Lagunitas is officially my favorite brewery. Every beer I've had from them hasn't just been good, they've been exceptionally flavorful but very drinkable at the same time. If Brown Shugga' is on tap at your local bar, do yourself a favor and try it out

 

They also get huge bonus points for putting out a limited edition Zappa line of beers! :headbang

[FlaSoxxJim]

Egg whites, gum Arabic, and maple syrup are perfectly acceptable cocktail ingredients. American drinkers have forgotten this over the last 40 years in their rush to use vodka in everything and to completely neuter cocktail culture in the process.

 

Boo vodka. Yea drinks that taste like something.

 

That is all.

[FlaSoxxJim]

Finished doing my taxes tonight, and dadgummit if I don't owe The Man a thousand bucks! Dang.

 

To mark the sad occasion, I'm rocking a Last Rites cocktail as served at Ft. Lauderdale's Mai Kai circa 1959 and as unearthed by Beachbum Berry in Sippin' Safari. Passionfruit syrup, lime juice, falernum, and a heady 3 ounces of aged Martinique rhum agricole make this one a rum hound's dream. The agricole was actually a bit too forward in the mix, and I added a healthy splash of simple syrup which balanced things out quite nicely.

 

Too bad it's so damn late (stoopid taxes), because otherwise I could go for another one of those.