The Finer Things In Life

[bigruss]

Great to hear that it went terrific, but really it's good booze so how couldnt it

[FlaSoxxJim]

Great to hear that it went terrific, but really it's good booze so how couldnt it

 

Good booze is an advantageous starting point, that is very true.

[G&T]

Awesome that it went well! Always good to have people that aren't afraid to try something new.

[bigruss]

Finally bought my first legal drinks at Binny's today (I've been spoiled by friends and family the past two days drinking for free), and bought a 6-pack of Founder's Red's Rye, really looking forward to drinking a few with good friends tonight.

[iamshack]

Got through the bartending gig last night, and it went superbly. I honestly have never made drinks for more than maybe 10 people at a time at casual parties, so I was nervous about keeping 50 or so people lubricated. Cheating and having beer, wine, champagne, and a crock of hot buttered rum (it dipped down to about 28 degrees) at self-serve stations helped a lot and I only had to deal with mixed drinks. The six cocktail special event menu went over well and I also managed to spin up four of the six cocktails that didn't make the cut. The bellini and my two original cocktails (Perfect Pear and Podgy and Jasper rum punch) were the most populat drinks, followed by the Trinidandy Zaya daiquiri and the St. Germaine champagne cocktail. A few adventurous types braved the egg white-containing Hawaii Cocktail, although at the end of the night many more people were happily sipping fresh eggnog with rum, brandy, cream and fresh whole eggs direct from the hostess' hen house. When I was busy I was thankful for the easy drink crowd that just wanted neat scotch or bourbon and soda or vodka tonics, etc.

 

For the most part I kept up with a steady stream of orders for 5 hours. Being a private party I didn't have to worry about ringing up customers, and I think that would actually be the biggest pain in the butt as a professional bartender. I got a lot of compliments on the cocktails. Most gratifying was having several guests, including bar and restaurant staffers, ask how long I'd been bartending.

 

About halfway through the night I was joined by a very charming woman who decided to jump in and barback for me. She was engrossed by every detail of the cocktail construction and by the end of the night she had graduated to shaking up and serving a couple of drinks on her own with just a bit of sideline coaching from me. After the party wound down a couple of her friends told me that she was normally pretty reserved and uptight (she works in finance) and they had never seen her cut loose like that before, so that was pretty cool. I also got a nice bottle of Pamperno Anniversario anejo rum from the hostess as a token of her appreciation, which is much appreciated.

 

All in all, a very fun experience.

 

Jim, that is wonderful! I think you should move back to Chicago and bartend in the viagra triangle. You could probably make a very good living charming the pants off the rich women...

 

[FlaSoxxJim]

Jim, that is wonderful! I think you should move back to Chicago and bartend in the viagra triangle. You could probably make a very good living charming the pants off the rich women...

 

Viagra Triangle

 

I'm astounded that I have heard form the hostess and a couple of other people that I "made the party" for many of the guests. The crazy thing is all I did was make decent drinks for people, but in this day and age decent drinks are the exception rather than the rule. Hopefully that is slowly changing.

 

Tonight it's all about holiday cheer with a rocking egg nog modified from a recipe posted last year on the Rumdood blog.

 

• lots of fresh grated nutmeg

• 3/4 oz rich, dark rum (I'm using old standby El Dorado 5 year Demerara to good effect)

• 3/4 oz brandy

• 3/4 oz 2:1 simple syrup

• 3 oz/ heavy cream

• 1 whole egg (use pasteurized if you are squeamish)

 

Add all of the above into a shaker and shake very well with ice. Strain and top with more grated nutmeg. Drink up and have a Holly Jolly time.

 

I tried tweaking a bit the other night by adding a dash of vanilla extract and it was good but unnecessary. Without the vanilla the flavors of the Demerara rum and brandy shine through better.

 

 

[Balta1701]

Viagra Triangle

 

I'm astounded that I have heard form the hostess and a couple of other people that I "made the party" for many of the guests. The crazy thing is all I did was make decent drinks for people, but in this day and age decent drinks are the exception rather than the rule. Hopefully that is slowly changing.

 

Tonight it's all about holiday cheer with a rocking egg nog modified from a recipe posted last year on the Rumdood blog.

 

• lots of fresh grated nutmeg

• 3/4 oz rich, dark rum (I'm using old standby El Dorado 5 year Demerara to good effect)

• 3/4 oz brandy

• 3/4 oz 2:1 simple syrup

• 3 oz/ heavy cream

• 1 whole egg (use pasteurized if you are squeamish)

 

Add all of the above into a shaker and shake very well with ice. Strain and top with more grated nutmeg. Drink up and have a Holly Jolly time.

 

I tried tweaking a bit the other night by adding a dash of vanilla extract and it was good but unnecessary. Without the vanilla the flavors of the Demerara rum and brandy shine through better.

[iamshack]

Viagra Triangle

 

I'm astounded that I have heard form the hostess and a couple of other people that I "made the party" for many of the guests. The crazy thing is all I did was make decent drinks for people, but in this day and age decent drinks are the exception rather than the rule. Hopefully that is slowly changing.

Jim, that is great news! Perhaps she will refer you to all her rich friends and you can get gigs at all kinds of hauty-tauty philanthropic events!

[Texsox]

It's a guy Christmas, just my son and I.

 

2 One pound Prime - Rib Eye Steaks

2 Big ass baked potatoes

2 Chimay Beers

 

Damn, if I smoked, I'd have a cigar right now.

[Texsox]

Good booze is an advantageous starting point, that is very true.

 

So this chick starts making a move on you and you . . . please don't leave out the good part professor

[SoxFan1]

Today, I drank egg nog. 192 proof Polish egg nog. Holy s***.

 

After further research, it is apparently distilled ethanol. 96% alcohol by volume. I feel like a f***ing trooper.

[G&T]

I got a ridiculous Christmas beer haul that I will have to list later (I just drove back from Chicago). It includes several Founders, Three Floyds, couple 2 Brothers, etc.

 

Also Cruzan single barrel. And I have a whole week off. Awesome.

[Balta1701]

Today, I drank egg nog. 192 proof Polish egg nog. Holy s***.

 

After further research, it is apparently distilled ethanol. 96% alcohol by volume. I feel like a f***ing trooper.

I don't think there's much egg nor much nog in that.

[FlaSoxxJim]

I got a ridiculous Christmas beer haul that I will have to list later (I just drove back from Chicago). It includes several Founders, Three Floyds, couple 2 Brothers, etc.

 

Also Cruzan single barrel. And I have a whole week off. Awesome.

 

Good beer and fine rum!

 

I cracked a 2005 Samichlaus on Christmas Eve that I had been holding on to since it's release. What an amazing drinking experience! I wish I had more of that one.

[knightni]

http://www.sswines.com/sku0878250220-SNG.h...05%20SNG%202005

[FlaSoxxJim]

http://www.sswines.com/sku0878250220-SNG.h...05%20SNG%202005

 

a Christmas Miracle!!!

[SoxFan1]

I don't think there's much egg nor much nog in that.

It was delicious, which is the scary part. It f***s you up.

[G&T]

Beer haul mostly gifted from my father-in-law and brother:

 

3 Floyds: dreadnaught, broodoo, black sun, alpha king, pride and joy, wolf panzer (all were gifts)

 

Bells: oarsmen ale, winter white

 

Founders: old curmudgeon, dirty bastard, red rye p.a., centennial IPA (all were gifts)

 

Dark horse: too cream stout

 

2 brothers: prairie path golden ale, domain dupage French country ale

 

Trader Joes vintage 2010 brewed by unibroue

 

I also have a Sam Adams Infinium.

 

that's a lot of IPAs for me to handle. I'm gonna have to give some of it away.

 

Oh, does anyone have any experiece aging IPA's? I have aged barleywines, but that has more malt character when fresh. I struggle to drink really high hop beers so I am wondering if a couple months of age will help me out. Or I will suck it up and drink it with the greasiest burger I can make.

Edited December 27, 2010 by G&T

[SoxFan1]

Beer haul mostly gifted from my father-in-law and brother:

 

3 Floyds: dreadnaught, broodoo, black sun, alpha king, pride and joy, wolf panzer (all were gifts)

 

Bells: oarsmen ale, winter white

 

Founders: old curmudgeon, dirty bastard, red rye p.a., centennial IPA (all were gifts)

 

Dark horse: too cream stout

 

2 brothers: prairie path golden ale, domain dupage French country ale

 

Trader Joes vintage 2010 brewed by unibroue

 

I also have a Sam Adams Infinium.

 

that's a lot of IPAs for me to handle. I'm gonna have to give some of it away.

 

Oh, does anyone have any experiece aging IPA's? I have aged barleywines, but that has more malt character when fresh. I struggle to drink really high hop beers so I am wondering if a couple months of age will help me out. Or I will suck it up and drink it with the greasiest burger I can make.

Founders has spectacular beer. I go to their brewery often.

[G&T]

Founders has spectacular beer. I go to their brewery often.

 

Yeah I've had the Dirty Bastard and the Breakfast stout. Just tried the Centennial and it was awesome (and I'm not a big IPA guy). Founders is one of the best breweries in the country.

[FlaSoxxJim]

Regarding the aging of standard gravity IPAs, I wouldn't expect the sort of magical transformation you get from strong ales, old ales and barley wines, and honestly they don't have the alcohol and many don't have the hopping rates to lend themselves to years-long cellaring. George Hodgson's October beer notwithstanding (the pre-Burton precursor to 19th century British IPAs),these were beers meant to be drunk within months of production and not years.

 

now that we have jumped into some good beer chat, I'm jumping into what I hope will be several days of new and exciting beers. Right now I'm drinking a bottle-conditioned Hen's Tooth English Ale that I have had before and which i like very much. A very traditional English ale fro the Morland Brewery in Suffolk, malt accented, copper color, malt and metal on the nose and with a really nice hop balance. Velvety mouthfeel and lingering hops and malt in the finish. At 6.5% abv, it is higher strength than a standard British bitter, but it is perfectly suited to the season.

 

It is a chilly 30 degrees here tonight, so i have a nice fire going in the fireplace, and this beer is a fine complement to the scene.

[bigruss]

I was very pleased with my first legal 6 pack in the Red Rye from Founders, I will have to try more of their stuff later on.

 

Went to a bar with some friends a few nights ago and got a beer flight that was pretty good. Some beers that I really enjoyed were Stone's Arrogant Bastard, Gulden Draak, Lagunitas Brown Shugga, and Stone 10.10.10. I wasn't a fan of the Stone Stone Smoked Porter With Chipotle, that was just a weird after flavor that i just didn't enjoy, and there was another one that I can't remember, for a reason.

 

I also tried Three Floyd's Gumball Head, that was flat out excellent.

 

I am honestly scared for my wallet, I get to tempted to try new good beers, and they aren't cheap. I welcome all recommendations for reasonably priced but great beer (there is a Binny's about 5 minutes from me, that may be a good or bad thing).

[knightni]

Just wait until the honorable mentions on the list.

[SoxFan1]

I was very pleased with my first legal 6 pack in the Red Rye from Founders, I will have to try more of their stuff later on.

 

Went to a bar with some friends a few nights ago and got a beer flight that was pretty good. Some beers that I really enjoyed were Stone's Arrogant Bastard, Gulden Draak, Lagunitas Brown Shugga, and Stone 10.10.10. I wasn't a fan of the Stone Stone Smoked Porter With Chipotle, that was just a weird after flavor that i just didn't enjoy, and there was another one that I can't remember, for a reason.

 

I also tried Three Floyd's Gumball Head, that was flat out excellent.

 

I am honestly scared for my wallet, I get to tempted to try new good beers, and they aren't cheap. I welcome all recommendations for reasonably priced but great beer (there is a Binny's about 5 minutes from me, that may be a good or bad thing).

Oh man, I know how you feel. Turned 21 in August and most of my money has gone towards trying different drinks since then. Between my home in Chicago and my house in Grand Rapids, there are 3 good liquor stores within 5 minutes of me.

[G&T]

Regarding the aging of standard gravity IPAs, I wouldn't expect the sort of magical transformation you get from strong ales, old ales and barley wines, and honestly they don't have the alcohol and many don't have the hopping rates to lend themselves to years-long cellaring. George Hodgson's October beer notwithstanding (the pre-Burton precursor to 19th century British IPAs),these were beers meant to be drunk within months of production and not years.

 

Yeah that's what I read. But there is good news for me. I have tried the Centennial and the Pride and Joy and these beers are making me crave hops. We will see if my stomach can handle it.

 

 

As for good, cheaper beer, I recommend Oskar Blues. Founders isn't that expensive if you stick to the six packs (about $10). Some of their stuff is more expensive.

The real key is avoiding bombers and 750ml bottles if you can avoid it. They are purposely overpriced by breweries.

Ommegang and Unibroue are two breweries that make great, reasonably priced beers, but always take the 4 pack if available. Do the math on it, it's like getting a free beer.

Allagash, the same.

 

Sierra Nevada is easy to come by and is reasonably priced as well.

 

Also, try to find local breweries or brewpubs. In upstate NY we have a few smaller breweries, like Browns, that are cheaper because they have limited distribution, but the beer is very good. Browns makes the best American rauchbier I have found, and the best oatmeal stout I've ever tried. But they aren't entirely consistent batch to batch. Nevertheless, I have a growler and can fill it for $9 with damn good beer.