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I decided to mix up a 2:1 syrup with sugar in the raw. It's probably not demerera but I read in Imbibe that it is a decent substitute. On its own, it is really good. I put it in a mai tai and daiquiri and I felt that something wasn't entirely right. Not bad, just different. I might have to mess with the proportions a bit.

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QUOTE (G&T @ Dec 29, 2010 -> 09:04 PM)
I decided to mix up a 2:1 syrup with sugar in the raw. It's probably not demerera but I read in Imbibe that it is a decent substitute. On its own, it is really good. I put it in a mai tai and daiquiri and I felt that something wasn't entirely right. Not bad, just different. I might have to mess with the proportions a bit.

 

Not bad, just different is the right mindset I think. I'm tending to use the dark sugar syrups more for grogs and potent punches and usually keeping with light simple syrup for Mai tais and daiquiris. Of course that is only a guideline that should be ignored whenever you feel like it. Let the rum dictate what the drink needs - I think that is the only real rule.

 

Back on the beer front, I am thoroughly enjoying a Cigar City Sea Bass dark farmhouse ale that would be right up your alley.

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That beer sounds good. Speaking of sours, here's one I didn't know existed until tonight and desperately want. The brewery is like 4 hours away but I don't have time to go out there.

 

As for the syrups, my first impression is that the dark syrup would be a good way to fill out a lighter Jamaican rum, like VX. I used it with Appleton 12 and felt the fruity notes were hidden in the mai tai.

Edited by G&T
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QUOTE (G&T @ Dec 29, 2010 -> 09:38 PM)
That beer sounds good. Speaking of sours, here's one I didn't know existed until tonight and desperately want. The brewery is like 4 hours away but I don't have time to go out there.

 

As for the syrups, my first impression is that the dark syrup would be a good way to fill out a lighter Jamaican rum, like VX. I used it with Appleton 12 and felt the fruity notes were hidden in the mai tai.

 

Blueberries and Brett! That does sound nice!

 

The Cigar City Sea Bass was very good, but my wife was in a mood for something lighter last night and I actually had a bit of a time polishing off the whole champagne bottle on my own after the wonderful beef stroghanoff dinner my wife served up last night. Great nose, dense head, rich flavors and a very well-balanced tartness, this is another great Cigar City product. Their Jai Lai IPA has become a favorite, and the Humidor Series version aged on cedar is something special. G+T, is that one you got to try when you were in Florida?

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QUOTE (FlaSoxxJim @ Dec 30, 2010 -> 11:05 AM)
Blueberries and Brett! That does sound nice!

 

The Cigar City Sea Bass was very good, but my wife was in a mood for something lighter last night and I actually had a bit of a time polishing off the whole champagne bottle on my own after the wonderful beef stroghanoff dinner my wife served up last night. Great nose, dense head, rich flavors and a very well-balanced tartness, this is another great Cigar City product. Their Jai Lai IPA has become a favorite, and the Humidor Series version aged on cedar is something special. G+T, is that one you got to try when you were in Florida?

 

Yeah that's it. I very much enjoyed it for its complexity and smoothness. I have come to marvel at properly balanced IPAs. Maybe I have turned a new leaf in my beer drinking...

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Continuing the multi-threadded beer talk. . .

 

A friend of mine who was the beer expert at a local liquor store that sadly just closed is now the per pro and head bartender at a new gourmet burger and beer place near where I work called BrewGrrs that just opened this week after many months of delays. I went yesterday with a work friend and had a very tasty falafel burger and three of their 36 impressive beers on tap.

 

Had a lovely Blanche de Bruxelles witbier and thoroughly enjoyed the Mannekin Pis brand logo as always.

 

mannekenpis.gif

 

I then had two beers I hadn't tried before. The first was Brooklyn Brewery's Cuvee Noire, part of their Brewmaster's Reserve lineup. Belgian ale yeast complexity meets a heaping helping of dark roast malts. Dark yet fruity, sort of like Guinness' gay cousin.

 

I finished out the session with the recently released double IPA called Swamp Ape IPA brewed right up the road from where I live at Florida Beer Company. This was really a standout. Nice fruity notes, good alcohol warmth, very nice hop balance. This is probably the best thing Florida Beer Co. has ever done.

Edited by FlaSoxxJim
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The Cuvee Noir is on tap for growler fills at my moderately local bottle shop for $12. I'm wondering if I should take advantage, but I have about 60 beers in my house right now that I brought back from Chicago...and I can't justify more money spent on beer right now. Damn.

 

 

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QUOTE (G&T @ Jan 1, 2011 -> 08:47 AM)
Had our first bottled of Dom last night (gift from my wife's work for our wedding).

Also had my first caipirinha (superb!) and pisco sour at dinner.

And my first hangover off 2011.

 

Very nice! Did the Pisco sour have an egg white froth with a bit of Ango bitters sprinkled on top? If so, you had it done right.

 

I'm all out of Pisco after mixing up a few Pisco sours for some partygoers at a friend's New Years party.

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QUOTE (FlaSoxxJim @ Jan 1, 2011 -> 08:04 PM)
Very nice! Did the Pisco sour have an egg white froth with a bit of Ango bitters sprinkled on top? If so, you had it done right.

 

I'm all out of Pisco after mixing up a few Pisco sours for some partygoers at a friend's New Years party.

 

Unfortunately no. I knew they weren't going to make it with the egg whites but they definitely had the bitters. I want to try one done right.

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I had pico sours at three different places in Ecuador and each one was different. I had one that was blended smooth with ice, one that was made with boring commercial sour mix, and one that was authentic with the egg white. In all cases, the sprinkling of a few drops or dashes of Ango was part of the recipe.

 

I eagerly await the day when pico is as readily available in more American bars.

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QUOTE (SoxFan1 @ Jan 4, 2011 -> 03:19 PM)
Found a liquor store that had Bourbon Country Stout. $50 for a bottle. No thanks.

 

WHAT?! That's ludicrous. It's supposed to be like $20 for a 4 pack. Just last Christmas there was a ton of it at Binny's and now it's $50 a bottle? I can tell you one thing, it isn't worth $50. It's a good beer, but I would never buy it again at the normal price.

 

Also, there were various Bourbon County stouts this year included one made with vanilla and some that were aged longer. It could have been one of those.

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QUOTE (G&T @ Jan 4, 2011 -> 03:30 PM)
WHAT?! That's ludicrous. It's supposed to be like $20 for a 4 pack. Just last Christmas there was a ton of it at Binny's and now it's $50 a bottle? I can tell you one thing, it isn't worth $50. It's a good beer, but I would never buy it again at the normal price.

 

Also, there were various Bourbon County stouts this year included one made with vanilla and some that were aged longer. It could have been one of those.

Ya, I was pretty shocked. I was expecting to get the 4-pack, but that's all they had.

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I just stirred up a martini variant that I really like for tonight's Thursday Drink Night online forum. Tonight's theme is European ingredients, so I'm entering the fray with. . .

 

Elders of the Gentle Race

 

• 2.5 Hendrick’s Gin

• 0.5 St. Germaine Elderflower Liqueur

 

Stir w/ice, strain, serve up in a chilled martini glass, top w/3 drops rose flower water.

 

Yumm!

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First thing, those in Chicago have to get some Two Brothers beers. I had the Cane and Ebel tonight and it was excellent. The golden ale is also very good. The French Country Ale probably would be good fresh, but mine was oxidized.

 

Second, I mixed up a Jasper's Punch but didn't want to make the a full batch of mix. I went with:

1 oz lime

1 oz turbinado syrup (I'd go with Demerara but its pricey)

bitters and nutmeg to taste

2 oz Wray&Nephew

 

The syrup may be a bone of contention but I wanted to try turbinado for a fuller flavor and I knew it wouldn't dissolve otherwise. I think it turned out very nicely and I find the mouthfeel to be pleasing and not noticeably thicker (the Jaspers is a syrup anyway). I really like the turbinado.

 

Last, it's snowing and there will be about 6 inches by morning. I am going to try to make Apple Toddies using the Imbibe recipe if I can walk and operate an oven.

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QUOTE (G&T @ Jan 7, 2011 -> 08:53 PM)
First thing, those in Chicago have to get some Two Brothers beers. I had the Cane and Ebel tonight and it was excellent. The golden ale is also very good. The French Country Ale probably would be good fresh, but mine was oxidized.

 

Second, I mixed up a Jasper's Punch but didn't want to make the a full batch of mix. I went with:

1 oz lime

1 oz turbinado syrup (I'd go with Demerara but its pricey)

bitters and nutmeg to taste

2 oz Wray&Nephew

 

The syrup may be a bone of contention but I wanted to try turbinado for a fuller flavor and I knew it wouldn't dissolve otherwise. I think it turned out very nicely and I find the mouthfeel to be pleasing and not noticeably thicker (the Jaspers is a syrup anyway). I really like the turbinado.

 

Last, it's snowing and there will be about 6 inches by morning. I am going to try to make Apple Toddies using the Imbibe recipe if I can walk and operate an oven.

 

Yay Wray&Nephew and Jasper's Mix! A match made in heaven.

 

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QUOTE (FlaSoxxJim @ Jan 7, 2011 -> 11:29 PM)
Yay Wray&Nephew and Jasper's Mix! A match made in heaven.

 

I love Jasper's Punches. I could slam those all night.

 

I also made the Apply Toddy. I went directly against Imbibe and used Applejack since I don't have access to a better apple brandy. Suspecting that might be a problem I kept the liquor to 1.5 oz for me and 1 oz for my wife (which worked well). I was right as the alcohol was fairly apparent. However, I didn't strain the pulp from the apple and we both felt that made the drink better and it covered the booze pretty well. A smoother alcohol would work better, but some extra sugar would probably work too.

Overall, definitely drinkable, and despite some overt alcohol, it was something I want to try again. Lots of variables and plenty to play with.

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QUOTE (G&T @ Jan 7, 2011 -> 11:54 PM)
I love Jasper's Punches. I could slam those all night.

 

I also made the Apply Toddy. I went directly against Imbibe and used Applejack since I don't have access to a better apple brandy. Suspecting that might be a problem I kept the liquor to 1.5 oz for me and 1 oz for my wife (which worked well). I was right as the alcohol was fairly apparent. However, I didn't strain the pulp from the apple and we both felt that made the drink better and it covered the booze pretty well. A smoother alcohol would work better, but some extra sugar would probably work too.

Overall, definitely drinkable, and despite some overt alcohol, it was something I want to try again. Lots of variables and plenty to play with.

 

I don't keep any calvados on hand here either, so I always have to sub Applejack when calvados is called for as well. Depending on whether it is the base spirit or the modifying agent, I might add a bit of good brandy to the mix as well to try to approach some of the depth the calvados would bring.

 

Is your Applejack the normal 80-proof or are you lucky enough to get the high-octane Laird's Bonded up your way?

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QUOTE (G&T @ Jan 7, 2011 -> 07:53 PM)
First thing, those in Chicago have to get some Two Brothers beers. I had the Cane and Ebel tonight and it was excellent. The golden ale is also very good. The French Country Ale probably would be good fresh, but mine was oxidized.

 

Two Brothers is great and their brewery and brew pub is only a short drive from my house which makes it even better.

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