CS Booze Club.

[BamaBabe]

Hubs and I stopped for lunch the other day at a chain called "O'Charley's". I was looking at the wine by the glass they had available, and saw that they served Chateau St. Michelle Reisling. Now, I haven't had a Reisling in years, but I remembered them as being medium sweet and slightly effervescent. I ordered a glass, and I sniffed and took a sip. Ah, just like I remembered. The hubs went out the next day and bought me three bottles! I is a happy camper.

[Jester]

Another big bottle that cost me too much in a drunken moment, another attempt at a revelation. We shall see, brothers and sisters. We shall see.

Here I have Shipyard Imperial Porter, one of "Pugsley's Signature Series." Now, I won't lie to you. Shipyard has not blown me out of the water like Rogue has. But they have had some damn fine beers, and I can't recall one that wasn't good, and most were very nice. So let's see where this 22 oz. bottle takes me.

Pouring it, I see it is black. No, black on black. As black as my ex girlfriend's heart. It is a black hole of beer, for no light can penetrate this beer. No, seriously. This shit is dark! And yet, it hints at some inner magic.

There is not much nose. Maybe some hints of light chocolate? A touch of coffee? Continued oral investigation reveals a bit more coffee, actually. Let's dive in.

FIRST SIP: A little too much coffee, I fear. I like a little coffee flavor in my darker beers, but this seems to be the predominant note in this beer. And as I reach for my second sip, I notice that the beer has left virtually no lacing (or "legs") on the glass. While this beer is very highly rated by a lot of the beer rating websites, I personally don't think it's that impressive. Good, yes. Not a waste of my money. And I will spend some quality time with this one, investigating it's mystery's. But for the moment, I stand disappointed from my expectations, and not expecting to be buying this beer again. A low B. Tasty, but not only won't it change your religion, it won't even get you to come in to worship.

I expected much, much more from this beer. *sigh* Ah, well. It's experiences like these that make the few revelations that much more amazing and memorable.

[Jester]

Sometimes you just feel the music coming on. And I do. Right now. You can't stop it. My props to Lady Gaga, who inspired this. (My condolences, too. Sorry, Gaga.) And here we go....

(speaking)
It doesn't matter if you drink craft beer or that shitty B-U-D (d...d...d...d...)
Just throw your shots down
'Cause you were born to drink, baby

(singing)
My 'tender told me when I sat down
We are all vessels to fill
She poured my beer with just the right size head
In a glass perfectly chilled

There's nothin' wrong with drinkin' what you love
She said, 'cause I'll pour it perfect, babe
So hold your head up, boy and don't pass out
Listen to me when I say

Its tasty every day
'Cause God pours no bad drinks
I'm in the right bar, baby
I was born to drink

Don't drown yourself in regret
Just find your bar and you're set
I'm in the right bar, baby
I was born to drink, born to drink

Ooh, there ain't no other way,
Baby, I was born to drink
Baby, I was born to drink
Ooh, there ain't no other way,
Baby, I was born to drink
I'm in the right bar,
Baby, I was born to drink


(EDITED TO ADD: I will absolutely buy a major bar tab for anyone who actually records this so that it sounds like the original, but with my lyrics. I will even write lyrics for the rest of the song if needed. And when I say I'll buy the bar tab, I don't mean at my bar or in Key West, I mean a night out at your favorite bar, wherever the fuck it is. You produce this parody, you have a night out on me. Absofuckinglutely. Assuming, of course, Weird Al doesn't beat us to it.)

(EDITED TO ADD MORE: Well, Weird Al did do a parody, but he went in a completely different direction. Whew! That was a close one, don't you think? And, credit where credit is due, Weird Al's version is fucking hysterical!)

[BamaBabe]

Ah, Jester. You should write songs in addition to bartending. Those lyrics are brilliant!

[Jester]

I do write songs. You people see them all the time.

True story: I almost got one of my parodies produced by a radio station. Years ago, when The Eagles went out on the Hell Freezes Over tour, and jacked the ticket prices way up compared to other acts (though they would be pretty cheap by today's outrageous standards), I penned a parody to their signature song (and one of my all time favorite songs, as it turns out), "Hotel California," changing the lyrics to make the Eagles money-grubbing bastards. I sent the lyrics in to a local Phoenix radio station, and they actually contacted me about producing it. Sadly, it never got further than the talking stage, but at least I got someone's attention. LOL!

Now, if you want to see true brilliance, listen to Weird Al's take. I still can't get over how funny that is....possibly even funnier than his "Complicated" spoof, as the Gaga spoof makes fun of Gaga herself, which is pretty hilarious.

[KiaKat]

Whoof.

Loooong week of work. Very long week. I'm rewarding myself with a wine I WANT to drink, not a wine I HAVE to drink. Let me tell you, most of the wines I taste at work? Crap. Utter and complete crap.

Not this one.

Anjou Blanc from Chateau Soucherie. Apple, peach, and salt. Lots of minerally, fossilized salt. This is a good thing, because a Loire Valley white should be fairly mineral and saline, especially when it's from this region.

Huh. I'm drinking a lot of Chenin Blanc lately. And they're all different; The one from South Africa was full, fruity, crisp, and juicy - like biting into an apple - whereas this one, and the other Loire ones, have been clean, acid-driven, delicate, and slightly perfumed. It's a great contrast.

For $15, this is a great wine, and one that I'll definitely keep in the fridge for guests, right next to the Arneis... But that's another post for another day.

[Jester]

A new old favorite of mine, but one I don't believe I've commented on in here.

Heavy Seas Peg Leg Imperial Stout, from Clipper City Brewing Company in Baltimore, Maryland.

It pours like a black motor oil, not quite as thick as Ten Fidy, but still, black as night. The nose is subtle, with notes of semi-sweet chocolate, slight coffee, maybe even some plum, or some kind of fresh fruit.

FIRST SIP: Okay, it's not the first sip ever, but I'm going to do this review the way I do my other at home reviews, so go along with me on this one, okay? Anyway, where was I....oh yes....

FIRST SIP (of this bottle): Sweet. Smooth. Tasty. Dark. Just a trace of bitterness, as you might find in some nice quality chocolate. And the chocolate notes are definitely there, though not as pronounced as you might find in a chocolate stout or similar type beer. Smooth, dark, almost creamy....a lovely dark beer that one could drink every day.

My usual review questions: Do I like it? Hell yeah. Would I order it again? This ain't the first time, bucko. Would I seek it out? I have a six pack of Peg Leg in the fridge. There's a reason. This stuff is very, very nice. And I'm drinking it today because I really need the beer equivalent of some comfort food to make me feel better. So have some yourself. You can thank me later.

[Dilorenzo]

Look at this, I leave CS for a bit and come back, and the Greatest Thread Ever has been started. It'll also give me an excuse to make a trip to Heinens more often to pick up some local stuff to try and describe.

Personally, I'm an ale guy. Nothing against lagers, I just go for things that have a lot more flavor in them, so should I describe beers, they'll likely be ales.

Such as the Sam Adams Double Bock (yes, I like Sam Adams. They're, to my mind, the best 'big' brewery around. There's better beers to be had, but most of their stuff is quality), which I had on a night out recently. 9.5% ABV, so it was strong as all get out. Wonderful smooth strong flavor to it. The 9.5% means you can't really have more than a couple if you like walking, or more than one if you want to keep drinking for a few hours yet. As it's been a couple of weeks, it's not fresh enough in my mind to describe beyond that.

(Same night as that I found the best place in five years for a Guinness, since moving to the States from Ireland. They poured it as it should be. Not the horror way I've seen 'em pour it some places, on a flat surface and sometimes with a spoon over it. No, angled glass, wait, finish. I love my new bar.)

Also a big Scotch and Whiskey drinker, though not so much for the Bourbons. I like the burn, but not that much. I'll have to get the names from my buddy who brought them last Friday, but I had my first Islet (Islay, perhaps?) Scotch. Wonderful thing. Peaty, a little salty, deep flavor to it. Only problem was the fact that it was a cumulative flavor. It didn't go away, so each sip led to you having so much more. Led to a couple of waters to clear the palette afterward before he broke out the $85 bottle of much better scotch, of which I also don't recall the name. Much smoother than the Islet, but still with that nice little burn you want. Peat, but no so much it drowns out everything else

A word of advise though - came across a whiskey called Michael Collins. Now, Irish, as I've said, so I've got to try that, right? Yeah, don't. Turpentine with a banana aftertaste. Don't know how it has a banana aftertaste, but it does.

More as I run into them.

[KiaKat]

Islay. Tends to make smoky, peaty Scotch. Good stuff - Lagavulin 18 is quite tasty, so is Balvennie... 19? 21? I don't remember the age on that one.

I'm not sure about whiskies, but with wine, banana usually means they've either introduced a specific strain of yeast during fermentation, or they've fermented via carbonic maceration; usually the former, occasionally the latter.

[Jester]

Look at this, I leave CS for a bit and come back, and the Greatest Thread Ever has been started.

You're welcome.

[chikenlady]

Here is a link I found that is not the official link that has a pretty good description of what it is. In other words, a usable site.

the "The Tiramisu Martini" sounds tasty

I love trying different cocktails when go somewhere tropical. If I find one I really like I usually try to remember the ingredients to make it at home. A couple of months ago, hubby and I went to Panama and I loved a drink there that had amaretto, brandy, grenadine and OJ. So simple but I have never seen those put together at home.

[Treasure]

Ok, so unlike Jester, Rum and I don't always see eye-to-eye; we get along better than me and Tequila (and i don't just mean jose) but we're not as good of friends as me and Vodka (oh Russian Standard, how I love thee!)
BUT

the other night went and hung out w/ my brother and a mutual friend; my bro forgot to tell me BYOB, so I'm there, and want a drink - he has a Handle of Sailor Jerry's Spiced Rum.... (i don't drink most soda's now days) so... what to mix with?

and believe it or not I mixed SJ's Spiced Rum, with Cherry Crush soda

and NO, it did not taste like cough syrup - it was interesting, and a little odd, but good enough that i bough my own 2 ltr of cherry crush (which unfortunately was flat when i opened it) and a small bottle of Sailor Jerry's (and the liquor store guy recognized me - even though its been months since i've been in that store o_0 )

[Jester]

Actually, that makes perfect sense to me, as many spiced rums have some black cherry or cherry component to their flavor profile.

And while Sailor Jerry is alright, there are some other spiced rums out there you might want to try, such as Blackbeard's and, my personal favorite spiced rum, Kilo Kai.

[Dilorenzo]

So, tonight I'm gonna be trying Doghead Raison D'etre. I tell you it's going to be very disappointing if it isn't. I mean, a name like that, you gotta live up to it, right?

Also going to be drinking a terribly cheap beer the name of which I can't recall, as I bought it on a complete whim. Still, full accounts of both tomorrow. I'm even going to take notes because... yeah, memory doesn't work so well of a Friday night.

[Jester]

So, tonight I'm gonna be trying Doghead Raison D'etre.

Actually, the name of the brewery is Dogfish Head. And they are all the rage lately, and everyone loves them.

Except me.

I have tried ten of their offerings so far, and haven't really liked one yet. That is not to say they don't make a quality product. They do. But for whatever reason, it is a quality product that my palate just doesn't care for. To be perfectly fair, the first two Dogfish Head beers I tried were their 60 Minute IPA and their 90 Minute Imperial IPA...and my feelings on IPAs were established here a long time ago. That being said, by all accounts from my IPA-loving friends, the 90 Minute is the Bomb Mack Daddy of IPAs.

The other 8, though....some were worse than others, some were almost decent, but none of them really did anything for me. I thought for sure I would love their Midas Touch, as it's a beer made with honey. I love honey. I love honey beers. I wanted to throw that one against the wall, I hated it so much.

While I am on my Beercation this week, I plan on trying many new libations, mostly (but not exclusively) beers. I got a great start at Cervezas in Miami yesterday, and from there was directed to a spectacular liquor store up the street, where I picked up a good selection of craft beers for my fridge back in Key West. While normally I am Now Allowed to go to a liquor store after I've been drinking, this was an awesome experience, and I'm glad I went. I will post more about Cervezas, Sunset Corners (the Greatest Liquor Store Ever), and my whole experience here in Fort Liquordale when I get back to Key West. I am, after all, taking notes. (No. Really.)

For now, I will simply tell y'all about my newest drink invention, the Bloody Pig. It's a bloody mary with a strip of cooked bacon in it. Sounds crazy...until you really think about it. Everyone who's tried it thinks it's genius. I tell you, it's going to be the next big drink craze! Now, I like mine extra spicy, but I like my regular Bloody Marys extra spicy as well. But you don't need to get it that way for the Bloody Pig...the bacon just works!

Today at breakfast, when Little Red saw me do this, she asked me for some of my bacon. To which I told her hell no, and that she should get her own bacon. After all, as I said, "you're asking a Jew for free bacon. Good luck with that." And we both agreed that that was so wrong on so many levels.

Okay, back to the joys of my Beercation!

Stay thirsty, my friends!