Alcohol + Ice Cream = Book Reviews
It’s the last great frontier for alcohol: Frozen dessert treats. Booze is tricky in frozen desserts because it lowers the freezing temperature of whatever you add it to. A bottle of vodka in the freezer doesn’t freeze, even at 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Add it to ice cream the wrong way and you get more of…
Review: Michter’s US-1 Original Sour Mash Whiskey
Michter’s is the It Company of the American whiskey world right now, its from-the-ashes story bringing many fans forward to hear about its charms. Michter’s is a brand that dates waaaay back to 1753 but which went bankrupt in 1989. In 1990 the company was rescued and relaunched, and only in the last five years…
Review: Just Chill Natural Stress Relief Beverages (2013 Flavors)
As “relaxation drinks” go, Just Chill is one of the better products on the market. Since its 2011 introduction, the product has been a success, and now the company is rolling out two new flavors plus a slightly revamped can design. Each 12 oz. can is now 70 calories instead of 50, as the cans…
Review: Eastside Distilling Burnside Double Barrel Bourbon
This brand new whiskey hails from Eastside Distilling in Portland, Oregon, and the two barrels in question are a traditional new oak barrel, followed by a second turn for 60 days in a new heavy-char barrel made from Oregon oak. Essentially, its Eastside’s 4 year old Burnside Bourbon (mashbill: 75% corn, 10% rye, 15% malted…
Review: Magic Hat Exotic Spring Ales 2013
Three new seasonal brews from our ever-experimental pals at Magic Hat, including a huge winner with coriander underpinnings. Thoughts follow. Magic Hat Ticket to Rye – It’s a nice IPA with a twist, rye grain in the mash that gives the beer a bit of an edge and a distinct, rye bread flavor. The chewy…
Review: 2010 LangeTwins Zinfandel Lodi
Lodi-based LangeTwins is a winery we have covered in the past, and recently we received this new, affordable 2010 Zinfandel for review. It’s a really well-made Zin for this price. There’s solid fruit, but the jamminess is restrained. The fun is in what lies beneath. I love the subtle smokiness of the wine, which blends…
Review: 2011 Rancho Zabaco Zinfandel Sonoma Heritage Vines Sonoma County
This big Zin, touched with Petite Sirah, offers a flood of flavor. Big with strawberry jam and cocoa notes, and a touch of cedar wood on the side. The finish is long and a bit cloying, almost enamel-stripping in its incredible sweetness. Overall a fairly standard interpretation of Zinfandel in the ’10s — tons of…
Review: 2011 Landmark Vineyards Overlook Chardonnay Sonoma County
This Chardonnay from Landmark — featuring an all-new, stripped-down label design — is everything you want from a California Chardonnay, for better or worse. Nutty, apple-tinged notes play on the nose, and the body matches that in stride. The body reveals the lightly woodsy notes, grilled fruits, buttery nuts (or nut butter?), and a mild,…
