Review: Pyramid Snow Cap Ale (2007)
Another holiday beer, this one a spin on a traditional brown ale, but overloaded with hoppiness. The dark brown “winter warmer” is certainly rich, giving off a nice aroma of chocolate and caramel malts… but an overpowering bitterness wipes the sweetness away once it hits your lips. It’s not a hard beer to drink by…
Review: 2002 Plaimont Madiran Plénitude
I’d wager you’re unfamiliar with any of the terms in the name of the wine in this review… and to be honest I had to look up the Madiran region on a map myself. Here’s what you need to know: Madiran is a tiny spot of land in southwest France (you’ll sometimes see these wines…
Review: Bulleit Bourbon
I love the Bulleit guys. I have honestly never met friendlier people in the course of my travels. Gracious, honest, and plain spoken, I’d drink Bulleit even if it tasted like swill just because I think it would make me a better person. Fortunately, Bulleit’s “Frontier Whiskey” is plenty good going down the hatch. Bulleit…
Review: Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon (2007)
This is a classic sipping bourbon. Once you get through the alcoholic heat (splash some water in the glass; at 100 proof it needs it), you’ll find a rich, oaky flavor, some maple syrup, some vanilla, and a nicely sweet finish. The vague herbal notes are interesting, and picking them out — sage? rosemary? it’s…
Recipe: The Turkey Trot Cocktail
Need a pick-me-up to go with all those Thanksgiving leftovers? Try this — utterly holiday appropriate — little concoction. The Turkey Trot 1 1/4 oz. bourbon 3/4 oz. cranberry juice 1/4 oz. Licor 43 Shake with ice in a cocktail shaker, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with a cranberry. Add more bourbon for…
Review: Lost Coast Winterbraun
Winter is approaching and that means holiday brews are hitting the stores. A nice choice is Lost Coast’s Winterbraun, a microbrew that is as holiday-appropriate as you’re likely to get. The secret is chocolate and caramel hops, which give this brown ale a distinct flavor of cocoa powder, even a bit of grittiness in the…
Review: Playboy Energy Drink
Considering the amount of Red Bull that’s likely consumed on the premises of the Playboy Mansion, making his own Playboy Energy Drink would probably save Hef enough money that it’d be a good business venture even if they didn’t sell it to the public. Besides, the world might quit spinning if it failed to churn…
Review: Jones Soda Chanukah Pack 2007
As previously promised, here is your coverage of the flipside of the Jones Soda Christmas Pack: The Jones Soda Chanukah Pack, loaded with four bottles of pop: Apple Sauce Soda, Latke Soda, Jelly Doughnut Soda, and Chocolate Coins Soda, plus a plastic dreidel. Here’s how they stack up against the gentiles. Jones Soda Apple Sauce:…