Founders Brewing Co. KBS Vintage Comparison: 2009 & 2010
Of late, my fascination with barrel-aged beers appears to be waning. I don’t know when it happened exactly (although I have a guess*), but I can pinpoint when I became aware of it. It was last week when we had a couple of friends over for dinner, one of whom really appreciates good beer. So I pulled out a couple of bourbon barrel-aged imperial stouts for us to sample, one that I had brewed and the other a Goose Island Bourbon County Stout. I enjoyed them both, but I wasn’t swept off of my feet by them.
I used to think these beers were the bee’s knees, and here I was drinking them while at the same time some part of me longed for an eminently drinkable, sessionable beer. Very surprising, but not altogether unwelcome. Barrel-aged beers are great, full of powerful, unique flavors. But they’re also big and uncompromising, and as a result they’re beers that you really… (read more)
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Deschutes Brewing Co. Abyss 2010
I keep a mental list of specific wines, beers, whiskies, etc., that I’m dying to try. The list grows inexorably, despite my attempts to whittle it down through the application of rational expectations and thought. Each time a new issue of the Art Of Eating comes out, or I receive a newsletter from Ridge, or the Malt Advocate arrives on my doorstep, invariably something that I read calls out to me to be added to the list. The criteria is not always clear, but the result is often a new resident of the list who, like its brethren, is difficult if not impossible for me to try.
Take for example, Ridge’s Monte Bello. Here is a wine that has been on this list for quite some time. It has no reasonable place on this list, by sheer virtue of its price tag ($150), yet I wouldn’t remove it for the life of me.
Why is its presence on the list not… (read more)
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Glen Elgin 10-Year SMWS Cask 85.20
Scotch whisky never ceases to amaze, intrigue, and excite me. Over the past few months, life (i.e., our move to Portland Oregon) has intervened in a pretty significant way, and as a result my writing has diminished notably. One of those cases of my brain only being able to generate so much energy, and something having to be put aside. In this case it was writing that fell by the wayside. That’s not to say that I haven’t been lucky enough to taste some amazing beverages, and I have been taking notes and preparing to do some writing. So I still hope to revisit some of the more notable items that have crossed my lips of late.
But I digress, I was talking about scotch. During our recent trip home to see friends and family during the holidays, I had the good fortune to sample a handful of whiskies, and was struck (yet again) by the incredible diversity that scotch… (read more)
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Heater Allen Brewing Pils & Abzug
After a move cross country to Portland, Oregon, it seems only fitting that my first post following the move would be about beer. I knew that Portland was the veritable beer capital of America before we moved here, but I didn’t know the full extent to which beer thrives in this city. Now, after a few weeks here, I can absolutely attest to this being the most remarkable beer city that I can imagine.
The beer culture here is stunning. From the smallest restaurant to the biggest chain, nearly all of them will offer at least a couple of local beers. And in most restaurants, you’re presented with a compelling selection of local offerings. The number of high-quality bottle shops is outstanding, and in addition to selling bottles many also serve beer by the glass and fill growlers as well. And the number of breweries within the town limits is absurd. Just counting within a couple miles of where… (read more)
Verve Coffee Roasters Karumandi Peaberry Kenya
We discovered Verve Coffee Roasters during our recent trip to San Francisco. We had one day to spend in town, and decided to conduct our own little gastronomic tour. First stop on our itinerary was breakfast at farm:table, a great little coffee shop/breakfast spot just outside of the downtown area. We ordered up some excellent pastries and quiche, and a carafe of coffee.
Right away, the coffee came across as significant. Instead of a french press, farm:table made our coffee in an Eva Solo coffee maker. This was our first time having coffee made this way, and I’m in love! It was great how the coffee was somewhere between a melitta filter and a french press, well-balanced between body, texture, and light, fresh flavors from the beans. After we finished our breakfast, I inquired about the coffee, and learned a few things about Verve. They’re located in Santa Cruz, CA and were founded in 2007… (read more)
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