neenee321 wrote:I'm hooked on Unibroue's Ephemere... an ale w/ fruit, apple. I'm not a huge beer drinker, I prefer cider... but Ephemere is my beer of choice now, they serve it at The Bluebird on Damen over here in Bucktown and sell it at Whole Foods. It's really quite lovely, my husband even enjoys it!

I'm also quite hooked on Crispin ciders.

Ooph, I had that Ephemere last night at The Globe. I really, really didn't like it. I like beer, I like cider, but this just didn't work for me. They've got a serious beer menu there, so luckily it was easy to regroup and move on.

Water, after polishing off nearly a bottle of Herradura blanco last night.

Drank a fantastic Mikkeller "Jackie Brown" while watching Liege-Bastogne-Liege (the last Spring Classic cycling race of the season) live on television. It's finally spring (even in Scandinavia) and life is good!

A mojito like drink that has:

2oz Flor de Cana 7 year
1oz Vanilla and Mint Infused Simple Syrup
1oz Lemon Juice (I don't like the flavor of lime and vanilla)

in a glass filled with ice, stirred and then topped with San Pelligrino and then mixed.


Just simply delightful.

Sounds awesome, bjackson. How many vanilla beans did you use to make your syrup?

On tap at The Bad Apple for a very short time longer: Big Black Smoke, an incredibly balanced porter with just a subtle smokey aroma balanced by sweet, mellow coffee and chocolate flavors. Get it while it lasts, which will not be much longer. (or you can always take a road trip to Great Lakes brewery in Cleveland)

A 2008 bottle of Lost Abbey's The Angel's Share. No head, no carbonation. Drinks like a very fine Brandy Manhattan. Amazing.

jsagoff wrote:Sounds awesome, bjackson. How many vanilla beans did you use to make your syrup?

I went with only one vanilla bean sliced lengthwise and opened and cooked in 3 cups of water for an hour so it was just barely simmering, then I strained it and reduced to 2 cups. Then, after it had cooled a bit, I put it back on the heat and let it infuse 4 sprigs of mint (off the 'branch') for 10 minutes or so, then waited for it to cool a bit more and combined with equal parts of sugar.

I also added an eigth teaspoon of tahitian vanilla extract from the Spice House to boost the vanilla a bit.

I didn't really have a going in plan with this, except to use a whole vanilla bean sitting around.

It's pretty delightful stuff.

Mint Juleps at the office. After all, it's Kentucky Derby Friday here in Highland Park.

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Improved Whiskey Cocktail

2 oz Old Potrero 18th Century Rye Whiskey
1 tsp 2:1 Simple Syrup
1/2 tsp Luxardo Marashino
1/4 tsp St. George Absinthe
2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
Lemon twist

Toasting the sale of Anchor Distilling...here's to hoping the new owners don't f up their amazing gins and whiskeys. I've never had anything quite like the Potrero 18th. It's unbelievably oakey. I should be predisposed to dislike it given how much I hate oaked wines, but for some reason with whiskey I don't mind it at all.

first drink(s) of the day, waitied til 5 as we are doing some painting, and wanted to do a good job.

shot of some cuervo my mom brought back from Mexico(would have preferred some heradura, or Don Julio but beggars cant be choosers). Also a can of the High Life... gonna go sit out on the deck, and watch the thin blue smoke puff out of the WSM.

Don't know what this is called but:

1 Oz Gosling's Black Strap
1 oz Flor de Cana 7
muddled with 5 slices of ginger then combined with

1oz of mint infused simple syrup
1oz of lime juice
1oz of egg whites (or 1 egg white)

dry shake, then add ice and shake. A few dashes of ango across the top.

I really like this.

bjackson wrote:Don't know what this is called but:

1 Oz Gosling's Black Strap
1 oz Flor de Cana 7
muddled with 5 slices of ginger then combined with

1oz of mint infused simple syrup
1oz of lime juice
1oz of egg whites (or 1 egg white)

dry shake, then add ice and shake. A few dashes of ango across the top.

I really like this.

Mint-Ginger Daiquiri Sour?

Whatever you call it, it sounds good.

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At the office, where we just popped open a bottle of 25-year Laphroaig. We certainly don't make a habit of the stuff but I can easily see how it could become habit-forming.

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Your office isn't anywhere near River North is it? I can be there right away if so

JimTheBeerGuy wrote:Your office isn't anywhere near River North is it? I can be there right away if so

LOL, not exactly but you're welcome to join us, regardless.

I like it a lot and am surprised by the finish, which is actually sweeter than I would have expected, and seems sweeter than the 10-year, too. Still, it's intensely peaty up front and tastes a bit like a pleasant campfire. PVW 23-year bourbon tastes like candy compared to this stuff (yes, we had to compare).

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ronnie_suburban wrote:At the office, where we just popped open a bottle of 25-year Laphroaig. We certainly don't make a habit of the stuff but I can easily see how it could become habit-forming.

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My favorite scotch, I have an old boyfriend to thank for turning me on to it. He's long gone, but I still love Laphroaig. I grew up with peat fires in Ireland and Laphroaig always brings back the memory of crisp evenings with the smoke rising and sitting with my father for a drink. The 25 year old is out of my price range on any kind of regular basis, enjoy it for me.

i have a newbie vodka question: i've read that the better vodkas are the ones that have been distilled more. for example, 3x distilled would not be as good as 4x distilled. that said, i've also read that my favorite mainstream vodka, Kettle One, is 3x distilled, while cheaper Seagrams Vodka is 4x distilled. my question to the vodka drinkers is, would this mean the Seagrams is better than Kettle One, or is this just BS.

disclaimer: ultimately, i'm looking for a good, but inexpensive vodka to do things like the pineapple infusion, which looks amazing btw

Taste a few and see which ones you like best

More distillation will generally mean less flavor, which is probably what most people want in a vodka... the kirkland vodka at costco is 5x distilled and uses the same water supply as grey goose at half the price, and worked well for our pineapple vodka experiment..

Next time I might go for something cheaper though, just because I think the pineapple masks any flavor the vodka might have had on its own, anyway.

MBK wrote:i have a newbie vodka question: i've read that the better vodkas are the ones that have been distilled more. for example, 3x distilled would not be as good as 4x distilled. that said, i've also read that my favorite mainstream vodka, Kettle One, is 3x distilled, while cheaper Seagrams Vodka is 4x distilled. my question to the vodka drinkers is, would this mean the Seagrams is better than Kettle One, or is this just BS.

disclaimer: ultimately, i'm looking for a good, but inexpensive vodka to do things like the pineapple infusion, which looks amazing btw

I believe that, in addition to distillation, filtration helps quite a bit. Some of the more expensive vodkas tout the fact that they're filtered multiple times through activated charcoal.

I took a cue from this, and made infused vodka with the cheapest crap I could find (1.75L plastic mouthwash bottles of Smirnoff, found on sale at Jewel).

Before I started, I put a small sip's worth aside in a little Gladware container as a control. Then I ran it all through a Brita filter three times, and did a taste test. Control sip: gross. Post-Brita sip: significantly less offensive to the senses. I then used the filtered booze for my infused vodka, and was very happy with the results.

MBK wrote:i have a newbie vodka question: i've read that the better vodkas are the ones that have been distilled more. for example, 3x distilled would not be as good as 4x distilled. that said, i've also read that my favorite mainstream vodka, Kettle One, is 3x distilled, while cheaper Seagrams Vodka is 4x distilled. my question to the vodka drinkers is, would this mean the Seagrams is better than Kettle One, or is this just BS.

disclaimer: ultimately, i'm looking for a good, but inexpensive vodka to do things like the pineapple infusion, which looks amazing btw

"Better" is most definitely in the palate of the beholder, especially when it comes to vodka. Vodkas are often priced with what the market will bear in mind. I wouldn't get hung up on how many times a vodka is distilled, especially if you have one you like. I happen to love Sobieski vodka, which I would have probably never tried if a friend hadn't given me a bottle. It happens to cost around $10 for a 750 ml bottle. Grey Goose, otoh, is about $30 for a 750 bottle. GG is marketed as a "premium" brand and priced accordingly. Is it better? I certainly don't think so but some people obviously do.

=R=

Khaopaat's comment reminds me of an episode of America's Test Kitchen on pasta putanesca ... that is the sauce made with vodka, right? Anyway, they found that pouring a so-so vodka through a paper coffee filter improved the taste of sauce.

Maybe we should start a good, cheap vodka list?

My faves: Boru, Tito's (more expensivish), Sobieski, Lukusowa.

I'm a big fan of Luksusowa (maybe I just prefer potato vodka) but it no longer seems to be available in the Midwest. I inquired at Binny's a while ago and it seems that their distributor no longer carries it. Please let me know if you are aware of anyplace that carries Luksusowa in Chicago.

Never understood the attraction to Grey Goose (or Belvedere for that matter). As is often the case, more expensive does not necessarily mean "better". Just one man's opinion.

ronnie_suburban wrote:...Grey Goose, otoh, is about $30 for a 750 bottle. GG is marketed as a "premium" brand and priced accordingly. Is it better? I certainly don't think so but some people obviously do.

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This talk of marketing with respect to Grey Goose gives me a reason to link this article from NY Magazine: The Cocktail Creationist. It might be from 2005 but in the background on how Grey Goose was created is pretty fascinating even today.

As for the topic on hand, I wish I could say I've had a vodka drink recently, but I always skip the stuff.

I did have a fantastic Negroni mixed by Adam recently at the Clark St. Ale House -- Rogue's Pink Spruce Gin, Campari and Sweet Vermouth (didn't catch the brand) and a lemon twist... perfection in a glass.

danimalarkey wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:...Grey Goose, otoh, is about $30 for a 750 bottle. GG is marketed as a "premium" brand and priced accordingly. Is it better? I certainly don't think so but some people obviously do.

=R=

This talk of marketing with respect to Grey Goose gives me a reason to link this article from NY Magazine: The Cocktail Creationist. It might be from 2005 but in the background on how Grey Goose was created is pretty fascinating even today.

As for the topic on hand, I wish I could say I've had a vodka drink recently, but I always skip the stuff.

I did have a fantastic Negroni mixed by Adam recently at the Clark St. Ale House -- Rogue's Pink Spruce Gin, Campari and Sweet Vermouth (didn't catch the brand) and a lemon twist... perfection in a glass.

Thanks, Dan, for the link. That really is a fascinating article.

I especially appreciated these passages, which really capture the essence of (the genius behind) Grey Goose:

Seth Stevenson @ NYMag.com wrote:So, to steal away Absolut’s market share, your unborn new vodka should undercut this price, correct? No, you think, chomping your cigar as you watch a 30-foot putt roll straight into the cup. Why don’t I price my vodka extravagantly higher than Absolut, at wildly more profitable margins . . . and steal Absolut’s market share that way? This was the great insight of Sidney Frank (and not only him: The makers of Ketel One vodka had the same basic idea). Frank could see that there was a product missing from the shelves. Here were all these vodkas, in the $15-to-$17 range, vying to be the premium brand (with Absolut mostly winning). Frank just sidestepped the fray altogether and charged an unheard-of $30 a bottle. The markup amount was pure profit. “He was the first person to see,” says an executive at rival Bacardi, “that there was a superpremium category above Absolut, if you had a good product story.”

Seth Stevenson @ NYMag.com wrote:Pause for a reality assessment: Certainly, Grey Goose is a very good vodka. But is it really “the best”? Pace the Beverage Testing Institute, I’d venture that the answer is, ehhhhh, maybe. Of course, when I suggest to an SFIC vice-president that vodka is by definition odorless and tasteless, and thus one vodka couldn’t be much better than the next, his face goes tight. “That is a dinosaur statement,” he says, speaking slowly, then lectures me on water- filtration processes and Champagne limestone and special grains and such.

“Yes, some people may taste a difference,” says Wright of Liquid Intelligence. “But you’re talking about a grain-neutral spirit. The FDA definition is pretty narrow. At an elemental level, there is no difference. And anyway, you can’t possibly taste it when it’s in a Cosmopolitan. Grey Goose is about quality because Sidney Frank said it was about quality.”

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Alka-Seltzer.

I ate too much for dinner. (Leftover brisket, leftover polenta made into polenta cakes and sauteed okra, tomato, mushroom and onion.)

G Wiv wrote:Alka-Seltzer.

I ate too much for dinner. (Leftover brisket, leftover polenta made into polenta cakes and sauteed okra, tomato, mushroom and onion.)

Ha! Sorry to hear that you're not feeling well but it struck a chord with me because my wife and I have occasionally referred to this condition as brisket poisoning. It's a very specific kind of stomach ache caused by brisket over-indulgence. I hope it passes soon.

=R=

Khaopaat wrote:

MBK wrote:i have a newbie vodka question: i've read that the better vodkas are the ones that have been distilled more. for example, 3x distilled would not be as good as 4x distilled. that said, i've also read that my favorite mainstream vodka, Kettle One, is 3x distilled, while cheaper Seagrams Vodka is 4x distilled. my question to the vodka drinkers is, would this mean the Seagrams is better than Kettle One, or is this just BS.

disclaimer: ultimately, i'm looking for a good, but inexpensive vodka to do things like the pineapple infusion, which looks amazing btw

I believe that, in addition to distillation, filtration helps quite a bit. Some of the more expensive vodkas tout the fact that they're filtered multiple times through activated charcoal.

I took a cue from this, and made infused vodka with the cheapest crap I could find (1.75L plastic mouthwash bottles of Smirnoff, found on sale at Jewel).

Before I started, I put a small sip's worth aside in a little Gladware container as a control. Then I ran it all through a Brita filter three times, and did a taste test. Control sip: gross. Post-Brita sip: significantly less offensive to the senses. I then used the filtered booze for my infused vodka, and was very happy with the results.

Smirnoff is already the vodka with the least impurities from something I read a couple of years ago. Although the Kirkland stuff wasn't part of what I read, it was the mainstream brands easily findable in most stores (so 'premium' brands like Belvidere and Grey Goose were included).

jsagoff wrote:Maybe we should start a good, cheap vodka list?

My faves: Boru, Tito's (more expensivish), Sobieski, Lukusowa.

Russian Standard, now starting to be more common (Dominick's on Ridge and Pratt carries it). I definitely agree with Tito's and Lukosowa.