Blair P. Houghton > wrote:
>The Alternative Guy > wrote:
>>Blair P. Houghton > wrote:
>>> Wild Turkey 101 Proof Bourbon Whiskey
>>
>>YES
>
>The standard for bourbons so far. But must be cut with
>at least a little water or you can't actually taste it.

Woops!

Apropos of that post, last night I was gifted with the
unfinished 1/4th of a 1/5th bottle of Knob Creek (which
comes in at 100 proof, and also beneifts from a splash
of spring water, although the manufacturer, Jim Beam,
recommends distilled water, probably because otherwise
people would use tap-water or--horrors--perrier).

Wow is that tasty. Just a little smoky (nothing near
the Laphroaig, but then, dropping a wool scarf on a
stove-burner isn't near the Laphroaig...) and the perfect
sweetness.

I'll have to try it side-by-side with the Wild Turkey
soon.

Now here's the rough part of the story: we were playing
poker, and this guy is drinking this Knob Creek he brought
by making bourbon-and-Cokes with it... He's a buddy and all
and he left the bottle to me when he busted out because
I enjoyed the shot he poured for me so much, but seeing
that after tasting this was hard to take.

--Blair
"And oh, look, Beam only makes
four variants on it...this could
last a while..."

In article >, says...
> Blair P. Houghton > wrote:
> >The Alternative Guy > wrote:
> >>Blair P. Houghton > wrote:
> >>> Wild Turkey 101 Proof Bourbon Whiskey
> >>
> >>YES
> >
> >The standard for bourbons so far. But must be cut with
> >at least a little water or you can't actually taste it.
>
> Woops!
>
> Apropos of that post, last night I was gifted with the
> unfinished 1/4th of a 1/5th bottle of Knob Creek (which
> comes in at 100 proof, and also beneifts from a splash
> of spring water, although the manufacturer, Jim Beam,
> recommends distilled water, probably because otherwise
> people would use tap-water or--horrors--perrier).

Actually in most of Rhode Island we're blessed to have one of the best
water supply systems in the country. It isn't until the last few years
that they've started chlorinating during the summer months.

On Wed, 19 Nov 2003 10:50:08 GMT, "Jack Schidt®"
> wrote:

>
>"Jim" > wrote in message
...
>> > Blair P. Houghton wrote:
>>
>>
>> >t's November. The Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome Ale is
>> >on the specialty shelf of your supermarket's chilled-beer
>> >aisle. I just had one. It's very, very good this year,
>> >(when you get past the skunk-cabbage odor at the beginning,
>> >but just start drinking and it turns into a lovely bouquet).
>> >
>> > --Blair
>> > "Don't try this at home, kids."
>> >
>>
>> It's those damn clear glass bottles. Samuel Smith's make some very
>excellent
>> beer, but they insist on putting it in clear glass. By the time we get
>them,
>> they're light struck.
>>
>> Jim
>>
>>
>
>Which is a problem if you believe that photons affect malt beverages.
>
>Jack Light
>
just wrap them in tinfoil, like you do your head, and you won't have
any problems.

your pal,
blake

On Wed, 19 Nov 2003 04:15:03 GMT, Blair P. Houghton > wrote:

>Not to brag or any of that, but here's what's currently
>in my liquor cabinet (I do and *do* for you kids and look
>at the thanks that I get) in no particular order except
>maybe roughtly left-to-right:
>
>Hiram Walker Peppermint Schnapps
>Hiram Walker Butternips Butterscotch Schnapps

i'd stay away from hiram walker. dekuyper is about the only
worthwhile peppermint schnapps; butterscotch schnapps i have trouble
wrapping my mind around. dekuyper triple sec is pretty decent too.

your pal,
blake

On Thu, 20 Nov 2003 08:41:11 GMT, Tim Challenger
<"timothy(dot)challenger(at)apk(dot)at"> wrote:

>> BTW, 18 was probably the legal drinking age when you were young. It was
>> when I was a teenager, and I legally drank plenty of beer my last semester
>> in high school. Twenty-one seems too old a limit for beer and wine.
>
>> Best regards,
>> Bob
>
>Was the legal drinking age lower before in the US?
>Being a Brit, I wouldn't know about these things. When did it change?

when i was 18, i could buy beer and wine in washington, d.c. in nyc,
i think you could buy hard stuff at 18. the limit was 21 in maryland.
i think it's 21 all across the u.s, now.

your pal,
blake

On Sat, 22 Nov 2003 21:27:45 GMT, Puester >
wrote:

>Nancy Young wrote:
>>
>> >
>> > On Tue, 18 Nov 2003 22:35:22 GMT, "Jack Schidt®"
>> > > wrote:
>> >
>
>> > >I caressed a few Kohlers in my youth after drinking Southern Comfort. But I
>> > >wasn't sipping either.
>> > >
>> > >Jack Keck
>> > >
>
>>
>> Hey, if you're going to do something, do it right, that's what I say.
>>
>> nancy
>
>
>
>OTOH moderation seldom results in "caressing the Kohler".
>Excessive consumption is for beginners.
>
>gloria p

i can't disagre with you there, but a bartender of my acquaintance
once said 'how can you tell if you've had enough if you've never had
too much?'

your pal
geronimo

Puester wrote:
>
> Nancy Young wrote:

> > Hey, if you're going to do something, do it right, that's what I say.

> OTOH moderation seldom results in "caressing the Kohler".
> Excessive consumption is for beginners.

Don't you mean driving the bus or doing a Ralph?

nancy

blake murphy > wrote:
>On Wed, 19 Nov 2003 10:50:08 GMT, "Jack Schidt®"
> wrote:
>>Which is a problem if you believe that photons affect malt beverages.
>>
>>Jack Light
>>
>just wrap them in tinfoil, like you do your head, and you won't have
>any problems.

That reminds me of only one thing.

"It's ****!"

--Blair
"Talkin' bout the car wash bay-bee..."

blake murphy > wrote:
>On Wed, 19 Nov 2003 04:15:03 GMT, Blair P. Houghton > wrote:
>
>>Not to brag or any of that, but here's what's currently
>>in my liquor cabinet (I do and *do* for you kids and look
>>at the thanks that I get) in no particular order except
>>maybe roughtly left-to-right:
>>
>>Hiram Walker Peppermint Schnapps
>>Hiram Walker Butternips Butterscotch Schnapps
>
>i'd stay away from hiram walker. dekuyper is about the only
>worthwhile peppermint schnapps; butterscotch schnapps i have trouble
>wrapping my mind around. dekuyper triple sec is pretty decent too.

We had some DeKuyper butterscotch schnapps in the hot tub,
too. We bought both because we didn't know which of them
we'd prefer. We got them back to the room and figured it
out, but, obviously, we must have finished the DK.

--Blair
"Ah, snow."

Blair P. Houghton > wrote:
>Not to brag or any of that, but here's what's currently
>in my liquor cabinet (I do and *do* for you kids and look
>at the thanks that I get) in no particular order except
>maybe roughtly left-to-right:

New additions since last week:

Bacardi Gold Rum. Strictly for mixing. The Pusser's
doesn't mix well, except 50:50 with water to make a
traditional navy grog ration.

DiSaronno Amaretto. This was specifically to try something
that sounded good but really sucks. Now I wish I'd just
bought a mini. But hey, maybe I'll make some kickin' almond
pancakes or something.

You'll remember I didn't post my wine inventory.

Well, I compulsed around to it:

(bottle counts in parentheses)

Toasted Head Chardonnay (3)
Franciscan Oakville Estate Chardonnay (3)
Chateau St. Jean Belle Terre Vineyards Chardonnay
Bodega Norton Sangiovese [Argentine]
Trinchero Merlot
Chateau St. Jean Fume' Blanc (15)*
Bolla Bardolino (2)**
Justin "The Orphan" Red
this year's DuBoeuf Beaujolais Nouveau ***
Origin Chianti
Estate Baccala Merlot ****
Brookside California Champagne *****

* - Cost Plus had it on sale today, and I'd been meaning
to get a case; this is by far my favorite wine. Score!

** - 1 of those is open with 1 glass missing; it's a
nice Italian red that went very well with the big bowl
of pasta with sausage marinara I made for lunch today.

*** - Would you like to buy a vowel?

**** - This is the oldest bottle with a date on it;
it's a 1996.

***** - This has no date; I have no idea how old it is
or when or where I got it; i think it was in a box of
booze my then-grilf got when her grandmother died a few
years ago; from the condition of the label, it could
easily have been bottled anywhere between 1960 and 1990.

The most expensive is probably the CSJ Belle Terre
Chard; it was about $22. The CSJ Fume' Blanc was on
sale for $8.99; it's been running about $11.99 at
retail lately, though sometimes a supermarket will take
it down to $9.99 and then if I buy 6 I can get an extra
10% off. So the Cost Plus deal wasn't super, but it means
I don't have to worry about running out for a few months.

I need to start using the older reds; I don't expect
any of these are meant to be aged more than a few
years. The whites don't stay around that long.

--Blair
"And then there's the 25 beers in the
fridge..."

In article >,
Nancy Young > wrote:
>Puester wrote:
>
>> OTOH moderation seldom results in "caressing the Kohler".
>> Excessive consumption is for beginners.
>
>Don't you mean driving the bus or doing a Ralph?

Talking to Ralph York in Europe on the porcelain telephone.

--
Mark Shaw contact info at homepage --> http://www.panix.com/~mshaw
================================================== ======================
"How can any culture that has more lawyers
than butchers call itself a civilization?" - Alton Brown

Blair P. Houghton wrote:


>
> DiSaronno Amaretto. This was specifically to try something
> that sounded good but really sucks. Now I wish I'd just
> bought a mini. But hey, maybe I'll make some kickin' almond
> pancakes or something.




Disaronno goes well in coffee.

Not bad in warmed or steamed milk/ 'cream' blend either.




--

Mark

N.E. Ohio


Never argue with a fool, a bystander can't tell you apart. (S. Clemens,
A.K.A. Mark Twain)

When in doubt hit the throttle. It may not help but it sure ends the
suspense. (Gaz, r.moto)

Blair P. Houghton > wrote in message >.. .
> Blair P. Houghton > wrote:
> >Not to brag or any of that, but here's what's currently
> >in my liquor cabinet (I do and *do* for you kids and look
> >at the thanks that I get) in no particular order except
> >maybe roughtly left-to-right:
>
> New additions since last week:
>
> Bacardi Gold Rum. Strictly for mixing. The Pusser's
> doesn't mix well, except 50:50 with water to make a
> traditional navy grog ration.

The reason it doesn't mix well with anything but water tells me the
British navy gave more thought to cost than to quality. There are
infinitely better rums than Pussers, and Bacardi...yecchhhh.
>
> DiSaronno Amaretto. This was specifically to try something
> that sounded good but really sucks. Now I wish I'd just
> bought a mini. But hey, maybe I'll make some kickin' almond
> pancakes or something.

Amaretto - made by monks. about all you can say, really. I once had a
spcial beer made by monks in Germany that had red hot rocks dunked
into it before bottling. It was truly unusual, tased like a christmas
ham flavoured beer. That's what monks do to booze.
>
> You'll remember I didn't post my wine inventory.
>
> Well, I compulsed around to it:
>
> (bottle counts in parentheses)
>
> Toasted Head Chardonnay (3)
> Franciscan Oakville Estate Chardonnay (3)
> Chateau St. Jean Belle Terre Vineyards Chardonnay
> Bodega Norton Sangiovese [Argentine]
> Trinchero Merlot
> Chateau St. Jean Fume' Blanc (15)*
> Bolla Bardolino (2)**
> Justin "The Orphan" Red
> this year's DuBoeuf Beaujolais Nouveau ***
> Origin Chianti
> Estate Baccala Merlot ****
> Brookside California Champagne *****
>
> * - Cost Plus had it on sale today, and I'd been meaning
> to get a case; this is by far my favorite wine. Score!
>
> ** - 1 of those is open with 1 glass missing; it's a
> nice Italian red that went very well with the big bowl
> of pasta with sausage marinara I made for lunch today.
>
> *** - Would you like to buy a vowel?
>
> **** - This is the oldest bottle with a date on it;
> it's a 1996.
>
> ***** - This has no date; I have no idea how old it is
> or when or where I got it; i think it was in a box of
> booze my then-grilf got when her grandmother died a few
> years ago; from the condition of the label, it could
> easily have been bottled anywhere between 1960 and 1990.
>
> The most expensive is probably the CSJ Belle Terre
> Chard; it was about $22. The CSJ Fume' Blanc was on
> sale for $8.99; it's been running about $11.99 at
> retail lately, though sometimes a supermarket will take
> it down to $9.99 and then if I buy 6 I can get an extra
> 10% off. So the Cost Plus deal wasn't super, but it means
> I don't have to worry about running out for a few months.
>
> I need to start using the older reds; I don't expect
> any of these are meant to be aged more than a few
> years. The whites don't stay around that long.

Well - if they are quality red wines they should age for years...up to
10 at least. Whites up to 5 yrs. If what you buy doesn't do that, its
swill, not wine. Had a 1970 cab sav once...stunning, simply stunning.
>
> --Blair
> "And then there's the 25 beers in the
> fridge..."

There is no such thing a a bad beer.

Youwillnotspammeyou*******s wrote:
>
> There is no such thing a a bad beer.

You've obviously never drank "Buckhorn".

Best regards,
Bob

Youwillnotspammeyou*******s > wrote:
>Blair P. Houghton > wrote in message
>. ..
>> I need to start using the older reds; I don't expect
>> any of these are meant to be aged more than a few
>> years. The whites don't stay around that long.
>
>Well - if they are quality red wines they should age for years...up to
>10 at least. Whites up to 5 yrs. If what you buy doesn't do that, its
>swill, not wine. Had a 1970 cab sav once...stunning, simply stunning.

Well, you never really know when any given red wine will
peak. You have to decant a bottle of a given label every
once in a while to see if it's still okay or is starting
to go off. Some do improve for decades. Some crap out
within weeks*.

I opened the Baccala the other day for dinner, and had only
one glass. Brownish, flat, and flavorless for a merlot.

It had been stored on its side the entire time, too. The cork
was in great shape. The wine had clearly started to oxidize.

It hadn't gone tannic, and it didn't ruin the meal, and I
suppose if it was the last of my red wine - or alcohol -
I'd have been fine finishing it.

But life's too short to get a hangover from a crummy old wine.

--Blair
"Good thing it wasn't too expensive."

* - that reminds me. I have a bottle of beaujolais nouveau
to defuse.

zxcvbob > wrote:
>Youwillnotspammeyou*******s wrote:
> >
>> There is no such thing a a bad beer.
>
>You've obviously never drank "Buckhorn".

Meisterbrau, Burgermeister, anything with
"ultra" in its name, or, really, Bud.

--Blair
"Schlitz ain't so bad."

On Thu, 11 Dec 2003 07:05:21 GMT, Blair P. Houghton >
wrote:
>
> But life's too short to get a hangover from a crummy old wine.
>
Wash your mouth out with Sirah flavored soap.


Practice safe eating - always use condiments

On Thu, 11 Dec 2003 08:06:31 GMT, Blair P. Houghton >
wrote:

> zxcvbob > wrote:
> >Youwillnotspammeyou*******s wrote:
> > >
> >> There is no such thing a a bad beer.
> >
> >You've obviously never drank "Buckhorn".
>
> Meisterbrau, Burgermeister, anything with
> "ultra" in its name, or, really, Bud.
>
Now your're going to make me ask "what was that beer?".
My "kids" had some beer that begins with "B" last weekend...
it was not as dark/strong as Guiness but it was stronger
than the Amber beers I prefer.

It wasm't bad, but it was something I thought would take
"beer experience" to like.


Practice safe eating - always use condiments

sf <icu2@pipeline dot com> wrote:
>On Thu, 11 Dec 2003 08:06:31 GMT, Blair P. Houghton >
>wrote:
>
>> zxcvbob > wrote:
>> >Youwillnotspammeyou*******s wrote:
>> > >
>> >> There is no such thing a a bad beer.
>> >
>> >You've obviously never drank "Buckhorn".
>>
>> Meisterbrau, Burgermeister, anything with
>> "ultra" in its name, or, really, Bud.
>>
>Now your're going to make me ask "what was that beer?".
>My "kids" had some beer that begins with "B" last weekend...
>it was not as dark/strong as Guiness but it was stronger
>than the Amber beers I prefer.
>
>It wasm't bad, but it was something I thought would take
>"beer experience" to like.

Beamish? It's another nitrogen-bubbled canned stout food product.

>Practice safe eating - always use condiments

Slather that rascal.

--Blair
"That's the idea."

sf <icu2@pipeline dot com> wrote:
>On Thu, 11 Dec 2003 07:05:21 GMT, Blair P. Houghton >
>wrote:
>>
>> But life's too short to get a hangover from a crummy old wine.
>>
>Wash your mouth out with Sirah flavored soap.

It's not already?

--Blair
"Not a fan of the latest fad."

On Sat, 13 Dec 2003 03:51:55 GMT, Blair P. Houghton >
wrote:

> sf <icu2@pipeline dot com> wrote:
> >>
> >Now your're going to make me ask "what was that beer?".
> >My "kids" had some beer that begins with "B" last weekend...
> >it was not as dark/strong as Guiness but it was stronger
> >than the Amber beers I prefer.
> >
> >It wasm't bad, but it was something I thought would take
> >"beer experience" to like.
>
> Beamish? It's another nitrogen-bubbled canned stout food product.
>
NO, not that. Something that looked like a dark amber but
was stronger (more like Guiness)... now I have to ask.


Practice safe eating - always use condiments

On Sat, 13 Dec 2003 07:39:20 GMT, sf > wrote:

>On Sat, 13 Dec 2003 03:51:55 GMT, Blair P. Houghton >
>wrote:
>
>> sf <icu2@pipeline dot com> wrote:
>> >>
>> >Now your're going to make me ask "what was that beer?".
>> >My "kids" had some beer that begins with "B" last weekend...
>> >it was not as dark/strong as Guiness but it was stronger
>> >than the Amber beers I prefer.
>> >
>> >It wasm't bad, but it was something I thought would take
>> >"beer experience" to like.
>>
>> Beamish? It's another nitrogen-bubbled canned stout food product.
>>
>NO, not that. Something that looked like a dark amber but
>was stronger (more like Guiness)... now I have to ask.

Boddington's.

>>>>> On Thu, 11 Dec 2003 08:06:31 GMT, Blair P. Houghton > said:

Blair> zxcvbob > wrote:
>> Youwillnotspammeyou*******s wrote: > >
>> There is no such thing a a bad beer.
>>
>> You've obviously never drank "Buckhorn".

Blair> Meisterbrau, Burgermeister, anything with "ultra" in its
Blair> name, or, really, Bud.

or

italian beer, n. american national brands (yep, the canadian ones
suck, too), n. american regional cheapo beers (red white & blue
anyone?)


--


YOW!! The land of the rising SONY!!

<klschmitz2READTHESIGFILEfrontiernet.net> wrote:
>On Sat, 13 Dec 2003 07:39:20 GMT, sf > wrote:
>
>>On Sat, 13 Dec 2003 03:51:55 GMT, Blair P. Houghton >
>>wrote:
>>
>>> sf <icu2@pipeline dot com> wrote:
>>> >>
>>> >Now your're going to make me ask "what was that beer?".
>>> >My "kids" had some beer that begins with "B" last weekend...
>>> >it was not as dark/strong as Guiness but it was stronger
>>> >than the Amber beers I prefer.
>>> >
>>> >It wasm't bad, but it was something I thought would take
>>> >"beer experience" to like.
>>>
>>> Beamish? It's another nitrogen-bubbled canned stout food product.
>>>
>>NO, not that. Something that looked like a dark amber but
>>was stronger (more like Guiness)... now I have to ask.
>
>Boddington's.

He's lost us.

Guinness looks absolutely nothing like a dark amber, unless
you've already had three and you're urinating.

--Blair
"You could bottle that and sell
it at frat parties."

On Sat, 13 Dec 2003 13:42:22 GMT, wrote:

>
> Boddington's.

Bingo! How'd you guess? I'd never heard of it before...
I'm not a big beer drinker.



Practice safe eating - always use condiments

On Sun, 14 Dec 2003 04:08:07 GMT, Blair P. Houghton >
wrote:

> >>NO, not that. Something that looked like a dark amber but
> >>was stronger (more like Guiness)... now I have to ask.
> >
> >Boddington's.
>
> He's lost us.

Nope. He's right.
>
> Guinness looks absolutely nothing like a dark amber, unless
> you've already had three and you're urinating.
>
I described the look as amber... but didn't use some crutial
words "is described as tasting like". Let me also say that
I tasted it too and I didn't think it tasted like Guiness
either... but "they" describe it as tasting "more like"
Guiness than an Amber beer and they are right, it's a little
more bitter. Thanks to for the name.


Practice safe eating - always use condiments

On Sat, 13 Dec 2003 16:06:33 -0500, Garglemonster
> wrote:

> >>>>> On Thu, 11 Dec 2003 08:06:31 GMT, Blair P. Houghton > said:
>
> Blair> zxcvbob > wrote:
> >> Youwillnotspammeyou*******s wrote: > >
> >> There is no such thing a a bad beer.
> >>
> >> You've obviously never drank "Buckhorn".
>
> Blair> Meisterbrau, Burgermeister, anything with "ultra" in its
> Blair> name, or, really, Bud.
>
> or
>
> italian beer, n. american national brands (yep, the canadian ones
> suck, too), n. american regional cheapo beers (red white & blue
> anyone?)

So is there anything you DO like?


Practice safe eating - always use condiments

sf <icu2@pipeline dot com> wrote:
>On Sat, 13 Dec 2003 16:06:33 -0500, Garglemonster
> wrote:
>> >>>>> On Thu, 11 Dec 2003 08:06:31 GMT, Blair P. Houghton > said:
>> Blair> zxcvbob > wrote:
>> >> Youwillnotspammeyou*******s wrote: > >
>> >> There is no such thing a a bad beer.
>> >>
>> >> You've obviously never drank "Buckhorn".
>>
>> Blair> Meisterbrau, Burgermeister, anything with "ultra" in its
>> Blair> name, or, really, Bud.
>>
>> italian beer, n. american national brands (yep, the canadian ones
>> suck, too), n. american regional cheapo beers (red white & blue
>> anyone?)
>
>So is there anything you DO like?

Everything but Killian's (and Leinenkugel's) these days
tends to have a threshold of pain for me. Too many and
it just stops tasting good.

But I can and do down each Killian's like it's my second.
(The first goes faster and tastes just a shade bitter,
but by the second one both problems are solved.)
I started throttling back a couple of months ago when
I realized I'd had 10 pints in 8 hours one Sunday
morning/afternoon/evening watching football at The Vine.

A real, fresh Guiness tastes like cold milk, not like
yesterday's coffee, and is terrific when called for.

--Blair
"A nice, cask-conditioned amber
couldn't hurt."