You kids sure have strange ideas about drinking alcohol

[elpollodiablo]

You know what's good supermarket fare going right now? Sierra Nevada Glissade. it's actually a Maibock, and subtler with the hops than you might expect. Medium-bodied, nice caramel notes in the malt, crisp, bitter finish. Comes int at 6.4%, and in a familiar bottle for the civilians.

I've had a hell of a cold this week, and stopped myself two bottles into a sixer of Tröeg's Nugget Nectar last night because I realized I could barely smell/taste what was purported to be a 93IBU brew.

[FreddyKnuckles]

should have just brought high life

[Killdozersnakeboy]

I was meaning to buy a Laphroiag 10 but they were out. Usually I'd go with Ardbeg instead but thought I'd give this a go. Really nice. A lot less of a shock to the palate - peaty yet smooth and approachable. I approve.

[coldforge]

What the fuck is up with the spelling of Tröegs, anyway?

[elpollodiablo]

It's an affectation.

[fishjim]

I was meaning to buy a Laphroiag 10 but they were out. Usually I'd go with Ardbeg instead but thought I'd give this a go. Really nice. A lot less of a shock to the palate - peaty yet smooth and approachable. I approve.

Probably my favorite single-malt, not counting a few Signatory vintages.

DISCLAIMER: My idea of a mixed drink is scotch & soda. 

[coldforge]

what is that disclaiming, exactly?

[mountmccabe]

He's admitting that he will, at least on occasion, mix his Scotch rather than drinking it neat or with a dash of water and as such we shouldn't really pay attention to his opinions on Scotch.

I mean it could mean "I drink Scotch and pretty much only Scotch to the point that if I HAVE to have a mixed drink it'll be as close to pure Scotch as I can get" but I don't see anything to disclaim there and in fact would be more "we should hang out."


But really anyway Lagavulin is a fantastic Scotch so I don't know where that leaves us.

[davy]

Nicely done.

[elpollodiablo]

I'm so much more about the Irish whisky than the Scotch these days.

[fishjim]

MM's got the idea. Sometimes I put my single malts on ice, sometimes with a splash. Though even a peasant like me would never sip Lagavulin anyway but neat.

Also, I meant that as a general disclaimer for the thread. All this mixologist talk is above my head.

[mountmccabe]

Hah. There's nothing wrong with a splash of water; it often helps bring out the flavors.

In other news tonight we are meeting up at a new place called Canteen, which boasts itself as a modern Tequila bar. It certainly has an impressive selection of offerings, though they seem expensive.

Any recommendations? My preferences put me on the Reposado menu though I might try one of the Mezcals if anyone vouches for one.

Though also I will no go search this family of threads for the last time we talked about fine Tequilas.

[mountmccabe]

So this is what I found

Do people have brand recommendations?

Don Julio is my favorite.  The Reposado is great, flavorful and smooth.  The Anjeo is even better.  These are wonderful sippin' Tequilas.

The next bottle I get is likely to be a Milagro Resposado.  A little bit more reasonably priced but I've heard good things.

Don Julio is good stuff.  Milagro is decent, good agave character, but a bit harsh.

My favorite blancos are Don Abraham - which I've only seen at Drinks Over Dearborn in Chicago - and Don Fulano Blanco Fuerte, which is 100 proof (!) and seriously delicious (they go through a lot of it at Big Star).  Partida is great across the range.  Herradura is solid in all categories.  Diamante De Cielo's blanco and reposado are serious business.

I'm not really into anejo tequilas, for whatever reason.

For cheap stuff, Gran Centenario makes the Azul range, which is still 100% agave but more like $19.  Not for sipping, but great for, say, pitchers of margaritas, bloody marys, &c &c.

Mezcal, also fun.  The Del Maguey line is all wonderful.  The Minero is a great sipper.  Same company also makes Sombra (not under the Del Maguey label), which is fantastic.

...and Canteen carries four Mezcals from the Del Maguey line, so I think I shall start there.

One item was Chamucos Reposado tequila, which is a seriously wonderful drink.  Rich, big bodied, smoke, fruit.

And I may go here next.

Well, the Chamucos, Herradura or maybe another Mezcal, depending on how much I like the first one.


Though, also, there's this:

Dear tequila: Fuck you too.

[davy]

I'm so much more about the Irish whisky than the Scotch these days.

Meeee too.

[mountmccabe]

So:

1. The drinks list Canteen put up was not realized. They just opened and only managed to carry 80 or so Tequila (related) drinks rather than 150 or so.

2. They did have Del Maguey Vida and it was great. Would sip again.

3. I ended with a Corrido Reposado, which starts in Jack Daniels barrels and then finished in Maker's Mark barrels... but the result didn't seem to be anything special. Nice not something I'm going to search out.

4. Chamucos Reposado was stunning. Rich, smokey with a long, lingering, complex aftertaste. I need to figure out where I can get a bottle.

5. They have happy hour from 4:30 to 6 pm every day so everything was half off.

[ellaguru]

I dropped and broke a full, unopened bottle of wine on my aunt's kitchen floor last night. Fortunately we had a spare, but it was still sad times.

[Antero]

Probably my favorite single-malt, not counting a few Signatory vintages.

Yeah, that or Talisker.  Oooh boy.

4. Chamucos Reposado was stunning. Rich, smokey with a long, lingering, complex aftertaste. I need to figure out where I can get a bottle.

That stuff is goddamn fantastic.  I am glad you drank it.

Also suggested, from that list: Casa Noble, El Tesoro, and that Hacienda de Chihuahua Sotol.  I mostly prefer blancos except for the odd ducks (Chamucos), and Sotol is kind of cool because it's not actually a tequila - it's made from a similar but distinct plant, and has a very fresh, grassy flavor that holds up quite strongly after aging.

[elpollodiablo]

Picked up some more Tröeg's brew today. A bomber of their doppelbock, in fact, which the guy at the homebrew shop said he would personally reimburse me for if I didn't like it. It was his response to my telling him that I'm trying to consciously get away from hoppy brews and develop my palate vis-a-vis the nuances of malt flavors. Bocks (and German beers generally) have been instrumental in this, and I'm looking forward to trying this one.

[Antero]

This is one of the most interesting things I have ever read about drinking.

Painkiller is an old-school tiki joint in Manhattan.  It's pretty damn good, though not quite as good as Smuggler's Cove in San Francisco.

[FreddyKnuckles]

I'm a big fan of troegs dopplebock.  Troegs in general. Dopplebock in general too

[elpollodiablo]

You know what's fun? Leaving your bottle washer attached to the faucet when you're bottling beer and blasting your glass between brews. You can pretend you're in a high-end beer bar, like Pony Bar in Hell's Kitchen. That's one of two bars I've ever seen with those bartop glass washers.

[Good Intentions]

Really? How strange. I've seen dozens of them, if not more.

[FreddyKnuckles]

Yep.  Even the k hole has one in Missoula

[elpollodiablo]

I've been to mad ale houses and craft beer bars of note, and yeah, only the two.

[Greg Nog]

Tonight, I tried this new cider by Crispin, brewed with Irish Stout yeast, and flavored with molasses.  It seems like it's trying to sort of position itself as the Guinness of ciders.  It was pretty good; a little too much bready sweetness at the end of the sip, but overall, it's reasonably dry and rich, definitely a nice change from most ciders out there.