Category: Spirits, Wine & Cider

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Two Beer and One Spirit

Here in Los Angeles, we get our fair share of Prairie Artisan Ales, mostly the big stouts which leaves me hopeful that I will see this new release from the aforementioned Prairie Artisan Ales with American Solera, and the third member bourbon maker Pursuit United Spirits drop a 3 Way Beer Collaboration called Not Subtle. “an Imperial Stout aged in Pursuit United Bourbon barrels.”

I have listened to the Bourbon Pursuit podcast and hope to get my hands on a Pursuit bourbon since my visit to Louisville was too early to see their tasting room on Bourbon Row but this beer might be the first I get.

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Bee Gin

Tree House is known for some buzzworthy beers that back in the day would generate long buying lines.  Now they have two gins that I would stand in line for.

First up is their Hildegard Von Bingen New England Gin which “balances the sweet flavor of malt with a potent dose of resinous hops and juniper.”

Then there is the lower proof variant Bee’s Knees made with the above gin but layering in Lemon, Honey and Natural Flavors.

Both sound quite tasty to this gin fan especially the use of hops.

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Deadpool, No Wolverine

When it comes to special edition spirits, I am not usually inclined to think twice about them if the label is the only difference between it and a lower priced standard version.

And as much as Ryan Reynolds is associated with Aviation Gin (whose space in Portland is really cool and should be on your gin bucket list), I don’t know if a Deadpool Gin is cool, now if it was a Sloe Gin, mind changed.

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Non Beer Book Day – American Cider

If you are like me, there is always another book needed. And if you need more cider info then I have a book recommendation for ya’. It is American Cider by Dan Pucci and Craig Cavallo which gives “a new wave of consumers the tools to taste, talk about, and choose their ciders, along with stories of the many local heroes saving apple culture and producing new varieties.”

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Non Beer Book Day – Dusty Booze

Craft beer went through (as did I) a keepsake / cellar phase but when you talk Bourbon the shit gets real weird and in Dusty Booze: In Search of Vintage Spirits by drinks writer Aaron Goldfarb you get story after story of the hunt for old bottles of you name it, whiskey, tequila, rum, and even chartreuse.

I heard Goldfarb talk about “dusties” on the Bourbon Pursuit podcast and the stories are wild so I am heading to my local library to order.

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Apple, Cherry and Time

I don’t usually go for flavored ciders, I tilt towards just the apple please. But I am intrigued by Benny Boy’s Madame Ruby’s a bourbon barrel-aged cherry cider.

Here is the short description from the brewery / cidery, “10 months in the making, she’s tart, she’s fruity, and slightly boozy.”

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Distilled Into a Podcast

If you are past the enthusiast phase and want to know more technical info when it comes to distilling, there is a new podcast for you, Craft Spirits & Distilling Podcast, with hosts Sydney Jones of FEW Spirits and Molly Troupe of Freeland Spirits.

I haven’t had a FEW spirit but I really liked the gins from Freeland and their bottles are way cool so I will certainly check this podcast out. Find it from your podcast app of choice.

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A Mad March Hare

Despite being married to a half Irish lass, I have not ever tasted a proper poitín aka Mountain Dew.  That changed this year, when I bought a bottle from Mad March Hare.

I did smile at the “quietly distilled” wording on the label as well as the triple distilled declaration because I have learned a bit about the number of distillations and how each cleans up impurities but also strip away flavor, generally, of course.

Enough wordplay, what does this poteen taste like? Drinking from the logo’d mug that came with the bottle, the aroma was strong. Alcohol and minty. The eyes do sting a bit bringing mug to lips but the taste is brisk and botanical. Mint and herbs for me with a burn down the pipe.

One of the recipes on the website was for an Irish Mule with ginger beer and lime and bitters which after tasting the poitín neat makes me wonder who would win that powerful flavor battle royale. I would instead go the martini route. Have the botanicals from the Vermouth work with the mint.

I like this neat but could see it working as a cocktail minor player more.

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Old Thomasina

On my latest visit to Portland, I went to the Freeland Distillery and quite liked their gins. I missed out on trying their latest though, an Old Tom. It is their Dry Gin barrel-aged “for 6 months in hand-selected whiskey barrels from women-owned Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey.” I do like their whiskey and story as well.

Also, “This exclusive release marries the art of distillation with a cause—supporting women entrepreneurs. AND $5 of each bottle supports Re:Her.”

That is a win, win and win.