Follow Sean Inman to the best in craft beer
Some people must not sleep. In addition to running Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey and also starting a cognac line (in France), Fawn Weaver has also written a history of Nearest Green which you can pre-order, called Love & Whiskey.
You may know of Nearest Green because he was the distiller for a, checking notes, Jack Daniels. How Green was lost to Tennessee whiskey and then re-found is the story of this book and one that I cannot wait to read.
I had my three first Tiki Bar experiences last year and I am glad that Los Angeles has a resurgent number of them to visit because they are super fun and kitschy. Plus rum of course.
Watching Lost L.A. as they hit three different bars and talk the origin story was a good education.
You can check the half hour episode out HERE
2 Towns Ciderhouse has their Women’s History Month cider ready for you. “The Baddie is the result of an all-women led initiative and 2 Towns is allocating a portion of the proceeds to the Pink Boots Society, aiding women and non-binary individuals in the fermented beverage industry.”
Look for it when you are in cider mode.
First non-beer stop was Freeland Spirits in NW Portland near the towering Montgomery Ward blocks.
Lovely spot with nibbles and seasonal cocktails and mocktails and a little shop too with their signature bottle shape and an RTD Gin Rose and Tonic.
I sampled the “whole flight” which had three gins and three bourbons. The gins were each distinct from the previous one and I quite liked them all. The flagship gin had a mint top note. The Forest Gin despite the presence of chanterelles was very spring day in Oregon. The Navy Strength had a real punch to it and would be a boon to the G&T. The bourbons were less impressive in contrast. I found the standard bourbon a little weak and the rye was extra malty and cereal laden. The Cask strength was my favorite of those three.
Next stop (not the same day, don’t worry) was a trip to the Alberta bar and restaurant, the Radio Room. A multi-level and multi-room experience with a fun cocktail list filled with creative new cocktails as well as reimagined old standbys.
Last, but not least was my first visit to Aviation Gin HQ. Since they only have a distillery license, they can only serve so much gin per person but you can get a flight of special monthly cocktails or classic Ryan Reynolds choices or just a G&T.
The candy Valentine cocktails was my choice and all but the last one was really good. The presentation was excellent and the setting and staff was really cool. Did not see any Wrexham gear though.
In the past, craft beer had a mini-moment of beer / wine hybrids. Now Benny Boy puts a cider twist on it with a collaboration with Neighborhood Winery and the resulting drinks are almost here if you buy a ticket.
Time to talk gin again bit this time with both a Belgian and beer twist to it as Lindemans, known for their sweeter fruited lambics and some harder to find distinctly Belgian beers also has a gin! And it is made from Old Kriek distillate!
You know that I will be seeing how I can get myself some.
I have been intrigued by barrel-aged gins and even have bought a couple but both were lightly aged and on not pungent wood, as it were. That changes with the new releases from The Botanist.
One is Islay Cask Aged and the second is Islay Cask Rested Gin. The latter “has been matured in cask for a minimum of 6 months, and Aged has been matured for a minimum of 3 years.”
The Botanist has a big selection of botanicals that just might meld with an Islay cask.
I am known to be ambi-beverage-ous so I was happy to receive two mega meads from Nectar Creek. Both Super. Mure and Cyser.
Starting with the Super Cyser, which looks a bit like honey in my glencairn. The aroma is apple-y and not sweet. The honey comes on strong in the first sip. But the apple is not far behind at all. A bit slick on the tongue but not in a cloying way. For something that is 14%, it is not super bitey.
The SM with blackberry has a more pronounced aroma. Berry comes through for sure. This one tastes way sweeter to me. I get sugar, then blackberry, then a smidge of honey. I do like the berry, it tastes natural and fresh. But this is the one for the sweet tooths.
Which one the casual mead appreciator would like comes down to sweetness tolerance. If you prefer dry then the Super Cyser is the choice, if you are looking for a dessert partner, the Super Mure is the pick.
Starting the year with a Gin book that I heard about on the Food Programme podcast, The Gin Tasting Course by Anthony Gladman.
Two big reasons why I liked this book. One – it was British and world-centric. The U.S. gets a couple mentions but this book took me around Europe to Australia and South America too. Second – the book is centered on flavors. So instead of a section on Scottish gins or Spanish gins, you got classic gins, umami gins, citrus gins. Much easier way into the spirit in my opinion.
I also like the illustrations used. Bright and colorful without losing helpfulness in the mix. The cocktail list was tightly curated and actually seem doable for a gin enthusiast. On the downside, some font size choices made the book a little hard to read.
Gladman also accomplishes the feat of being opinionated while not being off putting about it or pedantic. To borrow the I would like to have a drink with him construct, I would like to have a G&T with him.
Books like these invariably rise or fall on the featured gins chosen. Here is where Gladman shines. His descriptions have repetition but it is due to the main required ingredients and less to adjectives used. I came away with a goodly long list of gins to be on the lookout for.
Readers of the blog will know that I have attempted to enjoy many a Non-Alcoholic beverage. Was quite the fan of both Shirley Temples when out for a fancy dinner with my parents and Lime Rickeys at the now lost to time, Frederick & Nelson department store in Portland.
Preamble over, what would to RTD mocktails from Craftwell Cocktails taste like?
Starting with the Peach Mojito: peachy on the nose, like juice which is a good sign. The mint comes through right after the stonefruit. Has a really tart sparkle to it. A little puckery which I was not expecting. It is very tasty and I would say could be a good mixer start if you wanted to rum it up.
The Margarita has a pineapple chunks from a can taste. Glad it was not candy pineapple. Past that though, there is not much else going on. This one is way more of a mixer candidate. The other flavor notes are too far in the background and the lack of agave is really noticeable here.
Neither are unworthy of drinking as is but both seem more a starting point than an end one. That being said, I would pick the Peach Mojito first.