The responsible drinkers thread

Going to try to bring some more class into alcohol discussions here. I’m sure we’ve all tied one on before and may continue to do so, but I think alcohol deserves a thread where it can be discussed without rampant typos.

Feel free to discuss old favorites and new discoveries as well as tools/glasses and what not.

I’ll start with a couple of California wineries that never disappoint, Oak Ridge and Twisted clock in at about $10 a bottle if they’re on sale (which the almost always are) and are simply good wines.

Apparently California wines have a reputation of sucking, at least, that’s what I gathered from a friend in England who came to visit my wife and I. After drinking some swill at a Sizzlers, I’m not sure I could blame him. But I let him try some Twisted Red Vine Zinfandel I had on hand and the bottle quickly disappeared.

As far as new things to my collection, I’ve been finding this at larger Fred Meyer’s in the area. It basically taste like chocolate milk with alcohol added. A little less syrupy than Irish cream. Good to grab if chocolate is your thing.

Just got some Knob creek. I like it, it’s got a nice in betweeny Gentleman Jack – Single barrel taste to it.

Also restocked my Vodka. Decided to have a bottle of this to mix drinks with. The company did a tasting at a local liquor store, and I decided it was nice and smooth, perfect for mixes. Also got some Potato Vodka for the first time, this might actually make for good sipping vodka. I’ll have to restock on Imperia sometime soon and compare

edited 15th Mar '11 11:34:13 AM by Justice4243

A good idea for a thread, Justice.

the thread name's paradoxical.

Anyway, so, I wanna try some good whiskey that isn't JD or Jameson, recommendations?

Can I talk about r00t b33r in here?

Whiskeys? It's a big topic. I'm reasonably knowledgable about Scottish whisky, but less so about the American type.

Thanky, booze needs better representation I figured.

Not to mention, the drunk thread didn’t seem like the greatest place to discuss my Wine Aerating Pourer for when I’m too lazy to let a bottle or glass breath.

California wine is just like wine from anywhere else. Some of it is swill and some of it is sublime. Personally, I like full-bodied, relatively dry red wines, so I'm growing very fond of Australian and Chilean, although there will always be a special place in my heart for Egri Bikaver (a really aggressive Hungarian red).

@Maddy: Which Chilean ones have you tried? I'm a very big fan of "El casillero del diablo".

Egri Bikaver ("Bull's Blood of Eger") is delicious for what it is. Not a subtle wine in the least, but some times, subtlety is not what the situation calls for.

I think California wine got a bad rep in Europe because snooty Europeans wouldn't buy the expensive stuff, but the cheap ones were taken to much more readily.

I wish I had more of a palette for wine. I mean I've moved on from Boones Farm and Manischevitz, but whenever I'm at a wine tasting it feels like I can't detect all the subtleties I feel like I'm supposed to. I like drier wines now, but all the vocabulary about "notes" of things I'm supposed to be tasting goes over my head.

Knob Creek, the one I mentioned, is a good one if you like Jack. Slightly smother than No. 7.

Blantons one of the best Single Barrels I’ve had, but Jack makes a pretty mean Single Barrel.

Maker Mark is never a bad choice as far as I’m concerned, and shouldn’t be too difficult to find.

I remember liking Wild Turkey though it’s been years since I’ve had any.

Bushmills is good if you want to try something besides Jameson that’s Irish.

Scotch is worth talking about, though very different taste to it. Laphroaig is very Smokey. The wife and I are having a devil of a time finding a 15 year.

Glenlivet is good…I want to say Glenfiddich is good too, but only because I remember something else that started with “Glen” in it’s name and think that’s the one.

For Canadian, go Crown Royal. Black Velvet simply cannot compare. It’s like the Evan Williams compared to Jack Daniels.

I don't know the vineyard names, off hand, sorry. I do most of my wine-drinking in restaurants rather than keeping much of a home cellar.

Glenfiddich is OK. They are good at marketing; the whisky itself is not to my taste remarkable, though it's not a bad one either.

Springbank is my #1 all-time favorite for the non-smoky whiskies. Lagavulin is probabably narrowly my favorite Islay.

Yep, Morven, Egri Bikaver is about as subtle as a twenty-pound sledgehammer, but oh, does it go beautifully with spicy food.

*Gleefully writes down everyone’s favorites*

While the topic of restaurants and wine has come up, I’ve determined that a little familiarity with bottles can go a long way.

The Newport Seafood Grill has absolutely ridiculous wine prices. They enthusiastically declare they have “25 Wines for $25” but neglect to mentioned that the $25 prices is generally at least a 100% mark up from what it would be in a store. Kings Estate was going for $32 when I could get it for $16 on a no sales day at Safeway (not that almost any big store that sells wine ever takes off the 30% off sale…).

By far the most heinous example was a bottle of Beringer White Zinfandel for $25, $6.50 a glass. $6.50 is probably more than what a bottle should cost.

Now I won’t begrudge restaurants for marking up wine a bit, but show some restraint! At least pick wines that I can’t walk to my local supermarket to pick up if your going to charge these kinds of prices.

edited 15th Mar '11 12:20:18 PM by Justice4243

I thought about 100% markup was normal, actually. Which is a good deal of why I don't order wine at restaurants.

-forces Justice to write "Ron Añejo de Medellín", "Club Colombia", and "Aguardiente Antioaqueño"

It might be, though it really kills my whine drinking mood when I recognize the names as things I could easily buy myself at lower prices.

Could be just the mentality at that price range, however. I buy beer all the time even though I know I’m paying way more than I could if I went to the store. Though, I prefer draft when places have it.

I often ignore cocktails now a days just because it’s becoming increasingly rare a restaurant will sell something I couldn’t make at home. Though, I do find the odd pleasant surprises here or there, then make note of what new liquor I need to buy.

Consider them on the list of things to look out for when I'm next wine shopping.

edited 15th Mar '11 12:37:55 PM by Justice4243

At least with draft beer you are buying something that's not precisely what you can get at the supermarket.

Indeed, and it's easy to find places with big selections in Portland, or even places that brew there own bear.

Consider them on the list of things to look out for when I'm next wine shopping.

None of them are wine.

Liquore store then?

I suppose I could always Google these to figure out what I wrote down.

edited 15th Mar '11 12:43:47 PM by Justice4243

'kay well I did that thing I said and I like rum and beer, but you'll have to explain what "Aguardiente Antioaqueño" is. Google gave me a fat goose egg on that one.

They are rum, beer and Aguardiente.

[1] Here.

edited 15th Mar '11 12:46:59 PM by juancarlos11

Don't think I've ever had any, which means it's likely to be tried very soon because I hate the idea that there's something out there I haven't tried. Though not sure if the brand is around here.

Might have to check next time I'm in California for it, booze is much easier to find down there. Ah, thanky.

edited 15th Mar '11 12:49:08 PM by Justice4243