Archive for May, 2009

Like most people my tastes have changed with time.  I used to prefer my mixed drinks to be sweet and didn’t mind if they were heavy.  My former favorite drinks were frozen strawberry dacquiris, White Russians, and espresso-tinis.  However, now most of those drinks are on my list of drinks to avoid.

Although my tastes have changed, there are some similarities.  I still do enjoy a hint of sweetness in my drinks.  And if there were to be any theme to the variety of drinks that I like, it would be that they include fruit flavors.  The differences are that I no longer enjoy a drink that is heavy with cream or syrupy ingredients.  Also, unless I am indulging on a hot day by a pool, I usually avoid frozen drinks.

Recently, I have noticed that I like my drinks less and less sweet, although I have not gotten to the point where I am requesting a classic martini or vodka and tonic.  With that thought in mind, I created the Vodka and Tonic Restyled.  While this  may not have been my grandfather’s sort of concoction, it is simple, light, and refreshing.  Served over ice, it is a wonderful way to quench your thirst while  you sit on the front porch swing.

Vodka and Tonic Restyled

ice

1-1/2 oz. kiwi-strawberry infused vodka

berry seltzer

1 maraschino cherry

Fill martini shaker with ice, and add vodka.*  Shake for a minimum of 20 seconds.  Fill a highball glass with ice, and add vodka.  Top with seltzer, and stir.  Add cherry (and a teaspoon of its juice for a pinch of flavor, if desired), and enjoy!

*As nothing is being combined in the shaker, you can omit this step.  However, this step lowers the temperature of the vodka, creating a wonderfully chilled cocktail.

Bottle/Tap: Bottle

I’ve never actually had anything by Anchor Steam though I have received many recommendations. I just never got around to giving them a try. I picked up a bottle and thought I’d take it for a spin. Anchor Steam is one of the oldest brewers in California and hasn’t changed their brewing tradition for over 100 years. The lore of the name is supposedly from the hissing noise the steam makes as it leaves the brewing tanks. Steam is also an old term used to describe beer that was made on the West Coast.

Sierra Nevada and Anchor Brewing each have unique bottles, and I think that is pretty cool. Everyone knows the long neck look, but short stubby bottles seem more compact and fit in your hand more easily. I popped the top and emptied the bottle into my glass and enjoyed the amber color as it flowed in. I noticed a very good hop smell, and I was kind of excited to try something new. Well, new to me I should say.

I was taken by the bitter taste, it wasn’t like something I was used to drinking, yet I really liked it. I chilled the beer in my basement and let it get to room temperature while I was drinking it and became more impressed at how well it stood up. It didn’t lose any of the flavors as the temperature rose, and that was a big plus for me. It wasn’t a terribly strong beer, but it did have some good bite toward the end of each sip that I enjoyed.

If you’ve had Anchor Steam before, or if you haven’t, I completely recommend this one. As the temperature rises outside it is good to know there are some beers that can also withstand the increase in heat.

Bottle/Tap: Can

Several years ago, I embarked on a voyage with friends toward Gettysburg for a few days of vacation and history.  During the trip to Pennsylvania we happened to stay with a friend’s grandparents, and I was first introduced to the oldest beer in America, Yuengling.  You see, the brewery is the oldest brewery in America, and let me tell you, this beer is one not to miss.

This is traditional lager style ale, not very complex and no real bitter flavor; it is a smooth and simple to drink beer.  Actually, you can liken this to Pabst Blue Ribbon, but I think PBR has a sweeter taste to it. I drank enough of it in college to know.  Yuengling has its own unique flavor, and it is not intrusive at all.  The same friend from the Gettysburg trip was in upstate New York and managed to grab some of this delicious beer for me, and a nifty glass to go with it.

This beer has a solid copper color and no real aroma, but you can keep drinking it for days and not feel too bad about it at all.  Yuengling doesn’t make it out to New England at all, so unless you feel like making a drive, finding it around here is close to impossible.  However, if you do know where you can get some of it, please let me know I’d love to have it more often.

When I think traditional American brewing the only beers that come to mind are Yuengling and PBR as far as age and tradition.  Budweiser has nothing on Yuengling, and I would gladly drink a PBR over a Coors or Miller any day of the week.  If you’re looking for a real taste of Americana, you’ll find it here.

Bottle/Tap: Bottle

I haven’t had many beers by the folks at Sierra Nevada, but I noticed this beer on a friend’s Facebook page and decided to give it a try.  I made a six-pack a while back with one bottle and quickly bought the last six-pack a store had after I sampled it.  I know I’m not one for IPAs, as I have said, but I’m trying to branch out and experiment here and there.

This ale had a really nice amber color in my glass and didn’t smell like a really bitter IPA either.  At 7.2% I thought it was going to be kind of rough, but it turned out to be quite the opposite.  I had the bottle sitting in the basement to get chilled and noticed that the slight chill helped kill off some of the bitter edge at first.  As I progressed I noticed a really great flavor and kept wondering what the ‘extra’ was in this extra IPA.  Whatever the ‘extra’ was, I didn’t mind.

As it turns out, this is a new addition to Sierra Nevada’s line of year-round beers.  At Sierra Nevada they do a lot of seasonal brews, and a little research says that this will be offered all year instead of their usual IPA, which is a seasonal special.  I have to say that it may be kind of tough to find this though: it keeps flying off the shelves because many people think it is seasonal so they buy in bulk. Give it time, and it will resurface.

Halfway through the glass I noticed that there was a light creamy taste to the beer, which made the bitter taste really smooth.  It did have that classic IPA aftertaste, but it is the before-taste that really concerns me.

Cheers.

Ahh. . .the joys of living in New England.  The weather was sunny and in the 70s a few days ago, but now it has become rainy and chilly again.  However, the few days of warm weather are a hint of what is to come- the heat of summer.

With summer heat there is increased demand for icy cold beverages.  Of course, I know that during hot weather one needs to be well hydrated, which means that lots of water should be consumed.  But once you have yourself hydrated, a little indulgence is in order.

Sure, the kids love a glass of lemonade or a two-scoop ice cream cone, but for me there is something delicious about an ice cold beverage with a kick.  A glass filled with ice and a bubbly beverage sounds like the perfect way for me to cool off at the end of the day.

As this is a summer drink, I think of lazy evenings, so I don’t want a drink that requires many ingredients or getting out the martini shaker.  Just a couple pours and a stir and the drink should be ready.

My Adults Only Cherry Cola meets all of the requirements and can be made to please both diet and regular soda drinkers.  So, when the heat of summer arrives and you want a simple, cold drink, give this a try.

Adults Only Cherry Cola

ice

1-1/2 oz. black cherry vodka

diet or regular cola

Place a handful of ice in a highball glass.  Add vodka.  Fill with cola, and stir.

Enjoy!