Sponsored heavily by Budweiser, the vendor list was impressive: Fuddruckers, Firefly’s, Aussom Aussie, Wholly Cannoli, Harrow’s, Wicked Whoopie’s, the Sausage Guy and Sunset Grill, plenty to choose from. The prices were uniform for most vendors; you could purchase a modest portion for $5-$7.

For what it was, it was a good way to introduce people to something they may not eat everyday. For guys that claim to love food, they could have gotten better beer. The Sunset Bar boasts a tap list of over a hundred taps; I imagine it to be like Mecca.

I felt compelled to try Budweiser’s American Ale. I actually was surprised that Bud could create something with flavor. I also can’t believe it took a buy-out for them to do so.

The Andelman brothers themselves were walking around the event and stopped to chat with folks or pose for pictures. That was a nice touch to see them in person.

If you managed to find the secret escalator, you were led upstairs. On the second floor there was a mechanical bull, bouncy boxing, sumo wrestling, twister and a putting green. There was enough entertainment but as lines for everything got longer, waiting felt like a chore.

Overall, it was an interesting experience. Although, I wish I had placed a few bucks on the #2 horse in the first race, I would have had my money back for the food and beer.

In fact, I take issue with people who make comments, such as, “You were a cheerleader!” with a laugh of disgust.  Because in addition to my sport of choice in high school, there are other pieces to who I am.  I was intelligent enough to attend a well respected college on a full academic scholarship.  I am capable of solving household problems with a drill or hammer.

So, while I may have “pretty, pink” qualities, I also can deliver a punch.  When served this drink, you shouldn’t judge it by its look.  Yes, it is pretty and pink, but with the combination of ingredients, there is a punch that comes with it.

Pretty and Pink with a Punch

1 oz. peach schnapps

2 oz. vodka

1 oz. cranberry juice

1/2 oz. lime juice

1 oz. diet lemon-lime soda

Fill a shaker with ice, and add schnapps, vodka, and cranberry and lime juices.  Shake well.  Pour into a martini glass, and top with soda.

So, whether you save this lemonade-based drink for a hot summer day or decide to try it today, you will need to visit Tasty Thoughts to gather the recipe.  I guarantee you that this recipe’s worth the click!

I hit one of my usual beer spots the other day and slapped a mix six together. Lately, I’ve been trying beers from breweries I’m not familiar with, which is why Southampton’s Altbier made it in to the box. After a convincing recommendation I felt I should give it a go.

Altbier is a German style of beer, traditional red ale. Unlike a Killian’s, an Irish red, this German ale was smooth and had some extra bite to make it intriguing. I’m not too big into red ales, but I will make the exception here.

The color of this ale was a pale red and had a slightly bitter aroma. The ale itself had a creamy bitter taste, not too bitter. There was enough bitter to hit the sides of your tongue, and it was really refreshing.

Irish reds are usually very straight forward with flavor and have a deeper red color. This German was complex, and you had to drink a bit before it revealed all the potential.

Did I mention how smooth this beer was? No? Ridiculously smooth. After half the bottle I was beginning to regret that it was my only one. This is one of those gems I seem to have been coming across lately; I’m on a hot streak. Actually, shouldn’t that be a cold streak? No one drinks hot beer.

You really could liken this beer to a lager but much creamier. The fellow that convinced me to buy it warned me that this beer was very drinkable. Southampton Brewery is located in New York, and it sounds like they brew many traditional German beers with a twist. I was very impressed with this beer and would gladly try anything else by Southampton.

As fall is in full swing, I have been in a cranberry frame of mind when it comes to meals and drinks.  Last week I enjoyed a delicious turkey sandwich that included cranberry sauce.  I also have been incorporating cranberry juice into my drinks.

Although, I do like the classic combination of cranberry juice and vodka, I thoroughly enjoy creating new beverages.  I mull over ingredients, seeking the flavors that best complement each other.  For this new drink, I wanted the tartness of cranberry to be contrasted with the sweetness of raspberry.  Once shaken and poured, I decided it could be lighter, so I added a float of lemon-lime seltzer.

And with that, I had created a drink that had a subtle hint of fall, containing just enough cranberry to make a drink with raspberry liquor taste like a fall classic.

Martini with a Hint of Fall

2 oz. vodka

2 oz. raspberry liqueur

1 oz. cranberry juice (preferably 100% pure)

1/2 oz. lime juice

1/2 oz. simple syrup

1 oz. lemon-lime seltzer

Fill a martini shaker with ice.  Add vodka, liqueur, both juices, and syrup.  Cover, and shake well.  Pour into martini glass, and add seltzer.

I decided to ignite the grill for a ‘last hoorah to warm weather’ last weekend. To ring in the fall weather I cracked open a Woodstock Inn Autumn Ale. Some seasonal brews are a little off the mark at times, this one was right on target.

New England is one of the few areas in the country that can enjoy seasonal beers, since we have seasons, and someone figured out what a fall beer should taste like. When you think fall in New England, some people think leaves. Considering leaves taste awful with hops, the next best thing is apples. This brew combines correct amounts of apples and cinnamon to create something really different.

This ale had a really good red-tan color in the glass and smelled great. The ale itself had the same flavor of apple crisp, if you left the skin on the apple. I was pleasantly surprised.

The label is interesting: I’m reminded of the witches from Macbeth, wearing pumpkins over their heads. After a few ales you may find yourself yelling. “Out damned beer spot!” has a nice ring to it if you ask me.

When I sampled the Gritty’s Halloween Ale last time, I was disappointed. Had the Gritty’s folks done something exciting like this Autumn Ale, I would’ve received a good scare. Woodstock Inn Brewery’s Autumn Ale is a great example of a seasonal or specialty ale you’ll really remember.

Do yourself a favor and try to enjoy these light tan ales while you can. Within a few weeks porters, stouts and other dark lagers will be more commonplace. Nothing against darker beers at all, it just means the weather is getting cold again.

Or at least I do.  I adore the colors of fall.  I enjoy the crisp smell of the air.  I love to hear the calls of the geese heading south.  However, once fall has arrived, it seems that the tips of my fingers and toes will not thaw until the spring.

So, even after a Saturday afternoon filled with shopping and dinner at a restaurant, I had a chill from the 2 second walk from car to house.  My friend also was feeling chilly, so we decided to make a warming drink to enjoy with conversation.  Unfortunately, we have different preferences for hot drinks:  I like coffee, and she likes hot chocolate.  Of course, we both wanted to add an adult twist to these beverages.

Perusing my options, I found a bottle of Irish cream liqueur.  I knew that it made an excellent coffee drink.  However, not being a cocoa drinker, I was uncertain as to the combination.  Would it be too sweet?  My friend, who doesn’t have a big sweet tooth, was willing to try a cocoa and “cream” combination.

The result?  Her cocoa and cream was a success, just like my coffee drink.  I now am ready to entertain with non-coffee drinking friends on a cold New England evening!

Hot Creamy Drinks

1-1/2 oz. Irish cream liqueur

6 oz. coffee or hot cocoa, prepared

In a coffee mug, combine liqueur and coffee or hot cocoa.  Top with whipped cream, if desired.  Serve immediately.

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While kids are terrorizing the streets dressed as zombies or Dick Cheney, create some terror of your own with Gritty’s Halloween Ale. Actually, the only thing that will scare you is how similar this ale tastes to others.

Having never tried anything by Gritty’s before, in retrospect, this may have been a bad first choice. If you want to get the full measure of a brewery, try one of their flagship beers, not a seasonal brew. Next time, I’ll heed my own advice.

Back to the beer at hand, this fall ale poured out nicely in a glass with a red/orange color. It smelled familiar, really familiar. Well, I decided to jump right in, and did I get a fright. I remember back in the day when I would get scared like that, a Snickers bar would fall in my bag. Instead, Sam Adam’s appeared wearing a cheap costume.

This Halloween Ale had a smoked caramel flavor to it that tasted almost identical to Sam Adam’s Octoberfest. I’m not sure what I was expecting; something unique would have been a nice surprise. I will say that the label idea is eye catching and made me want to read up on my Washington Irving.

Overall, this ale was fine; it wasn’t what I had in mind, though. Sadly, there are times when a lot of seasonal ales really do taste similar, and it is often too hard to distinguish the differences between them. This only means that at some point I’ll have to try another Gritty’s product to get the full spectrum of their line. If you seem to be stuck between this beer and a Snickers bar, remember, Snickers is the satisfier. Trick of treat!

Luckily, my friend shared a perfect Halloween martini recipe with me last weekend.  With a few couples together for a fall cookout, she created a drink that could be camouflaged in a pumpkin field.  Not only did this drink have an excellent autumn color, it was delicious.

Served in a martini glass, you could use a variety of garnishes.  Top it with a dollop of whipped, or maybe you could skewer several pieces of candy corn.  Let your creativity run wild.  However, if you think of a unique garnish idea, make sure that you post it as a comment!

Martini Fit for a Jack O’Lantern

2 oz. pumpkin liqueur

1 oz. coffee liqueur

1 oz. butterscotch schnapps

1 oz. half and half

1-2 oz. seltzer*

Fill a martini shaker with ice, and add pumpkin liqueur, coffee liqueur, butterscotch schnapps, and half and half.  Shake well.  Pour into a martini glass, add seltzer, and stir gently.  Garnish as desired.  Makes 1 martini.

*Depending on how thick or thin you like your martini.