We visit Palm Springs every March. With all the fresh grapefruit just a pluck away, we’d be fools not to make whiskey cocktails with them. We call this one a Palms Springs Whiskey Sour.
Ancho Reyes, an ancho chile liqueur, has a piquant kick that lingers on the tongue. The spice does not overwhelm but melds with flavor of caramelized sugar.
We grabbed Brut Prestige from Mumm Napa. It was fruity—notes of apple—and a tad spicy, but it wasn’t sweet. The bubbles made us feel fancy. The price, at about $20 a bottle, calmed our inner skinflint.
We call this whiskey cocktail a Cucumber Mint Mash. With cucumber and mint from our garden, it’s hard to imagine a more crisp and refreshing adult beverage.
Being June, and having a garden brimming with early arrivals, we decided to incorporate ripe strawberries and fresh mint into our Friday night cocktail. The result? Great success! We’ve dubbed it “Early June.”
This Imperial Stout X – Coconut from Boulevard Brewing Company is fun and original. But remember, as every bottle in the Smokestack Series advises, “serve in proper glass.”
Boulevard’s Chocolate Ale offered a distinctive cocoa flavor that was more tart and acidic than sweet. The raspberry, though, alters the experience. We still get the tart and some cocoa, but the fruit stands tall.
We sit mere days away from Thanksgiving. It ranks as our favorite holiday. Well, probably. We say probably because in the summer, we herald the Fourth of July as our favorite but in the winter, we declare it to be Thanksgiving. Whatever. Each is a great American celebration. You’d be unpatriotic if you made us choose between the two. On Thanksgiving, we act as consummate freeloaders. We attend three separate, full-fledged family celebrations. Each has turkey and green bean casserole and stuffing and mashed potatoes and pie. On our family’s Italian side, they even have meatballs and pasta. We feast. We show up—having neither prepared a thing nor helped a bit—and we gorge ourselves. Then, we collapse onto the couch and alternate between watching football and napping until the time comes to move to the next house for the next...
Oktoberfest Märzen Lager from Left Hand Brewing Company is an amber-colored brew with hints of caramel and malt. If you find it, buy it, and drink it. It’s delicious.
We suggest drinking a pumpkin beer. Never enjoyed this seasonal phenomenon? Let us provide a primer. Pumpkin beer resembles ordinary beer. But, unlike ordinary beer, it tastes a bit like pumpkins.
You love America, right? We suspected so. You admire the Founding Fathers? Of course. But do you really understand the Founding Fathers—you know—as people? For example, were you aware that John Adams had a dog named “Satan”? Or that Ben Franklin took air baths by hanging out naked? Or that Thomas Jefferson was the preeminent distiller of fine bourbon in the Thirteen Colonies? Oh, wait. Something doesn’t compute. Jefferson was a Virginian. Bourbon comes from Kentucky. Kentucky wasn’t even a colony. Huh? Sorry, we were momentarily befuddled. We saw this bottle of Jefferson’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. It carries Tom’s name and likeness. We assumed that he made it—well, not this bottle but other bottles that came before this bottle, this bottle’s ancestors. We did a little research, though. It turns out the bourbon is simply named after Thomas Jefferson....
Change permeates life. That’s mostly good. Humans must evolve. We need to test our limits and refresh our surroundings. The world will never be conquered by the sedentary and complacent. So, we welcome change, but it can be bittersweet. Next week, a close friend packs up his newly purchased Jeep and departs for the Rocky Mountains. Happy for him, we are. No decision in the history of decisions was more right than his. He gets to chase a new adventure in an awe-inspiring place—one replete with skiing, hiking, fresh air and stunning vistas. We’ll miss seeing him every day, which is the unfortunate part. We also envy him. It’s a deed requiring real courage. Above all, we wish him well. We got him this bottle of Stranahan's Small Batch Colorado Whiskey. We figured it’d provide a taste of where he’s...
We ordinarily don’t drop fat cash on wine. But for champagne, we splurge. Why? Because when we drink champagne, we are celebrating. And, we at G@H get serious about celebration. If it’s worth toasting, it’s worth a little luxury. Don’t get it twisted: we’re not ordering bottles of Dom Perignon. First, it’s not that great. Second, it shatters the ideal price point. You can secure a mighty excellent champagne for around $50. We recently marked a loved one’s work milestone with a bottle of Taittinger Brut Réserve. It’s pleasantly crisp and dry with light hints of peach and honey. The logo features an armored knight. Also, the bottle comes in a styling box. We bought it for $40 at Costco. All boxes, checked. Of course, if can’t find anything else, you can get a whole bunch of Mum’s.
We always welcome houseguests bearing gifts. We recently hosted family from Iowa. They left a bag of Cow Tipper from Verena Street Coffee Co. in Dubuque, Iowa. It’s really good. It tastes, well, exactly how it says it tastes: “a rich and creamy blend of vanilla, caramel and coffee liqueur flavoring.” Good news! They ship--$5 normally and free if you spend over $45.
Let’s celebrate! This week brings the release of our hands-down favorite beer. It’s Saison Brett from Boulevard Brewing Company. And, it’s the definition of delicious. We hold the genre of farmhouse ale in high esteem. We enjoy Ommegang’s Hennepin and Goose Island’s Sofia. Boulevard also makes Tank 7, which itself deserves acclaim. But, each spring, Boulevard offers a special limited release: Saison Brett. It’s Tank 7 perfected. Saison Brett unfortunately resembles the Easter Bunny. No, it’s not a sweaty middle-aged man in a terrifying animal costume. Instead, it comes only once every spring and then disappears all year. Get it while the getting’s good.
With age comes wisdom. Only recently have we understood the value and versatility of wine. We already knew that we enjoyed drinking it. We knew that certain types paired well with certain foods. Now, though, we recognize the true magic of wine; it’s synonymous with celebration. Occasions define our lives. People receive degrees. People move into houses. People earn promotions. People get engaged, then married. People have children. And, each year, everyone gets a little older. These occasions merit revelry. And, when a gentleman arrives to make merry, he should be bearing gifts. What should he bring? Wine. Often, the answer is wine. (It’s sometimes whiskey or scotch.) What wine depends on the giver, the recipient and the occasion. Aficionados may always tend towards fine wines. Folks like us with less demanding palates reserve nicer wines for special occasions. We...
We don’t know a lot about the lifestyle of 19th century farmers in Belgium. We imagine it was difficult without electricity or tractors or refrigeration. They had to be rugged. They had to be resilient. Survival demands much less of us than it did them. For all of their struggle, though, we know those Belgian agrarians had at least one great pleasure: beer. Saison rocks. It has big flavor but goes down light. It’s crisp, refreshing and just a tad citrusy. That makes it superb for warm-weather drinking, especially when you crave beer that tastes like beer, not water. Goose Island Beer Co. offers a great saison: Sofie. It comes in a 765 mL bottles. And, if that reminds you of wine, here’s another similarity. Sofie pairs well with food. It particularly compliments fish, mussels, and oysters. Feeling adventurous? Try...
Where we reside, spring has sprung. We survived a frigid January and February. But now, not a minute too soon, warm weather has descended upon us. We yearn to be outside. We want to bathe in sunshine, inhale fresh air and drink bottles of craft beer on our patio. If you’ve never sampled a Southern Pecan Nut Brown Ale, you should. Let this great weather provide your reason why. Southern Pecan claims the title as the first beer made with roasted pecans. No surprise, it tastes a bit nutty. But, it is also smooth and slightly sweet without much taste of hops. Southern Pecan feels like it should be properly enjoyed outside. That might be because it is brewed by Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company in Kiln, Mississippi. You know, Mississippi--where they are not touched by the wretchedness of winter.
We at G@H pride ourselves on being excellent sons to our fathers. Well, okay, not the best. We did crash the family car that one time. And, we did lose his favorite cooler. And, who knew that you can’t microwave a fork? Or let it go down the garbage disposal? But we’ve got to rank at least as above-average sons. After all, we never spent even a night in jail. We never lit the house on fire. And, we’ve grown up to get jobs. Real adult jobs. Most importantly, we show gratitude. We repay our father for his love, time, wisdom and patience with fine Scotch whiskey. Every Christmas, we buy him a bottle. We repeat the gesture for birthdays and Father’s Day. The effect is two-fold. First, he has built an impressive Scotch bar. Second, he knows that we...
Allow us to issue with a brief disclaimer. You shouldn’t start every morning with whiskey in your coffee. It’s just not responsible. Some mornings, though, it’s perfect. Weekends, for example. And when it’s really, really cold outside. Awaking to a frigid Saturday, we recently indulged. We uncorked a bottle of Rieger’s Kansas City Whiskey that we’d received for Christmas. (BTW, whiskey makes the best gifts.) We poured a shot—approximately—in our cup of Joe. Boy did it elevate the day. It warmed our bodies and souls. More importantly, it delivered the requisite bravery to go outside and shovel the driveway. The real test for whiskey, though, lies in how it tastes straight. Rieger’s Kansas City Whiskey is perilously smooth. It goes down so easy but be warned: it packs such a punch. Enjoy it enthusiastically and mindfully.
People in Kansas City have a favorite hobby: singing the virtues of Boulevard Brewing Company. They can’t help but tell you—repeatedly and without end—how wonderful Boulevard is. And, despite their tunnel vision, they stand on solid footing. We really enjoy Boulevard’s once-a-year releases. They’re tasty, innovative, and fun. Be warned, they can be elusive. These brews have a cult following around the Great Plains with people literally following delivery trucks and snatching up beer upon arrival. One offering stirs up a particular craze: Chocolate Ale. Made in collaboration with artesian chocolatier Christopher Elbow, finding a bottle in Kansas City is akin to finding a leprechaun’s gold. Admittedly, chocolate-flavored beer released just before Valentine’s Day sounds gimmicky. It seems like something—much like the “holiday” itself—that we self-respecting, enlightened gentleman should reject. Honestly, though, this is good beer. The cocoa flavor emerges...
Eggnog season is quickly waning. Before the magical stuff disappears, though, let us lend you some sage advice. Transform it into ice cream. Deposit a scoop or two in a glass of stout beer. And, enjoy a deliciously festive beer float. Like custard, the base of eggnog comes from yolk. So, it makes a rich, creamy frozen treat without any extra prep work. For our beer, we use Imperial Stout by Boulevard Brewing Company, which is robust, grainy and generously alcoholic at 11.0% ABV.
We’re not into selfies. It’s not our thing. We don’t get SnapChat. But, we do like to trade a certain genre of texts with our buddies. We call them “bourbon pics.” You know. “Check out what I uncorked!” “A great pour!” “It tastes like butterscotch!” “I can’t feel my feet!” All exclamation points all the time. Recently, our good friend Ben sent us a shot of the most gorgeous bottle. It had a lovely globe shape. Handwriting on its slender, beige label noted the whisky’s dump date, its barrel number and even the alcohol proof. And, the cork. Mounted atop the cork was a jockey on horseback. “Nice, but can she dance?” we questioned. “My favorite bourbon. Hands down,” he responded Ben knows whisky. Ask his wallet: he really knows good bourbon. So, when he recommended Blanton’s, we had to...
Surprises! Aren't surprises the best? Pleasant surprises, at least. Last Saturday, we were at a local drinking hole cheering on our alma mater's football team. (They won.) Glancing down at the table, we spied an ad for Leinenkugel's Cranberry Ginger Shandy. What? Thanksgiving-flavored beer! Yes, please.
According to the eHarmony guy, romantic compatibility comes down to science. He could be right. Nevertheless, we’d rather not hand over $59.99 per month to that guy and his wacky algorithms. Instead, we subscribe to a more straightforward philosophy: date someone who enjoys good whiskey. We look for many traits in a potential mate. Never have we treated any one attribute as mandatory. But, we have learned this lesson: we mesh well with whiskey-loving women. That rings especially true in long-term relationships because each party already knows the perfect gift for one another. All that we must do is match the class of whiskey to the occasion. Celebrating a six-month dating anniversary? A recent job promotion? Friday? Let us suggest a bottle of Elijah Craig 12-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon. Rated 88 by Whiskey Advocate, we’d challenge you to find a...
We at G@H have a friend from the North Woods of Wisconsin. His name is Arnie. He refuses to leave. For a time, his stalwartness confused us. Then, we visited. We tasted the beer. We have returned many times. We live in a golden age of drinking. When a good beer comes along, it’s discovered and distributed. We can buy a Boulevard in Boston or a Shipyard in St. Louis or an Alaskan in Austin. But, if you crave a New Glarus beer, you better be in the Badger State. The New Glarus Brewing Company operates out of New Glarus, WI. It makes delicious beer. It makes popular beer. It could export its beer across the United States. It’s not interested. The New Glarus Brewing Company ranks as America’s 21st largest craft brewer. And, it only sells in Wisconsin. It’s...
Do you love autumn? We do. Football, fire pits, pumpkin beer. Pumpkin Beer. PUMPKIN BEER. If we sat on death row and had to request a last meal, we’d have really think about the entrée but not the drink. We’d have a pumpkin beer. Okay, that’s a lie. We’d have a single malt scotch. But, we really like pumpkin beer. It makes fall feel like fall. Here are five varieties to sample this season: 1. Wilhelm Scream Pumpkin Ale by Magic Hat Brewing Company 2. Pumpkinhead Ale by Shipyard Brewing Company 3. Imperial Pumpkin Smash by Crown Valley Brewing & Distilling Company 4. Ichabod Ale by New Holland Brewing Company 5.Schlafly Pumpkin Ale by The Saint Louis Brewery
Life is all about taking chances. On Sunday, we undertook a new experiment--infusing bourbon with strawberries fresh from our backyard garden. We will report the results in three to four weeks. YOLO.
Distribution of @oskarblues is spreading starting this week. Setting the bar high by with an old chub. pic.twitter.com/DOR5Zf5Bw8 — Gentleman at Home (@GentlemanatHome) March 15, 2014
Hard to find @GooseIsland Raspberry sour. Nice punch, distinct flavor from wine barrels. 2013 edition, ages 5yrs pic.twitter.com/tLs2gvZvNx — Gentleman at Home (@GentlemanatHome) March 13, 2014
We start every weekday morning with a green smoothie. This “Avocado Sunrise” smoothie has Greek yogurt, avocado, orange and mango. It’s almost tropical.
MILF by @MothersBrewing. Fantastic imperial stout. 11% ABV. Aged in 5 different barrels then blended. pic.twitter.com/PWZxN3fah2 — Gentleman at Home (@GentlemanatHome) February 1, 2014
Another excellent #barrelaged #strongale pulled from the cellar. Conflux No. 1 Collage from @DeschutesBeer pic.twitter.com/932weXxBaJ — Gentleman at Home (@GentlemanatHome) January 28, 2014
We at G@H sometimes drink our calories. When we do, we opt for craft beer, not sugary drinks. Oh, we most definitely like soda pop. We just prefer ours calorie-free. Because, you know, it’s healthier, maybe. Every afternoon, the craving hits: we need our fizzy drink fix. We’ve experimented with alternatives. We’ve tried flavored drink powder. Without bubbles, though, it’s just boring. Deconstructing our drink, a simple truth struck us. Carbonation is all we need. And, water plus only carbonation makes for a healthy habit. Europeans adore sparking water. Trust us. We’re learned and well traveled. Americans, though, prefer their water unadulterated. In fact, finding sparkling water in the United States can prove difficult—and expensive. Meet the SodaStream Jet. It’s a bona fide solution for enjoying sparkling water unpretentiously. The machine couldn’t be simpler. It connects a large CO2 cartridge...
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, all the creatures were drinking ... @Boulevard_Beer pic.twitter.com/6cXOTEWYIc — Gentleman at Home (@GentlemanatHome) December 25, 2013
You like @Boulevard_Beer Single-Wide + Double-Wide IPAs. Show this heat you ain’t affraid with a Pop-Up Session IPA. pic.twitter.com/0DYbcsWjnb— Gentleman at Home (@GentlemanatHome) August 27, 2013
