The Syndicate

Protip: Garnish a Moscow Mule with a slice of cucumber in addition to the lime garnish. Cocktail elevated.

notsawyer540 wrote:Bourbon: If we're talking sheer volume consumed, then by far it's Mr. Beam. But if we're talking pleasure of Consumption, it's Evan Williams and Elmer T.

Scotch: Macallan 12 year. I've had the 15, 18, and a bunch of the Canadian and European varieties that don't have a year on them. Not rich enough for the 25. The 12, with its mellow flavor and buttery texture is my favorite. This one wins by volume and flavor.

Beer: Tough one. By volume, three way tie between Fat Tire, Erdinger Hefeweisen, und Yuengling. By flavor, I have no idea. I just love beer. But German and, to a lesser extent, Belgians are my favorites. I also really like stouts. The Guinness we get here in the US, and so are most stouts that aren't "imperials," but you know a good stout when you get one because you don't want anything else. I really like beer.

I like the way you think.

I've been knocking back boilermakers. English pale ale with a shot of bourbon dropped right in, glass and all.

I had my mint julep after the Kentucky Derby last night. I'm thinking a whiskey sour tonight.

I had the unusual hankering for a cocktail on the sweeter side, so I am acquainting myself with the lovely Billionaire. It is sweet, slightly bitter, and light in body. It is better than my day, which was bitchy, defiant, and had faint notes of blame-shifting and ass-covering.

A Person wrote:

Epignosis wrote:

A Person wrote:I'm testing the birthday gin. Prelminary results: need more test data

You need a testing partner.

I'd welcome a testing partner.

I never thought you'd be a drinker.

A Person wrote:I'm testing the birthday gin. Prelminary results: need more test data

You need a testing partner.

bea wrote: Here's the other thing about wine. You'll rarely see me order it in a restaurant. Of all the things in most restaurants booze is the most marked up. It's one of the tricks the restaurant plays. To keep prices on diners down and reasonable, they mark up the bar products. Of all the bar products the worst of the mark ups happen in the wine section. (It's been doubly worse lately as wine in general has been given this whole new trendy work up so as it grows more popular more businesses take advantage and charge a few bucks more for it) That bottle of Layer Cake up there I like so much? Yea, it usually retails at a grocery store for between 15-18 dollars a bottle. I've seen it in restaurants for up to 30 dollars a bottle. (And you don't even want to know what I paid for it back in the day when my boss would let me order wine to work and pay cost for it. I miss that particular perk most of all....)

Absolutely. I never order wine at restaurants. "You want me to pay $28 for a bottle of Sutter Home that retails for $6.97?"

Some of the Happy Hours aren't really 2-for-1 either, when the price is jacked up, you're really selling me two (but that's a common marketing tactic anyway. "But wait! Order now, and we'll DOUBLE the offer! Just pay separate processing and handling!).

thellama73 wrote:

Epignosis wrote: Speaking of Red, I believe you hated the Red Stag.

Putting spices in bourbon is for people who do not like bourbon. I couldn't stand Jack Daniels American Honey either. Why can't we just drink plain whiskey?

I have no objection to doing that either.

thellama73 wrote:

Epignosis wrote:

thellama73 wrote: I think the Germans are onto something with their four ingredient purity laws.

How Libertarian of you.

Obviously I meant that the four ingredient rule is a good guideline, not that it should be a law. :P

@Bea: Interesting that you use Killian's and "good beer" in the same sentence. :P

Killian's was my first favorite beer and still is one of mine. I love reds, and I think theirs is good.

Speaking of Red, I believe you hated the Red Stag.

thellama73 wrote: I think the Germans are onto something with their four ingredient purity laws.

How Libertarian of you.

I like wacky beers, because once out of ten times or so, I find something awesome (that I can't get where I actually live).

Mongoose wrote:We have a Sea Dog Brewery here, so I like to get the Blueberry on tap.

That is one I tried and did not like.

Beer is my favorite beverage, and, while I do enjoy the gamut of beers, I will not pretend that I do not mostly drink the cheap stuff. I don't care if I had a million bucks, I'd still mostly enjoy Coors, Miller, Busch Light, etc. Why, just this morning I purchased a large case of Keystone Light for a mere $10.87!

But, as something of a dipsomaniac, I consume large quantities of beer, so I limit "good beers" to two or three, especially if they are heavier beers. Among my favorites are Killian's Irish Red, Magic Hat #9, Samuel Adams cherry wheat, Newcastle brown, Chimay, Pete's Wicked Strawberry Blonde, Blue Moon, Shiner Bock, and Yuengling.

The absolute worst beer I have ever tried was Magic Hat's HiCu. It is a hibiscus / cucumber beer. As cucumber is my favorite fruit (and I will try almost anything), I procured three bottles of it in Magic Hat's variety pack. The stuff tastes like Bath and Body Works. I chucked it down the sink.

The wine I like best also happens to be the cheapest. Laugh if you like, but Oak Leaf goes for $2.97 a bottle and is sold exclusively through Wal-Mart. I like it, and it doesn't give me a headache. http://www.oakleafvineyards.com/ For other wines, I like Ménage à Trois, Rex Goliath, and Lucky Duck- all modestly priced wines. I don't have much preference regarding specific wines- I'll drink about any red with a steak and any white with chicken, so to speak. I also like ports and sherries. And sangria. At Christmastime I make mulled wine.

For potent potables, my favorite liquor is bourbon, but I like all of the major spirits. My favorite cocktails include the mint julep, the gin and tonic, the dirty martini, the black Russian, the Moscow Mule, the mojito, the margarita, and the classic daquiri. I also really like Jim Beam's Red Stag.

I do enjoy a snifter of port around the holidays.