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I'm sharing a special edition of My Half Full Glass this
week. There was a fair bit of drinking at my house over the Christmas holiday.
But I didn't do the majority of it. I know that is what some of you were thinking.
By the time the day after Christmas came we
had entertained at least forty people, and they all enjoyed something
different. When I overheard guests talking up something from the bar I made a
point to take a taste it and find out what the buzz was all about.
The Whiskey Bar
I put together a whiskey bar for the first day of our
holiday open house. It was a smash hit! I selected several Bourbons, two
Scotches, a Canadian, an Irish and a Rye whiskey as base liquors. Next to those
bottles I placed sweet vermouth, simple syrup, Drambuie, ginger ale, bitter and
garnish.
Above the bar I listed the recipes for popular whiskey
cocktails, specifically the Manhattan, Sazerac, Old Fashioned, Rob Roy and Rusty
Nail. As guests arrived I let them know to serve themselves. I had expected it
to be a fun way to make the bar work during a busy party, and I was right.
Other than refilling the ice I never had to make the drinks or help guests
navigate the bar. I wholeheartedly suggest this trick for your next party. I
repeated the same format with gin the next day, but with a smaller crowd I
didn't see as much activity. The only regret is that I didn't take any pictures
of either bar. I guess you had to be there!
Two Orange/Vanilla
Meads Walk Into a Bar
The opportunity to try the recently released Moonlight Meadery
Summer Love side by side with my own version (a new attempt using the recipe
that Moonlight also riffed on) came during our Christmas celebrations. I didn't
taste them blind so the feedback can be assumed to contain some bias. To be
fair I don't care which one people like more, both are a source of pride for me
and when someone smiles drinking one of them, I win!
The overwhelming feedback focused on two key differences
between these meads. The first is that the Moonlight version is a bit spicier
and that bite came across as a sharp edge to some. Having used Tupelo honey,
and not Orange Blossom as I did, an element of spiciness is to be expected.
The second difference, and the one that got the most
attention, is that my version was perceived to be creamier and smoother. I
again recognize this difference, but in this case don't know why and
furthermore how I might reproduce it in another iteration. Food for thought.
Everyone who tried both meads found the experience
interesting. For my friends who have been with me along this nearly ten year
journey the existence of a commercial product that I had influence on is not a
surprise, although it feels like a long time coming for my most faithful fans.
Not Bud Light Lime
One of the Ancient Fire Top 10 Moments of 2012 was riffing
on Bud Light Lime after finding refuge with one on the Kid Rock Cruise. This
beer has officially exceeded any expectations I would ever have for homebrew.
With just enough of a sour kick, this beer brings so much to tickle the palate.
The base beer is a very simple wheat ale, and is ridiculously easy to make. I
make can two of them in just over 3 hours. This is a great summer beer and will
likely pop up on the late spring brewing schedule for just that season of
enjoyment. Keep an eye for summer party invites, especially if I mention the
lime ale.
Strawberry Riesling
Wine
My niece Ashley gets a mention this week. She loves my
homemade wine. She specifically likes my fruit wines and this is huge for me,
because I always hope they come so good that smiles are assured. These wines
tend to be the freshest and most interesting wines I make primarily because the
fruit is fresh and the composition is more elaborate than a typical grape wine.
Ashley, thank you for being such a huge fan, it really does mean a lot!
Over the Christmas holiday I opened no less than five
bottles of my Strawberry Riesling wine made in 2011. This wine was a project
hatched after talking to my mother about a similar wine she enjoyed on a
vacation to I can't remember where. To make it I took half of a recipe for my
flagship Strawberry wine and for the other half I used fresh Riesling juice. The
result was a hugely drinkable, light, fruity wine that is medium to off-dry
with moderate character.
As we sail into the New Year
holiday I wish you all a happy and safe end to the year. It would be
irresponsible not to mention that making arrangements for transportation,
designated driver, cab, etc, is a must during those crazy New Year's
celebrations. Have fun, be safe and get home to start the new year with maybe
only a headache.
Cheers!
Jason
