What are you drinking right now?

[mxleader]

I really like this strong (11.7% alcohol) whisky infused beer from Belgium, I buy it regularly.

I must find this beer. It might not be too easy to find here in Arizona though.

[Tocky]

Nice and dark that beer. What I'm drinking now is too but it's just plain old Jack and coke. It's not fancy or exclusive but in all the world there is nothing like it. It has a distinctive taste. I would know it out of a thousand other whiskies. I would pass out among that many but it's true nonetheless. It is a singular taste and here's to it no matter how course or common. I'm not saying I wouldn't pass it over in favor of Glenlivet on most occasions but sometimes it is just right. Hell, I lived on it during my days in service. It went well with the flavor of being owned.

I've been to the distillery. Johnny loaned us his Harley for a trip we took together. Then he turned every ride into a race. That's not the way I ride. If I have to go around curves so hard the pipes drag I'm out. A ride in the Smokies ought to be relaxing. And what if I had been going fast when that deer froze in the road on the way to that waterfall? It barely got out of the way when I squalled brakes anyway. Not worth dying for. Not at this stage of life. We had to disengage after most of the trip was done and go our own way. I love the guy and love that he married my cousin who I love and went through so much for but holy crap he is too macho.

Anyway we went to the distillery at Lynchburg, Tennessee. Took the tour. Got to breathe the fermenting mash by lifting the vat doors. They have to do that anyway so why not get tourists to pay for the pleasure? Saw the spring where they get the water. Saw old Jacks office and the safe that killed him. Really it was his suspicion that did him in. Jack didn't trust that his accountant was keeping the books right so he came back to the office after he left and attempted to open the safe. When he couldn't he kicked it. A large safe. Think about that. Well in the morning, after sleeping the night there, the accountant came in and opened the safe and low and behold everything checked out fine. Jack was not fine. His foot swelled with gangrene and they cut it off. Then up to his knee. Then up to his crotch. Then death. There is a moral in that.

But I'll drink to Jack tonight. To a one of a kind sour mash. To the memories of my AF buds, the degenerates. To all my buds for that matter.

[mxleader]

Only 60 shopping days until Christmas! I've been stocking up on the holiday ales as they show up on the shelves because some of them sell out very fast and are limited release. There are three or four more I'm waiting for so I can complete my holiday collection.

[heywood]

I must find this beer. It might not be too easy to find here in Arizona though.

https://store.belgianshop.com/specia...d-117-34l.html

Not cheap obviously.

I've drifted away from beer for the most part. I genuinely enjoyed the diversity of products at the start of the modern beer revolution, but I've been numbed by all of the over-flavored beer fads: west coast IPAs, sours, hazy IPAs, etc. I just want a refreshing balanced beer that's readily available year-round to be my go-to. The mass brewed stuff isn't good enough.

I had an interest in malt whisky for quite a few years, but it got expensive and I tend to drink it too fast. It sneaks up on me.

My drink of choice these days is white wine. For a while it was mostly New Zealand Sauvignon blanc. This summer we did a family road trip out to Niagara falls and through the finger lakes region of New York, which is a big wine making area. Since then I've been trying different Riesling, Seyval, and Gewürztraminer.

[mxleader]

I've drifted away from beer for the most part. I genuinely enjoyed the diversity of products at the start of the modern beer revolution, but I've been numbed by all of the over-flavored beer fads: west coast IPAs, sours, hazy IPAs, etc. I just want a refreshing balanced beer that's readily available year-round to be my go-to. The mass brewed stuff isn't good enough.

Thanks for the link!

I've been tired of the IPA craze for a while now as well. IPA's were great when they were new and people still referred to them as "micro-brews" instead of "craft beer." There seems to be a cider fad that really took off this summer and I think that will help steer people away from IPA's but won't diminish the craze in any meaningful way. Yes, there are far too many new "over-flavored" beers on the market and too many wallpaper style beer can labels. Maybe I'm being a Luddite when it comes to beer but I prefer simple easy to understand ales over crazy flavors. That being said I do have a soft spot for some holiday limited releases just because some of them are really good. There is a couple that I like that haven't been release yet this year. One is Anchor Christmas Beer and Abita Office Party. The one bottle of Anchor Christmas Beer that's in the pic I posted is from 2021 and it has been difficult to save that bottle all year ... Actually I have two left from last year. The bottle of Deschutes Black Mirror is a barley wine ale that's about six years old and isn't a holiday specific ale but I'll probably drink it this year. I have been enthusiastic about some of the whisky barrel aged ales that have been on the market lately though as they make good slow sipping ales.

[heywood]

I like holiday season brews that aren't spiced. I used to get Watney's Cream Stout as a present for years but they stopped brewing it.

Good on you for saving up. That's not something I do easily. If I had the collection you have on your counter, it would be gone by Thanksgiving.

[mxleader]

It's a struggle to not drink any until Thanksgiving. I hear you on the favorite ale thing. There was a barley wine style ale that Young's made for years, called Old Nick, that I really liked and then they suddenly stopped making it. In fact they don't make a lot of different ales for export anymore.

[Tocky]

I haven't had it in a while but this was a good cider. It really was. The commercials were good too but there is nothing better than a Dickens cider.

https://youtu.be/JRx4AAZI9OA

https://youtu.be/qcthtoM8uG4

https://youtu.be/HQkNqrisok4

https://youtu.be/NxMl4ZXNqDc

[heywood]

You caught me in the perfect state of mind for that. I laughed at each one. And that brings back memories. I haven't heard Bob & Tom since I moved to New England two decades ago.

[mxleader]

Those are pretty funny!

[lowenz]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermouth (the sweet one, the extra dry is REALLY dry :v )

[mxleader]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermouth (the sweet one, the extra dry is REALLY dry :v )

How and why would you do that to yourself? I can see using vermouth in cooking and the decent stuff in a martini but not by itself. Then again I used to drink gin straight.

[lowenz]

How and why would you do that to yourself? I can see using vermouth in cooking and the decent stuff in a martini but not by itself. Then again I used to drink gin straight.

'cause here in Italy we are used to drink it and not only to use it as a cocktail base

[mxleader]

I've never thought of just drinking vermouth straight. Maybe I'll try it but I probably don't need another hobby to go with my beer drinking.

[mxleader]

I had so many different holiday ales this year it's easier to just post a screen shot of them all. There is one that is just grape Nehi soda (No alcohol) that I had to buy and try in honor of Radar O'Reilly.

[IMG][/IMG]

[Daljord]

I always drink beer

[mxleader]

That's good to know. Also, it's a great practice.