What Are You Drinking?

[hornplayer]

As much, and as many styles of, alcohol I've drank in my life it's hard to believe there's something out there I have still never tried.

So what is the best one to start with? You know, the Glenlivet of grappas?

Check with Jimmy on that one, Scott. I'm sure he'll steer you right.

Since I've never met a grappa I didn't like I'm not so sure that's a good idea, Father Thorne. However, I can say this with certainty, if the label says Nonino, Poli or Nardini you're going to have a defining grappa experience, imo. There's serious history and craftsmanship attached to all those labels.[/quote][/quote]
Amen! You can add Mastroberardino to that list of Grappa makers.

[Jimmy Cantiello]

More often than not, whenever I'm up in Vermont, I shoot over to New Hampshire to stock up on booze to bring back to Connecticut. New Hampshire prices are much more reasonable than Connecticut plus there is no sales tax. Live free or die, baby!

Anyway, on this trip I scored a bottle of Moletto Grappa Di Barbera. At $26.99 for a 750 ml bottle, it's relatively inexpensive. Especially considering that some high end grappas can command prices north of $100.00 per. Moletto is a new name for me so I'm eager to sample it.

I also picked up my second bottle of Barsol Pisco, a Peruvian clear brandy very similar to grappa. Pisco is also produced in Chile, btw. So far I'm really liking pisco.

[sozamora]

I'm not much of a booze drinker, much less a connoiseur. That goes for beer, wine, or the hard stuff. I have a pantry full of the stuff accumulated through gifts my relatives bring from Mexico when visiting. I have tequilas, mezcals, sotol, amembrillados, almendrados, rompopes (made by ex-prostitutes in a nunnery or something), and other stuff I can't remember. Most of it just collects dust.

I'm not opposed to it. I'll have a drink now and then and enjoy it, but I never developed a taste for it. That's probably a good thing, as I have three uncles who are alcoholics as was my grandfather, so it probably runs in one side of the family.

I have to admit my tastes run in the cheap and crude. My dad - who also isn't much of a drinker - used to like mixing cheap table wine (Spanada, usually) with Squirt. Like a (very) poor man's sangria, I guess. He'd give me sips when I was a kid, and I've always liked that. I like beer too, of course, as long as it's not too bitter.

[gonzo]

lipton ice tea

[Jimmy Cantiello]

A welcome home martini. Five ounces of Hendrick's Gin, one ounce of Martini & Rossi Dry Vermouth, shaken for at least ten seconds, poured into a proper martini glass, preferably a Riedel, served up, no fruit.

A proper martini glass. Accept no subsitutes.

[steve(thelil)]

Poland Spring lime sparkling spring water on the rocks. The lime essence is a little odd so I squeezed some real lime into it and it helped.I really wanted a cold beer but I'm resigned to cutting back so I'm not having any beer until later tonight in the hour before I go to bed. That'll be Southern Tier 2XIPA.

[Dr Dave]

For a grappa beginner, I'd recommend Michele Chiarlo Nivole. Pretty civilized stuff for grappa.

Last Saturday I was in Durham, NC and had a Sprecher Root Beer float with salted caramel ice cream. It was awsome.

[steve(thelil)]

Last Saturday I was in Durham, NC and had a Sprecher Root Beer float with salted caramel ice cream. It was awsome.

Had that existed back in the day and had Barney known about it he would have left Mayberry for Durham instead of Raleigh.

[Ron Thorne]

A welcome home martini. Five ounces of Hendrick's Gin, one ounce of Martini & Rossi Dry Vermouth, shaken for at least ten seconds, poured into a proper martini glass, preferably a Riedel, served up, no fruit.

A proper martini glass. Accept no subsitutes.

Jimmy shoots ... and scores!

[A. Kingstone]

Cheap canned beer as I'm traveling by bike in Newfoundland and need to chili the stuff quick on ice.

[hornplayer]

Limeade mixed half and half with sparkling mineral water. It's really refreshing in this heat.

[Jimmy Cantiello]

Saturday night I switched it up and chose Hayman's Old Tom Gin for my pre-dinner cocktail.

[steve(thelil)]

Beach drinking; Alternating between Harpoon IPA, Dale's Pale Ale and Harpoon Summer beer (all in cans) with some evening red wines chosen by my bro in law Jimmy mixed in for good measure.

[Ron Thorne]

I haven't picked up a bottle to try yet, but, just for Jimmy ...

[steve(thelil)]

Stone Sublimely Self-Righeous Ale. Surprisingly, the perfect beer for an arrogant bastard.

[Blue Train]

Had a tumbler each of the 1984 Suntory Yamazaki & Dalmore 1263 King Alexander III @ Fountainhead, which I highly recommend no matter if you love beer/whiskies/booze. 150+ beers & 300+ booze. Also has an amazing rooftop.

http://fountainheadchicago.com/

The SY is a must if you can find it. First time I tried the Dalmore and it's one of the best Dalmore's I have tasted. Not that I have tasted many. Adding that in for Steve.

[moldyfigg]

Pinch on the rocks for me and Stoli Salt Caramel for Donna - lassaiz les bons temps roulez!

[gonzo]

lots of lipton iced tea con 2 sweet and lows

[Jimmy Cantiello]

As Ron pointed out I'm usually a Hendrick's guy but today my "Friday after work martini" was made with Beefeater 24 "Artisan Cut". I'm always on the look out for a new gin to try, so when I saw this one I grabbed it. No doubt it's a marketing thing but I'm always looking to change it up once in awhile. Beefeater has always been a true and steady go-to gin so I went with it. The jury is still out as to whether this particular product rises above Beefeater's regular gin. It's going to take me several martinis to come to a definitive answer.

[Ron Thorne]

Jimmy, we probably already discussed this, but how do you like Boodles and Bombay? Bombay has been one of our favorite go-to gins for years.

[Jimmy Cantiello]

Both Boodles and Bombay are first rate gins, imo. I still buy Bombay Sapphire occasionally. The difference between regular Bombay and Bombay Sapphire is mainly in the proof and botannicals. Sapphire bumps up the proof to 94 vs 86 for the regular. It's also distilled using additional botannicals. I find that the Sapphire has a lighter more floral taste but if you gave me the regular I wouldn't complain.

[Ron Thorne]

Patti & I were introduced to Bombay Gin by a former brother-in-law who was a bartender in Seattle at the time. We were vacationing in Seattle, and staying with him and Patti's older sister in their cool little apartment on Lake Washington. It was a sizzling hot day, so Ted said "hey, I'll make a pitcher of gin & tonic for us" as we hung out on their covered porch which faced the lake. I asked about the gin he used, and that's when we learned about Bombay. The proportions were perfect, and we were sold!

I think for drinking it in a super-dry martini, I'd probably prefer Bombay Sapphire.

[Blue Train]

Jim as I said on JC....you and Pops should have a Martini discussion. haha


Had a Bloody Mary with brunch. As well as a good deal of OJ. Also a couple cups of coffee.

[Jimmy Cantiello]

Jim as I said on JC....you and Pops should have a Martini discussion. haha


Had a Bloody Mary with brunch. As well as a good deal of OJ. Also a couple cups of coffee.

And while we're dicussing martinis we probably should have a couple as well.

[Jimmy Cantiello]

For all you bourbon aficionados, at dinner tonight, for dessert I had some Evan Williams 1783, neat. It went down easy. It wouldn't be hard to drink too much of this stuff. We're talking smooth. I'm suspecting it's one of Kentucky's best.