Gave the Mr. Beer kit a shot and it turned out pretty decent, actually. I didn't have high expectations going in and I was pleasantly surprised that it was drinkable and, dare I say, pretty delicious. I'm sure that with better ingredients I could've made something of a higher quality, but as a first try it was a success. What's nice about the Mr. Beer kit is that it's smaller. While normally less beer would be a negative, I don't really have the fridge space to justify getting a kit that makes 5 gallons of beer in a batch (nor do I really have a space to store any extra bottles that wouldn't fit in the fridge). The two gallons that I have now fit nicely while still allowing room for food and other things that my girlfriend insists carry some importance. For those with more experience, as long as I scale down the recipes appropriately, is there any reason that I wouldn't be able to use the kit I have now to make the type of beers usually reserved for the larger and more advanced kits? Instead of using the (essentially) pre-made wort, I'd like to make my own and have a little more control over the flavor of the beer. As I see it, the process is the same no matter what system is used, but since I'm new at this, I want to make sure that I'm not overlooking anything important.
There are no real issues with scaling a recipe down (or up if you decide to go big with your own recipes later on). You might have some trouble with finding volume appropriate gear or losing water during the boil (and thus affecting hop utilization), but you shouldn't have any real issues.
Found out last week one of my mates at work brews his own spirits. My god they are awesome, 2/3rds of a 1.125l bottle of rum to start off last friday and I was three sheets to the wind in quick time. Really need to get more. On another note Bundabergs Coffee chocolate liquer tastes damn fine.
Here's another really nice beer I found. Tastes like a good honey beer (Sleeman or Rickard's, not Labatt Genuine), kicked up a notch.
Just got off the phone with one of the few US locations that will be receiving bottles. Rumors are that 3000 bottles are earmarked for outside Europe. The store I reserved the bottle at thinks they'll be getting 3 bottles or so. Ardbeg Rollercoaster. Going to crack it open when my daughter is born. The name might be fitting as I've been told parenting is a bit of a rollercoaster. It's a 10 year anniversary bottle comprised of various specific casks from their past. I've been reading good things about it and can't wait to try it out. Smoky smoky goodness.
False advertising. It is not "brutally bitter". I've had bitterer. The bitterness is actually very pleasant. Lots of citrus. One of the best beers I've had lately, and definitely the best I've tried from Rogue. Only downside is that it's $6 a bottle.
Laphroaig Single Malt Scotch Whisky One of my mates collects whisky, his bottle of 25 year aged Laphroaig takes pride of place. A few weeks back he gave me a sample of several different single malts, was a good learning experience, as I'm more of a beer man. The whisky has a smokey pete flavour with an undertone of iodine like nothing I’ve ever experienced before, made the 12 year old Chivas Regal that followed taste like Vat 69. When you buy a bottle of the 25 year old, you get a certificate of ownership of 1 square foot of the Island of Islay, a bit gimmicky true, but an awesome gimmick nevertheless.
I really like DELERIUM TREMENS 8.5 % it’s a little pricey and hard to find where I am. For Derby day (I know it was a while ago) a friend made maple juleps, Great. Simple and good. I didn't expect to like it but was surprised. 1oz maple syrup 2oz bourbon (we used Makers Mark) and some mint leaves
Leinekugel Sunset Wheat from Wisconsin, the parents brought it back for me to try when they were visiting the US. Not bad, very very orangey for a wheat beer, but also in some ways reminds me of black licorice.
The two immediately below may be obvious, but the wife likes it and I figured I'd add to the TiB alcohol thread repertoire: -can of red bull - few fingers of Three Olives cherry vodka Not sure what it's called (probably something similar to a Blue Hawaiian), but it works for getting the panties on the ground. Equal parts: - blue curacao - coconut Malibu rum - pineapple juice (blue curacao is the single last ingredient you want to add to any drink, ever, unless you've received prior recommendation of use from another trust-worthy confidant; use with caution, and remember that it comes up on the carpet the same color it goes down) And one from my underage drinking days, wherein we had basically nothing in the fridge and it worked out surprisingly well. I still drink it to this day if I'm feeling especially ghetto: - bottle of MD 20/20 strawberry banana - half a can of cherry coke - peach schnapps to taste You knock it now, but fucking try it. If god was black and occasionally dealt crack, this is what he'd have drank on the 7th day.
I have tried this and it is so fucking sweet it makes your teeth hurt. Could barely finish the one I had because it was like drinking candy, not in a good way.
The trick is to drink a few beers beforehand, to lessen the perceived sweetness. It's like a palate cleanser, except the opposite. It gets you prepared for the otherwise-panty-droppers that will fuck you up. After a few beers, everything tastes like "chill." Add some energy drink in the mix and you have a recipe for pure, unadulterated self-destruction. Red bull + bacardi lemon/bacardi O/Three Olives Cherry/Bombay Sapphire/any type of tequila, at that point, tastes like heaven. Of course, sprite/7-up instead of generic-energy-drink gets the job done too, but it makes your vagina hurt more. Still, never underestimate the power of Red Bull and Three Olives Cherry. Only thing more statutory-rape than that is Zima and jolly ranchers, except the latter may earn you more pedo street cred (not based upon experience).
Holy fucking shit I am going here in two weekends! <a class="postlink" href="http://www.dundeedell.com/single%20malt.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.dundeedell.com/single%20malt.html</a> (They have 723 different single malts! 723!) *Oh my god the 3rd Annual Bill Folsom Mega Scotch Tasting is the weekend I'd be there. I don't have a damn clue who Bill Folsom is but I am determined to change that.
Nettdata, this post is for you: Torbreck 2008 Woodcutters Shiraz (Barossa Valley, AUS) My local enabler/bottle shop assistant recommended it as it was on special and supposedly great value. It came with the warning "You will get hooked on it, and it will go back to its usual price". At $22AU a bottle it's still my new 'best value red'. Very fruity and spicy and a heavenly finish.
A little late now, but also worth noting is Effen black cherry flavored Vodka. It's not as sugary-sweet as some of the other flavored vodkas I've had, and mixes well with sodas like coke and Dr. Pepper (and Redbull). In other news, what do you mix Amaretto with? My ex left most of a bottle of Disarrono when she moved out, and I don't have a clue what to do with it. I don't drink a lot of sweet liqueurs, but I can't bring myself to throw alcohol away.
Coke mainly, or sour mix. I know a guy who used to take a bottle of disarrono, bottle of sour mix, pour them both into a jug and down it all. But sour mix (or sweet and sour mix) gives me heartburn. I'd try orange juice instead. Just pour some (or a lot) in a bottle of coke and it's great. I prefer to drink it straight though (yes, I know, pussy and all that, bit I like what I like).