Another favourites thread - booze!

[dewmuw]

What's your favourite tipple - if you have one?

Mine - pint of bitter (preferably Cains)

[Jon]

Any good IPA. Dogfish Head 90 Minute has a good strong hopping that goes down well.

[Scottes]

I'm a Rum drinker. Favorite so far is Ron Zacapa Centenario from Guatemala. It's a blend, but super smooth with an awesome taste. Second favorite is a toss-up between Cruzan Single Barrel Estate or Pyrat Planters XO. Both the Ron Zacapa and Cruzan tend to be a bit simpler and smoother than other fancy rums, but the Pyrat is an unbelievably tasty concoction of several different smells, tastes, and aftertastes. Quite a difference between the two runners-up, so the toss-up depends on the mood I'm in.

The Cruzan may also be the most expensive mixable rum I've found. It's got the kind of taste that just goes with everything, never too overbearing but still retaining enough strength so you know you're drinking a good rum.

Hmmmm.... Good Stuff.

[kawter2]

Firestone Doubble barrel ale

http://www.firestonewalker.com/sections/firestonebeers/images/dba_12oz.jpg

[Steven M. Anthony]

I'm a Rum drinker. Favorite so far is Ron Zacapa Centenario from Guatemala. It's a blend, but super smooth with an awesome taste. Second favorite is a toss-up between Cruzan Single Barrel Estate or Pyrat Planters XO. Both the Ron Zacapa and Cruzan tend to be a bit simpler and smoother than other fancy rums, but the Pyrat is an unbelievably tasty concoction of several different smells, tastes, and aftertastes. Quite a difference between the two runners-up, so the toss-up depends on the mood I'm in.

The Cruzan may also be the most expensive mixable rum I've found. It's got the kind of taste that just goes with everything, never too overbearing but still retaining enough strength so you know you're drinking a good rum.

Hmmmm.... Good Stuff.

Who imports the Ron Zacapa Centenario? And how do you drink it? Up? On the rocks? Any mixer?

[neil_r]

Bitter:- Fullers, Youngs, Ruddles and then a Gin & Tonic :p

hic....N

[CaseyScofield]

here is a local fav. from all of us hippies in colorado...

Breckenridge Beer (http://www.breckbrew.com/)

[KevC]

Used to be Moskovskaya, but after new years... oi no more drinking for me lol!

[slejhamer]

In winter, Maker's Mark.
In summer, Bombay Sapphire.

[CyberDyneSystems]

I go in two directions.

The more common.. a pint or two of good Ale :)
I have been known to brew my own,. as I like REALLY GOOD ale.. (Bass is a favorite store brand)

But the special occasions call for a Single Malt Scotch!

Too many to list them all,. But Glenmorangie, Laphroig, lagvulin, Oban, ... to name a few,. all wonderfull stuff. :) ;)

[Belmondo]

I've always drunk Scotch, but never in quantities sufficient to develope a refined palate. I would probably enjoy a glass of Dewars White Lable as much as anything.

My real first choice is good red wines. Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot, etc..

[richpix]

Coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.

[RichardtheSane]

Smirnoff black
Murphys

[Andy_T]

- Very dry Martini made with Bombay Sapphire
- Single malt Scotch ... CDS got it right :D Glenmorangie, Lagavulin, Bowmore, Springbank...
- Budweiser Budvar as far as beer is concerned...

Best regards,
Andy

[JAZZ D.P.G.]

Most favorite is single malt (CDS, knew I would like you! Tried Double Wood yet?)
A single malt is the only way my wife will let me go with an 18 year old!

Ale? Sam Adams or Pete's Wicked Ale, depending on where in the States I am.

[ssim]

Hard to beat good ole Canadian Rye Whisky.

Moderation..... what's thathttp://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif

[hickory]

Got a bottle of Australian 12 year old port for Christmas called Galway Pipe, very very nice. But usually its Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch. ;-)

[aam1234]

Strong coffees like espresso (there are other strong coffees). If you want a real esspresso, check out this site. (http://www.nespresso.com/precom/home.php) If you try the coffee from this machine you'd think you are in Italy (Starbucks espresso...yuk).

Oh and tea also, plain with some mint...tasty!

[clorich]

Glenfiddich, Macallan, Glenlivet

Or a G&T with Tanqueray #10

Guiness, Bass, Mckewan's , Boddington's, Yuengling porter/black & tan

[eosster]

I like all kinds of micro's from Pacific Northwest.

[IndyJeff]

Now we have ventured into an area very near and dear to my heart. I don't drink as much as I used to, in fact hardly ever anymore, mainly just socially.

My preferences in no particular order are a Beefeaters martini, Glenfiddich or Glenlivet, when camping a good Beam & coke is my choice.

When I was out of town on the IRL circuit I had an old laptop bag that was my martini kit. It contained a magnum of Beefeaters, 1/5th of vodka, 1 pint of dry vermouth, a martini glass and shot glass. Mixed in a 3 part/2 part/1part ratio these would sooth the pain of a long day at the track and not give me a hangover the next day.


edit: It sounds like a womans drink but will put you on your butt if your not careful. When I go to visit my buddy in southern Illinois I like this drink called a Carrot cake. About 3 parts Bailey's Irish Cream, 1.5 part Buttershot schnapps, and a dribble of Hot Damn Cinammon schnapps. Tastes just like a piece of liquid carrot cake. Warning these do cause hangovers to the massive degree. There have been several Sat or Sun mornings when I crawled out of bed at my buddies and felt like my eyeballs were hanging down on my cheekbones so I couldn't see the hatchet someone had placed in the top of my head the night before.

second edit: After a good meal a glass of B & B on the rocks is oh so soothing to the soul and rounds out a great dining experience.

[HJMinard]

Brandy (Cognac)

Bourbon (Makers Mark)

Beers of the world. I like all varieties (except North American industrial yellow water) ... and, like CDS I occasionally brew my own. I guess my favorite styles are German (Ayinger) and Czech (Urquell) lagers.

Wine (Merlot and Pinot Noir are favorites) ... with a meal.

[dewmuw]

Have any of you Scotch lovers tried Glen Morlick - must be near the top of my list although it vies with Dalwhinnie for the number one spot.

[CaseyScofield]

check out this site. (http://www.nespresso.com/precom/home.php)

SWEET!!! Thanks aam...Coffee's my 2nd most expensive pastime! mmmm frothy!

[aam1234]

Hi Casey,

You can try its coffee at a show room. The built quality is outstanding (built in Switzerland), but it's not cheap.

EDIT: checked prices and they seem to come down quite a bit, it's a bargain now.

[fslshooter]

Beer. Unfortunately we don't get the good stuff here in the USA -- that would be a fresh pint from the local brewery at the local pub in almost any country village in the UK.

[Andy_T]

If you want a real esspresso, check out this site. (http://www.nespresso.com/precom/home.php)

Hold it ... Now this is where I have to intervene ... although I very much agree with the notion that espresso is a lot better than filter coffee, the proprietary Nespresso system is only a very limited variant of this great theme.

To explain it ... with the Nespresso system, freshly ground coffee is vacuum sealed in a small tin cartridge that you load into your Nespresso machine. The advantage is that you get 'freshly ground' coffee every time even if you are a casual drinker.

The disadvantage ... I haven't tasted Nespresso so far, but I am a bit suspicious because the size of the cartridge is just so much smaller than the classical portafilter in which the expresso at a normal espresso machine is made.
To me, it looks very much like the Pro1 sensor size compared to the 1Ds .
(I know that this is a punch below the waistline. NOBODY on this forum is going to disagree with me if I make this analogy :D )

And ... there is no way that this can compare with the joy of freshly grinding your beans (choosing the correct grind based on the day's humidity value ;) ), tamping it into the portafilter with your stainless steel & rosewood tamper applying just the correct pressure (better check the humidity again ;) )and then freshly brewing your espresso in a manual espresso machine in exactly seven seconds for the perfect 'crema'. Now, if this doesn't apply to the more anal of us, I'll be damned.

Also, there are about a gazillion different espresso blends and roasts that you can grind and use in your (normal) espresso machine, but only some 20 blends sold by Nestle. Of course, it's also a lot cheaper to buy the beans than the cartridges (of corresponding quality).

Take a long look at http://www.coffeegeek.com for a more open view on the world of coffee (with a strong emphasis on expresso).

Best regards,
Andy

PS: In order not to hijack this thread ... add some Tullamore Dew and cream, and you have a perfect Irish Coffee :lol:

[dewmuw]

PS: In order not to hijack this thread ... add some Tullamore Dew and cream, and you have a perfect Irish Coffee :lol:
I can't comment on the coffee debate, I don't drink it. My wife does have a machine that stands in the corner of the kitchen and hissess steam at me like some recalcitrant dragon!

However, my wife's grandfather reckoned that Tullamore Dew is only fit for cleaning rust off old bolts! :)

[aam1234]

Hi Andy,

I'd suggest that you try that system, you will be surprised by the taste. Oh, and they have lungo too.

[Andy_T]

I'd suggest that you try that system, you will be surprised by the taste. Oh, and they have lungo too.

I know. One of my colleagues has suggested that, too.
But call me old-fashioned. To me the preparation is as important as drinking the actual coffee. :D
I can't really appreciate a coffee if I don't need at least 10 minutes to prepare it and have the ability to play with my toys like a steam locomotive operator.
Besides, I like that 'recalcitrant dragon' hiss of my Rancilio.

And ... nobody who has ever seen me handle my machinery to prepare a Latte macchiato (full steam!!!) would ever dream of suggesting something as mundane as Nespresso caps.

Best regards,
Andy

PS: I haven't tried Tullamore Dew on rusted bolts (yet). Actually I think I had it last time some 10 years ago (before going completely Scotch apart from the casual Blackbush of Bushmills Green Label) But I remember that I liked it because it is very light in taste. Besides, you wouldn't just pour 18 year old Highland Park into coffee, would you ? :shock:

[aam1234]

But call me old-fashioned. To me the preparation is as important as drinking the actual coffee. :D


I agree with you there. Certain methods of preparing tea take more than half an hour.

[Scottes]

Well, I'll take a cappucino over a cup of coffee any day, but given that I drink 7 or 8 cups a day I'd lose 2 hours to the preperation required. I've seen systems like the Nestle thing, and they certainly have their good points. Better than a cup of coffee, not as good as a real espresso - but in 1/10 the time. Hmmm.

However, I'd probably never buy one of those Nespressos simply because it's one of the more obnoxious websites I've ever seen.

[aam1234]

Better than a cup of coffee, not as good as a real espresso

A real espresso would be from Starbucks?

[JAZZ D.P.G.]

Hold it ... Now this is where I have to intervene ... although I very much agree with the notion that espresso is a lot better than filter coffee, the proprietary Nespresso system is only a very limited variant of this great theme.

To explain it ... with the Nespresso system, freshly ground coffee is vacuum sealed in a small tin cartridge that you load into your Nespresso machine. The advantage is that you get 'freshly ground' coffee every time even if you are a casual drinker.

The disadvantage ... I haven't tasted Nespresso so far, but I am a bit suspicious because the size of the cartridge is just so much smaller than the classical portafilter in which the expresso at a normal espresso machine is made.
To me, it looks very much like the Pro1 sensor size compared to the 1Ds .
(I know that this is a punch below the waistline. NOBODY on this forum is going to disagree with me if I make this analogy :D )

And ... there is no way that this can compare with the joy of freshly grinding your beans (choosing the correct grind based on the day's humidity value ;) ), tamping it into the portafilter with your stainless steel & rosewood tamper applying just the correct pressure (better check the humidity again ;) )and then freshly brewing your espresso in a manual espresso machine in exactly seven seconds for the perfect 'crema'. Now, if this doesn't apply to the more anal of us, I'll be damned.

Also, there are about a gazillion different espresso blends and roasts that you can grind and use in your (normal) espresso machine, but only some 20 blends sold by Nestle. Of course, it's also a lot cheaper to buy the beans than the cartridges (of corresponding quality).

Take a long look at http://www.coffeegeek.com (http://www.coffeegeek.com/) for a more open view on the world of coffee (with a strong emphasis on expresso).

Best regards,
Andy

PS: In order not to hijack this thread ... add some Tullamore Dew and cream, and you have a perfect Irish Coffee :lol:
:shock: WOW:shock:

[Scottes]

A real espresso would be from Starbucks?

An espresso from Starbucks is better than a cup of Maxwell House, and it's still better than many espressos I've had in my life. But simply put, No, I meant a *real* espresso.

[dewmuw]

Anyone remember a coffee called Mellow Birds?

[Persian-Rice]

I mostly drink socially. I don't like beer but I like some of the other stuff.

Tequila: Jose Cuervo Gold. My favorite is "reserva da la familia" but I can't afford to buy it as often as I would like. Usually one bottle every year or so

Im with Scottes, Ron Zacapa Centenario is really good. Appleton 21 Jamaican is good as well.

Liquor/Liquor coctails: Baileys, Kahlua, Amaretto(Disaronno), Grand Mernier Louis-Alexander, Mudlslide etc etc

Coolers: Bacardi Razz, Smirnoff Ice etc etc.

[rpcm]

Anyone remember a coffee called Mellow Birds? Yes I remember Mellow Birds. But now I prefer fresh coffee usually Kenyan.
As for beer I like any real ale and always try the local brew when travelling around. Highland Park is my favorite whisky. In the summer a good Pimms goes down well or a long G&T. When I was in Thailand I tried a Thai whisky which was very nice. I wish I had brought some home to try on some whisky connoisseur I know.

[neil_r]

Anyone remember a coffee called Mellow Birds?
Ah yes, coffee for people who don't like coffee :D

I think it was John Wayne who said "There is no such thing as strong coffee, only weak men" ;)

N