Review: Newcastle Winter IPA
The latest in Newcastle’s seasonal releases is this cold-weather brew, a Winter IPA designed for celebratory tidings. The amber beer doesn’t come across as particularly IPA-like. It’s not particularly bitter or hoppy; in fact, it’s on the sweet side. Perhaps that’s what makes it “winter” — some vague baking spices in the finish that play…
Review: 2012 River Road Nouveau Rose of Pinot Noir
This ultra-young rose of Pinot Noir — picked, produced and bottled all in 2012, a la Beaujolais Nouveau — is ultra-fruity, with fresh strawberries and pineapple backed up with a touch of rose petals. Complex? Not exactly, but it’s got a fun zip that, once you push past all the sugary notes, makes for a…
Review: Cacao Prieto Single Origin Cacao Rum Liqueurs
Single-origin coffee beans? Sure. Single-origin chocolate bars? Why not? How about single-origin cacao liqueur, then? Can turning cacao beans from a single estate really make a difference? Is it actually possible for the individual character of a cacao bean to make it through the distillation process and into the finished product? Well, we’re about to…
Original Recipe: The Upton Abbey
My sources tell me that Downton Abbey season three begins this weekend. Coincidentally, I developed this cocktail at an Abbey-themed New Year’s Eve party, in part trying to capture the spirit of the era (and using liquor common in 1910s England), in part trying to take advantage of spirits available on hand at our host’s…
Review: The Balvenie Tun 1401, Batch 6
Balvenie’s Tun 1401 is a series of special releases that have been hitting the market, each batch typically a regional release exclusive to an individual country or two. Batch 3 was the first U.S. exclusive. Now there’s Batch 6, another U.S.-only bottling composed of whisky from seven traditional (ex-Bourbon) casks and two sherry butts. Balvenie…
Review: Pomacai Vodka
Pomegranate and acai have developed strong “superfruit” reputations, which have led to many a boozemaker attempting to use these products to make new spirits. But the fact remains that neither of these taste particularly good, which is why most pomegranate juice drinks are stuffed full of sugar or other, sweeter, juices. Acai, based on the…
Review: 2009 Robert Craig Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain
This latest vintage of Robert Craig’s mountain-born Cabernet is a bit tight today, with tannin still obscuring the fruit within. I’m not sure there’s going to be a lot of it to go around when it matures in another 3-4 years. Some blueberry, tea leaf, and rhubarb round out the plummy core. But it’s the…
Tasting the Craft Brews of Hangar 24, 2013 Releases
Not to be confused with Hanger One, Hangar 24 is a beermaking operation in Redlands, California, where it creates some 30 different brews. The company sent us 6 of its beers — in various size bottles — to check out. Thoughts follow. Hangar 24 Amarillo Pale Ale– Straightforward American pale ale, hoppy but not overwhelmingly…
