It’s On Tap

Two friends of mine came to Oregon to visit a few weeks ago, and like good friends do, I wanted to show them what the local beer scene was all about. They were up from Southern California on their first trip to the great Northwest, and since we have so many great beers up here, I wanted them to try them all. Needless to say, we tried our fair share, and at times found ourselves debating whose beer was better, Oregon’s or California’s. While we all know the obvious answer (right?), all three of us agreed it was nice to have the luxury of getting into these discussions in the first place. Having such great beer to argue about out here on the West Best Coast is pretty great. But who cares about all that sentimental crap, I want to know which west coast state has the best beer!

Introducing the 2nd Annual Beer Brawl! Hosted at the Concordia Ale House in NE Portland, the Beer Brawl is a week long blind taste-off between the West Coast powerhouses of craft beer during which beer lovers (and naturally a few NE Portland drunks) will cast their vote and decide which state’s beer is best.

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Cellaring has been a practice in the wine industry for years, but the concept of aging has just recently made its way into the beer community. I heard about cellaring beer last month, did a little reading, and decided to give it a shot myself. I mean really, how much is there to know?

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Drinking alone makes people nervous because it is one of the so-called “warning signs” of alcoholism. However, drinking by yourself can be a rewarding and pleasurable experience once you get over the stigma. Sure, you’ll probably feel guilty and embarrassed if someone catches you, but what truly great alcohol experience doesn’t end with a little shame. Here are few tips on how to drink by yourself without any embarrassment. Keep reading →

I recently started a new job, my first out of college, which means I also started getting paychecks. Pay day is always a good day, but the first pay day of my first job out of college was a little more special than the rest. In my opinion, it deserved a little celebration. So, in my true fashion, I celebrated this “milestone” by going to the local liquor store and getting a decent bottle of whiskey. That whiskey was Gentleman Jack.

Being a whiskey lover (of only 22), I had never tried Gentleman Jack, so this seemed like a better time than any. I’ve had plenty of experiences with JD in my day, believe me. I’ve even had a run in with Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel (thanks to Ryan for the Christmas present). So I consider myself a pretty good judge of this brand of whiskey. However, those didn’t quite prepare me for the Gentleman.

Gentleman Jack is the dapper brother of Jack Daniels, and it differs in one pretty obvious way: it’s charcoal mellowed twice (once before the barrel and once after), meaning it’s very smooth. If you’re expecting the burn of the original, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with its purity and richness. It resembles a scotch to an untrained palate like mine, but that may not be very far off.

It’s a long lost concoction that Mr. Jack Daniel himself experimented with way back when. He tried double charcoal mellowing in the beginning, but it didn’t make the cut. However, he saved the recipe, and now it’s alive today.

It’s a little more expensive than original JD, but really, it’s not the price that differentiates it, it’s the style. Jack’s original Tennessee whiskey, what we all know as Jack Daniel’s, has it’s place, no doubt about it. It tastes great as a shot, with Coke, or in any other case that calls for whiskey. It’s versatile. But to enjoy the Gentleman, you have to like a nice glass of scotch every once an a while. It’s that smooth and that aromatic. In a sense, it’s like Scotch of the Americas, as Scotch must be distilled in Scotland to actually be deemed “Scotch”. That’s what I think makes it special, and what makes it worth the extra dime. Especially if you’re celebrating an occasion.

Gentleman Jack is a very easy liquor, which I recommend be served straight. After all, why ruin a good thing?

The White Russian is a classic and iconic drink. It is usually thought of as a sweet after dinner drink, but has been reinvented thanks to ‘The Dude’ in The Big Lebowski. So today, we’re going to teach you how to make a White Russian, or “Caucasian”, The Dude would be proud of.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Old fashioned glass
• Ice
• Vodka
• Kahlua
• Half & half

Here’s how you do it: The Dude had no hard and fast rules about his drink. Never any measurements; he just eyeballed it. But he did have some general guidelines that we’re going to follow.

First, start with an old fashioned glass, and fill about two-thirds of it with ice. Next, fill the glass about halfway with vodka. Due to the large amount in this drink, the better the vodka, the better the drink will turn out. Then add a little Kahlua, enough to color the vodka. Finally, slowly pour half & half into the glass until it’s about 3/4 full. The idea is to float the half & half so that it slowly mixes into the drink.

You’ve just made The Dude’s White Russian, or as he calls it, a Caucasian. It’s a little stiff, so be careful, but the Dude wouldn’t have it any other way. Especially since that half and half is so expensive… Enjoy!