Drink Matron

Month: August 2011

  • Is Sake Supposed to be Served Hot?

    Short Answer: Not necessarily.

    Long Answer: Sake has been a staple beverage in Japan for many hundreds of years.  Prior to the 20th century, sake was generally a much rougher, grainier drink and taste “flaws” were more apparent in the beverage.  Thus, warming a tokkuri of sake was considered the only way to serve it for the common man.  There were some sakagura that made a superior sake but it was reserved for the more affluent members of society.  As the fermentation process has evolved and been refined, on aggregate sake has become a cleaner, more delicate product.  Think about wine made from grapes.  They generally tell you to chill white wines prior to serving, but do you think that was the case prior to refrigeration?

    Throughout its existence, sake has been served at temperatures ranging from just above freezing (referred to as reishu) all the way to steaming hot (referred to as kanzake).  The warmer the sake is served, the more flavorful and drier the flavor will become, while chilling it will open up the bouquet of the sake as well as give it a crisper flavor.

    There are two major factors in deciding whether to heat, chill, or serve your sake at room temperature.  The first is food pairing.  Simple flavored foods like sushi or sashimi are paired well with kanzake as well as fatty and oily dishes (like hot pot dishes).  Particularly sharp flavored food, like sweet and sour dishes, are best paired with reishu.  If you aren’t drinking with food you can drink it either way!

    The second factor in deciding on a temperature is quality of the sake.  Higher quality sake have multi-leveled, very nuanced flavors that can be overpowered and lost when heated.  Heating these quality sakes would be like drowning filet mignon in ketchup.  Lower quality sake isn’t necessarily going to be bad, but I can attest that warming these sakes definitely improves the flavor (and makes your cheeks very red).

  • Boxed Wine: Tasty Treat or Just Plain Gross?

    I know what you’re thinking: Boxed wine sucks.  It’s poor quality, it tastes cheap and a little off, and plus it’s boxed wine.  Sadly, most of you that have been exposed to boxed wine have only experienced Franzia – The King of Boxed Wine.

    Franzia has been on the market since 1906 and after the process for producing box wine in 1965, Franzia was likely quick to follow this new trend.  Franzia is cheap and it tastes cheap.  It tastes like most mass produced, profit-driven wines taste.  But what if you could take the cheapness of Franzia and mix it with the quality of another brand of wine?  You can!  The trouble is that Franzia has pretty much ruined the market for anything in a box and so any store willing to stock boxed wine will opt for the safe bet.  Don’t blame them!  Boxed wine generally has a shorter shelf life than bottled wine so it is an ideal packaging for a wine you plan on drinking after you buy it instead of shelving it for a special occasion.  Unfortunately, this means you are going to be hard-pressed to find a boxed wine other than Franzia.

    I’ll admit, being wine-snobbish, I wasn’t really into venturing into boxed wine.  Since most boxed wine costs at least $5-10 more than a box of Franzia, I didn’t want to risk getting 3L of wine that I wasn’t going to enjoy drinking.  At the endorsement of Gary Vaynerchuk (or whoever was on the @dailygrape account at the time), I decided to swing by my local liquor store and give some boxed wine a whirl.  As I said before, it’s slim pickins when it comes to boxed wine.  You’ll be lucky if a store has anything other than Franzia.  Fortunately, my guy at the liquor store is a big fan of good boxed wine so they had one brand (four varieties) stocked: Bota Box.  I picked up a box of the Cabernet Sauvignon (the safest of safe bets) and took it home to ponder.  I’ll tell you, it was surprisingly good.  I was expecting mediocre wine in cheap packaging, but it was actually better than the everyday wine I typically drink, and it only cost me a few dollars more than the equivalent amount of that wine.  I’ve since tried other boxed wines from different companies and I have to say that I’m thoroughly impressed with the quality of these products.

    So, I am impressed with the quality of the wine that’s put into the Bota Box, but there has to be a downside.  What is it about boxed wine that makes it so unappealing to the masses?  The only tangible downside to boxed wine is that the plastic bladder the wine is stored in is not actually hermetically sealed, meaning that the wine will eventually oxidize and spoil, giving it a shelf-life of roughly one year (give or take, depending on the manufacturer).  The manufacturer’s put a “Best By” date on the packaging and, from what I hear, you should abide by that date.

    Sadly, the majority of the popular distaste for boxed wine comes from our group perception of the product, which is incited by:

    • Our preconceived dislike of Franzia (I still equate Franzia with college drinking)
    • The advertising campaigns of bottled wine manufacturers, trying to get everyone to dislike boxed wine (they have actually made public statements saying that boxed wine gives cheap access to alcohol to alcoholics, subtly planting the idea that the only people that drink boxed wine are alcoholics).

    I stand by my statement before in that boxed wine is a fantastic and inexpensive alternative to your everyday wine.  If you’re like me and you like to have a glass of wine or two in the evening, then I suggest trying a boxed wine.  You’ll thank me.

    Side Note: As quality boxed wine grows in popularity, so do the varieties of styles and sizes.  You can actually purchase “single-serving” sizes of box wine.  I’ve seen these “juice boxes” ranging from 200mL to 500mL and they seem ideal for a nice little lunch by yourself, away from the office* or a small picnic.

    *I’m not condoning showing up to your place of employment bombed from the 4 wine juice-boxes you had at lunch.  250mL is a perfectly acceptable amount of wine to have with a meal (it’s like 2 glasses of wine).  If you get fired from your job for taking a nip during working hours DON’T BLAME ME!

  • What is the Difference Between Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux Wines?

    In case you didn’t know, Cabernet Sauvignon is a wine (and grape) that originated in the Bordeaux region of France. Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine, is made exclusively from Cabernet Sauvignon, the grape, making it a pure varietal wine.

    Red Bordeaux is a blended wine from the Bordeaux region of France.  It consists of a blend of the juice from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Carménère grapes, all grown in the region.

    So, in the simplest sense: Cabernet Sauvignon is a subset of Bordeaux wines that are made exclusively from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.  But this only applies to Cabernet Sauvignons produced in Bordeaux, otherwise it’s just another wine.

  • Some random thoughts on wine

    I really don’t know much about wine – just that I like to drink it. It’s one of those things that as a drink writer, I kind of feel bad about, but the truth is, I start to do any research about it, and it’s suddenly two hours later and I’m waking up in a puddle of my own drool. It’s not that I don’t respect wine and the wine making process – I totally do – I just can’t get into the importance of soil and temperature and old world vs new world. Just give me some wine and I’ll tell you if it tastes nice or if I’d rather die a slow death than drink it.

    What I do like about wine is the taste. I don’t just mean the on-the-surface taste that makes or breaks a wine for me, I mean the subtle flavors and textures and differences of every individual bottle. Yes, I understand that this is directly tied to the soil and temperature and old world vs new world, but I don’t care. I don’t need to know why my wine tastes like it does, I just like that I get to put it in my mouth.

    Now what I would like to learn more about and plan to do more research on (and will probably not fall asleep during due to risk of choking) is wine and food pairing. I enjoy eating and drinking and would love to mix the two in my daily life. Thankfully I have a terrific partner for this task – Adrian is splendid at pairing all boozes with the right food. His pallet is excellent, and he’s a great teacher. But I’d like to go a little beyond what he already knows. I think it would be fun.

    This week I am super excited because we’ve decided to focus on my favorite style of wine – Cabernet Sauvignon. I plan to spoil myself silly with several large and fanciful glasses and to spend nearly all of next Sunday trying to get the stains off my lips. Maybe I’ll even learn a little bit about the Cab Sauv grape and its hardy vines.

    Or maybe I’ll just drink more.

     

  • Jagermeister Shots

    Despite its origins as a digestif, Jagermeister has become much better known for the taste addition it adds to various shots. Long before the Jagerbomb became popular, Jager was a central ingredient in many notorious (and often yummy) shots.

    Liquid Cocaine

    It sounds like it would be a rough shot, but the Liquid Cocaine is actually quite good and surprisingly subtle.

    • 1 part Jagermeister
    • 1 part Goldschlager
    • 1 part Bacardi 151

    Combine ingredients in a shot glass and serve.

    Dead Nazi

    Not sure where this shot got its name, but it will definitely knock you on your ass.

    • 1 part Jagermeister (chilled)
    • 1 part Rumple Minze (chilled)

    Combine ingredients in a shot glass and serve.

    Surfer on Acid

    Again with the name…

    • 1 part Jagermeister
    • 1 part Coconut rum
    • 1 part Pineapple juice

    Combine ingredient in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until completely cold. Pour into a shot glass and serve.

    Variations of the Surfer on Acid include Barney on Acid (replacing rum with Blue Curacao and pineapple juice with cranberry juice) and the Hawaiian Surfer on Acid which adds Chambord to the original recipe.

    Oatmeal Cookie

    If you mix this shot correctly it will not only taste like an oatmeal cookie but it will become one of your favorite shots of all time. Num Num.

    • 1/4 oz Jagermeister
    • 1/4 oz Goldschlager
    • 1/4 oz Butterscotch Schnapps
    • 1/4 oz Irish Creme

    Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake well. Strain into a shot glass and serve.

     

  • Red Headed Slut

    The best thing about Jagermeister, in my opinion, is the popular, and very nummy, Red Headed Slut. If you’ve never had it, you’re missing out.

    The Red Headed Slut

    • 1 part Jagermeister
    • 1 part Peach Schnapps
    • 1.5 parts Cranberry Juice

    In a shaker, combine the ingredients with ice. Shake well. Strain into a shot glass and serve.

    Variations

    Blond Headed Slut

    • 1 part Jagermeister (some recipes substitute Grand Marnier)
    • 1 part Peach Schnapps
    • 1.5 parts Pineapple Juice

    In a shaker combine ingredients with ice. Shake well. Pour into a shot glass and serve.

    Lindsey Lohan

    This is my all time favorite variation on any drink ever. I think you’ll like it too.

    • 1 part Jagermeister
    • 1 part Peach Schnapps
    • 1 part Cranberry juice
    • 6 oz Coca-cola

    Pour Coke into a pint glass. Mix Jagermeister, Schnapps and Cranberry juice in a shaker and pour into a shot glass. Drop the shot glass into the Coke and serve.

  • Jagerbombs: Shots or Nots

    I wanna take a little moment with all of you and talk about Jagerbombs.

    Now, I was already bartending when Red Bull became popular, and so I have probably mixed more Red Bull vodkas than any other drink, with Jagerbombs being a very close second.

    To me, Jagerbombs are a shot. No, they aren’t your classic shooter in a one ounce shot glass, and they take longer than .5 seconds to drink, but if one were going to classify them under any category in the drinking vernacular, I’d go with shot. Of course they are the king of their very own sub category, bomb shots, but again, shot is the operative word.

    So imagine my surprise when a reader of mine commented that I had no idea what I was talking about when I included Jagerbombs in a list of 21st birthday shots. They most clearly stated, “I don’t know why you would include Jagerbombs on this list. Jagerbombs aren’t shots!”

    Huh?

    Who is this person and where do they live that Jagerbombs aren’t shots? Or, an even better question, how long is it taking them to drink a Jagerbomb that they don’t consider it a shot? Do they know that I’m not talking about a mixed drink of Jager and Red Bull? Have they ever HAD a Jagerbomb?

    Clearly they haven’t watch countless groups of college coeds and fraternity boys slurp them down in three to five seconds and then order another round. Clearly they’ve never seen the specially made bomb shot glasses that make mixing Jagerbombs faster and easier. Clearly they’ve never had five people at their bar trying to decide what shot to have and suddenly someone yells out “Jagerbombs!”

    Or maybe I’m wrong. Nah, can’t be.

    What do you think? Do you agree with me that Jagerbombs are a shot, or do you think my reader is correct and that Jagerbombs cannot be classified in this category?

     

  • Only if beer didn’t exist…

    Love this Zima ad that basically says, if beer didn’t exist, THEN you should drink Zima. Even the marketers knew how much it sucked.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSfBaVMViz8]

  • Why Malternatives?

    Some of you may be asking yourself, why are malternatives the Booze of the Week? Well, the reason is simple – they’re popular. Despite the return of classic cocktails, the surge in craft beer popularity, and the amazing liqueur options available to people, sales of drinks like Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Bacardi Mojito, and Smirnoff Ice are still going strong. And even though drinking one is against my better judgement, they taste pretty good, and are quite refreshing on a hot summer afternoon.

  • Devil’s Cut: The Devil Gets His Due

    Recently, bourbon and whiskey makers have been trying to come up with ways to flip whiskey making on its side.  The newest contender is Jim Beam’s Devil’s Cut.

    Devil’s Cut is a play on the term “The Angel’s Share,” the portion of whiskey that evaporates from the barrel during the aging process.  The Devil’s Cut, as dubbed by the folks at Jim Beam, is the portion of the whiskey that soaks into the wood of the barrel during the aging process.  It’s the Devil’s Cut that makes whiskey barrels so desirable for aging other alcohol – that bit of whiskey that seeps out and flavors whatever is aging in the barrel.

    The Devil’s Cut is extracted using a process called “barrel sweating.” A portion of water is put in the barrel and then shaken and rolled to agitate the whiskey out and mix into the water.  Then, a “proprietary” process is used to develop an appropriate balance of bourbon in the water over a period of time.  The mixture is then combined with six-year-old bourbon to create Devil’s Cut Bourbon.

    Since this whiskey has been embedded in oak barrels for who knows how long, you can expect a strong oaky flavor (or as Gary Vaynerchuk would say, the Oak Monster) with a sweet, spicy undertone (cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, etc.).

    The big addition to Devil’s Cut from regular White Label Jim Beam is an aftertaste that goes on for miles.  Each sip will stay with you to the next, and beyond.