Drink Matron

Category: Reviews

  • The Capitol City Brewing Company

    I had the serendipitous opportunity to visit the Capitol City Brewing Company’s Shirlington, VA location last week.  This award-winning brewery has three locations throughout the DC area and I think I lucked out with the Shirlington location.  This brewpub is located on the trendy Village of Shirlington Promenade, where nearly every restaurant has sidewalk seating and there are so many trees that you get a lazy, relaxed feeling while walking around.  The Cap City Brew Co. was no exception to this and I took such advantage that I never actually saw the inside of the building.  They have a full compliment of food and booze with a happy hour from 4-7pm every day.

    But that’s not really why I went.  I, of course, went for the beer.  On tap last week they had six beers, their four standard faire beers (Capitol Kolsch, Pale Rider Ale, Amber Waves Ale, and Prohibition Porter) and two seasonals (Fuel and ESB).

    Fuel

    2006 Gold Medal at GABF for Capitol City. English style imperial stout. Blended with 10 lbs of Sumatra coffee, this ale has a full body and medium bitterness. A big coffee aroma rounds out the finish. 10% ABV.

    My informed and entertaining waiter Gino described this as a “Pale Stout with a 10% kick”.  This is a very dark beer with a luscious brown head that had my mouth water as soon as it was set on the table.  I didn’t want to take notes on the look or smell of it, I wanted to dig right in.  You can definitely smell the coffee in it, though the aroma isn’t overpowering or particularly pungent.  It has a distinct smooth, roasted flavor (from the coffee obviously) while the finish has a sharp, spicy, bite.  To be honest, if I wasn’t trying a variety of beers, I would have stuck with this one for the night for sure.

    Pale Rider Ale

    American style pale ale, filtered, medium/full bodied, highly hopped character with a nice bitterness and aroma. 6.1% ABV

    Gino (you gotta love Gino) called this one “the little brother to Fuel.”  He said that if you liked Fuel but thought it was too strong, this would be the beer for you.  The smell was really tight – I practically had to stick my nose in the beer just to smell it – but once you got a whiff it was very fruity and hoppy. It had a very smooth, earthy flavor and was a little spicy on the long aftertaste. Like the burn you feel in your throat after eating fresh jalepenos.  I had ordered some keg rolls (a Capitol City specialty) and let me tell you, you couldn’t pair this beer with anything more perfectly.  In fact, I wouldn’t eat the keg rolls without this beer because they just seem bland in comparison.

    ESB – Extra Special Bitter

    This one is a bit of a misnomer for a classic English-style ale. Herbal hop aroma and a complex caramel flavor make this smooth medium-bodied beer and easy sell. 5.1%ABV

    I’ll be honest, I shouldn’t have had this beer after the Fuel and the Pale Rider.  It was not nearly as strong in flavor or aroma as either of the previous beers and so I really didn’t get anything from it.  I really couldn’t smell anything, despite trying for a few minutes to catch a whiff of anything (I seriously think the other patrons thought I was off my rocker by this point).  It had a really smooth (almost too smooth) texture that reminded me of day old flat beer.  The initial flavor was super malty and reminded me Olde English 800 and finished with a strange sweet/sour flavor that is similar to over-ripe bananas.

    Prohibition Porter

    Dark, roasty ale, unfiltered, medium bodied and nice hop presence to balance the dark malt flavor. 5.3% ABV

    The Prohibition Porter was a tasty start to Round 2 of the tastings.  It had a nutty smell like fresh walnuts.  The texture was crisp in that thirst-quenching sort of way.  It had a nice sharp taste that finished smooth with the same nut taste as the smell.

    Amber Waves

    American red ale, filtered, medium bodied, well balanced with a nice malty middle and finishes with an assertive hop character. 5.3% ABV 2006 Silver Medal, 2005 Gold Medal Winner GABF

    To be honest, I had assumed that this beer would be a Killian’s clone that tried a little too hard to taste like Killian’s.  But who am I kidding?  If I’d learned anything by this point, it was that Cap City is good at making unique beers.  There was an earthy smell like dirt after a rain storm.  It had an earthy taste (almost mildewy) mixed with a fruity flavor.

    Capitol Kölsch

    German golden ale, filtered, light bodied lager like characteristic from cooler fermentation temp. Clean and crisp with a dry finish. 4.8% ABV

    I don’t think there’s really anything to say about this beer.  It is a typical golden ale.  This would be the beer to suggest to your Bud drinking friends.

    Southwestern Keg Rolls

    Chicken, corn, tomatoes, cabbage, black beans and mozzarella cheese wrapped in a flour tortilla and deep fried served with sweet thai chili dipping sauce.

    They taste like bean dip egg rolls with a sweet raspberry-like sauce.

    Capitol Hill Hummus

    Homemade hummus topped with tomato, cucumber and kalamata olives, finished with olive oil and cracked pepper and served with grilled wheat pita wedges.

    This has got to be some of the best hummus I’ve ever tasted.  I finished off the pitas and ate the rest of the hummus with a spoon.

  • My favorite bar in the whole world

    By Andi Ponkey, our resident Dog Lover.

    When trying to write an article about my favorite bar, not just in Houghton, but in the world, I did a little research into its background. Sadly, what I found were mixed reviews of the awesome and terrible times at my most cherished drinking establishment. I was shocked to think that someone out there had such an abhorrent experience that they would dare slander my most sacred of alcoholic altars. So it falls to me to tell the whole truth, and that is that this is a truly wondrous bar!

    The Douglas House Saloon, or more affectionately nicknamed “The Dog House” was built…a very long time ago. That is the end to the history lesson.

    When you enter the Dog the staggering smell of 100 year old popcorn overwhelms anything else you might have smelled coming in. The next thing you might notice is the historical atmosphere, from the paintings on the ceiling to the darkly carved bar and green glass lanterns. You will find that it has some real character. Two of my favorite scenic points within the bar are dead center above the front windows – a nude painting of a woman longingly wishing to come down and drink, and the shelf full of tassels above the bar signifying the Century Club, or rather, a shelf full of tassels of those who took over 10 years to graduate from Michigan Tech.

    The character aside, this bar is also amazing for its bartenders. Despite some rather scathing reviews, the Dog’s bartenders actually do care what you order and are extremely snappy about it, especially if you tip well, or are just good company. Do not go into this bar expecting to get a Mai Tai. This college bar doesn’t do fancy drinks. The Dog is a place to partake in a tall pint of draft or a fish bowl of good booze.

    I always pick the corner table if I can help it. It’s a location I covet because it fits the large group of fraternity brothers that usually join the melee by getting drunk with me. We order our drafts and eat our pickled eggs (which, as a side note, make for some interesting morning after effects when taken with dark beer) and dream of simpler days when all we had to worry about was which bar we were going to drink at next.

    The jukebox starts going, playing none of the crappy music of the 00’s but a better mix of 60’s and 70’s rock. We sway and sing out loud as “Gimme Shelter” by the Rolling Stones comes on, and we all pray silently that “American Pie” won’t be next, as we would be persuaded to drink many more beers. I play the popcorn game by throwing it into the air and happily missing almost every time I try to catch it in my mouth. I consider this adding to the floor decorum.

    When I return, it’s like I never left, even thought the time in between seems to grown longer. I miss you Dog House, place of my favorite college memories and dreams. I will happily partake in your charms soon. Have a tall draft and a pickled egg lined up for me and I will gladly make some new memories.

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  • Bar Profile: Nutini’s Supper Club, Hancock, MI

    If you are ever in the Houghton area, people will recommend plenty of the restaurants and bars in the area that have that great meal or drink. Seldom, and unfortunately, will you ever hear anyone utter the name “Nutini’s” in their recommendations.

    Hidden right under everyone’s nose, Nutini’s Supper Club is a restaurant/bar located in downtown Hancock, Michigan. It is probably Hancock’s best kept secret.

    There really isn’t anything special about Nutini’s, they don’t have a signature dish or a special drink.  But what they do serve is recipes that probably haven’t changed in the past 70 years made by hand from fresh ingredients. From sandwiches to steaks, enchiladas to pizza, they have a variety of food that is above par for most restaurants. They make a fantastic reuben and I have dreams about the philly cheese steak pizza on sour dough.

    Walking through the door into Nutini’s is like walking through a portal directly into the 1950’s. Raised booths with subdued red, overstuffed, faux-leather benches, wood veneer over all the walls, and low lighting except behind the bar all contribute to an overall intimate ambience. Because very few people know about Nutini’s or are unwilling to make the trek from Houghton (a paltry three miles), there is generally not a lot of patrons at any given time and those that are there are generally on a first name basis with each other and the bartender.

    Nutini’s is the kind of place you go with friends to share a pint and a conversation without it getting to loud or having the obnoxious bar hoppers interfering.  In essence, Nutini’s is the perfect local for a permanent resident (or visiting alum).

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  • Lynchburg Lemonade

    When I think of Jack Daniel’s, the first cocktail that comes to mind is the Lynchburg Lemonade.  It’s one of those cocktails that is so entrenched in a particular spirit, that you can’t help but think about it when that spirit is mentioned (like the margarita with tequila).

    Created by Tony Mason in 1980, you can certainly tell that the Lynchburg Lemonade was developed in the deep South.  It’s a refreshing drink that would quench your thirst and cool you down on the hottest of summer afternoons.  When drinking it, you can almost envision yourself sitting on a porch swing on a lazy Sunday, with nothing but the buzzing of bugs to otherwise occupy your mind.

    The whiskey permeates the entire drink, lending itself to every aspect, but with the subtlest of tones.  You can smell the Jack, but not quite.  You can taste, the Jack, but not quite.  All the flavors in this cocktail blend perfectly to balance the harshness of each flavor into a crisp, sweet drink.

    Lynchburg Lemonade Recipe

    • 1 part Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7
    • 1 part triple sec
    • 1 part sour mix
    • 4 parts lemon-lime soda

    Build ingredients in a Collins glass full of ice.  Garnish with a cherry.

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  • Liquor Review: Raspberry Di Amore & Licor 43

    Raspberry Di Amore

    On the nose: Sweet and subtle.  Want to say that I smell a hint of mint.  Cool, fresh.

    Taste: Raspberry flavor is prevalent, but not heavy and overbearing.  After taste is sweet and solid.

    How to drink: It would be good in a flavored martini or as an added touch to a screwdriver, mimosa, or with champagne.

    Overall: Good flavoring as an ingredient in a shot or cocktail.  A little thick to drink on it’s own unless slowly sipped.

    Licor 43

    On the nose: Sweet, smells like cocao beans.

    Taste: Silky, subtly sweet, with a vanilla and white cake aftertaste.  Taste is creamy but the texture is not.  Very nice and smooth.

    How to drink: Nice in a shot on its own or mixed with a creamy liqueur.  Anything normally mixed with rum would be improved by this Spanish liqueur.

    Overall: Very nice. I highly recommend substituting this in your favorite rum cocktail, and adding it to your liquor collection for experimentation.  If your local bar doesn’t have this yet, request that they order it.  If no one else will, call me, and I’ll come down and drink it.

    After Thought

    A combination of Raspberry Di Amore and Licor 43 may produce a rather nice shot.

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  • Andi’s Challenge

    Warning: DO NOT try this at home.  It is never smart to binge drink, no matter who you are or why you’re doing it.  Always drink responsibly, know your limit, and don’t drink and drive.
     

    Andi.  What a lady.  She is a dear friend and a fellow lover of the drink.  She’s also an instigator, and often of things that I somehow already want to do.  Things such as drinking a shot of all the liquor she and Matt have in their house, and reviewing them for the website (in one sitting).  Oh yes. I’m not kidding.  She’s an evil one.  But, I am also not one to turn down a challenge when it involves drinking on a Sunday, or my website.

    So I accepted.

    As it turns out, they had ten bottles of booze of which Andi deemed fit to feed me a shot, so she made up a chart of each kind, filled up the shot glasses, and sat a tray of booze in front of me.

    Yeah, it didn’t sound or look (or smell) good to me either.

    I was to take notes for each shot, and not only review them, but try to record and see how the drinking affected my reaction to each liquor.  Here are my notes – pregame.

    “I am about to embark on a challenge like never I’ve done before.  I’m frightened and a little hesitant, but it’s Sunday, and Andi’s making me.  The challenge is to drink a shot from each bottle in the Ponkey’s liquor collection, and record my thoughts on each.  I will not be telling this story.”

    Clearly I’ve changed my mind.

    I prepared myself for the worst, since this was not going to end well no matter what.  I had tons of water and plenty of chasers to sooth me after the rough shots, and three people watching me in case it got to be more than I could handle.  I was also in walking distance of my home, and was allowed to stop whenever I wanted to.

    My shot list (in order of how I drank them)

    • Raspberry Di Amore
    • 101 Proof Peppermint Schnapps
    • Kahlua
    • Jagermeister
    • Smirnoff Vodka
    • Don Julio Tequila
    • Jim Beam Bourban
    • Blanton’s Kentucky Whiskey
    • Jack Daniels Special
    • Licor 43

    Each shot was in a 1.5 oz shot glass and ran the gamet from a low 40 to 101 proof.  Thankfully, gin was not included in this experiment, and honestly, I wouldn’t have touched it anyway.

    It took just under two hours to complete the challenge, which stopped being truly scary after the first shot and only got easier after that.  After the first two shots, I requested that everyone else have a beer or cocktail so I wouldn’t be the only person drinking, and they all agreed, thank goodness.

    After four shots, I spilled my orange juice everywhere.

    After five shots, I’d started to question why we were doing it, and apparently this was the reaction:

    “Andi assures me that she only poured the shots.”

    Liar.

    And then, one shot later, I was all right with all of it, and gung ho to keep going.

    “I’m beginning to get so drunk that I’m thinking I should take both whiskey shots back to back.”

    By this I meant to drink one immediately after the other.  I didn’t.

    I think it’s important to note here that for the whiskey shots, my “reviews” are unreliable.  “Horrible” and “It’s Jack” are not viable or helpful to anyone.

    After eight, I stopped being able to count. I had also become completely irresponsible (as if this whole challenge was an act of good choices).

    “I am pretty drunk now.  Six shots in, and I’m actually disappointed that I only have 2 shots left.  I will probably ask to go to the liquor store later.”

    Wow.  So proud of myself.  (Not)

    However, after 10 shots, drunk me was very proud.

    “I just did 10 shots in two hours.  I did it and I am happy.  I am very proud of being able to last for 10 shots.”

    And so, that was the experiment.  After ten shots, I ended up with eight real reviews that I am not going to publish today.  However, over the next week or so I will periodically release them to keep you entertained.

    For now, I’d like to take some time and forget the rest of that night, which as you can imagine, was hilarious beyond measure. But that’s another story.

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  • Drink Matron Birthday Beer Review

    Good Tuesday All!

    This weekend was quite an interesting one.  I had been feeling pretty bummed out about turning 30, and had done a sort of campaign to get people to come down to Indiana and celebrate with me.  While I didn’t succeed in getting all the people that I’d hoped, I convinced enough to celebrate with me that we had a nice little group consisting of Adrian (of course), the Ponkeys, our friend James, and his lady friend Erica.

    From left to right: Andi, Erica, James, Matt, Adrian

    What this weekend was not – a pity party for the good old Matron.  By the end of it, I forgot it even was my birthday, let alone what number it was.

    What this weekend was – a celebration of good friends and a reminder that I am still quite young for my age – especially when it comes to drinking – but adult enough to handle myself with dignity, even when I’ve had more than my fair share to drink.

    Along the way, I discovered a few interesting beers that I didn’t know existed, my favorite being Monty Python Holy Grail Ale by Black Sheep Brewery.  It’s just a standard ale, but COME ON!  Anything with Monty Python on it is worth keeping a case of.

    Yes, that's right. Monty Python Holy Grail Ale. It's real.

    I asked everyone to give me a short review of some of the beers they were drinking and this is what they came up with.

    Pyramid Breweries Apricot Ale

    Andi says: I didn’t expected it to be such a girly beer, but it’s very nice.  Subtle.

    New Holland Dragon’s Milk

    We all tried this beer, but Adrian slowly sipped this 10% abv Scotch Ale for about an hour, longer than I’ve ever seen him take to drink anything…ever.

    He says: Very heavy. It’s extremely thick and potent. Terrible to drink with a meal (which he did).

    Thicker than Guinness, Dragon's Milk tastes like creamy caramel

    Guinness

    Matt says: Best winter beer ever.  It’s like slamming milk.

    Sam Adams Cherry Wheat

    Andi says: It actually has a real cherry flavor that takes the beer taste away.  I would most definitely recommend it to someone who doesn’t like beer.

    Other beers that we tried that night (but had gotten too, um, unreliable to review) were:

    Abita Brewing Co. Turbodog

    Three Floyds Robert the Bruce Scottish Ale

    And New Holland’s Mad Hatter IPA

    Overall, we had an amazing time, and added quite a few new beers to our repertoire.

    If you think we’d really enjoy a specific beer, or you’ve found something that you’d like to see on Drink Matron, please contact us at beer@drinkmatron.prjct.info.

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  • Alice in Wonderland

    Last weekend, Adrian and I attended the wedding of our friends – Drink Matron contributor, Matt Ponkey and his lovely bride, Andi. Adrian was a groomsman, and I had the honor of reading a poem during the ceremony.  It was beautiful, and we had an amazing time.

    There was also plenty of imbibing, and, if my phone had been functional at all during the weekend, I would have posted some bar and drink pictures.  There were plenty of Drink Matron worthy moments.

    I was particularly impressed with a drink that our friend Chris was sipping on after the ceremony.  He called it an Alice in Wonderland, and I am happy to say that it indeed tasted like the trippy tale.

    The drink is composed of equal parts Southern Comfort, Amaretto (our bartender used Disaronno), and Grand Marnier.  Each of the ingredients does an amazing job of showing itself while complimenting the others.  While this drink should be sipped slowly (it is, after all, 100% liquor) it is surprisingly refreshing.  I liked it instantly.

    Unfortunately, I’m still working on getting a liquor collection together, and I don’t have any of the ingredients to make one myself and really enjoy it.  I look forward to trying it again.

    Alice in Wonderland

    • 1 part Southern Comfort
    • 1 part Grand Marnier
    • 1 part Amaretto

    In an old-fashioned glass, combine the ingredients over ice.  Garnish with a cherry or orange slice.  Enjoy.

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  • The Gimlet (gin)

    We’re still working with Gin, which I’m still trying to get used to. After the horrible debacle with the G&G’s, I was less than interested in moving forward with the gin experiment. However, sometimes I’m surprised by my own taste buds, and the Gimlet IS a classic drink with more than a few fans, so I’ll give it a shot. Once again, Adrian will be joining me, and we’ll be using Tanqueray.

    The Gimlet

    2 parts Gin
    1 part Lime Juice

    Combine the ingredients in a cocktail glass over ice (or straight up).

    Drink Matron says:

    I’m not crazy about Gin, but I love Vodka gimlets, so I thought this would be a great way to see if I could like gin in anything. Upon my first taste, however, I know it’s not for me. I do enjoy it more than the G&G. The gin is not nearly as overpowering as I expected, and while it’s a bit sour, upon further review I realized that I added just a bit too much lime juice.

    Overall Review: With almost no after taste, I like its smoothness. Possibly good for cocktail hour.

    Adrian says:

    I’ve never had a gimlet, gin or vodka, before. The first taste was like getting hit in the face with a shovel, but once I got over it, I like that it’s not too sweet. The gin cuts the harsh flavor of the lime juice, and vice versa. It’s sour, which I also like, and it’s smooth. You don’t just drink it, you sip. A very brisk flavoring that I think would be good before dinner.

    Overall Review: Not bad at all.

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  • G&G

    I hate gin.  Yuck yuck yuck.  But, I am more than willing to take one for the team (and I’m hoping to find a gin drink I enjoy).  So I bring to you our first cocktail review, from me and Adrian.

    G&G (Gin & Guava Juice)

    This drink was recommended to us by a friend, who discovered the combination when he was looking for something to mix with his gin.  Adrian has had it before, but I haven’t, and I’m hoping it’s my drink.  We are using Tanqueray Gin, but you can use whatever brand you want.

    1 part Gin

    1 part Guava Juice

    In a cocktail glass, pour gin and guava juice over ice.

    Drinkmatron says:

    The combination of the overly sweet Guava juice and the pine taste of the gin gave me instant gut rot.  Even if I enjoyed drinking gin, I don’t think I would like this.  I didn’t feel that the ingredients complimented each other at all.  Even though the guava juice gives it a creamy taste, the mixture is jarring and extremely overbearing.

    Overall Review: Don’t waste your gin.

    Adrian says:

    Guava juice is sickly sweet and thick, but the sharp pine flavor cuts the sweetness.  The flavors compliment each other really well.  It’s okay, but it’s way too thick for my liking.

    I wouldn’t go out of my way to have it, but if I had one ingredient or the other, I might consider buying the other to make these.

    Overall Review: This would definitely be better as a shot.

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