@SuperBR has had lots and lots of those moments.

Maybe it's just talk, saloon singing
The chairs are all stacked, the swinging's stopped swinging
You say I hurt you, you put the finger on yourself
Then after you did it, you came crying for my help

Two shots of happy, one shot of sad
I'm not complaining, baby I'm glad
You call it a compromise, well what's that
Two shots of happy, one shot of sad

Two shots of happy, one shot of sad

When prohibition outlawed the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages in 1920, many enterprising residents of tiny Templeton, Iowa, population 350, came together to create an American classic known as Templeton Rye Whiskey, or "The Good Stuff" to those in the know. 

The Templeton Rye Whiskey website weaves a magnificent tale of intrigue and mystery through the bootlegging years of Al Capone and the speakeasies of Chicago, Des Moines and Denver.  “The Untouchables” movie immediately came to my mind as the era was filled with smoke, bootlegged drinks in hand and Elliot Ness in constant pursuit of Al Capone.  Capone eventually found himself behind bars, but the ban on rye whiskey and alcohol in general continued. 

Available legally for the first time, the infamous small batch rye whiskey returns.  Rye whiskey is stronger than bourbon, yet smoother in flavor.  While still relatively difficult to find, American rye whiskey is emerging slow and strong.  Aged in charred new oak barrels and produced from the original Prohibition Era recipe, Templeton Rye provides a smooth finish and a clean getaway.  However, to enter the Templeton Rye Whiskey site you still have to knock loudly, get the once over from the man at the door and prove you are of age. 

Set your sites on Templeton Rye Whiskey.  You may purchase Templeton Rye locally or online.  Check the official site for availability.  For a preview of the cocktails in line for sampling when my review gets underway, go to Templeton Rye Cocktails in the recipes section.

2 minute bursts...10-11.6 mph. (6 min mile to 5:10 min mile pace)

Felt pretty solid, decent flow.

**

Kim Chinquee keeps changing the photo on her blog. This one has an Andy Warhol, 80's album cover feel. Kind of retro yet able to enjoy a glass of wine.

I thought her recent No Colony piece was one of her edgier.

**

Joyce Richardson had a nice family text in Six Little Things.

Reminds of the Eastern European saying: "At least my neighbor's cow is dead, too."

**

I am heading to Chicago.

**

Listened to Bill Barich speak a few days ago, here at good ol' BSU. He's been in Ireland for 8 years, but is now working on a new book, a homage to Steinbeck's Travels With Charley. Barich is likewise driving across America, though I believe he's taking along less bourbon than Steinbeck packed into the little pop-up camper.

Barich is a thoughtful, soft-spoken guy with a trove of witty and knowledgeable New Yorker stories and writerly stories and types of stories told around a couple dank beers.

Instead of re-telling these stories, I want to actually focus on the soft-spoken nature of his talk. We were in a small room, with students, so there was some murmuring in the back, and naturally a cell phone rang several times. And his stories developed slowly, the pacing gradually building to the point, or climax, of the narrative. He sort of rolled them out there...the exact type of pacing you would expect from a serious essayist. And was the narrative pacing a result of his years in Ireland? Of a storytelling culture?

This is all conjecture...

It made me think about his essays, or longer, more developed essays in general; and how maybe the audience of today is somehow geared to LOUD, and QUICK, and 1500 words only please!

Even the New Yorker has started (the last few years) to shorten and shorten their essays, and of course Rolling Stone did a whole makeover to shorter, brighter nonfiction. Don't even get me started on Rolling Stone, once a music magazine. Once. But to my point, would they publish some of Hunter S's ramblings now? Or edit them into snapshots with a glossy photo of a dew-dropped Budweiser?

Who knows?

Then maybe I'm old.

But something is changing...

**

"“There is no such thing as bad whiskey. Some whiskeys just happen to
be better than others.” —Faulkner

*

I used to have a rat terrier. It bit any dog within reach. It bit people. If off its leash, it would run for miles away and never return. Years ago, it ate a twenty dollar bill and all of my girlfriend's underwear. It was a bad, bad dog.

Now dead.

possibly missed, a little...

*

Ingredients:

1 c unsweetened cocoa powder (like Hershey's)

1 1/2 c brewed coffee

1/2 c American whiskey (I used Marker's Mark)

2 sticks (1 c) unsalted butter

2 c sugar

2 c all-purpose flour

1 1/4 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

2 large eggs

1 t vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325° and grease 10" bundt pan.

Heat coffee, whiskey, butter and cocoa powder in a saucepan over medium heat, whisking until butter is melted.  Remove from heat and whisk in sugar until dissolved, about 1 minute.  Transfer to large bowl and let cool for 5 minutes.

While chocolate is cooling, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl.  Whisk together eggs and vanilla in a small bowl, then whisk eggs into cooled chocolate mixture until well combined.  Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture and while until just combined (will be thin and bubbly).  Pour batter into bundt pan and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool cake completely in pan on a rack, about 2 hours.  Invert pan on plate to remove cake.  Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

I really thought that it was all too easy and that I'd end up with nothing worth telling- Thank God for the convoluted Indian mind to spice up my journey.

The story? Here goes...

Leaving Ben-Gurion airport I thought that it would be nice to have a comforting malt whiskey for the chilling evenings here. Well I found a terrific single malt- Balblair and the price seemed right (60$), the bottle design perfect and the mood- well the mood was just on.

So I bought this bottle but I couldn't resist one of those packets of 50ml bottles of "The Famous Grouse" (they come in fives for 12$). I felt well equipped for the chilly Dharamsala evenings.

I shlepped the bottle to Amman (first stop over), to Delhi International Airport (second stop), and then to Delhi Domestic Airport. So far so good and the bottle of Balblair was keeping itself very content in the plastic dutyfree bag.

Check in at the domestic terminal for my local flight up to Dharamsala and I've turned into an Arch terrorist overnight!!. My hand baggage with half a bottle of water- fine. The little bottles of "The Famous Grouse" -no problem sir (with indian head-bobbing added)!

But my whiskey, my Balblair- the security contingent of the whole domestic terminal had turned up to discuss the Balblair issue. Can I or can I not take it with me as hand luggage? It is dangerous- could possibly open on flight and then God forbid what would happen sir? It could be drunk sir... or worse sir!! Well I realized that this was an opportunity not to be missed and I proceeded to smile, bob my head indian style and just enjoy the show. By now the whole check-in line was backed up to the main entrance. I figuered that I would eventually wear them down- by now the chief of airport police had arrived with the representative of the airlines- "Kingfisher, the only five star airlines in India". Most amazing to me was the patience that all displayed- the police, the officials and also the crowd who were now thoroughly enjoying this tiny piece of inconsequential human drama.

I was damned if I was to give in- no way. I like my single malt, especially at 60$ a bottle and no Indian army or policie contingent is going to trick me out of it- So I kept bobbing my head, yes siring and no siring and finally a compromise was arrived at.

My hand luggage, with the famous balblair bottle would be checked in as fragile cargo- with the airlines taking full responsibility for damage to the whiskey if it should occur.

We, Balblairy and I, arrived safely, we are now situated in a lovely room with a terrific view.

My Nephew, Leron is arriving in about 10 days time- I'll keep some whiskey for him- and also ask him to bring some more- checked as fragile cargo.

See you all,

S

imon

After a long day in the field near Shippagan, NB, my undergraduate advisor broke out an amazing bottle of single malt.  I had never had it and definitely wanted to impress him, so I had a small glass before bed.  I still hated rye at the time, but I could definitely tell that this was different.  Ever since then, I knew it would be the standard acquired taste learning curve before I would truly enjoy it.  After a few sit and tosses, I was really starting to appreciate this lovely bev.

I'm still admittedly quite a beginner in single malts, but I've had a few that I've bought multiple times and continue to really enjoy.  So this post is dedicated to the ever accessible and delicious Balvenie Double Wood.

I recently bought this bottle this weekend to enjoy with some friends here in Montreal.  Trying to find a simple decent single malt proved to harder than I thought, especially for a city this size.  After a few SAQs, I finally found it.  We are starting a pretentious sounding Scotch Club, but really it's just dudes in their mid 20s that enjoy numb tongues and big flava.  Balvenie is a Speyside scotch, but I'm excited to get more into the Islays, a much peatier, smokier hit.  I've had some Islay with my buddy Chris from Vancouver.  It's his favourite, but it's still on my acquired taste curve.

If you have any recommendations for me that are readily accessible please let me know.  I'm also poor, which really doesn't help. :)  Maybe I'll have to stick to blends until the money comes in, but at least I bought this one first.  Now I can let the richer friends buy some goodness.

A definite positive from me drinking more scotch is now I can drink all whiskeys.  I'm even loving Jack.  What makes it weird though is that I can't drink any whiskey with ice, water, coke, anything.  I need the straight goods.  And I do it doucement.  I do it... very slowly.

So, es wird mal wieder Zeit für ein HP-Led Projekt auf diesem Blog. Der Material- und Zeitaufwand sollte sich bei dieser Lampe in sehr eng gesteckten Grenzen halten. Zum Einsatz kommen daher eine alte 1W Lumiled in Royal-Blau und eine 3,5W Q5 in NW von Seoul. Sparsame Schaltregler waren mir ebenfalls zu teuer, da 2 verschiedene Konstantströme benötigt werden. Die olle Lumi rennt auf 350mA, die Q5 wird mit 700mA bestromt. Als Regler kommt der Klassiker LM317 zum Einsatz, nicht elegant aber erprobt und für gut befunden. Das Netzteil lag in meiner Elektronikrestekiste.

Was den Schwierigkeitsgrad angeht, ist dieses Projekt auch auf jeden Fall für den blutigen Anfänger geeignet. Man braucht nicht mehr als eine Bügelsäge, einen kleinen Satz Feilen, ne Bohrmaschine und natürlich einen Lötkolben. Die lineare KSQ kommt mit dem IC und 2 Widerständen aus.

Die Idee zu dieser Lampe enstand, nachdem ich bei Freunden die bekannten Transportdosen für Edelschnäpse als Nudelaufbewahrungsbox gesehen habe. Die meisten der Dosen eignen sich auch nicht für viel mehr und sind womöglich auch noch aus Pappe. Anders das Verpackungsmaterial einer größeren Whiskey-Distille aus Tennessee. Die Blechboxen sind sehr schön schlicht gehalten, haben nur nur minimalistisches Dekor und ganz wichtig für unseren Zweck: Sie sind weiten Teilen gelocht.

So sieht die Kiste aus, sollte eigentlich jedem bekannt sein. Um sich möglichst wenig Arbeit aufzuhalsen bleibt die Hülle nahezu unverändert, die kompletten Lampeninnereien werden von oben in Dose geschoben.

Das sind einige der benötigten Einzelteile. Die komplette Kostruktion wird in Aluminium ausgeführt. Materialstärke variiert zwischen 2,5 und 6mm

Im Hintergrund erkennt man die "Grundplatte", die sich später unter dem Deckel wiederfinden wird. Mit 6mm Dicke dient sie auch gleich als Masse-Kühlkörper für die beiden Leds. Die ICs werden an die Seitenflächen geklebt.

Ein KK mit Finnen hätte wenig Sinn gemacht, da der Dosendeckel jede Konvektion unmöglich machen sollte.

Das bereits nahezu fertige Innenleben. Geklebt wurde alles mit 1k Wärmeleitkleber. Um das ganze etwas stabiler zu machen, wurden außen noch ein paar Reste von Alu-4-Kantrohren verklebt. Die 6mm Klötzchen am Fuss der Seitenteile haben da nicht gereicht.

Die Seitenflächen dienen auch gleichzeitig als Reflektor und arbeiten auch ganz passabel. Hier läuft die Q5 schonmal probeweise mit einer 700mA KSQ, die Temperaturen blieben auch im Dauerbetrieb angenehm niedrig.

Erstaunlicherweise stieg die Temperatur auch mit ausgesetzter Blechhülle nicht in unangenehme Bereiche.

Was jetzt fehlte, war eine Stromversorgung, die über das grade gezeigte Provisorium hinausging. Das unteres Loch ist für die Kabeldurchführung, ins obere kommt der Kippschalter mit dem zwischen Weiß/Blau/Aus gewählt werden kann.

So sieht es wenigstens von außen gut aus. Von den LMs gibts keine Fotos, die Teile sind an Banalität kaum zu übertreffen. Ein kleiner Tipp am Rande sei jedoch erlaubt: Die Grundflächen der ICs müssen genau wie die der Leds vom Alu elektrisch, aber nicht thermisch isoliert werden. Das geht entweder durch die Verwendung spezieller Aluplatinen oder Wärmeleitpads. Die meiner Meinung nach einfachste und billigste Variante ist jedoch ein Blech aus eloxiertem Alu.

Ein kleines Problem am Rande war das verwendete Netzteil. Mit der fertigen KSQ lief alles sehr schön, das alte 9V NT brachte die Leds jedoch massiv zum Flimmern, grade in Verbindung mit dem Lochblech kaum auszuhalten. Auch hier spuckte die Restekiste noch verwertbares aus. 5x 470µF und ein 2700µF Kondi parallel zur Versorgungspsannung haben alle Flimmereien brav herausgeglättet.

Zum Abschluss dann die üblichen Beweisfotos. Man erkennt den Unterschied zwischen den 3 oder 4 Jahren Ledtechnologie recht deutlich denk ich.

Man muss der Frainess halber an dieser Stelle nochmal anmerken, das die Q5 auch doppelt so viel Strom abbekommt (und auch verkraften kann wie die K1)

Hier das ganze nochmal in leicht abgedunkelter Umgebung auf meinem Schreibtisch.

Fazit: Wieder mal ein schönes QnD-Projekt für ein Wochenende. Wenn man direkt auf ordentliches Material gesetzt hätte, wäre man wohl auch in weniger Stunden fertig geworden. Mit der Suche nach einem Fix für das Flimmern hat das ganze dann etwas länger gedauert. Bekommen sollte man solche Dosen übrigens in jeder Kneipe, die sind meist froh wenn sie die Dinger los sind.

mfg RBT

Zeit: 8h

Geld: 6€ (Q5+ LM317, der Rest is vom Schrottie)

Mehr Spass mit Leds:

Wandlampe

Schreibtischlampe

Wreszcie udało nam się zdobyć buteleczkę Free Brothers Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters. Nie było to wcale łatwe ponieważ robione one są w limitowanych partiach ale udało nam się je zakupić na BCB 2008.

Teraz polujemy na Fee Brothers Cherry Bitters do naszej kolekcji.

Z tego co nam wiadomo najblizej to można kupić ich produkty tutaj.

Jag samlar på whisky kan man säga. Eller rättare sagt, jag gillar att köpa och prova olika sorter. Det blir inte så många inköp från systemet utan jag beställer oftast på flyget när man är ute och reser, eller får man i present eller så köper andra en flaska med sig hem när de är ute och reser. De man köper på systemet är oftast brukswhisky dvs Glenfiddich 12 och Famous Grouse som är bra att bjuda på. Glenfiddich är för övrigt min favorit av alla jag testat.

Official Man Man MySpace

Because of the illegal bootlegging, and the terrible alcohol that was being secretly being made, people were mixing their shots with, well mix. Up until this everyone drank their shots of rum and vodka straight. Now to mask the awful taste, they mixed their vodka with orange juice, their rum with coke and so on. See where this is all going?

Then came the rum runners and beer barons. These men and women would illegally bring alcohol into “dry” states and secretly distribute it, for a small fee, to the hard working men and women all over. So what’s this have to do with us?

Here’s the official beginning of our mission.

We’re in hard times right now. The price of gas is skyrocketing. The cost of food is soaring. The market is taking huge hits, and the only ones laughing are the super rich companies out there. The everyday people are getting hurt while the rich keep getting richer. This is as close as we’ve ever been to a worldwide depression, and there’s little hope in sight.

So, like prohibition, we have made a decision. We are BeerBaronz, and we have a title to live up to. From now on, every beer we review, we will email that company. We will tell them about the review and invite them to send some product and promo items for us to pass on, on their behalf, to you guys. You’ll be able to see every contact and communication we make. Why? You’ll be able to buy the beers that support you the customer. You’ll be able to see who’s really working for you, and who doesn’t care about their customer service. Your hard-earned money should always go to the companies who realize we have, the people, have the power and that we truly matter.

Stay tuned to our “forums” and look for all the detailed emails we send out, and even more importantly, the replies we get. It’s for free beer for beer lovers, because if you love beer than we love you!

-BeerBaronz.com

In response to Word Catalyst Magazine's latest prompt.

Kentucky Vintage comes to us from the folks who make Johnny Drum, Rowan's Creek, and a few other familiars on liquor store shelves.  Judging by their website, Kentucky Bourbon Distillers has a broad and slightly disorganized product range in a variety directions - all the more for us to taste, I suppose.

Presentation:

The labeling on Kentucky Vintage seems to be a distillation of everything I complain about in bourbon labels: faux-aged, faux-burnt edges, Comic Sans-esque lettering, and (three!) long winded descriptions.  To top it off, they've dipped the plastic screw-top in wax.  Yet, to their credit, it seems their hand-numbering is legit, as is their medallion pressed into wax on the front.

The bourbon is small batch, 90 proof, and of an age only described as "long beyond that of any other bourbon," hmmm.  This doesn't mean anything other than it's older than four years, legally, but it would be nice to imply a range from which they've selected.

Tasting:

To the nose Kentucky Vintage is pleasant, if subdued.  Dominated largely by char and a saltiness, there are also notes of sweet pears and oak.  It is neither rough nor complex, but hits a middle ground that just misses the "boring" range and lands in "pleasant".

On tasting KV's dominant sensation is saltiness start to finish.  Further inspection reveals that there isn't too much more than that except corn and a hint of char in the middle.  This really tastes much greener than something aged "long beyond that of any other bourbon" should taste.  In a blind tasting, I'd be surprised if this were even four years.

Over all:

I was hoping that the clumsy presentation of Kentucky Vintage reflected an honest concentration on the bourbon itself - as it should be - but I was ultimately disappointed.  Judging by the range of bourbon sold by Kentucky Bourbon Distillers, they would do well to take a hard look at some of their expressions.

Idag har jag börjat att skriva här på Karateboiz och detta efter flera timmars hård förhandling med hjärnan bakom detta exklusiva studentmagasin, Mikael. Det tog sin beskärda del av min annars så dyrbara tid men till slut gick jag med på detta, dock gick jag inte med helt utan belöning. Här nedan följer en lista på vad jag får i ersättning:

• 1 weekend i Borensbergs Kommun med möjlighet att hyra kanot
• 1 sommarkurs i Rodel utanför Laholm
• 3 burkar lite för gammal kapris
• 2 prydnadskatter i porslin från sent 90-tal (red anm; Blir bara en, Pétur satte sig på den andra)

Kan man göra annat än att fira? Det har dukats festmåltid med billyspizza, snus och lite vin jag hittade bakom soffan.

// SmartStudenten

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Sept. 27 (UPI) -- Sweden's first-ever whiskey auction will be held Oct. 7, officials have announced.

State-run alcohol retailer Systembolaget said among the 400 bottles on the auction block will be a bottle of Macallan from 1946 with a starting price of $3,620, The Local reported Saturday.

Event organizers say they don't believe Sweden's sour economy will spoil the auction to take place in Frihamnen.

"It remains to be seen. But demand for whiskey is substantial and, with the emergence of clubs and whiskey tasting, has become something of a people's movement," said Soren Nylund at Systembolaget.

The auction will also have up for bidding a Very Very Old Fitzgerald Original Sour Mash from 1953, a Highland Park 1964 and a Glenury Royal 29 Years Old.

WINE AND SPIRITS AUCTION IN STOCKHOLM

Upcoming auctions:

Whisky

Auction 7 October, Magasin 5 Frihamnen

Selected Wine & Spirits

Auction 9 December, Nybrogatan 32 Stockholm

Selected Wine & Spirits - Single bottles

Auction 16 December, Magasin 5 Frihamnen

Auction with selected wine and spirits

Drinks auctions are organised in collaboration with Systembolaget (The Swedish Alcohol Retail Monopoly) and are open to both private citizens and companies. You can both buy and sell at these auctions.

What types of drinks are auctioned?

Only valuable collectors’ items are put under the hammer. The definition of valuable collectors’ items is “wines, fortified wines or spirits which with continuity are bought and sold at international drinks auctions and are in broad, documented demand”.

Examples of drinks that meet the definition of “valuable collectors’ items” are the finest wines from:

·         the regions of Bordeaux, Bourgogne, Rhône, Champagne and Alsace in France

·         the regions of Piedmont, Venetia and Tuscany in Italy

·         the Mosel and Rheingau regions of Germany

·         the region of Ribera del Duero in Spain

Other examples are:

·         Some wines from Australia and the United States

·         Fortified wines, i.e. vintage Port and vintage Madeira

·         Vintage spirits from the Cognac, Armagnac and Calvados regions of France

·         Vintage whiskies from Scotland

What do I do if I want to sell?

Register your items at http://www.systembolaget.seby completing a valuation form and then posting or e-mailing it to Systembolaget. If you do not have Internet access, you can order a form from the Systembolaget customer service department or collect one from Stockholms Auktionsverk.

Please note that no bottles can be consigned without a valuation note prepared on the basis of a submitted valuation form.

What do I do if I want to buy?

At the end of the consignment period, all consigned items will be registered and presented in a catalogue. All items will also be presented on our Web site and in a catalogue that will be on sale several weeks prior to the auction.

Where are the auctions held?

Drinks auctions are held at our premises at Nybrogatan 32 or in Magasin 5, Frihamnen in Stockholm. However, you can also follow the auction and participate in bidding via the Internet or by phone.

Additional Information

You can find very detailed information about drinks auctions at www.systembolaget.se/TjansterEvenemang/Dryckesauktioner.

If you have any questions, please contact Systembolaget’s assessors at auktioner@systembolaget.se, tel. +46 8 503 327 54. You can also e-mail us at Stockholms Auktionsverk at louise.kagger@auktionsverket.se.

1. Studenter, Stålar och Sprutor. - 8 september

2. MMS - 11 september

3. C. Halling = "Smartstudent" - 11 september

(Inget ämne)

Balanserad kost?

Part 1

Part 2