CS Booze Club.

[Jester]

I thought a CL was just a fancy name for a rum and coke. I also like to drink amaretto and coke.

No, a Cuba Libre is a rum and coke with lime. Without the lime, it is not a Cuba Libre. I have also heard from some seemingly knowledgeable people that it is not simply a rum and coke with lime, but a rum and coke with LOTS of lime, i.e., 2 or 3 wedges. Or, if you prefer, Rose's. (Though I have no doubt that purists would cringe at the Rose's version.)

I'm up for the challenge...what do you recommend??

Naturally, a lot depends on what you are looking to do with the tequila, i.e., drink it neat, drink it on the rocks, use it in a margarita, drink it in another mixed drink (such as a tequila sunrise), or shoot it.

I generally only drink tequila one of two ways, either shooting it or having it in a margarita.

For shooting, I don't think you can ever go wrong with Patron Silver, chilled.

For margaritas, I insist on a good anejo tequila, such as Sauze Tres Generaciones Anejo, Sauze Conmemorotive Anejo, Herradura Anejo, Don Julio Anejo, Don Eduardo Anejo, etc.

For those not in the know, anejo (literally translates as "aged") is the highest of the four levels of tequila, which in descending order are anejo, reposado, blanco, and oro. (Or is it oro and then blanco?) While reposados are pretty decent, I prefer the richness and flavorful anejos, and I find that, in the hands of a talented bartender, they make the best margaritas. (A bad bartender can ruin anything, include anejo tequila.)

Some of you may have noticed that a few rums have the word "anejo" on their labels. But keep in mind, rums are not as regulated or regimented as tequila is, so with rum, anejo literally just means that the rum is aged, and does not automatically denote any particular quality level.

Shared a glass of white wine last night with a guy I play a game with online.

But....what was the wine? And what did you think of it?

[Kara]

Huh? Oh yeah, the wine. Muller-Thurgau 2002, it says. And it was good, I only drank one glass.

[KiaKat]

Muller-Thurgau, like Riesling or Chenin Blanc, ages really well. 2002 wasn't a great year for Germany, but was decent for northern Italy - do you know which it was?

If it was appropriately stored/aged, it should have had quite a bit of oxidation; it would have been almost golden in the glass, with aromas of sherry and almond, and possibly a bit of petrol. Aged whites get a flavour all their own - totally unique. I adore them.

I forgot that I already reviewed Root here. Hrm. I should keep better track of these things.

Jester, try hunting out some of the sipping tequilas. You might find a whole new area of interest. My coworker is the tequila expert, not me, but I've picked up a bit here and there. Don Julio Anejo and Herradura Anejo are a good place to start.

[Kara]

Actually... looks like it was bottled in Oregon.

[KiaKat]

o.O

Odd. I didn't think that grape had made it over to the US yet.

*googleoogleogle* huh. Lookie that. A number of wineries come up. Coolness!

[thansal]

For margaritas, I insist on a good anejo tequila, such as Sauze Tres Generaciones Anejo, Sauze Conmemorotive Anejo, Herradura Anejo, Don Julio Anejo, Don Eduardo Anejo, etc.

Is that 'traditional' for a margarita? I have generally seen un-aged spirits being used when mixing, reserving the good stuff for drinking neat (or possibly with a bit of ice). Purely a curiosity question, as I'm a believer in using whatever you enjoy the most. I never buy white rum, and am very happy to make a mojito out of an aged or spiced rum.

I appreciate all of the talk about Tequila. I know nothing about it (aside from I love margaritas), and keep on meaning to pick up a nice (not great, but not cuervo) bottle for the sake of making margaritas with.

[Jester]

Jester, try hunting out some of the sipping tequilas. You might find a whole new area of interest. My coworker is the tequila expert, not me, but I've picked up a bit here and there. Don Julio Anejo and Herradura Anejo are a good place to start.

Oh, I have had some of the sipping tequilas, on their own, and it's just not my thang. Not quite to my taste. Better than Cuervo (of course), but just not my cup of rum.

Lookie that. A number of wineries come up. Coolness!

Not sure if I mentioned this in previous posts, but on my vacation back home to Arizona, my friend Cat took me up into the mountains in northern Arizona to some wineries, in and around Jerome, which is just a hop over from Sedona.

I am a huge fan of Arizona, but if you had used the phrase "great Arizona wines" in my presence, I would have laughed my ass off at you and told you that there is no such thing.

And I would have been dead, dead wrong.

We went to three wine tastings in total, and I had some good wines, some wines I didn't care for, some wines I loved, the first Chardonnay ever that I didn't hate (though I didn't love it, I could have gotten through a glass, even two, without cringing, which has never happened before with Chardonnay and me), and a few so remarkable that I bought a bottle of one and brought it home with me.

And now I'm not quite sure where I put it, as it's not with my other wines out on the wine rack.

Is that 'traditional' for a margarita? I have generally seen un-aged spirits being used when mixing, reserving the good stuff for drinking neat (or possibly with a bit of ice).

I get that kind of thing from tequila purists all the time. "Oh, why would you ruin a perfectly good tequila by putting it in a margarita?" "That tequila is too good for a margarita."

To them I say a drink is only as good as the ingredients you put in it. And while there are certainly some spirits that should probably never be mixed (more on this below), a decent anejo tequila is not, in my mind, one of them. Nor in the minds of anyone who has had one of my signature margaritas, which uses anejo tequila (usually one of the Sauzas), Grand Marnier (as the sweetener, not as a floater), fresh crushed lime (rather than Rose's lime juice) and sour mix. And it is, if I do say so myself, spectacular. The richness of the anejo tequila is complemented by the richness of the Grand Marnier, and the fresh lime juice is a perfect counter balance to the sweetness of the Grand Marnier. After all, Mother Nature makes a far better lime juice than Rose's ever could.

My signature margarita at my bar costs $10, as opposed to the house rita which is $7. I could charge more for it (and probably should), but you get the idea. A few bucks more, and you go from average to extraordinary. And it's far, far better than using Cabo Wabo (which is a reposado), 1800 (also a reposado) or Cuervo (*shudder*). I claim to my customers that I make one of the best margaritas on the island. So far, very, very few of them have disagreed with me.

Now, are there tequilas that you shouldn't use in a margarita? Sure. Just like any liquor, there are some seriously high end top notch tequilas that it would be virtually a crime to mix with, though of course some people still will. And more power to them. The number one rule of drinking is drink what you like. And if you can afford to use one of those tequilas in a margie, and prefer it that way, knock yourself out. Even if others make fun of you.

Hell, there are ultra-premium rums that are so amazing that I joke with my customers that if they order those rums with Coke, by law, I must punch them in the face. Are there people who would still drink them with Coke? I have no doubt. Hey, it's their dollar and (lack of) taste buds.

A note on orange juice: a lot of bartenders will put OJ in their margies, whether or not people ask for it. This is, to me, a crime. OJ serves two purposes in a rita. First, to sweeten it. And second, to mask the taste of the tequila. Well, if I'm ordering a top shelf rita with high end tequila, why would I want to mask the taste of the tequila? And frankly, ritas should be tart, not sweet. Which is why I always order my ritas "no OJ." The really good bartenders will simply look at me and say, "of course."

Now, some customers will actually ask for OJ in their ritas. Which is fine; their drink, their choice. However, when thy ask for OJ with MY signature rita, I ask them to taste my rita first, and if they still want OJ, I'll give it to them. To date, only about 2 people total have asked for OJ after tasting my rita. And that's over 6 years and 2 jobs.

[Pony_Boy]

I'm primarily a beer man but recently, I've rediscovered Taste for rum ( after almost ten years of avoiding it due to some "overindulgence" in university)

After perusing my local LCBOs website, I compiled a list of some of the rums that caught my eye ( including some high end vintages I'll never be able to afford lol )

I know its alot to ask but if some of the more knowledgeable members give me their thoughts on these rums? I'm kind of at a lost to where to start

Here is the list along with their country of origin:


AGUARDIENTE ANTIOQUE¤O - Columbia
ANGOSTURA 1824 AGED 12 YEARS RUM - Trinidad and Tobago
ANGOSTURA 1919 - 8 YEARS OLD RUM - Trinidad and Tobago
APPLETON ESTATE 21 YEARS OLD - Jamaica
APPLETON ESTATE 30 YEARS OLD
APPLETON ESTATE EXTRA RUM
APPLETON ESTATE MASTER BLENDER'S LEGACY
MOUNT GAY ECLIPSE RUM- Barbados
MOUNT GAY RUM EXTRA OLD RUM
MYERS PLANTERS PUNCH - Canada
OLD MONK RUM 7 YEARS OLD RUM - India
PITU CACHACA - Brazil
PLANTATION OLD RESERVE RUM - Barbados
PLANTATION RUM BARBADOS AGED 5 YEARS - Barbados
RON ABUELO ANEJO RUM - Panama
SAGATIBA PURA CACHACA BRAZILIAN RUM - Brazil
SAILOR JERRY SPICED NAVY RUM - Trinidad
STROH ORIGINAL 54 SPICED RUM - Austria??
THE KRAKEN BLACK SPICED RUM - USA
TRADER VIC'S SILVER RUM -USA
TRADER VIC'S SILVER RUM - Jamaica


Thanks

[Jester]

I know its alot to ask but if some of the more knowledgeable members give me their thoughts on these rums?

No problem at all, though of course it depends how you will be drinking these rums. I will try to give you my views on the ones I am familiar with.

AGUARDIENTE ANTIOQUE¤O - Columbia--Unfamiliar with it.

ANGOSTURA 1824 AGED 12 YEARS RUM - Trinidad and Tobago--Decent, but see below.

ANGOSTURA 1919 - 8 YEARS OLD RUM - Trinidad and Tobago--surprisingly much better than the same distillery's 12 year, the 1919 is lovely, good for mixing or sipping. It does have a bit of fire to it, but most reviewers that I've read agree with me that the 1919 is superior to the 1824. It's also cheaper, which is a plus.

APPLETON ESTATE 21 YEARS OLD - Jamaica--Very nice sipping rum.

APPLETON ESTATE 30 YEARS OLD--I have never had it, nor does my bar have it, but it is legendary. I saw it in a West Palm Beach rum bar for $95...a shot. This is the kind of rum where, if you mix it with Coke, rumologists will hunt you down and beat with empty Bacardi bottles. Really, the only thing you should ever put in a rum like this is perhaps an ice cube or two. If you like a good sipping rum, and you can get a bottle of this for a decent price (I have seen it reasonably priced at $450 for one bottle), grab it.

APPLETON ESTATE EXTRA RUM--Nice versatile middle of the road rum, sippable or mixable.

APPLETON ESTATE MASTER BLENDER'S LEGACY--Not familiar with it.

MOUNT GAY ECLIPSE RUM- Barbados--Good mixing rum.

MOUNT GAY RUM EXTRA OLD RUM --This 17 year blend is aged in whiskey barrels, so it does have some whiskey characteristics to it, in all the right ways. A lovely, robust sipping rum.

MYERS PLANTERS PUNCH - Canada--Myers's is a Jamaican dark rum. If this is some kind of premixed cocktail, I am unfamiliar with it. If it is, indeed, Myers's, a really nice dark rum that is terrible for sipping but extraordinary for mixing...it makes a simple cocktail complex. But by itself, it is spectacularly one note and syrupy. Fantastic when used as the rum in a pina colada. Done this way, it is even better than adding the typical Myers's floater to the top of the finished drink, as so many do. (And no, I am not making a typing error...it is actually Myers's, with two S's. If you want to win a bar bet, challenge your local barfly or bartender to correctly write out the name of Myers's Rum. You'll win this bet 95% of the time.)

OLD MONK RUM 7 YEARS OLD RUM - India--Never heard of it. And nothing against India, I'd be wary of a rum made in India. Of course, for all I know, it could be fantastic. Just not the typical place you expect to find rum from.

PITU CACHACA - Brazil--Familiar with cachaca, but not Pitu. Generally speaking, cachaca is sweeter than regular rum, but it makes a great cocktail, especially mojitos and caipirinhas.

PLANTATION OLD RESERVE RUM - Barbados--Familiar with severl Plantations, but need more info on which one this is....either that, or I am just not familiar wit this iteration of it.

PLANTATION RUM BARBADOS AGED 5 YEARS - Barbados--Decent mixing rum.

RON ABUELO ANEJO RUM - Panama--Get the 7 year. It's better. That being said, I don't think the 7 year is more than average, and the regular Abuelo not even that good, but some people really love it.

SAGATIBA PURA CACHACA BRAZILIAN RUM - Brazil--See my notes for Pitu.

SAILOR JERRY SPICED NAVY RUM - Trinidad--Strong spiced rum. Decent for mixing, very harsh for sipping.

STROH ORIGINAL 54 SPICED RUM - Austria??--Never heard of it.

THE KRAKEN BLACK SPICED RUM - USA--Unfortunately familiar with it. Personally, I find it lame.

TRADER VIC'S SILVER RUM -USA--Not familiar with it.

TRADER VIC'S SILVER RUM - Jamaica--Not familiar with it.

If you have any more questions about any other rums, just let me know.

[BeenThereDoneThat]

If you want cheap, go for Espolon or Lunazul.

If you want good, go for Don Julio or Herradura.

I'd prefer good...but I will look for all of them Thanks!

[BeenThereDoneThat]

Oops, I totally missed this page when I answered above. D'oh!

Thanks for all the info on tequilas. I will definitely do some more research...meaning taste tests. Generally I take tequila in a mixed drink - usually some sort of margarita but maybe something else once in a while. A shot is always good too.

[Jester]

Just a minor entry (but boy do I have notes that I need to get in here from my vacation!)....

Picked up a six of Casco Bay Riptide, a red ale. It was cheap and different, and I wanted something simple I could drink while I was cleaning and organizing my apartment tonight.

And it's just that...simple and different. It's decent enough, and you can certainly drink them while you're working hard, but it won't jump out at you and make you forget other beers of the same ilk. Actually, I may have had this before, but since it's not hugely memorable...well, you get the idea. Okay red beer, a bit sweet, pretty thirst-quenching...good for when you just want something, don't want to lay out a lot of bread, but don't want the same old same old. And definitely better than the usual swill available on the market.

Still won't make a dent in my purchases of Foster's Premium Ale oil cans, which to me are much better, and which I have commented on in this thread.

[Pony_Boy]

Thanks Jester you're the man!

Only down side is that now its 8 am and im tempted to put some rum in my coffee lol

[Jester]

I'm sorry....I don't see how that's a downside....?

[Seraph]

So uh....I had my first taste of alcohol ever a little while ago. ogod.

Whatever the heck that devilspawn was, it's driven me completely sober. Never touching ANYTHING again. Agh!

My father in law was having something called American Turkey Honey, or something like that, and he told me it was super sweet, I'd like it. My husband and the other nearby family all encouraged me, so I took a drink. I think I nearly cried, it was so terrible. I ended up chugging down two orange sodas to try and get that taste out of my mouth. ><

And of course, everyone was falling over laughing. I sulked off in a back room for the rest of the time....the meanies.