Category: Drink

Sometimes you need anything but IPA

There are so many incredible craft-brewed IPAs and pale ales these days that it seems they are everywhere you turn. In fact, sometimes, it feels like hops are just slapping you in the face every moment of the day. If you go out to a restaurant for dinner, you might as well just ask for the “IPA list” instead of the beer list. It’s all IPAs anyway.

That’s all well and good because IPAs are delicious and they are packed full of fresh, hoppy exciting flavors — and let’s be honest, they haven’t taken a break from driving the bus for the craft beer movement since it started, I don’t know, 15 years ago.

Sometimes, though, and I feel at least somewhat confident I don’t just speak for myself, enough is enough. Sometimes you want anything but an IPA. Give me a stout or a Pilsner or a sour or a Bud Light or even one of those Cranberry Lambics from the Sam Adams holiday mixed pack that’s probably still in your fridge from 2006.

I was rummaging through my parents’ fridge recently and spotted a Mike’s Hard Raspberry Lemonade that I absolutely know has been there for more than a decade, so don’t just discard the notion that there might be a Cranberry Lambic lurking somewhere in your home.

It can be so rejuvenating for your palate to walk away from the hops for a bit and just appreciate that there’s a lot more great beer out there than just IPAs and pale ales.

Depending on my mood, when it hits me that my mouth needs a hop break, I tend to turn to what I call basic styles: Pilsners, stouts and amber ales. I’m not typically turning away from IPAs to turn toward some crazy sour that’s brewed with elderberry, jalapenos and peanut butter.

When I say basic, I don’t mean beers that are in any way lesser. I just mean brews that are more what I think of as traditional beers. Here are three basic brews that speak to me and I think will speak to you when your taste buds want to step away from IPAs.

Love Me For A Long Time by Throwback Brewery (North Hampton)

This Bohemian Pilsner is the epitome of crisp and clean. It’s a beer. It’s light, refreshing and flavorful. Pilsners get a bad rap sometimes and, when it gets right down to it, I just don’t understand it. They’re easy to drink, they taste great and they pair with basically any food and any situation. If your vision of pilsners starts and ends with Coors and Budweiser, it’s well worth exploring the array of craft brewers pumping out Pilsners these days.

Nations ESB by Millyard Brewery (Nashua)

I love the ESB or extra special bitter style, though it’s almost funny to think of this style as bitter compared to the pronounced bitterness you find in today’s brews. I haven’t had this particular brew, though I will, but I typically equate the style with a rich amber pour and a nice malty mouthful in a very, very easy to drink package. At 4.1 percent ABV, this is a beer and a style that begs for another.

Working Man’s Porter by Henniker Brewing Co. (Henniker)

This is a hearty brew but don’t be fooled; this is exceptionally easy to drink at 5.2 percent ABV. This English-style dark ale lends big malt flavors and a little complexity. This is just a terrific all-around porter. This is a great beer to grab when you want something smoother and richer.

What’s in My Fridge

Oktoberfestbier by Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu (München, Germany)
Actually brewed in Germany, this true Oktoberfest brew is about as authentic as it gets when it comes to the Marzen style. The classic brew features a rich amber pour, mild bitterness, a bready malt and a medium body. This is flavorful, easy to drink and makes you feel like you’re in Germany for Oktoberfest. Cheers!

Featured photo: Love Me For A Long Time Bohemian Pilsener by Throwback Brewery. Courtesy photo.

What to drink with your turkey and pie

Thanksgiving is just two weeks away! It seems like yesterday we were looking for cool white wines and enjoying spritzers in the back yard. The days may be getting cooler and shorter but that shouldn’t dampen our spirits. The holiday season begins with Thanksgiving, a time to get together with family and friends to celebrate and give thanks for our health and bounty. In addition to high school football games, the day is focused on “the big meal,” which may last several hours. The food is hearty and certainly diverse, starting with appetizers, moving on to the main meal of roast turkey with multiple side dishes, ending in what may seem like a dozen different pies.

The Thanksgiving menu can be challenging when it comes to pairing the right wine to go with each course. A familiar response to this question is, “a white wine, of course.” That response covers a lot of territory! Many will pick a white sparkling wine, while others may opt for a light dry rosé. A chardonnay is often suggested, as the slight creaminess pairs well with roast turkey. Another option is a pinot noir. This red may have bright berry notes to it. It will not overpower the turkey while complementing the wide range of side dishes.

For this Thanksgiving I have selected a California chardonnay and two French wines, one from the Loire River valley, the other from the northern reaches of Beaujolais.

Our first wine, the 2016 Stuhlmuller Vineyards Estate Chardonnay (originally priced at $29.99, and reduced to $12.49 at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets), is a perfect chardonnay to pair with the main course. Coming from the southwestern corner of the Alexander Valley, the vineyard of Roger and Carmen Stuhlmuller was planted in the 1970s with top-quality vines. The slight rise above the banks of the Russian River of gravel, clay and volcanic soils, along with cool nighttime temperatures, produces fruit that is rich with complex flavors and good acidity. With a color of golden straw and a nose of fresh pear and apple, it develops on the palate with notes of spicy pear and nectarine, along with some minerality from the soils and a touch of the oak from barrel aging. The finish is long and complex with a slight touch of acidity, perfect for pairing to the main course.

Our second wine, the 2017 Château de Fesles Chenin Sec (originally priced at $59.99, and reduced to $21.99 at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets), comes from the Anjou region of the Loire River Valley of France. This wine is a slight departure from the usual recommendations for the Thanksgiving feast. The color is straw that somehow has a sparkle even though it is a still wine. It has a floral nose of citric blossoms that transform to the palate with dried fruit, honey and toasted bread. This is a wine that can pair with appetizers of cheese or smoked salmon or the creaminess of a New England Clam Chowder. While it’s hardly mainstream, if enough of us try it and ask for it, the State may stock more of this Anjou varietal.

Our third wine, the 2018 Domaine Laurent Gauthier Chiroubles Chatenay Vieilles Vignes (originally priced at $41.99, and reduced to $16.99 at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets), comes from the northern edge of the Beaujolais region of France. This wine is produced from gamay noir grapes just as Beaujolais is, but coming from the northern edge of the region the wine benefits from the similar terroir, its soils and climate, as the rich red burgundies we all love. The color is a rich garnet, with purple tints. The nose is floral, with notes of dark cherry, along with some minerality generated by the soils of the region. The palate is light, but satisfying with plenty of fruit, with a long finish. This is a welcome alternative to a familiar pinot noir!

For this Thanksgiving, offer your family and friends some alternative wines, something new to explore. These wines are but a sampling of the many options to expand our experiences with wine and food.

Featured photo: Courtesy Photo.

As I skid into late middle age, I’ve had to face up to some limitations:

I think I’ve missed my window for running with the bulls in Pamplona.

I’m increasingly unlikely to ever rescue Minnie Driver from a gang of teenage miscreants with an impressive display of capoeira.

I’ll never be able to have my flunkies remove an undesirable party guest by telling them, “Show this cat to the door.”

But I do have an outside chance to meet one modest goal:

I’d like to be handsome.

I’m not talking about being consistently handsome or anything. I haven’t become completely detached from reality. I’d just like to clear the bar once or twice. I figure I’ve got about 10 years before that becomes an impossibility. I’ve been putting a plan into action that I call “Project Handsome.”

Again, at this point in my life, it’s vanishingly unlikely that I’ll be able to lose a lot of weight and achieve the chiseled physique that’s escaped me thus far. But there are other large, gray-haired men who have successfully solved the handsomeness problem.

Yes, other than Santa Claus.

And what do they have that I don’t? Aside from money and self-confidence?

They dress well.

Because I’m built more or less like a walrus, I find it hard to find good, adult clothing off the rack. So, a few months ago, I had an inspiration; I went to a tailor and had myself professionally measured, then ordered some bespoke clothing from a couple of online tailors. It turns out that I can afford nice clothing if I don’t actually go to a clothing store.

I ordered a vest from a tailor in the United Kingdom who specializes in Jane Austen-era clothing. It is far and away the nicest piece of clothing I own and will, inevitably, leave me for a classier fat guy. It had to be disappointed that I wore it to work its first time out, instead of an awards banquet or a royal horse race.

But it has inspired me to reformulate a classic British cocktail, the Tailor Made:

Internet Tailor

¼ ounce honey syrup (See below.)

1½ ounces bourbon – I’m still using Evan Williams. I like it.

½ ounce St. Germain, an elderflower liqueur

1 ounce fresh-squeezed pink grapefruit juice

1 ounce pomegranate juice

Dry-shake (without ice) the honey syrup and bourbon in a cocktail shaker to mix them thoroughly.

Add ice and the other ingredients. Shake until very cold.

Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a strip of grapefruit peel.

The key to this cocktail is the relatively modest amount of bourbon, which allows the drink to taste grown up but not too assertive. The very sour juices are balanced by the flavors of elderflower and honey. It is best drunk bracingly cold.

You may or may not look handsome drinking this, but you will feel at least 40 percent more handsome.

Honey syrup

Essentially this is a classic simple syrup but made with honey instead of white sugar. The better the honey you use, the classier your cocktails will taste.

Ingredients: Equal parts, by weight, of honey and water.

Add the honey and water to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat.

Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

Boil for 10 to 20 seconds, to make sure that the honey is completely dissolved.

Remove from heat, cool and bottle. Make sure you label your bottle and keep it in your refrigerator for a month or so.

Featured photo: A handsome drink. Photos courtesy of John Fladd.

You’ve got to respect the hops

Because she’s a hero, my wife made a reservation at Trillium Brewing Co.’s Canton, Mass., location. And because she’s a hero and made the reservation, we didn’t have to wait in line.

For those who have never been, like myself up until a couple weeks ago: It’s an impressive spot with an expansive indoor/outdoor facility right off the highway about 20 minutes or so outside of Boston. With an incredible variety of fresh, delicious and unique brews, it’s no wonder RateBeer.com currently has Trillium tabbed as the fourth-best brewery in the world.

If you can time it right or if your partner is also a hero and makes a reservation (you need to have a party of at least six), then it’s absolutely worth the drive. Not only is the beer incredible; the food is terrific as well — we ate way too much scrumptious pizza.

I’d had a couple Trillium brews over the years but I couldn’t remember which ones. I started with a Summer Street IPA, which is wonderful, featuring big citrus and pine flavors in a pretty dry and crisp overall package.

My wife went with the Barrel-Aged Affrogato, which is hands-down the most decadent beer I’ve ever sipped, with huge notes of bourbon, vanilla, coffee and sweet brown sugar.

Sticking with hoppy beers, I tried the Double Dry Hopped Stillings Street, which is another super aromatic IPA characterized by an array of melony aromas and flavors, a soft mouthfeel and borderline nonexistent bitterness.

I rounded it out with the Mosaic Free Rise, a dry-hopped saison, which is a bit of a departure for me, but this was delightful. Crisp, fruity, dry and a little spicy, Free Rise is one of the brewery’s signature saisons.

I felt like I sufficiently experienced the brewery’s hoppy beers, but on another trip, I’d want to better explore Trillium’s array of imperial stouts, like the Coffee Cake Imperial Stout and the Barrel-Aged German Chocolate Cake Doughnut Imperial Stout, most of which land north of 13 percent ABV, just so you know.

Trillium also features a big list of wild ales that deserve your attention as well.

As we left, the line had grown considerably. If you can’t make a reservation, my advice is to get there early — they open at noon on Saturday. You don’t want to be in that line.

Trillium was terrific and I have to be honest, I’ve been all about the hops lately. Here are three hoppy beers I’ve enjoyed over the past few weeks.

Lush Double IPA by Frost Beer Works (Hinesburg, Vermont)

This is rich and juicy and that’s not a typo. I’m not used to referring to an IPA as rich but this one is. It’s velvety smooth and boasts a big-time citrus flavor. You might have to track this down in Vermont or in a beer store just over the border in Massachusetts — and you should track this down.

Full Clip NEIPA by Stoneface Brewing Co. (Newington)

I hadn’t had this New England IPA in a long time and the first sip reminded me why I like it so much: juicy, vibrant and drinkable. It’s an explosion of tropical and citrus flavor but in an overall package that is quite approachable.

Victory Nor Defeat by Able Ebenezer Brewing Co. (Merrimack)

This double IPA is a wonderful rendition of a West Coast IPA that hits you with big flavor, including plenty of piney hop character and a delightful bitterness.

What’s in my fridge

Giant Pumpkin Imperial Pumpkin Ale by Greater Good Imperial Brewing Co. (Worcester, Mass.) If you don’t like pumpkin, move along. This is an absolute bomb of pumpkin flavor. It’s a little sweet, it’s a little spicy and it’s exceptionally smooth. Despite its relatively high ABV at 8 percent, it drinks very easily — it’s a little dangerous, honestly. I’m hit or miss on pumpkin beers but this was a decided hit. Cheers!

Featured photo: Lush Double IPA by Frost Beer Works. Photo courtesy of Jeff Mucciarone

There’s a guy who lives about a block over who goes all out for Halloween — the one who puts cobwebs all over his front porch and hides speakers, so he can play moans, or the sound of clanking chains, or Alice in Chains, or something similarly unnerving. There will be fake gravestones all over his front yard, and maybe a mottled, fiberglass hand forcing itself out from the ground. This was the guy who rigged a 15-foot tube from his second-floor window last year to slide candy to trick-or-treaters.

That seems like it would be exhausting.

And there’s the family down the street who dress up in themed costumes every year. Dad might be Chef Boyardee, Mom is a sexy can opener or something, the toddler is covered in tangled yarn and is spaghetti, and the baby is a meatball.

Seriously, there’s not enough therapy in the world to make that worthwhile.

There are the kids in their 20s at work who have been spending the last few weeks putting together extremely niche costumes to wear to excessively hip parties:

“No, you wouldn’t have heard of her — she’s a really obscure secondary character from Hello Kitty, but the joke is, I’m telling everyone that I’m wearing Korean underwear, but I’m not actually wearing ANY underwear!”

Presumably there will be a lot of drinking and associated lifelong regrets involved. That sort of thing is behind you; you promised yourself, “never again” after the Battlestar Galactica debacle of 2010.

So, what’s your role in Halloween this year?

Judging a reality competition show.

What you will need:

• 2 lawn chairs

• a best friend

• candy

• raspberry margaritas (See below.)

The object of the game is to pretend each trick-or-treater is a contestant on a costume competition show. You are the judges and neither of you entirely understands the rules. You can greet each kid with a slightly bewildering compliment:

“Batman! The little-black-dress of the costume world! You pull it off effortlessly, darling!”

“Charizard! Pokémon is so last season, but you make it work. I choose you, Little Man!”

To a parent: “Are you her manager? Make sure she gets this outfit trademarked.”

To the teenager with a pillowcase and no costume: “I’m sorry, we’re going to have to send you home this week. The others just wanted it more.”

Will the children be amused?

Not even remotely.

Will you and your friend?

More with each successive margarita.

Raspberry Margarita

2 ounces blanco tequila – I like Hornito’s for this.

1 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice

1 ounce raspberry syrup (See below.)

Combine all ingredients over ice in a cocktail shaker.

Shake enthusiastically.

Serve in whatever glass you feel like, from a standard martini glass, to a rocks glass, to a vintage Flinstones jelly jar.

The beauty of this drink is that while it is blood-red and seasonally spooky-looking, it is a straightforward margarita. There are only three ingredients, and it takes about 30 seconds to make. The bracing, smoky, slightly musky taste of tequila is balanced by the sweetness of the raspberry syrup. The raspberry flavor gives this drink a fruity roundness, without ever making it candy-like. If you want candy, you’ve got a giant, plastic bowl of it next to you.

Raspberry Syrup

Frozen raspberries

White sugar

Combine a bag of grocery store frozen raspberries with an equal amount (by weight) of sugar in a small saucepan.

Cook over medium heat. As the berries thaw, the sugar will pull out a surprising amount of juice.

Bring to a boil. Boil for 15 to 20 seconds to make sure all the sugar has dissolved.

Let the mixture cool, then strain it through a fine-meshed strainer. It will keep in the refrigerator for a month or so.

Featured photo: The Trick or Treat Margarita. Photo by John Fladd.

Add a fire pit and you have a party

The color of fall is all about us. The sun is bright and the sky is blue. This weather welcomes fall sports and backyard gatherings and tailgating. Yes, it is cool, and sometimes a bit blustery, but we still welcome the opportunity to relax for an afternoon or evening with friends and great barbecue fare paired to robust wines.

This last week we hosted a very small group of friends in our backyard to relax and exchange stories of happenings since our last get-together a month ago. We told them all to dress warmly as we will gather around the table, lit by an old Coleman propane camping light, adjacent to the fire pit. It was great.

So what is an appropriate menu for a fall backyard party? Something hearty like barbecued ribs with cornbread, along with sides of vegetable salads and pasta. Our recipe for ribs is a variation on the classic. In addition to the ketchup, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce, we add ginger and lemon for a clean, tart flavor that is softened with the addition of orange juice. Our cornbread comes from a recipe of Blanchard’s Caribbean Cornbread a close friend found online. It is incredibly rich with butter, corn and cheese. This fare goes well beyond a summer barbecue menu. It is hearty and needs wines that will stand up to it: zinfandels and syrahs.

Our first wine is the 7 Deadly Zins, a 2017 old-vine vintage from Lodi, available at the New Hampshire Wine & Liquor Stores (originally priced at $18.99, reduced to $13.99). This wine is blended from seven Old Vine zinfandels. According to their website, the wine “was born from a Catholic school upbringing and the winemaker’s lust for a hedonistically seductive wine.” Seven specific vineyards were chosen for this wine, all located in the Lodi AVA (American Viticultural Area). The zinfandel grapes are blended with a touch of petite syrah, then aged in American oak for 11 months. The color is dark red to purple, with lots of rich, red berry fruit to the nose. The oak imparts a touch of leather or tannins to the tongue with layers of plum, currants and toffee, all ending in a long slightly spicy finish.

Lodi is in the northern reaches of the San Joaquin Valley, east of San Francisco. The AVA, of more than 500,000 acres, of which more than 100,000 acres are planted, is best known for its old vine zinfandel. However, with its warm “Mediterranean-like” climate of hot days and cool nights, Lodi also produces large quantities of merlot, chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon and sauvignon blanc.

Our second wine comes from “across the pond” in the Rhône River Valley of France. Jean-Luc Colombo 2016 Terres Brulées Cornas Syrah (available at the New Hampshire Wine & Liquor Stores, originally priced at $57.99, reduced to $29.99) has been given a rating of 95 points by Wine Enthusiast and 92 points by Wine Spectator. This is a wine that all but asks to be picked up now and cellared, because it will continue to improve for another five or more years. The color is a thick ruby black with purple hints. To the nose there is plenty of fruit that continues to the tongue with ripe cassis, or black currant, and black cherry notes. Just as with the nose, to the tongue the fruit is intense, a bit of vanilla, along with moderate tannins. This wine will age well into the future.

The winemaker team of Jean-Luc and Anne Colombo have a background in pharmaceutical science and a passion for the syrah grape. The wine is made from vines that are over 30 years old from 20 different vineyards. Aged for 21 months in oak barrels, the wine is fined with egg whites and bottled unfiltered.

So don’t put the yard furniture away just yet. We still have sunny days and plenty of opportunity to get together with family and friends to enjoy the cooler weather with hearty fare paired to rich, hearty wines. Grab a blanket and light that fire pit to enjoy the moment into the evening.

Featured photo: Photo by Fred Matuszewski.