Food – Page 70

Bagels and beyond

Simit Cafe opens in Nashua

Remzi Kahya grew up working at his father’s shop, the Bagel Cafe on Hanover Street in Manchester. He learned how to make New York-style bagels from scratch and, as an adult, eventually expanded the family business to a second Bagel Cafe in Bedford.

Now Kahya is building on his success even further — Simit Cafe, which opened on Sept. 21, brings his handcrafted bagels to Nashua while adding espresso drinks, tea shakers, cold-pressed juices, smoothies and all kinds of pastries and baked goods to the menu.

At around 3,000 square feet, the space is the largest of the three storefronts, inspiring Kahya to introduce a full-service cafe concept. Like at its predecessors, bagels here are prepared in multiple batches throughout the day to ensure their freshness.

“Simit is a Turkish name for a bagel,” said Kahya, who came to the United States with his family from Turkey when he was 7. “We like to steam our bagels. … I think that’s better for making a sandwich. You still get that crust that you want, but it’s not too hard, either.”

Simit Cafe features all the traditional bagel flavors from plain and everything to sesame and onion, plus a few more decadent options like French toast and jalapeno cheddar. They can be ordered with cream cheese; with a spread like butter, Nutella or jelly; or as a breakfast or lunch sandwich, all of which are available all day. If you want to order bagels to go, you can mix and match up to a half-dozen of any flavor per package.

“I try to get premium ingredients for everything … rather than going for the cheapest option,” Kahya said. “So, like when you order a bacon, egg and cheese [sandwich], you’re getting free-range eggs on a real grill, not microwaved or anything. … We make our own cream cheese in five different flavors, and you can taste the difference.”

Bagel sandwiches encompass a variety of palates, from a BLT and a turkey club to a grilled pastrami sandwich with Swiss cheese and deli mustard. A new option exclusive to the space, Kahya said, is a chipotle chicken sandwich with a spicy mayonnaise, avocado, tomato and onion.

While both Bagel Cafe shops offer drip coffee, Simit Cafe takes the options a step further with a full line of hot and iced espresso drinks, featuring Peet’s Coffee brewed on site with a La Marzocco Italian espresso machine. Through Peet’s Coffee’s sister company, Mighty Leaf Tea, there are also multiple flavors of iced tea shakers, made with real fruit purees, some freeze-dried fruits and Kahya’s own freshly squeezed lemonade.

“The strawberry hibiscus [tea shaker] has been a really big hit,” he said.

The cafe is currently open until 3 p.m. seven days a week, but Kahya said those hours will likely be extended in the future, as he continues to add more menu items and works out the kinks of his new online ordering system. An outdoor patio is planned for next summer.

Simit Cafe

Where: 262 Amherst St., Suite A, Nashua
Hours: Daily, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.; expanded hours likely coming soon
More info: Visit simitcafe.com, find them on Facebook and Instagram @simitnashua or call 204-5141

Featured photo: Courtesy of Simit Cafe.

Brews by the river

Manchester Brewfest returns

Normally held in late July, the Manchester Brewfest is a fall affair this year — the event returns on Sunday, Oct. 31, bringing together all kinds of local beers and food options at Arms Park.

It’s the seventh annual festival and the first one since the summer of 2019. Attendees will have the opportunity to sample more than 100 craft beer options, and other featured activities will include live music, face painting, and a petting zoo from Candia’s Charmingfare Farm.

“We have the perfect location for a brew festival,” Peter Telge of Stark Brewing Co. in Manchester, one of the festival’s organizers, said of Arms Park. “A lot of times if you go to brew festivals it can be hard to find a place that’s close to stay or to park, or everything’s spread out and you’ve got to walk all the way here or there. This is just a nice huge area that we can make a great festival out of … and it’s also next to the Merrimack River, which is beautiful.”

Telge has worked with several local charitable organizations over the years that have been beneficiaries of the Manchester Brewfest. This time around, he’s partnering with John Hayden of Value of Sport, a new nonprofit dedicated to giving Manchester students in fourth grade and up equal access and opportunity for success through programs in sports, art and music.

“In the past we’ve had around 30 breweries. This year we’re probably going to get 20 or so, maybe 25,” Telge said. “There are a lot of new people doing some really cool stuff with malt beverages and seltzers and things like that, so it will be a nice variety of different flavors.”

Most of the vendors hail from New Hampshire or a neighboring New England state. Martha’s Exchange & Brewery of Nashua, for instance, is expected to bring its Apple Brown Betty, a Belgian brown ale brewed and aged on toasted apple wood, in addition to a few other selections. Hidden Moon Brewing and Moonlight Meadery of Londonderry will pour both its Little Apples hard cider and its Razz What She Said raspberry session mead, while Willie’s Superbrew, a Charlestown, Mass.,-based purveyor of hard seltzers blended with real fruit, will be there with multiple offerings, like its cranberry and lime and pineapple and jalapeno flavors.

Several local restaurants will be there too, including 900 Degrees Neapolitan Pizzeria, which will have meatball subs, Hayden said. Auburn Pitts, Firefly American Bistro & Bar of Manchester, and Hooksett’s Second Brook Bar & Grill are all expected to attend as well.

Live performances will include both the Gilford-based Eric Grant Band and the New Hampshire Police Association Pipes and Drums. The festival is also coinciding with the conclusion of Millennium Running’s annual Trick or Trot 3K Race.

7th annual Manchester Brewfest

When: Sunday, Oct. 31; general admittance is from 1 to 4 p.m., with VIP admittance beginning at noon
Where: Arms Park, 10 Arms St., Manchester
Cost: Tickets are $40 general admission, $50 VIP admission and $15 for designated drivers; ticket prices do not include food
Visit: manchesterbrewfest.com
Event is rain or shine.

Featured photo: Photos courtesy of Jarrod Barthe.

The Weekly Dish 21/10/14

News from the local food scene

• Bookstore cafe reopens: Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St., Concord) has refitted and reopened the adjoining cafe space under its own management on Oct. 4, more than a year and a half after True Brew Cafe’s closure in March 2020, owner Michael Herrmann confirmed. Now known as Gibson’s Cafe, it features a full line of espresso drinks in addition to coffees, teas and multiple flavors of smoothies. Food options include breakfast sandwiches and pastries, daily soup specials, avocado toasts, lunch paninis, and build-your-own acai bowls with a variety of ingredients to choose from. Gibson’s Cafe is open Monday through Saturday, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit gibsonsbookstore.com/cafe or call 715-5833.

• Piccola turns 20: Join Piccola Italia Ristorante (815 Elm St., Manchester) for a 20th anniversary celebration honoring chef-owner Johnny “Eastie” Paolini on Saturday, Oct. 16, at 2 p.m., which will feature specials, giveaways, raffles and more. Born and raised in an Italian-American family, Paolini got his start in the industry working for an Italian restaurant near his childhood home in the North End of Boston. Since opening Piccola on Elm Street in downtown Manchester in October 2001, he has become a pillar of the community, participating in annual fundraisers and donating to several local charities over the years. According to Lisbett De Leon, one of a few Piccola’s staff members organizing the anniversary celebration, proceeds will be donated to a charity of Paolini’s choice. Visit piccolaitalianh.com.

• Beer at the winery: Learn to cook with beer at an interactive class hosted by LaBelle Winery, at its Amherst location (345 Route 101) on Wednesday, Oct. 20, and at its Derry location (14 Route 11) on Wednesday, Oct. 27, at 6 p.m. each evening. Attendees will taste samples and receive recipes of several items, including beer-battered fish tacos with cilantro crema, bratwurst cooked in beer with sauerkraut, and chocolate stout cheesecake. Admission is $32.70 per person, including taxes, and pre-registration is required. Visit labellewinery.com.

• Final outdoor markets: Several Granite State farmers markets are due to wrap up their outdoor seasons this week. The final date of the Nashua Farmers Market will be Sunday, Oct. 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. outside City Hall Plaza (229 Main St.; visit downtownnashua.org/local), while the Candia Farmers Market, held on the third Saturday of each month at the Smyth Public Library (55 High St., Candia; visit candianh.org), concludes on Saturday, Oct. 16, from 9 a.m. to noon. The Milford Farmers Market will also be holding its last date of the season outside on Saturday, Oct. 16, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 300 Elm St. in Milford, but is due to return indoors three weeks later. Beginning Saturday, Nov. 6, the market will be held bi-weekly inside the Milford Town Auditorium. Visit milfordnhfarmersmarket.com.

Portland beer tour

Maine and beer are a thing

Is there a better place in the world for beer than Portland, Maine?

Aside from just very high-quality, very fresh beer straight from the brewery or close to it, the proximity is off the charts. There are a few different spots where your trusty Uber driver can deposit you and you can just bounce from brewery to brewery to brewery on foot.

I’m not saying you should be having multiple beers at each brewery or even one beer at each brewery, but that’s just pretty cool. There’s something more relaxed about the brewery scene too — it’s much more laid back than walking into a bar, although Portland is pretty laid back regardless.

During a very recent visit to Belleflower Brewery in Portland, I counted approximately a dozen dogs and even more babies. Not really on the babies but you get the point: dog-friendly, family-friendly, you know, friendly.

If you like beer, regardless of style, it’s just a place you need to go at some point. Even if you’re not into hopping from brewery to brewery, there are countless tremendous bars and pubs featuring a wide array of the local brews so you can still experience the area’s top beer.

OK, this isn’t an advertorial. I just went to Portland a couple weeks ago and I’m still excited. That’s all.

Here are some highlights from my most recent Portland excursion. Is it going to be IPA-heavy? Yes it is.

Magpie Pale Ale by Belleflower Brewery

Belleflower, which was new to me, was one of the gems of the trip: great beer across the board. Loved this particular beer — super easy to drink and incredibly flavorful. This New England pale ale is very piney and boasts big grapefruit flavor. Magpie is Belleflower’s flagship brew and I suspect you’ll want to have a couple of these.

Abstract Object Milk Stout by Battery Steele Brewing

After a sea of IPAs, this was a welcome change of pace, featuring rich, dark malts and robust notes of dark chocolate and toffee. This is a decadent brew. The brewery also featured a version of this with Madagascar vanilla that I didn’t get to try.

Assume Positive Intent by Bissell Brothers Brewing

Bissell is the one brewery in Portland that makes me nervous. Not because I’m questioning the beer but because I’m terrified I’ll have to wait in line. I need not have been concerned as its tap room was, honestly, a little quiet. I liked that personally. I dubbed this the beer of the trip very early in the weekend and it may still have come out on top. This is delicious, exploding with tropical citrus flavor in a very drinkable package.

Portals Sour Ale by Definitive Brewing Co.

Another brewery that was new to me, Definitive cranks out a series of sour ales with its Portals series. This sour ale was brewed with Maine Blueberries and the blueberries are basically trying to jump out of the glass this brew is so flavorful. Not too tart, I’d definitely hand this to someone who says they don’t like sours.

Prime IPA by Goodfire Brewing Co.

This is like my dream IPA. It’s hazy, although I wouldn’t call it juicy. I might even call it dry with a fresh, fruity brightness. As the brewery says, this is an “all day kinda beer.”

What’s in my fridge

Glass DDH IPA by Northwoods Brewing Co. (Northwood)
My wife picked this up for me because the fishing-themed label has a fishing “fly” on it. She made the right call, not just because the label is beautifully done. This IPA is bursting with tropical flavor, including pineapple and melon, and finishes a little sweet (in a good way). I wasn’t familiar with this brewery but I will make sure to familiarize myself. Cheers!

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

Sweet & salty puppy chow

I have to confess that I have never been a big fan of the name “puppy chow.” However, if you say you have a bowl of puppy chow, most people know what you are talking about. Plus, kids think it’s a fun name, so why not make the little ones smile?

For those who have never experienced it, the original puppy chow is a snack mix made with Chex or some other rectangular cereal as the base and has a chocolate and peanut butter coating. I have been making that version since before I had children of my own. It’s a fine snack that leans toward the sweet side and disappears quite quickly when set out to share.

While that version is fine, I thought it might be interesting to add a little more texture, saltiness and peanut butter flavor. I was able to make those three changes with only two ingredients. This sweet and salty version is made with pretzel squares as the base. Make sure you buy the salted version, as that provides the saltiness and a bit more texture. Then, instead of finishing the mix with powdered sugar alone, I added some peanut butter powder to the sugar. Voila! You have more peanut butter flavor and a teeny pinch more saltiness.

This recipe may not be an award-winning treat, but it is a perfect snack to serve while you’re hanging out in front of the TV, whether you’re binging a series, cheering on your favorite team or watching the newest movie release. Let the puppy chow snacking begin!

Michele Pesula Kuegler has been thinking about food her entire life. Since 2007, the New Hampshire native has been sharing these food thoughts and recipes at her blog, Think Tasty. Visit thinktasty.com to find more of her recipes.

Sweet & salty puppy chow
Makes 3 cups

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 1/2 cups pretzel squares*
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons peanut butter powder, such as PB2

Combine chocolate chips and peanut butter in a small bowl.
Microwave for 20 seconds; stir.
Microwave in additional 20-second increments, stirring after each, until fully melted and combined.
Pour pretzels into a large mixing bowl; top with chocolate mixture.
Stir well.
Combine powdered sugar and peanut butter powder in a gallon-sized resealable bag.
Add chocolate-coated pretzels to gallon bag, seal, and shake to coat well.
Spread pretzel mixture on a baking sheet to cool.
You can refrigerate the tray to speed the setting process.

*I found square pretzels to be the best shape, as they can hold more of the coating. Feel free to use other pretzel shapes, if desired.

Photo: Sweet and salty puppy chaw. Photo by Michele Pesula Kuegler.

In the kitchen with Brad Pare

Brad Pare of Nashua is the general manager of Moulton’s Kitchen & Market (10 Main St., Amherst, 673-2404, moultonsmarket.com), a neighborhood deli and retail store located in the heart of Amherst Village. A native of Portland, Maine, Pare got his start in the food service industry as a teenager, establishing a background in front-of-the-house management before deciding to go to culinary school later in life. His day-to-day duties at Moulton’s include overseeing many of the meal preparations out of the kitchen, which include everything from grab-and-go meals to fried foods, subs, sandwiches and thin-crust pizzas, plus a seasonal soup bar with multiple daily flavors. The retail side of the business features a variety of grocery items, wines, beers, sweets and more.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

A chef’s knife, definitely. We use a service that comes and sharpens our knives for us weekly, so they are always in good shape.

What would you have for your last meal?

I was born in Maine, so I’ve got to have lobster.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

My wife and I like to go to a lot of diners. We love Suzie’s [Diner] in Hudson. The eggs Benedict is always good, and they also make a homemade hash Benedict that is great.

What celebrity would you like to see eating at Moulton’s Kitchen & Market?

Sticking with food, I would say Alton Brown from Food Network. If you watch his show Good Eats religiously, he can teach you how to cook. He’s really good at getting into the science behind cooking.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

When soup season is in full swing, those are my go-to. I like the basic chowder or chicken noodle [soups]. … Another staple for me is No. 18, the Italian [sub].

What is the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?

I think it’s prepared meals. Especially since the virus started and people got sick of cooking so much, you’re seeing a lot of places go toward that kind of trend.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

I’ve had a smoker for years and lately I’ve just been experimenting. I just tried a chuck roast, which kind of comes like brisket but takes a little less time to do. … I just enjoy being outside and cooking. It’s relaxing to me.

Basic barbecue rub
Courtesy of Brad Pare of Moulton’s Kitchen & Market in Amherst (great for ribs, pork or brisket; optional ingredients like rosemary, cumin or turmeric can give it an added regional or global flavor profile)

3 Tablespoons light brown sugar
1½ Tablespoons kosher salt
½ Tablespoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon ground thyme
¼ teaspoon ground mustard
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Featured photo: Brad Pare. Courtesy photo.

Crafty cravings

The Kitchen opens in Warner

Chefs Mike Prete and Matt Greco found success in 2011 with The Kitchen, a casual eatery in Portsmouth focusing on elevated sandwiches and burgers. A full-service catering company would follow three years later, further expanding on the pair’s scratch-made comfort offerings.

On Sept. 17 The Kitchen found a new home in downtown Warner — Prete now runs this expanded concept, while Greco continues to operate the eatery’s original spot in Portsmouth.

Shortly after he and his family moved to the small New Hampshire town of Salisbury, Prete had brought The Kitchen’s concept to nearby Andover in late 2018. Then last summer he learned about the closure and sale of The Foothills restaurant in Warner.

“We kind of just outgrew our space,” Prete said. “We only had an 1,100- to 1,200-square-foot space in Andover and we were trying to do catering and the restaurant out of one little space and it just wasn’t working. The Foothills … [is] an over 5,000-square-foot space.”

After several weeks of renovations that included upgrades on almost every piece of its equipment, The Kitchen opened with limited dinner hours to start. The eatery offers its own takes on traditional sandwiches that are elevated but remain approachable — the turkey club, for instance, features hand-sliced turkey with fried tomatoes, pork belly in place of bacon, and a house-roasted shallot mayonnaise. There is also a smash burger that is pressed in an iron skillet before being served on Texas toast with cheddar and American cheeses and sauteed onions; and a short rib grilled cheese, which has pepper relish and roasted marinated tomatoes.

Beyond the sandwiches and burgers there are a number of plated appetizers and dinner items, with many more options Prete said will be introduced over time. Unique appetizers include crispy wonton nachos with pulled duck, onions, scallions and a sweet chili sauce; a homemade sausage board with two types of sausages, pickled fennel and a mustard seed and bacon jam; and an option called “which came first,” featuring two deviled eggs and two chicken drummettes, one of each with blue cheese-ranch dressing and Buffalo sauce.

“We have a steak of the week, and then a catch of the week that rotates,” Prete said. “We also have a full line of liquor, beer and wine [options], with a lot of local beers on draft.”

Short-term plans, Prete said, include online ordering and expanding The Kitchen’s hours to include lunch service starting at 11 a.m. A deli case with take-and-bake dinners, soups, salads and quiches is also expected, as well as additional seating out on the front porch and back deck.

Eventually, Prete said he would also like to begin serving a variety of breakfast and brunch items, from eggs Benedicts to brioche French toasts and Belgian waffles.

The Kitchen

Where: 15 E. Main St., Warner
Hours: Wednesday through Saturday, 4 to 8 p.m.; expanded lunch hours are likely coming soon
More info: Visit feedmeatthekitchen.com, find them on Facebook @thekitchenwarner or call 977-0128

Featured photo: Photos courtesy of The Kitchen.

The Weekly Dish 21/10/07

News from the local food scene

• Greek eats to go: The next boxed Greek dinner to go, a drive-thru takeout event at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church (68 N. State St., Concord), is happening on Sunday, Oct. 17, from noon to 1 p.m. Now through Wednesday, Oct. 13, orders are being accepted for boxed meals featuring dinners of half lemon roasted chicken, rice pilaf, Greek salad and a roll for $15 per person. The event is drive-thru and takeout only — email ordermygreekfood@gmail.com or call 953-3051 to place your order. A similar takeout and pickup meal featuring Greek stuffed peppers is also scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 14. Visit holytrinitynh.org.

• More Oktoberfests: Join Henniker Brewing Co. (129 Centervale Road, Henniker) for its annual Fall Fest, which will be held over two weekends this year, from noon to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 9; Sunday, Oct. 10; Saturday, Oct. 16; and Sunday, Oct. 17. Throughout each weekend, the brewery will be pouring its Wurst Bier release, a seasonal lager inspired by the modern festbier that is served at the original two-week Oktoberfest celebration in Munich, Germany. There will also be food options from The Salted Knot and The Russian Dumpling Co. food truck, plus stein hoisting competitions and live music. Also happening this weekend is an Oktoberfest being organized by the Bektash Shriners of New Hampshire on Sunday, Oct. 9, from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Bektash Shrine Center (189 Pembroke Road, Concord), where there will be bratwurst, chicken, potato salad, pretzels and more. Call 225-5372 to make a reservation. For a full list of upcoming Oktoberfest events in southern New Hampshire, be sure to read our cover story in the Hippo’s Sept. 23 issue, which starts on page 18.

• Brews and beyond: The New Hampshire Brewfest returns to Cisco Brewers (35 Corporate Dr., Portsmouth) on Saturday, Oct. 9, with VIP admittance from noon to 1 p.m. and general admittance from 1 to 5 p.m. The event is a partnership between the Prescott Park Arts Festival and the New England District of the Master Brewers Association of Americas, and will feature pourings from dozens of craft breweries, along with food trucks, a DJ and more. Admission ranges from $50 to $65 and includes full access to tastings, with food options available at an additional cost. Designated drivers receive $25 admission. Visit nhbrewfest.com.

• Red Arrow Diner staff recognized: The Red Arrow Diner recently honored its employees at each of its four locations with a company-wide staff appreciation barbecue, according to a press release. Employees celebrating milestones with the company, including anniversaries from five to up to 20 or more years, were specially recognized. The barbecue featured a cornhole tournament, a dunk tank and raffles of $100 increments to present to staff members. Plans are already underway for next year’s employee appreciation event, which will coincide with The Red Arrow’s 100th anniversary in business. Visit redarrowdiner.com.

Lady in Blue

When I was extremely young, my father was a big fan of easy listening music. His favorite song was called “I Want Some Red Roses for a Blue Lady.” I remember this song as being awful.

Yesterday I thought of it for some reason and looked it up. It turns out that Wayne Newton recorded it in 1965. As I called it up on YouTube, I knew that I would listen to it and realize that now, as I hobble into late middle age, it would actually be pretty good. I would find myself enjoying it and that a week from now it would be on the driving playlist I use to torture my teenager.

As it turns out, it’s even worse than I remembered from my childhood. The trauma from hearing this as a kid must have forced the worst of it from my memory. Even I wouldn’t inflict this on The Teen.

On the topic of questionable decisions from the 1960s, I was reading through 1969’s The Esquire Drink Book, looking for a new cocktail recipe. When it comes to Mad Men-era, charming-but-arrogant drink recipes, Esquire had a bit of a corner on the market.

The recipe that grabbed my attention had a name so of its time that even after I read through it, said, “Nah!” and flipped past it, I kept returning to it: The Bosom Caresser. I mean, if you’re looking for a Swinging Sixties, Wayne Newton on the hi-fi, “My wife doesn’t understand me” type of drink, this seemed like a no-brainer.

Long story short: I ended up making it and it was OK. It was not spectacular and I don’t think I’ll make it again. The combination of brandy, marsala wine and raw egg yolk did not fill me with enthusiasm.

(That said, I did find out the hard way that if you do make a cocktail with a raw egg yolk in it, you should dry-shake it with the alcohol first, before adding the ice. Dropping a yolk into a shaker full of ice will make some of it freeze and you will end up with really unappetizing globs of it floating around in your drink that you will need to filter out before serving. We know that now.)

So where does that leave us?

In my case, invigorated from a long hot shower, to wash the sleaze off me and the memory of Wayne Newton out of my memory. As an antidote, here is the classiest drink I know:

Lady in Blue

Ingredients

1½ ounces very cold gin

¼ ounce créme de violette

¾ ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice

½ ounce simple syrup

3 drops orange blossom water

A “slip” of blue curaçao

Combine all ingredients, except the blue curaçao, with ice in a cocktail shaker.

Shake until frost forms on the shaker and your hands become uncomfortably cold.

Strain into a martini glass. This is one occasion where you should not frost the glass first; you will want to show this cocktail off. The frosted glass would mess with that.

Pour a small slip of blue curaçao down one side of the glass. It is denser than the rest of the drink and will pool in the bottom of the glass.

While this is a delicious cocktail — crisp, gently sweet, subtly floral and just ginny enough to grab your attention — this is probably the prettiest drink you will ever make. If you find yourself needing to impress somebody, this is the drink to make. It’s gorgeous without making it seem like you’ve tried too hard.

Featured photo: Lady in Blue. Photo by John Fladd.

Red wine from bourbon barrels

Does reusing spirit barrels add something to wines?

Natural and minimalist winemaking methods have been prominent in the news these past several years but there is another trend surfacing: bourbon (and other spirits) barrel-aged wine.

Production has boomed since its modern re-introduction in 2014 by Fetzer Vineyards, which produced a zinfandel that was aged in recycled bourbon barrels. Distillers have aged spirits in bourbon barrels, but a little-known fact is that aging wine in recycled whiskey barrels has a storied past.

The Beringer brothers arrived in Napa in 1869 to work at Charles Krug, one of the first wineries in Napa Valley. In 1876 they had their first pressing of their own grapes, and to age their wines they reused whiskey barrels. Long on ambition but short on cash, they thought it made good financial sense and they discovered it added a certain complexity to the wine. Fast forward, we have a whole generation of millennials intent on exploring and expanding the production of bourbon and other spirits, and the marketplace for mainstream and small-batch distilleries.

In addition to bourbon barrel-aged cabernet sauvignons, we have other red varietals now aged in spirit barrels, and the trend has extended to tequila barrel-aged sauvignon blancs. But how does spirit barrel aging influence the structure and taste of the wine? Does it really impact the wine? Bourbon barrels are slightly taller and skinnier than standard oak barriques, and thus increase the wine-to-wood ratio. Also, bourbon barrels are required to be made from new, heavily toasted American oak. Since they are used just once, there is an abundance of flavor left in the wood. These barrels impart the character of whatever was previously in them, so, with bourbon barrels, you should expect that smooth sweetness and vanilla and caramel essence of the bourbon in your wine.

Our first wine is the Beringer Bros. 2019 Bourbon Barrel Aged Cabernet Sauvignon (available at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets at $17.99). The color is intensely purple-red and “thick.” To the nose are scents of ripe black cherries and chocolate. To the tongue, the black cherries remain, albeit reduced, and there are persistent tannins. I don’t know if the “flattened fruit” is the product of the grapes or the fact the wine was aged for six months in bourbon barrels. This is unquestionably a wine to be paired with grilled beef or pasta with a tomato sauce. It will balance but not overpower your entrée, with an alcoholic content of 14.5 percent.

Our second wine, a Robert Montavi 2019 Private Selection Bourbon Barrel Aged Cabernet Sauvignon (available at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets at $10.95, reduced from $15.99), is produced a bit differently. The grapes grown in Mondavi’s coastal vineyards are aged in a mix of new and used bourbon barrels. Mondavi reports the new barrels give the wine its undertone of toasted oak, while the used barrels, from a Kentucky distillery, impart vanilla and dried herbs. This blending of barrels sets this wine aside from other cabernets. The color is dark purple-red, fading to a rose-colored ring. To the nose, there are blackberries and chocolate. To the tongue, the berries are joined with vanilla, caramel and some mocha. The tannins are much softer than in the Beringer tasting. With an alcoholic content of 14.5 percent, this is a wine to be paired with grilled meats, including marinated chicken.

Our third wine, the 1924 Limited Edition Bourbon Barrel Aged Cabernet Sauvignon, by Gnarly Head Wines (available at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets at $11.99, reduced from $16.99), heralds from Lodi in California’s Central Valley. With an alcoholic content of 15 percent, this is a wine that needs decanting and can be paired with game, venison or lamb. The color is dark, dark purple and the nose is of blackberries and leather. To the tongue there is an abundance of dark berry fruit, coupled with strong tannins. A dryness permeates the finish.

Tim McKirdy, staff writer at VinePair, noted in an article that one critic states that spirits-barrel aging is a “marketing gimmick” and it’s a great way to “mask the flaws of sub-standard fruit.” In McKirdy’s referencing the tweet, the critic further states, “It’s like putting lipstick on a pig. It’s still a pig!”

On the other hand, other critics allude to the “blurring” of lines; this method is attracting beer and spirits drinkers to pair their food with spirits-barrel aged wine. I say, you be the judge!