FlaSoxxJim

I think the Maya's calendar guy just got tired of carving and didn't keep going.

QUOTE (Pants Rowland @ Dec 18, 2011 -> 10:50 PM) Vaclav Havel - Died today at 75 years old. One of the true courageous and selfless men of our lifetime. While we are at it, heard yesterday that Cesaria Evora died at 70 years old. Won her first and only grammy award late in life. Good chance if you ever heard one of her songs, you wanted to know who it was, where she was from, and where you could find more of her music. Sad weekend for me. Didn't hear about Vaclav Havel. RIP to the Playwright-President.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 14, 2011 -> 11:13 AM) The dollar coin is dead http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/bre...0,5476345.story I just wish I would have been timely enough to take advantage of the dollar coins for frequent flier miles scam before the feds kiboshed it last year. For the record, I do like large-denomination coins and I wish it would have caught on here. I loved the size and heft of a one pound coin and the fact that I could buy a half-pint and pay for it with a single coin about the size of a thick penny was psychologically soothing.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Dec 14, 2011 -> 10:37 AM) I need to stop drinking for awhile. That's what blackouts are for, silly.

The commercial ginger beer syrup I have is a brand called "Sir Henry of Morgan's Valley" — a reference to this famous buccaneer who is a big part of Jamaican pirate history. On a separate note, I'm tending bar for the preprandial hour or so of a benefit dinner for a local ocean conservation group this Sunday. New Orleans gumbo and crawfish etouffee are the main dinner courses so I am going with a short specialty cocktail menu that highlights classic New Orleans and southern drinks. Old Fashioneds (w/choice of rye, whiskey, brandy, or rum as the base spirit) and Vieux Carre' cocktails (brandy, rye, sweet vermouth, Benidictine, Ango and Peychauds are on the burly side of the bar, and Grasshoppers and Brandy Alexanders are on the softer side. If I can get some good looking fresh mint then juleps will be on offer as well. The trick for this event will be to stick to the short menu hat was agreed on and not to mix up anything and everything asked for. Should be fun.

QUOTE (G&T @ Dec 9, 2011 -> 10:47 AM) El Dorado 21 year old rum is something I've wanted to try but I wouldn't drop that much coin. I know I can get it cheaper than Binny's is advertising though. You and me both. I will drop the dough for the Appleton's 21 first but this one is on my list as well.

QUOTE (G&T @ Dec 9, 2011 -> 10:44 AM) Well I just had to google the ginger beer syrup and saw this. I don't know if that's what you are talking about but now I feel like I must have it! Part of my Christmas gifts to my in-laws will be some good syrups because they love the tiki I've introduced them to. So I will make a bunch of passion fruit, and maybe orgeat. I don't know if they like ginger but the syrup might be a simple idea. Yeah, a fresh ginger syrup like that is great to have on hand and I use it in all sorts of things when I've made a batch. It does lose it's big spiciness fairly quickly so I make small batches. The ginger beer syrup I have made ginger beer with is a commercial product from Jamaica has some more spices going on besides the ginger root. I can't remember the name of the stuff right now but I found it accidentally when I was looking browsing at an East Indies grocers. I use it straight as a cocktail ingredient in rum punches a lot.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 9, 2011 -> 10:20 AM) Yep, out of my league. This calls for Flaxx. My advice is to concentrate on getting him something good and not just something he hasn't had. If someone gives me a bottle of something I know and love I'm a lot happier than when I get something I haven't had that ends up being not so good. I humbly suggest one of my dream Christmas bottles, Sazerac 18 Year Rye Whisky. I have not yet had the pleasure but it is universally well regarded and I'm hoping I find a bottle of it under the tree this year.

QUOTE (G&T @ Dec 9, 2011 -> 09:08 AM) So on Tuesday I gave a shot at my first ginger beer following Morgenthaler's recipe. Grating and juicing the ginger was a total pain in the ass. I was hoping for about 2 oz of juice from a whole root but got about 1.5 oz. So 1oz went to the beer, mixed with lemon and simple syrup in my shiny new swing top bottle. I used whatever Red Star wine yeast my homebrew supply store had (I'm not sure it makes a huge difference given the short fermentation time). The recipe called for 25 granules of yeast which is a pain in the ass to count. I know I went over but the bottle didn't explode. My 16 oz bottle is now chilling in the fridge following 48 hours of fermenting. I'm a bit nervous that it didn't ferment but it certainly looks like something happened to the yeast. There is a lot of sediment and it sorta looks like a bottle conditioned beer. I'll be grabbing some Goslings on the way home to try out a dark and stormy. Even if not particularly carbonated I hope it tastes good. I'm sure I can get some use out of it one way or another. I already have plans to mix some more this weekend. Perhaps adding vanilla. I also forgot to add cream of tartar to this batch. Well, I actually remembered to add it after putting in the yeast but at that point I was afraid of killing the yeast or something so I just skipped it. I'll be better prepared next time. What did I do with the other .5 of ginger juice? I mixed it with 1 oz of lime juice, 1.5 simple, and pineapple juice to taste. That came out exceptionally well. Depending on the amount of pineapple, this can be very hot to just a taste of ginger. I added too much pineapple for me, but it left just enough ginger to know it was there. But the end of it, the heat was sitting on my tongue. It's a drink I'm kinda craving right now... Very Adventurous! Let me know how it comes out. I have been cheating and using a Soda Stream to carbonate quick-made ginger beer using a Jamaican ginger beer syrup, but I am hoping to try the Audrey Saunders recipe that Jim Meehan published in the awesome PDT cocktail book. PDT doesn't carbonate their housemade ginger beer but I will definitely give mine some carbonation.

QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Dec 6, 2011 -> 04:10 PM) Is it age discrimination to say someone's hours were cut in half because "they'll be retiring in 2 years anyways?" Absolutely

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Dec 5, 2011 -> 08:53 PM) Except for flasoxx. he probably will always have the same list of classic horror villains from now until the day he dies This is true. Dracula should have been #1 for sure, but I didn't submit a list so I can't gripe.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Dec 2, 2011 -> 07:31 PM) I've heard of all of those. I was kind of hoping there was something I never knew of. OK, smartypants, how about the Flores giant rat from Indonesia or Haast's eagle from New Zealand (extinct since the 15th century) or the elephant bird of Madagascar (extinct about 1,000 years ago)??

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Dec 2, 2011 -> 03:08 PM) What are some others? Dodo, Moa, Galapagos Tortoise, and Komodo Dragon are some of the best known examples.

QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Dec 2, 2011 -> 02:36 PM) http://gizmodo.com/5864195/the-worlds-bigg...an-eat-a-carrot Giant wetas are awesome. A textbook example of he phenomenon of island gigantism.

Hope it was a good one!

Saison Dupont is one of my all time favorites for sure. Heading out camping for T-Day but it's not cold enough for hot bittered rum. Going with a nice selection of beer and cider and a few bottles of Bouj Neuveaux with our campfire turkey.

Just saw this. That is really messed up and sad.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 17, 2011 -> 05:43 PM) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/cri...ial-killer.html Aside from the names being different, this suspect looks very much like the Ripper suspect from the the Alan Moore From Hell graphic novels and Johhny Depp film with Ian Holm as the Queen's royal physician by day and Ripper by night. How cool would it be if Moore's fictional account turned out to be that close to the real story?

QUOTE (G&T @ Nov 19, 2011 -> 09:36 AM) I was actually offered one of the last 2 bottles of the Pearl Jam tribute Faithful that my local shop had. I turned it down. I think it's like $17 for a Belgian golden ale. Sorry Dogfish Head, I won't pay that price for a style that has been masterfully done for far less mone by so many breweries. Dogfish Head has some really good stuff but their prices are ridiculous and most of their "extreme" beers suck. My point is, I wouldn't feel bad about going to that concert which I am certian you will be attending if you don't want your wife to kill you. No question the concert will take precedence. But I love the draft Dogfish Burton Baton and it seems that the multi-tap special brewery night events are the only way I ever get it.

QUOTE (G&T @ Nov 18, 2011 -> 04:00 PM) Went and filled my growler at the local establishment today. Small brew pub with exceptional beers called Browns. I think I've mentioned them before. If anyone actually knew when they were releasing their seasonals, they would have a great following. Their rauch is the best American rauch I've had and their oatmeal stout is the best I've ever tasted (though sometimes inconsistent). The dunkelweizen was calling and I'm gonna guess I drink this whole growler. Aroma is a bit lacking where but it has a nice thick mouth feel with banana and caramel notes. Lacks a bit of effervescence, but that is almost certainly due to the growler. Why is it that beer just seems better when it was made down the street? That is a great feeling. Unfortunately local pride only goes so far. Our local micro continues to do a bang-up job and produces consistently quality stuff. But our local brewpub — a former GABF medalist — has gone into the crapper over the last few years. The stuff they are churning out now is undrinkable and I'm sure it is only a matter of time before they give it up. Very sad, because a couple of brewmasters ago they used to hit it out of the park with several of their offerings. My big dilemma coming up in a couple of weeks. . . I have been waiting for a 24-tap Dogfish Head beer event occurring December 1st at one of the three really good local beer bars. And now I have learned that my daughter's holiday band concert and spaghetti dinner fundraiser is the same night! Oh, the Humanity!

QUOTE (iamshack @ Nov 12, 2011 -> 10:33 PM) Jim, enlighten IlliniKrush as to the drunkfest Long Islands are... Honestly, about the funniest request a bartender can get is, "Long Island Iced Tea. . . And make it strong.". if made to specs, there is hardly a stronger drink out there, an ounce each of rum, gin, vodka, tequila and triple sec goes into the drink, plus some lemon juice, simple syrup, and cola. if anything, Jager shots are a safe harbor from Long Islands.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Nov 12, 2011 -> 12:33 PM) Tell me about it. I graduated in '04. Green St. (other than btw 6th/Wright) was just older buildings, some small no-name restaurants/shops. Just a few years later, there is every franchise restaurant you can name, huge clothing stores, a 20+ story tower. It was crazy, I barely recognized it. So what kind of culture shock would a Class of '89 like me have if I went back for a visit? Heck, I was devastated when I heard Deluxe closed and I couldn't go back and shoot pool and eat awesome fish sandwiches. Green St. Now I'm sure I wouldn't even recognize.

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Nov 8, 2011 -> 05:42 PM) Templeton is over 90% rye grain, and the remainder is malted barley...so it's rye content is unexpectedly high. It's 80 proof. http://www.templetonrye.com/production/ Thanks. I have been doing Old Fashioneds with Bulleit rye lately which is also way up at 95% rye content but only an 80 proof spirit. I thought I had a line on some 100 proof Rittenhouse Bonded but it fell through.

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Nov 8, 2011 -> 02:29 PM) I've been enjoying Old Fashioned's as of late -- made with Templeton Rye whiskey. 1 sugar cube Few dashes of bitters on the sugar cube A very little bit of water or club soda on the sugar cube Muddle the sugar/bitters/water, or club soda Add a nice swath of orange peel (try to mash it/smash it/twist it without ripping it, get the oils in the skin to come out -- or you can muddle it a bit with the sugar) 1-2 shots of Templeton Rye (or any kind of bourbon, doesn't have to be rye) Add ice cubes Mix Garnish with slice of orange and a Maraschino cherry According to many drink historians, it's the definitive (and first) American cocktail ever created. That is about a perfect cocktail. And true to the historic definition of a cocktail = spirits, sugar, water, and bitters. Peychaud's Brandy cocktail (brandy and Paychaud bitters) probably predates the Sazarac ans the Old Fashioned Brandy Cocktail, but it has none of the perfection of either of the others. What is the proof of the Templeton and what is the rye content? One I would lime to try.