Little Sister

I have an affinity for the scotch whisky Bowmore 12. It is a perfect blend of sweet and salty with hints of peat that speak to me. I’m convinced that I love the taste of the sea and the smell of peat because it’s in my Irish and Scottish DNA. If I was a rich man I would drink it often. However, $65 a bottle runs a little higher than my “daily dram” should.

Well good news everyone  – I found Bowmore 12’s little sister. Té Bheag [pr. che-vek, and say it like a Klingon just for fun] is a delicious $40 blended scotch whisky. It’s not a refined, fine filly of a single malt that nuzzles up to you, but she’s a noble beast in her own right [i tried my hand a poetry there – I’ll stick with blogging maybe].

The collection – and yes that is a ferret guarding the Whiskey cellar

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Zeppelin Connections

The Muddy York Brewing Company recently re-released their R-100 IPA [i’ll get to describing the beer later*, probably]. I, for one, subscribe to the belief that nothing happens by chance. Which is why i loved the 1978 BBC documentary Connections, created, written, and presented by science historian James Burke.  In each episode James Burke would demonstrate how various discoveries, scientific achievements, and historical world events were built from one another successively, in an interconnected way, to bring about particular aspects of modern technology. Kinda like how Wikipedia is going to now sue me for copying stuff word for word from their site.

James Burke**

Now follow me on this.

The R-100, aka the Zeppelin airship, was created by a certain Count von Zeppelin.  Check out this dashing man.

Ferdinand Adolf Heinrich August Graf von Zeppelin 1838-1917

Muddy York Brewing Company’s R-100 IPA was invented by their founder and brewmaster Jeff Manol.  Check out this dashing man – wait a minute! The resemblance is remarkable don’t you think? And it’s not just the fantastically groomed moustache and hat [maybe it’s the fantastically groomed moustache and hat].

MYBC R-100 IPA

Zeppelin also happens to be the name of a famous historical rock band – Led Zeppelin, for those kids that don’t really know about them.

Led Zeppelin’s lead singer is Robert Plant. Check out this dashing man.

And finally –  as i write this i realize that my hair has grow far too long.  A barista recently remarked, “You’re looking like a young Robert Plant today Travis”.

 

And so, that is how Count von Zeppelin inspired a chain of events that found this blogger writing about a delicious IPA. Also, i realize that i may need a makeover, because unless Robert Plant and Led Zeppelin get cool again my look has gone the way of the Hindenburg.

*R-100 – 70 IBUs. Magnum, Topaz and Equinox hops – evoking memories of MYBC Stormglass IPA.

**James Burke is not particularly dashing – well, compared to the Count, Jeff, or Robert.

Bubbly

Cremant de Loire in front of the tree

Marie Antoinette glass [wikipedia that – heh]

Beer makes Physics relevant to the masses

The world of alcohol beverages had made much of my high school education relevant again.

 SRM is the only  acronym I’ve decided to learn since I gave them up 2011*.  It’s really as simple as describing how dark a beer is but the formula would make any math nerd squeal 

Am I right or am I right?

This is what SRM looks like for the visual learner.

Pour yourself a blonde, a bitter, and a porter and watch physics in action. My high school teachers would be proud.

*TASER stands for Thomas A. Swift’s Electric Rifle

Beaujolais Nouveau 2017 winners

“The only party i throw each year” was a resounding success again. The wine was good, the friends were good, Godzilla made an appearance, i got a new t-shirt [big props JB], and here’s the proof.  My research tells me that the LCBO sells out 50% of their Nouveau in the first weekend. Pick some up for this year’s Christmas party. I keep one for Easter – that’s how i roll.

 

The glasses were ready

Godzilla made an appearance on this year’s Nouveau chalkboard. He was so busy drinking Nouveau that he picked up a bus and put it back down. Good news Tokyo.

The wines

The logo on a t-shirt

French Fiction

A friend asked me this week if I’ve heard any tasting notes on this year’s Beaujolais Nouveau. Released in two weeks time for those of you keeping track.

The truth is that the French have no idea what the Nouveau tastes like because they’re exporting it all and keeping the good stuff for themselves.  I honestly believe they hire a fiction writer to do tasting notes.  They have to – nobody French has touched “le stuff”.

Or maybe they’re programming AI machines to come up with a series of words that have to do with wine that they can pass off as tasting notes and then laugh their French derrières off at us.

Here’s the truth – I don’t even care. I love Nouveau and my Nouveau party and I absolutely embrace the idea of being scammed by the French.

Vive la Nouveau.  In fact, I nominate Beaujolais Nouveau for the Albertine Prize – “best contemporary French Fiction in English translation”.

Here’s some other French fiction for your consideration. IDK, “the Mitterand Years” made me giggle.

History Lessons

This is a brilliantly produced history lesson on Malbec. And really, isn’t a good history lesson  just story-telling  [granted, with facts you have to memorize for a test later on]. But a history lesson on wine? That’s worth a taste test later on isn’t it? That’s my kind of test.

I highly recommend these wines that you can get in Ontario from Cantena – producers of high altitude Malbec and Chardonnay in Argentina. Don’t know why high altitude makes a difference? You didn’t watch today’s history lesson did you? Watch the video – and then take the test 😀.

Catena MalbecVINTAGES# 478727 | 750 mL bottle

$19.95

Catena High Mountain Vines Chardonnay 2016VINTAGES# 918805 | 750 mL bottle

$19.95