Drinks

Low-Alcohol Booze: The Next Big Thing?

by Slashfood Editor, Posted Apr 26th 2011 @ 4:00PM

vodka martini Photo: Jupiterimages

Is cocktail culture losing its buzz? Last fall, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that bartenders were mixing up a host of cocktails with a lower alcohol content -- drinkers are looking for beverages with fewer calories, and a lower alcohol level also means patrons can consume more without fear of the breathalyzer. The trick behind many of these cocktails? Fortified wines, which are substituted for stronger spirits.

Last week, Grub Street SF dug a bit deeper into the world of low-alcohol beverages by tasting an array of lower-alcohol spirits made without distillation. After sampling fermented vodka and agave wine (think tequila, but instead it hovers around the ABV limit for wine), they proclaimed themselves impressed with the flavor -- and the added benefits. ("You've got yourself a decent drink that, after a half dozen or so, will have your college-age cousin buzzed but not barfing," was one enthusiastic response.)

The trend carries over into alcohol levels in wine. In a market reversal, California vintners are pulling back after years of producing juicy, high-alcohol wines, writes ZesterDaily. NPR reports that Kutch Wines and Vineyards owner, Jamie Kutch, is lowering the alcohol content of his winery's pinot noir to balance our the flavors -- and also prevent people from falling asleep on the couch after dinner.

Though these low-alcohol drinks may be growing slightly in popularity and distribution, they are far from mainstream -- particularly in the realm of beer: The Sunday Times tried to find to find moderate-alcohol beer in London and struggled due to "low demand." Colorado actually banned the sale of low alcohol beers in bars, albeit for complicated political reasons (and legislators are working to overturn the bizarre measure).

As with most matters booze-related, it's largely a matter of preference. But if you like your cocktails on the lighter side, it's nice to know you have options.

Filed under: Trends, Drinks

Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Island Creek Oyster Stout - Beer of the Week

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by Joshua M. Bernstein, Posted Apr 11th 2011 @ 1:00PM

Photo: YouTube

At 5:30 p.m. on a weekday, there are few places more madcap than New York's Grand Central Station. Packs of commuters skitter up and down the stairs trying to catch trains home. But amid all the hubbub, one room remains a model of serenity: the glamorous Grand Central Oyster Bar, where I arrive last Thursday to drink a beer made with a bivalve.

Tonight, Harpoon Brewery is unveiling the second iteration of its 100 Barrel Series Island Creek Oyster Stout, an elixir bursting with the briny goodness of freshly shucked oysters. Don't blanch. While slippery, salinic oysters and a roasty stout may seem as incompatible as toothpaste and orange juice, these these luxuries are ideal mates. For eons, barflies have known that Guinness goes grandly with bivalves. What Harpoon and breweries such as Flying Fish and Porterhouse have done is ramp up the inherent pairing by tossing oysters and their juice into the brew kettle.

Filed under: Drinks

Forget Bottles: This Wine Comes in a Can

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by Kristine Hansen, Posted Apr 5th 2011 @ 3:00PM

FLASQ wine in cans Photo: FLASQ Wines

When wineries first began to ditch cork as an enclosure, people got nervous. Turns out this panic over the usage of screw caps was a false alarm. In a blind tasting, it's impossible to determine which enclosure was used.

Perhaps fueled by this brilliant concept, in 2004, Francis Ford Coppola Winery in Geyserville, California -- founded and owned by the film director of the same name -- debuted the first U.S. wine brand in a can. The hot-pink cans of 187ml can of "Sofia" Blanc de Blancs "Mini" are sold in four pack, and they've been a huge hit with consumers.

And now another U.S. winery joins the trend. Flasq wines -- from St. Helena, California-based JT Wines -- are packaged in 375ml aluminum flask-shaped bottles. Currently available as 2009 Chardonnay (Monterey County) and 2009 Merlot (Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo County; and San Antonio Valley in Monterey County) they launched in January and cost $6 each. There is enough vino in each can to equal about two (6-ounce) glasses of wine.

These canned wines are a godsend for the summer season. Much lighter than glass, they are unlikely to be banned from places like public parks or swimming pools. (If you've ever toted wine in a backpack or shoulder bag you can vouch for how back-breaking this can be.) Also, with a wide mouth opening, you can sip straight from the bottle. It may not be classy, but who said drinking wine has to be a five-star experience anyway?

Filed under: Food News, Drinks

Hopworks Organic Survival "7-Grain" Stout - Beer of the Week

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by Joshua M. Bernstein, Posted Apr 4th 2011 @ 4:00PM

Hopworks Urban Brewery Photo: illupino, Flickr

Pop by my Brooklyn apartment, and chances are you'll only find two things to drink: coffee and beer. Those two liquids fuel my mornings and my evenings, and not always in the order that you'd expect.

Yet lately, the line separating java and beer has grown as blurry as my eyes at last call. Brewers have begun blending the a.m. and p.m. quaffs into a deliciously eye-opening hybrid. Don't consider the blend to be Four Loko's successor. Inky porters and chewy stouts naturally possess notes of chocolate and coffee. Adding ground java, either during the brewing process or steeped like tea post-brewing, plays up beer's existing coffee flavors.

Filed under: Drinks

Affordable 2009 Bordeaux -- Wine of the Week

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by Kristine Hansen, Posted Apr 1st 2011 @ 5:00PM

Bordeaux wines from Whole Foods Photo: Whole Foods Market

Normally I'm not a big fan of supporting big-box stores for wine purchases, but Whole Foods Market is an exception. Their selection is well-edited and personally sourced, with some of the wines purchased from boutique wineries that lack the marketing budgets to reach major American importers.

Did you know that the Austin, Texas-based chain employs two wine buyers -- Doug Bell and Geof Ryan -- who are out in the vineyards more than they are at their desks? Their entire job is to source wines that are a.) inexpensive and b.) high quality. What's not to like?

I recently had a chance to sip a selection of wines from Bordeaux, France, that this duo sourced. All cost under $20 a bottle, which is a steal given that many people find Bordeaux wines to be priced out of their range.

Here are my five bargain favorites -- available only at Whole Foods Market -- from this storied wine region.

Filed under: Drinks

Man Sues Over Mouse in His Energy Drink Can

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by Jason Best, Posted Apr 1st 2011 @ 4:00PM

Monster Energy Drink Photo: NickNguyen, Flickr

Ok, if this doesn't sound like an April Fool's Day joke, what does? "Man Sues Monster Energy Drinks for Putting a Dead Mouse in His Can."

We didn't want to end up with our, um, tail getting pulled, so we called up Reed Yurchak, who was reported as the attorney in the case, and asked him if it was true.

The short answer is...gross.

It turns out that Yurchak's client, 19-year-old Vitaliy Sulzhik, claims that he purchased a can of the hyper-caffeinated beverage last year from a local supermarket in Des Moines, Washington. (Not Iowa, folks, as has been reported.) Sulzhik was looking to get his Monster buzz on; instead, what he says he ended up with was a mouthful of...mouse.

The rigor mortis-ed rodent had somehow met its end at the bottom of the can. Sulzhik claims that he immediately lost his lunch; he eventually turned the can, mouse and all, over to Yurchak, who sent it to a local lab.

Filed under: Food News, Drinks

What Does Anheuser-Busch's Purchase of Goose Island Mean for Beer Drinkers?

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by Slashfood Editor, Posted Mar 30th 2011 @ 11:00AM

Goose Island Brewery bought by Anheuser-Busch Photo: Scott Olson / Getty Images

You've probably heard that Anheuser-Busch is purchasing Chicago-based Goose Island Brewery for around $39 million. Most of us who like craft beer are happy about the acquisition, since it means the beer will reach more parts of the country, but some industry insiders are concerned that it might mean a decline in quality for the brand. Ben Worcester of The Huffington Post breaks down what the purchase means for beer fans -- and for both companies.

Read the full story at The Huffington Post.

Filed under: Business, Drinks

Clown Shoes Clementine -- Beer of the Week

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by Joshua M. Bernstein, Posted Mar 29th 2011 @ 4:00PM

Clown Shoes Clementine beer Photo: Clown Shoes Beer

As a kid, I was terrified by the horror flick "Killer Klowns From Outer Space." In it, evil extraterrestrial clowns attack a sleepy California town, cocooning residents in a cotton candy–like substance that turns them into slurpable goo. The film was nightmare fuel, and in some ways contributed to a lifelong dislike of clowns.

Thus, you'll understand my apprehension when word wound my way about new Massachusetts' Clown Shoes Beer. "It's kind of a long story," founder Gregg Berman says of the moniker. Well? Basically, Berman explains, several years ago website Beer Advocate ran a contest to name its collaborative brew crafted with Dogfish Head. For the brown ale, which was made with pecan wood–smoked malt, Berman and Co. suggested Clown Shoes. They lost. Wrath of Pecant won.

Filed under: Drinks

Avery Joe's Premium American Pilsner - Beer of the Week

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by Joshua M. Bernstein, Posted Mar 22nd 2011 @ 5:00PM

Avery Brewing Joe's Premium Pilsner Photo: Avery Brewing

For years, the words "premium American pilsner" have been oxymoronic, the kind of marketing dribble used to describe Miller Lite and its cohorts of low-cost, low-flavor beer. So color me surprised when I spied a black can of Boulder, Colorado–based Avery Brewing's newest year-round release: Joe's Premium American Pilsner.

See, since 1993 Avery has built its name on bold, uncompromising ales that give your palate the ol' one-two punch. There's the Czar, a souped-up Russian imperial stout; the massively hopped Maharajah imperial IPA; and the burly Beast, a deeply nuanced, rum-esque elixir that can age for more than 10 years. Then there's humble Joe.

Filed under: Drinks

Wine of the Week - California Syrah

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by Kristine Hansen, Posted Mar 17th 2011 @ 5:00PM

California Syrah wines Photo: Alan Decker, Orfila Vineyards & Winery

California Syrah is pretty darn complex -- but it's also approachable.

An offshoot of two French grapes, Dureza and Mondeuse Blanc, Syrah is grown from near San Diego on the southern end on up to Mendocino's foggy coastline, and each of those locations and their climate differences plays a huge role in how the wine tastes. In Australia, South Africa and Canada, Syrah is referred to as Shiraz, but it's the exact same grape. While it remains the Rhone's most popular grape, California Syrah should not be ignored. The Golden State may be better known for its Chardonnay and Cabernet, but that's precisely why uncorking a bottle of Syrah is a refreshing change.

Very approachable for a variety of palates, this is an ideal wine to pull out at a dinner party. Splurge a little by springing for one of these four Syrahs and serving them with peppered meats, pizza or lamb.

Here are four of my favorite Syrahs from California producers.

Beckmen Vineyards 2008 Syrah Purisma Mountain Vineyard, Santa Ynez Valley, California ($48)
Syrah grapes from the winery's biodynamic-certified vineyard are used to make this wine, which is packed with concentrated blackberry notes and hints of violet.

Filed under: Drinks