November 2022

Whose turn in the barrel?

Food and Drink / By

Globe-trotting Buzzed Boomer Correspondent Maserati Mike raced through Ireland’s Jameson Distillery (ESTd 1780 in order to reach the tasting room. Among other fine versions of their Irish Whiskey, MM discovered the IPA Edition where the whiskey is finished in craft beer barrels. Contrast that with Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey where only new in-house-crafted barrels are used for aging 4 to 7 years and then sold to craft beer and wine makers to age their products.  So whose turn in the barrel?

Meanwhile, no further word from Maserati Mike.

  • Jet Cannon

Waterloo Wisdom

Good Clean Fun / By

Tireless Buzzed Boomer Roving Correspondent and Pub Patron Maserati Mike shares some memorable quotes from his relentless research in London.

“I love water, especially when it’s frozen and surround by gin.”

 

“I have taken more out of alcohol than alcohol has taken out of me”. – Winston Churchill

 

  • Jet Cannon
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BrewDog

Food and Drink / By

Last week, Buzzed Boomer Roving Correspondent Maserati Mike checked out the latest BrewDog bar in London.  If bigger is better, the Waterloo BrewDog wins.  

“We’ve really gone for it this time.  Our biggest UK bar is here. Two floors and 27,500sqft of craft beer nirvana inside Waterloo station, next to the iconic London Southbank. With a restaurant, an on-site microbrewery and 60 taps of draft beer over two bars, we’re serving some of the freshest beer in London and some of the greatest food that’s ever graced the inside of a train station.But why stop there? With our Grind Cafe for your brunch and caffeinated needs, a cocktail hideaway, a co-working space, a podcast recording studio, duckpin bowling and AN ACTUAL SLIDE, there’s plenty to keep you occupied while they clear the leaves off the line. Get down here. Grab a drink. Pray for train delays.”

Last we heard, Maserati Mike was still there.

– Jet Cannon

wine by train

Food and Drink, Music / By

Per Costco Connection, “In 2012, multiple-Grammy Award-winning band Train added winemaking to their creative repertoire with Save Me, San Francisco (SMSF) Wine Co. Ten years and 11 million bottles later, SMSF is bringing a limited reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Item 1701833) to select Costco warehouses in California. Proceeds from sales support Family House San Francisco, a nonprofit organization that provides housing to families of seriously ill children receiving treatment for life-threatening illnesses.”

  • Jet Cannon

Weeding out the weak

Food and Drink / By

We were recently treated/subjected to Malort, a Chicago liqueur with an intriguing history.  During Prohibition, “Carl Jeppson begins producing his “bäskbrännvin” (a traditional Swedish-style of bitters) and sells it as a “medicinal” product that rid its imbibers of stomach worms and other parasites in the body. Jeppson skirts federal regulation given the recurring conclusion by law enforcement that nobody would drink his concoction recreationally.”  Since then, it’s been modified and included at one point a stem of wormwood in the bottle.  Yum.  Through the decades, Jeppson’s Malört – a traditional wormwood-based digestif – has been thought of as a rite of passage or a hangover cure. For many Chicagoans, Malört is the drink that has defined the Chicago bar experience. 

Intrigued, we gave it a try and found it not at all unpleasant.  Read about Malort here and take note of a possible cure for hangovers and/or worms!

Shout out to Jack and Tim for sharing!

– Jet Cannon

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Brain Food

Food and Drink / By

Right after cocktail hour, we start thinking about healthy eating.  Sometimes we even follow through.  

Laura Ali has written a handy cookbook, “Mind Diet for Two” tailored to Baby Boomers interested in supporting brain health.  The 65 recipes emphasize the familiar berries, vegetables, fish, beans, whole grains, poultry, olive oil and…. Red wine!  The recipes are tailored for two (empty nesters), with ingredients actually available at the grocery store, and take less than 30 minutes to prepare. And let’s not forget the daily glass of red wine.

– Jet Cannon

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Never Ending Fall

Food and Drink, Music / By

The band Never Ending Fall has taken to TikTok with their Costco Kirkland brand liquor versus the name brands blind tests.  Thank you for your service!  Read more in The Seattle Times.

The short answer is that the Costco booze is as good as, or comes close, to the name brands in most cases.  So if you’re not trying to impress your friends, you can save a significant amount of money by hitting the warehouse.  Or better yet, put your friends to the test.  We did one blind test with a dedicated vodka drinker and he picked the Kettle One as smoother.  Without hesitation.  But we’ve noticed he’ll happily drink the Kirkland if we just hand him a glass without saying what it is.  So it’s close.

– Jet Cannon