BS: What's your holiday cheer?

Subject: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: gillymor
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 07:56 AM

I don't drink any more...but I don't drink any less. That old joke doesn't apply to me around the holidays because I definitely do drink more. I don't go in for Scotch or Irish whiskey much but I picked up a bottle of Jameson's Caskmates which is their whiskey aged in stout barrels and it's far superior to their regular offerings, according to me. Also picked up some Pappy Van Winkles which a really fine bourbon, plenty of Dogfish Head 60 minute IPA which is my go to ale and some Ommegang Abbey Ale which is a wonderful US-made take on a Belgian dubbel. I've just got to pick up some good sherry and some wine and I'm set.

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: GUEST,Raggytash
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 08:31 AM

I have a Chateau Neuf Du Pape, it's only a 2013 so I don't know yet if it is good wine or a very good wine. Never had a bad one.

The Whisky/Whiskey collection continues to grow 79 bottles in total with 47 different Malts.

Should keep me pleasantly mellow.

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: Stu
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 09:16 AM

Fifteen cans of Stella, a bottle of Bailey's, a packet of fags and a few down the pub to start with. Oh aye.

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: MikeL2
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 09:19 AM

A problem somewhere meant that my reply was not posted ...doh

Got to go will try again later

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: GUEST,#
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 10:03 AM

"I've just got to pick up some good sherry and some wine and I'm set."

I know nothing about sherry, but wine . . .

Any third-pressing muscatel that doesn't exceed 24% alcohol is fine by me. Make sure it has an orangey-yellowish colour, semi-transparent clarity with less than a quarter inch sediment in the bottle. If the sediment exceeds said measure, put a brown paper bag over the bottle and it will appeal to even the most delicate palate. If by accident one should purchase a bottle that exceeds the 24% alcohol suggestion, one may rectify the problem by cutting it with tap water. If the water is chlorinated, that could interfere with the delicate balance of this fine wine, so as a last resort add

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: GUEST,#
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 10:07 AM

a can of Budweiser that has gone flat. I accomplish that by leaving it open overnight. The resulting beverage has a delicate nose and is not in the least pretentious. It is best served with cold beans on toast. I give it an 8/10.

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: maeve
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 10:43 AM

You've gotten me laughing like a gull here, #!

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 10:49 AM

Magnum of Proseco to be taken with fresh orange juice for Christmas breakfast and on it's own for Christmas dinner. A teaspoon in the neck of the bottle somehow keeps the fizz alive over the course of the day! Taylors LBV port will round off the dinner and various other beers wines and spirits will probably be sampled over the extended period :-)

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: GUEST,#
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 11:09 AM

Merry Christmas to you, Maeve. I hope it's a wonderful time for you and TL :-)

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 11:17 AM

Making music, mostly. Friday we will have eight musicians in the living room and 5 Scrabble players in the dining room. Sometimes we will all sing together.

Add to that making music in church, and it adds up to a great season.

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: maeve
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 11:23 AM

Thank you, #. And to you and yours. :)

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: GUEST,Raggytash
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 11:26 AM

For some bizarre reason my good lady insists on Madeira on Christmas morning. Having said that I insist on Port and Brandy at the end of the afternoon!

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: GUEST,#
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 12:13 PM

For Raggytash's missus.

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: Bill D
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 12:26 PM

Gillymor has it right... except that once a year, I'll spring for Dogfish Head's 90 minute IPA... and if someone wants to surprise me with 120 minute, I'll cope... ;>)

And...yes... any good Belgian Trappist ale

And for various reasons, including a tribute to a departed friend who love it, a bottle of Penfold's Aussie red wine... Bin 8 or Koonunga Hill

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: gillymor
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 12:27 PM

It's good to see a fellow muscatel aficionado on these pages but, #, you forgot to mention that it is best enjoyed while seated on the curb in front of the convenience store where purchased and to be sure it hasn't turned one should always sniff the screw cap.
Also, not to be overly critical, but even utter philistines know that a good Budweiser needs ample time to breathe.

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: GUEST,#
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 12:32 PM

I must admit you're right gillymor and I stagger corrected.

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: gillymor
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 12:32 PM

Right Bill, DH 90 minute about once a year for me as well. 120 is a little much but I'm working up to it.

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: Bill D
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 12:52 PM

I must add that while flat Budweiser is the choice these days, when I worked at a liquor store in the 60s, we had a special beer that would enhance any Muscatel.... it was called "Canadian Ace" and was 79 cents per 6-pack. We called it "faculty beer" in our little store near the university, and on weekends kept a stack of 8-10 cases right inside the door. I think it contributed to the ^high educational standards the school maintained.


(all true ..except perhaps the last sentence)

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: GUEST,Musket
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 01:48 PM

Mrs Musket and I are doing quite a bit of entertaining this Xmas, family and friends at different points. I stocked up via a wine club we support plus lots of bottles of Black Sheep, Admans and Old Peculiar, the usual spirits etc.

For Xmas dinner, a couple of bottles of a decent verve followed by three bottles of Chateau Reynella 1995 (Shiraz)

This morning I thought we had overstocked on wine, as we have 64 places to store and 78 bottles (which to be fair includes our usual evening slurp) and then when I got in tonight, a box was awaiting. A xmas pressie from a relative of 18 bottles of one of my favourite Oregon Pinots.

It would appear the liver is evil and must be punished.....

Best bit is, I generally take guests down to the pub in the village. If the ruddy house burns, it'll take days to stop the flames.

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: MikeL2
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 02:56 PM

Hi

I can't match Raggy's' 79 bottles of Whisky/Whiskey. They are full ones arn't they??

I too love Chateau Neuf and have a dozen. The year is 2012. But I have not tried them yet so I can't comment on them. But I haven't had a bottle yet that I haven't liked.

I have a few bottles of single malt Scotch Whisky - 12 years old Glenfiddich; 12 years old Cardhu; 10 years old Jura and a bottle of The McCallan Gold. I have had this several years now so I will probably sample it this Xmas.

AS for Irish Whiskey, I have a bottle of 12 years old Bushmills but I do have something unusual too.

For my Birthday last month a friend bought me Two " special bottles of Irish whiskey;something I have never heard of. Special in the sense that they are not the usual labled commercial stuff.

The bottles have no labels. They are handwritten in white paint. The handwriting is difficult to read. ! seems to be "Jack's Moidiu 43% and the other..."Rare Pat Azel Teeling 43%.

Perhaps someone who knows his/her Irish Whiskeys will be able to recognize them.

We do have quite a few wines - Prosecco , Several different Siraz , currently my wife's favourite. I like Spanish red Rioja. and have a few Gan Reservas.   Port, Cockburns, Taylors will feature high on the agenda and my No 1 son can clear me out in one night if i don't keep my eye on him.

I wish you all a great time in trying the drinks.
All the best to you all.

Cheers

Mike

PS No music....I hidden my grandson's cello.....lol hic

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: GUEST,Raggytash
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 03:14 PM

Ni MikeL, some of the bottles are open, not all by any means. I rarely drink at home. If you or anyone else visited we could rink to our hearts content, but seldom on my own.

As to the Teeling, there has been an explosion of "new" whiskeys in Ireland in the quite recent past. I've tried (and have a bottle of) a ten year old Teeling and like all Irish Whiskeys I tried (with the exception of Midleton) it is superb.

# Thanks for the link, I remember Strawhead doing the same number with GREAT effect some years ago.

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: gnu
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 06:44 PM

STALE Bud? Ahhh... you let the alcohol evaporate, #? It's only 5% to start with. I am on a fixed income so inflation plus evaporation just don't blow the snow fer me eh? Know what I'm sayin? Bud is $48.50 for 30 cans here in the backwoods of Canada's poorest province. How's by you in Uppity Canada?

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 06:54 PM

If you're a supermarket special offer tart you can still get good wine for five quid, six at a stretch. Chateauneuf is overpriced drain cleaner. Avoid France (mean with fruit), Chile (mass-produced anonymity), Oz (alcoholic Ribena) and the US (juice) like the plague. Good NZ whites are a bit dear. Try these, and if your taste isn't mine, bugger off!

Tesco Finest: whites, Fiano 2014. Pecorino 2014. If you like rosé, Vina Mara 2013. Red,
Nero d'Avola 2014.

Waitrose: red, Inycon Nero d'Avola/Frappato. A beauty.

Marks and Sparks, red, Negroamaro 2014.

Sainsburys: red, Taste The Difference Primitivo, though avoid the 2013.

Nice unpretentious white, Torres Vina Sol, anywhere you can get it for a fiver.

Rioja, any of the yellow or orange label Campo Viejo. They are always on offer somewhere or other.

Prosecco, almost any is good, though Asda sell a cheap one called Italia that is not nice, and Tesco Dino is a bit insipid. You're a mug if you pay more than about £6.50.

Champers, Sainsburys Blanc de Noirs. It's a beauty, full price around twenty quid, but I usually get it when it's three quid off AND when the store does 25% off for six bottles of any wines.

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: GUEST,#
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 07:03 PM

"How's by you in Uppity Canada?"

You have hurt me to the core. I am in Lowery Canada.

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 07:04 PM

Well, Bill, some of those Trappist ales stink. Not saying you can't get good ones, but watch out for rat poo floating in them. If you fancy a truly superb Belgian ale, you can't beat Duvel. Best beer I've ever tasted.

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: Bill D
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 09:24 PM

I have had Duvel... (I still know where to get it locally)...very good stuff. But I've also had stuff like Bios Copper Ale and Rodenbach and several excellent Trappist brews. Westmalle & Orval are excellent, but possibly the best single beer I remember was a *fresh* bottle of Chimay blue top about 15 years ago.

I spent about an hour today choosing several IPAs from among maybe 25... including 6-7 I'd never heard of. (And I did get more 90 minute Dogfish Head)

I do have one treasure hidden away... a small bottle of the original Thomas Hardy's Ale from 1993. I drank a 1987 a couple of years ago, on my birthday. It was difficult saving it for 25 years, but it was delicious. I 'may' keep this one for 2-3 more years... but I want to be able to appreciate it, and I am aging too!

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 09:53 PM

Ah yes, Chimay. :-). I also managed to sample an ancient bottle of Thomas Hardy. Can't remember how old it was, but it was horrible! Gone off, I reckon.

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 16 Dec 15 - 10:32 PM

White House Press Corp....egg nog.

The recipe goes back to president Eisenhower. The "foundation" is refrigerated (not frozen) and carried over to the next year.

It includes, bourbon, rum, and brandy. Final finish, in a punch bowl includes whipped egg whites, whipped cream and egg nog ice cream.

It should test out near 20% alcohol. It is smooth as a silk slipper.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

This ain't no Michelle O ...open house toddy...it goes back to hard drinkin days of hard core fundamentals

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 17 Dec 15 - 03:24 AM

Chateauneuf was £8 a bottle in Morrisons the other day so I bought a couple. Would not have paid the £15 standard price.

Old rarities - Only 2 (in the shed!) A bottle of Liverpool Garden Festival beer from the event of the same name. Late 70's/early 80's? And a bottle of, wait for it...


Pomagne!

No idea how old it is but it has none of the usual info on the label. We have had it at least 20 years. Not for any particular reason but we never had an occasion special enough to open such a fine bottle...;-)

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Dec 15 - 03:39 AM

# sez: a can of Budweiser that has gone flat. I accomplish that by leaving it open overnight. The resulting beverage has a delicate nose and is not in the least pretentious. It is best served with cold beans on toast. I give it an 8/10.

It's really good for killing snails in your garden, too....

---

As for me, I try to sample as many different Christmas ales as I can find. I couldn't find Trader Joe's buck-a-bottle Winter Brew last year, but it's back in good form this year. It's a dark double bock lager, and it's darn good.

At San Francisco's Camp New Harmony every year, we celebrate New Year's with the "Triple Crown." We start with a John Barleycorn workshop, sampling Anchor Christmas Ale from as many years as Charlie Fenton can find (usually 10-20 varieties). After that is a free-for-all beer sampling, and then Pub Songs and Sea Songs workshops (well-lubricated, of course). A perfect way to end the year.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: Will Fly
Date: 17 Dec 15 - 04:27 AM

My son is in the wine trade and we get all our wine from him with a very nice 20% discount. He has a great palate and has studied for diplomas in the wine and spirits educational courses. So - although I've learned a fair bit over the years - he knows a damned sight more about wine than I do! I've been buying through him for a long time and only ever had one duff bottle in all that time.

As well as the Belgian and English beers and the various malts, we have (at an average of £10 a bottle after discount):

WHITES

Domaine Chauveau, Pouilly-Fumé 2014 (France)
Mandois, Champagne Brut, 2005 (France)
Chateau Bouscasse Jardins, Pacherent du Bic Vilh, 2012( France)
Domaine Chéri, Macon-Milly Lamartine, 2014 (x2) (France)
Domane Wachau, Gruner Veltliner, 2014 (Austria)
Greywacke, Wild Sauvignon, 2012 (New Zealand)
Staete Landt Josephine, Chardonnay, 2014 (France)
Poggio Alle Fate, Chardonnay, 2014 (Tuscany)
Domaine Saint-Lannes Signature, Cotes de Gascogne, 2015 (France)
Sequilo, Swartland, 2014 (South Africa)

REDS

Simon Hackett, Greenacre Old Vine Grenache, 2012 (New Zealand)
Calusari, Pinot Noir, 2014 (Romania)
Mas Picosa de flor en flor, Capcanes, 2014 (Spain)
Passimiento, Baglio Gibellina (mix), 2014 (Sicily)
Vina Arana, Rioja, 2006 (Spain)
Michele Chiarlo, Barberi d'Asti, 2012 (Italy)
Kaiken, Malbec, 2013 (Argentina)
La Braccesca Safazio Montepulciano, 2013 (Italy)
Sagrantino di Montefalco, 2008

Ym! Yum!

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: The Sandman
Date: 17 Dec 15 - 05:31 AM

no more Rainwater

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: GUEST,Raggytash
Date: 17 Dec 15 - 05:36 AM

Will !! Can I come to your house if I fetch a couple of bottles of a good Malt Whisky :-)

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: Will Fly
Date: 17 Dec 15 - 05:53 AM

With pleasure, dear boy! PM me and get the first mule train down to Sussex. It's only a humble chateau with 120 acres we have, but I'm sure we can manage you. ;-)

At the moment I have a half-consumed Glenfarclas malt (superb), and unopened bottles of Dalwhinnie Gold and Balvenie Caribbean Cask for Christmas presents. The Balvenie should be interesting as it's been matured in rum casks - wonder what the "nose" will be on that one...

Still to buy: A good gin - possibly Tanqueray - for Martinis, some Armagnac and some brandy.

My (very old-school) Martini recipe:

2 measures of dry gin per person
1 measure of Noilly Prat per person
1 dash of Orange bitters per person

Plenty of ice in the cocktail shaker, add the liquors.
Stir 20 times - do not shake - why add water to the mix?

Pour into cold glasses and add 2 stuffed olives per person.

DRINK!

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: Will Fly
Date: 17 Dec 15 - 05:56 AM

Alternatively, do what Noel Coward recommended and just wave the Noilly Prat bottle in front of the gin!

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 17 Dec 15 - 05:57 AM

I was always put off one of those Martini ingredients by a simple grammatical error - An oilly prat :-)

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: GUEST,Raggytash
Date: 17 Dec 15 - 06:08 AM

Will, would a 12 year old Highland Park and a 10 year old Talisker suffice. I suppose I could also bring 10 year old Locke's a rather good Whiskey.


That should keep us merrily singing carols for a day or two.

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: Will Fly
Date: 17 Dec 15 - 06:15 AM

Ding dong merrily on high!

Talisker is always welcome - I've never tried Highland Park. Locke's is good.

I had a very nice, peaty Laphroig or three in the pub the other evening while MC'ing the Brighton Acoustic Session. The MC'ing went well - as did the driving home, 'cos I was in the back seat!

There's a lovely shop in Bakewell, Derbyshire, called The Malt Shop, which - as the name implies - sells mainly malts (from all over the place, including a prize-winning one from Japan) and glasses, etc. There used to be a similar one in Brighton, but it closed for some reason.

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: MikeL2
Date: 17 Dec 15 - 06:46 AM

Hi Raggy

Thanks for your info on Teeling. I will be having a go at it shortly.

Regards

Mike

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 17 Dec 15 - 06:52 AM

I think, as a Christmas treat, I may need to visit my local temple - The Wright Wine Comapny. Been here almost 3 years and have not yet entered the portal!

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: MikeL2
Date: 17 Dec 15 - 06:53 AM

Hi Steve

Thanks for the info and recommendations. There is huge subjectivity in peoples' judgement here.

I go by one principle when judging wine & spirits.

If I like it - it is good.

Regards
Mike

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: GUEST,Raggytash
Date: 17 Dec 15 - 07:56 AM

There is a stunning Whisky Shop in Stamford Bridge, just off the A64. I really recommend anyone who enjoys a dram to drop in. They have a superb collection. One of the things they specialise in is single cask samplers. Not cheap and in 20ml bottles but well worth it if you are feeling flush.

The Whisky Shop

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Dec 15 - 08:12 AM

My favorite Christmas cheer:

Christmas once
Christmas twice
Holy jumpin' Jesus Christ
Wham bam
Goddamn
Son of a bitch
Shit!

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: Rapparee
Date: 17 Dec 15 - 08:28 AM

I have little to offer. Some Headframe "Never Sweat" I picked up in Butte, some whiskey from Wyoming, a couple bottles of 16 year old Bushmills, some Maker's Mark, some Knob Creek, several decent Scotches, a closet of wine, a couple bottles of decent port, and beers.

Polygamy Porter, Bitch Creek, various IPAs, Moose Drool, Dead Guy, Troutslayer, Midnight Satin, Belligerent Ass, Grog, and others from breweries such as Big Sky, PVB, Snake River.

I can also get Five Wives Vodka if anyone would like to try it.

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: gillymor
Date: 17 Dec 15 - 08:42 AM

Boy, I'm drinking this all in (have coat in hand).
One of the best parts of the holidays is seeing what sorts of potables friends show up with.

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 17 Dec 15 - 09:01 AM

I leave the beer to my other half as I don't like the stuff: he prefers IPAs and Blondes! (I'm a red-head!)

Cider is my delight, almost anything in the Aspall range or Thatcher's Katy (not too much as it's STRONG!) Not keen on bottled Magner's or any of those Kopparbergs: all too sweet, and as for flavoured "fruit cider" - why ruin a good cider by putting blackcurrant or raspberry into it?? Some pubs in Edinburgh now doing Somersby on draught, which is better than Strongbow or Magner's Golden Draught. Sad that we cider drinkers get so little choice of draught ciders in pubs (none at all in some) while there may be rows and rows of draught ale pumps!

Wines: prefer white, French or S hemisphere, excluding oaky Australians. N Zealand Sauvignon or unoaked Chardonnay will do me fine. Partial to Viognier either as single grape or in various combinations.

Whisky: not keen on a lot of smoke/peat, so would avoid some versions of Laphroaig, Ardbeg, Caol Ila, Lagavulin, Talisker, etc. I do like Highland Park (Orkney), Glenkinchie, Glenmorangie, Bruichladdich, and for cask strength, A Bunadh (Aberlour, Speyside distillery).

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: Will Fly
Date: 17 Dec 15 - 09:07 AM

I love cider but I can't drink more than about a half pint because it really upsets my stomach. To cap that, the English Cider Centre is located about 20 minutes away from me by car at Middle Farm, near Firle in Sussex. I can look, I can have the odd taste - but I can't seriously buy!

The Centre is a large, converted farm barn with barrel after barrel and shelf after shelf of bottles to choose from - sweet, dry, rough, smooth, mild, strong - and all combinations.

No Norman cider, though. Crepes, galettes and Norman coder... mmm ...

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: MikeL2
Date: 17 Dec 15 - 09:23 AM

Hi Raggy

Not much warm spirit around Stamford Bridge these days.....Oh you mean the Yorkshire one.

Thanks for the link, looks interesting to me. Must try Highland Park one day.

Cheers

Mike

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: GUEST,Raggytash
Date: 17 Dec 15 - 09:32 AM

I doubt you will be disappointed Mike, it really is a fine whisky.

Subject: RE: BS: What's your holiday cheer?
From: Bill D
Date: 17 Dec 15 - 10:18 AM

If I had to choose ONE whisky to be marooned with on a desert island, it would be Highland Park.

If I had to choose one to be my final sip before I leave this mortal realm, it might be Takisker. That is a harder choice, as I once had one small sip of a super-high gradeCachaça. Never tasted anything like it before or since.