Wine, Beer, and DACs

Discussion in 'Food and Drink' started by frenchbat, Feb 7, 2019.

  1. OJneg

    OJneg The Most Insufferable

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    This thread is going to make me get back into wine. I probably haven't been wine shopping in a year or so.

    Now that I'm looking at moving to Grand Rapids, there's a lot more local beer to try anyway :piratemug:
     
  2. JK47

    JK47 Guest

    TRADER JOE'S 4'EVER!!!
     
  3. OJneg

    OJneg The Most Insufferable

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    Costco's over here have a decent selection. We have Binny's which has an insane selection of different stuff from all over the world. Garfield's is another smaller, more selective chain that carries great stuff. Always have to hop the county line before going liqour shopping. Crook County charges insane taxes on liquor.
     
  4. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Founders Brewery there in Grand Rapids
    IMG_20180802_132234.jpg

    Port wine porter, oatmeal stout, and some raspberry beer shit. Did not have their Curmudgeon old style ale, which is appropriately named, and probably my favorite of theirs.
     
    Last edited: Feb 12, 2019
  5. zerodeefex

    zerodeefex SBAF's Imelda Marcos

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    Spent a lot of time not being into California wines until I found the small production wineries that were good. Some notable ones that I'd recommend:
    Lynmar
    Selby
    Davis family

    I enjoy ridge, too, but some of you might turn your noses up. Living in Colorado is amazing but I do miss being in Northern California for the food and the wine. I've never been a beer or liquor person so @jexby thinks I'll never belong in CO.

    We do drink a bit of wine in my house. I am thinking of converting the back half of our storage room into a cellar in a couple of years.
     
  6. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Azu in Ojai. Great food too. This was a recommendation from Jason @schiit.

    IMG_20190209_142813.jpg

    The Shangria La is for those Belgian dubbel fans. My favourite, but I let wife have most of it because it was her birthday. Arbolata is like chocolate with vanilla bean. Usually I don't like stuff like that, but it worked here.

    IMG_20190209_143200.jpg

    I took a bite out of the polenta. Braised short rib under all that.

    Will head back and hike to the hot springs when lungs get better.
     
  7. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Enegren Valkyrie in the can there. Good stuff. Driving to Trader Joe's now. My health must be improving.
     
    Last edited: Feb 12, 2019
  8. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    Buy the Dan Armor apple cider at Trader Joe's. You'll thank me later
     
  9. Taverius

    Taverius Smells like sausages

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    That cute little display dish with polenta is kinda heresy. Is that breaded? Because that's kind of like buying a mustang and getting the ecoboost i4.

    At least it's the right kind, I've seen white paired with meat before.

    For maximum healthosity, game meats with heavy gravy (traditionally our alpine antelope analogues, elk or deer should work), polenta taragna (dark brown, has buckwheat, cooked with smelly cheeses in the mix) and the heavy "important" wines, or really strong beers.*

    Winter mountain food, as you might imagine.

    Your heart will hate you, but you'll love it.

    * Not schnapps. Schnapps is never the answer.
     
  10. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    The small micro-wineries is where it is at. As far as reputation, it's big business in CA with lobbyists, etc. The French have their interests too, but the problem with the AOC system is that its simply too archaic and run by old geezers who look like Baron Harkonnen wearing an honorary sash.

    It's funny because I had a discussion with the wife on the AOC system in France and how I understood that shit. I told her it was more a matter of experience and also because the stuff that comes to the USA is limited, so it's easy to get a grasp on much of what comes here through direct experience. (Having a roommate many years ago who sold high-end French and California wines for a living helped too.)

    The conversation basically boiled down to Clash of Clans: this French wine is a Wizard level 7, and that is a Healer level 4, and that is a Golem level 6, and that is an Archer level 3. No one in the f'ing world unless they grew up with that system will ever understand it, hence the AOC is both a blessing and probably more of a curse in 2019.

    The French are too proud to slap cringey labels with grape stained footprints or rename their shit to something catchy like Arc d'Triumphe to generate sales at the local cougar hangouts.
     
    Last edited: Feb 12, 2019
  11. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Deep fried. Think of it as an advanced variety of American cornbread with crispy sides. And we really don't get the real stuff here anyway. It's like parmesan. We get the fake stuff from Wisconsin. It's horrible.
     
  12. Taverius

    Taverius Smells like sausages

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    Eataly has some nice stuff and sells online if you ever want to cook it.

    It has some stuff from other regions which is too low volume to be found in this one-seahorse-town.

    Booze selection is kind of poor, but they do have a good chinotto, if you want to find out what soft drinks we like here once we hit 35 or so ...
     
  13. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    What does wine that's been improperly stored taste like? Particularly something that's been in a hot car and/or exposed to sunlight for way too long.

    Been trying some pretty bad tasting expensive wines and I don't want to entirely blame the wine maker as I suspect a certain in-law has been super careless
     
  14. frenchbat

    frenchbat Almost "Made"

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    It's gonna tend to turn into vinegar. Acid, rancid, bad tawny port taste.
     
  15. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    Doesn't taste acidic, but does taste bitter with zero fruit. Does seem like bad port though.
     
  16. frenchbat

    frenchbat Almost "Made"

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    What wine is it ?
     
  17. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    Just for reference, these are the two I tried.

    7701AB98-EFF9-4001-9C21-20B2A9E026E0.jpeg 4BE6CD21-83F6-49E4-985C-D10A80A0B119.jpeg

    If someone has tried these and says they aren't garbage, then it's definitely storage. Otherwise, this is a PSA to save your money
     
  18. frenchbat

    frenchbat Almost "Made"

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    In all fairness, I wouldn't have a lot of expectation with that kind of wine. Cotes de Bordeaux is just too broad to be honest. The fact that it's happening with two different bottles, is kind of a tell-tale that something is wrong.

    It's a fairly young wine, so it's not prolonged improper storing, but high temperature (north of 75F for instance) for a couple days can already do a lot of damage. It's something that happens, even in wine producing countries.

    If you still have some left in the bottle and want to make a small experiment, try eating a small piece of cheese while drinking the wine (no joke), if you don't get an enhancement it's likely the wine is simply lost.
     
  19. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    I got another two bottles from the same box and I don't have high hopes.

    Good news is I didn't buy it.
     
  20. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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