Since I have little to do out here on the left side, I am taking to drinking. I know this startles all of you. Well, at least I'm getting creative. Here are some recent drink reviews:
Wild Turkey and Canada Dry: Whiskey-and-ginger ale is a classic; Maker's Mark is the best for this. Many of you long-time McCreary fans may have noticed my predeliction for Turkey, however, and as it's a lot cheaper than Maker's, that's what I drink. So, Turkey and ginger is tasty, but after one gets boring. No complexity. Three stars.
Captain Morgan's and Pepsi w/ Lime: This was more or less a shot in the dark - I knew it couldn't be too bad - but, hold on Sampson, this shiznitobam is the shit! Very tasty. More than an improvement on an old standby. 4 Screeching Weasles up.
Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio - Because I'm not drinking any fucking Merlot. Boring, but reasonably cheap. It's possible that the phoenetics of "Ecco Domani" will impress chicks, so it will stay on the shelf for a while - it sounds sophisticated, even if it's $6 a bottle, so it gets a silver star of the 3rd order.
Aquinas Chardonnay, Napa Valley, 2002 - the store had 2003 also, but I'm not falling for that shit. I haven't opened it, but Thomas Aquinas was a Catholic philosopher from the 1200s. May or may not have any bearing on the wine, but sacremental wine is allegedly the blood of Jesus or something, so in case that Jesus shit is for real, I'm going to rate this wine a 42 on the Anderson scale. Even though I haven't opened it.
Yellowtail Shiraz - Unlike the other wines on this list, I had this before moving out west...the others were on sale (if you are an Albertson's market preferred customer, which I became). Decent, but all shiraz (or, sirah, if you're a namby pamby bitchboy) is pretty much the same, good but not great, unless it blows. This does not blow. So, it gets a nine ampersand rating: &&&&&&&&&
Captain's and Mountain Dew Pitch Black II - There's a new Dew in town. There needs to be a new sherriff in town as well, to reign in this new Dew, because it's here to steal the women and rape the horses. It's regular Pitch Black but with Extra Sour Grape somehow spilled in it. On it's own, it kinda sucks. With Cap, it makes Gorilla Vomit seem like a viable alternative to water, oxygen, and heterosexuality. Avoid! 3 tildes on a 100-tilde scale. ~~~ By the way, it's what I'm drinking now. Because I suck.
Gordon Biersch Blonde Bock - Had a fancy package, was kinda expensive, is alright. I like a good beer - I think I appreciate quality beers more than most of you drunks - but this is one of those "if it's not good at least it's complex" beers like Dogfish Head Raisin D'Etre and anything at DuClaw. It's okay, but not worth $8 for 6. 1 steaming pile of [censored]: ~x
This restaurant called Hola's - homemade Sangria and their like 18 kinds of maragaritas. The sangria is tasty, but maybe weak (I think one is equiv of a glass of wine and a shot of Schnapps). Chicks dig it, though, and say it's strong, for what that's worth. The margaritas, however, are excellent..not too tequila-y but still obviously potent, and some of their house blends (I reccommend the Cadillac) are top-fucking-notch. Plus, the food makes other Mexican joints taste like clumpy cat litter. Too bad I can't afford the chicks that hang out there (I don't know what a duvet is or, specifically, how it differs from an afghan). Rating: check plus.
Some brewery in Burlingame, CA - I got shitfaced so the name escapes me. All I remember, the Stout was too sweet and the Porter was the same as the Stout. Still, I can't remember the name of the place so I'm sure I had fun. Score: 75% (getting laid accounts for the other 25%, and I certainly did not get laid).
Brickhouse cafe: did not serve alcohol. Fuck you, Brickhouse.
During-drink entertainment - I have not gone out alone, because I am not that pathetic. Yet. I can say with certainty, however, that Arrested Develpoment is second only to Strangers With Candy in terms of drinky-time entertainment (I love me the BitTorrent, and I love Ricky for the SWC dvds). Rome, while a good show, is hard to focus on when you are drinking alone in a dark apartment, wearing boxers and a Maryland hoodie, trying to hold the poo that wants to come out because I can't remember right now where I put the toilet paper. That was the worst sandwich I ever ate Lois.
So what have you guys discovered? Anyone put Sloe Gin in something new yet? Possibly, SoCo and goat's milk? Captain and Metamucil? Anyone? Beuller?
Very nice research there, Chris. The Captain 'n Pepsi is pretty good - more bars seem to be serving that now. Probably some contract crap similar to UMDs Pepsi-only thing.
I know nothing of the wines, except Ecoo Domani, which I also associate with trying to impress girls. Once they catch on, we'll be relegated to buying expensive stuff again.
I like Gordon Biersch - I've only had it in Hawaii (when the wonderful Kona longboard lager isn't available), but I'll probably be drinking more of it since they're opening one in Towson some time in the near future.
I have yet to find any great new drinks. Probably cause I'm becoming a beer snob, so the only liquor I drink with regularity is Captain (due to a sweet tooth). I did try out a microbrew last night - there's a rib place/brewery in Ellicott City (Bare Bones Grill) which was good. Wait, I lie. They had their own beer, but there was a Märzen from Clipper City. Märzens are only really around for a few months a year, so I had to get that.
Posted by: Rick at October 9, 2005 12:09 PMOh my god, the Kona Longboard Lager can burn in hell. It's not bad, but it was $9 and change for a six pack of it here, and dude, it tasted like Honey Brown. It was a little "cleaner" than Honey Brown, but man, I really felt ripped off at $9+.
Posted by: Chris at October 9, 2005 12:23 PMBased on the dissatisfaction, I just checked to be sure and realized it's the Ale I usually drink. I just remembered the longboard name better. Anywho, you might not like it any better, but if you can get the Ale for under $7, try it. I usually paid $4.25/pint for it at the bar, when they had domestics available for $2. Of course, I was also living on a $90/day stipend, so that helped.
Posted by: Rick at October 9, 2005 12:59 PMI just got back from a medical mission to Guatemala, so of course I tried the different Guatemalan beers.
Gallo is by far the best beer in Guatemala that I tried. Every bartender or waiter I asked a drink recommendation from recommended this beer. I should have just stuck with it. After trying a couple others, this is the only one that I'd order again. Probably about as dark as a regular Budweiser (not a Bud Light). And it does taste pretty good. Apparently, it's called Famosa here in the U.S. because Ernest and Julio Gallo already own the rights to the Gallo name.
I also tried Monte Carlo and Dorado. I forget which exactly was which, but it doesn't really matter since neither was very good. One of them tasted like
Corona Light watered down. Horrible. Not a bad taste, just not much taste at all. The other was slightly darker. Definitely drinkable, but given the locale, I'd probably drink Margaritas, Piña Coladas, or even just rum and cokes before an entire night of drinking that beer. Or better yet, a Gallo.
One of the other people that went tried a Moza. She liked it okay, but about as dark as she likes beer is Corona, so I don't have too high of hopes for it. I'll try it if I go again, but I have a feeling that I'll stick to the Gallo.
Posted by: Fatboy at October 10, 2005 06:36 PM