Showing 20 posts tagged beer

Tweet-a-Beer is just that, a site for tweeting a beer to someone you know (or don’t) on Twitter. It’s actually a little more than that, it’s a site that uses the Chirpify platform to process payments via PayPal.1 It rolled out the door last week at SXSW, and, when the news reached me, I wasn’t quite in the mood to tolerate it. I’d been fighting a cold, was breathing through my mouth, had been awake too long and was dealing with a work situation that I’d created out of sheer stupidity. Later in the day, I was able to get my shite together and give it a spin. The first time I tried to buy a beer for my good friend Shawn Fleek, the transaction failed. His PayPal email address was unverfied. He rectified it, and I successfully bought him a beer. He was at Curious Comedy Theater while I was at home hopped up on cold meds.2 Here are the obstacles (as I encountered them)… PayPal is required on both ends of the transaction. This really isn’t much of an obstacle, as PayPal is under the hood of many online transactions. I’m not a big fan of PayPal, mostly because of the user experience and some of their Terms of Service over the years. I was willing to bite the bullet and give it a try, especially after Chris Teso sorta called me out on it very politely. PayPal Prepaid Payments Email. I got an email message that looked like it required some sort of action on my part. The steps to take that action were unclear (the click stream in the email was incorrect). When I finally found where I as supposed to activate Chirpify Prepaid Payments, it seemed like no action was required. Since this is a PayPal generated email, I don’t think the fault lies with Chirpify. Long story short, no action is required even though the email says that action is required. This may change. Unconfirmed PayPal Email Address. Shawn is courting financial ruin by having an unconfirmed PayPal email address. Well, at least he wasn’t able to get the money transfer on the first go. I sent him a DM, and he verified his email address. Five minutes later, I successfully bought him a beer. Other than those hoops, it worked. Presumably, if you’re someone that’s going to be buying beer for folks via Tweet-a-Beer, those folks are likely to already be setup in PayPal to be able to accept the beer. At the moment, I believe the maximum transaction is $5, though I believe you could buy multiple rounds for a person through the night. Buying rounds for a group might get cumbersome, but I bet somebody’s already testing a solution to make that happen. Now, who wants to tweet me a beer so I can test and comment on the recipient side of things? The people responsible for launching it may have a more complete/accurate description, but hopefully my thumbnail explanation will do for most folks. ↩ At the time of this post, I’m still on moderate doses of cold meds, though feeling much more human. ↩ High-res

Tweet-a-Beer is just that, a site for tweeting a beer to someone you know (or don’t) on Twitter. It’s actually a little more than that, it’s a site that uses the Chirpify platform to process payments via PayPal.1

It rolled out the door last week at SXSW, and, when the news reached me, I wasn’t quite in the mood to tolerate it. I’d been fighting a cold, was breathing through my mouth, had been awake too long and was dealing with a work situation that I’d created out of sheer stupidity. Later in the day, I was able to get my shite together and give it a spin. The first time I tried to buy a beer for my good friend Shawn Fleek, the transaction failed. His PayPal email address was unverfied. He rectified it, and I successfully bought him a beer. He was at Curious Comedy Theater while I was at home hopped up on cold meds.2

Here are the obstacles (as I encountered them)…

  1. PayPal is required on both ends of the transaction. This really isn’t much of an obstacle, as PayPal is under the hood of many online transactions. I’m not a big fan of PayPal, mostly because of the user experience and some of their Terms of Service over the years. I was willing to bite the bullet and give it a try, especially after Chris Teso sorta called me out on it very politely.
  2. PayPal Prepaid Payments Email. I got an email message that looked like it required some sort of action on my part. The steps to take that action were unclear (the click stream in the email was incorrect). When I finally found where I as supposed to activate Chirpify Prepaid Payments, it seemed like no action was required. Since this is a PayPal generated email, I don’t think the fault lies with Chirpify. Long story short, no action is required even though the email says that action is required. This may change.
  3. Unconfirmed PayPal Email Address. Shawn is courting financial ruin by having an unconfirmed PayPal email address. Well, at least he wasn’t able to get the money transfer on the first go. I sent him a DM, and he verified his email address. Five minutes later, I successfully bought him a beer.

Other than those hoops, it worked. Presumably, if you’re someone that’s going to be buying beer for folks via Tweet-a-Beer, those folks are likely to already be setup in PayPal to be able to accept the beer. At the moment, I believe the maximum transaction is $5, though I believe you could buy multiple rounds for a person through the night. Buying rounds for a group might get cumbersome, but I bet somebody’s already testing a solution to make that happen.

Now, who wants to tweet me a beer so I can test and comment on the recipient side of things?

  1. The people responsible for launching it may have a more complete/accurate description, but hopefully my thumbnail explanation will do for most folks. ↩

  2. At the time of this post, I’m still on moderate doses of cold meds, though feeling much more human. ↩

This Week’s Tasting Notes

I usually don’t kick things off with cocktails (and sweet cocktails at that), but here we go.

Pisco Punch
I’ve been trying to dial in my recipe for Pisco Sours, and thought I’d change gears a little bit by ordering a Pisco Punch at Las Primas on North Williams (they seem to have no web site). The Pisco Punch (or this Pisco Punch) was just way too sweet, and I’m guessing that it was the sugar or a sugary syrup mix or possibly sweetened pineapple juice. It’s supposed to be a sweet drink, but this was so sweet that I just didn’t like it. Finishing it was work. The food at Las Primas is well worth exploring and the sangria is a nice balance of flavors and sweetness. I recommend the Butifarra sandwich, and a churro (or two). I’m not sure how Las Primas stacks up to real Peruvian street food, but we’ll be finding out in September.

Springtime in Paris
St. Germain, rhubarb bitters and champagne. I’m always game to try anybody’s play on the French ‘75 despite the fact that it can be quite the gamble. Extra Special KDB and I tucked ourselves into The Driftwood Room after seeing a show at Artists Repertory Theatre. The main note in this cocktail was the St. Germain with the effervescence of the champagne making for easy drinking. Good stuff, but I would have liked the rhubarb bitters to be cranked just another dash for just a touch more complexity. Still, a great drink, and I was reminded of The Stones in Paris ‘76, a spin on this cocktail that I had at Beaker and Flask or Pix Patisserie…I don’t recall. I want that one again.

Portland ‘85
Another champagne cocktail with Clear Creek Pear Brandy and their Pear Liqueur. It was just too sweet and a little overwhelming on the palate. I don’t know what the ratio of ingredients was, but reducing the liquor by half and letting a little more brandy come to the front would be nice. It’s not a bad drink, but side-by-side with the Springtime in Paris, it was just too sweet.1

And on to the beer…

Southern Oregon Brewing Na Zdravi Pils
A very light bodied pilsner with almost no sign of hoppiness until it slowly makes its presence known way in the back of the mouth. Really, really good stuff, but it looks like they’re not bottling it. Oh, and Na Zdravi is apparently Czech for Cheers!
ABV: 4.8%

  1. We actually shared two more cocktails (the Mallory Manhattan and another that slips my mind), but service at The Driftwood Room seemed to take a real nose-dive and crashed into the mountain. We weren’t sure if it was a shift change, confusion in the kitchen, a lost food order or what, but it was hard to enjoy those drinks as we slipped off the radar. ↩

This Week’s Tasting Notes

Stillwater Stateside Saison
By the time you read this, it will be too late. It will be gone from Barista with no known date on which it will return. It may never return. I had taken a break from my run on saisons when I stumbled across this, and there’s quite a bit going on with this beauty. It’s light and crisp, but with a funkiness. There are citrus notes (maybe grapefruit) and a little bitterness and a big white head. I’m just glad it was a late Friday afternoon when I found it and that I’m close enough to Barista to walk home. Track it down if you can, and keep an eye open for more from Stillwater.
ABV: 6.8%

Honeyrun Mead’s Ragnar’s Dry Mead
I knew I would have this issue when I bought this offering from Honeyrun…I think I’m just not a fan of fermented honey. I’ve never really found a mead that was dialed in to my palate. I’ve never spent an afternoon pillaging and laying waste to coastal villages then settled by a fire with mutton. Perhaps that’s a requirement for me to enjoy mead. This had a promising aroma that reminded me of cheese, specifically Epoisses or Pont-L’eveque, but that’s where the magic just kind of ends for me. It just has a musty taste. Sorry vikings.

Starbucks Casi Cielo Beans
The Danish Ambassador and I were in a pickle. We both needed to be heads down cranking out some work, we both wanted coffee, and we work in a pocket of town where a forty minute round trip walk is required to get good beans. We gambled, and came up short. I’ve been drinking quite a few Rwandan coffees, and this Guatemalan falls a bit short in several areas. I find it smooth, but lighter bodied than what Starbucks would like you to believe with an acidity that’s…well, maybe it’s there. At $15.95 a pound, it’s way overpriced. I was a little shocked at how many beans were splintered and broken when later compared to beans from Extracto and Ristretto. It’s a coffee experience, not coffee.

Helles Pilsner
Breakside Brewery keeps doing things I like. I believe Extra Special KDB and I have walked there on three consecutive Saturdays for happy hour these last few weekends. The Helles is a simple, straightforward pilsner that I like whether it’s cold outside or pretending that it’s spring. Grab the mussels (go Mediterranean) and the slider trio for a cheap, filling lunch. I’m cleaning my growler out to take some of this home.
ABV: 4.9%

I’ve always had a distrust of people that don’t like pets or have never had one. Pet lovers the world over probably know what it means to be in a place (physical or mental) where your pet is your only drinking buddy. The song’s a little sad, the video’s kinda cute, and it just made me think about what pets are to us some times.

So, here’s to Thurgood, Owen, and Mister Pippers…my four-legged drinking buddies of the past. Here’s to yours as well!

This Week’s Tasting Notes

It’s been a while since I’ve posted tasting notes. I’ll not belabor that with any lamentations, but will just jump into what I’ve been drinking this week.

Templeton Rye
Three bottles of this rye from Iowa have been in my home for some time. I love rye, but never really got what people were seeing in this one. Someone gifted us a crystal decanter for Christmas so I poured a bottle into it. Maybe a little bit of air getting in through the stopper (which isn’t air tight) for a month let this open up in some way. I’m not even sure that’s possible, but The Possibly Unlicensed Pyrotechnician came over to do some work for us, and we rewarded him with Templeton. Suddenly, I tasted a few notes I had been missing, but the biggest thing I noticed was the harsh finish I had associated with it originally was gone. In a word, it was balanced and smooth.

Ristretto’s Rwandan Dukundekawa Musasa
This might be my favorite local roast at the moment (especially for pour-over), though I think Extra Special KDB and The Danish Ambassador disagree.

Los Vascos Colchagua 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon
Extra Special KDB and I are going to Peru this summer so I’ve been trying to find some Peruvian wines. Basically, this means settling for Chilean wines (though I’m still looking locally and online). I was in a hurry when I picked this up, and totally forgot my history with cabs. I can’t remember anything about this wine except trying to drink it. Leaving it open over night didn’t even let it open up to anything that was…next…

Haden Fig 2010 Pinot Noir
This Willamette Valley Pinot was a very nice way to bounce back from the Los Vascos. I found a subtle earthiness, a berry note that I couldn’t quite place (raspberry or black berry), and I had an immediate craving for beef (a ribeye in particular). I blame the mystery berry note on this being opened late in the evening, after many other drinks. The Haden Fig comes in at $24 a bottle, but I swear I got it at Whole Foods for $20.

Reginato Sparkling Rosé of Malbec
I was reluctant to shell out $17.99 for a sparkling rosé, as there’s always something that makes me want to spend $10 or less on anything that’s a rosé. This Argentine treat makes me think I’ve been missing out. The only bad thing to say, is that the bottle only lasted about twenty minutes when Extra Special KDB and I sat down to dinner.

Trumer Pils
Sometimes, there’s no better way to cap off thirty minutes of cardio than a pilsner. I’m sure you’ve been there.

Zonin Prosecco
For Sunday brunch at home, there’s no better bargain than this $6 Prosecco. It’s great in a grapefruit mimosa with soft boiled eggs, cheese, bread and olives. It’s also great after a 5K run. It’s possible that Zonin is only making this available at Trader Joe’s, but I haven’t confirmed that yet. Buying a case of it is a real temptation right now.

This Week’s Tasting Notes

I’ve been eating and drinking quite a bit lately, but I’ve not been very good about writing or taking many notes. That said, here’s what I’ve managed to scrabble together when it comes to my holiday drinking the last few weeks.

Mary Unbound
This is mostly an excuse to have delicious pickles in a glass, and The Flint Hills Foodie will admonish me when he sees this.1 Every now and then, a man needs pickled vegetables, delicious pickled vegetables. In this case, I found myself with three jars of goodies from Unbound Pickling (many thanks to them) and wanted to put them to work in a Bloody Mary. I also plan a post this week with my tasting notes from each of the Unbound vegetables I’ve been using in drinks and on plates.

  • 4 oz. Knudsen Farm’s Tomato Juice
  • 3 dashes of Worcestershire Sauce
  • 3 dashes of Chipotle Tabasco Sauce
  • Squeeze of Lemon
  • 3 Unbound Pickling Green Beans
  • 3 Unbound Pickling Okra
  • 3 Unbound Picking Beets
  • A little salt and pepper
  • Drizzle Unbound Pickling Beet juice over it

We drank these without liquor, but add 1.5 oz of yer favorite poison to it if you need to dial it in that direction.

Logsdon Farmhouse Ales Seizoen
I’ve been drinking this offering from Logsdon Farmhouse Ales for several months now, and it was just named Willamette Week’s Top Oregon Beer of 2011. That announcement didn’t impact its availability too much, but I did notice some depletion at News Seasons Market. Try this beer folks.2
ABV: 8%

Heater Allen Pils
This is currently my second favorite beer that keeps finding its way into our home. It’s nearly half the price of Logsdon’s Seizoen so maybe that makes it my favorite. It’s really a coin toss. This is a Bohemian-style pale lager that Heater Allen says has a strong hop character which normally has me running for the woods. I find the hops to be balanced enough by the other things at work on the palate that it’s very drinkable. In the photo, it’s paired with a turkey/guacamole sandwich and roasted red pepper soup.
ABV: 5%

Yoshi No Gawa Winter Warrior
This is the latest sake that SakeOne is importing for Yoshi No Gawa, and I’m pretty happy with it. It’s got a little bit of fruity sweetness on the front, but a little earthy kind of note as well. I was psyched to have a friend pull a bottle from her fridge on New Year’s Eve as several of us sat down to some homemade pho. At $30, it might be a bit pricey, but I’m sure you can get a free taste if you’re willing to take a short drive out to SakeOne.

Pappy Van Winkle (20 Years Old)
We put 2011 to rest (and ourselves to bed) with a little nip of Pappy. I hadn’t had the 20 year for probably a few years, so this was a nice reminder of just what I like about Pappy Van Winkle…smooth spiciness with vanilla. Good stuff.

Ninkasi Double Red
Light hops and a slight smokiness made this a great pre-holiday lunch at Lair Hill Bistro when paired with their Brie on Baguette sandwich.

The rest of this list is pretty much where I’ve placed the stinkers.

Bear Republic Tartare
I almost didn’t even taste this sour Weissbier, as my first whiff reminded me of something gastric that rhymes with comet. Yes, the smell turned me off, and this thing was so sour I deemed it undrinkable with but a sip. Of course, this means Extra Special KDB loved it. Our palates do differ on occasion. I’ll be staying away from this (and nearly all sours).
ABV: 4%

Stumptown’s Decaf House Blend
I’ve been thinking of cutting my caffeine intake so I took this decaf blend for a spin using a Chemex Coffeemaker. It kind of tastes like coffee, but only barely. Does the decaffeination process strip out almost all flavors and notes? I must research and investigate. This is literally the first decaf I’ve drank in nearly 30 years.

Hales Nitro Cream Ale
I’ve enjoyed this lately on a few occasions, but on the first day of the new year, it didn’t suit my fancy.

  1. The Flint Hills Foodie and I generally have similar thoughts on eating and drinking, but the Bloody Mary is one drink on which we disagree. He foolishly thinks that a Blood Mary should be restricted to just one to two pickled green beans while I believe the Bloody Mary is a canvas deserving of anything from beef jerky to pickled Brussels sprouts. The more flourish, the better in my opinion. ↩

  2. One thing I’ve come to dislike abut Logsdon Farmhouse Ales is the beeswax seals. In a recent tasting notes post, I said they were a nice novelty. Well, that novelty is now just a pain. I suppose it’s a small pain to bear given the delicious taste inside. ↩

Where the Beer Takes You

Last evening’s dinner at Ned Ludd with beer pairings from Oakshire Brewery was a huge hit for me that fired on all cylinders. I believe Extra Special KDB fully agrees with me on that. This was more than a dinner where two guys say, “here’s what I’m cooking” and “okay, here’s the beer we have on hand.” This was two guys collaborating on every course backed by their staff to make some crazy things happen.

I’m not going to go course-by-course with all of the details of the meal, though I believe someone else at the table will be doing that shortly. I would just like to share something that doesn’t happen enough. I drank something that took me somewhere else1.

Ned’s Noggin Smokin’ Blonde was served with the third course which was smoked turkey leg and braised turkey leg with some winter squash (the course was also paired with Oakshire’s pilsner). Ned’s Noggin was brewed explicitly for this evening using malted barley that Jason French smoked in one of Ned Ludd’s smokers. I have to admit that I wasn’t very excited to try a smoked beer. I’ve been subjected to too many bad ones, and my thoughts, as it neared the table, were pretty negative:

  • It’ll be a novelty.
  • It will be way too smokey.
  • It will border on awful.

I was intrigued the second I put it under my nose. I couldn’t quite place the note I was getting, and Steve Jones (of Cheese Bar) mentioned roasted corn. I could get a sense of that, but there was something else there that had my mind racing. Then, it came to me. I thought of a barn. This barn.

As soon as I tasted it, I connected that barn with the field behind it, and had a momentary flood of memories as I recalled cutting, raking and baling hay for my uncle Eddie. Eddie West. I’ve always thought that was a cool name for an uncle. That’s his barn in Williamstown, KY, and I had the pleasure of hanging out with him just a few months ago,

Basically, for me, Ned’s Noggin is the essence of freshly cut hay, and I spent several seconds, maybe even a few minutes sitting at the table feeling like I was in that field putting hay up in that barn. Hopefully, I didn’t appear like a drunk falling asleep at the table. I’ve been thinking about that barn, that hay and that beer for 15 hours now. I want more of that beer and more time hanging out in that barn with my uncle.

Cheers!

  1. My father would accuse me of being “flighty.” Fair enough. dad. ↩

Oakshire Brewery at Ned Ludd

Tomorrow night, the folks from Oakshire Brewery are teaming up with the folks from Ned Ludd to produce the following menu of beer and food pairings (for $65):

  1. Oakshire Amber Ale – nibbles and forebits
  2. Skookumchuck Wild Ale -poached oyster, creamed greens, rye crouton
  3. Ned’s Noggin Smokin’ Blonde/Bottoms Up Pilsner - two way turkey leg (smoked and braised), winter squash, reduced jus
  4. Ill Tempered Gnome - cheese pairing with Steve Jones of Cheese Bar
  5. Mt. Rose Gruit - duck breast, cardamom turnips, pickled cherries, Ned’s cola sauce
  6. Nutcracker Gingerbread Imperial Porter - candied ginger gingerbread, nutmeg crema

Extra Special KDB and I have our reservations in place, and will report back later in the week with how the night progresses. I can’t wait.