The hunt for one of the most desired beers on the planet, The chase for Pliny the Younger

In the realms of great beer, there is one brew made out in Santa Rosa California that is highly coveted and released only once a year in beer pubs.  That beer is a very large hopped IPA called Pliny the Younger from Russian River.

The problem is in order to get a glass, you have to travel to only a few select places to get it.  California which is the home of Russian River brewing company, offers a few places to get it.  I've also seen Pliny Younger in Denver.  For our hero who was always curious about this beer, there was one option that was a little bit more economical sense wise if I was to get my hands on this so called coveted "nectar of the gods".

Philadelphia PA often has kegs of it, and one of my favorite beer bars was holding a much publicized event to taste the beer.  I took a day trip (and early day trip) to Monk's Cafe, to wait in line with many beer fans and also to get a sampling of many other Russian River brews.

Taking an adventure to try one of the most coveted beers in the world I found out takes a lot of planning.  When I thought about everything I was doing, I couldn't believe I had to go to this much effort just to try one beer.  However, I was very glad I did, since when I arrived 2 1/2 hours early before the bar opened, there were already 20-30 people ahead of me in line.  20 minutes later, the line snaked around the block with hundreds of people, many who I am not so sure were even able to get a glass once the bar opened 2 hours later.

I had to document this event for my channel being a big beer drinker and fan, and it turned out that the journey was probably the most memorable thing about it.  There's always one thing about good drink, it's sometimes the chase which is more exciting than the actual reward.

Watch the video below to see how I made this day trip, which started promptly at 6:30 AM in the morning for a long drive to Philadelphia.  Cheers!

Interview with Jeff Hancock brewmaster of DC Brau

I had the fortunate chance to connect with Jeff Hancock of DC Brau.  I've enjoyed quite a bit of their beer, and it's been interesting to watch his business thrive in the DC area at a time when the growth of craft beer is exploding in popularity.  I wanted to interview Jeff for my channel on YouTube, and we luckily got our schedules in order and recently did it.

You can listen to the interview below, it's all just audio.  It's much like a podcast, you can just hit play and listen to it in the background while surfing somewhere else or doing something else also.  I did provide brief breakdown of the sections if you want to go to certain subjects.  Feel free to check it out!

CHEERS!

Favorite beers from the Imbibe Hour in 2012

It was another year again in beer.  2012 brought many highlights, much of it coming from a trip to Vermont visiting Hill Farmstead.  Not sure what is in that water that is producing the beer up at Hill Farmstead (fairy dust? unicorn tears?), but it is making some of the best beer I ever had.

Another surprise how a particular style that can normally polarize me a bit, became the source of some my ultimate favorite beers.  That style was the saison - farmhouse ale.  I had so many enjoyable ones that I officially am crowing 2012 the year of the saison for myself.

I made a video of the highlights in beer for 2012.  Feel free to check it out on my channel as well.  There were also many other brews I wish I could mention but it was hard to pair down a list of 600 (which was far shorter than last years) beers as highlights.

Cheers!  and see you in 2013!

Korean memories bring back new twists for imbibing

In the grand scheme of things, my life with drink and food is a journey into fabulous memory, and exceptional revelry.  I had a "brief" life changing experience in Korea teaching English in 1995, which provided me a great backbone in an ethnic cuisine that I have adopted since as my "favorite".  The flip-side I discovered was a culture that liked to imbibe to great joy (if not to extreme excess) with their own unique concoctions.  That concoction I learned was a drink that should be adopted as the national drink of Korea which is called soju.

Soju in all it's glory is really nothing more than vodka, traditionally made with rice, but commonly now often filled with grains, and starches (particularly potatoes).  I was told back in my day the good stuff was made with rice, and the cheap "shit" from potatoes.  Regardless what I always remembered was a drink that was cheap as borscht (A bottle cost the equivalent of 80 cents US), and would be commonly poured into slurpee cups in Itaewon for a bit of cavorting and insanity by American stationed soldiers.  The stories we all have of soju are all fond and large, even if perhaps the after stories are less than glorious, but those late night orange soju tents that dotted the Seoul and numerous Korean city landscapes will forever be in my heart with my drinking compatriots.

Returning to the land of North America, I soon discovered this drink was not available.  In fact I even heard that from the land of the U-S-A, the product did not pass inspection.  We joked back in the times in Korea that we were positive the brew did not contain shall we say, ingredients of distinction.  Scanning the shelves of the corner cheapo stores, we would even see bottles not filled to appropriate levels.  Those bottles we joked were not the ones we were told to buy, cause they were (assumed) to be filled with antifreeze (or god knows what), perhaps re-capped from a lazy employee who had to take a nip before returning home.

Fast forward over a decade later (probably more so but then I'd be dating myself), I go down to my neighborhood Maryland county store and I am seeing soju on the shelves.  Not only was it on the shelves, but as much as the green bottles provided a distinct recognition, there was finally English on the labels that described what was on the label.

It was time to make a revisit for this classic drink.  Living in the Washington DC area (encompassing the suburbs of nearby Maryland and Virginia (or as they say Northern Virginia [NOVA])  ) I became very familiar with a neighborhood of Northern Virginia called Annandale which has a great Korean community.  Aside from the choice and places to buy Korean food and goods, I even ran into a drink called seju (not to be confused with soju).  Closer still much Korean and Asian markets dot the Washington DC landscape to keep me more than satiated.

In my interest of all things delicious to imbibe, my first delve into "seju" was distinctly memorable.  I thought it was to be the equivalent of it's "soju" brother, but the distinct hangul writing made a mental note that this was a drink that makes soju for all intense purposes, a lightweight.

Seju is what soju can be when it wants to be sophisticated, as opposed to the numerous late night "soju-drunks" I ran into in many late nights, through dark alleys, and passed out citizens on street corners.  Seju is what soju should be, when it grows up.  This seju here though, consists of rice wine fermented with corn starch, herbs, and wheat flour.

One last thing.  Soju and Korean drink needs to be consumed with two things.  Food, and secondly the obvious, friends and compatriots.  I decided that it was high time to revisit and imbibe this drink.  Check out the video below, and a great food romp into some deliciousness.

as they say in Korea ... KONBAY!!! (Cheers) enjoy the video below! (click the YouTube icon to open in another window)

Return visit to hometown in Canada brings beer surprises

Half Pints Brewing - Seasonal Oktoberfest

Growing up in Canada where I was born and raised, I can reflect back and realize that there were very few beer choices when I was younger.  In my old hometown of Winnipeg Manitoba, you had about 3 macro producers, and a handful of typical green bottled mass imports, with the only opportunities to buy them at government run stores, or cheap vendor outlets.  That was really all it boiled down to when I think back then.  Sure there were some exceptions but often that was the rule.  We drank, we were fine, we bragged about our beers being better than American swill, but in the end, we were all without much variety or understanding of styles, or what else could be achieved and acquired when it came to beer.

Fast forward years later, I moved to the US and discovered a large abundance of beer from smaller producers.  Belgian beers were more common, then suddenly the craft beer movement exploded.  Beer was a bigger world then I ever imagined.  I hadn't been home in some time with my appreciation for great beer, and always wondered if Canada had treasures that were suddenly available.  Sites like beeradvocate had a section for Canadian craft breweries, and there were many, plus the site had a forum for Canada that contained a place for Canadian craft beer lovers to talk and converse.  When I investigated further I realized there were not just a few new breweries in Canada since I left, there were SEVERAL, pretty much MANY I never even heard of.  One brewery was even from my hometown that didn't exist after I moved away called Half Pints.

I really felt that a future return trip deserved an exploration of drinking some new Canadian beer.  I wasn't sure what I would find, or more importantly how hard it would be to find these beers, and if they would even be worth drinking.  I had a lot of great beer in the US and I was hoping that my old stomping ground could provide a plethora of choice and deliciousness that would make me want more.  I was even more concerned that trying beers from an old hometown brewery was kind of scary.  What if I didn't like them?  I was actually nervous about this, could they measure up to all the great craft US brews too?  In the end, what I discovered was more than just tasty beer, there were some surprises too that made just understand how far beer back home had changed.

Returning home I was like a kid in a candy store.  I hadn't been home in the house I grew up in for more than 2 hours coming back from the airport before I said to my mom "Ma I am going out to get some beer!".

"You just GOT HERE, why don't you sit for a bit, I think we have some stuff in the fridge why don't you go take a look first!"  exclaimed my mother.

Keystone Lager

Patience is not one of my strong characters, but you can't keep a determined beer hunter down.  Before heading out to a government run nearby store it was a good chance to survey the scene.  A new fridge was in place where the old crumbling white and beige relic used to sit.  As I glanced inside, I was also at first reminded how much things were still the same.  There was a can of some mass produced beer that I swear was only made in the US called Keystone, painfully blocking some Anchor Steam.  I heard rumors this was actually a real cheap beer in the US common for frat parties.  However this can was red instead of blue, and it was called Keystone "Lager".

While there is a beer for every person, this one really was a classic macro fizzy lager, with little appeal to myself.  Appearances seemed fine, but it was classic macro tasting, wildly rank smelling and off balance.  A relic from a left over gift given to my parents who don't drink much beer to start with.

Can of Budweiser Shot - Malt Liquor

So what else is in here?  My eyes veered toward a can that was rather short, a very odd size, with the words Shot on it.  A familiar red bow-tie seemed to stick out on it, as I cocked my wrist thinking ... Budweiser??

It was Budweiser.  But not like a Budweiser I had EVER seen before.  This was a product called Budweiser Shot.  Reading the can I thought, so this contains coffee?  Red Bull maybe?  I figured it had to be a high ABV and that it was probably malt liquor.  I guessed correctly, even if the label claims "strong beer" whatever that means (American or English Strong Ale this is not mind you).

A surprisingly large and thick bleach white head hit, with lots of retention, quite aggressive and impressive somewhat, but the smell was all corn and sweetness.  Taste was pure sugar corn syrup sweetness, that I just couldn't even finish it.

It reminded me of many years ago in high school of some jock jerk who bragged that he drank Okeefe Extra Old Stock by the 2-4 (what we call a case in America), because it was one of the few beers back then that was mass produced higher than 5% (it was another malt liquor that clocked in around high 6.5 or 7 ABV if I remember).  I distinctly remember as a young lad that it tasted like diesel fuel, but to him drinking it was somehow a badge of honor.  I think it decreased his brain cell count.

It seemed we were off to a bad start, perhaps some things hadn't changed after all.  Experiences are worth trying, but you always try to set your sights a little higher.  There is fun sometimes in tasting odd beers you may not care for, but you begin to move on.  I was wondering even if people in Winnipeg forgot how to drink.  A wine store at the Forks I frequented often and took classes at in the past had a customer come in and say "You got any Coors eh?".  Besides the fact that the store doesn't sell any beer, people in Winnipeg are drinking Coors now?? I thought this was the most bizarre thing since the concept of drinking mass produced US beer was considered treasonous by my Canuck counterparts when I was younger (it also wasn't readily available like it is now).  It was time to head to the MLCC stores and see if things might make for a different experience.

The Manitoba Liquor Control Commission is the entity in the province of Manitoba that regulates the sales of alcohol.  Like many places in the US that have county or state stores, it means you grew up having to get your beer/wine/spirits in only one place.  It's a little more complicated and the laws vary but I think I've made my point.

Back in my time, without sounding like a crotchety old man here, MLCC store selections for beers were atrocious.  They offered very little beer selection compared to the mass macro vendors.  Often it was no point going to them for beer, you went to vendors for beer, got the macro Canadian stuff from the cooler and then went home.  Another problem was their hours. I seem to remember they didn't stay open late on certain nights, and they weren't open on Sunday.  However on my return,  I discovered they are now open on Sundays, and they stay open later, but there were also some surprises on the shelves.  It's the same vanilla, but there were things to behold.

First off, while the selection is nowhere as varied as can be down where I live in the US, there were plenty of items domestically and a few foreign gems that I have always had on my radar.  Another surprise was you could break up six packs and buy single 12oz bottles.  As someone who is a major beer reviewer and taster of everything, this is extremely appealing.  Being on the East coast in the DC area, with the ability to travel to several counties and different states, there are many places where you can't even do this. I learned long ago not to waste time on buying six packs being stuck with beers I found I didn't want to drink.

Ossian Supremely Golden

My eyes immediately glanced over to one foreign gem I've been dying to try for years.  It's a beer from Inveralmond called Ossian, which is described as a golden ale from Scotland, and is considered in the category of "milds" for beer styles.

Ossian pours a real nice brassy yellow, and a head that fluffs a great white.  The nose is filled with marmalade, and apricot flavors, and a great tasting sweetness of malt, cask like feel, citrus and orange zest.  It's a wonderful beer.

Cocking my wrist I then discovered this beer was... very old, a problem I have with not checking labels.  Consuming this beer though 9 months past expiration still brought a lot of joy.  However, since every MLCC store is the same, I went to another one and found plenty of this beer and fresher.  It was still fantastic, but strangely I am almost convinced it was better aged.

Golden and fantastic the beer was also everywhere I went, which brings another point about government stores.  It doesn't matter where you go, they all carry the same stuff.  I gave some thought, and felt that this beer should be put on top of the Winnipeg legislature and crowned the new Golden Boy.  That being said, there was an abundance of it, and it probably isn't that popular among the mass offerings.  A few sips off to family confirmed this as they didn't like it.  No problem, ... more for me!  But having a pint of this on the "ledge" as the locals call it would probably make the Scot community quite happy in the city.

3 Monts

Speaking of other beers I found in the MLCC, I ran into another I wanted.  3 Monts Flanders Golden Ale is a beer from France that is full of flavor and greatness.

Wonderful candy notes, and hints of honey, with a body crisp and wine like.  Pear and champagne flavors tantalize the palate with a wonderful finish while consuming.

Suddenly the trip to the old MLCC was not as bad as I remember.  Another surprise for myself was the price on these bottles.  Ossian clocked in at $3.45 and 3 Monts not that much more.  These bottles where I live would have easily been more expensive to buy, even at parity with the US dollar.

It seemed like I got some imports that I could have fun with, but also there were many Canadian craft brews to be had.  Many of them were very well done.

Russell Brewing Company's - IP'eh!

Russell Brewing Company out of Surrey BC, had two bottles that I picked up.  One was an iconic IP'Eh with a classic 1987 style Canadian maple leaf reminiscent of the Canada Cup hockey series.  What's more iconic than that!?  As an English style IPA, it's hop angle did bring the classic herbality, but it had a wonderful rich and malty backbone complimenting nicely.

Another surprise from Russell was a Scotch Ale called, what else Angry Scotch Ale.  In a remarkable great twist of fate, a ham dinner provide a wonderful pairing for this malty rich and toffee tasting great brew.

Russell Brewing - Angry Scotch Ale

There were many other fantastic offerings as well among the shelves.

A brewery out of Barrie Ontario called Flying Monkeys had a plethora of great offerings.

Hoptical Illusion is one big take on a hoppy pale ale.  The hops keep coming also in Smashbomb Atomic, and then there was probably the best memorable beer I had on my visit.

A Black IPA/Cascadian Dark whatever you want to call it, a brew called Netherworld.  The brewers website refers to it as "weird".  I call it a mish mash of American and English IPA styles slammed together with roast goodness.

Flying Monkeys - Netherworld

It is truly a fantastic and unique offering for this style.

It seemed I was doing quite well so far.  Many of the brews I sampled were providing an abundance of great flavors and reminded me of many of the tasty brews I had in the US.  It seemed things in Canada for beer were progressing VERY well compared to my past.  But... what about the home team?

From here I had to come back to my most anticipated beers for this trip, and that is checking out a hometown brew.  I am not sure of when Half Pints started brewing, but it was certainly not at a time when I was living in Winnipeg.  Thinking about this brewery made me pray that my hometown could deliver.  You all have memories and fondness for the place you grew up in.  Could they play with the big boys of the beer world?  Could they make a simple solid style?

Half Pint - Humulus Ludicrous

I thought about all the beer I had in the past, how could I feel about what they offered?  I was thinking if I could even be partial to enjoying beer made in Winnipeg.  I thought I had to be honest with myself, but what if I had something that was truly awful, a mess, how would I feel to say these things?  I was conflicted, I couldn't be a homer, but you always want your friends to succeed.  Luckily I didn't have to think much about this once I had a beer called Humulus Ludicrous.

A giant large Double IPA, Humulus to me rips with dank and earthy hops on the nose, complete with a hoppy palate and rich minty finish.  Boy I like mint on beer, but I find it so rare on hoppy brews.  Half Pints didn't just make a solid beer, they picked the geekiest beer style that would easily make any hop head chasing junkie happy.  Stir Stick Stout turns out acceptable for a coffee stout.  Their take on an Oktoberfest style fits in nicely with most other Märzens I've had.  However, I was even more pleasantly surprised by a flagship brew called St. James Pale Ale.

St. James (no doubt taken from the neighborhood of the same name), is actually more like a Kölsch style brew, as the brewers website describes.  I love Kölsch, it is one of my favorite styles, and I really felt they nailed this solidly.  Floral hoppy with great tasty bread action.  It's what I look for in this style.  I felt like I could just drink these till I was blue in the face.  The naming of this beer sort of throws me (perhaps it's a terroir thing), but I wish I could bring these beers home with me.

I was far from done it seemed.  The neighboring province of Saskatchewan (or I like to call the big "S") even proved it was up to the task.  As much as I like to make fun of those guys, it turned out a brewery called Paddock Wood made one heck of a memorable style Czech Pilsner called what else, Czech Mate.

Full of super dry grassy hops and huge nose of citrus and lemon lime, the beer has a great crisp texture, matching citrus and some candy grapefruit.  Unlike most Czech style pilsners I had this one was truly mouthwatering.

So it seemed as I surveyed the MLCC shelves, I made a good dent and was quite surprised by what I found.  I don't think it's going to vary much from now, but I didn't quite have everything either.

However, a return trip may not provide other new Canadian beers to try, but plenty of repeat beer offerings.  I guess the problem though now is if I want something new from Canada I just may have to go somewhere else.  But as long as these beers are around, I don't think I'll ever be missing anything if I return, cause I will be more than satisfied upon my return.

Well done Canada.  Well friggin done eh?

Beers reviewed and tasted on trip to Canada:

(in no order of preference within the groups, italics indicates foreign)

Exceptional:

• Netherworld Cascadian Dark - Flying Monkeys, Barrie Ontario
• Ossian Golden Ale - Inveralmond Brewing, Perth Scotland UK
• Humulus Ludicrous - Half Pints, Winnipeg Manitoba
• 3 Monts Flanders Golden Ale - La Brasserie De Saint-Sylvestre, Saint Sylvetre Cappel France

Very Very good:

• St. James Pale Ale - Half Pints, Winnipeg Manitoba
• Czech Mate - Paddock Wood - Saskatoon Saskatchewan
• Muskoka Mad Tom IPA - Lakes of Muskoka Brewing, Bracebridge Ontario
• Russell IP'eh - Russell Brewing Company, Surrey British Columbia (BC)
• Russell Angry Scotch Ale - Russell Brewing Company, Surrey British Columbia (BC)
• Hoptical Illusion - Flying Monkeys, Barrie Ontario

Worth trying:

• Oktoberfest - Half Pints, Winnipeg Manitoba
• Stir Stick Stout - Half Pints, Winnipeg Manitoba
• Mill Street Coffee Porter - Mill Street Brew Pub, Toronto Ontario
• Einbecker Brauherren Premium Pils - Einbecker Brauhaus, Einbeck Germany (watch out for  skunkiness though because of the green bottles)

Fall brings more cider. I want to be back in Orleans again!

Orleans Cider taken at Stowe Taste of Vermont Fair

Sometime ago, I posted a blog entry about drinking cider and fall imbibing.  I found that apples as a fruit where never my fancy, but when fall season would come, I would think about them for good drink.

You may have seen my video of visiting Hill Farmstead in Vermont for great beer, but I also made a discovery at a small food fair near Stowe Vermont, trying a little product I had never heard of from a craft producer.  That product was ice cider made by Eden Ice Cider in West Charleston Vermont.

You heard that right ice cider.  It was here I discovered a product known as Orleans.  Orleans unlike most ciders is actually a cider hybrid wine.  They took their fresh pressed cider from Vermont apples, then fermented the concentrate to make a dry wine that was then infused with a mixture of herbs.  The result is something truly spectacular.

At first sip Orleans is like cider, but then it tastes more like an ice wine when nicely chilled.  The nose is all apple aroma but filled with huge notes of basil and other aromatic herbs.  It finishes clean, with a palate rich in flavors of apples, honey, anise, slight pepper, and LOTS of basil.

Speaking with the booth attendant, she remarked the product was extremely popular with bartenders in New York City who were making lots of cocktails with it.  This was no surprise to me whatsoever, the applications you could do with this beverage made my headspin.  Cider and fruit check, incredible herbs, check, controlled sweetness, check.  It was practically a well crafted cocktail in a bottle by itself.

All I can say is that if you ever see this product where you live, you need to try it, it is really something special worth seeking out.

Hunting treasures in the home. Old home bars leave untapped secrets

Old Bottle of B and B found in home bar

I hadn't posted a blog write-up for sometime.  I am not always sure what to write about somedays.  I could easily "repost" video reviews, and also "repost" beer reviews, but the former is simply on my channel on You Tube, and the later being on BeerAdvocate's website.  It was becoming a bit redundant just for redundancy sake I felt to throw them up on here.  Once in awhile though, life events among good drink come into play, sometimes you can find a little piece of history.  Where can you find drink history?  I soon found out in other peoples old home bars.

First a bit of background.  My wife and I were invited to a wine tasting party for a couple we only knew a little bit about.  A classic, they are friends of friends of ours sort of thing.

We weren't sure how "much" of a wine tasting this would be, I debated about which wine to bring among a plethora of choices I have.  I do love wine, and I have "plenty", and nothing says like an excuse to get rid of wine than to go or have a party.  We grabbed a bottle of Sancere that we like, and off we went.

Shortly into our visit it was obvious this was really just a house party.  We nibbled, we chatted, we hung out, we met friends we knew, and some new people also.  It was not a sophisticated gathering of glasses and tasting orders, which was good, but hey we were prepared not knowing what to expect.  Bottles sat on the table, people dove in to the selections.  I am always interested in finding new wines, one bottle that was brought was a Romanian sweet white whose name I can't remember.  You certainly couldn't buy it here. A Hungarian co-worker of the host brought it, and it made a good talking point between us and him since my wife and I spent time in Hungary.  Who says drink doesn't provide good conversation worth talking about?

It became obvious though while we were outside that is was getting quite humid and warm.  While the setting was nice, it was a classic DC muggy summer day, sweat was pouring off my body, I found myself going into the inside of the house for water too often, and the chilled whites sweating on the table were getting consumed like crazy as the reds barely got touched.  It seemed like we just needed to cool off.  Our host recognized this and then said:

"Hey let's all go downstairs into our basement where it's cooler, what do you say?"

We all glanced around, and it was pretty obvious we all didn't have to say what was on our mind.  Then our host said:

"I have a bar down there!"

Hello did he say BAR?  Enter our hero!!

Pulling the sliding glass door, we all made a dash for downstairs, as the air conditioned blasted and evaporated the sweat off of my forearms.  I was excited to see another bar, perhaps we could swap stories and tips.

I went downstairs and noticed the bar that was definitely part of the house probably built when the basement was refinished.  The host had mentioned that when they bought their house, the previous older couple left many things behind, furniture, tables, much of it from the mid century modern period and totally retro, going with the style of the houses build date in the early 60s.  The previous owners had no use for these items, and left them for the new couple. One of the things they left behind also was a bar (although it appeared to be made much later), and with it were contents of glassware, shakers, instruments, the usual for any well prepped bar.  But also it contained... old bottles.

"I don't know what this stuff is?! What do I do with it?!"  the host asked holding up a Hawthorne strainer.

It soon became apparent to me that this was happening in homes across America.  I certainly remember this when I was shopping for a house years ago.  Many new homeowners were buying older homes, and there were downstairs bars in them.  Sometimes they didn't always know what to do with these bars, or get the most out of what they offered.  More importantly it dawned on me that these bars could contain bottles of a former era.  Thoughts of being a cocktail bar rescuer as a job fluttered in my imagination, but figured that wouldn't pay much.

I remember one DC rowhouse I saw way back while looking for a new home, extremely dated, in ok condition, but nothing to get excited about, until I was told by my wife to go in the basement.

"So what's down there?" I asked, "another purple toilet or something?"  I said.

"No just go take a look I think you'll be surprised.".

I held off my excitement that from what I had already seen in this house we were never going to buy it, a classic too many problems.  However, my jaw hit the floor when I went downstairs.

Far off in the distance was a formed wall with a full seated bar, 4 swinging upholstered swivel chairs, cubed glass bar that went at least twenty feet in length, a full working sink.  I could easily see that the person who lived here was really putting his priorities into a great drink establishment, neglecting the rest of the house sans working kitchen with no new appliances.  The bar was not stocked, much of the bar items were of course boxed away in preparation for a move, but the bar was lengthy, a great giant slab of wood, a few touches of cigarettes odd burns and circular water stains.  Not many, but just enough to give it character.  A classic old cubed TV jutted in the corner, it was from the 70s, you could easily mistake it for a fish-tank.

The stories that place could tell, I dreamed of the African American couple who lived there, the guy who came home with his buddies, and made drinks for everyone, probably with a little bit of TV.. maybe Redskins games, slamming down drinks and perhaps making a good cocktail or two, probably during a better football era than now.  This bar had more charm and history that I think of any local watering hole I'd ever been in.

Getting out of my flashback, I quickly pulled out at my smartphone and said "here look, this is my channel, and this is my bar at home, I can show you some things."  Our host took one look and then exclaimed WE HAVE A BARTENDER!!  I was quickly voted in to make drinks for everyone.

"You have to show me how to make this stuff!" said our host.  I replied "Oh of course, but let's take a look around".

Investigating any new bar is always fun, but for the most part, many people don't have a lot of things bottle wise.  I realize I have a hobby and buy lots of different liquor, but most people aren't like me.  Most home bars usually contain one to 5 simple bottles, mostly just of something people like to drink all the time.  Usually there's just a bottle of gin, cause people like to drink gin and tonic all the time.  Or there's just a bottle of whiskey, or a bottle of vodka.  Sometimes people just want to do shots, but mostly the contents of ingredients in drinks for home use can fit on a small shelf.

"Make something!"  someone from the party exclaimed excitedly.

I saw a large bottle of Makers Mark.. ok plenty of this, but I started noticing that our hosts bar was quite empty.  "Do you have any bitters?"  I was thinking if I could get some Angostura bitters and find sweet vermouth I could make people Manhattans.  I noticed no bitters, that's ok, but we need vermouth.

I opened up a cabinet, and found some more bottles, and couldn't make out what they were in the darkness, so I grabbed the first one I could and brought it out.  The picture above is what I found, an old bottle of B & B or Benedictine and Brandy.  Most of the contents were still in, with about 1/2 the bottle still left.  We quickly made the rounds, based out some small liqueur glasses and drank.  Still good, classic herbal notes, almond, vanilla, and sweetness, it held up and was absolutely delicious.  The worn brown label indicates and older bottle, but I don't think this bottle is very old, or say... worth a lot of money.  But it's always great to taste some history.  If you know anything about how old that bottle might be from the picture, please contact me!

Stock picture of Galliano bottle

Digging back into the cabinet I found what I call, another relic classic from the so called Fern bar area.  In this bar was the classic bottle of Galliano.  I recognized this instantly, and it is something I distinctly remember from my childhood, but not because as a young 12 year old kid was I sipping it with pinky raised mind you.  The one thing that is unmistakable of Galliano is it's bottle shape.  A bottle of Galliano is very slender and thin, and extremely tall.  It's so tall and obnoxious that when you go to a bar somewhere it sticks out like a missile or something that belongs in an ammunition warehouse.

I noticed the bottle was old, probably from the 80s, since the lettering on it was identical to all the bottles I saw growing up.  I remember many neighborhood restaurants I went to as a repeat customer with my family.  These restaurant places I went to I had been going for many years, I would pass by the bar area and I would see that bottle of Galliano on the shelves. Through the early 80s up to practically the last of the early 90s, I could still go back to these places and see that SAME bottle on the shelf.  It... Never.... Moved... ever.  Something even in my gut tells me if I went back to these same places now in my old hometown that bottle would STILL be there.

Just like the downstairs bar, the Galliano was still there.  In here is where my fascination with this spirit lies.  It is the relic of my youth, it is my wonderment of always thinking, "what does that large ICBM bottle taste like?".  I just could never want to ask or try it, or even go buy it, I always made excuses.  Columnist Justin Wilson of the Washington Post describes it as: "a sweet Italian anise-citrus-vallia liqueur". but for me I have always been averse to trying it because to me the contents look banana colored, something I really dislike.

Unfortunatly, my free sip of Galliano was not to be either.  The bottle had barely an ounce in it, and I left it to be hoping someone might finish it.  Something tells me though... it's still going to be there like a spent radioactive fuel rod that just never goes away, and nobody wants to touch.

So while the party went on, some basic cocktails were made, including a whiskey sour with Makers.  Asking for sugar and eggs for the bar, the host was wide eyed.  "What are you going to do bake us a cake!?"

Au contraire, for within a bar there are secrets and memories waiting to be unlocked.