sgriobn — (gaelic) the itchiness that overcomes the upper lip just before taking a sip of whisky

Definitely need to try this

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750ml bottle of inexpensive dry red wine (inexpensive is ok, but it should be drinkable.)
2/3 cup of honey or natural sweetener of your choice
Juice and peel of one orange
2 cardamon pods
4 cloves
2 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks

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In a heavy bottom pot, add all the ingredients and simmer on low heat for about an hour, stirring occasionally. Discard the peel, cardamon pods, cloves, bay leaves and cinnamon sticks with a sieve. Carefully ladle the gluehwein through a funnel into a pair of thermoses.

A relatively new beer, American-Style India Black Ale (the author suggests calling it an American Black Ale), is making some waves in the brewing community.

a dark, moderately bitter beer that balances its high hops content with caramel and roasted malt flavors. Imagine a porter and an IPA combined in such a way that their opposing characteristics—one sweet and rich, the other sharp and bitter—complemented each other, bringing out new flavors like ginger, mint, and rosemary

There’s a name for what type of wine drinker I am, a wine poseur.

Mr. Kendall, 43, described himself as a bit of a wine poseur. He has vacationed in Italy and Napa Valley and has a cellar at home, but he cannot remember a label from meal to meal.

Here we have what is possibly the world’s most perfect martini. I’ve copied the recipe below, but I encourage you to read the whole post. I’ve called this a “blue eyes martini” and quite like the name.

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A pair (2) of large, crystal martini glasses with a capacity of at least 7 ounce each. Only the classic sillhouette will do. No swirly or rose-colored stems or any other ornamentation is acceptable.

A sturdy, stainless-steel Martini shaker of the familiar shape and a generous size.

Four (4) large fresh Cerignola, California or other brine-cured green olives.

A small piece of aged Danish Blue Cheese of the dry, crumbly variety.

A large quantity of clear, hard ice, frozen from distilled water.

A hammer.

A kitchen knife.

A small spoon.

Two (2) extra-long toothpicks or simple swizzle sticks.

Schweppes Club Soda.

Noilly Pratt Dry Vermouth.

Belvedere Vodka, from Poland, stored in freezer overnight.

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1. Wrap some ice cubes in your towel and bash them with your hammer until they’re all cracked into thirds or quarters.
2. Fill each glass to the rim with the cracked ice.
3. Pour the Club Soda over the cracked ice, filling the glasses. Set aside.
4. Pour a couple ounces of Dry Vermouth into the shaker. Cover and swirl it around a bit. Pour out the Vermouth leaving a coating around the inside of the shaker.
5. Hammer some more cubes lightly. Just a few whacks ought to do it this time.
6. Fill the shaker with the ice, about 3/4 of the way.
7. Pour in the ice-cold Belvedere Vodka, covering the ice. Cap the shaker. Set aside. Other vodkas may be better for other things, but not for this.
8. Take the flat of a kitchen knife and press down on an olive until you feel the pit. Carefully squeeze one end of the olive with your fingers. The pit should pop out. Using a small spoon, fill the cavity with Blue Cheese. Put two olives each on a swizzle stick. Set aside.
9. Vigorously shake the shaker in a violent up and down motion. When you feel you’ve done it enough, do it some more. It’s important that the shaking sliver the ice. In classic Gin Martini preparation it is frequently said that a violent shaking will “bruise” the Gin. That may well be, but Vodka is a hearty liquid that blooms in its return to the near-frozen state from whence it came.
10. Pour the ice and Club Soda out of the glasses. The Soda enables the trace amount of Vermouth in the drink to cling to the side of the glass surounding the pure slurry of Vodka and imparting a hint of taste with each sip. Trust me.
11. Uncap the shaker and pour the drinks. An occasional back and forth rotation of the shaker will facilitate the process. The final product will be thickish, with a slightly slushy quality.
12. Drop in the olives.
13. Enjoy slowly. Chat about the issues of the day. Smoke.
14. Repeat as necessary.

Bring your own resealable bottles, Poland Spring containers, jerrycans, whatever. Or you can get one at the store. Select your grade (red, white, or rosé). Pump. Print receipt. ?

This is only THE. BEST. THING. EVER. It’s like a gas pump, but with wine. Fill ‘er up.

Tips for buying wine in restaurants. My favorite two tips.

8. Don’t be intimidated by huge, clunky, leather (okay, naugahyde) wine lists. They’re your friends. If they’ve been around awhile, and most have, they almost always have beautifully aged bargains hidden away.

10. Decide if you love vintages or producers. Sommeliers love producers. They’re met them. They dined with them. They consider them infallable, even in terrible years. I love good years, full of surprises from unknown winemakers. You get wines that taste of a moment in time, not of a high-tech cellar.

Great advice for stocking your home bar can be found in the Case for Cocktails.

Start with the ingredients for your three favorite cocktails and build from there.

I’m reading a conflicting recipe for the Presbyterian (previous recipe here). I’m not sure which to believe, but both sound good to me, so I think I’ll have both. It’s worth noting that Esquire says the Presbyterian is a great drink for air travel. Noted.

The perfect cocktail?