Dry January may be almost over, but soon the taps at WeWork will be going dry permanently. The coworking giant has announced it will be ending free beer and wine service at all of its locations by the end of February, according to Business Insider. In its place, the company will be offering a variety of new non-alcoholic options, like kombucha, seltzers, and cold brew coffee. This isn’t the first time that WeWork, once known for its “nonstop party” atmosphere, has altered its drinks policy. In 2018, the company announced it was limiting members to four pours a day, and only between the hours of noon and 8 p.m. While members will continue to be able to enjoy beer and wine during occasional on-site happy hours, this is undoubtedly a major policy shift for a company that once touted free, unlimited beer as a key selling point. Despite September’s failed IPO and subsequent corporate restructuring, a WeWork spokesperson stressed that the “beverage refresh” is not a cost-cutting measure, but rather comes in response to an “expanded member satisfaction survey,” which showed that “members wanted a greater variety of beverage options.” Like the three-Martini lunch before it, the boozy WeWork meeting is on its way out. Raise a glass — while you still can. The article Last Call: WeWork to Stop Serving Free Beer and Wine appeared first on VinePair. Via https://vinepair.com/booze-news/wework-stops-free-beer-wine/ Via https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/last-call-wework-to-stop-serving-free-beer-and-wine
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When you think “cheddar,” it’s possible that you also think “orange and ordinary.” While we frankly still love the orange grocery store stuff for cooking and late-night-snacking, there’s much more to the world of cheddar than the stuff atop your nachos. Cheddar was invented in the village of Cheddar in Somerset, England over a thousand years ago. While there is now only one cheddar actually made in Cheddar, the present-day world of cheddar cheese includes a wider range of offerings than just about any other international cheese style. According to the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, any cheese can technically qualify as a cheddar in the U.S. as long as its moisture content is up to 39 percent, with at least 50 percent fat by dry matter (a somewhat confusing way to talk about fat content, meaning the percentage of fat that remains if you theoretically removed all the liquid from the cheese). This expansive definition leaves room for both beauties and duds. We can assure you, though, that the beauties are worth the search. Read on for six cheddars that are anything but basic, and what to drink with them. Shelburne CheddarShelburne Farms, a nonprofit organization and education center dedicated to promoting sustainability, makes about 170,000 pounds of raw milk cheddar annually from its herd of Brown Swiss cows. The organization offers cheese in a range of ages, from six months to three years; a smoked and a clothbound option, as well as a newer beer cheddar in collaboration with Fiddlehead Brewing Company. Thanks to the pasture-fed milk from the Swiss Brown cows, each iteration is excellent in its own right and should be consumed with your favorite Vermont IPA for a fun, terroir-driven pairing. Prairie BreezeThis sweet, crystalline cheddar is made by the Musser family in Iowa with milk from the small dairy farms of their Amish neighbors. Prairie Breeze has notes of caramel corn, soy sauce, and tropical fruits, with a crumbly, creamy texture. It’s killer with a tiki cocktail, and is one of the few cheeses that is delicious with coffee. Montgomery’s CheddarOne of the most delightful cheddar variations is called “bandaged” or “clothbound,” a technique developed in the United Kingdom around the 19th century. Once the cheddar has been made, the wheel is rubbed down with something sticky — usually butter or lard — which is used as an adhesive for surgical-grade muslin. This creates a sort of artificial rind for the cheese, allowing it to develop more earthy, complex flavors as it ages. Montgomery’s Cheddar is a benchmark British clothbound cheddar made in Somerset (cheddar’s homeland) by James Montgomery and Steve Bridges at Manor Farm, using traditional methods. It’s known for its earthy, rustic flavors, which cheesemongers like to describe as “the crispy edge of a Sunday roast.” Enjoy with a hard English cider. Quicke’s Goat CheddarQuicke’s, based in Devon, England, is another major player on the English clothbound cheddar scene. Quicke’s farm makes beautiful clothbound cheddars from its herd of mixed-breed cows (which owner Mary Quicke regularly and charmingly blogs about), but the goat’s milk clothbound cheddar produced here is one of a kind. Aged around six months, and made from goat milk from a nearby farmer, the cheese has flavors of toasted almond, horseradish, and preserved lemon. It pairs wonderfully with rye whiskey. Caputo’s House CheddarCaputo’s, which is easily the best specialty food store in Utah, collaborates on this award-winning cheddar with the local Beehive Cheese. After about six months of aging in a cloth rind stuck on by butter, the rind is removed and replaced with a new cloth rind stuck on with duck fat (!), then aged for several more months. The resulting cheese has notes of roasted turnips and brown butter, and is very good with a dry stout. Red RockThis striking cheese, colored bright orange with twice the amount of annatto used in a typical cheddar, takes the buttery friendliness of your favorite snacky cheddars and marries it with a rustic, peppery blue cheese. Made in Wisconsin by Master Cheesemaker Chris Roelli, Red Rock is aged for two to three months and is creamy and complex, with a hint of blue mold. While its moldy blue veins may seem intimidating, it’s the perfect just-mild-enough blue cheese to convert a blue cheese hater. It is lovely with a Spanish red wine like Rioja. The article 6 Cheddars That Are Anything but Basic (and What to Drink With Them) appeared first on VinePair. Via https://vinepair.com/articles/6-best-cheddar-cheese-pairings/ Via https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/6-cheddars-that-are-anything-but-basic-and-what-to-drink-with-them In the heat of summer, an ice-cold beer can be an absolute lifesaver. But sometimes a cold beer is simply too cold — especially in the dead of winter, and even more so Central Europe. In this lager-loving and often icy region, cognoscenti have long relied upon a discreet device to bring their beers to the optimal temperature: a beer warmer. Called a bierwärmer in German, or the slightly harder-to-pronounce ohříváček in Czech, a beer warmer is “a narrow metal tube with a hanger,” Aleš Dočkal, manager of the Prague beer bar Pivovarský Klub, says. “It has a lid, and this little thin container is filled with hot water, closed with the lid, and then hung in the glass. The hanger goes on the glass rim, ohříváček is dipped in the beer, and the consumer makes the beer warmer to [their] taste.” If that sounds like something from another era, you’re not wrong: Dočkal notes that most of the customers who have asked for a beer warmer at his pub were generally older, and that the beer warmer’s use there has fallen off considerably in recent years. However, curiosity around this obscure and seemingly counterintuitive device has recently resurfaced, with conversations on Reddit forums, Twitter, and elsewhere sparking interest among beer and history geeks. Bierwärmer: History and UsesA few short generations ago, just about every Czech pub would have a fleet of beer warmers arranged on a rack behind the bar, much like the racks of personal mugs that belong to the pub’s regulars. “It was a popular Christmas present for fathers and grandfathers,” Dočkal says. “They took the ohříváček to the pub and it was left hanging on the wall. They not only got a beer in their favorite glass or mug, but they got it with their favorite beer warmer in it.” Today, beer warmers are a rare sight even in the homeland of lager brewing — and almost completely unknown outside of it. (In fact, some craft lager brewers contacted for this story replied that they were unaware of the tool.) Despite its relative obscurity, you can still order a beer warmer on Amazon, or chime in about its use on Reddit (one user recently received a “beer caramelizer” for Christmas). In Rauchbier’s hometown of Bamberg, beer writer Markus Raupach says that the traditional beer warmer is rarely seen. It is more common, he says, for pubs to warm beers up with a Tauchsiedler, an electric device normally used for warming or boiling water. “It is more or less a spool or coil made out of steel that heats up when plugged in a socket,” Raupach explains. In many pubs, a Tauchsiedler is kept at the ready, resting in a beer mug filled with water, unplugged. “If a customer wants a pre-warmed beer, they plug it in and put it into a fresh tapped Seidla beer mug for a certain time,” he says. “The [server] normally knows the right time for each customer.” Changing (Beer) TemperaturesEven in tradition-minded Central Europe, people today drink beer much colder than they did a century or so ago. “I have a textbook for future waiters and bartenders from the beginning of the 20th century. It has a chapter dedicated to the right beer temperatures, which is very interesting because the recommended temperatures for pale beers are 9 to 11 degrees Celsius [about 48 to 52 degrees Fahrenheit], and for dark beer, 11 to 13 degrees Celsius [about 52 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit],” Dočkal says. “And that was for the summertime. The textbook said these temperatures can go up by another 2 degrees in the winter.” To put that into perspective, that would mean serving pilsner-style beers at least 10 degrees warmer than the North American preference of almost-ice-cold 38 degrees Fahrenheit; and up to 10 degrees warmer than Dočkal’s preferred serving temperature of 45 degrees Fahrenheit in winter. Another reason for the beer warmer’s rarity is that pub-goers have more options for warmer beer today. “If they don’t like ‘too- cold’ beer, they can ask for a bottle from the crate in the cellar, instead of one from the refrigerator,” Dočkal says. “Or they ask for a glass that was rinsed in hot water. If that doesn’t work, you can just get a regular beer and let it stand.” While beer warmers might be slowly dying out, you’ll still see Central Europeans asking for their beers to be warmed up on certain occasions. Dočkal says that people who have a cold or who have other health problems might not want to drink a beer that is super chilled. And for the aforementioned older folks, it’s a harkening back to the region’s more traditional serving temperatures. Raupach recalls a special case involving some older customers in Germany. “I once met an elderly couple with a dog, I think it was at Mahr’s Bräu,” he says, referring to a traditional, family-run brewery in Bamber. “They ordered three beers, one of them warmed up with the Tauchsieder. When the beers arrived at the table, they put the warm beer into a bowl. It was for the dog.” Should you find yourself hankering for a warm beer in Bavaria, keep your eyes peeled — and your barstool neighbor’s dog heeled. The article Sip a Warm One: Why Central Europeans Heat Their Beer With a Bierwärmer appeared first on VinePair. Via https://vinepair.com/articles/what-bierwarmer-guide/ Via https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/sip-a-warm-one-why-central-europeans-heat-their-beer-with-a-bierwarmer In the wine world, the name Domaines Barons de Rothschild – Lafite (DBR) sparks grandiose notions of historic châteaux, frst-growth Bordeaux, and record-breaking auctions. For centuries, DBR has been creating some of the world’s most exquisite — and expensive — wines. But collectible bottles aren’t the iconic producer’s only focus. In addition to the prestigious wines being cultivated in its famed Médoc vineyard, DBR is turning out a collection of classic Bordeaux geared toward the casual, everyday drinker. Winemaker Diane Flamand has been overseeing production of the Légende R Collection since 2004. There are five wines — four reds and a white — in the collection: Bordeaux Rouge, Médoc, Saint-Emilion, Pauillac, and Bordeaux Blanc. Flamand creates each of these terroir-driven wines with an eye toward expressing the distinctive characteristics of Bordeaux’s noble grapes and the diversity that can be found across the region’s appellations. Bordeaux wine can be intimidating for some consumers, particularly Americans who tend to have a more casual approach to buying and drinking wine. With that in mind, Flamand has applied a global perspective to her winemaking strategy. “I’ve done my best for the last 15 years to produce wines adapted to the consumer’s expectations,” she says. “Thanks to my frequent visits to the U.S., I understand better and better the evolution of the market.” A native of Bordeaux, Flamand developed her passion for wine while growing up in the Médoc region. She decided to pursue a career in viticulture after working a harvest at Château Lafite in 1984. That experience solidified her choice to jump feet first into the industry, and even led her to meet her husband. Flamand takes pride in the Légende R Collection, which she points out is a great introduction to the region. “These are racy, elegant, extremely complex wines — all of these qualities that make Lafite unique,” she says. At the same time, she adds, the wines are approachable, easy to drink, and have good potential for aging. “I would say that they are made to drink young, so you don’t have to wait 10 years before opening a bottle.” Of all the wines in the portfolio, Flamand says she favors the Bordeaux Blanc. “I drink it regularly with friends as an aperitif — it’s very fresh and easy,” she says, adding, “I like the Pauillac, too, being a big fan of Cabernet Sauvignon.” In general, Flamand seeks to strike a good balance between the levels of alcohol and acidity in her fruit-forward Légende wines, which helps make them crisp, fresh, and very drinkable. Flamand takes a very hands-on approach to winemaking, from harvest to bottling. The final blending process is one of the aspects of winemaking that excites her most. She believes that’s really the moment when the personality of the future wine is revealed. Understanding the character of the wine also helps the winemaking team determine how long the wines will be aged in oak before they are bottled. As a woman winemaker in France, and one of the few women winemakers in Bordeaux, Flamand has seen change first-hand in the industry over the last 30 years. When she was first starting out, for example, there weren’t many women working in the enology field. Additionally, there wasn’t the same level of global demand for young, drinkable wines that there is today. Flamand’s mission with the Légende R Collection is to showcase the versatility as well as the authenticity of Bordeaux’s wines — to demonstrate that in addition to the prestige bottles, there are quality wines available from DBR for everyday drinking. And her efforts aren’t limited to winemaking. Part of her work also involves helping to simplify what is typically a complicated region and make it more accessible for wine enthusiasts around the world. “The Légende wines have the same qualities as the other wines in the Rothschild portfolio: well-balanced, elegant, with a good freshness on the palate,” Flamand says. “This is the Lafite touch!” The article How DBR Winemaker Diane Flamand Is Making Bordeaux Wines More Approachable appeared first on VinePair. Via https://vinepair.com/articles/dbr-winemaker-diane-flamand-bordeaux/ Via https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/how-dbr-winemaker-diane-flamand-is-making-bordeaux-wines-more-approachable On January 22, Italian police seized over one million liters of counterfeit wine during a series of dawn raids in the northern region of Lombardy. Five were arrested in connection with the production of fake Oltrepò Pavese DOC and PGI wines, Meininger’s Wine Business International reports. The confiscated bottles contained extra sugar, prohibited grape varieties, and additives to mimic the flavor and aroma of real Oltrepò Pavese wines. Numerous cases were also falsely labeled “organic.” The resulting product was not harmful, according to prosecutors, “just fraudulent.” The raid was the culmination of a year-long investigation into the Cantina di Canneto wine cooperative, which is located about 35 miles south of Milan, in the Oltrepò Pavese region. After receiving a tip-off about the co-op’s 2018 vintage, police bugged phones and used video surveillance to obtain the necessary evidence to make their move. It’s currently unknown whether any of the counterfeit wine was exported. Several high-profile figures were among those arrested, including the Cantina di Canneto cooperative’s chairman, and the vice-chair of the local branch of Assoenologi, Italy’s winemaker’s association. Sadly, this is not the first time Oltrepò Pavese, a lesser-known region in Lombardy known for its Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir) wines, has been in the news for wine fraud. In 2014, Italian police arrested over 200 people in connection with counterfeit DOC wine production. As prosecutor Giorgio Reposo said in a press conference on the day of the arrests, clearly, “lessons have not been learned.” The article Italian Police Seize 1 Million Liters of Counterfeit Wine appeared first on VinePair. Via https://vinepair.com/booze-news/italian-police-counterfeit-wines/ Via https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/italian-police-seize-1-million-liters-of-counterfeit-wine “At one point in my life, I felt like a unicorn,” says Dianna Ward. “I have short hair, I’m African American, I’m a lesbian… [I thought], ‘oh my gosh, there’s not going to be a space for me down here.’” Ward is the founder and executive director of Charlotte’s non-profit bike sharing program, Charlotte B-cycle, and the owner and operator of Charlotte NC Tours, a company that specializes in showcasing the city’s food and beer scene. She attributes her success to Charlotte’s sense of community — and believes the city’s craft breweries are building and bolstering the inclusive space she and so many entrepreneurs look for. “In a lot of places, if you [say], ‘hey, I want to open a business,’ you may find resistance and a few rings to kiss,” Ward says. In Charlotte, she adds, “if you have a good idea, people are going to line up to help bring that to fruition.” Charlotte’s welcoming spirit — as well as its social and economic progress — is evident from the parking lot of Resident Culture Brewing Company. Resident Culture is in Plaza Midwood, a neighborhood on the northern side of Central Avenue, a busy four-lane road that whizzes past fenced-in industrial businesses and warehouses. While downtown Charlotte is dominated by skyscraping office buildings, hotels, and concrete parks, neighborhoods like Plaza Midwood are becoming more neighborly. Resident Culture is one of its major draws. The brewing facility includes a custom-built coolship, and the walls are painted with murals produced by in-house illustrator Maryssa Pickett, who also creates the company’s beer labels. Barrels enjoy ample space to age delicate sour beers being produced under the watch of head brewer Chris Tropeano, who previously worked at one of craft beer’s West Coast stars, Russian River Brewing. Resident Culture has also become a community space, hosting fundraisers, live music, and events for organizations like the Charlotte LGBT Chamber of Commerce. Amanda McLamb, who co-founded Resident Culture with her husband Philip, describes Charlotte as “a place you can have a dream and see it through to conception,” adding that in other cities, “the ability to truly bootstrap and create a dream from scratch is a lot more difficult.” The renaissance in Plaza Midwood, and across the city in general, is thanks in part to the fact that Charlotte is one of the single fastest-growing metro areas in the country. Between 2017 and 2018, Charlotte gained just over 13,000 residents, many of whom were drawn in by the low cost of living and new jobs. These new Charlotteans include small business owners who see the city as a promising place to start a new venture. According to the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, there are now more than 50 breweries within the city. The McLambs were two of those first to bring craft beer to Charlotte. When Philip’s family was thinking of selling the warehouse that now houses their brewery, he and Amanda were able to persuade his parents to let them repurpose it. The sense of community, and the fact that it’s significantly easier to start a business in Charlotte than New York City, where Amanda is originally from, drew them in. This entrepreneurial spirit is palpable in other parts of Charlotte as well. At Lenny Boy Brewing in Southside Park, two separate brewing systems — one for beer and one for kombucha — share the same roof, helping differentiate the brewery from others in town. Salud Cerveceria, a brewery, restaurant, and bottle shop in NoDa [North Davidson], was named the best beer bar in the country by USA Today in 2019. Owner Jason Glunt says he and his wife Dairelyn try to protect their vibe by keeping things small and personal. “We sell 95 percent of our beer right here [on premise] and I don’t want to be too big,” Glunt says. Expansion could lead to the brewery being financially over-leveraged, and might also impact the friendly, casual environment they’ve cultivated. Styles of beer brewed at Salud Cerveceria span the experimental to the familiar: While Glunt and head brewer Dustin Di Lorenzo opt for local, in-season ingredients like peaches and foraged sumac, and the taproom typically offers multiple IPAs on draft, the brewery also prides itself in its perennial “all-the-time beer,” Del Patio, a Mexican-style lager made with flaked corn. On her tours and when speaking with friends, Ward recommends numerous breweries across the city, but she’s quick to highlight Blue Blaze Brewing Co., located in Charlotte’s West End, a historic neighborhood with a predominantly African American population. “Blue Blaze could have opened up anywhere, in South End or NoDa… the places that have already ‘arrived,’” she says. She commends Blue Blaze for the choice “to open up in an old mill in a part of town that wasn’t getting a lot of love at the time,” she says. For Blue Blaze owner Craig Nunn, the location was an obvious choice. His brewery has an ethos focused on outdoor recreation, and the location places the brewery directly next to a stream and two parks, all within a mile of the city center. More importantly, he says, “once we got to meet our neighbors and community leaders, it just felt like home.” The article Charlotte Is Open for (Beer) Business, and All Are Welcome appeared first on VinePair. Via https://vinepair.com/articles/charlotte-nc-craft-breweries/ Via https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/charlotte-is-open-for-beer-business-and-all-are-welcome Many classic cocktail recipes call for ingredients to be shaken or stirred with ice, and served in a pre-chilled glass. But when temperatures drop, kettles, saucepans, and mugs overtake the cocktail shaker, ice tray, and coupe glass as the most important tools in a home bartender’s arsenal. These tools will help you make hot cocktails. While a simple dram of whisk(e)y will put fire in the belly, nothing compares to a drink that provides physical warmth and a gentle alcoholic buzz. Thankfully, there are several traditional recipes to choose from, some of which are even believed to help fight pesky winter colds. Others use up leftover ingredients cluttering your pantry. To help survive the cold winter months, here are six of the best hot cocktails to make at home. Irish CoffeeLikely the only classic cocktail whose origin story traces back to the tarmac of an international airport, the Irish Coffee is believed to have been invented in 1943 by an employee at Ireland’s Foynes Airport. The story goes that Joe Sheridan, head chef at the airport’s restaurant and coffee shop, served steaming mugs of Irish whiskey mixed with coffee to the departing passengers of a New York-bound flight that had to make an unscheduled stop because of bad weather. When one of the passengers asked him if it was Brazilian coffee in the mug, Sheridan replied, “No, that’s Irish coffee.” The recipe has seen numerous upgrades in intervening years, with the best examples sweetened by Demerara simple syrup and served with a luxurious cream float. Rich, full-bodied, and with just the right amount of booze, this cocktail is an ideal afternoon pick-me-up during holiday season, and serves a perfect dessert alternative following a hearty meal. Get VinePair’s Irish Coffee recipe here. For our favorite Irish whiskeys to mix in an Irish coffee, see here. Hot ToddyThough prescribing alcohol for medicinal purposes has fallen by the wayside since the introduction of modern medicine, when it comes to fighting off those wearying winter colds, nothing beats a Hot Toddy. The beauty of this hot cocktail is compounded by both its simplicity and versatility. Traditional recipes call for boiling water, whiskey, honey, and lemon juice. But introduce a tea bag into the equation and you add an extra layer of complexity, and a range of extra flavors to play with. Don’t like whiskey? Rum, cognac, and fruit brandies work seamlessly in its place. Get VinePair’s ultimate Hot Toddy recipe here. See here for our favorite Hot Toddy variations. Hot PenicillinTraditionally served cold, the Penicillin is a Scotch-based cocktail that’s flavored with ginger, lemon, and honey, and served with a smoky, peated single malt float. During the cold winter months, the drink can also be served warm in a riff on the Hot Toddy, with ginger adding a gentle bite and further helping clear blocked sinuses. By heating all the ingredients with a few splashes of water, the hot preparation of the Penicillin ensures that all the honey dissolves — which is not guaranteed when shaking over ice — and extracts more flavor from the freshly sliced ginger. The optional step of adding a peated single malt float, which might not be to everyone’s taste, brings further nuance and a seemingly endless smoky finish. Get VinePair’s Penicillin recipe here. Tom and JerryAnother hot variation on a cocktail that’s classically served cold, the Tom and Jerry is a descendant of eggnog developed sometime in the early 19th century. The drink sees warm milk and extra booze (brandy, rum, or bourbon — your call) added to a traditional eggnog base. (Homemade ‘nog is preferred, though store-bought, to quote Ina Garten, is also fine.) When combining the ingredients, the drink should be stirred constantly to avoid curdling and to develop a rich, velvety foam. Finish with a grating of fresh nutmeg (there’s no substitute here) and you’ll never want another cold ‘nog in your life. Get VinePair’s Tom and Jerry recipe here. Hot Buttered RumLong before bulletproof coffee splashed onto the scene, butter was consumed in liquid form mixed with rum, hot water, sugar, and spices — better known as Hot Buttered Rum. In its most basic, traditional form, the recipe mixes a knob of butter with rum, hot water, and sugar. But modern interpretations add further steps and extra ingredients to the drink’s preparation. Many bartenders suggest whipping the sugar, butter, and spices (cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg) into a smooth batter, then stirring in the hot water and rum until combined. Others add ice cream to the batter, dialing up the sweetness and providing a richer, creamier consistency. As you might imagine, unlike bulletproof coffee, this particular cocktail is not attributed to helping weight loss. Get VinePair’s Hot Buttered Rum recipe here. Mulled WineIdeal for wine lovers, this drink warms with both its temperature and ingredients, combining heated red wine with citrus fruits, sugar, and spices such as cinnamon, cloves, and star anise. Its heady aromas are synonymous with colder months, while the ease of its preparation makes mulled wine the perfect punch for winter parties. Much like the Hot Toddy, mulled wine is a versatile concoction, offering a home for half-empty open bottles of wine and leftover baking spices bought for seasonal desserts like baked pies and poached fruits. Get VinePair’s roundup of the best mulled wine recipes here. The article 6 of the Best Hot Cocktails to Ward Off the Winter Chill appeared first on VinePair. Via https://vinepair.com/articles/best-hot-cocktail-recipes/ Via https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/6-of-the-best-hot-cocktails-to-ward-off-the-winter-chill When people think of buying single malt whiskies, bottles from Scotland are probably top of mind. But these days, top-shelf single malts come from Japan and even the United States. Yet the originators of whiskey itself — the Irish — happen to be making a wide range of excellent single malts as well, with a modern renaissance now matching their storied history and tradition. “Jameson has very much been the bell cow for the category, but we’re seeing more new single malt releases than I can ever remember,” says Brian Murphy, founder of The WhiskyX festival. “People are discovering, enjoying, and — perhaps most importantly — valuing Irish single malts in a way that was long reserved for single malt Scotch.” While Irish whiskey flourished for centuries, its modern story has been one of economic downturn and depression that nearly killed off the industry, while boxing in the survivors to a more narrow breadth of styles with mass-market appeal. “There are strong corporate forces that have for decades influenced what people believe Irish whiskey ought to be, as opposed to what the global consumer actually wants,” says Mark Reynier, founder of Waterford Distillery. Big-name blended brands ruled the day — and kept the entire category afloat, it’s worth mentioning — while distilleries shuttered en masse. Eventually there were only two remaining distilleries in Ireland, both under one corporate umbrella. One of those survivors is The Old Bushmills Distillery, and today Bushmills is at the forefront of the movement to push forward quality and innovation. “We always say, ‘we’re not good because we’re old, we’re old because we’re good’,” says master blender Helen Mulholland. While Bushmills does have blended products in its range, the distillery itself has only ever produced single malt. The lineup includes 10 year, 16 year, and 21 year old expressions, along with limited-edition releases, such as the Distillery Exclusive uniquely matured in acacia wood casks. “For me, there’s nothing better than introducing a new Irish whiskey to the market, and demand continues to soar, especially for premium single malts,” Mulholland says. “The popularity of Irish single malts is rapidly growing, as more and more people are discovering that Irish whiskey is wonderfully approachable because there are so many layers to it.” At Waterford Distillery, the focus is exclusively on single malt, though Reynier has further embarked on an ambitious endeavor to highlight and differentiate the flavor of different types of barley, along with the impact of terroir. “Waterford’s all about barley flavor, and creating the most natural, flavorful, pure expression of barley imaginable,” Reynier says. “That means yes, making single malt whiskey. And making the best expression of barley is why we’re in Ireland in the first place, as it is perhaps the best barley-growing region in the world.” Waterford sources its grain from scores of different farmers and distills each separately, in equal quantities, producing a diverse range of spirits with varied and nuanced flavor profiles. Most other producers simply would have lumped together such components as one whole. “It’s no surprise to see continual growth of single malt worldwide, even in Scotland, where they had been long suppressed in favor of the more commercial, generic blends producible in limitless volumes,” Reynier, who formerly helmed Scotland’s Bruichladdich Distillery on Islay, says. “More affluent consumers are now seeking out more compelling flavors at the expense of dumbed down homogeneity.” Along with Waterford, there are now dozens of upstart distilleries in Ireland, and a large swath of them are choosing to showcase the potential of Irish whiskey through the lens of single malts. That they’re joining Bushmills, regarded as the oldest licensed whiskey distillery in the world, makes the category that much more exciting, a mix of history and heritage with renewed quality and dynamic entrants, all creating a thriving industry — just as it always should have been, and indeed, as it once was. 5 Irish Single Malts to TryBushmills 21 Year OldChristmas cake in liquid form, with zesty orange peel, spicy oak, chocolate, toffee, and dried fruits all mingling together. The whiskey is aged for 19 years in a combination of bourbon and sherry casks, and is then finished for its final two years of maturation in Madeira casks. Tyrconnell 16 Year Old Oloroso & Moscatel Cask FinishThis limited-edition expression from Tyrconnell was released in summer 2019. The whiskey is finished in casks that first held oloroso sherry and then were further seasoned with Moscatel wine. The resulting flavor is an enticing combination of honey, fruits, and spice. Teeling Single MaltTeeling’s self-distilled single malt, currently a non-age statement whiskey, is matured in a combination of five different wine casks, providing a complex base of rich, fruity flavors. Of course, should you be able to find any of the limited Teeling single malts bearing names such as Reserve, Revival, or Renaissance, snatch them up, too. Glendalough 13 Year Mizunara Cask FinishGlendalough took one of its core whiskeys, a sourced 13 year old single malt, and finished it in prized Japanese Mizunara oak casks. Though a limited release from 2018, you can still track down some remaining bottles that sport Mizunara’s trademark incense and spice flavors. Knappogue Castle 12 YearThe 12 year from Knappogue Castle is Murphy’s go-to choice in the category, with the festival founder saying, “This is a favorite of mine, and the best part? You can pick up a bottle for under $50.” The bottle shows easy-sipping maturity beyond its age. Waterford Distillery Single Farm Origin Series*As a bonus pick, keep your eyes out late summer 2020 for the initial offering from Waterford. The Single Farm Origin Series will be a side-by-side release showcasing the differences in terroir, and taste, between single malt distillate made from barley grown on two different farms. “We hope to make the most profound single malt — and that process starts with where and how it grows: Irish terroir,” Reynier says. *Expected availability: summer 2020. The article Why Irish (Yes, Irish) Single Malt Whiskeys Deserve Your Attention appeared first on VinePair. Via https://vinepair.com/articles/irish-single-malt-whiskey-guide/ Via https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/why-irish-yes-irish-single-malt-whiskeys-deserve-your-attention It’s unlikely that pristine cheese boards, gooey raclette, and oozy grilled cheese sandwiches will lose much traction in 2020. But, what new sorts of cheesy trends do we have to look forward to at the beginning of this new decade? We asked 10 cheesemongers to find out. “Sustainable packaging. I think as purveyors, we don’t tend to think about packaging in the same way as our customers; we’re wrapping in cheese paper or selling pre-packaged items because that’s all built into what we do. [Our customers] are asking if they can bring in beeswax wraps, reusable containers, and if they should be buying cheese paper/cheese bags for at-home use to avoid wrapping in cling film. It’s a neat shift to see as more people choose greener alternatives — a good example for all of us to follow!” —Maarit Tymchyshyn, Lead Monger, The Cheesemongers Fromagerie, Winnipeg, Canada “With Rogue River Blue winning this year at the World Cheese Awards and the current tariff situation with imported cheeses, I think we are really poised to see a golden age in American artisan cheeses. Consumer knowledge has increased and because of that, ‘American cheese’ doesn’t have the same negative connotation it used to.” —Scout Henderson, Cheese Buyer, Whole Foods, Charleston, SC “Big data will impact cheese distribution. The romance and saleability of [the] specialty cheese market has attracted engineers seeking to improve the flow of cheese to market. I expect to see investments in reusable packaging that increase speed of loading, reduces warehouse (handling) costs, and waste.” —Jeffery Mitchell, Owner, Culpeper Cheese Company, Culpepper, VA “I think we’ll see cheesemakers focusing on sustainability as farms face more and more issues from climate change and cheesemakers advertising the steps they are taking to preserve the environment. This includes converting whey into a soil regenerator like Arethusa Farms, methane recycling like Point Reyes, and carbon sequestering from no-till grazing like Shellburne Farms. 2020 is the year consumers can learn cheese is a process, not just a product!” —Julia Gross, Cheesemonger-at-Large, Chicago, IL “As cheese and its inherent beauty continues to gain traction on social media, it will be ever-important for education to be the defining factor in cheese influence. Design and aesthetic are, like in any business, core to creating engagement and interest, but do not replace the services of an educated monger.” —Caitlin O’Neill, Head of Retail & Food Service, Cowgirl Creamery, Point Reyes Station, CA “I think a couple trends for 2020 are going to be continuing that Insta cheese board wave, Japanese cheeses as they start to be exported to the rest of the world and into American counters, as well as a surge in support for domestic cheeses as the threat of increasing tariffs and potential war increases.” —Michelle Vieira, Columbus, Blogger, Columbus Curd Nerd, Columbus, OH “I am seeing a rise in fermentation festivals, going back to the roots of food preservations. We host a number of events with local breweries, cideries, distilleries, wineries and showcasing handcrafted pickles, jellies, fruit spreads, breads, etc. Small business foodies are banding together!” —Melodie Picard, Owner of The Oregon Cheese Cave, Phoenix, OR “In 2019 at the World Cheese Awards in Bergamo, Italy, Japanese cheeses took 15 awards out of 30 entered, including a No. 10 spot of Best in the World. In 2020, I predict we will see Japan bringing their cheesemakers into the limelight for these extraordinary awards.” —Sheri Allen, Owner of Artisanal Touch Events, Salt Lake City, UT “An expansion of prepacked snack packs of salami and cheese, nuts, etc.; prepacked cheese board kits to put together at home, and home delivery of same.” —Marge Porter, Sales Rep/Cheese Specialist, Great Ciao, Inc., Minneapolis, MN “I’ve worked behind a cheese counter for almost eight years and I quickly grew used to hearing customers say ‘just no stinky cheese, please’ until recently. I think 2020 will be the year that robust, washed-rind cheeses will really get to shine. I think the general public is starting to get less freaked by the funk and have become more excited to try them. There are so many amazing washed-rinds right now, especially being made by American artisanal producers, and it’s been really exciting to see them grow in popularity.” —Alyssa Trulson, Head Cheesemonger, Milkfarm, Los Angeles, CA The article We Asked 10 Cheesemongers: What Will Be the Cheese Trends of 2020? appeared first on VinePair. Via https://vinepair.com/articles/top-cheese-trends-2020/ Via https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/we-asked-10-cheesemongers-what-will-be-the-cheese-trends-of-2020 If you’re used to dining out at places that take their beverage programs seriously (which, let’s be honest, should be most places), you’re used to clean, spotless glassware. This can be one of the clearest indicators an establishment is conscientious about its drinks service. Achieving that same spotless glassware at home is doable; it just takes a small bit of effort. The easiest way to do this is to hand wash and hand dry your stemware. Allowing the glass to air dry on the wrack is what causes the spots to form. But, if you’re like me, and at the end of a dinner party all you want to do is load the dishwasher and head to bed, then you’ll have to polish your stemware after you remove it from the machine. To polish stemware, get a nice microfiber cloth and twist the glass with one hand while polishing the glass with the other. Just be sure not to squeeze too tightly and to twist from the middle of the stem instead of the base, as twisting from the base could cause the stem to snap. The article Ask Adam: How Do I Prevent Spots on My Wine Glasses? appeared first on VinePair. Via https://vinepair.com/articles/how-prevent-spots-clean-wine-glasses-dishwasher/ Via https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/ask-adam-how-do-i-prevent-spots-on-my-wine-glasses |
John BoothHi I am John Booth,36 years old from California,CA,USA,working in Whole Seller market,we supply different types of Beverages to the market.Here I am sharing some special tips about it. Archives
August 2021
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