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Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Bourbon for Fall

I know it is winter in a large part of the country but here in the Okanagan it is really just fall, the leaves are dropping and the temperature is hovering around zero so time to start looking for a warming tipple.So Bourbon fits the bill with notes of spice and vanilla it makes you feel warm just to smell it. I think the aromas that come off of a well crafted bourbon are probably my favorite drink to just get lost in the scent of. Most bourbons have a higher than average alcohol percentage usually around 50% so they sneek up on you quickly and warm your insides in a hurry.
This weekend our whiskey club had a chance to try a number of really nice bourbons the hit of the night for me was the Old Forester Birthday Bourbon huge vanilla and orange in the nose smooth and rich tasting a real winner Honorable mentions go to Pogue, Hancocks Single Barrel, and Russels 10 year Old.

We also tasted a Whiskey from Oregon, Edgefield Hogshead Whiskey . It had the strangest botannical nose on it and an interesting herbaceous flavor my guess is they are adding a small quantity of hopped whiskey to the mix for interest very different than anything I have ever Tasted 

Friday, November 2, 2012

PUMPKIN???


I used to think that Pumpkin was just an excuse to throw a whack of spices at some marginal ale and sell it around Halloween. Well my opinion is starting to change, this is fast becoming a legitimate style of ale that delivers a range of unique taste experiences. I think the thing that hits me most is when the beer delivers a silky mouth-feel at the back of the pallet and a subtle hint of spice that is neither cloying or acrid. There are still some underwhelming Pumpkin brews out there but this year there are many more good ones than bad ones. I actually got to help with the pumpkin portion for Cannery Brewing's Knucklehead Pumpkin ale which ended up with 250lbs of Pumpkin in a 20hl batch of brew( that is a lot by the way). I still have this beer on tap at the pub and it is great. Also Check out Tree's , Howe Sound and Fernie's Pumpkins as well, all are good.