Review- Terhune Orchards Winery

I recently visited Terhune Orchards in Princeton, NJ to sample their farm made wines. They offer a large variety (over 20) wines made from fruits grown in their farm/vineyard. The selection includes wine made from grapes, apples, cherries, peaches, blue berries, and other seasonal offerings.

If you are in the neighborhood I definitely recommend a wine tasting in the barn/art gallery. You can purchase a sampling of five wines for only $5. The winery tasting room is open Friday and Sunday from noon to 5pm. Bottles  are available in the farm store daily

Amongst my favorites were;
Just Peachy- Aromatic peach, blended with our own Apple Wine (made from Terhune Orchards Apple Cider).

Front Porch Breeze - Blush wine, semi-sweet and fruity with a taste of strawberry. A blend of Vidal Blanc, Orange Muscat and hint of Niagra grapes.

Rooster Red - Semi-sweet red wine with dark cherry aromas. Just enough sweetness to be pleasant with a round finish. Soft and appreciable and similar to pinot noir. 100% Estate Grown. Silver medal -NJ State Wine Competition 2011, Bronze medal 2012

Chambourcin - Medium body red, dry wine with a clean finish, light taste of cherry. Bronze medal-NJ State Wine Competition 2011.

Apple Wine - Made from Terhune Orchards own apple cider, refreshing dry wine. Bronze medal - NJ State Wine Competition 2012

Terhune Orchards
330 Cold Soil Road
Princeton, NJ 08540
609.924.2310

Review - Jersey Artisan Distilling "Busted Barrel Rum"

"We aren't doing anything different, just better."

Jersey Artisan Distilling is a relatively new distillery located in Fairfield, NJ. It is the first distillery in NJ since prohibition ended. Their main focus is using the freshest ingredients found locally in NJ. The molasses however comes from Louisiana, simply because NJ does not have any molasses producers.

Currently they only have Busted Barrel Rum available in stores, but will soon offer vodka and gin. In 2015 they plan to expand to bourbon and whiskey production. By US definition Rum can be made a number of ways using a variety of different ingredients, look for new and different types of rum coming out of this distillery in the future.

I sampled the Busted Barrel Rum in a Caipirinha drink, which is basically lime juice, simple syrup, and rum. It was the best Caipirinha I have ever had. Fresh ingredients are definitely the way to go! I also enjoyed drinking the rum straight, but it is a tad strong with an Abv of 40% and 80 proof.

For a list of locations where Busted Barrel Rum is available please check their website, the list grows daily.
http://www.jerseyartisandistilling.com/#!where/c19j8 

Review - Papa's Pillar Rum

Papa's Pilar Rum is based on the life and spirit of Ernest Hemingway. It embodies his love for life and adventure. The name comes from the name of Hemingway's 38 foot motorboat, the "Pilar." I tried both the 24 Solera blended Dark Rum and the 3 Solera blended Blonde Rum. The Dark Rum was my personal favorite, I liked drinking it straight. It has hints of vanilla, caramel, anise, and cherries; this is a great Dark Rum that goes down smooth.

I also enjoyed the Blonde Rum, both of which are finished in a Spanish Sherry Cask, giving them a unique flavor. This Rum was very smooth and I would recommend it for mixing as the flavoring is not as strong as the dark rum.

For more information visit the Papa's Pilar website www.papaspilar.com

 The Pillar

Hemingway's House in Key West, Florida

Cocktails with Lauren

I had the pleasure of taking two cocktail classes with "Lauren" from www.cocktailswithlauren.com. I took Green Market Cocktails and All in for Gin. First off, I was very impressed with Lauren's knowledge of both the drinks and alcohol. She really knows her stuff, which she should as a bartender at Raines Law Room in NYC, a speakeasy type bar which specializes in prohibition and pre-prohibition drinks.

We listened to a brief lecture, which included directions to make your own simple syrup and Chili Agave syrup. Then watched Lauren make the cocktails, and then were given directions to make our own. Green Market cocktails featured drinks make with fruit, and a punch bowl. What a great idea for your next party, have guests serve themselves. All in for Gin also featured a punch, a Martini, and Tom Collins. We learned about different brands of Gin, and I discovered Perry's Tot Gin, a very strong Gin made in New York by the New York Distilling Company. I definitely recommend trying it if you consider yourself a Gin aficionado. 

Lauren is available for private parties and corporate events. She has experience leading cocktail classes with Rains Law Room and The Astor Center. She has presented at the Manhattan Cocktail Classic, Tales of the Cocktail, and Appetite: Food and Wine festival.

If you are interested in planning your next event with Lauren please email her at LaurenDavis118@gmail.com.

Sugarush - Guinness and Champagne cupcakes

This was my second time trying sugarush cupcakes. I am in love with these mini cupcakes coming in a variety of flavors. I sampled chocolate, carrot cake, and red velvet; chocolate with peanut butter frosting was one of my favorites. I was really intrigued by the Guinness and Champagne cupcakes, both of which are seasonal. They are also available for custom orders. If you are looking for "NJ's best cupcake" give them a try.


sugarush: a sweet experience
37 East Front Street
Red Bank, NJ 07701
732-414-9044
www.experiencesugarush.com/

Event - Pub Crawl NY Renaissance Faire

The New York Renaissance Faire takes place every Saturday and Sunday from August 3rd to September 22, 2013.  Tickets for admission into the faire are Adult: $22 ($20 online) Child (age 5-12): $11 ($10 online) Children 4 & younger are FREE!         Every day of the faire they will host two pub crawls. Explore the pubs of Sterling Shire and sample the finest beers, receive five drinks including a microbrew at our newly reopened Peacock Pavilion! SIGN UP at the Information Booth - $35 per person Tour lasts approx. 75-90 minutes. Limited space available Two Pub Crawls scheduled per day: 11:15am and 3:00pm. Meet at Matey Groves to begin the festivities! Participants will also receive a commemorative pin. Must be 21+ and have your valid Driver’s License/State ID to participate. For more information visit the Faire's website  http://www.renfair.com/ny/index.asp

NJ Winery Tour

                                         

                                                                 Cape May Winery
Summer is almost over, but there is still a month left for outdoor enjoyment. I was surprised to find so many vineyards located right here in NJ. There are many ways to plan a tour, you could visit one winery or try a wine tour, with multiple wineries on one day.

Just make sure to do your research and call ahead of time, not all wineries are open for tours daily. 

Here are some places to start:
http://www.jerseywinetours.com/wine-tours.html
http://www.sjwinetours.com/Pages/Tours.aspx
http://www.bellavistawinetours.com/featured-wineries/

Event - BBQ & Craft Beer Festival

Monmouth Park in Monmouth, NJ hosts a BBQ& Craft beer festival on Saturday August 31, 2013 and Sunday September 1, 2013.
$3 general admission gets you into both the track and festival area. Food items are priced a la carte. Beer Garden is $10 for ten 2oz samples and a commemorative mini-Pilsner glass.
Gates open 11:30 am, Post time 12:50 pm.

For information on Monmouth Park, visit their website.
http://www.monmouthpark.com/

Defiant Brewing Co. Tasting Notes

One of my favorite local restaurants/pubs has recently started hosting tap takers. The Shannon Rose Irish Pub hosted a Defiant Brewing Co. tap take over on August 1, 2013. They had 6 different beers on tap and served a sampling of three for only $6.50. I think this is a great deal, I'm definitely looking forward to trying some more craft beers at the Shannon Rose.

My favorites where the Defiant Orange Cream Beer and Medusa IPA. The Orange Cream Beer tasted much like a creamsicle popsicle. It is a Belgian style wit with a 5.2% ABV. Wit beer or white beer,  is a barley/wheat, top-fermented beer, it gets its name due to suspended yeast and wheat proteins which cause the beer to look hazy, or white, when cold. It traditionally consists of coriander, orange, bitter orange, and hops. The Medusa IPA was very flavorful with a kick, it consists of hops from America, England, and Germany.  IPA's are usually very strong beer, this one being 6.8% ABV.

I also recommend trying the Defiant Headless Horseman Pumpkin Ale. The pumpkin flavoring here is not overpowering and the spices give it a nice aftertaste. Made with freshly smashed pumpkin, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and a pinch of all spice. It definitely stands out amongst other pumpkin ales.

To read more about Defiant brewing co and more about their beers, please check out their website.
http://defiantbrewing.com/

Roses are Red Jewelry Line

I have been collecting beer caps and tabs during my bartending shifts to make jewelry and other crafts. I'm just starting the store section of the brewery, but I plan to add beer candles, beer soaps, and drinking glasses made from recycled beer bottles. Please check out the store at the following link

http://www.etsy.com/shop/RosesAreRedBrewingCo

The "Shandy" Beer

A shandy is considered a beer mixed with a soft drink, carbonated lemonade, ginger beer, giner ale or apple juice. The proportions are usually half and half. There are several popular variations of the shandy, a shandy containing beer and cider is know as a snakebite.
A shandy containing beer and cider (in US usage Hard Cider) is called a snakebite.

This is a recipe for a Snakebite mixed beer cocktail.

Makes 1 large snakebite

• 8 ounces Perry Hard Cider, chilled
• 8 ounces Corona Extra lager beer, chilled
• 1 or 2 tablespoons vanilla-lime simple syrup
• 2 teaspoons or more Pear brandy or liqueur 
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice or to taste

1. To make the vanilla-lime simple syrup: In a medium sauce pan over medium heat cook 1 cup water, 1 cup organic sugar,1 vanilla bean and 4 strips of lime peel (white pith removed completely) for 10 minutes. Reduce to a simmer and cook 20 more minutes. Strain the syrup through a fine sift and then set aside to cool.
2. When ready to serve; drop a few dried or fresh berries into the bottom of a chilled glass, top with vanilla-lime simple syrup,lime juice and pear brandy; then pour the cider and beer. Garnish with a slice of pear and a slice of lime

Cherry Ale recipe

I purchased some "sour" cherries at a farmer's mark that I think would be great for home brewing. They are sour and tangy, but still have that cherry flavoring.  I found this recipe for a cherry based blonde ale that I'm going to try.
 I also think cherries would go great with a chocolate dessert stout, but one thing at a time.

Grains

6 lbs. American 2-row
3 lbs. Malted White Wheat
1 lbs. Honey Malt 20°L
1.5 lbs. Caramel/Crystal 20°L
1 lbs. Rice Flaked

Hops and Schedule

1 oz. Hallertauer (Pellets, 4.50 %AA) boiled 60 min.
0.5 oz. Hallertauer (Pellets, 4.50 %AA) boiled 15 min.

Yeast

German Ale Yeast – Safale K-97

Mash Schedule

Strike grains at 165 degrees.
Mash grains at 152 degrees for 60 minutes.
Sparge with 170 degree water.

Boil Instructions

Bring to boil and add hops per schedule.
At end of 60 minute boil cool wort quickly, when it reaches 80 degrees pitch yeast.

Measurements (Fruit Ale)

Since the cherry ale falls into the Fruit Beer category it has no specific style guidelines for OG,FG,SRM or IBU, it is recommended to use the style guidelines of the base style you have selected for your fruit beer.  Here are the measurements for a typical blonde ale recipe.
OG – 1.038 – 1.054
FG – 1.008 – 1.013
Color(SRM) – 3-6
IBUs – 15-28
ABV 3.8-5.5%

Ferment Instructions

Primary ferment between 63 – 70 degrees for 1 week.  Add cherries to secondary fermenter and rack beer to it for 2 weeks.  For this recipe I purchased 5 lbs of fresh Bing Cherries.  Pull the stems off and crush the the cherries.  Then cook them for about 20 minutes at about 160 degrees.  Let them cool down and add to the secondary.

Great Tip - Oak Chips

This was one of the more interesting beer making tips I learned. Do you realize that during the secondary fermentation you can add wood chips soaked with alcohol/juice/or any type of liquid. Apparently many brewers use this method to add a whiskey/bourbon flavoring to their beer. They type of wood also adds a distinct flavoring.

Here is some more reading on using oak chips:
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/question-oak-wood-chips-105682/
http://beersmith.com/blog/2012/02/20/oak-in-your-beer-oak-chips-and-barrel-aging/
http://forum.northernbrewer.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=27223
http://www.fermentarium.com/homebrewing/brewing-beer/add-oak-to-beer/

This is an Oak Spiral, which can be re-used to flavor your beer.

E. C. Kraus

I came across another great online beer/wine making supplier. They sell everything from supplies, kits, to ingredients. I liked there selection of beer kits. I saw a lot of Belgium beers, a milk stout, a saison, and even gluten free beer.

The highlight for me was their blog. Which features beer recipes and how to articles. The day I stumbled upon the blog, there was a feature on adding sugars to beer. Sugar can be added to increase the gravity of the beer, and turn your beer into an imperial beer.There suggestions include can sugar, brown sugar, and maple syrup amongst others.

Check out their website at the following link https://www.eckraus.com/

My First Beer

In April 2013, I was able to brew my first beer. I was surprised how easy this actually was. Once you have steps to follow and have the right equipment, home brewing can be relatively easy. I brewed a Blonde Ale Pilsner,  which I purchased from Love2Brew as a starter kit. I added Strawberry syrup at the bottle stage to create a beer I called "Strawberry Blonde Pale Ale."

To my surprise, everyone who tried my first brew loved it. That has given me a lot of confidence, and the desire to get started on my second batch. While talking to other home brewers, I received several tips. I learned of one gallon kits from Northern Brewer and Brooklyn Brew Shop. I have selected Brooklyn Brew Shop's "Chocolate Maple Porter" to be my second brew.  I purchased this kit for only $15 from the Brooklyn Brewery website. This brew is described as; "Thick, rich, creamy, and just a little sweet, our Chocolate Maple Porter gets its dark chocolate flavor from a handful of Chocolate Malt. The addition of maple syrup at the end of the boil makes for a smooth and creamy flavor."

After doing a little more research online I realized that many craft breweries also post their beer recipes, so you can try your hand at making these beers yourself. While they don't sell the kits, the ingredients are easy to find online.

  

This picture is during the bottling stage after 3 weeks of fermentation.

Event- Brew at the Zoo Saturday June 29, 2013

On June 29, 2013, from 6-9PM, The Turtle Back Zoo will celebrate its 50th anniversary by hosting a craft beer festival.   "Brew at the Zoo" will feature live entertainment, twenty-five brewers, and a selection of fifty craft beers.

Tickets are $50 in advance, and $60 day of. To purchase tickets follow the link below
http://brew-at-the-zoo.ticketleap.com/brew-at-the-zoo/
Only guests ages 21 and over will be permitted.


Turtle Back Zoo
560 Northfield Avenue
West Orange, NJ 07052

Event - Repour the Shore Sunday June 9, 2013

On June 9, 2013 from noon to 10pm, The Spot Pizza Grill  will host "Repour the Shore". 10% of all food & beverage sold that day along with profits from NJ craft beer $5 pint specials and $20 t-shirt sales will be donated to Shore 2 Recover's Rebuild Program. Local musicians will be preforming through out the day. 


The Spot Pizza Grill
1506 Richmond Ave (Route 35)
Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742
(732) 701-8303

Event - Sea Isle City Craft Beer & Rock Fest June 8, 2013

   

On Saturday June 8, 2013 from 3pm to 7pm, Sea Island City will host a beer and music festival.
Tickets are only $40 until June 6th,and then $50.
Tickets include sampling of over 100 beers. Follow this link for the beer list.
Tickets must be purchased in advanced by following this link 
http://runningofthesantas.ticketleap.com/craft-beer-and-rock-fest/

Sea Island City Beer & Rock Fest
63rd & Landis Avenue
Sea Isle City, NJ 08243

Recipe - Honey Drinks

I recently stumbled into "Follow the Honey" while on vacation in Cambridge, MA. This is a specialty store dedicated to all things honey, including beauty products and mead. I was really surprised by the huge selection of honey from around the world. I was treated to a honey sampling at the Honey Bar. While I was treated to many great, amazing, tasty honeys, I was most interested in honey that I could use in mixed drinks.

I purchased Mariangel Prunotto's Mint Blossom honey. I have used this to make drinks with whiskey, bourbon, and brandy. So far I feel this goes great with any of those liquors, it really brings out the flavoring in the liquor. I would recommend this honey also be mixed with milk or cream, it would go well in a Brandy Alexander.

They also have honey on tap, that you can jar your self. This honey comes from local Autumn Morning Farm in Barre, MA. I particularly liked this honey for mixing as well.

If you are in the Boston/Cambridge area I definitely recommend checking out this store.
Follow The Honey  

Harvard Square
1132 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge, MA 02138
 (617) 945-7356

Review - Samuel Adams' Porch Rocker

I recently attended a private Samuel Adams' craft beer tasting featuring some of their limited release beers. One of my favorites was "Porch Rocker." I would describe this as a light beer, similar to summer ale, with hints of lemon and a refreshing lemonade flavor. This beer is Samuel Adams' take on the Bavarian Radler. This beer is 4.5% ABV, with 161 calories per serving. I highly recommend it.

The Bavarian Radler originated in 1922. It's a beer-based mixed drink, usually mixed with soda or lemonade. It typically consists of a fifty-fifty or sixty-forty mixture.

To read more about Samuel Adams' Craft Beer follow the link below:
Samuel Adams Craft Beer

Budweiser releases limited Edition Cans

Budweiser is releasing these limited edition can's *2 cents per case sold between May 5 and July 4, up to $1.5 Million will go to the Folds of Honor Foundation.

Recipe - Beer Ice Cream

Beer Ice Cream Recipe and Instructions

• 8 oz of beer (helps if you pour it early and let it flatten)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 pint (16 oz) heavy whipping cream

1. Whisk together the yolks, salt, and sugar in a sauce pan or pot. Then mix in the whipping cream.
2. Slowly heat to 180°F, stirring often. This should take 10 minutes or so. You don’t want to go too high and scramble the eggs.
3. When the mixture hits 180°F, remove it from the heat and pour it through a fine mesh strainer into a medium-sized bowl.
4. Whisk in the beer.
5. Immediately put the medium bowl into an ice bath to cool it (this should feel familiar to homebrewers).
6. When the mixture hits 70°F, remove it from the ice bath. Put Saran wrap on top and put the bowl in the fridge to cool overnight.
7. When chilled, remove the bowl and pour the mixture into the spinning ice cream machine. The machine’s container should be completely frozen.
8. It will take 20-30 minutes to make the ice cream, during which time you can add any ingredients you want to it.
9. If you let it sit in the freezer for a while it will harden up.

Recipe by Billy Brew.

Membership - The New Jersey Craft Beer (NJCB) Membership Club

The New Jersey Craft Beer (NJCB) Membership Club is only $20 a year and gives you discounts on craft beer and food through out NJ and Philadelphia.

 There are currently 282 establishments participating in the discount program. Please down the PDF for all the details. I see many 10% deals, $1/$2 of your drinks, and much more.
PDF with participating businesses


Purchase your membership via the link below
http://newjerseycraftbeer.com/store/

Event - American Craft Beer Week -May 13-19, 2013

The third week in May, marks American Craft Beer Week, the Brewers Association is celebrating ACBW around the country to recognize and celebrate small and independent brewers. There will be a hand-full of NJ beer events celebrating craft beer.


The Shannon Rose Irish Pub will be celebrating with  a Tap Takeover from Sam Adams allow drinkers to sample 8 different Sam Adams limited release draft beers under one roof.
These selections of Sam Adams beers will only be available on draft at the three Shannon Rose locations in New Jersey for just four days, they include:
Double Agent IPL – the best of both worlds, hoppy like an IPA and leaner and cleaner like a lager.
Third Voyage Double IPA – this is a true Double American style IPA with 85 IBU’s of Cascade and Simcoe hops and a nice malty backbone of 8% ABV.
New World Tripel – a great example of a Belgian Tripel; 9% ABV complexity with vanilla, tropical fruit, and coconut notes, all tied in with a Belgian yeast complexity and a touch of tartness.
Chocolate Bock – are dark and rich with sweet cocoa notes and a touch of vanilla.
Grumpy Monk – is a medium weight Belgian Style IPA, with American hops complexity and huge Belgian yeast character.
Blueberry Lager – is a refreshing beer with natural and slightly tart blueberry flavors in a soft, Kellerbier-style lager.
Porch Rocker – is a light summer beer Radler-style, blending the flavors of German lemonade with a Helles Lager.
Backwoods Porter – a maple, pecan, bourbon porter; includes an earthy balance of roasted malts, maple, pecans, and bourbon oak.

I can't wait to try them all, they all sound great. Sam Adams craft beers have always been amongst my favorites. My favorites being Summer Ale, Octoberfest, and Cherry Wheat.

Event- Garden State Brewfest - May 11, 2013

Who? Beer drinkers  21+
What? Garden State Brewfest
When?  Saturday, May 11th, 2013
            GA 2:00PM - 6:00PM
            VIP Starts at 1:00
 How? Purchase Tickets
Standard Admission:
Advanced Purchase $50
Day Of, if not sold out $60
Designated Driver $10
VIP Experience, limited space available $100
Where?
Mt Carmel Society Fairgrounds
56 River Road
Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922

Follow this link for more information and to purchase tickets
http://gardenstatebrewfest.com/

Event- Brews at the Ballpark - Friday May 10, 2013

The Camden River Sharks will host a "Brews at the Ballpark" Event  on Friday May 10th, from 6:30-8:30pm. The night will feature a sampling of Philadelphia Craft Beers PLUS a 2 hour all-you-can-eat buffet and post-game Fireworks Spectacular!
Some of the craft beers on hand will be Victory, Yards, Stoudts, Philadelphia Brewing Co., and Troegs.

Tickets are $35 but MUST be purchased in advanced.

For more information follow the link below.
http://riversharks.com/news/?news_ID=1426

Campbell's Field
401 N. Delaware Avenue
Camden, NJ 08102

1.866.SHARKS9     

Review- Pour My Beer

I think this is a really great, efficient idea. "Pour My Beer" has a system where bars will allow patrons to pour their own drinks instead of waiting on a bartender to be served. I myself have experience times where the wait at the bar was too long, and have either sat back down just to "talk" or decided to leave the establishment.
It seems simple enough. The customer is issued a wristband with a chip in it that they use to swipe and charge their beers.They can open a tab with a credit card, or purchase a credit and add a desired dollar amount to use at a later date.

Once a wristband is within an inch of the receiver, the system recognizes the patron and grants access. They will be able to pour the beverage of their choice. Now customers can refill at their leisure, sample drinks, and not have to wait in a long line.

I'm  looking forward to seeing some of these types of bars pop up soon.

 For more information follow the link below
pourmybeer.com/

Review - Love2Brew

I have been contemplating home brewing for almost 2 years now. It has been on my mind since I first stepped into bartending school. I immediately asked my school instructors, who merely said they serve beer but don't know anything about making it. It has been a slow start, since I have always felt overwhelmed and was not really sure where to start.

I was really excited when I found out about "Love2Brew" in North Brunswick, NJ. After researching the company I decided to sign up for one of their beginner Learn2Brew courses. I was surprised when I called and was told the classes are limited to 4 students. You are encouraged to ask questions and the classes offer personal attention.

I was given several hand-outs with clear instructions and we went through the brew process step-by-step. They were able to explain in a simplified manner and had all the equipment displayed so you could clearly see what they were referring to. After my class, I felt really confident about he home brewing process and was ready to make a purchase.

While money is a major concern for me, since I'm not working currently. The owner custom made a 1 gallon kit, to suit my specific needs. I purchased a blonde pale ale custom starter kit and also some strawberry flavoring. I was able to brew my first batch 3 days later, with complete confidence. The owner is also a beer enthusiast and is always available to answer any/all questions over the phone or by email.

I hope you will check out the store if you are considering home brewing too. Please follow the link below.
https://www.love2brew.com/

Website - Hard Cider News

I'm really glad I stumbled upon this website http://www.hardcidernews.com/ , which like the name says is everything you need to know about Hard Cider. Whether you are a fan of hard cider or looking to make hard cider there is something for you here.

I read about NY State Senator Charles E. Schumer, and his new CIDER Act, which will make cider production in NY more productive and attrative. The CIDER Act, Cider, Investment & Development through Excise Tax Reduction Act, will modernize the definition for hard apple and pear cider in the Internal Revenue Code to increase their allowed alcohol by volume from 7 percent to 8.5 percent, encompassing significantly more hard cider products and allowing them to be labeled and taxed like hard cider, rather than wine as it currently is.

There are articles on current brewers and new products. McKenzie’s Hard Cider has announced the release of a new cider style, Lazy Lemon, a gluten free lemonade cider. It has a burst of citrus without the acidic bite.

Lazy Lemon will be available in both package and draft beginning in April in select locations in NY, NH, ME, MA, OH, MI, FL, OK and VT. McKenzie’s Hard Cider is coming soon to CT, NJ, PA, TX and WI.

There was even a spotlight on a current kickstarter campaign to fund a new Hard Cider Public Taproom in Portland, Oregon.  Please follow this link for more information and to help fund this project.

Reverend Nat's Hard Cider Public Taproom

White House Home Brew

Many of you you are aware that President Obama has been home brewing in the White House. He is not the first president to home brew, however he is the first to brew in the White House. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin were also home brewers.

Since I recently started home brewing myself. I thought it would be fun to try out his recipes.

Raven Drink Recipes

The Raven

Ingredients:

• 1 oz vodka
• 1 oz rum
• 1 oz blue curacao
• 1/2 oz Chambord

Preparation:

1. Pour the vodka, rum and blue curacao into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
2. Strain into a highball glass filled with fresh ice.
3. Slowly pour the Chambord over the back of a bar spoon so it floats on top. 

 The Baltimore Bracer

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 ounces brandy
• 1 1/2 ounces anisette
• 1 egg white

Preparation:

1. Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
2. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds.
3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. 

The Baltimore Bang

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 ounce bourbon whiskey
• 1 1/2 ounce apricot brandy
• 1 ounce fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• Orange slice and cherry for garnish

 

 

Preparation:

1. Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
2. Shake well.
3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
4. Garnish with a skewered orange slice and cherry flag.

49ers Drink Recipe

The Gold mine

Ingredients:

• 1/2 ounce Scotch whiskey
• 1/2 ounce Galliano liqueur
• 1/2 ounce sweet sherry
• 1 tsp egg white
• 1 ounce fresh lime juice
• 1 ounce lemonade
• Orange slice and cherry for garnish

Preparation:

1. Pour the whiskey, liqueur, sherry, egg white, and lime juice into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
2. Shake well.
3. Strain into a chilled old-fashioned glass filled with ice.
4. Top with lemonade.
5. Garnish with a skewered orange slice and cherry flag

The Frisco Sour

The Frisco Sour is very similar to the Whiskey Sour, it uses blended whiskey and  the Cognac-based Benedictine.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz blended whiskey
• 1/2 oz lemon juice
• 1/2 oz lime juice
• 1/2 oz Benedictine
• lemon slice for garnish

Preparation:

1. Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice cubes.
2. Shake well.
3. Strain into a sour glass.
4. Garnish with the lemon slice.

Print your own wine or beer labels

This is a really good idea for any themed party you are planning to have, why not  print your own labels? This is also a great idea for gift giving. Personalized bottles can be created from your home using these labels and a printer.

Follow this link to purchase

Avery Textured Print-To-The-Edge Arched Labels

Groupon Deal - Personalized Wine Labels purchase by midnight 2/5

This is a really great deal for personalized wine labels. They can be used for a wedding, bachelorette party, anniversary, birthday, or any celebration.

The deal is :

• $24 for 24 labels ($60 list price)
• $38 for 48 labels ($120 list price)
• $49 for 100 labels ($250 list price)

with free shipping to be purchased from PersonalWine.com

Follow this groupon link to purchase Groupon.

Purchase your groupon by midnight February 5, 2013 and use by April 6, 2013