It’s Been Too Long

It’s been a while and I apologize. My life got a little busy with a new baby. He’s awesome and I love being a dad. While I’m a dad now, I’m still pretty stoked about my job. I’ve been tasting through a lot of wines and spirits and found a few gems. Here’s some of my favorites:

Caperitif, Swartzland, South Africa

So I know this one sounds weird and out there. Stick with me because this is worth a taste. This is basically like a vermouth. It has a Chenin Blanc based fortified wine with 32 different botanicals from South Africa. Chenin Blanc is one of the largest produced wines coming out of the region. It sometimes goes by the name Steen. Caperitif is an amazing aperitif on it’s own with a twist of orange or lemon. BUT, it makes a great cocktail. Try it with a barrel aged gin.

Erna Schein “The Frontman,” Napa, CA 2014

88% Merlot/12% Cabernet Sauvignon 

This winery makes some serious wines that are crazy fun. My first introduction to Erna Schein was their Saint Fumee red blend. It, exactly like Frontman, has an incredibly gorgeous label. Frontman is a right bank Bordeaux style blend with Merlot dominating. Lots of depth and density. Black and blue fruit on the nose with some dark chocolate. Blackberry and blueberry with some spicy oak in the palate. Medium acidity and medium tannins with a velvety finish. All this make Frontman seem unapproachable to a novice wine drinker. I think this is actually a great special occasion wine for the amateurs that cane really cultivate an appreciation for nicer wines. It’s not cheap, but it’s totally worth it.

Great Raft Brewing’s Creature of Habit Coffee Imperial Brown Ale, Shreveport, LA

Sorry I don’t have a photo of this, I end up finishing them before I can snap a photo. I got this one from the Great Raft Brewing site.

It’s no secret that I love GRB. This is probably one of my favorites that they do. I think the new recipe perfects the beer. Brewed with locally roasted coffee beans, the new recipe increased the alcohol content. It’s got some great roasted coffee note, nice maltiness, and a silky finish. I don’t think I’m off base by saying this is a killer breakfast beer.

Cesar Florido Moscatel Dorado, Chipiona, Spain

I have to confess, I didn’t find this wine. My colleague, Mario, introduced this wine to me at a South American wine dinner of all things. This is a fortified dessert wine and man, it’s uhh-mazing. There’s a little of forest floor/decay on the nose. I know this sounds off putting but it really balances out the heavy caramel, candied sweetness. It was served with crepes with a dulce de leche sauce. Absolutely divine pairing.

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Lager Me Bro: A Bromance

In the spirit of American Craft Beer week, I thought it would be a good thing to post a story that is important to me and many another Shreveport craft beer lovers. Great Raft Brewing has changed Southern Drawl. *Gasp*

As with any story worth telling, you’ll need context. Here we go. I’ve been involved with Great Raft on a retailer/restaurant/customer level for the whole time they have been producing beer. We’ve done events, pairings, tastings, the whole shebang. I’ve always admired their drive for quality and determination. In working with them and enjoying their beer, I really have only missed maybe 3 beers they have put out. (One is a sore subject and not GRB’s fault and the others were literally because I missed an anniversary party) Needless to say, I like their product and brand.

Southern Drawl caught me off guard. The first time I tasted it and I never went back. Personally. I order it everywhere I go and if they don’t have, I’m usually that guy that asks why they don’t carry it. It has been my go-to for the last 3 or so years. I love that Pale Lager. When I found out they were changing it, I was devastated… for about 10 seconds. Talking to Bob(Tasting Room Manager), he explained to me the change, the reason for it, and even let me taste the new brew.

I didn’t think SD could get better. I figured I was going to proceed like it was another Marvel movie. I had to like it because, it’s Marvel. I was just going to drink it and dream about those early Southern Drawls I was crushing at Hogs For The Cause or taking 6 packs to my out of town friends and telling them this was the game changer for Shreveport. I thought, “There’s no way they could make my favorite beer better.”

I was wrong.

If possible, I personally believe the change is for the better. The new dry-hopped pilsner is cleaner, more crisp, and more (as Andy Nations would say) crushable. They are using rice from Louisiana to make Southern Drawl actually “southern” and I think it adds a more approachable aspect to the craft genre. People still have this automatic, “snob” response to someone using the term craft beer. (When I hear mixologist I sometimes pull a Robert Downey Jr.)

When you pop a can, you’ll get the hops tingling your nose. That cereal grain flavor I loved on the end of it has been replaced with a fresh, slightly sweet grain finish. I honestly think it’s the best beer they’ve put out since Near & Far(I’ll never stop talking about that one).

So, get out there and grab a pint or a sixer of the new Southern Drawl. Let me know what you think about it. Was it a change for the better? Email me at beardandbarrel@gmail.com

5 Favorite Patio Pounders Under $20| March 2017

Patio pounders. I love that phrase. It describes a group of wines I am completely in love with. The phrase is in reference to a sect of crisp wines, usually white wines, that are light in body and high in acid. If that sounds weird to you, then think about lemonade. It’s light and extremely high in acidity. It’s perfect for quenching your thirst on a hot Louisiana summer day. That’s what I’m talking about.

Usually, my favorites aren’t from around here. I’m a fan of Spanish, French, and Portuguese white wines in beautiful weather like this. California, Oregon, and Washington do make some great summertime wines. Most of the time I gravitate towards different styles but there are exceptions. Here are 5 Patio Pounders you need to know about(please note, I purposely didn’t include any roses so I could showcase some great white wines):

Broadbent Vihno Verde, Portugal. We just tasted this one out last week at the bottle shop and it was a huge hit. Super fresh, high acid, and just a hint of effervescence made it popular with everyone. It doesn’t have a vintage because its literally just built to drink fresh. “Vihno Verde” actually translates to “green grape.” Like young green not under-ripe green. Being $11 doesn’t hurt anything either.

Jo Landon La Louvetrie Muscadet Sevre et Maine, Loire Valley, France 2015. If you are eating raw oysters in France, this is the juice you should be drinking. Muscadet often gets confused with Moscato but hey, we all make mistakes. This drinks with zesty lime citrus and a slightly oily texture. Beautiful when paired with salty oysters. $17

Leitz “Dragonstone” Riesling, Rheingau, Germany 2015. You’re judging me for a riesling. Most people don’t know that riesling is actually one of the most versatile grapes out there. It can be super sweet, slightly sweet, dry, or bone dry. This little gem is dry with flavors of white peach, lots of minerality, and a boat load of acidity. It drinks smooth and doesn’t sit heavy. Try it with wasabi drenched sushi and thank me later. $19.99

Tuck Beckstoffer Wines 75 Sauvignon Blanc, California 2015. I know I usually like to drink European white wines but this one was just darn delightful. Citrusy with a tad of grapefruit and maybe something tropical like kiwi with a dry finish. Great Cali juice. $16

Domitia Picpoul de Pinet, Lanquedoc, France 2015. My first love in the patio pounding category. Drinks like a dream and doesn’t break the bank at $14. Zippy acidity and sharp apple-lime flavors. Perfect for Manchego or a cloth bound cheddar. These are built to be drank young so don’t be shy.

These are fun wines and affordable. Try them on your favorite patio or porch while the weather is delightful.

Teutonic Wine Co.’s “Bergspitze” Pinot Noir, Oregon 2014

So this wine caught me way off guard. I’ve not known myself to be the biggest Oregon Pinot Noir fan. It could have been a few things that factored in but I was really impressed by this gem. The only problem was that I bought what was left in the state for the Bottle Shop and found out it won’t be available anymore. Ya win some, ya lose some.

This wine is a geeky favorite of mine now. I love that it is whole clust fermentation which means the grapes weren’t destemmed. That imparts an earthy tone to what could be an overly fruity wine. To me, this wine has it all. The big plus of this purchase for us is that it was marked at a discounted rate so heck yeah, down side is the price will be higher than $24 if we are ever able to get any more.

Sight: Ruby

Nose: Black cherry, cola, tobacco leaf

Taste: Big cherry-cola flavor, fresh earth, tobacco-tea leaf, medium + acidity, medium tannin, short finish

The long and short of it is that I think this a great Pinot Noir repping Oregon terrain. I has everything I’d expect and maybe a little bit extra to keep me interested. I think under $30 this is a great wine to take home and I’d be extremly satisfied paying around $60 in a restaurant. I’d be interested to taste this again in a year or so to see the effects of the whole cluster fermentation. All in all, great buy around that $30 range.

Whiskey Sours Aren’t Gross

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been really working on cocktails for the new spring menu. I happen to get a slight obsession with sours because of a bartender that posted a video about about an Amaretto Sour. I’ve brought it up a couple of times to several bartenders and I always get the same disgusted look. Hey bud, if you tried to tell me you’ve been lovin’ on a drink that consists of good whiskey and crappy, processed corn syrup that is supposed to taste like chunky citrus juice; I’d look at you grossed out too. But that’s not what I’m talking about.

Sours are a group of cocktails that use fresh citrus juice(usually lemon) and simple syrup(1:1 sugar and water). And optional but crucial component in my opinion is the egg white. So here’s what you’ll need: 

.75 ounces of Simple Syrup (Boil 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar, keep it going till the sugar dissolves. Let it cool and BOOM: Simple Syrup)

.75 ounces of Lemon Juice (Seriously, just juice the lemon. It takes only a second and makes all the difference in the world)

2 ounces of your favorite whiskey (I always have Buffalo Trace at home but anything you like to sip works)

1 egg (whites only: gently crack the egg and work the yolk back and forth into the shell halves until the white drops in the shaker)

Combine your Simple Syrup, Lemon Juice, Whiskey, and egg white into a cocktail shaker. Dry shake the crap out of it(a dry shake is shaking all the ingredients with no ice. It helps to emulsify and froth up that egg white while evenly blending the other liquids)! Now, add ice to the shaker and shake till you get frost on the outside of the shaker tin. Now strain that deliciousness into a chilled old fashion glass with a large ice cube in it. The large cube slows the dilution so you get the rich, creamy texture through the whole drink.

At this point you could float wine on top, add a couple dashes of your favorite bitters, or just garnish with a cherry and dive in. It’s a classic that is super easy to make and enjoy.

Horny Goat Brewing Oktoberfest

Horny Goat Brewing’s Oktoberfest ain’t bad. HGB is based out Milwaukee, Wisconsin. If you don’t like pumpkin flavored beers, you won’t like this one. It still brings standard Oktoberfest flavors of malt and caramel but a little pumpkin goes a long way.

  

Aromas: pumpkin spice and light hops

Color: light amber, caramel

Flavor: That pumpkin spice and hops comes through up front. 25 IBUs and light hops make this one not too bitter. At 5.6% alcohol it’s a super easy sipper. 

All in all, it’s a tasty brew with mild caramel and spice. It tastes more like a pumpkin beer than an Oktoberfest to me though. And that’s not a bad thing if you dig that style.