Smokes and Booze

Super Bowl Ad, Star Wars and a Bar

2012-02-02T08:01:00.001-08:00

Need I say more?

Has anyone ever played it?

2012-02-01T14:44:00.001-08:00

Battleshots!

It reminds me of playing Battle of the Corral Sea when I was in the Army. Pure Genius.

I challenge anyone to a best 2 out of 3.

Inconceivable

2012-02-01T13:55:00.001-08:00

I cant wait until this is available online, so I can challenge someone to a Bottle of Wits.

All I need is a pirate mask, iocane powder and a holocaust cloak.

Check out http://princessbridewine.com/ in the future for release dates.

2.1.12

2012-02-01T13:06:00.001-08:00

I know its not S&B related, but this has been jamming in the background for me all day – Happy 2.1.12

Zamboni DUI

2012-02-01T12:06:00.001-08:00

Man, if I could drink while driving a Zamboni – I think I would have found my dream job…especially if I could turn it into Crashup Derby.

Hmmmmm…..new TV Show to go with Beat the Mongaloid?

Zamboni operator arrested for allegedly driving drunk at Minnesota rink

Spectators, hockey players and parents pressed against the ice arena's glass Monday night, watching as a Zamboni driver at the Hayes Arena in Apple Valley, Minn., weaved across the ice erratically and smacked the machine hard against the boards.

About 25 minutes into what should have been a 10-minute job resurfacing the ice, the driver -- a part-time employee of the city of Apple Valley -- tried to maneuver the unwieldy machine into the arena garage. By then, coach Bryan Dornstreich had called 911.

Officers arrested the 34-year-old Apple Valley man operating the Zamboni for allegedly driving while intoxicated. He failed field sobriety tests and was taken to police headquarters for a blood-alcohol test. The sample was sent to the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for analysis. Test results were unavailable Tuesday.

The man has not been formally charged. He was convicted of drunken driving in 2002 and twice in 1999.

Dornstreich, who coaches the Eastview Hockey Association's PeeWee C team, said he'd noticed that the rink attendant's eyes were red and that he smelled like the energy drink Red Bull before his team took the ice.

"He looked like I do when I have my allergy attacks," Dornstreich said. "I didn't really think anything of it. He didn't slur his words. He was very alert, got me the keys, we set up the music system and I was on my way."

Before the PeeWee C players, ages 11 to 13, took the ice, Dornstreich said he noticed that the rink attendant was "making stripes on the ice." But the driver went back and corrected all his mistakes. After the game it was a different story, though.

While Dornstreich was working with a referee, a parent ran over to say that the rink attendant was "weaving all over, slurring his words."

By the time that conversation was done, Dornstreich said, the man was already backing the Zamboni onto the ice. And not very well, Dornstreich said.

The coach made sure the referee charged with moving the nets off the ice knew what was going on, then concentrated on getting everybody else away from the glass. When police arrived, the man had gotten into the garage. The door closed and Dornstreich said he left the officers to deal with him.

Meanwhile, parents took to the ice to scrape off the rough spots so the PeeWee A team could practice.

People have been arrested in Minnesota for driving under the influence on everything from a souped-up motorized recliner to a farm tractor. State law says a DWI can result from driving any kind of a motorized vehicle, pretty much anywhere -- a forklift driver at work, a Bobcat driver plowing city sidewalks, a riding lawn mower in a yard.

The Minnesota Court of Appeals did, however, say in 2011 that a physically disabled man driving a motorized scooter could not be convicted of drunken driving. The law makes an exception for "an electric personal assistive mobility device" and the court said the scooter was a wheelchair, not a motor vehicle.

US Alcohol Sales up 2.7%

2012-02-01T09:44:00.001-08:00

I think Jim and I getting together 3 Times in one year, twice in the US, also is a contributing factor.

US Alcohol Sales Rise 2.7 Percent in 2011

(NewsCore) - A strong uptick in the sales of booze last year is painting one of the surest signs yet of a return to the pre-recession boom days, according to new data.

US shipments of scotch, vodka, rum and other spirits in 2011 increased 2.7 percent over the previous year -- the strongest increase in five years, according to industry data.

"We are back to pre-recession growth levels," said David Ozgo, an economist with the Distilled Spirits Council of the US, referring to the industry's sales by volume.

Indeed, the sales jump last year was close to the 2.9 percent annual average increase prior to the 2008 economic collapse, Ozgo said Monday at a New York meeting with Wall Street analysts and reporters.

By comparison, spirits sales by volume grew by just two percent in 2010 and 1.4 percent in 2009.

In another example of Americans showing a more bullish outlook, the increases were even greater in higher-priced booze.

Sales of "high-end" brands were up 5.3 percent last year, in line with the pre-recession average of 5.8 percent.

By comparison, sales of high-end brands were up just 3.3 percent in 2010 and in 2009 they dropped 3.5 percent, the data shows.

"This is the classic pattern that we see during a recovery," Ozgo said the switch from so-called "value" brands to the premium brands.

So-called "super premium" brands were up nine percent, down slightly from 10.6 percent in 2010. Still, sales of this group by volume are well above a recession-time drop of 5.1 percent in 2009 and a slim rise of 1.7 percent in 2008, the data shows.

Of course, not every indicator is having a pre-recession party. However, even the laggards are showing signs of improvement.

Revenues, for example, were up four percent last year to $19.9 billion. That's short of the pre-recession annual average of 6.5 percent, but still better than the 2.3 percent rate posted in 2010, and the big, fat zero rate of growth the industry rang up in 2009.

Ozgo cited growing consumer confidence about an improving jobs market.

While unemployment is still high -- at 8.5 percent nationwide as of December -- it's been coming down. This has eased tensions among the employed that they're the next to be axed, Ozgo said.

Read more: http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpps/money/us-alcohol-sales-rise-2-7-percent-in-2011-dpgonc-20120131-kh_17535687#ixzz1l9YyHJSx

Sh%t Samuel L. Jackson Says

2012-02-01T08:21:00.001-08:00

I love Samuel L. Jackson. In my opinion, he is one the most underrated, badass character actors of our time.

I love him so much that I even have a Bad Mother F&CKER wallet that I got for Christmas a few years ago. There is even a funny drunk story behind it, although I only share it in person – mostly due to me separating my work drunk stories from my personal life (bloggable) drunk stories….yes there is a difference.

Anyway, I think this video is awesome – although NOT SAFE FOR WORK in any way. I particularly love the Hookah (which qualifies this for S&B).

Enjoy

DoubleStar Corp Zombie-X AK with Chain Saw

2012-01-29T10:21:00.001-08:00

Please please please send me one for review

It makes S&B NOT just because it’s a cool AK Mod, NOT just because it has a CHAINSAW (although that is cool as shit) – but the Ace Limited Tactical Bottle Opener. Every rifle needs one.

Cheers -

Quote of the Day–W.C. Fields

2012-01-29T10:11:00.001-08:00

"Once, during Prohibition, I was forced to live for days on nothing but food and water."

Southern Tier–oak aged un-earthly Imperial India Pale Ale

2012-01-29T09:01:00.001-08:00

It’s well documented that I love flavor bombs – Hops, Peat, Spices….I dig it all.

So, when looking for a new single to try (it’s a toss up here in CoMO as to who has the best selection, Arena Liquors or HyVee), the bright green label with the word Un-Earthly definitely caught my eye.

Hopefully, any company that was willing to put that on a bottle had the balls to back it up.

Southern Tier Brewing is an eastern New York (south of Buffalo) brewery that began operations in late 2002. With gradual product that is now approximately 50,000 barrels, the Southern Tier line is available in over half the United States and Worldwide.

Oak aged un earthly Imperial India Pale Ale

Appearance – First, this beer is gassy. Not in bad way, but in the way that the foam was literally oozing out of the bottle upon opening (no Tom, I didn’t shake it up). The pour then lead to an interesting light head, that reminded me of a meringue pie. I know the pictures cannot do it justice, but there were literal fluffy caps on the foam as I was setting up.

The color itself was a hazy/cloudy burnt orange that actually caught me off guard. With that much going on in the liquid (and the already hoppy smell wafting up), this was not what I was expecting – could it be they were going to live up to the name?

Nose – I mentioned earlier that this beer was gassy – well that plays well to the nose, as the earthy and citrus hoppyness greats the drinker as he brings it to his mouth. The smell just emanates and sticks to the glass in such a good way. The hops is intermingled with caramel, oaken wood and roasted malt.

Taste- With a thick and sticky, the taste of this brew carries flavors of oakyness, vanilla,hops,citrus, toffee and more hops. The lingering dry finish is pleasant a dry, with a slight citrus aftertaste (grapefruit). This all works well together well to mask the high ABV (9.9%) to make this highly enjoyable and drinkable.

I really really really enjoyed this beer. The flavors came through and it was unique enough that it would bring me back for more. I would particularly enjoy trying this one tap somewhere (looking at you Dave) to see how it plays out compared to the bottled variant.

An excellent beer that I would rate easily 4.5 Stars.

Well done Southern Tier!

Cheers

Two interestingly repurposed items

2012-01-29T07:19:00.001-08:00

Well, actually “6 Hugely Successful Products Originally Invented for Something Else”, but only two apply hear.

Listerine -

Listerine was invented 133 years ago, first as a surgical antiseptic, but also as a cure for gonorrhea (don’t try that at home). An article from 1888 recommends Listerine “for sweaty feet, and soft corns, developing between the toes.” Over the course of the next century, it was marketed as a refreshing additive to cigarettes, a cure for the common cold, and as a dandruff treatment. But it was in the 1920s that the powerful, germ-killing liquid finally landed on its most lucrative use as a magical cure for bad breath.

Brandy

Brandy, that delightful, caramel-colored after dinner drink, started off as a byproduct of transporting wine. About 900 years ago, merchants would essentially boil the water off of large quantities of wine in order to both transport it more easily, and save on customs taxes, which were levied by volume. After a while, a few of these merchants, bored perhaps after a long day on the road, dipped into their inventory and discovered that the concentrated, or distilled, wine actually tasted pretty darn good. Voila! Brandy was born.

Read the full text here: http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/115028#ixzz1krQUnu94

I knew about Brandy, but Listerine Cigarettes is HARD CORE. It make’s Mom’s Menthols look like candy sticks.

Seven (Yes Seven) Vodka Reviews

2012-01-28T11:10:00.001-08:00

Contributor, Friend and fellow Blogger Randy (aka – The Professor) over at Mysideofthebar recently conducted a blind tasting of seven different kinds of Vodkas with his friends in KC.

On top of this, he sent over his individual impression of each one as a sort of mini-review.

I had already reviewed Crystal Head Vodka, but I always enjoy opposing views. Here is my review of Crystal Head Vodka and the Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey that appears in almost all off Randy’s pics.

We’ve discussed doing lineups like this before, and I am in the process of setting up a Gin and Tequila tasting to compliment this excellent feedback from Randy.

Stay tuned and enjoy.

Cheers -

Svedka
Nose: Alcohol
Initial Taste: Sweet and very smooth
Finish: Small Burn
Overall I have always been a fan of Svedka Vodka and until recently Svedka was the preferred Martini Vodka of MySideOfTheBar. I will have to say I was a little surprised by my review Still a Vodka I enjoy and will continue to purchase.

Crystal Head
Nose: Neutral and virtual order less
Initial Taste: Very smooth and rated a little smoother than Svedka
Finish: Light, smooth and no burn.
I have had Crystal Head Vodka in the past and I will say as I have before that for the price I had expected a little more. The bottle however is a great marketing strategy and I have the matching skull shot glasses to match.

Burnetts
Nose: Slight alcohol, but not as much as Svedka
Initial Taste: Smooth and light
Finish: Fresh, light and no burn
Burnetts is the preferred mixing Vodka of MySideOfTheBar and I am happy to report that it passed this taste test with flying colors. While it did not rank as high as some it is still an excellent Vodka for mixed drinks and when you consider the price it is a great bargain.

Pinnacle
Nose: Slight alcohol about the same Burnetts
Initial Taste: Smooth
Finish: Light, fresh and a little burn
I enjoy Pinnacle Vodka, however given all the other great Vodkas available in this price range I generally do not purchase. I would give a thumbs up to Pinnacle’s flavored Vodkas, but this is a story for another blog.

Grey Goose
Nose: Very light alcohol
Initial Taste: Very light, smooth and no alcohol taste
Finish: Very smooth
I used to be a huge Grey Goose fan, but to me the return you get for the cost is not worth it. There are many other Vodkas that are better in both mixed drinks and Martinis.

Firestarter
Nose: Light alcohol similar to the Grey Goose, but not as much as Svedka or Burnetts.
Initial Taste: Sweet and Smooth
Finish: Very smooth and an excellent finish
I was most surprised by this Vodka as the original reason I purchased it was because of the packaging. However after tasting I would definitely purchase again.

Shpilka
Nose: Very, Very light and no alcohol
Initial taste: Light taste with slight alcohol
Finish: Smooth and light
I enjoy Shpilka Vodka and it is the official Martini Vodka of MySideOfTheBar for 2011. There is a little more sweat taste to this Vodka and it makes an excellent Vodka Martini.

An Awesome Silent Movie–Princess Nicotine

2012-01-28T06:06:00.001-08:00

Why cant Hollywood make films like this anymore?

Filmed in 1909, and sometimes titled The Smoke Fairy, the film follows a smoker who falls asleep and is visited by two fairies who play tricks on him.

As a bit of trivia, the films was the first instance of tobacco product placement (for Sweet Corporal cigarettes and cigars) in movies.

The film was deemed significant in 2003 by the Library of Congress and is part of the National Film Registry.

Classic Entertainment on the Frank Sinatra Show

2012-01-27T14:53:00.001-08:00

Enjoy Larry Griswold – (Drunk?) Comedian and co-inventor of the trampoline.

Smokes and Booze SCOOPS CNN/HLN

2012-01-27T08:08:00.001-08:00

Eagle-eyed Simon spotted just a little bit ago that Headline News is currently running a story about Pat Sajak hosting the Wheel of Fortune Drunk.

He sent me this screengrab

It also appears that CNN has the story on “The Marquee Blog” – Dated 26 January 2011 at 10:19 AM EST.

What makes this interesting – I scooped CNN by just over 2 hours when I posted This story to my blog.

This makes me wonder if either someone from CNN Follows us here at S&B, or my tweet/links were forwarded.

Even if it is just coincidence – it just goes to show where you should go to for breaking news…….now if I could just get James Earl Jones to do a voiceover.

Just give her some Cigarettes

2012-01-27T07:32:00.001-08:00

Wow – just WOW.

Come here for the story – but follow the link for the Video (with raspy voice goodness) and Mugshot.

Woman arrested after allegedly calling 911 six times

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. —

An Osceola County woman is still in jail for allegedly calling 911 six times for no apparent reason.
"What's going on there ma'am?" the 911 operator asked.
"None of your business! Just send me a sergeant. It's none of your business! Why the hell are you so stupid?" Joan Mayo replied.
Each time Mayo got connected to the 911 center in St. Cloud on Tuesday, she screamed profanities at dispatchers and berated them, according to police.

Officials said Mayo never had a clear reason for calling, but neighbors said she was looking for something in particular.
"She just wanted cigarettes. That's all she wanted. She wanted cigarettes," said her neighbor, Lillian Morales.
The final straw came when police showed up to talk to her. Police said Mayo called 911 on her cellphone a sixth time while they were in the parking lot dealing with the situation.

Mayo was arrested and hauled off to jail on charges of misusing 911.

"Rarely do we get calls like this for service," said Sgt. Denise Roberts, of the Saint Cloud Police Department.
Police said this affected two agencies, because cellphone calls are first answered by Osceola County, then routed to St. Cloud.
But, Mayo won't be forced to pay back money wasted investigating her calls because no real calls were delayed.
Mayo allegedly told police she had no regard for the 911 system and would call whenever she wanted to.

http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/woman-arrested-after-allegedly-calling-911-six-tim/nHHTt/

This Day in History–MOZART

2012-01-27T06:20:00.001-08:00

Mozart. Seldom in history does one name instantly define who you are speaking about, especially in the performing arts. Madonna tries, but more and more she is becoming irrelevant. But Mozart…..now there is a name that has endured for hundreds of years. The only one I can compare him to is Beethoven.

Born on this date (27 January 1756) in Salzburg, Mozart was a prolific composer – writing operas, piano concertos, sonatas, symphonies, and string quartets and quintets. You know when you have a category in your repertoire entitled Childhood Symphonies (of which he wrote more that 40), you are something special.

He even has a liqueur named after him, although I am not a huge fan of it. I’ve had the Mozart Gold several times in Germany, and it always lead to something bad – usually with me inflicting some type of unusual bodily harm unto myself. Oh well.

This wouldn’t S&B without some other meaning behind him, and in this case….it is the Mozart Haus in Augsburg.

Home of the “First Mozart Ancestor”, David Mozart, and birthplace of Leopold Mozart (Wolfgang’s Father), this house was donated to the city of Augsburg by the Hasen Brewery in 1939 and is now a museum and memorial to the Mozart Family.

This home is actually special to me, as I saw it almost every day from 1992 – 1995, when I was frequenting an Irish Pub (Murphy’s Law) that was literally a stone’s throw away “Auf dem Kreuz”.

I would take the “Stass” or drive past…and it always held a bit of wonderment, knowing the history of the building. The above picture is how I remember it – pastel colored and unassuming, with a small stone plaque above the first floor window – not the guady red it is now with the large painting out front.

Of course, having a personal liqueur and a brewery saving your ancestral home AND having a museum near on of my favorite bars is cool and all – but when you have a song written about you in German and it becomes the Number 1 Song in the US (March 29 1986)…then you know you are something.

Here are the voiceover facts from the US Release of “Rock Me Amadeus”-

1756: Salzburg, January 27, Wolfgang Amadeus is born.
1761: At the age of 5 Amadeus begins composing.
1773: He writes his first piano concerto.
1782: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart marries Constanze Weber.
1784: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart becomes a Freemason.
1791: Mozart composes The Magic Flute. On December 5 that same year, Mozart dies.
1985: Austrian rock singer Falco records "Rock Me Amadeus"!

So raise a glass to Brother Mozart (yes, I am a Freemason too) – who knows what the world would have been like without his music.

Postmen can’t hold their liquor

2012-01-26T12:31:00.001-08:00

Ok, cheesy joke….I get it.

Jensen Beach Post Office evacuated after 'suspicious package' leaks moonshine

JENSEN BEACH, Fla. -- The Jensen Beach Post Office was evacuated Thursday after a "suspicious package" began leaking an unknown oily substance, according to Martin County Fire Rescue spokesperson Daniel B. Harshburger.

Harshburger told TCPalm that the substance was later identified as moonshine.

Crews were called to the scene by employees of the post office at 2301 NE Savannah Road. The Martin County Fire Rescue Hazardous Materials Response Team was also called.

"At this time we are assessing two patients. Both patients are stable and being transported to a local area hospital for evaluation," said Harshburger before the substance was identified.

The post office was evacuated at 10:41 p.m

Read more: http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/region_martin_county/jensen_beach/jensen-beach-post-office-evacuated-after-suspicious-package-leaks-unknown-oil-substance#ixzz1kb9wbXG7

When is smoking “Unruly”?

2012-01-26T11:06:00.001-08:00

You know, I have to applaud this guy. At least he is standing up for what he believes in.

I remember when you could smoke on a plane. I remember when service members (through SATO) always seemed to be seated in the back, and that was the smoking section. People would buy me drinks to swap seats so they could have a puff.

I didn’t find the smoke (at the time, I didn’t smoke myself) bad, and the hidden benefits were great.

Then the government became involved and no more firing up in transit. It hasn’t made the flights any safer, its just inconvienenced passangers (hmmmm – Sounds like TSA).

There are still ashtrays on a plane, and if they are missing – the plane is grounded.

Anyway, an unnammed passanger is now in FBI custody, facing Federal Charges….all for trying to exercise his right to pursue happyness in his own way.

Sounds kinda messed up to me…..considering all the REAL crimes commited every day.

Am I off base here?

Plane diverted after passenger lights cigarette in cabin

A Continental Airlines flight traveling from Houston to California had to be diverted here Tuesday evening because of an “unruly passenger” who reportedly lit a cigarette in the cabin and refused to put it out then fought with a flight attendant, officials said.

The man, whose name and age were not available, was taken into custody by the San Antonio police and the FBI and could face federal charges, officials said.

San Antonio police Capt. Cris Andersen said the man allegedly lit the cigarette while in the cabin. He reportedly refused to put out the cigarette and when a flight attendant tried to take it from him there was a struggle, Andersen said.

The pilot notified the Transportation Security Administration about the disturbance and the plane was diverted to the San Antonio International Airport where it landed just before 7:45 p.m., according Andersen and the Continental Airlines website.

Upon landing, the man was taken into custody, Andersen said. He added it is standard protocol to inform the FBI when someone needs to be removed from a flight. The FBI then reviews the case to see if federal or state charges would apply. In this case, Andersen said, he was told the passenger possibly faced federal charges.

According to the Continental Airlines website, the flight was supposed to be non-stop from Houston to Ontario, Calif., and arrived about two hours late because of the diversion.

Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Plane-diverted-after-passenger-lights-cigarette-2684564.php#ixzz1kaoeo1pQ

Drunk on Wheel of Fortune?

2012-01-26T06:04:00.001-08:00

I’m a child of the 80’s. What can I say, TV was my life.

I remember the daytime run of Wheel of Fortune, I remember Vanna White in Playboy (1987, the year I graduated High School) and I remember the days when players didn’t win cash, but instead won credit to be used on merchandise.

So this interview below of Pat Sajak by “Highly Questionable” (@DLHQ) really strikes home with me – and I can understand when Pat says:

“Vanna and I would go across and have two or three or six and then come and do the last shows and have trouble recognizing the alphabet. They're really great tapes to get a hold of"

I tell everyone, 80’s Television rocked. Now I know one of the excuses.

Enjoy

Happy Robbie Burns–Mortlach 1997

2012-01-25T20:33:00.001-08:00

It’s Robbie Burns Night and as I was picking my toasting Scotch – I decided to go with something a little different – and when going down that path, I always recommend looking for anything from Signatory Vintage Distributors.

Signatory Vintage was established in 1988 by Andrew and Brian Symington. however, they were only granted a license to bottle whisky in 1992. During the four years between, the company were sourcing and storing whisky from distilleries all over Scotland. They bottle and hand label everything from their headquarters in Edinburgh and their current stock list includes releases from over 50 distilleries, including some closed or mothballed ones. Signatory have three main ranges – the regular range which is bottled at 43% ABV, a cask strength range and an unchillfiltered range. They also own the Edradour distillery in the central Highlands, which they purchased in 2002.

web - www.edradour.co.uk

source - http://www.whiskyforeveryone.com/independent_bottling_companies/signatory_vintage.html

While the above information is somewhat dated (my bottle was bottled in 2010), I’ve still had great success with Signatory. So what you get when you buy from them, you get some very unique and limited (at times, bottling from a single cask) whiskies. As you can see on the label (click to embiggen) you get some very specific data….which to collectors and drinkers can mean a lot.

Tonight’s dram is from a distillery I had never heard of, a 1997 Mortlach.

A Speyside distillery that has a capacity of approximately 3 Million liters a year, Mortlach is an important contributor to the Johnny Walker blends.

I actually laid my drinks out in two presentations – one in a toasting glass (very fitting) and the other in a whisky glass with a Whiskey Disk inside (for casual sipping while I wrote and watched Back to the Future).

Appearance – Bottling wise, typical no frills Signatory Vintage. The best part for me is that added data – for example, my bottle came from Cask 12854 and is bottle number 74 out of 369.

Color is a light golden hue, with a crystal clear appearance. I was actually taken back by the lightness and brilliant (the picture does it no justice) clarity.

Nose- Not as peaty as I am used to, there is still a strong alcohol nose, with a mix of berries, floral/flowery, citrus that is quite appealing. I was actually reminded of some of the high end Gins when it came to the berry nose – so that is a good thing.

Definitely this whisky takes on the oak from the cask, so if you are strictly a Peat-head – this might not be for you.

Taste – Oaky/Woody, with a (again) strong alcohol opening. Rather viscous (with a honey taste and feel), I was surprised how well it coated the mouth. Fruity and sweet (honey) made this actually quite pleasant. Even the aftertaste was refreshing (as I watched Marty McFly experience Hill Valley for the first time in the 50s). In particular, the spiciness (equal, if not exceeding, of some the quality rums out there) really adds to a rather excellent finish.

As always, I am impressed with what Signatory has done. They take left over casks, bottle them and release a classic.

While not my typical, this was an excellent whisky that I was completely amazed by – although I shouldn’t be surprised. Signatory opens up wide range of typically unavailable whiskies to us (the common man) at (typically) a reasonable price. While I cannot attest to the availability/bottling of this particular cask, I can speak to the quality of product Signatory Vintage puts out…I have never been disappointed. I would love to try other samplings from Mortlach, however – this might be (due to local availability) this might be my only shot.

An excellent whisky, I would definitely rate it a solid 4 stars, with a potential 5th star for those of you who enjoy those whiskeys that are nor overly peated.

Great Job to both Mortlach (for the distilling) and Signatory Vintage (for the bottling) for bringing this to market.

Cheers to all -

Oliveros Cigars–Aging Room M356

2012-01-25T15:32:00.001-08:00

Here is a quick Cigar review by Randy from MySideoftheBar. I always trust his opinions on cigars and whisky (the jury is out on Vodka and Gin – waiting for his upcoming blind tasting notes ) – So I will definitely pick up a few of these sticks for the Humidor. Thanks Randy.

Aging Room M356

I was browsing on Facebook a while back and ran across a poll from Rafael Nadol of Oliveros Cigars asking how many cigars you smoked a week. All I had to do was to answer the question and send Rafael my address and he sent me a three cigar sampler.

One of the Cigars Contained in the sampler was the Aging Room Small Batch M356. (Aging Room M356, Mezzo 6 x 54) This Cigar gets its name from the day they were picked out of the aging room: Monday, December 22, 2008, the 356th day of the year.

I knew nothing about this Cigar before obtaining this sampler and would have to say I was surprised. While most of the reviews show this as a Medium Body Cigar I would have to disagree. This was a very full body smoke and definitely not for the beginning Cigar smoker.

The taste was even throughout the entire smoke and stayed cool all they way to the end of the stick.

For the price, about 7.00 USD it is a very nice smoke.

Quick Facts and Links -

The Aging Room Small Batch M356 was rated as the 16th Best Cigar of the Year by Cigar Aficionado 2011 with a 92 rating
Cigar Insider gave this cigar a 94 rating
Origin: Dominican Republic
Actual Wrapper: Habano
http://www.facebook.com/ranodal
http://www.facebook.com/agingroom
http://oliveroscigars.com/

Words to live by

2012-01-25T06:42:00.001-08:00

Brought to us by my friend Jen and Van Gogh “Blue” Vodka.

Worlds Most Expensive Hotdog?

2012-01-25T02:58:00.001-08:00

I hate being the investigative reporter here. I mean, it’s 4:30AM (up for a work call) and I see this story – only to think Bullshit.

First, the title of World’s Most Expensive Hot Dog is not the “Haute Dog”, but instead the $80+ “McMullen” in Atlantic City. A hot dog that is -

“A half-pound, all-beef hot dog rolled in truffle oil. It’s coated with porcini dust – pulverized mushrooms – and sprinkled with white truffle shavings, then topped with dollops of crème fraiche, fresh roe and caviar shipped from California. Keeping with baseball tradition, the dog will be deep-fried.

The dog will be served in a blini roll, a high-end bread specially made by the Cape Cod-based Underground Bakery.”

As you can see – the ingredients here are truly top quality and unusual.

The second challenge here is to justify the $100 Price. With the “McMullen” above, everything is opulent across the board. Meanwhile, the only thing that really sets the Dragon Dog apart is the Kobe Beef and Lobster. The reporter (probably at the suggestion of the dogs creator) focuses on Cognac, at that is where everything (IMO) falls apart.

Stated to be “Infused” with Louis XIII Cognac has multiple issues -

Infused? Instead, when you read the article, you learn that there is a minimal amount of cognac used -

“seasoned with droplets of hundred-year-old Louis XIII cognac”
“squeezing a droplet of cognac into a split, steaming bratwurst.”

Therefore, a single standard bottle would last you approximately 750 Hotdogs.

The stated $2000 per bottle is also overstated. Granted, prices can fluctuate depending on the buyer, availability and age – as you can see, the most common price (at 36 stores) is $1699US, or $1721.33CAD.

So, even if we went with the most expensive option as stated in the article – $2000/750ml (an eyedropper = 1ml) = $2.66 worth of cognac per hotdog.

While I defer to my chef friends out there, I don’t see how this price justifies the $100 cost. I recently had a Kobe Beef Hamburger (with a lot of Kobe Beef) and it was nowhere near this price, especially when you think if you buy in bulk – the price goes down further.

I hate to see what the margin of profit is here.

In closing, I just don’t see this justifying the price. Anyone can say “This Hot Dog is worth $X”, but it all depends on how it qualifies. This seems like a publicity/money grab due to their being on “Dragon’s Den” (here in the US its called Shark Tank). In the US, at some point in the show, they usually ask how much it costs to make something – which I think is the crux here. Do they BS (or exaggerate for TV) or tell the true cost? I guarantee there is not $100 worth of ingredients….and to me (and hopefully the Guinness Foundation) this is what defines a World Record.

What is everyone else's thought?

$100 cognac-infused hot dog for sale on streets of Vancouver

VANCOUVER - The average price of a hotdog in Vancouver has spiked dramatically thanks to a new cognac-infused foot-long selling for $100.

DougieDog restaurant on Granville Street will sell the hefty bratwurst, known as the Dragon Dog, on 12-hour notice only. It's seasoned with droplets of hundred-year-old Louis XIII cognac, worth more than $2,000 a bottle.

"It's the most expensive hotdog in the world," said DougieDog owner, dougieluv, during an interview in his restaurant's kitchen. "It's like fine dining in the hotdog world."

The Dragon Dog is the first hotdog in the world to sell for "three figures," he said, adding that the company is challenging the current Guinness World Record holder, the "haute dog," which sells for $69 at Serendipity restaurant in New York.

"In designing this hotdog I wanted to come up with something super tasty and high-end that stays true to the traditional identity of the hotdog," said dougieluv, squeezing a droplet of cognac into a split, steaming bratwurst.

His gold bracelets jingled as he smothered the dog with toppings of beer-fed Kobe beef, olive and truffle oil, and fresh lobster. A picante sauce ties the "flavours together for 12 inches of culinary decadence," he said.

The hotdog's namesake is two-fold.

"First, the launch of this hotdog coincides with the beginning of Chinese year of the dragon," Dougie Luv said. "It also coincides with our appearance on [CBC reality TV program] Dragons' Den, the most popular show on Canadian television."

According to CBC's website, DougieDog will make a pitch on tonight's episode of Dragons' Den, asking the investors for $200,000 for a 25-per-cent stake in the business.

Meanwhile, buzz around the Dragon Dog kept the phone ringing on Tuesday.

"I have a lot of reservations [for the new dog] already," said Dougie Luv.

"Vancouver is the greatest city in the world, and now we have the greatest hotdog in the world."

Where did the pipe go?

2012-01-24T10:45:00.001-08:00

I make no bones about the fact that I am a Notre Dame Fan.

I grew up in Northern Indiana watching the Irish play, but truly became a fan in Europe – where one of the few tastes of home was AFN carrying all ND Home Games. At times, that was the football we got.

Just the other night, as I was watching the Irish upset #1 Syracuse, something popped into my mind – whatever happened to the pipe the Leprechaun used to smoke?

You see, the late artist Ted Drake was commissioned back in 1964 to create a logo to represent the Fighting Irish Leprechaun of Notre Dame. Prior to this, the mascot of the university was a the Irish terrier Clashmore Mike.

For a mere $50, he created what was to go on to be one the most recognizable and memorable logos of all time. A logo that definitely show the use of a traditional stemmed clay pipe. You can see the original at the Eck Visitor Center.

Initially used on the 1964 football pocket cover, the logo was then placed on football programs and eventually appeared on the cover of Time magazine (along with coach Ara Parseghian) in November 1964 (his first year at Notre Dame), still with the aforementioned pipe.

Mr. Drake even did another watercolor, this time with the Leprechaun striking the classic Heisman pose – again with pipe. This, by the way, is one of my favorite depictions and if anyone knows where I can get a print, I would really appreciate it.

As we go into 1973, the Leprechaun is still enjoying his pipe as he graces the National Championship Commemorative Bottle by 7-Up. As a kid (I was 5 at the time) I remember this bottle being everywhere around Indiana, and they can still be found on Ebay and at swap meets/garage sales to this day.

A 2nd bottle was done in 1978, again for a National Championship, but this only had a gold football player with an interlocking ND on his jersey (not very accurate).

Some time between 1973 and today, the logo deviated from the original piece: dropping the red hair, ruddy complexion and (sadly) the pipe. One has to wonder if this was done at the beginning of the current era of political correctness – where nobody wants to expose children to any form of smoking. It also could be tied the Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act of of 1970 – an act that interestingly did not begin to officially take effect until January 2 1971 – per a compromise to allow broadcasters to air cigarette commercials during the telecasts of New Year’s Day Bowl Games.

Of course, traditionalists need to have no fear – The pipe does return in a recent painting entitled “The Original Fighting Irish” by former Notre Dame lacrosse player Revere La Noue.

This excellent painting has become so popular, that current Irish Coach Brian Kelly had a print placed near his office and has said -

“You don't see faces. You see blue-collar. You see a bit of a swagger. You see toughness. Growing up as an Irish Catholic in Boston, that's what I remember Notre Dame being. That's been one of our goals every day -- to get that fight back in the Fighting Irish. It's good because that's who I am anyway."

Prints can be purchased at www.FightingIrishGallery.com, including individual pieces of our smoking man….who now has a name - Quinn

Hopefully Notre Dame will get back to those days of being the gritty, hard nosed, blue-collar teams of my youth. I think they are making progress and soon we will see that reemergence.

While I doubt that we will see a return of the pipe (at least in an official capacity), perhaps Notre Dame is trying to at least get back into the tough image with the return of the Shillelagh (with my son).

If you have more information regarding the pipe’s removal, please feel free to email me at ed@smokesandbooze.com

Monday Quick Hits–The Little Late Edition

2012-01-23T18:13:00.001-08:00

I’m REALLY Late getting this out today (Simon will know why – it started around NOON) – but I know there are people that look forward to this, so here we go.

First and foremost – Tomorrow Night is the first Beer Pairing dinner at 44Stone. To those who will be there (Looking at you Debi), I am extremely jealous. Of course this doesn’t mean you can’t stop by and enjoy the first Triple-T (Total Tap Takeover) by Schlafly. Check out the beer list to get you motivated -

From Beer we go to Whiskey, as in a New distillery to open in Gatlinburg. This. appears to be an expansion of the Ole Smoky Distillery - and of course, anytime you get another distillery in the world, it’s a good thing.

Ole Smoky Distillery opened in Gatlinburg in 2010. The distillery's website shows off mason jars of spirits, labeled Original Unaged Corn Whiskey, Moonshine Cherries and Apple Pie Moonshine.

I’ve had a couple of bottles here I have been working through, so expect a review soon.

From Whiskey we go to Whisky – We learn that Booze and Politics never mix.

Scotland’s most famous export will be hit by a Foreign Office ban if the country breaks away from the UK, says William Hague.

The Foreign Secretary says Britain’s 140 embassies and high commissions will stop promoting whisky and other products if Scotland becomes independent.

Many UK diplomatic missions help to promote whisky for free. Last year, whisky exports earned Scotland £3billion, equal to £125 a second and more than 20 per cent up on 2010.

Read More

Personally, I think this is complete and utter Bullshit. You cannot use threats like this, and if nothing else – it will solidify the Scottish stance. In fact, there is a movement afoot to start a Whisky Ambassador plan being launched to help bolster bar knowledge in Scotland and promote tourism there. Could this be a preemptive counterstrike? It wouldn’t surprise me, and I hope they do it more.

Finally – two unusual stories to wrap this Monday -

Collection of rare miniature bottles stolen – Who steals 450 Mini Bottles? Really – next they will be stealing Grandma’s walker.

If the above theft makes you wonder about humanity….all I have to say is WHO lets their Mom/Wife/Girlfriend go out dressed like this? Seriously, I actually applaud the town bars for coming together and Banning her.

You can thank me later for the nightmares.

Cheers -

Snoop is bustin’ out a cigar line

2012-01-22T10:13:00.001-08:00

This will either go over really well (like Ron de Jeremy Rum) or really bad (like anything from P-Diddy). At least I’ll have something to go with my Gin and Juice.

Snoop Dogg launching Executive Branch cigars

Snoop Dogg is launching his own Executive Branch cigar range in the US.

The 'Drop it like it's Hot' star is planning to sell the cigars - which he claims are of a higher quality than most standard brands - for 50 cents each.

He told TMZ.com: "Be sure to get you some, they're the natural size, they just taste a little better, they got more class on them.

"I just want to step up the cigar game, its like the next level, if you really want to be an executive, you smoke the Executive Branch, you know what I'm saying."

The cigars will initially be released at the Coachella festival in April, which Snoop is headlining with Dr. Dre, and after that he's hoping for the brand to branch out.

He added to The Sun newspaper: "Throughout 2012 we plan on releasing new styles and flavors. I will be working with their team to make sure all products are up to Snoop Dogg standards."

As well as cigars, Snoop is also a huge fan of smoking marijuana and - despite facing drugs charges in court later today (20.01.12) - he hasn't cut back on his smoking, although he's not tried the new strain of cannabis named after Jay-Z's daughter Blue Ivy yet.

He said: "I aint never smoked no Blue Ivy, I'm on that Snoop Dogg master Kush, that's what I'm addicted to right now."

Schlafly 2010 Imperial Stout

2012-01-22T07:50:00.001-08:00

Since our friends over at 44Stone are hosting a Beer Pairing dinner on Tuesday, I thought I would give you a preview of one of the beers on the menu – Schlafly 2010 Imperial Stout.

Santa brought me two bottles of this beer for Christmas – Delivered in a really cute bottle carrier. Sadly there are no labels on the carrier, so I cant tell you where to get one. It is really nice and would definitely turn eyes at any holiday party you break it out for.

That silly Santa really knows me.

Coming in 750ml bottles (that make great legs), this 10%ABV Imperial Stout is aged in bourbon barrels, and that flavor really carries through in the beer.

Trivia – Imperial Stouts were originally brewed in London for export to Catherine the 2nd of Russia. The alcohol content was intentionally higher to prevent freezing during the trip.

Appearance- A thick pouring lead to a dense foamy head that held throughout the tasting. Color was a deep, dark mahogany, that light had problem passing through.
Nose- Roasted Coffee and (unsweetened) chocolate mingle with with hints of vanilla, bourbon and oak. As I drank, the nose opened up even further (possibly due to warming) to reveal molasses and fruit (cherries).
Taste – Syrupy to the tongue, this beer has a heavy and complex flavor that evolved (much like the nose) during the tasting. Typical coffee and chocolate flavors comingled with rye/bourbon, cherry, coconut and vanilla. Those RICH flavors work better than expected, although the heaviness leads one to think that one or two glasses to be more than filling.

Definitely not one to sit down for a bender, this is a beer for someone that loves beer and wants to savor how complex a beer can be. A true sign of a master brewer is when you have one glass and feel satisfied.

I really liked this beer, and I am glad that I have an extra bottle to put back for later. Solid FOUR Stars.

That being said, I’m still miffed that I will be missing the pairing dinner, especially after seeing a preview of the menu last night.

Jealousy is an understatement.

After speaking with Dave, the event is almost sold out….so if you are on the fence, you should hurry up and get your tickets. Also, there are plans in the works for a Whiskey Pairing dinner in the near future – stay tuned for breaking updates.

Raise a glass to Robert Burns

2012-01-22T05:11:00.001-08:00

Last year I almost missed this one, so this year I wanted to get a jump on it.

January 25th is Robert Burns Day – The Bard of Scotland.

Probably best known (in America) for his rendition of Auld Lang Syne, Br. Burns was a prolific writer/poet/musician, and in 2009 he was chosen as the Greatest Scot by the Scottish people in a national TV vote.

In 2011, I posted a story on how to host a last minute Burns Dinner.

This year, I leave you two poems -

Fist – for the drinkers out there:

Scotch Drink

“Gie him strong drink, until he wink,
That’s sinking in despair;
An’ liquor guid to fire his bluid,
That’s prest wi’ grief an’ care;
There let him bouse, an’ deep carouse,
Wi’ bumpers flowing o’er,
Till he forgets his loves or debts,
An’ minds his griefs no more.”

Next – for the Brethren:

TO THE MEN AND BRETHREN

OF THE

MASONIC LODGE AT TARBOLTON.

Within your dear mansion may wayward contention
Or withering envy ne’er enter:
May secrecy round be the mystical bound,
And brotherly love be the centre.

Cheers

Quote of the Day (courtesy of Dave Barry)

2012-01-21T11:46:00.001-08:00

“I like beer. On occasion, I will even drink beer to celebrate a major event such as the fall of Communism or the fact that the refrigerator is still working.” – Dave Barry

Cheers

As We Like It–Retro Beer History Lesson

2012-01-21T11:16:00.001-08:00

Why couldn’t I have gotten quality educational videos like this is school?

Instead we got the anti-alcohol and drug preachers. David Toma spoke at my High School – what a waste. The only thing I remember from his speech – Elegant Bouquet Daddy.

So we’ve gone from Supporting/Promoting an industry – to Demonizing it.

Funny how times have changed.

Yale Sucks

2012-01-21T08:56:00.001-08:00

Yes, I said it – Yale Sucks.

Lately, I have run a few stories regarding the purchase, sale and consumption of legal products -Government Regulations and MORE Government Regulations. Needless to say, it doesn’t surprise me to see Colleges soon follow the example – in this case, Yale University.

You see, there was a accident where a woman (Nancy Barry) was stuck and killed by a truck. For the record – This is a a tragedy – I don’t want comments like I got to THIS story.

Anyway, the problem here is that the truck was carrying empty beer kegs. Not that the driver was drunk (he wasn’t), not that the driver failed to yield or obey traffic laws (its still under investigation) – but that the truck carried BEER KEGS.

Now, due to this tragedy, there can be no beer kegs at events or functions, tailgating must end at kickoff and you cannot even be in the tailgating areas after they are closed.

Lets get all draconian.

What if the truck had been hauling Oreos? Would this lead to a campus wide ban during study sessions? How would the students at Yale get their Milk and Cookies? You can apply this skewed logic to any accident .

In fact, the same Yale University in the article below had another freak accident last year – an accident where a student had her hair caught in a lathe, which choked her to death. Did this lead to the banning of lathes on campus? Probably not. How about the requirement of hairnets/hats when working with this equipment? Possibly. If not, it should. Maybe a buddy system when working in potentially dangerous situations? Logical, but unpractical.

What this demonstrates is that something bad can happen at any time. Its part of life.

Instead of punishing everyone, how about setting proper expectations (no vehicle traffic in the tailgating areas during or immediately after games) vs an all out ban.

Yale Bans Kegs At University Events

Yale University has established new rules for tailgating in the wake of the November death of a woman during the Yale-Harvard football game.

The new rules ban kegs of beer at all Yale athletic events or functions.

Nancy Barry, 30, of Salem, Mass., was killed and two other people were injured outside the Yale Bowl on Nov. 19 when a U-Haul truck laden with beer kegs suddenly accelerated and ran into them.

The driver of the truck, a Yale student, passed a field sobriety test. The police investigation into the accident is continuing.

Yale announced its new rules on Thursday. In addition the beer keg ban, large vehicles such as box trucks and certain commercial vehicles will not be allowed in university lots at athletic events, unless driven by a pre-approved, authorized vendor.

The university also said that student tailgating must end at the kickoff of football games, and that all students and guests will be required to leave the student tailgating area after than. People who don't go to the game will have to have leave the Yale Bowl area.

A new "vehicle-free area for student tailgating" will be set up. Students who bring a car will have to park in another area, the university said.

The new rules go into effect immediately, Yale said.

The university plans to review the logistics of Yale Bowl events, including parking, traffic control, crowd control, tailgating locations, police, security, shuttles and signs. Any new policies or practices that come out of that review will be put in place before the football season next fall, the university said.

Time for a new dog

2012-01-19T13:27:00.001-08:00

As annoying as Debi’s dog “Jim” is (I love you though Honey) – I at least have confidence that he could get out of this.

Death of a Tradition

2012-01-19T12:59:00.001-08:00

Now if that doesn’t sound like a title of a Poe novel….I don’t know what does.

Poe is one of my favorite writers and was my first introduction into literary “horror” and crime novels (to be followed by Sir. Arthur Conan Doyels pipe/cigarette/opuim smoking Sherlock Holmes).

His “The Mystery of Marie Rogêt” was the first murder mystery based on a true crime – that of the actual murder of Mary Cecilia Rogers, aka “The Beautiful Cigar Girl”, meanwhile the poem “The Raven” is a true classic – even today.

A purported alcoholic ( ), the mystery surrounding his death (caused by "cerebral inflammation", common euphemisms for deaths due to disreputable causes such as alcoholism) is almost as strange as that surrounding the annual visitor to his grave….a visitor who always left three roses and a half bottle of cognac on his birthday after raising a toast.

Why cognac is also unknown– since it is alluded his drink of choice was whiskey, yet now it seems many of these questions shall go unanswered…..RIP Mr. Poe, and may your work go ever on.

Poe Fans Call an End to 'Toaster' Tradition

Edgar Allan Poe fans waited long past a midnight dreary, but it appears annual visits to the writer's grave in Baltimore by a mysterious figure called the "Poe Toaster" shall occur nevermore.

Poe House and Museum Curator Jeff Jerome said early Thursday that die-hard fans waited hours past when the tribute bearer normally arrives. But the "Poe Toaster" was a no-show for a third year in a row, leaving another unanswered question in a mystery worthy of the writer's legacy. Poe fans had said they would hold one last vigil this year before calling an end to the tradition.

"It's over with," Jerome said wearily. "It will probably hit me later, but I'm too tired now to feel anything else."

It is thought that the tributes of an anonymous man wearing black clothes with a white scarf and a wide-brimmed hat, who leaves three roses and a half-empty bottle of cognac at Poe's original grave on the writer's birthday, date to at least the 1940s. Late Wednesday, a crowd gathered outside the gates of the burial ground surrounding Westminster Hall to watch for the mysterious visitor, yet only three impersonators appeared, Jerome said.

Read More of the story here…..

Thanks Jen for making me laugh

2012-01-19T12:15:00.001-08:00

Upcoming Schlafly Beer Dinner @44 Stone

2012-01-19T10:14:00.001-08:00

I am willing to go on record and say “I love 44 Stone”.

44 Stone is one of those places that I happened to stumble upon at it’s inception – and I’ve seen it go through growing pains during their first year, learn from past mistakes and grow into an outstanding place to go for dinner or a drink.

I can honestly say that it is our go to place when we want a night out. The food is excellent, staff is outstanding and the Beer/Wine/Whisky selection is one of the best I have seen.

I know some people in Columbia think Murry’s has the best burger in town……I say to those folks – “You haven’t tried 44 Stone’s LOADED Burger on the pretzel bread bun”.

I support 44 Stone so much, that it is one of two Banner Ads on the site – neither of which I collect any revenue on (the other is Pints for Prostates Charity at the bottom). I just want them to succeed and wish to get the word out.

Anyway - I’ve been meaning to do a 1 year ‘Revisit” review and was hoping to use their upcoming Schlafly Beer Pairing dinner on January 24th as an excuse….but sadly I have conflicting arrangements – so only my wife and her friend will be attending.

It is the first time they will be doing a “Full Tap Takeover” and has the following Schlafly Beer line-up (at least at the moment and subject to change):

A special cask of Winter ESB
Quadrupel
Biere de Garde
Oak-Aged Barleywine
Irish Extra Stout
Schwarzbier
APA. (I believe this is the Dry Hopped APA)

That’s sampling 7 beers PLUS Dinner for $50. How could you go wrong?

As of this posting – there are 13 seats left…..so go to Brownpapertickets.com and sign up now, you wont be sorry you did.

Cheers -

Leapin' Leprechaun Ale

2012-01-18T20:39:00.001-08:00

As I said earlier, this past weekend we went to Kingdom City to participate in a Relay for Life Trivia event. It was a great time, and our team (Mom Drove Us) placed 2nd. The event was somewhat surreal for me, as it was the first BYOB event I had ever been to like this – Imagine 30 Teams, over 250 Participants and EVERY Table was loaded with Booze and food.

This was our contribution to our table (sorry for the dark pic).

To add to the surrealism – I really didn’t drink that much, as Debi was have a great time socializing AND drinking her Herradura. It’s not often that I get to be the responsible adult, so I was happy to set up.

When we got home, I thought I would start this review and crack open a Leapin’ Leprechaun (thus getting a jump on March). My first drink was a little blah and I wasn’t impressed – but it was late and the beer wasn’t as cold as I like it to be….so I tossed it back into the fridge to be picked up later.

Here we are a few days later – and to be honest, my opinion hasn’t changed.

Appearance: The initial pour had a light effervescence that clung slightly to the side of the glass. Hardly any head, with little retention (more on that in a few minutes). Color was a clear pale yellow that reminded me of some of main stream light beers on the market.

Nose: Scents of grain and grass. No Character what-so-ever.

Taste: A buttery taste and mouthfeel that was verging up sickening. There was a citrusy finish, but really nothing in between….unless the basic taste of (grain) alcohol.

As I go into my overall evaluation, I wanted to point out something that happened during the tasting. If you notice in the first presentation picture above, the light head and slight carbonation. I wanted to try and capture the yellowness of the beer – so I went to throw a white background underneath. In the (less than) minute it took me to get a piece of paper, the beer literally lost all its carbonation. I was shocked – but not so much once I began drinking.

I really really really wanted to like this beer. First, I was looking forward to a good Irish beer to lead into St. Patrick’s day with. Secondly, I loved the logo. Finally, it’s a Missouri beer and I always cheer for the home team.

Sadly, this brew is already in contention as worst product of 2012.

It has nothing to do with Ireland (not a red or stout), the taste is bland at best (think watery Michelob Ultra), has nothing going for it (carbonation, nose and taste) and when you go to the companies website, they don’t even list it. I openly wonder if this is a left over beer from the past that is being trotted out to get rid of stock as we lead into St Patrick’s.

I honestly rate this beer 1/2 Star….and for me, that is pretty bad. Sadly, avoid at all costs. The only good thing I have to say, is I am glad nobody at the trivia event tried it…..it could have had an impact on my reputation.

MORE Government Regulations

2012-01-18T19:43:00.001-08:00

Remember my post on Government Regulations – where I pointed out that more and more there would be laws to restrict the sales/purchase/consumption of legal substances?

Here we go….brought to you by New York Mayor Bloomberg.

Under Federal Grants (yes, our tax dollars are going to help fund this at a State Level) that pertain to “Community Transformation” from the Obama Administration – Bloomberg wants to “reducing alcohol retail outlet (e.g. bar, corner store) density”. Of course they add Illegal alcohol under there too….but that is just a rider compared to who they are really going after. Add in the censorship of banning advertisements on the public transit systems (where the vast majority are over 21) and you can see what a repressive state New York is.

When will the madness stop?

Mayor's plan to limit booze sales

Party pooper!

First, Mayor Bloomberg went after smoking in public places. Then trans-fats, salt and sugary drinks.

Now Bloomberg — known for sipping fine wine and downing a cold beer from time to time — wants to crack down on alcohol sales to curb excessive drinking, according to a provocative planning document obtained by The Post.

The city Health Department’s far-reaching Partnership for a Healthier New York City initiatives proposes to slash the number of establishments in the city that sell booze.

Community “transformation” grants provided under President Obama’s health-care law would help bankroll the effort.

Mayor Bloomberg could find it harder to find a nice glass of wine if he gets his way.

One of the goals listed in the “request for proposal” document to community groups is “reducing alcohol retail outlet (e.g. bar, corner store) density and illegal alcohol,” the document states.

“Talk about a nanny state. Why don’t they just close all the liquor establishments?” quipped Mike Long, a former liquor-store owner in Bay Ridge and head of the state Conservative Party.

“This is absolutely insane. They want to run the retail establishments in New York,” said Long, who likened the effort to the temperance movement of more than a century ago.

Health officials and advocates have also discussed banning liquor advertising seen by millions of straphangers in the transit system.

“Reduce the exposure to alcohol products and bar advertising and promotion in retail and general (trains, buses, etc.) settings (stores, restaurants, etc”, the department’s document says.

The department yesterday, declined to discuss specifics on how it would implement the controversial proposals.

“The city’s goals for the Partnership for a Healthier New York are in line with our ongoing strategies of promoting healthy eating and physical activity and discouraging tobacco, excessive alcohol use and consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages,” a spokeswoman said. “Specific proposals, however, are still in the planning phase.”

Scott Wexler, president of the Empire State Restaurant and Tavern Association, vowed to go to court to fight any unilateral action by City Hall.

“More social engineering by Mike Bloomberg. What a surprise!,” Wexler said.

But health officials cite an army of statistics to defend the crackdown.

Alcohol-related hospital emergency-room visits doubled for underage New Yorkers from 2003 to 2009, and one in 10 hospitalizations are booze-related, while one in six adult New Yorkers report heavy drinking.

Alcohol is a factor in nearly half of homicides and 28 percent of vehicle-crash fatalities.

Community leaders hailed the effort.

“Any effort that enhances community input in issuing liquor licenses is a good thing. The . . . process of approving liquor licenses is problematic,” said southern Queens Community Board 10 chairwoman Betty Bratton.

ccampanile@nypost.com

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/hizzoner_sauce_pan_n9AdFlKbp5yniOhUprFt0L#ixzz1js6TgooD

Pocket Shot–Yes…..I bought one

2012-01-18T10:56:00.001-08:00

Yes….I’ll admit it – I’m a sucker for items sitting at the counters of stores.

You know what I mean – Sampler Bottles, Candy, small items…..I’ll buy them. In some cases, they have inspired me to revisit other items in the product line, at other times – it steered me away.

Just the other day, we stopped at the store to get some drinks for a BYOB Trivia Night in Kingdom City (we came in 2nd BTW).

Of course, at the counter was something I have seen a few times, but not picked up….Pocket Shots.

From the Company Website -

Pocket Shot is an innovative new concept that provides the consumer with “grab and go” convenient and user-friendly package for alcoholic beverages. Packaged with a distinctive shape to resemble a miniature bottle complete with bottleneck for easy pouring and a high quality sheen with bright graphics, Pocket Shot is truly the first new concept in alcohol packaging to hit shelves in North America.

Each Pocket Shot comes in a 50 ml single serve flexible stand-up pouch containing 80 proof varietals including:

Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged Four Years

Imported Caribbean Gold Rum

Premium, Triple Distilled Vodka

London Dry Gin

Especial Gold Tequila Imported from Mexico

In my particular case, I purchased Pocket Shots Kentucky Straight Bourbon.

The first thing that grabbed me about the product was packaging.

Slim, compact and self standing – I found this actually to be quite nice. I could definitely see this being slipped into a back pocket, tucked into a jacket, hidden in a purse – thus making it easy to slip a drink into those high priced Sporting Events or Concert that bend you over with the price of beer.

Appearance- The shot poured exactly 1oz as advertised and had a deep gold color.

Nose – Sweeter smelling than expected, with hints of fruit (orange rind) and light oak.

Taste- At the low end of alcohol content (40%ABV), there is little of the whiskey “Burn”. Again the sweetness and fruit (still front ended as orange), although almost no oak was conveyed in the taste.

To say I was actually surprised at the quality of the whiskey would be an understatement. It was definitely on par (if not exceeding) something like Keesler or Old Crow. If it had a little more bite to it, I would put it up with Old Granddad (which I also find sweet). It’s definitely not Maker’s, but at that price – what do you expect? The only thing lacking is the oak taste, but considering the age of maturation (4 years) this is understandable.

Overall - great packaging + unique idea + solid product = 3.5 Stars.

My interest is now piqued in the rest of the Pocket Shots line…..so stay tuned for more reviews.

I would definitely consider stashing a few of these away for my next ND game – and I wouldn’t be embarrassed to brake them out for my friends. Will it replace some of the bourbons and scotches I normally drink/serve? No. But it will be in my pocket from time to time.

Diosa–Porn and Tequila

2012-01-16T12:48:00.001-08:00

I received a press release on Diosa Tequila today.

You might remember 9 months ago when we ran THIS, now it appears the line is hitting the market.

Congrats to Diosa – I look forward to trying it.

Las Vegas, NV - January 12, 2012 - Diosa Spirits is proud to introduce their ultra superior flavored tequilas to the public. In addition to their luxury Silver Tequila, Diosa Spirits has announced the launch of its four new, exceptional flavored tequilas: Café Caramel, Mango, Almond and Apple.

To celebrate this historic event, Diosa will launch in Las Vegas the week of January 16th. Hosted by superstar Jesse Jane® and the gorgeous Diosa Girls the first event will be held at Krave on Thursday, January 19th at 10:30PM. “Diosa Tequila is the greatest tequila I’ve ever had,” exclaims Jesse Jane®. “I am so excited to find out what everyone’s favorite flavor is!” If you miss this night, come party with Jesse and her friends at the next bash at PURE Nightclub following the AVN Awards Show, on Saturday January 21st.

“We’re very proud to be able to share our incredible tequila with the consumer. With all the positive feedback we’ve been getting from industry insiders all over the world, I have no doubt that this is the best tequila on the market,” says Rich Taylor, VP of Sales.

Diosa Silver, distilled exclusively in the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico from the finest, 100% Blue Agave plant is exceptional for boasting the lowest methanol rating in the world. Extracting 99% of the plants nectar provides a purity and cleanliness of its components, giving it the least amount of methanol. Low methanol means say goodbye to your hangover! Every ounce of this elegant tequila goes through a special ozonic and carbon press process. This signature filtering gives it a flavor so silky smooth and refined, you’ll enjoy sipping it neat or on the rocks. All of Diosa’s flavored blends are made with this critically acclaimed Silver tequila.

An Orgy of Flavors™

Café Caramel ~

Harmonizing rich coffee and creamy caramel to create a deliciously unique blend of mellow flavors in this subtly infused tequila. Ideal for sipping or adding to a cup of coffee, Diosa Café Caramel is the perfect coffee lovers tequila.

Mango ~

The perfect combination of sweet mango and ultra premium Diosa Silver tequila. Rich, tropical mango infused with 100% blue agave tequila, great on the rocks or delicious over vanilla ice cream.

Almond ~

Harvesting only the highest quality almonds to fuse with Diosa’s luxury Silver tequila, the refined flavors of Diosa Almond make this a supreme sipping tequila. The nutty aroma and lightly honeyed notes of this pure blend give this flavor a warm and silky texture.

Apple ~

The first of its kind, this fragrantly fresh, candy-like tequila is as refreshing as it is delicious. Diosa Apple is sexy yet innocent the second you smell it, invoking memories of all the good things in life.

Each gorgeously crafted Diosa bottle is custom designed to the highest standards making it a true work of art.

For more information please visit:

This Day in History–Desert Storm

2012-01-16T09:50:00.001-08:00

Wow – Has it really been 22 Years?

On this in Day in History (January 17th in Iraq and January 16th here in the States) – The bombardments that signaled the beginning of Desert Storm began.

I think back to all my friends who were with me (either in the 501st or participating in other units) as we felt the earth first rumble from the Daisy Cutters being dropped, the flashes on the horizon and the F’n snow in the desert (yes, there was that too). From the rain, to the “Soft Sand” incident, to creating the best foxhole (secret sleeping spot) in history…..it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

Here are three books on the subject-

First we have Iron Soldiers – which chronicles the 1st Armored Division’s (my unit) ramp up and actions during the war.

Next, a book by a friend of mine – Pete Ferrari. Pete and I were in the 501st MI Bn together, although he was reassigned to the 101st MI BN right before the Gulf War. This book appears to have limited availability at this time (it is fairly new), so hopefully Pete can let me know where to get more copies. Also, my apologies to Pete – I still haven’t gotten around to a rebuttal on Reforger.

Finally, we have Into the Storm by Tom Clancy and Fred Franks. General Franks was 1st Armored Division Commander right before the being appointed 7th Corp Commander prior to the Gulf. The book gives some good history on Fred and the Corps perspective (with some interesting tidbits on 1st AD) of the actions leading up to, during and after.

I can personally vouch for two of these (and I have read Pete’s other book The Challenge of a Lifetime: Backpacking with Parkinson'sThe Challenge of a Lifetime: Backpacking with Parkinson’s) so I don’t think you can go wrong with any of them.

If any former 501st MI BN member emails me at ed@smokesandbooze.com – I will draw a name at random and send them a copy of Iron Soldiers…..for old times sake.

Cheers guys.

E-

Chocolatier Wine Company–Candy in a bottle?

2012-01-16T08:51:00.001-08:00

Sometimes when I do research on these products for my reviews, I really want to reach out to the companies and say “What were you thinking?” when designing your website?

Before I get into my review of Chocolatier Chocolate Turtle, I’m finally going to do just that.

For the record, I get that S&B isn’t the flashiest or nicest. I’ve tried to get Alby to help me out with design, but that hasn’t come about yet. That being said….I also do this for FREE. NO Sponsors, No Revenue, No shirts – No shoes – NO DICE.

The same can’t be said of the very basic Chocolatier Wine website.

First – Update your Domain Records. Marketed/Distributed by Fire Tail Brands, you own both ChocolatierWine.Com and .Net, yet your DNS records point to .Net first. It’s a nitpick I know….but still.

Also, why is your website not on the bottle? This is the information age, and people (like me) do like to read about what they are drinking, or provide Feedback. Don’t force us to Google.

Finally, remove the animated gifs. The approaching bottles on index page could be done so much better in Flash (if you have to have them) and the walking stick figure “Logo” at the bottom is just annoying. It looks like it was done in a 9th grade Computer Class.

Just those little things could help a lot, but I would suggest a complete overhaul of the site. Bring it into 21st Century.

Now – On to the product.

This isn’t our first jump into Chocolate Beverages – in 2.011 we reviewed both Adult Chocolate Milk and ChocoVine (and yes, I now know ChocoVine has a dead image – it’s apparently become corrupted so I will have to redo – my own personal pet peeve).

Both were interesting products I wondered how they would compare to Chocolatier’s Chocolate Turtle.

Appearance – An off beige or eggshell color, the wine appeared rather viscous and clings to the side of the glass.
Nose –A heavily Chocolate (obviously) base, that does not overwhelm the caramel and nutty (walnut/pecan) tertiary scents.
Taste – While somewhat reminiscent of Bailey’s in appearance, the unique texture (velvety and thick) creates it’s own unique character. Carrying the nose over into the flavor – there is no surprise to the frontloaded chocolate and caramel taste, followed by hints of cream, nuttiness (think a good pecan pie) and a light white chocolate finish.

This would make an interesting dessert wine, especially with a light cherry torte or vanilla ice-cream.

The price point is good (under $15) and it definitely has value, especially on Romantic Dinner night (Valentine’s Day is coming), although I doubt I would keep a bottle around for all occasions.

I would definitely rate this better than Adult Chocolate Milk, and on par with ChocoVine (possibly better if I drank them head-to-head).

I don’t know how far distribution is, or regions of availability, but this is definitely worth picking up – if just for the novelty.

Solid 3 Stars.

Monday Quick Hits 2012–Vol2

2012-01-16T07:37:00.001-08:00

We start off our Monday with what could be one the biggest drunk driving accidents since Exxon Valdez (Ok, the Captain was below decks sleeping off a bender…not actually steering the boat…but, oh well).

This time we have the Costa Concordia striking rocks off of the island of Giglio Tuscany, killing at least 6 with seventeen still un-accounted for.

What is particularly sobering (pun intended) is this quote -

Monique Maurek, 41, from the Netherlands, told The Sunday Telegraph: 'What scandalised me most was when I saw the captain spending much of the evening before we hit the rocks drinking in the bar with a beautiful woman on his arm. -Source

Ok, I get it….the Captain is supposed to be out socializing, just look at Captain Stubing on the Love Boat, but you gotta pay attention to the rocks.

For the record, I do happen to know a few things about steering a yacht under the influence…..as those who were there in Miami can attest

Next we have four stories about Science

Red Wine Researcher accused of Fraud – Seriously? If you are going to be a scientist and make up data…do it in a field that people at least expect it, such as Global Warming, but leave BOOZE out of it.
20 Thing you didn’t know about Alcohol – This one is kinda fun, my favorite tidbit is about Johnny Appleseed. Funny, they skipped that little factoid in school.
Science proves alcohol is FUN – How can I get in on one of these research projects. I mean, I could have told you this…..well, maybe not without facts to back it up (but I would still be better than our Wine researcher above), but what evidence I did provide would be undeniable.
Nicotine is GOOD for you - Nicotine patches significantly improved attention and memory in older people suffering from mild cognitive impairment, which often leads to Alzheimer's – So SMOKE UP GRANDPA!!!

We’ve all done it – broken out the Bailey’s and made up that boozy Milkshake – but now we have Drunken Udder, who is producing Alcohol Infused Ice Cream. Apparently only available in California at this time, you can count on my doing my best to get some here in the Midwest – ASAP.

Finally, who watched the Golden Globes last night? The sound of crickets renews my faith in humanity. Seriously, Hollywood has been so full of themselves, with their self congratulatory events such as the Globes and the Oscars, its almost sickening. While the Golden Globes historically has better picks than the Oscars, 1977/78 cannot be overlooked – with The Turning Point (Golden Globe) and Annie Hall (Academy Award) beat out BOTH Star Wars and Close Encounters. Really? Did anyone ever see either of those “Winners”?

It shows that if you are not in the “Club”, you are overlooked. To try and make themselves Edgy – The Golden Globes invited back Ricky Gervais to host the show for his 3rd time – apparently though, he had a list of rules he promptly ignored.

Going after Antonio Banderas (I can’t understand him either), NBC (the worst network on television IMO, the only reason I watch it…they air ND games), washed up actors Eddie Murphy and Adam Sandler and Jodie Foster’s Beaver (*Snicker*).

His best quote of the night (while he was drinking away constantly -

“The Golden Globes are to the Oscars what Kim Kardashian is to Kate Middleton - 'Bit louder. Bit trashier. Bit drunker. And more easily bought... allegedly”

Here’s to you Mr. Gervais – while you are not on my A-List of Comedians (all I have to say SpyKids 4D) at least you brought a little entertainment to the evening last night….even if you have a small penis.

Cheers -

3 Beers, 37 Seconds…….NO HANDS

2012-01-14T12:21:00.001-08:00

This looks like a restaurant/bar that I have been to on South Beach

The Tax System Explained in Beer.

2012-01-12T13:03:00.001-08:00

The Tax System Explained in Beer.

(Lifted from an old Army Buddies FB – Thanks Tracy)

Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to $100.
If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this…

The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing
The fifth would pay $1
The sixth would pay $3
The seventh would pay $7
The eighth would pay $12
The ninth would pay $18
The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59

So, that’s what they decided to do.

The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve ball. “Since you are all such good customers,” he said, “I’m going to reduce the cost of your daily beer by $20″. Drinks for the ten men would now cost just $80.

The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes. So the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. But what about the other six men ? How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his fair share?

They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted that from everybody’s share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to drink his beer.

So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man’s bill by a h higher percentage the poorer he was, to follow the principle of the tax system they had been using, and he proceeded to work out the amounts he suggested that each should now pay.
And so

The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% saving).
The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33% saving).
The seventh now paid $5 instead of $7 (28% saving).
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% saving).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% saving).
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% saving).

Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to drink for free. But, once outside the bar, the men began to compare their savings.
“I only got a dollar out of the $20 saving,” declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man,”but he got $10!”
“Yeah, that’s right,” exclaimed the fifth man. “I only saved a dollar too. It’s unfair that he got ten times more benefit than me!”
“That’s true!” shouted the seventh man. “Why should he get $10 back, when I got only $2? The wealthy get all the breaks!”
“Wait a minute,” yelled the first four men in unison, “we didn’t get
anything at all. This new tax system exploits the poor!”
The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.
The next night the tenth man didn’t show up for drinks so the nine sat down and had their beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn’t have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!
And that, boys and girls, journalists and government ministers, is how our tax system works. The people who already pay the highest taxes will naturally get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they might start drinking overseas, where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.

David R. Kamerschen, Ph.D. – Professor of Economics.

To give you an idea how cold it is outside…

2012-01-12T12:36:00.001-08:00

First really cold day of the winter (we’ve only had one other snow day), with it being 15 Degrees and a windchill of –4.

Of course, our son is out playing in it….ahhh, to be a kid again.

Myself? I find it so cold, that I have began to bundle up my bourbon.

Thanks Maker’s Mark for the sweater.

Cheers -

Government Regulations

2012-01-12T10:34:00.001-08:00

I open today with a quote from pastor Martin Niemoeller -

First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.

Why is this important? Because the government is trying to take away people’s rightstto consume/use legal substances. It started with Prohibition, but that was repealed. Now we have the draconian smoking regulations (from package labeling, employers restricting employment based on use, to silly sin taxes). Also, don’t forget the non-S&B related restrictions on purchasing sudafed.

Where does it end?

Apparently it doesn’t.

Now that alcoholism is declared a disease, enter the CDC -

CDC Report: Binge Drinking Rates in the US “Alarming -

From this article, we get some interesting tidbits -

Binge Drinking is defined as 5 drinks at a setting for men and 4 for women.
38 Million (13% of the population do this every month
Rich people Binge more often
Poor people drink more
American’s are not smart -

“It is alarming to me that Americans are not being smart in knowing how to respect the effects of alcohol,” Alvarez said, “it’s putting their health in jeopardy.”

Binge Drinking cost $223 BILLION in healthcare in 2006
Education is the key

You know what I say about this? BULLSHIT.

People already know that drinking is bad for them…but we continue to do so because we enjoy it.

Quit making up statistics that justify your existence and focus on real diseases that need treatment.

Lifestyle choice is not a disease, but it will only be a matter of time before the government tries to regulate Alcohol consumption….mark my words.

When Booze and Sports meet

2012-01-11T14:21:00.001-08:00

Looks like two drunks decided that they wanted a better view (better than Bob Euker) and moved down to the Dallas Maverick’s Bench.

I love the way they are dressed (maybe they are filming the Hangover Part 3) and how they keep drinking beer.

Well played Gents….well played

This Day in History–January 11th 1964

2012-01-11T09:32:00.001-08:00

The US Surgeon General warns against smoking for the first time.

Wow, 5 years before I was born…the Surgeon General began it’s warning crusade and yet today….smoking is still puffing along.

Great Job there, it’s working like a charm.

Here is a brief history of warnings on cigarette packs in the US -

Caution: Cigarette Smoking May be Hazardous to Your Health (1966–1970)
Warning: The Surgeon General Has Determined that Cigarette Smoking is Dangerous to Your Health (1970–1985)
SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: Smoking Causes Lung Cancer, Heart Disease, Emphysema, And May Complicate Pregnancy. (1985-)
SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: Quitting Smoking Now Greatly Reduces Serious Risks to Your Health. (1985-)
SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: Smoking By Pregnant Women May Result in Fetal Injury, Premature Birth, And Low Birth Weight. (1985-)
SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: Cigarette Smoke Contains Carbon Monoxide. (1985-)

Who would have thought that when the Native Americans (he….can I take them to court for introducing the white man to this?) first brought tobacco to Columbus’ attention, which lead to its spread all over the world, that today we have to have labels telling is it is bad.

We KNOW it is. You and I know it, everybody knows it…yet, we still continue to smoke.

And do you know why? BECAUSE I CAN.

I grew up in a smoking family. My father was born and raised on a tobacco farm and both my parents smoked well into advanced age.

I had a brief foray into cigarettes when I joined the Army (Smoke’m if you got’m), but I let that pass as a fad.

I wasn’t “Hooked” or “Addicted”. I could and did quit when I wanted to.

But later in life, I picked up cigars because (like drinking), I ENJOYED them.

Even now, I could quit in a heartbeat….and have often debated on it based on the sin taxes levied against me.

But I choose not to, no matter what the naysayers say.

And who are the naysayers? I’m glad you asked.

The Surgeon General.

The Surgeon General of the United States is the operational head of the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (PHSCC) and thus the leading spokesperson on matters of Public Health in the federal government. The Surgeon General's office and staff are known as the Office of the Surgeon General (OSG). He (She) hold the rank of Vice Admiral and is in command PHSCC, one of the seven uniformed branches of the military AND one of only two that has no enlisted personnel.

So, a “Uniformed Service” under the command of a “General” (who is actually an Admiral) which has no “working” force and is comprised entirely of officers.

To me that sounds like a cluster f***. Oh wait, after reading these warnings all those years, it’s apparent that it is.

Look, when stores have to label individual cigars, things have gone to far. The wasted manpower and resources to do this, so that people can ignore (which is what everyone does) the ridiculous labels, is insane. Mother’s continue to smoke while pregnant, under aged kids are not charged for breaking the law by smoking and the government wants to reallocate my wealth via taxes to “bolster” a broken healthcare system.
We know smoking is bad. We enjoy it. Get out of our lives and let us live it.

Today is the anniversary of Cigarette labels. Another attempt by the establishment to influence the people. Why can’t they just let us live happy lives?

Enjoy the day and Smoke’m if you Got’m

Skotch Skotch

2012-01-10T12:00:00.001-08:00

Ok, there is one thing said that might not be SFW, so mind your speakers and enjoy this spoof commercial

What a way to go!!!

2012-01-10T09:24:00.001-08:00

I guess if you are going to die at work, there could be worse ways. I wonder if there will be a limited edition bottling – Kinda like Nelson’s Blood.

Worker's body 'found in vat' at Glenfiddich distillery

Tributes have been paid to team leader Brian Ettles, 46, who died at the plant in Moray on Saturday.

It is understood that he was found dead in a 16ft distillery vat filled with water and yeast. Police would not comment on where Mr Ettles' body was discovered.

The Glenfiddich Distillery was shut on Monday and Tuesday as a mark of respect.

Bill White, William Grant & Sons' group operations director, said: "Brian, who had loyally served the company for 22 years, having joined in 1989, was a highly-valued team leader for the last six years and, before that, a popular team member in the Dufftown process team.

"Our heartfelt thoughts, condolences and sympathy go to Brian's family, friends and colleagues, and to those who worked so closely with him during his 22 years' service."

A Grampian Police spokeswoman said the death was not being treated as suspicious.

Disturbing Bar Trick

2012-01-09T13:58:00.001-08:00

Ok, all you need are some frog legs and some salt….and you can freak people out at the bar.

Mike’s Harder Grape Punch

2012-01-09T13:34:00.001-08:00

I thought I would try something different the other day, so I broke down and bought a can of Mike’s Harder Grape Punch

Released in March – The Press Release for Mike’s Harder Grape Punch States -
Mike’s is always looking to push the envelope, and the new mike’s harder grape punch is no exception. A punch of bold grape flavor with hints of field fresh berries will make this 8% alcohol beverage one of your fa-vorites.

Since it is relatively cheap and 8%, why not give it a shot?

My first problem when I got it home was – What to drink it out of?

Should I drink it out of a Tankard, tasting glass, wine glass, a shot….or even out of a crystal skull? The possibilities were endless.

Ultimately, I decided to go with a Blue Dixie Cup.

The Drink itself was much better than I anticipated, reminding me of the Purple Passions we used to drink back in the day. Granted, these are only 8%, but good enough to get a buzz going after 4 or 5.

I also felt the Blue Dixie Cup works well with this, as Mike’s isn’t going to be one of those drinks you break out the fine china for, but instead it is something you are going to be drinking while fishing, camping, tailgating or some other outdoor activity – possibly one you don’t want the police to see you consuming alcohol while doing. A match made in heaven.

I’m not going to delve into Nose, Appearance, Taste or Finish…..it’s a Mike’s Product for Gosh Sake. I’ll just say its GRAPE and HAS BOOZE. I give it two stars while sober, but would give it 3.5 if I were drunk in the summer and someone else paid for it.

Give it a look – at least its better than JOOSE and SPARKE Plus

Monday Quick Hits–Vol 1 2012 edition

2012-01-09T10:29:00.001-08:00

I can’t wait until I get put in a home (vs being put down), especially if the retirement homes can get a Liquor License. To me, this should be a no brainer (like medicinal marijuana) – if it makes the old codgers happy….let them drink up.

Meanwhile, Randy is right…..as Dr.’s are recommending 2 “Dry” days a week. Randy has been preaching his “Down Days” for some time…..so it’s good to see that there is some type of “Science” b

More women are Sexually Assaulted than people smoke in the US. Ok, sexual assault is never funny….no ifs, ands or buts, however – who makes up these stats?

Beer for dogs? Some people really need to find a hobby. First, it’s non-alcoholic beer, ie…fortified water. As an extra twist, it contains beef stock…so now it is thin soup for the dog. Finally, this made the news because it sold 48 beers (2 cases) in two weeks. WOW – we are burning down the house now. I cant wait until this company IPOs and overtakes InBev….wait, the “beer”might actually be better.

For all you idiots out there that watch a little to much Pulp Fiction -Don’t try to rob a Chesapeake area Sports Bar. You might not only get your ass kicked, but you might get shot.

Finally -Beer Goggles are REAL!!!! -

Scientists paid a visit to a south London pub to conduct an experiment to find out whether the so-called 'beer-goggles' effect is real.

The phrase refers to the phenomenon where drinking too much alcohol makes people attracted to someone they would not normally be attracted to when sober.

Dr Lewis Halsey from Roehampton University got drinkers to look at photos to choose who they thought were the most attractive.

Go HERE for the Video

Creative Bottle Opener

2012-01-08T19:05:00.001-08:00

I’ve been known to use my teeth….but the forearm? Really?

Now this is a (former) World Leader

2012-01-08T12:01:00.001-08:00

With elections coming up…what are the odds that some politician (my guess Obama…to endear himself to the “Common Man”) tries this trick from former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke?

Cheers Bob -

Because it is Saturday–That’s why

2012-01-07T16:02:00.001-08:00

that’s the only reason I can explain a kid, smoking….with a chicken.

Art, Sick Joke or just a sign of the times. You decide.

Working and Smoking–invasion of Privacy?

2012-01-07T13:57:00.001-08:00

So, I have to link to an article on USA Today about Workplaces and their right to base hiring on Smoking habits – mostly because USA Today requires $800 to repost an article (for 2 years MAX). No wonder they can afford to give their newspapers away – they shake down everyone else.

Anyway, the crux of the article is

29 States and DC have laws that protect smokers rights (above in RED).
Such made up statistics as smoking and second hand smoke causing 443000 premature deaths and costing the nation $193 BILLION dollars in health bills and lost productivity.
Healthcare is pushing their own “Healthy Agenda”
The American Lung Association discriminates and considers themselves “Non-Smoking Exemplars”.

If you are interested – check out the article, but I wouldn’t waste my time.

Instead, I would - do some research, find out what is the law in your state and then contact your local representative.

In my opinion, Smoking is legal and therefore this is just as discriminatory as non-hiring based on Race, Sex or Religion.

Where will it end? Cholesterol tests? Weekly weigh ins? How about stopping by peoples houses at night for a breathalyzer?

Personally – if a place I applied to had these restrictions – I would tell them to go FUCK Themselves. But that is just me.

Gin and Beer????

2012-01-06T13:58:00.001-08:00

Gin and beer – the thought is almost enough to turn one’s stomach.

I can’t imagine any two flavors that seemed more destined to remain at opposite sides of the Fridge, but it came up just last night.

You see, I was re-reading Mr. Midshipman Hornblower, and when I got to the part where Hornblower challenges Mr. Simpson to a duel – the reader learns that Simpson had been drinking his beer with Gin in it.

Of course this got my mind thinking – REALLY?

History, of course, leads some credence to this -

The men were entitled to a gallon of beer per day, this was small beer and not very alcoholic, in addition to this they received a half pint rum ration per day, with which, along with tobacco, they might hope to alleviate some of the tedium of life at sea. – SOURCE

Granted, the above mentions Rum – however Gin was a viable (Cheaper and more readily available) substitute, and considering the level of drunkenness – strengthening one’s watery beer would not seem out of the question.

Further – Gin and Beer have other references out there as well:

Beer Street and Gin Lane from William Hogarth (on of my favorite Artists) places the two together in art….and has even made an appearance back in 2009 here on Smokes and Booze (you’ll have to scroll down.

The beverages are also mentioned together by Rudyard Kipling in his famous poem – Gung Din

"You may talk o' gin and beer When you're quartered safe out 'ere,"

There is a drink called a Skip and Go Naked that sounds plausible -

Skip and go naked:
Combine beer, lemon juice and gin, with a dash of grenadine.

Finally, you go to the Tower of London you can see two statues in the White Tower called Gin and Beer (each holding their respective drink).

Maybe there is something to this? What do you think? Review forthcoming -

Friday Quote of the Day

2012-01-06T13:14:00.001-08:00

Life Magazine is running an interesting retrospective on Famous Literary Drunks and Addicts.

My favorite quote out of the collection comes from Charles Bukowski -

“I have the feeling that drinking is a form of suicide where you're allowed to return to life and begin all over the next day. It's like killing yourself, and then you're reborn. I guess I've lived about ten or fifteen thousand lives now."

The whole life article is pretty good, so go check it out….and yes Randy, Hemmingway is in there.

Cheers -

More Shots

2012-01-06T11:00:00.001-08:00

Yesterday we ran a story about a woman Shot in the eye….but finishing her beer before going to the hospital – Today we highlight the great investigative journalism of Cockeyed.Com for finding out how many TRUE shots are in a 750ml bottle of Tequila.

Jump over to his site and find out the answer – plus check out some of the other “How much is inside” articles as well. You won’t be disappointed.

More on the Star Wars Porn Movie

2012-01-06T10:37:00.001-08:00

Remember back in August when I posted about the upcoming Star Wars Porn Movie?

Well, it now has an official trailer (not just a clip “Mash-Up” like before) that is also SFW.

Of course, I recommend watching it only for the Cantina Scenes -

Who ordered shots?

2012-01-05T14:20:00.001-08:00

Shot in the eye, woman insists on finishing beer

A Winnipeg woman somehow survived being shot through the eye in a New Year's Eve attack that claimed the life of her friend.

Justice sources say it was nothing short of a miracle the 30-year-old woman didn't become the city's 40th homicide victim of 2011. Police and paramedics arrived inside the Selkirk Avenue home in the early hours of Dec. 31 to find the woman calmly sitting in a chair.

"It was like she was oblivious to what had happened. She didn't want any treatment until after she finished her beer," a source told the Free Press. The woman was severely impaired, either by drugs or alcohol or both, and seemed to be showing no discomfort despite the obvious injury she suffered. There were as many as 10 other people in the home, also in various states of impairment.

"Its going to take a considerable amount of time to speak to those individuals," police spokeswoman Const. Natalie Aitken said last weekend.

The body of 46-year-old Michael Warren Sinclair was found inside the same room. He was pronounced dead at hospital. Police have made no arrests in what was the 39th, and final, homicide of a record-setting year. Winnipeg's previous high was 34.

Sources say the woman remains in hospital for her injuries but is listed in stable condition.

They point to her as a classic example of how many other "close calls" there were last year, where either quick medical help or divine intervention saved the body count from going even higher.

Sinclair's family declined to comment to the Free Press, but one relative said her brother was not linked to gangs. Neighbours said the two-storey house was known as a gathering place for drug users and partiers.

www.mikeoncrime.com

Happy Birthday Robert Duvall

2012-01-05T10:50:00.001-08:00

How can you not love Robert Duvall? He’s a been an actor I have loved since I saw him as Lucky Ned Pepper in True Grit and Frank Burns in MASH when I was a kid, Tom Hagen in the Godfather series and Col. Kilgore in Apocalypse Now, and teaching young boys to be men as HUB in Second Hand Lions (a very underrated movie).

He’s a man’s man, and he can play emotions like a violin. If you have a dry eye after his part in The Road – turn in your man-card immediately.

Today is his birthday and it was hard for me to settle on a scene that captures the spirit of him as a actor.

I finally decided on his portrayal as Boss Spearman from Open Range.

While Costner does 99% of the speaking in scene….I enjoyed watching the body language (and the quick chuckle) from Duvall.

Open Range is a highly underrated Western, and IMO one of the Top 5 ever made. It goes back to a simpler time, where men were men and deals were done on a handshake and trust. My favorite line is -

“My friend and me got a hankerin for Swtzerland Chocolate and a good smoke”

If you haven’t seen this movie, you are doing yourself a disservice. Pour yourself a few beers, kick back this weekend and check it out.

Happy Birthday Robert – thanks for the memories.

PS for Randy – He just finished a TV Movie called Hemingway and Gellhorn

And this is why you should not submit to search

2012-01-05T08:42:00.001-08:00

I get it that the suspect was searched AFTER he was arrested for failing a sobriety test, but this goes to show what the police will use as evidence against you in a court of law.

Does anyone really believe that Mr. Garrison (Hello Mr. Hat) actually drank 20+ Jack and Cokes AND other drinks? Does it really matter that his bar tab was $140? Why did the police publish this information, other than to sensationalize the case? Does the police department always put out key information in a case or the contents of every suspects wallet/pockets?

Everyone should remember the 4th Amendment -

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and Warrants shall not be issued, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

The driver failed a sobriety check – why the search of his “papers”?

Drunk driver had nearly $140 bar tab

Police in Florida say a drunken driving suspect who said he had only two drinks had a receipt in his pocket showing a nearly $140 bar tab.

Ocala Police said they stopped an orange Hummer on East Silver Springs Boulevard early Friday after a report of a possible drunken driver, the Ocala (Fla.) Star-Banner reported.

Driver Bradley Garrison, 40, had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, police said, but told officers he had only two drinks at the Charlie Horse Restaurant and Lounge.

Garrison was arrested after failing a field sobriety test, police said.

While searching Garrison, officer Charles Hunt said he found a receipt in Garrison's front pants pocket from the restaurant showing purchases including 20 Jack Daniels drinks and other drinks, for a total bar tab of $139.09.

Whether Garrison had consumed all the drinks was unclear.

He was taken to the Marion County Jail, where he couldn't complete a breath alcohol test because of vomiting, police said.

Read more: http://www.1027jackfm.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=104673&article=9562364#ixzz1ibNsk1zl

Moylan's Dragoons Dry Irish Stout

2012-01-05T08:25:00.001-08:00

I always look forward to Christmas time, as my wife always goes out of her way to provide some unique beers for me to try – and this year she didn’t disappoint.

Santa left in my stocking some new beers that hold a lot of promise, and so I thought I would do one of my first reviews on Moylan’s Dragoons Dry Irish Stout.

Moylan’s Brewery and Restaurant is from Novato California and has been around since 1995. They distribute 12 different beers nationally and maintain another 7 on draft. Many of their distributed beers have garnered some awards, and I am mildly surprised their Dragoons Dry Irish Stout has not won more than it has (3).

Bottled in a 1pt 6oz Bottle, I particularly like the stylized fonts and logo placed on a Celtic knot.

Appearance- Pouring as a dark opaque brown/black color with a dark wine highlights, there is a light (almost non-existent) carbonated head that clings to the edge of the glass and no lacing.
Nose- Strong roasted barley, rounded out with chocolate and vanilla , with hints of coffee and sweet fruit.
Tastes- I flash of sweetness that is followed by Dark Bitter Chocolate, Toffee, light hops and nuts. Particularly surprised the “Dry” mouth feel.
Finish – “Dry” and palette cleansing, flavors at the end remind me of fruit (tangy oranges) and coco powder. Think of a candy Chocolate Orange. A light hoppy aftertaste is quite pleasant.

Overall – I really liked this beer. While it will never unseat Guinness as Number 1 on my list – it definitely moved into my Top 5, ie – something that I would actually go out of my way to pick up.

Available locally in CoMO at HyVee and Arena Liquors – I highly recommend picking this one up.

Finally -One thing I noticed – On their website, they list Alcohol Content as 8%, whereas the bottle states 5%. Would love to get clarity there.

Don’t drop the FOOTBALL

2012-01-03T14:16:00.001-08:00

Sometimes people have great ideas.

Sometimes people have great ideas – and then overcharge for them.

Case in point is THE FOOTBALL from Urban Mercenaries.

For those of you with an interest in history – The Football is traditionally the codename for the briefcase carried by a military official for the President and (according to the former director of the White House Military Office) it contains:

There are four things in the Football. The Black Book containing the retaliatory options, a book listing classified site locations, a manila folder with eight or ten pages stapled together giving a description of procedures for the Emergency Broadcast System, and a three-by-five inch card with authentication codes. The Black Book was about 9 by 12 inches and had 75 loose-leaf pages printed in black and red. The book with classified site locations was about the same size as the Black Book, and was black. It contained information on sites around the country where the president could be taken in an emergency.

In the case of Urban Mercenaries, it contains several items that would make for a hilarious prop at a bachelor party.

The problem with the UM Version is price – $499.99

While ultra cool – the average person can’t afford something like this, and to be honest….it’s considerably marked up.

As you may notice, I haven’t included a picture of the items (I learned my lesson from Asian Snake Wine, you can see the item linked above) but I have listed everything below – With the price associated

$27.32 - 17" Aluminum Briefcase
$19.95 – Foam Inserts
$12.45 - 1 pair of handcuffs with 2 keys
$20.99 375 ml Patron Tequila
$18.95 375 ml Grey Goose Vodka
$2.10 - 10 Advil tablets
$.87 - 24 Tums Extra Strength chewable tablets
$6.67 - (4) 2 oz Red Bull energy shots
$1.44 .37 oz tin of Altoids
$3.40 - 0.5 oz of Bausch & Lomb eye drops
$4.99 1 wine bottle opener
$2.63 1 deck of cards
$11.99 - 5 dice
$7.77 350 ml Martini shaker
$3.66 4 shot glasses
(Optional) Engraved plaque, personalized with 2 lines of text

Now, before you say “Don’t forget SHIPPING” – Everything (sans alcohol) is Amazon Prime – so two day shipping is free.

So, in essence – For $145.18 (a 244% Difference) you can make your own DYI Football, customize the alcohol and still have a great prop – plus a fun story to go along it.

I know what I plan to do – the choice is yours.

Cheers -

Happy Birthday JRR Tolkien

2012-01-03T11:39:00.001-08:00

We’ve touched on JRR before (HERE) – but I wanted to take a minute and wish him a happy 120th Birthday.

Here he is reading the Ring Poem -

Wow–We reviewed a lot of stuff

2012-01-03T10:34:00.001-08:00

Even if you do not take into account the first three (which is our jump on 2012), we (the reviewers here at S&B) really did hit on a lot of subjects last year. 50 reviews written and we are still going strong.

Take a minute to have a blast from the past – and I look forward to hitting our goal of 100 reviews in 2012.

Thanks for reading -

Foxfire and Moonshine

2012-01-03T07:14:00.001-08:00

Just finished re-reading the first book of the Foxfire series last night, and once again I was transported back to a simpler time.

If you are unfamiliar with the Foxfire series – you are really missing out.

In the late 1960s, Eliot Wigginton and his students created the magazine Foxfire in an effort to record and preserve the traditional folk culture of the Southern Appalachians.

Setting out to capture pure Appalachian Americana, most of which was originally passed down orally, would be a daunting task no matter what – but to be taken on by high school students and transcribed directly how people spoke is a great accomplishment.

Now totaling 12 volumes (and several side books) – The whole series is a great read – covering forgotten subjects such as making apple butter, banjos, basket weaving, beekeeping, butter churning, corn shucking, dulcimers, faith healing, Appalachian folk magic, fiddle making, American ginseng cultivation, long rifle and flintlock making, hide tanning, hog dressing, hunting tales, log cabin building,midwives, old-time burial customs, planting "by the signs", preserving foods, sassafras tea, snake handling and lore, soap making, spinning, square dancing, wagon making, weaving, wild food gathering, witches, and wood carving.

Yes, I know – quite the list of subject matter, but that is only scratching the surface.

Of course, this wouldn’t be S&B without some type of alcohol tie-in, and in this case…..It’s MOONSHINE.

Book 1 spends a good 30 pages (with pictures, diagrams and recipes) on making Moonshine the old fashioned way. They speak to bookleggers, police officers and locals on the various ways to produce, hide and run White Lightning. They tell stories of when things went well, and when they went bad.

A quick, fun and interesting read – this is a must for any Booze historians out there…..as this was how it was.

I highly recommend this book (and the entire series) and honestly feel I could run ‘shine based off the instructions. If Hugh Farnham would have been a few years later….this series would have been in his collection.

Worlds Shortest Fairy Tale

2012-01-02T08:33:00.001-08:00

Stolen from GP’s Facebook page.

The Whiskey Reviews by the Professor

2012-01-02T08:29:00.001-08:00

Even more reviews pouring in to start 2012 off right.

Randy over at MySideoftheBar sends in three quick reviews of whiskeys - Devil’s Cut, Maker’s Mark 46 and (ri)1.

The Devil’s Cut
While not a particular fan of Jim Beam, I had to try this Whiskey due to, well marketing strategy. I would also like to state that just because I am a fan or not a fan of a Whiskey it does not necessarily make it bad or good. After all, why are they so many Whiskey choices? Because there are so many different tastes.
So what is the Devil’s Cut?

Here is a statement from the Jim Beam Website:
As bourbon ages, a portion of the liquid is lost from the barrel due to evaporation—that's the "Angel's Share." After aging, when the bourbon is dumped out of the barrel, a certain amount of whiskey is left trapped within the wood of every barrel.
We call that the "devil's cut."
You can read more about the Devil’s Cut here:
http://www.jimbeam.com/devils-cut/about-devils-cut

My Take on the Devil’s Cut-

The Nose – Well what can I say, it was strong, bold and a Bourbon.
Taste – Very strong Bourbon taste, however what was odd was that it did not have the taste I usually associate with Jim Beam. Some hints of vanilla and sweetness on the lips.
Finish – Strong Bourbon finish and still a hint of sweet, however the wood taste is still very present.

The Devil’s Cut is not a Bourbon that I would order on a regular basis, however after drinking a generous portion it did grow on me and even mellowed some.

Makers Mark 46
I drink Makers Mark Bourbon in my Manhattans as it is easy to find in most bars and has a little extra sweetness that is great in Manhattans.
According to the Makers 46 Website, Makers 46 the reinvention
(of the reinvention) of bourbon.
My Take on Makers 46-

The Nose – Very mellow with sweet hints and smoother that the regular Makers Mark Bourbon.
Taste – Very smooth with some sweetness and spice
Finish – Very smooth and mellow finish

I did enjoy Makers 46 and would order and drink it again in the future.

(ri)1

(ri)1 – Pronounced Rye One is an excellent Rye whiskey. However that said you have to enjoy Rye to enjoy Rye One.
(ri)1 is a Kentucky Straight rye whiskey produced by Beam Global Spirits (Jim Beam) although they do not really acknowledge it on their website.
My Take on (ri)1-

Nose – Very, very smooth with hints of grain, some may even say grass (it is the Rye)
Taste – More of the grain (Rye) and a mellow spice
Finish – As with all Rye (and most Canadian) Whiskey the finish is very smooth.

I would order and purchase (ri)1 again and this will also be named as the preferred Rye Whiskey of MySideOfTheBar for 2011.

Photoblocker–Savior of Facebook

2012-01-02T07:55:00.001-08:00

Now here is an invention that I can get behind…..Photoblocker.

From the land of big beer bottles and Cerveza Norte….they are working on a device that detects camera flashes in 360 Degrees and sends a counter attack by producing a (camera) blinding “Counter-Flash” – thus preventing unwanted photos that can appear on Social networking sites.

As an ex-MI Soldier, I always love countermeasures – So bravo to Norte and Buenos Aires-based agency Del Campo Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi for coming up with a unique idea to counter all those annoying bar picks.

Check the demo-

Something a little different–Hibiscus Flowers

2012-01-02T02:20:00.001-08:00

First post of the New Year, and I hope everyone had a great celebration.

We all know 2011 was a kick in the butt, but we still had some good times – Here’s to carrying that momentum into 2012 and making this the best year over (as long as the Mayans are wrong).

So, to kick us off – I thought I would review something a little different – Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup.

The Wild Hibiscus Flower Company is a small family owned & operated firm run by a passionate team in Sydney, Australia. Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup are the original creation of Lee Etherington who invented the product 11 years ago in 1997. (Read More Here)

I know, sounds a bit odd….but work with me.

You see, it’s really hard to find something unusual for my wife (she says I am impossible to shop for as well), because if there is anything she really wants – she buys it. It makes Christmas time a little challenging, but this year I think I actually did good.

While looking at the unusual gifts over at Thinkgeek.com I stumbled onto their Wacky Edibles Section and saw “Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup”. Hmmmm…..goes in Champagne and New Years is coming up…..SCORE!

<Ed Note – at the time I am running this, the product is Out of Stock on think Geek. Alternate ordering is at the end of the post>

This was something Debi was really looking forward to trying once she found it in her stocking, and I must admit – My interests were piqued as well.

Packaging is an 8.8oz jar that contains 11 flowers. It’s small and compact – which is good, as you must refrigerate after opening…..and we all know how valuable refrigerator real-estate is. The company also produces a 2.5lb 50 Flower Party pack.

Attached to the top is a paper recipe book as well, which is nice. You can also read about cocktails and recipes HERE.

Inside, the flowers are floating in a thick, sweet syrup (mmmm….syrup). Fishing them out with a fork reveals a translucent, somewhat rubbery flower that looks like it came off the set of Star Trek, but in a good way. The flowers themselves appear about 1in in diameter, with multiple petals that radiate from the sepal.

From there, just pop one into a glass, add a little syrup (to give a little more flavor) and away you go.

How was it? I thought it was pretty cool. We used an extremely dry Brut, and the sweetness of the syrup worked well with it.

Flavors overall were good – Debi got the Raspberry/Rhubarb as advertised (I thought it tasted more like Strawberries, but to each their own) and the effect of watching the flower open as the bubbles from the champagne worked the flower was quite nice. I found myself stealing glances at my glass several times during dinner, just captivated by the site.

Finally – YES you can eat the flower. It had an interesting texture, but was not off putting – just unique. Again I was reminded of Rhubarb….and that is a good thing.

To me, this was a really cool product, and one that I would highly recommend to my friends. Whether you are a person that likes to have the unusual at their bar (Randy), someone who just likes a lazy mimosa (Melissa or TommyG) or a restaurant that likes to push the envelope a little (looking at you 44Stone)….this is right up your alley.

Sadly, as I said earlier…..ThinkGeek is SOLD OUT, but there are a few other alternatives.

If you live in Australia, New Zealand or Europe….you can order directly from The Wild Hibiscus Flower Company.

For those of us here in the US, there is the ever present fallback of Amazon.com.

Overall, an excellent product and a wonderful way to start the New Year.

CHEERS

- E

Shoplifter of the Year

2011-12-28T10:08:00.001-08:00

Really?!?!?!?

2011-12-27T08:52:00.001-08:00

When will people learn that if you want the best, stick with the original and go to the source.

While I appriciate the Japanese for producing something in their local market, I don’t understand the mass consumption.

Read my review of Suntory Yamazaki to see what I mean.

Whisky, Japan’s Next Big Export?

From cup noodles to Pokemon, there’s a range of Japanese products that have surprised people here by becoming much more popular overseas than most in the country of origin ever thought possible.

Is Japanese whisky the next in line?

Certainly, connoisseurs have been praising Japan-distilled whisky — based on the Scotch variety — for some time, but the pace of growth in its popularity has caught even some of those who make it unawares. Ahead of the close of this year, Asahi Group Holdings Ltd., one of Japan’s biggest drinks makers, was pleasantly surprised to discover exports from its Nikka Whisky Distilling Co. unit shot up 60% this year, to 25,500 cases.

The home of award-winning drams like Taketsuru Pure Malt, Asahi and Nikka have been putting no little effort into developing the product overseas, but that volume was still 16% above targeted shipments. It’s worth noting that just five years ago, Nikka whisky exports stood at just 1,800 cases.

Happy Birthday Shane McGowan

2011-12-25T15:59:00.001-08:00

If anyone belongs in the S&B Hall of Fame, it’s Shane.

My favorite piece of trivia (other than he’s born on Christmas) is that he was also born the same year as Michael Jackson.

I wonder what the odds were that he would outlive MJ?

Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday Shane. You are the greatest.

George Washington’s Eggnog

2011-12-25T09:58:00.001-08:00

Where was Tom on the Night in Question?

2011-12-23T07:08:00.001-08:00

I think that is what we all want to know. Personally, I would NEVER do anything stupid after only “five or six” beers……….right?

Handicap Scooter Bumper Car Competition At Walmart Ends In 2:30 AM Arrest Of Drunken Louisiana Guy

An early morning game of drunken bumper cars--using Walmart handicap scooters--was broken up Saturday morning by Louisiana cops who arrested a 22-year-old man who copped to driving to the store while intoxicated.

Officers with the West Monroe Police Department arrived at the Walmart around 2:30 AM in response to a call about a disturbance. Store management told cops that a group of intoxicated suspects were “playing ‘bumper cars’ with the handicap scooters in the store,” according to a probable cause affidavit.

A police sergeant contacted Christopher Butler, who appeared “very intoxicated.” Butler, pictured at right, admitted driving his 2004 Ford truck to the retailer after consuming “five to six beers.” A subsequent Breathalyzer recorded Butler’s blood alcohol content as .133 (the legal limit is .08).

Butler’s fellow bumper car enthusiasts apparently escaped arrest.

WWSD–What Would Santa Do?

2011-12-21T13:55:00.001-08:00

I know I haven’t posted much lately – I’ve been on a business trip to England (although it wasn’t an investigative trip like THIS ONE for Asiansnakewine.com) and I getting back into the swing.

What better way than to ask yourself What Would Santa Do while reviewing vintage advertisements?

First it seems Santa is an indiscriminant smoker…..from Lucky Strikes, to Pall Mall, to Camel……he smokes the hardcore stuff. No Menthol here.

As for beer….nothing is better than the timeless Guinness ads. Next year this is going to be my Christmas card. I also liked the Ginger Ale ad with the bottle of whiskey in it. If I were Santa, I would be all over the W.

Finally, a special Merry Christmas from me and Father Christmas with a picture taken in Hyde Park. Yes, I was drinking wine…what can I say, it was FREE!!!

DWI enforcement effort is under way

2011-12-09T09:56:00.001-08:00

Be Safe this weekend

Monday, December 5, 2011

An enforcement effort to identify impaired drivers will be conducted throughout the week in conjunction with a national campaign.

The Boone County Sheriff’s Department will participate with additional DWI saturation patrols today through next Monday, according to a sheriff’s department news release. The campaign’s focus is to reduce deaths and serious injuries caused by impaired drivers.

Impaired driving contributes to nearly 30 percent of all Missouri traffic fatalities annually, the news release said. Columbia police also are participating in the national campaign.

The sheriff’s department Saturday completed a sobriety checkpoint in the 3600 block of Vawter School Road, according to a news release. Nearly 150 vehicles were checked, resulting in six misdemeanor arrests for driving while intoxicated and a single arrest for drug-impaired driving.

Deputies also arrested two people for driving with a suspended or revoked license and two more for liquor law violations. An arrest for a drug violation also was recorded.

http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2011/dec/05/dwi-enforcement-effort-is-under-way/

2nd Most Shoplifted Item

2011-12-09T06:28:00.001-08:00

Mike sent me THIS the other day, and I never got around to posting it (Sorry Mike).

So, as we enter the holiday season…..what do you think the most shoplifted this time of year is?

If you said Filet Mignon ……well, then you already read the article.

Of course, since this is Smokes and Booze, I would just like to call your attention to the Number 2 Item- Jameson Whiskey.

Not t just any Whiskey, but Jameson. I originally found this hard to believe, until I thought about it a little bit. Every gas station, C-Store, Walmart or bodega sells Jameson. In 99% of those cases, this is probably the highest end whiskey most of those stores sell. So, if you are stealing, go big or go home.

Personally, I think it is all a plot by Delta House for another Toga Party. MEAT, Whiskey, Electric Tools, Let’s Rock Elmo – Sounds like a hum dinger coming up.

Cheers -

Will Ferrell does an Endorsement

2011-12-09T05:23:00.001-08:00

Will Ferrell is one of those actors you either love or hate. His type of humor grates some people, and to others….it causes a belly laugh.

I happen to be one of those people who love him. From Ricky Bobby, to Buddy the Elf to Prestige Worldwide……almost everything he does is classic.

Meanwhile, we sorta celebrity endorsements at S&B.

The good would be Bill Murray (for Suntory), Willem Dafoe (for Jim Beam) or Sean Connery (in the classic Playboy Ads)

The bad would be my continual rant against P-Diddy.

When you combine the two, you have Ferrell doing something really special.

The ads are not the funniest thing, nor is the beer he is pitching great (Old Milwaukee), but the fact that he is doing 100% Free because he loves the brand and wants to promote it is something that the entitled in Hollywood (funny how the 99%ers never talk about them) should really take a look at. Instead of worrying what is in his goody bag at the Oscars, flying first class to get somewhere or (heaven forbid) sharing a makeup trailer with someone else…..Will just believes in a product and says Give it a Try.

This truly is something we respect, as it is our mentality as well. We don’t have sponsors here for a reason. We want to be able to give honest opinions, and sometimes you feel compelled to overlook a product/service’s shortcomings if you are getting it for free. The only time we ever ask for money, if for Charity. That’s the way it should be if you love a product.

Maybe I’ll try some Old Milwaukee when I get back from London. At least Will got my attention.

Well Done Mr. Ferrell – Cheers!

Don’t Drink and tweet

2011-12-08T13:02:00.001-08:00

at least not if you are a government aide AND especially if you are tweeting from Work.

Needless to say……all have been fired

http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowldc/nw-pub-reports-larsen-aides-booze-it-up-at-work_b58351

Two of the Freakiest Ads of 2011

2011-12-08T11:18:00.001-08:00

Adweek has run a piece on the “Freakiest Ads of 2011”.

You should jump over their site to check them out, but I have linked to the two Smokes & Booze worthy ones here -

Number 6 – Coors Light with Jean Claude Van Damme

What is up with the Muscles from Brussels? His pants froze? WTF does that have to do with beer?

http://www.adweek.com/video/freakiest-ads-2011-coors-light-van-damme-136830

Number 5 – Suntory “Rickey”

Suntory is no stranger to us here at S&B, from the Yamzaki Single Malt review (with the Bill Murray commercial) to the Suntory Gin Ad (scroll down) – They love their commercials.

This one on the other hand will give me nightmares. Mix booze with the Stepford Wives and you have this.

http://www.adweek.com/video/freakiest-ads-2011-suntory-rickey-136815

Harry Morgan 1915-2011

2011-12-07T19:09:00.001-08:00

Harry Morgan was a great actor, literally someone I grew up with.

From Dragnet to his role in The Shootist to the eternal Sherman TEE Potter in MASH….he was always on our TV.

I still quote him or sing like him to this day.

RIP Harry….you will be missed.

World’s Greatest Dog

2011-12-06T11:27:00.001-08:00

Christmas Gifts–Part 1

2011-12-06T10:13:00.001-08:00

Here we go – As we go into the Holiday Seasons, here are a few items that might be of interest to the S&B audience – From $130 to $.01.

Stay tuned for a more items as we get closer to “The Mad Rush”.

How much is the beer at an NHL Game?

2011-12-06T08:19:00.001-08:00

From the folks over at Saveonbrew.com (and friends of Beer Bouquet…..remember them?), we have the 2011 NHL Beer Price Analysis Chart.

Man, I love these kinds of break downs, as they show just how much the Arenas/Stadiums/Venues rake you over the coals.

With its exclusive NHL Contract (at $375 Mill) at least Molson Coors is passing some savings to those in Colorado (To bad InBev doesn’t do that for Rams Football Games), but still prices are out of control. Its no wonder people are slowly starting to stay home more instead of attend a sporting event. Its their way of showing the Stadium Owners the $10 Foam Finger.

Well done SaveOnBrew.Com and stay tuned to see if they answer some interview questions.

Cheers -

Monday Quick Hits

2011-12-05T12:33:00.001-08:00

Boy, it’s been an interesting weekend of stories.

First, we have what I am sure is going to be a MADD statistical field day, where a Driver rams into 'Booze it & Lose it' unit. Knowing MADD, they will probably factor in all the police and cars present as part of the accident to inflate statistics. But at least we got a funny pic.

Meanwhile, Former Miss USA arrested for drunk driving after 'attempting to be the designated driver'.

I don’t know which is more interesting – the fact that she is Muslim and shouldn’t drinking or her tweets to try and make it all go away -

Saturday: "Let's clear things up now. ... I'm NOT in Michigan and I'm NOT in jail! Wrong Fakih."

But ... it sort of looks like that was the right Fakih.

The post has since been removed, and on Sunday her attorney Doraid Elder confirmed the arrest, noting that her record "has not a single blemish," other than this and that Rima is "very saddened and very apologetic for the situation that she's in."

Oh well…..when is she giving back the crown?

Over at Aleheads they have a compilation of the MOST OFFENSIVE BEER LABELS. Some of them are pretty good….here’s a taste.

Meet Steve Long. Steve is a Douche. I don’t mean that because he is gay….personally I could care less. Steve is a douche, because he picks fights in bars, slaps girls on the ass (in front of their boyfriend) and then wonders why he gets his ass kicked in (several) barfights. Dude, I don’t know you….but I know your type, and it is the reason I have really disliked going to bars lately – it’s become amateur hour. Everyone that was sober that night, from the Police to the bar owner, disputes your hate crime claims

so why look even more like a douche and continue them. Instead, man up and say you got drunk. Pay your fine and for the damages. It happens and people will respect you more for it.

Finally, on a lighter side…..Mike sent in this AWSOME AT-AT liquor cabinet someone made….>DEAR SANTA -

Helping St. Jude's

2011-12-01T07:46:00.001-08:00

With today being the first day of December, I was originally going to have a post today about Smokes and Booze related Christmas Gifts.

That all changed this morning when James gave me his entry form for the St. Jude's Math-a-thon.

Math-A-Thon is a volunteer-based fundraising program for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The program includes a fun, free curriculum supplement featuring comic book characters for grades K-8.

Yes, you read that right – James is volunteering to do extra work in school to help raise money to help kids.

As you may know, James lost his brother Joey in 2008 to Cancer. Several times in the past, he offered his own money or volunteered to help Cancer Research, and this has become his pet project.

Last year, James raised over $750 for this same cause, and now he has set a higher goal of $1000. If you know me, when my son sets a goal, I will do whatever it takes to help him attain it.

Personally, I understand this is the holiday season and times are tough. All you need to do is pick up a newspaper and see how people all over the US/World are struggling. But as I sit here and think about it….this is the perfect time to think of this, as we can all agree…Christmas is a time of giving, and you can never go wrong when giving to kids.

If you would like to help us try to make a difference, you can visit James’ St Jude’s Page HERE and make a donation. If you can’t afford to help….please share the link or Facebook, Tweet it or just use “old fashioned” Email. Get the word out. It’s all we ask.

Thanks to everyone for taking the time to read this. We appreciate it.

Cheers -

Ed, Debi and James.

https://waystohelp.stjude.org/sjVPortal/public/displayUserPage.do?userId=727631&programId=551&eventId=181446

Check Out Woot–Whiskey Stones

2011-11-30T05:41:00.001-08:00

As spotted by Simon today – Woot.com has SPARQ USA Soapstone Ice Rocks on sale, a set of 9 for $5.99.

Now I reviewed the two premium products on the market (Whiskey Disks vs Whisky Stones), but I never tried SPARQ. In looking at their website, it appears that they do more than just Ice Rocks, but also Soapstone Shot Glasses, a Soap Stone Griddle and a Soapstone Thermal Appetizer Plate. Kinda cool.

The Woot Price seems quite the deal at almost 75% off the MSR of $19.50.

Since I already have two sets of stones (pun intended), I probably won’t be picking these up….but it might be a good stocking stuffer for the whiskey drinker in your life.

That being said, if SPARQ wants to send me a set, I would be happy to do another comparison – Their product against the other two.

What do you say SPARQ?

Cheers-

Guinness and Cornflakes

2011-11-29T11:21:00.001-08:00

I will say for the record……the lyrics are not even remotely safe for work and could be offensive to people who do not like rough language.

Monday Quick Hits

2011-11-28T07:55:00.001-08:00

It’s Monday again – so lets see some of the insanity that came in through the weekend.

To start things off, how about Lt. Saavik (Kirstie Alley herself) demonstrating her secret weight loss plan.

To me, I could care less. I think if smoking works for you, let me pass you a lighter, but of course the media has to be in her grill.

So, if that is your thing – head over to the Daily Mail and check out the rest of the pics.

Since we are on the subject of smoking, how about an article that “Smoking may be beneficial to long distance runners”.

-Serum hemoglobin is related to endurance running performance. Smoking is known to enhance serum hemoglobin levels and (added bonus), alcohol may further enhance this beneficial adaptation.
-Lung volume also correlates with running performance, and training increases lung volume. Guess what else increases lung volume? Smoking.
-Running is a weight-bearing sport, and therefore lighter distance runners are typically faster runners. Smoking is associated with reduced body weight, especially in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (these folks require so much energy just to breath that they often lose weight).
In the discussion, Ken goes on to point out that:
Cigarette smoking has been shown to increase serum hemoglobin, increase total lung capacity and stimulate weight loss, factors that all contribute to enhanced performance in endurance sports. Despite this scientific evidence, the prevalence of smoking in elite athletes is actually many times lower than in the general population. The reasons for this are unclear; however, there has been little to no effort made on the part of national governing bodies to encourage smoking among athletes.

Another tobacco article in the news (wow – three in a row) just goes to one step further to make Baseball Dead to me. You see, MLB is enacting a new rule about Chewing Tobacco -

Major League Baseball announced it would no longer allow the use of chewing tobacco when fans are present. If you've got it, says the league, you've got to conceal it.

Really? Kids don’t chew tobacco because big leaguers do…they do it because their friends and parents do (and yes, I knew some women that did). MLB needs to focus on regulating steroid use and allowing Pete into the hall…..but tobacco enforcement is the least of their worries. What would the Babe think?

On other news, Boone County Police released Gary Pinkel’s dash cam footage from his arrest. I will refrain from my standard commentary and just let you make your own judgment.

Finally, on a lighter note…..I’ve stolen a picture off a friend on FB. Justin pinged me this morning to let me know he liked the blog, and in going through his pictures – I found a good one, especially if you are tired of dodging all the deer this year.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and stayed safe….and Justin, check out Crystal Head.

Since its the Holiday Season

2011-11-26T12:33:00.001-08:00

It seems the people over at Wodka brand Vodka have shown some extremely poor taste in billboard advertising.

Hey, I’m not above a little tongue in cheek joke (just ask Steve) – but even I thought this was a little crass (although funny)

This Day in History

2011-11-24T05:07:00.001-08:00

I give you a hijacking!

Come on, did you really expect something about Thanksgiving?

Instead, we have a little tidbit about D.B. Cooper. I’m sure are we have all heard of how he hijacked a Boeing 727, received $200K in ransom and then parachuted in the November 24th 1971 night sky.

Some of you might even be aware that some ($5800) of the money was found in 1980, leading most to believe he died in the jump.

But did you know that he ordered two bourbon (some say Jim Beam) and waters, paid for them and even left a tip for the stewardess. All this AFTER he hijacked the plane.

I won’t get into whether he was a criminal or hero…..but I will say he had some nuts.

So, as you have your turkey today – maybe think of a silent toast to the crazy brave…..I know I will have bourbon and water.

Cheers and have a safe Thanksgiving Weekend

Monday Quick Hits

2011-11-21T08:44:00.001-08:00

It’s been awhile since we’ve done an update, and for this I apologize. Work has been a bear and family life thrown in makes for little time for blogging. Hopefully we can get back to business and start putting some regular updates out there again.

So, I though a Monday Quick Hit is a great way to get things going again.

Enjoy -

Remember Onyango Obama (HERE), well it appears he is STILL in country and still working at a liquor Store. It must be nice to have a famous Nephew. Head over to TMZ.COM to see more pictures.

For something really different, check out the “Worlds Fastest Beer Drinker” in Japan. I have no idea if it is a guy or gal, plus I don’t think its fair to wrap your mouth around the glass….but damn it is fast.

How about Atlanta…finally coming into the 21st Century and allowing citizens to buy alcohol on Sunday. About time…..and BTW, they have this great invention called electricity….maybe you should check that out too.

Finally, two pieces of advice…..don’t give your kids booze (do people still drink Wine Coolers? If you do, don’t tell anyone. Finally, if you see you sister doing….don’t smack her, or else you will ALL end up in Jail.

First DUI and Damn IU

2011-11-14T14:11:00.001-08:00

Submitted from JC and sourced HERE

On September 10, 1897, a London cabdriver named George Smith slams his taxi into a building and is the first person to be arrested for drunk driving. He pled guilty and was fined 25 shillings.

Police officers knew that Smith was drunk because he acted drunk (he had driven that cab into a wall, after all) and because he said he was, but what they lacked was a scientific way to prove someone was too intoxicated to drive, even if he or she wouldn't admit it. Blood tests were soon introduced, but those were messy and needed to be performed by a doctor; there were urine tests, but those were even messier, not to mention unreliable and expensive. In 1931, a toxicologist at Indiana University named Rolla Harger came up with a solution--a device he called the Drunkometer. It was simple: all the suspected drinker had to do was blow into a balloon. The tester then attached the balloon to a tube filled with a purple fluid (potassium permanganate and sulfuric acid) and released its air into the tube. Alcohol on a person's breath changed the color of the fluid from purple to yellow; the quicker the change, the drunker the person.

The Drunkometer was effective but cumbersome, and it required a certain amount of scientific calculation to determine just how much alcohol a person had consumed. In 1954, another Indianan named Robert Borkenstein invented a device that was more portable and easier to use. Borkenstein's machine, the Breathalyzer, worked much like Harger's did--it measured the amount of alcohol in a person's breath--but it did the necessary calculations automatically and thus could not be foiled or tampered with. (One tipsy Canadian famously ate his underwear while waiting to take a Breathalyzer test because he believed that the cotton would somehow absorb the alcohol in his system. It did not.) The Breathalyzer soon became standard equipment in every police car in the nation.

Even in the age of the Breathalyzer, drunk driving remained a problem. In 2007, more than 1.4 million drivers were arrested for driving while intoxicated, and a Centers for Disease Control survey found that Americans drove drunk 159 million times. That same year, about 13,000 people--more than 30 percent of all traffic fatalities--died in accidents involving a drunk driver.

Quote of the Day….and some music

2011-11-14T11:02:00.001-08:00

From our friend Jen-

"Don't you know there ain't no devil, it's just god when he's drunk.”~Tom Waits

LOL–It sucks to be in Sweden

2011-11-14T06:51:00.001-08:00