Hey, Hello, How-are-ya!
Sorry (but not sorry) to be late getting this newsletter out. Last week, my wife and I hopped on a plane down to a little island in the Gulf of Mexico to celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary. Aside from setting an alarm not to miss our flight back, I think my phone stayed plugged in the entire time. At first, I thought I would need it for our bike riding excursions, but then I realized it would be impossible to get lost on an island—if you make it to the water you’ve gone as far as you can go! So, the phone and iPad stayed tucked away, and thusly I didn’t get this done on time.
Unplugging was wonderful, as was flying on an airplane for the first time in about two years. I don’t care for the mask part, but I understand it. I also don’t like that my airplane cocktails aren’t served in an actual glass anymore, but that is understandable too, I guess.
Anyway, let's get to it! Thanks for putting up with my tardiness.
The Cocktail Doodle Review
Drinks From September
I know everyone is here for cocktail talk, but I have to say I drank a ton of beer last month. Normally, when grilling I stick to my trusty yellow fizzy Miller Lites and as often as I walk by my local pub I like to knock back a pint or two of Guinness, but it's Märzen season.
Märzen is one of my favorite styles of lager and I love it for the same reason I like Christmas music around the holidays—it comes and then goes. It’s a little too sweet to drink a bunch in one sitting and the ABV is a touch higher than my normal brews, but I make those exceptions during the months of September and August.
After speaking to an overseas German buddy, it seems as if us Americans are drinking the wrong stuff! At the actual German festivals in Munich the locals drink Festbier or what he called “tent beer.” While a Märzen will be toasty, darker, and rich, a Festbier is a little lighter, and less intense. Both are lovely.
A few domestic Märzen favorites of mine this year have been:
Go check out your local brewery and see if they brewed up a Märzen or Festbier this year, I bet it's great! But hurry! They won’t be around much longer!
Regarding cocktails, it just really hasn’t happened. I have popped into my local spots for a Martini or an Old Fashioned and at home we drink the usual classics for cocktail hour, but beer was king of September.
I think some of this has to do with the current vibe at many places. The cocktail bars I have stopped into are pretty sad. With all the staff turnover, if you hit a bar on an off night, the quality of the drinks can be off. Furthermore, I think bartenders and servers are a little jaded, even though that's always been an issue—the service is BAD.
On a regular night, the wait just to be noticed is far too long. No hello. No waters. Just a piece of paper with a QR code and after about five minutes the bartender puts their phone down and swings by to say “what do you want?”
This of course won’t be everyone’s take, and there are some great spots making wonderful drinks with care, Matt if you’re reading this, thanks for the killer Old Fashioned at Nightcap!
The cons outweigh the pros, and it's harder to mess up a beer, though not impossible, than a cocktail, so lately it has been suds in my glass when I am out. I do hope this trend changes, and I hope the bars get back to being fully staffed and trained.
I would like to say that on our trip down to Florida last week, we were probably the youngest people around by 20 years, and most were older than that. The service everywhere was fast, concise, and high quality, and it's the off season! I never saw someone take a photo of their food or drink, never saw a bartender on their phones, and never waited to be noticed when walking in or sitting down at the bar. If we revisited a place, the bartender remembered our drinks and greeted us by name. The only place I get that kind of reliable treatment here at home is at my local Irish pub, so you can guess where you’ll find me sitting these days.
Guinness
In a clean, dry, and branded glass
Hold the glass at a 45-degree angle
Pull the tap down fully
Let the Guinness flow down the side of the glass
Straighten the glass slowly
Stop pouring when beer is at the top of the harp
Let the beer settle for 2 minutes
Push the tap backwards and top off the beer, so the head sits just beyond the rim
Sláinte
It sounds easier than it is!
Check out the Guinness Guru learning how to pour the perfect pint at John Kavanagh’s AKA The Gravediggers in Dublin:
Current Reading
I came across a few great books this past month:
A Pint of Plain: Tradition, Change, and the Fate of the Irish Pub by Bill Barich
So far, I am loving this one. The only thing better than a good pint is reading about one!
Soda and Fizzy Drinks: A Global Historyby Judith Levin
Not a booze book, but a good read, nonetheless, especially if you like your G&Ts and other long drinks as fizzy as possible—I do!
New Products
From Gordon & MacPhail Comes The Oldest Single Malt Scotch Whisky Ever Bottled
Four Roses’ 2021 limited edition small batch launches in September
Blue Run Spirits Fall release: Kentucky Straight Golden Rye Whiskey
Harpoon Brewery, Dunkin’ release fall mix-pack
Blue Moon Moon Haze
Michter’s Distillery releases US* 1 toasted barrel bourbon after hiatus
Boston Beer releases Bevy Long Drink featuring malt base
BACARDÍ Reserva Ocho Sherry Cask Finish
Lux Row Distillers and Ducks Unlimited launch Daviess County Double Barrel Bourbon
Stella Artois introduces alcohol-free option
House of Suntory’s Oldest-Ever Whisky Release, Yamazaki 55
Topo Chico Hard Seltzer to go nationwide in 2022
Stoli Group Kentucky Owl releases The Wiseman Bourbon
George Strait launches Special Edition Double Barrel Rosa-Reposado
Peerless Distilling Company unveils Double Oak Bourbon
It's Made from Fire-Damaged CA Grapes, But This Vodka T'aint Smoky
Jeptha Creed releases 90% Bloody Butcher Corn Bourbon
George Remus Single Barrel by Luxco
Jim Beam releases limited-edition bottle for 43rd Ryder Cup
Little Book Chapter 5: 'The Invitation'
Horse with No Name a chili-infused bourbon
Wild Turkey Master’s Keep One Bourbon
In Other (Booze News)
Inside Buffalo Trace's Quest to Create the "Holy Grail" of Bourbon
Pernod Ricard takes minority stake in wine and spirits company Sovereign Brands
Time for Wine to Go Topless
Blaufränkisch’s Global Comeback
Inventor Sold Whiskey-Flavored Toothpaste, Talking Toilets
Why Fitter People Drink More Alcohol
Roederer Moves on from Non-vintage Champagne
Bands and Releasing Signature Craft Beer Collaborations
Virgin Atlantic Is Adding Cozy Drinking Booths to Some Flights
Carlton & United Breweries creates Australia's biggest brewery solar project
Diageo makes minority investment in Japan’s Komasa Kanosuke Distillery
The Hallmarks of Great Bar Design
Four Distillers Using Science to Build Better Spirits
Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Straight Rye Whiskey receives Best of Show
Outside of Disneyland, this remodeled SF bar may be the best 'Star Wars' cantina in California
The Halo Effect: How Buffalo Trace's Antique Collection Changed the Whiskey Game for Good
ANGEL'S ENVY furthers commitment to sustainability
What Does the Oldest Single Malt Scotch in the World Taste Like?
CEO of Japan beverage giant Suntory calls for age-45 retirement
Extreme weather causes 60% drop in Champagne crop for 2021
Brown-Forman elevates environmental commitments
Experimental Bourbon: Buffalo Trace's Obsession with Finding the Future of Bourbon
The Best and Worst of Wine on TV, From ‘Friday Night Lights’ to ‘Emily in Paris’
Fizzling Seltzer Sales Make Boston Beer an Unloved Midcap
Italian wine exports up 16% in first half of 2021
Bordeaux 2021 weather report
Buffalo Trace Distillery warns fans of potential online scams
Here's What $100,000 Worth of Blanton's Bourbon Looks Like
The Fine Art of Craft Beer Can Design
Building a ‘new-fashioned’ portfolio: Pernod Ricard’s ambitions in the American whiskey category
The Forgotten Craft & Community of Ice Harvesting
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Have a great month!
2021 Cocktail Doodle Reviews:
Jan Review
Feb Review
Mar Review
Apr Review
May Review
Jun Review
July Review
Aug Review
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Email: hi@cocktaildoodle.com