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johnboothus · 3 years

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Wine Tasting 101

Tasting wine is fundamentally different from drinking wine: The goal of tasting is to form an appreciation for the wine and its components. This intrinsically precludes overindulging. If you do, youâll never remember what you tasted. And developing your memory is kind of key to the whole undertaking.

Table of contents

Wines for Beginners

Flavors in Wine

Wine Decanters

Wine Glasses

Flights of Wine

Italian Wine Tasting

Northern Whites

Northern Reds

Super Centrals

Southern Charm

Wine Cellaring

Food and Wine Paring

Wines for Beginners

Before you start, you need to buy the right wines. The most common mistake is spending the wrong amount. As a novice, itâs important not to dip into the discount bin. Those low-cost wines are designed to be fruity and simple: They canât teach you anything about the varietal, let alone more advanced concepts like structure or balance. Even worse, you may decide you dislike a wine simply because of a bad first impression.

But donât overcorrect either: Expensive wines are a poor choice, too. They tend to be massive in flavor, oak, and texture. Donât presume you can buy your way to wine savviness! Starting with these wines will make learning basic concepts even harder.

The middle ground is the best place to start. For wine, the sweet spot is often between $15-$25 per bottle. For more in-depth information, check out our Wines for Beginners Guide.

Flavors in Wine

The most common reason for taking a wine class is to learn how to describe what you are smelling and tasting. Thereâs no other area where people feel paralyzed by their own senses quite like they do with wine.

The truth is itâs quite easy once you know the basics. The primary flavor in wine is fruit. White wines tend to veer toward apples and citrus, and reds often taste like berries. From there, flavors in wine can be broken down into two categories: earthy (or non-fruit) and oaky.

The spice flavors in wine are mostly from aging in oak. Vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg are the most common oak aromas. You may find that, while you love those notes in red wine, they become repellent in white wine. This has led to a rise in âunoakedâ wines, especially white wines like Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc.

Focusing on unoaked wines, in the beginning, can be helpful because it allows you to suss out earthy elements more easily. Do you smell flowers? What about honey? Even the smell of salty air can radiate off of a coastal white wine. All fine wine will be a mix of delicious fruit and some form of earthiness.

And what if you smell beef jerky or wet wool? Donât be scared! These are common âfunkyâ aromas that appear in some of the best wines in the world. The good news: Rarely will you actually taste those qualities once you start sipping.

Wine Decanters

Most people are tempted to overspend on wine accessories in the beginning. The truth is you should allocate most of your wine budget to what you drink. Save buying fancy accouterments for a later date (if at all).

Decanting is a great example. While it is helpful to decant red wines or older wines before tasting, you donât need a crystal decanter with elaborate fluting. Appearance does not matter here. As long as it has a wide mouth, you can use almost any vessel. At the Wine School, we usually grab a glass beaker from our lab. Itâs efficient and easy to clean.

We decant wine before tasting to introduce air to the wine. This interaction between oxygen and wine sets off a chain reaction that makes the wine taste better than when it was first opened. If you donât have a decanter, you can always pour off a glass of wine, reseal the bottle, and give it a good shake. The oxygen molecules will take care of softening the wine inside the bottle. (But never use this method with aged wines.)

White wines, because they do not have tannins, wonât benefit from decanting. However, older wines (red or white) should be decanted to remove the sediment that accumulates at the bottom over time. To do this, simply pour the wine into the decanter and stop when the sediment reaches the neck.

Wine Glasses

For wine tasting as a beginner, consistency is key. For that reason, you may use the same glasses no matter what you are tasting. (Champagne flutes used to be the exception, but more producers are foregoing them these days.)

At the Wine School, we designed our own wine glasses. You can buy them as part of a wine tasting kit from us. However, that is far from necessary: As long as your wine glass has a stem and a tapered bowl, youâll be fine. Again, resist the temptation to buy your way into wine savviness. Using a high-priced glass might impress others, but it can make learning about wine unnecessarily complicated in the beginning. For more, check out our Guide to Wine Glasses.

Flights of Wine

To do a proper wine tasting, you should organize your tasting into flights. Our brains are fantastic when it comes to pattern recognition. If you taste two wines side-by-side, your brain will retain far more information than sampling wine on its own.

Hereâs an example of wine tasting organized into flights of wine. Wines with complementary flavors are paired together, beginning with light white wines and moving into full-bodied reds.

Italian Wine Tasting

Northern Whites

Giovanni Almondo 2015 âVigne Sparseâ Roero Arneis

Bastianich 2015 âVigne Orsoneâ Friulano, Friuli Colli Orientali

Northern Reds

Muri-Gries 2014 Lagrein, Sudtirol

Zenato 2013 âAlaneraâ Rosso, Verona

Super Centrals

Umani Ronchi 2011 âCÃ¹maroâ Conero Riserva

Tommasi 2014 âPoggio al Tufoâ Cabernet Sauvignon, Tuscany

Southern Charm

Valle DellâAcate 2013 Cerasuolo di Vittoria

Feudi di San Gregorio 2010 Lacryma Christi Rosso

Wine Cellaring

Donât get caught up in wine storage. Itâs not nearly as important as many wine blogs claim. If you can manage to drink your wines within five years of purchase, you really donât need a wine cellar or a wine fridge.

Wines are not fragile. If you have a closet that doesnât get too hot or cold, store your wines there. As long as your wines never get hotter than 75Â°F or colder than 38Â°F, they will be fine. Just keep them out of the kitchen where light and fluctuating temperatures can cause damage.

You donât even need wine racks for storing bottles horizontally: In most areas, humidity is high enough that it would take years for a cork to dry out. Plus, many producers are using screwcaps and other alternative closures (like glass caps) that will never lose their effectiveness. Want more info on storing wine? We have an in-depth article about cellaring wines at home.

Food and Wine Paring

This is a topic everyone wants to know about. At the Wine School, an entire semester of the Advanced Sommelier program is devoted to food and wine pairing.

Many sommeliers are victims of the Dunning-Kruger Effect when it comes to pairing. The truth is that chemistry and biology play a big role in what works and what doesnât. Adages such as âif it grows together, it goes togetherâ can be helpful, but they are not foolproof.

For novices, we make a simple recommendation: Accept that you cannot rely solely on your own palate to make a great pairing. Once you learn more about the hard science behind what works, youâll be able create delicious combinations even if a wine is unfamiliar to you. Dive deeper with our articles on food and wine pairing.

Do you like what youâve read? Rate and review us on SOMM.

Tasting Classes

Wine Tasting

Cheese Pairing

Cocktails

Food Pairing

Wine Tasting Articles

Seven Types of Corkscrews

Build a Wine Cellar

Know Your Wine Bottle

Wine Glass Recommendations

Wine Tasting 101

Wine Reviews: The Essential Guide

Buying Wine Online

Best Wine Shops in Philly

The Original Post: Wine Tasting 101

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johnboothus · 3 years

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Brave Noise: A Collaboration Brew Uniting the Beer Industry for Real Change

On May 11, 2021, Brienne Allan, a production manager at Notch Brewing in Salem, Mass., asked women in beer about their experiences with sexism, launching a tidal wave of accounts detailing everything from insidious behavior to full-on sexual assault. For months, craft beer professionals, consumers, and anyone else paying attention have watched these stories reveal a discriminatory, inequitable, unsafe face of the craft beer industry that is not surprising but horrifying all the same.

The need for change is urgent. Local guilds, breweries, and even individuals are tirelessly creating resources and mapping roads forward to a better industry that not only guarantees safety but actively welcomes women, LGBTQIA+ and non-binary people. After bearing the mental and emotional weight of processing and sharing thousands of these stories and even receiving legal threats, it would be understandable if Allan chose to pass the torch — she has catalyzed a revolution, after all. But the brewer isn’t slowing down; instead, Allan has organized a movement for any and all breweries to join, and it fittingly revolves around beer.

Brave Noise is a collaborative brew, à la All Together, Black is Beautiful, and People Power. There is a cause, a recipe, branding, and set steps to participate, including donating proceeds to a related organization. Developed to make a big impact and soon, Brave Noise stands apart with its call to action.

Allan says the project was named for a beer she brewed with Notch teammate Juleidy Peña Mejia. After Brave Noise Pale Ale debuted in June to honor the movement, breweries reached out asking if they could help or access the recipe to make Brave Noise where they were. Then, Allan heard from Stout Collective, a creative studio that worked on All Together, as well as Ash Eliot, founder of Women of the Bevolution, a platform providing resources, networking, and a safe space for women in the alcohol industry. Together, they attached the Brave Noise Pale Ale to a tangible mission.

“We created a plan to not only make the beer’s statement public, but hold breweries accountable when they brewed it,” Allan says. “No more whitewashing on causes; we need direct action.”

Before breweries even get to the recipe, they must submit their codes of conduct. That means creating one in the first place, which some smaller breweries may not have already done. Then comes brewing the pale ale and, upon its release, breweries must publish that code of conduct for staff and customers alike. A portion of the beer’s proceeds must be donated to an organization that supports Brave Noise’s mission; Allan and her team provide a list of suggestions. Finally, breweries must commit to working toward long-term safety and inclusion for both employees and patrons. Brave Noise has a deadline of December 2021 for participation, intended to, as Allan puts it, “make the loudest noise possible.”

These steps work toward avoiding a potential pitfall of past industry-wide collaborations, where breweries may have participated only to keep up appearances. The only way to join Brave Noise is to do real work in your company.

“We looked at other collabs and also thought about what was missing at breweries: transparency,” Allan says. “By asking for a code of conduct and for it to be displayed publicly, we felt this was one way for staff and consumers to hold companies accountable.”

Brave Noise, Allan continues, gives breweries a toolbox to grow their own roles in a safer beer industry, and it also gives both workers and consumers a way to gauge how effectively breweries are creating and maintaining a discrimination-free environment.

“I think collabs are great for awareness but what comes after, right?” Eliot says. “I’m real tired of businesses showing face but not showing up. We need action. We need accountability. Brave Noise is not a shield; [it’s] meant to get everyone thinking about how they can do better and take the necessary steps to get there.”

Brienne Allan

Call and Response

Eliot says breweries joining the collaboration have been a steady trickle rather than a rush, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It means breweries are doing the work this collaboration requires and that the industry desperately needs. In some cases, breweries might not already have a code of conduct or might have one but it feels outdated, so that needs serious attention first before any beer gets brewed.

“I like that [this] has sparked a conversation about the policies and resources they need to put in place that they maybe didn’t have time to address prior,” Eliot says. “But we need every brewery and beer-related business globally addressing what has been happening in the industry.”

Pilot Project Brewing in Chicago; Trillium Brewing in Canton and Boston, Mass.; and Saint Archer Brewing in San Diego are just a few of the breweries that have joined Brave Noise.

Co-founder and CEO of Pilot Project Dan Abel worked in the music industry before beer, so unfortunately, little felt new about this current reckoning, he says. “Brienne is opening doors for action, healing, and a message that will continue to permeate around the world and across other industries,” Abel says. “There is no place in this business for those who do not support and amplify that message.” His brewery, he explains, advocates for creativity and lower barriers of entry, so it was essential for Pilot Project to make sure it was actively contributing to a more equitable industry.

Pilot Project had zero-tolerance policies in place from day one, Abel adds, but recent events made the team realize their efforts had been limited to their own business and that of their partners. Now, they’re thinking about the big picture and how they can help disrupt the entire beer business. In addition to building on current policies and partnering with other breweries to launch three women-owned businesses in the last two years, Abel says Pilot Project is now highlighting and reiterating its messaging and ally status.

“We cannot tokenize the message by showing the occasional woman in a position of influence, but rather represent our entire team as advocates and voices of support,” he says.

Trillium and Saint Archer also already had codes of conduct in place, but haven’t rested on those laurels. Trillium co-founder Esther Tetreault echoes Abel’s sentiment, explaining that equality, safety, diversity, and inclusivity have been essential components of her brewery’s core mission since it opened in 2013. But more recently, the team is strategizing to apply its work to broader, industry-wide change. Aligning those plans with Brave Noise made sense to Tetreault, especially after experiencing the flood of stories Allan began sharing in May.

“It was really triggering for me, personally, and a lot of people,” Tetreault says. “A lot of stories shared were no different than what people on our team have experienced in their lives and is that OK? Absolutely not.” Tetreault stresses that Trillium’s approach to safety in the workplace has always thought beyond protocol around slips, falls, and physical precautions that must be taken in a brewery. “It’s about creating a workplace where people feel safe as well as connected with us. We’ve had those conversations: Do you feel safe here? What are the things we can do to create that safe environment?”

For Trillium, Tetreault says one of the things she’s been working on with Allan and Eliot is actually consolidating the brewery’s comprehensive guidelines, procedures, and training policies into a document that’s easily shared with and processed by the public.

The reckoning has hit close to home, too, for Kenzie Leas, Saint Archer’s HR manager. “This is an uncomfortable space for a lot of people,” Leas says. “The approach we’ve taken is to lean into that discomfort and the hard conversations we’ve had coming out of this.” Leas says Saint Archer has had an official code of conduct in place for four years, but has continued to update and add to it with the goal of bettering not just the brewery but the entire industry. “We want it to be long-term work, doing things that will be embedded in our culture.” Because Leas says that accountability is integral to this mission, Brave Noise’s transparency resonated.

Jen Blair (Credit: Alicia Fortino)

Brewing for Change at Home

Brave Noise isn’t only open to breweries. In an effort to mobilize the entire beer community, Allan and Eliot worked with Jen Blair to bring homebrewers into the fold. Blair writes and educates on beer through her website Under the Jenfluence and is also an Advanced Cicerone, national BJCP judge, and chair of the Industry Subcommittee for the American Homebrewers Association Governing Committee. Blair says Brave Noise’s mission was important to her, especially as someone who took a public stand on this front: In May, she resigned from Atlanta’s New Realm Brewing Company “over their continued failure to protect their employees from racist and sexist behaviors.”

Blair adapted the Brave Noise recipe for homebrewers with help from fellow American Homebrewers Governing Committee member Annie Johnson, who had adapted the Black is Beautiful recipe.

“I am very touched by homebrew friends who not only signed up to brew Brave Noise but encouraged others to brew it as well,” Blair says. “The homebrewing industry is not immune to sexism and racism and other exclusionary practices, so it’s important to raise the visibility of these issues within the community and ask others to stand with you in showing support.”

Blair adds that, from her perspective as a woman in a male-dominated scene, Brave Noise is a chance for homebrewers who say everyone is welcome to show everyone is welcome. “It’s valuable to see who steps up to support historically excluded people in homebrewing,” she says.

One of those homebrewers stepping up is Ray Ricky Rivera, co-founder of the SoCal Cerveceros, a Latino-based homebrewing club. Rivera knows Eliot through the club and says the entire group was well aware of the stories Allan had started sharing on her Instagram page back in May. The requirements of accountability and transparency to participate in Brave Noise stood out to Rivera, who believes that, unfortunately, not all breweries will be able to do that level of work, but the ones that are will benefit and create a better industry. And homebrewers can be integral contributors to that improvement, while taking the opportunity to check their own communities.

“Homebrewers can help amplify the message and utilize their social platforms and networks to help get the word out,” Rivera says. “Homebrew clubs specifically can also take a hard look at their own codes of conduct. Is your club cognizant of any unsafe or questionable behavior toward women? Is your club inclusive and welcoming to anyone who doesn’t identify as male? Can your club do more to create a safer space where questionable behavior is not tolerated?”

Ash Eliot

A Lasting Impact

The organizers of and participants in Brave Noise — 69 breweries and 194 homebrewers at time of publishing — are united in their hopes of the collaboration’s impact. Abel says he’s looking forward to the global support system Brave Noise will instill and thinks this will inspire other projects with similar missions. Blair says she hopes this will normalize codes of conduct in breweries, showing even the smallest teams it’s OK to start with a boilerplate set of policies and build from there. There’s undoubtedly a lot of work to be done, but the general consensus is that Brave Noise is a meaningful step toward the goalpost.

Consumers play an important role in this journey, too. Tetreault says Trillium makes a habit of communicating with its customers about why they participate in the initiatives they do, and she hopes Brave Noise will inspire some of those customers to think about what they can do in their own communities to work toward equity and safety.

“I hope the impact Brave Noise has on customers is they ask their favorite breweries how they’re protecting their customers and employees,” Blair says. “As customers, we have a vested interest in making sure businesses are ensuring our safety as well as the safety of others. … Breweries who are only interested in doing the bare minimum until things ‘blow over’ won’t welcome that [questioning]. Customers can use that information to decide where to spend their money.”

“Consumers have so much power,” Eliot says. “They should be looking at this as a way to know if their money and time are worth investing in a business, especially one that could be toxic and unsafe for not only staff, but for them. Consumers can make real change.”

For Allan, it all comes down to accountability and transparency. “This is literally a pledge saying, ‘I’m going to make a safe work environment,’ and if a company isn’t willing to do that, then the employees and consumers should be able to hold them accountable. I sound like a broken record, as I feel this is all very obvious. But on the other hand, if it was that obvious then these breweries would have already done it. It’s so crazy to me how much abuse and harassment has been ignored … but it won’t be after this.”

The article Brave Noise: A Collaboration Brew Uniting the Beer Industry for Real Change appeared first on VinePair.

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johnboothus · 3 years

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The History Behind Grand Marniers Uniquely Curvy Bottle

Grand Marnier is a mainstay on bar shelves around the world. The Cognac-based orange liqueur is a staple in the Margarita, America’s favorite beverage, and shots of “GrandMa” have become something of a bartender’s handshake in Rhode Island.

The spirit is also commonly stocked on home bar carts, as its ornate bottle doubles as decor. Unlike most liqueurs, which are bottled in cylindrical glass, Grand Marnier’s uniquely shaped bottles are curvaceous, with a thin top and wide bottom.

Though the bottle may appear entirely ornamental, there’s a reason for its shape. When crafting the liqueur in the 1880s, the brand’s founder, Louis-Alexandre Marnier, wanted to bottle his triple sec in a container as grand as his spirit. Thus, he took inspiration from the copper stills used to craft Cognac — a key ingredient in the liqueur — to shape the bottles consumers now know and recognize today.

Marnier dubbed the original bottle “Cordon Rouge,” which translates to “red ribbon” for the distinct embellishment that tops the liqueur and is held in place with red sealing wax.

Though much has changed since its initial release, Grand Marnier’s bottle and recipe remain the same, with Cognac at the center of both.

The article The History Behind Grand Marnier’s Uniquely Curvy Bottle appeared first on VinePair.

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source https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/the-history-behind-grand-marniers-uniquely-curvy-bottle

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johnboothus · 3 years

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8 Things You Should Know About Barefoot Wines

Barefoot Wines has been a mainstay on grocery store shelves for decades. It produces a plethora of varietals, most of which come from California, with flavor profiles for nearly every wine lover. Though the brand often gets compared to other big grocery store brands, its origin story holds a few unique qualities that set it apart from its competition.

Learn more about the best-selling brand with these eight things every wine lover should know about Barefoot.

Barefoot Walked Before It Ran

The brand’s creator, Davis Bynum, began making “Barefoot Bynum Burgundy” wine out of his garage in 1965. He continued for two decades while building a dedicated following, and eventually sold the company to Bonnie Harvey and Michael Houlihan in 1986. As entrepreneurs, Harvey and Houlihan saw the value in creating a whimsical and inviting brand identity. They relaunched with the name “Barefoot Cellars,” and branded it with the now-recognizable footprint label.

Its Name Is a Nod to the Obvious

Some may find the image of a barefoot somewhat out of place when shopping for a bottle of wine. However, the reasoning behind it is simple: It’s an homage to the free-spirited method of crushing grapes barefoot.

Barefoot Grew Through Supporting Nonprofits

In its first years, lack of capital and little to no marketing budget forced Harvey and Houlihan to be creative. In an interview with Forbes, Houlihan explains how the duo used a marketing technique they dubbed “Worthy Cause Marketing” to grow from the ground up. By donating both wine and time to small, local non-profits, they could establish and retain brand trust. That trust grew from local to regional and eventually national organizations. Currently, Barefoot Wines is partnering with the New Voices Foundation for its #WeStanForHer campaign. It has invested over $150,000 in grants to Black women-owned businesses to support, recognize, and uplift emerging entrepreneurs.

It’s Devoted to Cork

Well, not entirely. Barefoot’s Sangria and Moscato wines, plus a few white wines, are sealed with screw caps. However, for reasons unknown, Barefoot still uses cork for its red varietal wines and Chardonnay. It’s a surprising move, considering most brands that strive for a lower price point use Stelvin closures over cork.

It’s Popular Around the Globe

According to a 2021 report from Brand Finance, Barefoot Wines is one of the 10 most valuable wine brands in the world. It’s the second most valuable brand in the United States with a valuation of $509 million (Chandon is the most valuable at $827 million). Additionally, it beat out Lindemann’s from Australia to take spot No. 6, up from seventh the year prior.

Playing Hard Ball With Hard Seltzer

It’s no surprise that a dominating brand such as Barefoot decided to try its hand at the incredibly popular hard seltzer category. It came out swinging with the launch of four flavors — each containing only 70 calories and made from a wine base — in February 2020. Its Cherry & Cranberry flavor landed on VinePair’s list of The 30 Best Hard Seltzers of 2021.

You Can Buy Barefoot for Less Than a Cup of Coffee

It’s widely known that Barefoot is one of the more affordable wines on the market. But did you know that many of its offerings cost less than a latte? According to its website, each 250-milliliter Spritzer and Hard Seltzer sells for less than $2. On the other end, its most expensive products — the 3-liter on-tap boxes — don’t exceed $20.

Barefoot Is a Big Fish in an Even Bigger Pond

E&J Gallo purchased Barefoot Wines in 2005. Its wine siblings include labels such as Lamarca Prosecco, J Vineyards and Winery, Whitehaven, and, of course, Gallo Family Vineyards.

The article 8 Things You Should Know About Barefoot Wines appeared first on VinePair.

Via https://vinepair.com/articles/ntk-barefoot-wines-guide/

source https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/8-things-you-should-know-about-barefoot-wines

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johnboothus · 3 years

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Harpoon and Dunkin Announce Three New Fall-Themed Beers and a Donut Made with IPA

America may run on Dunkin’, but we also love our beer. This is why Dunkin’ Donuts is releasing a jelly donut that’s made with Harpoon IPA in addition to a new line of beer.

For the fourth year in a row, Boston-based Harpoon Brewery and Dunkin’ Donuts are teaming up to deliver craft beer just in time for the fall. Three new flavors — Blueberry Matcha IPA, Maple Creme Blonde Ale, and Midnight American Porter — will arrive in stores this September along with returning favorite, Pumpkin Spiced Latte Ale.

We’re back with a brand-new @dunkindonuts Dozen Mix for the fall, featuring our favorite Dunkin’ Pumpkin Spiced Latte Ale alongside three fresh mix-pack exclusives – hitting stores this September!

Learn More: https://t.co/7akPmTJMzN pic.twitter.com/6VMMNn8BzM

— Harpoon Brewery (@harpoonbrewery) August 25, 2021

“We have elevated our collaboration with Harpoon this fall with three new beers, all made with Dunkin’s iconic coffee, donuts, and matcha tea,” Brian Gilbert, Dunkin’s vice president of retail business development stated in a press release. “Beer, matcha, coffee, and donuts, we can’t think of a better combination.”

Along with new Dunkin’-themed beer, customers can find Dunkin’ Harpoon IPA Donuts at the Dunkin’ Walk-Thru located in Harpoon Brewery. Dunkin’s first-ever beer-based donut, the limited-edition treat is made with Harpoon IPA-infused jelly and topped with candied malt crumble.

“Our collaborations with Dunkin’ are highly anticipated by our fans each fall, so this year we wanted to help them crack a cold one open just a little earlier,” Harpoon CEO and co-founder Dan Kenary stated in the press release.

Harpoon Dunkin’ Dozen six packs will be available next month everywhere that Harpoon is sold, while the Pumpkin Spiced Latte Ale can be found on draft at Buffalo Wild Wings in the Boston area. Why settle for a morning coffee when you can enjoy a coffee-inspired beer?

The article Harpoon and Dunkin’ Announce Three New Fall-Themed Beers — and a Donut Made with IPA appeared first on VinePair.

Via https://vinepair.com/booze-news/harpoon-dunkin-donuts-fall-beer/

source https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/harpoon-and-dunkin-announce-three-new-fall-themed-beers-and-a-donut-made-with-ipa

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johnboothus · 3 years

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Opening 40-Year-Old Wine (Video)

Opening old vintage wine is a once in a lifetime experience. Here are some things we learned while opening 40 year old wine. Get ready for a few surprises!

Wine Folly - Learn about wine.

Via https://winefolly.com/episode/opening-40-year-old-wine-video/

source https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/opening-40-year-old-wine-video

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johnboothus · 3 years

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For These Oregon Winemakers Smoke Taint Had a Silver Lining Pink Wine

Winemakers are a resilient bunch. They must be, of course, given that their main ingredient is subject to unpredictable weather patterns and environmental conditions that impact all agricultural products.

Oregon winemakers are used to dealing with these challenges, wet years especially, and have found ways to minimize the effects of mold and rot. But last year, amid a global pandemic, Oregon was hit with wildfires. It was not the first time Oregon winemakers had to deal with mitigating wildfire smoke damage, which also affected the 2017 and 2018 vintages. But it was one of the first times the state’s winemakers had faced active fires in winemaking regions within southern Oregon and the state’s largest wine-producing region, the Willamette Valley.

For Oregon producers such as Jackalope Wine Cellars, Day Wines, and Helioterra Wines, wildfires brought a new issue to the region that impacted much of the 2020 vintage: smoke taint, or grapes affected by exposure to wildfire smoke. But smoke damage isn’t something winemakers can rinse off of the fruit. Instead, it forced winemakers to develop new plans for the vintage — and resulted in a lot more rosé.

When wood burns, it releases aromatic compounds called volatile phenols, which can permeate grape skins and bond with the sugars inside (a process called glycosylation). When fruit is affected by smoke taint, says Corey Schuster, owner and winemaker of Jackalope Wine Cellars in Dundee, Ore., “the chemical gets in the skin of the grape; so when you make wine, the more skin contact, the more of the chemical in that wine.”

That chemical, called guaiacol, is not harmful, but its impact on flavor can create undesirable savory, ashy, smoky, campfire, or even barbecue-like characteristics, depending on the intensity of the smoke and length of exposure. Smoke influence can also affect the texture of wine, giving it a biting astringency, particularly in the finish.

“Even if you don’t smell smoke on the wine, you can still get those textures,” says Brianne Day, winemaker and owner of Day Wines in Dundee. “It’s almost like an intensely drying tannin that also has a banana skin astringency.”

Though Jackalope had planned Grenache and Cabernet Franc styles for its 2020 vintage, Schuster, like several other Oregon winemakers, chose to make rosé to lessen the amount of skin contact and mitigate the effects of smoke-affected grapes. This translated into producing 230 cases of rosé, nearly double the 125 to 150 cases he planned for. In the end, it proved a fruitful decision. Schuster notes that rosé generally sells well, and that his 2020 vintage has almost sold out as of press time.

Without a playbook for dealing with smoke taint, Schuster and his fellow winemakers at other wineries had to figure things out as they went along. To inform what Schuster describes as a “choose-your-own-adventure” approach, he sought advice from friends and winemakers in both Oregon as well as Washington, many of whom were also dealing with smoke-affected grapes from wildfires; he read studies from the Australian Wine Research Institute in a country that has dealt with fires near vineyards and smoke damage since the 1980s; and consulted reports generated by the Oregon Wine Board.

Many winemakers employed techniques outside their usual winemaking processes, such as micro-fermentations, less skin contact (no cold soaks or extended maceration), use of activated carbon, or treatments such as adding yeast or oak, and hoping for the best.

Credit: Helio Terra Wines

Solving the Smoke Taint Problem

The solution to dealing with smoke-affected grapes is not as simple as making rosé instead of red wine. How the fruit is affected by smoke depends on variables such as the fruit’s stage of ripening; the duration of the smoke exposure; and the type of smoke exposure, which is influenced by its proximity to the fire, how far the smoke had to travel, and the age of the smoke. Sometimes, the true impact of the smoke taint isn’t revealed until after the wine has fermented, anywhere from first sip to nine months’ aging.

This is because there are two types of guaiacol, a free and a bound version, says Day. “Some of the compound is easy to get rid of by pressing lightly or settling the juice out really aggressively,” she says. “But the majority of guaiacol is bound to sugar molecules and it doesn’t get released until the sugar breaks down to make alcohol. So, you won’t know sensorially if you have elevated levels. It’s hard to make decisions.”

And various grapes are affected differently, too: Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon naturally contain some of the same chemical compounds as smoke, so some of that smoke influence isn’t as apparent as in other grape varieties. More delicate grapes such as Pinot Noir — which accounts for 60 percent of grapes grown in the Willamette Valley — are more impacted.

To better understand what smoke compounds were present in their grapes, some winemakers and growers sent their grapes to testing labs to determine if they contained high levels of guaiacol, the chemical compound associated with smoke taint. This produced its own challenges — with so many wineries sending grapes to get tested, there was a backlog, says Schuster; and besides being time prohibitive, the tests can be expensive to winemakers already facing potential loss.

Winemakers without testing results had to decide whether to take a gamble on the fruit. The three winemakers here agreed it was worth the gamble, not only for their wines but to put a premium on maintaining the working relationships they’ve cultivated with growers.

Schuster works with two vineyards that conducted testing and knew that the fruit had been severely affected. “How do you financially handle that between a grower and a winery like myself?” he says. Jackalope is a small winery, producing 2,000 cases per year. Only one of the growers had fruit that was affected by smoke, and she did not hold Schuster to his contract. “I offered to pay for farming costs for the year to compensate them and she said, ‘Don’t worry about it,’” Schuster says. “It showed me that she thinks our relationship is worth some sacrifice to maintain. And it made me more fiercely loyal to her and her vineyard.”

Credit: Jackalope Wine Cellars / Facebook

Schuster says that, so far, his 2020 rosé, a blend of 85 percent Grenache and 15 percent Cabernet Franc, hasn’t shown any discernible smoke taint. Although he’s typically a hands-off winemaker, last year he experimented with different processes and treatments to mitigate smoke impact. Rather than crush the grapes and let the juice marinate in its skins for a few hours to pick up color and some flavor and aromatics, and then press them, the 2020 harvest immediately went into press. From there, Schuster tried a little bit of everything on different batches: adding oak chips to enhance complexity and outshadow the smoke; adding yeast to get the wine to ferment fully and quickly; and adding activated charcoal to stainless-steel ferments. Activated charcoal’s proteins can pull out smoke taint’s chemical compounds, Schuster says, adding, “It was terrifying to do because it looks like black liquid; eventually it comes out.”

All the wine went back into a blend to make a rosé that’s marketed as “a juicy pink that defines crushable.”

While Anne Hubatch, winemaker and owner of Helioterra Wines in Portland, had always planned to make rosé in 2020, she also had to adjust her process. She picked 5-gallon buckets’ worth of grapes and set up 10 micro fermentations in her lab. She crushed whole cluster samples, used the same yeast on all of them, and put heaters in front of the buckets. “I kicked them off with fermentation right away so I could have a ‘finished’ wine within a matter of days,” Hubatch says. “The thing is, in juice, you can’t tell the same things you can tell in wine. Doing that allowed me, and many of us who did this, the ability to start to analyze what each wine from each vineyard would taste like.”

Hubatch brought samples of the pressed juice to taste with the growers. Only one had strong smoke flavor, and although Hubatch wanted to honor their working relationship by purchasing the ton and a half of grapes she was contracted for, she and her supplier mutually agreed that the wine quality wouldn’t be what they wanted. “It was the only contract I didn’t honor,” Hubatch says. The grapes she did purchase to make rosé came from two growers, both of which were smoke-affected but salvageable.

It bodes well that Hubatch aims to make rosé wines that flirt between fruity and savory, like one of her rosés made with 100 percent Pommard. “I choose actively older vines specifically because a signature of Pommard is a certain ashiness,” she sayus. “I used some [high-ester] yeast that brought out strawberry and cream notes, but because of Pommard, I really get a lot of inherently more savory, charcoal, and herbal characteristics from my rosé.” The other rosé, made with old-vine Pinot Noir, was fermented in neutral oak and stainless steel, yielding a wine that’s billed as providing “crisp refreshing fruits and plush weight.”

Hubatch says that producing wines kissed by smoke didn’t bother her. “Terroir is more than just soil and climate. Terroir is all the factors that go into a growing condition. In 2020, our terroir not only included wildfires, but it included a global pandemic,” Hubatch says. “The fact that some of these wines have this smoke signature to me mimics the fact that 2020 was a f*cking dumpster fire. There’s not a single human who didn’t feel that. I love that the wines do have a little bit of this grittiness … that shows the tenacity of the year instead of trying to mask it. I really hope that consumers embrace that piece of it.”

Making Lemonade

Although Oregon winemakers were able to turn lemons into lemonade, so to speak, they are coming to terms with the fact that dealing with wildfires and smoke damage isn’t a one-time thing. On the heels of record-setting, 100-degree-plus temperatures in Oregon and across the Pacific Northwest, there is a new spate of wildfires currently raging at the time of this writing. In addition to bringing the threat of climate change into sharp relief, wildfires have compelled winemakers to examine the fragility of the supply chain and how it impacts the welfare of the industry’s growers and workers, too. These are conversations that Oregon winemakers are having among themselves, but the hope is that rosés made in 2020 help spark conversations for consumers, too.

Day sees an opportunity for these 2020 Oregon rosés to spark conversation among consumers. Last year, Day released the aptly named “Lemonade” rosé, made with 100 precent Pinot Noir grapes, and boldly printed on its side label: “Let’s all just make the best of this.”

Credit: Leyla Ersan

“I want to talk more about the realities of climate change, and I want the average person who isn’t in the wine or food industries to see (or taste) a tangible result of climate change,” Day says. “What does it look like in real time? How is it affecting our lives and businesses? How do we behave in response?”

In tandem with that, Day wants to discuss the “human-to-human treatment” in the industry, whether that’s the health and welfare of employees and farm laborers or working with small farmers to support them through a crisis.

Like Hubatch and Schuster, Day made it a priority to purchase and salvage smoke-tainted fruit to maintain working relationships and support suppliers. She printed Chehalem Mountains on the label to highlight that the grapes came from especially hard-hit American Viticultural Areas (AVAs); Day purchased fruit from two small, independent growers who were having difficulty selling their smoke-affected fruit.

Because the smoke blocked the sun in their vineyards, possibly in conjunction with the toxic effects of the smoke, the wildfires stalled ripening. The fruit wasn’t quite ripe enough for red wine, but Day says the chemistries were good for rosé: low pH, ample acid (but not all malic acid, which can impart green, or unripe, flavors in wine and can destabilize pH levels, creating variability in product), and lower sugar. After purchasing the fruit, Day did everything she could to minimize the effect of smoke. The team experimented with pressing the grapes at different pressures, 0.8 bar up to 1.4 bar. Day continually tasted the juice to isolate when she started tasting acrid characteristics. Smoke showed up in the harder-pressed barrels (even though it was still a relatively gentle amount of pressure), so Day got her distillation license and distilled that juice into brandy.

To make Lemonade, Day fermented the juice under 0.8 bar separately from the rest, settled the juice, and racked the wine seven to eight times before filtering it (she doesn’t typically filter wines). “That’s a lot,” Day says, “Like, a lot, lot. I settled out gross lees, then fine lees, racked it while it was fermenting, and moved some into barrels to isolate possible problematic things.” When she released Lemonade in November 2020, she quickly sold out of the 1,200 cases.

In anticipation of tripling production of Lemonade this year, Day added several vineyards to her supplier list with rosé in mind. “It’s wonderful to see the rapid demand happen for a product that came about out of necessity.”

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johnboothus · 3 years

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Why Is Milk the Official Drink of 22 U.S. States?

In 1965, Ohio became the first state to adopt an official beverage: tomato juice. Florida followed suit two years later, deeming orange juice as its state drink, and in 1970, cranberry juice was declared as the official drink of Massachusetts.

For a while, it seemed as though each state would pay tribute to locally grown products and tradition when selecting its official beverages. Instead, of the 28 U.S. states and two territories that have joined the ranks since 1965, 22 of them have chosen milk as their official beverage.

It’s important to note that 13 of these states — including New York and Louisiana— introduced milk as their official beverage during the 1980s. The dairy industry was recovering from volatile overproduction after Jimmy Carter handed out $2 billion to farmers around the country. As a result, dairy lobbyists worked closely with lawmakers to market milk as the most vital American beverage. A decade later, the famous “Got Milk?” campaign was launched, solidifying the beverage into American culture.

So while Ohio and Florida sought out beverages that held significance within their states, others found themselves adhering to a national campaign that only grew stronger. In 1984, South Carolina declared the dairy product as its official drink in Act 360, writing, “The use of milk and milk products is the best way to provide a healthy but varied diet.”

But in 1995, South Carolina residents wondered why milk was their state drink, considering only 1,996 gallons of milk is produced there each year (compared to California which leads at 41,282 gallons). As a result, state legislators enacted Act 31 declaring locally grown tea as the state’s official “Hospitality Drink.”

Other states followed in these footsteps in the coming decades. In 2013, Kentucky added an original soft drink (Ale-8-One) to its state symbol, and Arizona did the same with lemonade. Alabama and Virginia even adopted local rye whiskey spirits as their state drinks. Naturally, Puerto Rico added the Piña Colada as its official drink in 1978, since the beloved cocktail was invented there.

Of course, milk can’t satisfy those boozy beverage cravings we often get, which is why each state also has a designated (unofficial) cocktail as a regional tribute. From California red wine to New York’s classic Long Island Iced Tea, find out what your state’s most iconic drink is.

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johnboothus · 3 years

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The Difference Between LaCroix and Topo Chico Explained

LaCroix and Topo Chico, two sparkling water brands that have become household names, continue to fuel Americans’ thirst for healthier soda alternatives. While neither brand is new — Topo Chico was founded more than 120 years ago and LaCroix just turned 41 — each has enjoyed a massive uptick in U.S. sales over the past several years.

As Bloomberg Businessweek details, LaCroix’s massive success helped drive the surge in sparkling water competitors, with its sales spiking to $800 million in 2018. Topo Chico’s sales were close to $130 million in 2019, a 39 percent increase from the previous year.

Today, consumers can find LaCroix’s brightly colored cans and Topo Chico’s retro bottles just about everywhere. Keep reading to learn more about these two ubiquitous brands that have taken the nation by storm.

Origin

Topo Chico was first bottled in 1895 near Monterrey, Mexico. Its name pays tribute to the Cerro del Topo Chico (“little mole hill”), a mountain which is the source of its naturally carbonated and, according to an Aztec legend, healing mineral waters. In 2017, Topo was acquired by Coca-Cola for $220 million.

The family-owned G. Heileman Brewing Company launched LaCroix in 1980. Based in La Crosse, Wisc., the brewery chose the name to honor the city and the St. Croix River that runs partially through the state. After the brewery fell into bankruptcy, the WinterBrook Beverage Group took over the brand in 1992. Changing owners did little to improve LaCroix’s fortunes, and eventually WinterBrook also filed for bankruptcy.

In 1996, the National Beverage Corp., known at the time for Shasta soda, took over LaCroix. CEO Nick Caporella’s devotion and vision for the sparkling water is credited with helping to rocket the flailing brand to success.

Production

As The New York Times details, Topo’s water goes through a purification process before it is bottled, but its mineral composition, a combination of magnesium, calcium, sodium, potassium, and manganese, is not altered during this step. The company also adds carbonation, but “just enough to restore any fizziness lost during purification.”

LaCroix’s water source remains unknown. The company vaguely states that its water is sourced from various locations across the U.S., and that it uses a filtration process to remove impurities and additives. Both brands are calorie- and sugar-free, and state that their flavors are natural, though LaCroix’s claims about its ingredients led to a class-action lawsuit that was later dismissed.

Flavors

In addition to LaCroix’s 20 “Core” flavors, the company also offers four healthy sodas (limited to certain parts of the country) and a “Cúrate” line of 12-ounce cans. Topo Chico has a more streamlined selection with just four offerings — original, lime, grapefruit, and tangerine. In 2021, the company added to the ever-growing hard seltzer market with four of its own boozy flavors, all clocking in at 4.7 percent ABV.

Cocktails

Both brands can be used as mixers in a medley of highballs, adding a fruity, citrus, or mineral layer depending on the variety chosen. However, there is one sparkling cocktail that diehard fans absolutely insist calls for Topo — the beloved Texas staple Ranch Water. Although its beginnings are murky, the combination of blanco tequila, lime juice, and Topo has, in recent years, become somewhat of a national obsession. Ranch Water aficionados credit Topo Chico’s high mineral content for its ability to perfectly complement tequila’s earthy and peppery notes.

What the Pros Think

Dana Epperson, the winemaker for Decoy, gives a cold bottle of Topo Chico the edge over LaCroix any day, and says it offers “an elevated experience” not replicated when drinking from a can. But as Epperson adds, it’s Topo’s carbonation that makes it really stand out. “I love the bubbles!” she says. “The bubbles in Topo Chico seem to have a better lingering effervescence than LaCroix.”

Taking a similar stance in the match-up, Margaret Link, the director of marketing at Boochcraft, says, “In a world of LaCroix, be a Topo Chico — fighting the tide of everything going into aluminum, Topo Chico elevates the experience of slamming bubbly water by offering a sleek, memorable glass bottle.”

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johnboothus · 3 years

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7 Ways to Open a Beer Bottle Without a Bottle Opener

We all crave a nice, refreshing bottle of beer from time to time, though a bottle opener may not always be readily available. Whether your churchkey is misplaced or broken, there are luckily countless options using regular household items. From house keys to wedding rings, here are seven foolproof ways to open a bottle of beer that don’t involve removing the cap with a traditional bottle opener.

1. Twist It Out With a Key

This is the next best method of opening a beer bottle, with the finest, sharpest keys securing the greatest results. Rest the key tooth underneath the grooves of the cap, and continue to pry and poke. Once the cap is loosened, keep twisting the key upward or turn the bottle itself. If successful, the cap will fly right off.

2. Apply Lip Balm

The lip balm method is just as effective as using a lighter to open a beer bottle (without the risk of exploding lighter fluid). Applying slight pressure, hold the neck of the bottle with your hands. Place the lip balm between your index finger and the bottom of the cap. With the lip balm now acting as a lever, lift slightly around the top of the beer and you’re set.

3. The Highlighter Method

This quintessential office supply doubles as a bottle opener, similar to the lip balm and lighter methods. You’re going to create a fulcrum with your hand while resting the highlighter against the lip of the beer. Simply lift the highlighter and watch the cap cleanly detach.

4. Use Some Scissors

Dealing with scissors can be dangerous, but the tool is an ideal replacement for a bottle opener if done correctly. Start by opening the scissors and placing them on the bottle’s lips (between the cap and the neck) to act as a lever. Holding your hand against the bottom of the cap, lift the scissors upward until the cap comes off. This is probably a job for the soberest person in the room.

5. The Folded Paper Method

Any object hard and dense enough can be used to open a beer bottle — even paper. Begin by folding a piece of printer paper (or even a dollar bill) over until it’s thick and sturdy. Place the folded paper underneath the grooves of the cap, and pop it up.

6. Put a Ring on It

There’s also a way to open a beer with your wedding ring (best if it’s titanium or gold). Begin by placing your hand over the bottle and the ring finger under the grooves of the cap. Tilting the bottle 45 degrees, place pressure on the top and pull back.

7. The Classic Countertop

Perhaps the oldest trick in the book is the countertop method, though any surface with a defined edge will do. Maneuver the bottle so that the edge of the counter is underneath the cap. Using your hand or any hard object, whack the cap in a downward motion until it releases.

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johnboothus · 3 years

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9 Cocktail Styles That Scotch Improves

Still convinced that a good Scotch can’t, or shouldn’t, be mixed into cocktails? It’s time to rethink your boundaries. Live a little — grab a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black Label and start experimenting.

Blended from single-malt Scotch whiskys sourced from the four corners of Scotland, Johnnie Walker Black Label is crafted to be as diverse as the people who drink it. This dynamic Scotch can wield a variety of different flavors and flux from sweet to spicy to smoky depending on the ingredients you use. Today, it’s become a fan favorite, as the Scotch is just as enjoyable whether it’s poured into a glass neat, on the rocks, or served shaken or stirred in cocktails.

And while it’s true that classic cocktails will never go out of style, there’s no reason why you can’t shake them up a bit. To test just how versatile the spirit really is, try ordering it in any classic drink to discover what flavors reveal themselves. In truth, you may find that every pour of Johnnie Walker Black Label unveils something even more exciting, so read on for our guide to putting a twist on your usual pours.

Sweet, sour, spicy, and savory — there’s nary a cocktail profile that can’t be improved by adding Johnnie Walker Black Label. Don’t believe us? Here are nine cocktail profiles that reach their maximum potential when made with Scotch.

Chocolate

Loyal Scotch drinkers know sipping a good Scotch whisky can be an outright decadent experience. However, adding a splash of Scotch will impart a little extra style and oomph to chocolate-forward drinks. In particular, fruity and spicy Scotches like Johnnie Walker Black Label make dark chocolate profiles sing. Feeling extra experimental? Push the boundaries a little further by adding a dash of orange to really bring out the Scotch’s sweet smokiness.

Sweet

It’s hard to go wrong when it comes to improving a sweet cocktail with Johnnie Walker Black. The blended Scotch’s soft apple and toffee notes harmonize with the sweetness of the drink, while its inherent spiciness and smokiness add depth and balance. Next time you’re whipping up — or ordering — a dessert cocktail, consider subbing a pour of Johnnie Walker Black Label for the drink’s usual Cognac, bourbon, or brandy component.

Sour

Looking for a way to really brighten up sour drinks without causing your face to pucker? Sour mixed drinks, particularly those with a fresh citrus component as their base, instantly gain a new dimension with the addition of Scotch. Consider the smokiness of a good mezcal Margarita or the punch of a Paloma — but with the citrus flavors supported by the slightly sweet, caramelized, and smoky notes of a blended Scotch instead. Johnnie Walker Black Label is a great way to soften some of the natural astringency of a sour cocktail without taking away any brightness.

Warming

It’s time to reevaluate the reflexive practice of grabbing a bottle of whiskey, bourbon, or brandy to use in popular warm-profiled drinks. Sure, they work just fine, but beautifully blended Scotch whiskies like Johnnie Walker Black Label make for a much more interesting and complex cocktail. The Scotch’s creamy vanilla and butterscotch notes offer a familiar complement to traditional warming spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and ginger. However, with Johnnie Walker Black Label, most of the sweetness — toffee candy and candied pecans — comes through on the nose instead of the spirit itself. Plus, the peaty smoke finish of the Scotch will add even more depth to the drink.

Spicy

Spicy may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a Scotch cocktail, but sometimes the road less taken ends up making all the difference. Chilis, peppers, and jalapeños are no problem for diverse Scotches like Johnnie Walker Black Label. This Scotch whisky will tackle the heat head on, tame it, and dress it up with a hint of smokiness. Reinvent your next spicy Jalapeño Margarita, Serrano, and Lime Daiquiri, or hibiscus-habanero mixed drink.

Boozy

Already perfect when sipped neat or on ice, Johnnie Walker Black Label is a natural fit when it comes to improving any booze-forward (often called “hot”) drink. The trick here is to pair it with simple drink components that enhance the balanced flavors of the Scotch and make them shine even brighter; think bitters, dry vermouth, and simple fruit garnishes. With that in mind, riffs on classic cocktails work best — your Manhattans, Old Fashioneds, and Sazeracs. After all, is there any better complement to a classic cocktail than a classic Scotch?

Nutty

Walking a straight line is never as fun as taking a detour — and Johnnie Walker Black Label knows sometimes you’ve got to play into your nuttier side. Pump up the personality of nutty drinks like Amaretto Sours and Hazelnut Martinis with the sweet and smoky nose and warming spice notes of Johnnie Walker Black Label. The Scotch will also add a swift kick to sweet and nutty after-dinner drinks such as a Frangelico on ice or black coffee.

Light

Anyone who subscribes to the common misconception that Scotch doesn’t work in low-ABV (or “light”) drinks is missing out. Truly well-balanced, blended Scotch whiskies are an excellent component in fruity low-ABV punches, effervescent summer cocktails with fresh citrus slices, and pitchers of party-friendly drinks. Concerned the smokiness of the Scotch may ruin your long-haul vibe? Don’t be. The same smokiness can easily be toned down to a sessionable level by simply lengthening the drink — which will also keep it light.

Umami

Once you start using Scotch in your umami drinks, you may never go back. For starters, the smoke finish that rounds out Johnnie Walker Black Label is the perfect way to add complexity to an existing umami profile without adding weight — no easy feat. At the same time, the Scotch’s dark fruit and vanilla notes will add delicate sweet tones and even more dimension to the drink. Try it out by mixing up a Bloody Scotsman: Swap out the vodka in your next Bloody Mary for Johnnie Walker Black Label — it just might become your newest obsession.

This article is sponsored by Johnnie Walker.

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johnboothus · 3 years

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Deschutes Becomes the Official Craft Beer of the Pac-12 Conference

Two great prides of the Pacific Northwest will unite this fall as Deschutes becomes the official craft beer of the Pac-12 conference. The conference — which includes collegiate athletics across California, Oregon, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, and Washington — is gearing up for a new year of (in person) sporting events.

Under a multi-year contract, the Oregon-based brewery will be sold at the Pac-12 football championship (Dec. 3) and men’s basketball tournament (March 2022) under an integrated branding model.

“Aligning ourselves with Deschutes Brewery, a family-owned, regional craft brewery is a perfect match,” Steve Tseng, Pac-12 EVP of sales, stated in a press release. “With Deschutes based in our Pac-12 footprint in Bend, we look forward to increasing the awareness of this quintessential craft brewery beyond the Pacific Northwest.”

As the partnership moves forward, Deschutes outlines an exciting “text to win” program, which would give fans an “unpurchasable VIP experience.” Still in its early stage of planning, this opportunity could mean anything from celebrating with winners of the football championship to sitting in on a press conference.

Deschutes is no stranger to strategic sponsorships, especially in the athletics world. The company released Rip City Lager in 2020 through a partnership with the NBA’s Portland Trailblazers, and in a recent “Run Hoppy” collaboration with Seattle-based shoemaker Brooks, a Deschutes-inspired running shoe was created featuring designs of beer mugs.

For now, Deschutes will continue to align itself with the fitness and athletic communities in its region. Between brewing up a new Run Hoppy Golden IPA and increasing its brand awareness through the Pac-12 conference, Deschutes is setting itself apart as a giant of craft beer.

“We’ve definitely put some stakes in the ground in the Pacific Northwest,” Neal Stewert, Deschutes VP of sales and marketing, told Brewbound.

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johnboothus · 3 years

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Jack Daniels Will Release its First 10-Year Old Whiskey in Over a Century

Jack Daniel’s is a household name in the whiskey world, and as such, the brand is paying homage to its long-lasting legacy. Next month, the spirit giant is releasing its first age-stated whiskey in over a century.

The 10-year-old whiskey will “pay tribute to the brand’s past” in the first bottle of its kind to be launched since Prohibition. For the distillery company that began in 1866, there is ample history to honor.

“This product has been hand-crafted by our distillery team in Lynchburg over the last 10 summers all while keeping up with the growing demand for Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey around the world,” master distiller Chris Fletcher said in an emailed press release. “[It] celebrates our modern-day whiskey making, while also paying tribute to our founder and history. It is a special time for us all.”

For the past ten years, Fletcher and his team have been aging the classic Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey in oak barrels. The resulting whiskey is complex and oaky, with notes of fig and raisin. Fans of Jack Daniel’s will still get the brand’s signature notes of butterscotch and soft fruit, with a finish of sweet tobacco and spice.

Aside from the taste, each bottle design showcases a piece of the brand’s long history; the same cartouche featured on Jack Daniel’s aged bottle 100 years ago can be found hand-drawn on the 10-year-old bottle.

Coming in at 97 proof — the brand’s highest to date — each 750mL bottle will sell for $70 across the United States. But supplies are limited once they hit shelves in early September, so be sure to snag yourself a bottle sooner than later (or you may have to wait another century).

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johnboothus · 3 years

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Jack Daniels Will Release its First 10-Year Old Whiskey in Over a Century

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Homebrew Saisons Grisettes and Blonde Ales Like a Pro With Second-Use Fruit

Big, juicy fruit flavors are popular in summer, and every season that’s not summer, for the bold ripeness they bring to beer styles: the commanding sweetness of mango; the sharp tartness of raspberries; or the unmistakable tropical character of pineapple are a few tantalizing examples. But every brewer reaches a point of curiosity beyond what they know — and the hope is that drinkers will come along for the journey.

Perhaps out of a sense of innovation, or maybe because of palate fatigue, there is a new style of fruit beer on the rise that exhibits the more subtle, nuanced side of fruit. These beers are made with a technique often referred to as “second-use fruit,” and it’s capturing brewers’ and beer lovers’ attention across states, styles, and flavor profiles.

The reason for all the attention around this technique, which involves repurposing the used, but not totally spent fruit left over from another batch of beer, is the way the impact of the fruit changes from one batch to the next, becoming less intense, less acidic, and more ephemeral. Beyond uncovering a new depth of flavor, this technique is also environmentally friendly, and gets more bang for every buck invested in fresh produce.

Below, four professional brewers explain how, and why, they started experimenting with second-use fruit, and the best ways for homebrews to take advantage of what they’ve learned.

Credit: Crooked Run Fermentation

Why Reuse Fruit in Multiple Batches?

Perhaps the most obvious reason to reuse fruit is the fact that it saves money on fruit costs, but Jake Endres, co-owner of Crooked Run Fermentation in Serling, Va., says that shouldn’t be a brewer’s first consideration. When deciding to employ this technique, homebrewers should consider that the ideal fruits for second use can be more expensive up front than fruits that will only be used once (but we’ll get to that later).

“Don’t think of it as a way to stretch your dollar (although it helps),” Endres says. It’s a taste profile he looks for in his saisons, like Newfangled with grape pomace, and grisettes, like Gob with second-use blackberries. “It really is a different flavor,” Endres says.

As does Brett Taylor, co-founder and head of brewing at Wild East Brewing in Brooklyn. “The real reason to do it is that second-use fruit allows you to get very subtle fruit notes from the beer,” Taylor says.

This more mild fruit character is an ideal addition to beer styles with delicate flavor profiles, like blonde ales, table beers, or grisettes. Acidity, and the fresh, juicy qualities of the fruit in its original form, are stripped away by the first beer, leaving more muted qualities that won’t overpower less intense beer styles.

“Our grisette, Gob, was made with second-use blackberries from a fruited golden sour, Brambles,” says Endres. “The two taste nothing alike. Brambles is acid-forward with lots of gunpowder-like minerality, and Gob is light and fruity with very mild acid.”

There is also a change in the type of flavors available for extraction during the second use of the fruit, says Endres. “As you might expect, you get more tannins from using second-use fruit since it’s mostly skins.”

Tannins are the compounds that create the drying, sometimes rough mouthfeel in some red wines and over-steeped black tea. Endres uses the pomace (remains of grapes after wine production) of Chambourcin grapes in his vibrant red saison called Newfangled. He says with this second use of the purple-skinned grapes, “You can get less acidic flavors and also more grapefruit-like flavors.”

What Fruits Work Best Second?

When it comes to using a fruit more than once, not all fruits are created equally. Some varieties simply don’t pack enough punch to have any flavor by their second use, while others can’t hold up enough structurally to be usable in an additional batch.

“Any assertive berry or stone fruit works great, as there will be enough residual flavor hanging around after the primary fruiting,” Seth Morton, head brewer at Jackie O’s Brewery in Athens, Ohio, says. “Delicate fruits like pears or white grapes would probably not stand up to second fruiting.”

Fruit purees are commonly used in homebrewing because they come pre-sanitized and are easy to use. The qualities that make them optimal for use in fruit-forward styles — namely, the massive surface area that allows maximum contact between wort (or beer) and fruit and the purees’ lack of skins, pits, and other structural materials — make them poor candidates for second use.

“I would avoid anything processed or pureed,” says Matt Levy, head brewer at Threes Brewing, also in Brooklyn. “Second-use fruit beers work best with organic whole fruit. By the second use, you’ll be digging deep into layers of fruit that using puree simply can’t yield.”

In other words, when fruit doesn’t have the structure to “dig deep into,” there’s no flavor left to contribute to a second batch. For this reason, Endres avoids strawberries when considering second-use fruit beers for Crooked Run Fermentation. At Wild East Brewing, Taylor says, “Watermelon, we only use once. It’s so subtle as it is, and it’s pretty decimated after the first go around.”

There’s another reason to shun puree when making a second-use fruit beer: it lacks the native yeast that comes along on the skins of whole organic fruit.

At Threes Brewing, says Levy, “The fruit comes directly from a local farm, and likely has wild yeast on it.” He uses a mixed-culture beer called Eternal Return for the first fermentation on the farm-fresh fruit, and follows it up with a simple saison, Thought Experiment, for second use. Both beers benefit from the native yeast on the fruit skins.

Levy suggests going straight to the farm, even if it’s more expensive: “There is so much potential for the homebrewer because the batch size is so small. It’s worth paying a little extra for high-quality organic fruit,” he says.

Credit: Threes Brewing

What Beer Styles Work Best?

There is no limit to the styles you can make with second-use fruit.

When using whole fruit that may have wild yeast on the skins, it is a good idea to use a mixed-culture base beer or be prepared for the funky flavors that wild yeast create. For “clean” beers, with no desire for funk, use whole frozen fruit or sanitize whole fresh fruit in a StarSan (or another food-safe sanitizer) solution.

It’s best to make the more intense style first — for example an imperial stout as the first use of the fruit, followed by a delicate style such as a dark mild as the second use.

Color is another factor in picking a style to make with second-use fruit. “If your primary fruiting beer was dark, you may see some unwanted color pickup on the second fruiting with a pale beer,” Morton says.

How to Add the Fruit for Second Use

After the tough decisions of what fruit to use and what styles to make have been settled, the actual technique of making beer with second-use fruit is straightforward. The first batch of beer is simply racked off the fruit, and the second batch is added on top of it as quickly as possible.

“If you can, it should be done in the same go — beer goes off, and new beer goes on,” says Endres.

The second batch should be a finished or nearly finished beer (one that has reached its final gravity) to minimize the yeast growth happening in the vessel with the fruit. There should be minimal fermentation happening when the beer is on the second-use fruit to avoid blowing off volatile aromas from fruit, or created by the yeast in the primary fermentation.

“Avoid oxygen pickup at all costs,” says Morton, who has been making mixed-fermentation beers with second-use fruit for almost a decade at Jackie O’s.

Oxygen pickup in this context can be even worse than the typical impacts of oxidation, like an overly sweet flavor or staleness. Because Brettanomyces (wild yeast possibly on the fruit) creates acetic acid in the presence of oxygen, too much exposure to air can cause your entire second batch to taste like vinegar. Ah, vinegar, the flavor of a drain pour.

To be the most efficient at avoiding oxidation, homebrewers can purge the fermenter with CO2 as the first beer is being transferred off of the fruit. This will prevent air containing oxygen from filling the extra space in the keg or fermenter.

Then, it becomes a waiting game. After four to five weeks, it’s time to start tasting the beer about every other or every third week. (Remember to avoid introducing oxygen when taking samples.) Levy ages on second-use fruit for three to six months to acquire the right balance of fruit without the beer getting too funky. When you taste the amount of fruit flavor you’re looking for, the process is complete and beer is ready for packaging.

And there you’ll have it — a nuanced fruited beer to show your sophisticated side to all those who thought you only enjoy unrefined fruit bombs!

The article Homebrew Saisons, Grisettes, and Blonde Ales Like a Pro With Second-Use Fruit appeared first on VinePair.

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johnboothus · 3 years

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7 of the Best Sangria Recipes for 2021

Hailing from Spain, Sangria is now popular worldwide. Often meant to serve a crowd, the wine-based cocktail is typically served in pitchers and loaded with lots of fresh fruit.

While red wine is the traditional base for the beverage, riffs can be made with white wine, rosé, and even sparkling wine. This means that there is a Sangria for every occasion, season, and palate.

Looking for a paella pairing or an exciting drink to serve at your next soirée? Read on for seven of the best Sangria recipes to mix up this summer and beyond.

Bubbly Celebratory Sangria Recipe

Bubbly Celebratory Sangria

The fizzy effervescence of sparkling wine makes every occasion feel like a party — and adding it to Sangria is no exception. For a bright, bubbly recipe sure to please any spritz lover, combine sparkling wine, peaches, cantaloupe, and honey in a pitcher, and pour at your next outdoor gathering.

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Sangria in a Flash Recipe

Sangria in a Flash

Ideal for lazy days (or for those without dishwashers), this mess-free, easy-to-make recipe calls for just three ingredients: red wine, blood orange soda, and fresh raspberries. With no chopping necessary, this large-format drink can be built in just seconds.

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Hennessy Sangria Recipe

Hennessy Sangria

Give the Spanish sipper a French makeover with the addition of Cognac. In a pitcher, muddle together orange and lime slices. Then, add apples, red wine, and sparkling water, and top it off with some Hennessy for a bold flavor and a certain je ne sais quoi.

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Delightful Rosé Sangria Recipe

Delightful Rosé Sangria

There’s no doubt that rosé is a summer staple. If you happen to have an extra bottle of pink wine lying around, this recipe is for you. To make a beverage fit for a crowd, simply stir together rosé, orange juice, peaches, cantaloupe, and orange slices in a pitcher. The result is ideal for serving at beach picnics.

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Refreshing White Sangria Recipe

Refreshing White Sangria

Not all white Sangria is cloyingly sweet. This recipe, which calls for Sauvignon Blanc, cucumber, lemon, and lemon-lime soda, is endlessly refreshing and won’t result in the dreaded morning-after headache.

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The Autumn Sangria Recipe

The Autumn Sangria

Think Sangria is reserved for summer sipping? Think again. This holiday-inspired Sangria is ideal for chilly fall days. With a combination of apple, cinnamon, pomegranate, and white wine, this batchable recipe is best sipped while leaf-peeping.

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The Traditionalist Sangria Recipe

The Traditionalist Sangria

This is the ideal recipe for beginners looking to recreate a classic. To make this cocktail, add dry red wine, orange soda, and chunked apples, oranges, and pineapple to a pitcher, and let sit for at least 15 minutes. Serve with your favorite tapas, and buen provecho!

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The article 7 of the Best Sangria Recipes for 2021 appeared first on VinePair.

Via https://vinepair.com/articles/7-best-sangria-recipes/

source https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/7-of-the-best-sangria-recipes-for-2021

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