Some Yums over the last few months...

So it's been a while since I'd last updated this.  Guess that whole wedding thing got me a little preoccupied so I wasn't updating ... but we were definitely still beveraging.   Here are some good ones we've had:

 

Nieto - Ryan really, really loved this one, we had it at his aunt's place during a pizza night

 

This one is a easy, cheap but tasty one - thus the gold medal

 

Gulden Draak - Winter Ale:  I LOVE the regular Gulden Draak, and have had this before and it's also wonderful.  This bottle I think was a little too old or the seal just wasn't tight enough because it was flat when I opened it to share with my new brother in law, but we drank it anyway... slowly.  It's quite potent, and goes really really really well with chocolate ice cream.

 

Ben Marco - Not sure if my dad gave me this for my birthday or if we picked it up from Binny's.  This one we liked, though it's been a while so I can't remember the particulars..

 

Can Blau - This one was one of my birthday presents from my dad and I thought it was DELICIOUS.  I love me a blended red.

 

This bubbly one was actually of the batch my dad got for the wedding, I'm not usually big on the sparkling whites but this I drank quite easily.

 

Votre Santé Pinot Noir - This one was a random pick of mine at Binny's and I totally lucked out.  I don't know if I knew at the time that it was of Francis Ford Coppola's vinyards, but I'm definitely going to be looking for this one again.  It was a little sweeter/fruitier, and for some reason it reminded me of the sangria at Emilio's (which, cooincidentally, I've had twice this week - also awesome).

We also did a wine tasting at Emilio's when we went there this past Thursday for my mom's 60th birthday and had some good ones (the list is of course on the floor of my husband's car) and my parents even ended up purchasing a few bottles.  We were told three of the ones we'd sampled were from French oak - I had told the woman leading the tasting that we'd come for a wine paring a few months back and I didn't care for the wines made in the American oak barrels, so good to know that there are more options out there..

Well, that's all for now.  I'll try to keep on this stuff so I can remember what I thought of all the bottles we stock pile and I photograph so I can actually list out and remember what we liked.  There's such a huge selection and year to year things I know change, but we're attempted to grasp what we like. 

El Grosso

We picked a stinker... used it for cooking later:

Two Malbecs - A Faceoff Weekend

Ryan and I tried the Tierra Divna (2006) from a random pick at Binny's ($16-17).  It was fine, but not quite what we're looking for in a malbec over ten bucks, so I wouldn't opt for it again since there are soooo many other choices.

The Cooper's Hawk Malbec I'd had before, and really really like.  Got this as a bridal shower present from Ryan's aunt Linda, which lasted about 6 hours in my possession before being emptied.  Ryan and I enjoyed it with our spaghetti dinner and on into the evening.

Two times in one week?

My dad picked up the Double IPA, from Granite City Brewery - really really good.  Dark roast look, coffee taste, not heavy at all.  He picks up something from Granite City everytime he goes to Peoria, but apparently there's one in Orland Park - so maybe I'll be making my way out there.  I guess this a special brew, not sure how long it lasts, but find it and drink it!

 

Happy Birthday Kyle

As anticipated, I never get around to posting when I actually have a good beverage.  Let me make it up to you... 

Get it.  You're welcome.

Guinness in a wine glass!!

Went to my man's work Christmas party - after having a cosmo that didn't taste quite right I discovered that one of the bar stations had Guinness.  I was super excited as normally the only beer offered at an open bar are of the miller/bud variety.  They had the pint cans, but no pint glasses - the bartender asked me if I just wanted to drink it out of the can... uh, no thanks.  So he grabbed a wine glass and to my amazement it actually all fit, and looked deliciously wonderful.

Ryan sporting his Tanqueray & tonic, as well as my Guinness in a wine glass...

Goose Island's Bourbon County Stout - Ouch!

Tonight's beverage is the once-a-year Goose Island Bourbon County Stout.  Had this a few years ago in college with a buddy who had previously tried and loved it.  He had received a six pack of it for Christmas as a present and brought it back to school to share.  We cracked open our fancy beers, poured the potent stout into our glasses, and took a sip.  Sip one, fine, sip two, egh, sip three... ok maybe we don't like it.

Well it's four years later and I come home to find these monster's in the fridge - my dad had picked them up.  I pour myself a glass and sniff - smells good.  Strong, but good.  Barely any foaming, it looked like fancy coffee.  I took the first sip and was pleased.  My tastes have finally filled out?  Took a second sip... OK, this is pretty strong.  By sip three I realized my tastes didn't expand, it's still overwhelming.  Apparently my mom had a glass of this the other night and put ice cubes in it, as I found out after I told her it seemed like it needed to be colder (as it didn't seem very cold at all).

Five hours later I am still only halfway through my glass... seriously.  It probably doesn't help that I take a sip every half hour....  this is definitely something you'll want to read up on how to drink and enjoy.  I'm picturing this in a scotch glass - possibly on the rocks, but definitely not a whole pint of.  Yikes.   See the beer.