Drinking Thread: Three Sheets To The Wind

[MissThundercat]

You have my attention. Care to elaborate? Is this a noteworthy type of racism or just the type that is endemic between 80 and 120 degrees West latitude in the US?

They were slapped with a racial lawsuit in 2019 and again in 2023.

https://www.brewbound.com/news/found...ation-lawsuit/

[Kepler]

Founders (stay for the racism!)

You have my attention. Care to elaborate? Is this a noteworthy type of racism or just the type that is endemic between 80 and 120 degrees West latitude in the US?

[MissThundercat]

Grand Rapids came up at my work as a decent place to find craft beers. Is this a real thing? When I hear Grand Rapids I think of (1) furniture, (2) Van Andel, and, thanks to reports on the Cafe, (3) racist hayseeds.

Edit: Huh. It is indeed noted here.

Grand Rapids: Founders (stay for the racism!), Perrin, The Mitten, Long Road Distillery, Jolly Pumpkin, Atwater, New Holland (The Knickerbocker is great), and several others.

[Kepler]

Grand Rapids came up at my work as a decent place to find craft beers. Is this a real thing? When I hear Grand Rapids I think of (1) furniture, (2) Van Andel, and, thanks to reports on the Cafe, (3) racist hayseeds.

Edit: Huh. It is indeed noted here.

1. Portland
2. Asheville
3. Denver
4. Grand Rapids (?!)
5. Charleston
6. Indianapolis
7. Columbus
8. Austin
9. Birmingham
10. Ithaca

[MissThundercat]

A few months ago, Alt City opened up in Grand Rapids. It's an N/A spirit shop and I'm eager to get over there and check it out.

They're only open 4 days a week though.

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Trying to come up with a mocktail for coffee and drawing a massive blank. Any ideas?

Espresso and tonic. It's not for everyone, but I think it is a surprisingly good, n/a brunch alternative to the classic G&T. It's also a highball, so really simple and easy to make.

I do want to try this though.

[MissThundercat]

Trying to come up with a mocktail for coffee and drawing a massive blank. Any ideas?

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Any follow up?

Still haven't cracked it. Waiting for colder weather.

[dxmnkd316]

I had what might be one of the five best beers I've ever had.

I checked Untappd, I've had just short of 2,000 unique beers since joining and about 2,700 total check ins. Less than 86 have had a 5.0 rating. Half of those are from years ago when the latest crop of insane beers have really come to the forefront.

Double Barrel-Aged Deep Oblivion from Cerebral may have risen nearly to the top. Impeccably balanced to the point that brilliance must have gotten lucky and rolled a 20.

I will spend the rest of my life chasing this whale hoping to get that close to touching perfection one more time.

[dxmnkd316]

I've been hesitant to try an N/A whisk(e)y because I'm afraid that I will be bitterly disappointed. The Smoky No. 56 is supposed to have some scotch-like qualities, we'll see how that goes.

Any follow up?

[dxmnkd316]

I love Houghton

[dxmnkd316]

Fair enough. I have the same thoughts. With us looking to expand the family in the future, the question has come up. I tried a few of my in laws NA "spirits" and wasn't super impressed. They weren't bad but at the price point, they were pretty subpar.

I'll check that 56 out.

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

I've been hesitant to try an N/A whisk(e)y because I'm afraid that I will be bitterly disappointed. The Smoky No. 56 is supposed to have some scotch-like qualities, we'll see how that goes.

[dxmnkd316]

Thanks for the reviews

any whiskey styles you've tried?

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Some NA booze has gotten quite good, particularly N/A gin, a lot of N/A microbrews, and a few N/A wines, but except for beer they all tend come with a high price tag considering you can't get a buzz off them. The best N/A red blend (Luminara) and N/A sparkling wines (Noughty) will set you back $20-25/bottle and good N/A gin is more like $40. Also, some mixed drinks you just cannot replicate the experience of. N/A gin is pretty good with tonic, but none of them make a good martini.

Updates on adventures in N/A and dealcoholized adult beverages over this past winter:

'Clean R' N/A Rum - Thumbs up and definitely earns its competition gold medal. Drop a shot into some cola, squeeze in a wedge of lime, and it drinks like a regular Cuba Libre.

'Amethyst' N/A Botanical Spirit - A gin-like alternative with a focus on cucumber, lemon, and serrano pepper aromas and flavors instead of juniper. A bit sweet on its own, so I mixed with club soda instead of tonic and it was pretty nice.

'Sir James 101' N/A G&T - A ready-to-drink G&T alternative with a nice juniper aroma and flavor with a hint of lime. Plenty sweet enough with a fraction of the calories of a regular G&T at 95 cal/8 oz. bottle.

'Three Spirit' Nightcap - Intended to mimic a digestif or similar nightcap liqueur. Woody, peppery, citrusy, with hints of maple and vanilla. I enjoyed it, but definitely not for everyone.

'Noughty' Rogue- A deacl'd Syrah from South Africa. My current #1 red wine alternative, to go along with their already top notch sparkling brut and brut rose offerings.

'Busty Lush' Tropical Weisse - Essentially an N/A sour that isn't too sour; I see myself crushing a 4-pack of these in the summer when it's hot.

Also, as much as I hate to admit this because of some of Boston Beer Co.'s business practices, the new Sam Adams 'Just the Haze' N/A IPA is definitely a gold medal N/A beer if you don't mind some hops.


New Bottles Currently En Route:

'YOURS' N/A California Red Blend
'For Bitter or Worse' Smoky No. 56
'Wilfred's' Bittersweet Aperitif
'Clean T' N/A Tequila
'Clean G' N/A Gin
'Damrak' Virgin 0.0 (N/A version of the classic Dutch jenever)