What's new
By:
USCHO Fan Forum

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • The USCHO Fan Forum has migrated to a new plaform, xenForo. Most of the function of the forum should work in familiar ways. Please note that you can switch between light and dark modes by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right of the main menu bar. We are hoping that this new platform will prove to be faster and more reliable. Please feel free to explore its features.

Drinking Thread: Three Sheets To The Wind

Re: Drinking Thread: Three Sheets To The Wind

mookie1995 said:
landing in prague on the 4th.... been a long time :(
Click to expand...

Deep envy.

Last night Dr. Mrs. and I met her half Bosnian / half Serb friend (and her Creole husband --- now there's a fusion restaurant waiting to happen) and we went to a Balkan restaurant in Arlington, VA (Ambar -- 5 stars, locals should try it!!!) We had way too much delicious Balkan food (think of Greek mixed with Iranian mixed with German) and for last course we had rakia, their dessert liquer (essentially, Balkan schnapps).

We traded around 3 different types: plum, quince, and pear. The best of these was the pear -- which really surprised me because I don't not like the fruit itself. If you've ever had the very best Austrian schnapps you know the deal -- it has an extreme bite from the high fermentation (rakia begins at 120 proof and goes north) and then the flavors on top really seep into you from what's practically a trauma response from your system. The quince (an Iranian apple, and btw what Eve was actually offered -- fun fact) does not have enough sweetness; as a sour fruit it just magnifies the bite of the alcohol and is too strong. The plum is sweet enough but a little too cloying. The pear is the perfect balance.

This ranking was agreed by all four of us at the table which is interesting because Dr. Mrs. and I have 180 degree opposite tastes in wine and beer (she loves tannin reds and hops, I love dry whites and malt).

Enjoy the Czech beer for me. I have still never been east of Vienna. This gives me a sad.
 
Last edited:
French Rage said:
Wife and I are planning a north Eastern Europe trip. Gonna be Prague, Krakow (more historic than Warsaw I'm told), Budapest, and somewhere in Slovenia.
Click to expand...

We are landing in Prague on the 4th. 4 nights. Train to Vienna. 3 nights. Train to Budapest. 3 nights. Then return to the Middle heaven.

These next 2 weeks can’t go fast enough :)
 
Re: Drinking Thread: Three Sheets To The Wind

I drank the entire bottle of Prosecco last night, and I also drank half a bottle of Apothic Rosé, finishing that off,

I like the fact I have Party/Fill Your Wine Glass to the Rim Amber, I really do. I want to keep her around. However, apparently I can only fill my glass to the rim twice, then I start feeling off. I forgot I'm no longer 25....
 
Re: Drinking Thread: Three Sheets To The Wind

MissThundercat said:
I drank the entire bottle of Prosecco last night, and I also drank half a bottle of Apothic Rosé, finishing that off,

I like the fact I have Party/Fill Your Wine Glass to the Rim Amber, I really do. I want to keep her around. However, apparently I can only fill my glass to the rim twice, then I start feeling off. I forgot I'm no longer 25....
Click to expand...
It gets worse. ;)
If I crack a good 25oz bomber of 10%+ ABV beer, that's gonna last me 3 hours or so, 4-5oz at a time. Even when I go to my local brewery, I get made fun of, because I'll take a 20oz 6% beer and make it last 1hr+. Just sipping away and enjoying it.
 
Re: Drinking Thread: Three Sheets To The Wind

The differences I've noticed:

1. Poor quality is no longer tolerable. When I passed 30 I couldn't even look at the best seller/bottom shelf without getting queasy. That's for the kids and the Poors. When I passed 40 middle shelf also dropped off. But there is an important attenuation discussed below.

2. Extremely good quality, even with high alcoholic content, is still joyful. The feeling I'd get from sh-tty tequila when I was 22 is still the feeling I get from the very best top shelf sake (or, for that matter, tequilas).

3. Cost, like almost everything else, is a bell curve. The cheapest alcohols are terrible. The most expensive are pedestrian and just bait for morons with money (translation: nearly everybody with money). The very best are in the 80th or so percentile on price, where the cost is justified. More is soaking rich dopes. Less is not sustainable. Note this also holds true for real estate, food, and tail.
 
Last edited:
Re: Drinking Thread: Three Sheets To The Wind

Kepler said:
The differences I've noticed:

1. Poor quality is no longer tolerable. When I passed 30 I couldn't even look at the best seller/bottom shelf without getting queasy. That's for the kids and the Poors. When I passed 40 middle shelf also dropped off. But there is an important attenuation discussed below.

2. Extremely good quality, even with high alcoholic content, is still joyful. The feeling I'd get from sh-tty tequila when I was 22 is still the feeling I get from the very best top shelf sake (or, for that matter, tequilas).

3. Cost, like almost everything else, is a bell curve. The cheapest alcohols are terrible. The most expensive are pedestrian and just bait for morons with money (translation: nearly everybody with money). The very best are in the 80th or so percentile on price, where the cost is justified. More is soaking rich dopes. Less is not sustainable. Note this also holds true for real estate, food, and tail.
Click to expand...

I think Evan Williams bourbon is a great value bourbon (and the only one, outside of a Maker's Mark Old Fashioned) that I'll mix. It's a flexible thing. Some expensive stuff is crap (I really don't like Bulleitt stuff) and other stuff like Four Roses is pretty darn good. Pappy is notoriously overpriced in retail, and they admit it, but it's rare. It's dcik swinging to order it (yes, I have). Some is over hyped (Yamazaki whiskey).

It's gotten to the point where you buy what you want. The people who truly appreciate a connoisseur won't judge. They'll discuss.
 
Re: Drinking Thread: Three Sheets To The Wind

Kepler said:
The differences I've noticed:

1. Poor quality is no longer tolerable. When I passed 30 I couldn't even look at the best seller/bottom shelf without getting queasy. That's for the kids and the Poors. When I passed 40 middle shelf also dropped off. But there is an important attenuation discussed below.

2. Extremely good quality, even with high alcoholic content, is still joyful. The feeling I'd get from sh-tty tequila when I was 22 is still the feeling I get from the very best top shelf sake (or, for that matter, tequilas).

3. Cost, like almost everything else, is a bell curve. The cheapest alcohols are terrible. The most expensive are pedestrian and just bait for morons with money (translation: nearly everybody with money). The very best are in the 80th or so percentile on price, where the cost is justified. More is soaking rich dopes. Less is not sustainable. Note this also holds true for real estate, food, and tail.
Click to expand...

You’re probably right. I still think the best bourbon on the shelves is Woodford Reserve. And it’s barely middle of the pack in price for common brands. It’s about the 15th percentile in cost. The stuff at the 99th percentile like pappy doesn’t warrant the price.

The best wines are probably in the $40-$75 range. Great wines are in the $30-$50 range. Very good, $20-40. Most of my table wines are in the $10-$15 range. I really struggle with a lot of the stuff under $10.

Some wines really punch way above their price though. Those are the diamonds. Trader Joe’s grand reserve batch 92 or 94 was ****ing GREAT for its price.
 
Re: Drinking Thread: Three Sheets To The Wind

dxmnkd316 said:
You’re probably right. I still think the best bourbon on the shelves is Woodford Reserve. And it’s barely middle of the pack in price for common brands. It’s about the 15th percentile in cost. The stuff at the 99th percentile like pappy doesn’t warrant the price.

The best wines are probably in the $40-$75 range. Great wines are in the $30-$50 range. Very good, $20-40. Most of my table wines are in the $10-$15 range. I really struggle with a lot of the stuff under $10.

Some wines really punch way above their price though. Those are the diamonds. Trader Joe’s grand reserve batch 92 or 94 was ****ing GREAT for its price.
Click to expand...
Agreed on Woodford. High West, the Liquor Boy in St Louis Park has it for $21, which is an absolute steal. I wonder how much bulk they bought to get that price. For beer, some of the "high end" shelfies are going for $15-16/4pk. Modist led the way. Dunno how I feel about that. There's much better beer out there for less, although Modist/Brewing Projekt/Drekker are really quality.
 
Re: Drinking Thread: Three Sheets To The Wind

The Rube said:
I think Evan Williams bourbon is a great value bourbon (and the only one, outside of a Maker's Mark Old Fashioned) that I'll mix. It's a flexible thing. Some expensive stuff is crap (I really don't like Bulleitt stuff) and other stuff like Four Roses is pretty darn good. Pappy is notoriously overpriced in retail, and they admit it, but it's rare. It's dcik swinging to order it (yes, I have). Some is over hyped (Yamazaki whiskey).
Click to expand...

It's whiskey. It all tastes like gasoline.
 
Re: Drinking Thread: Three Sheets To The Wind

For beer it wasn't the cost of the beer itself, but it became the additional costs associated with trying to get your hands on something that wasn't distributed to every single store. Around Chicago many of the specialty shops have beer clubs/memberships (~$70-125/year) that get you access to limited releases and vintage stock. Stores that don't have that going play the game where only 1/3 of their order goes out for sale to the general population. The other 2/3 get set aside for their "regulars". Which I get, but at the same time, those are people that are in the shop 2-3 times per week and are spending $100+ regularly on trips there. Been told a couple of times that even though I've been a regular, I don't spend nearly enough to get special treatment.

I don't mind spending on a good or unique bottle of beer for occasions. It's just a tremendous amount of time/money/effort to acquire them...
 
dxmnkd316 said:
You’re probably right. I still think the best bourbon on the shelves is Woodford Reserve. And it’s barely middle of the pack in price for common brands. It’s about the 15th percentile in cost. The stuff at the 99th percentile like pappy doesn’t warrant the price.

The best wines are probably in the $40-$75 range. Great wines are in the $30-$50 range. Very good, $20-40. Most of my table wines are in the $10-$15 range. I really struggle with a lot of the stuff under $10.

Some wines really punch way above their price though. Those are the diamonds. Trader Joe’s grand reserve batch 92 or 94 was ****ing GREAT for its price.
Click to expand...

I just found an amazing sauv Blanc for about 30- that 25-35 price can be a real sweet spot
 
Re: Drinking Thread: Three Sheets To The Wind

Yeah. I just wish the wine community had better 21st century resources to find stuff that matches your tasting profile better. Untappd is AMAZING but there isn’t anything like it for wine or hooch. Vivino is barely tolerable.
 
Re: Drinking Thread: Three Sheets To The Wind

RaceBoarder said:
For beer it wasn't the cost of the beer itself, but it became the additional costs associated with trying to get your hands on something that wasn't distributed to every single store. Around Chicago many of the specialty shops have beer clubs/memberships (~$70-125/year) that get you access to limited releases and vintage stock. Stores that don't have that going play the game where only 1/3 of their order goes out for sale to the general population. The other 2/3 get set aside for their "regulars". Which I get, but at the same time, those are people that are in the shop 2-3 times per week and are spending $100+ regularly on trips there. Been told a couple of times that even though I've been a regular, I don't spend nearly enough to get special treatment.

I don't mind spending on a good or unique bottle of beer for occasions. It's just a tremendous amount of time/money/effort to acquire them...
Click to expand...

I've run into that. I prefer stores that have straight up lists for stuff, but those are disappearing. Thankfully, I know a good amount of people that will mule for me, and I mule for them. For example, pretty easy to get Dark Lord (Three Floyds) for rather cheap. You throw out an "In Search Of" and you'll prob get a response or two. Also, you get the "I'm going here, anyone want anything?" factor.

There is some stuff I would like, but as you said, money factor. Not worth it. Time, IMO, is the biggest factor. Forager Brewing (Rochester MN) is becoming very time consuming. Last bottle release, showed up at 2pm the day before the release, and was about 18th in line.

Surly Darkness Day eventually moved to Somerset, WI, to deal with the crowds.

And now the bourbon market is also beyond crazy.
 
Re: Drinking Thread: Three Sheets To The Wind

Not sure if I want bourbon and Coke, the Miss Thundercat (bourbon and chocolate chili liqueur), St. Julian Social Butterfly (basically their Rosé), or Middle Sister Sweet & Sassy Moscato.

I just know I can't drink 1.5 bottles of wine in one night again.
 
Re: Drinking Thread: Three Sheets To The Wind

MissThundercat said:
Not sure if I want bourbon and Coke, the Miss Thundercat (bourbon and chocolate chili liqueur), St. Julian Social Butterfly (basically their Rosé), or Middle Sister Sweet & Sassy Moscato.

I just know I can't drink 1.5 bottles of wine in one night again.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you're flipping between heavy and light. Try an Irish whiskey/hard cider mix.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top