I’ve long made the assertion that DonQ is my favorite light rum, and has been so since I had a taste of it in its native Puerto Rico, back in 2008. From that point forward, whenever I spent time in Puerto Rico, I would make sure there was consistently a bottle of DonQ Cristal in my freezer.

Recently, I had the good fortune of obtaining a bottle of BlackBeard Spiced Rum, DonQ’s spicy cousin, produced by Distileria Serralles. Not readily available throughout the United States yet, it is quite an honor to preview the newest product from the Island distillery. At Culture of Spirits, we took care to isolate ourselves from other available reviews, so as not to give ourselves preconceptions about BlackBeard, and to maintain as objective a tasting process as we could. This is something that we try to do with all products that we review, in order to provide an honest, untainted opinion.

Upon opening the bottle, the scent of vanilla is the first noticeable feature. It takes a moment to get notes of anything else, but when the rum does finally come through, it’s business as usual in the olfactory department. Allowing the open bottle to breathe for a few seconds brings more of the rum scent to the surface, but it remains infused with vanilla. Unlike other rums which can have an over-powering smell out of the bottle, whether they be silver, gold, or spiced, BlackBeard maintains a smooth, almost fragrant scent that belies it’s 86 proof content.

On first taste, my immediate thought was that I was, in fact, drinking rum. This was a pleasant thing to note, as the light, aromatic bouquet left me with some concern that there would be such a strong presence of spicing ingredients in the rum that it would mask the natural flavor, rather than complement it. This did not prove to be the case, and the actual flavor of the rum is mild, with a hint of vanilla. There are subtle notes of other, less identifiable spices, that further complement the rum’s overall flavor.

As spiced rums are not generally meant to be drank neat, and we were shut in by adverse weather conditions when the reviewing process went on, it was decided that we would use available ingredients to mix together cocktails that would show off the qualities of BlackBeard, and bring to light any flaws in the product. The first cocktail we tried was a simple Cuba Libre; BlackBeard, cola, and lime. The taste took a little getting used to, as we at Culture of Spirits are accustomed to using a silver rum when mixing with cola, but it ended up being a mostly positive experience. The vanilla flourished in that mixture, and the overwhelming consensus was that the BlackBeard Cuba Libre tastes an awful lot like Vanilla Coke. While pleasant in small doses, it was a little too sweet of a combination to drink more than one glass.

The next drink we mixed was BlackBeard and eggnog, which was a revelation. Normally, I’m not a fan of eggnog at all, but we had an excessive amount of eggs in the kitchen, so we decided to whip it up rather than risk life and limb outside, with ice covered roads, to go to the store for more ingredients. A four part to one mixture of eggnog and BlackBeard made the tasting a success. Oddly, despite the ludicrous amounts of sugar in eggnog, the libation didn’t seem nearly as sickly sweet as the Cuba Libre did, and the spicy undertones of the rum set the drink up as a fantastic creation for the evening. The taste of the rum itself was barely evident, but the vanilla and other spices went hand in hand with the eggnog flavor, and ended up being worthy of multiple refills across the board.

All in all, BlackBeard is an excellent mixing agent when used properly. The sweetness that all spiced rums carry with them can be a detriment in certain cocktails to those who aren’t big fans of sugar, but a smart mixologist can get around this with clever combinations, and the weekend bartender can always find a suitable recipe that will fit his or her needs. When you see BlackBeard on the shelf, I highly recommend it to take a spot in your bar as your spiced rum selection.

The genesis of the blind beer tasting was a simple force of circumstance. One evening, restless and trapped at the house due to adverse weather conditions, the decision was made to walk to the local convenience store for beer. In the absence of a decent beer selection, an idea was born: to have a blind beer tasting of cheap domestic lagers and find out once and for all which was the best and which was the worst. The tasting was hasty and ill conceived, however. And more importantly, one of the judges had already gone to bed by the time it got started. Still, it yielded some interesting results. So one year later the decision was made to repeat the tasting, but to do it right this time. Hence, the Blind Bad Beer Tasting of 2010 was born–bigger, badder, blinder and much better (and yet so much worse) than before.

Before we began, predictions were made

Then after 50 or so tacos we got down to the tasting

SCORING

The logistics of preparing the blind beer tasting was difficult enough, and so we decided to go with the scoring system over at the Beer Advocate instead of inventing our own. The full scoring system can be found at:

Appearance – Note the beer’s color, carbonation, head and its retention. Is it clear or cloudy? Does it look lackluster and dull or alive and inviting?

Smell – Bring the beer to your nose. Note the beer’s aromatic qualities. Malts: sweet, roasty, smoky, toasty, chocolaty, nutty, caramelly, biscuity? Hops: dank / resiny, herbal, perfumy, spicy, leafy, grassy, floral, piney, citrusy? Yeast will also create aromas. You might get fruity or flowery aromas (esters) from ales and very clean aromas from lagers, which will allow the malt and hop subtleties to pull through.

Taste – Take a deep sip of the beer. Note any flavors, or interpretations of flavors, that you might discover. The descriptions will be similar to what you smell. Is the beer built-well? Is there a balance between the ingredients? Was the beer brewed with a specific dominance of character in mind? How does it fit the style?

Mouthfeel – Take another sip and let it wander. Note how the beer feels on the palate, as well as its body. Light, heavy, chewy, thin / watery, smooth or coarse? Was the beer flat, or over-carbonated?

Drinkability – The beer’s overall ease of consumption and your overall impression of the beer. Would you have another?

All beers were tasted blind and the results were revealed by matching the letters to a key when the tasting was finished.

A judge pulls the first sample and records the letter. All beers were tasted blind and the results were revealed by matching the letters to a key when the tasting was finished.

RESULTS

Sample 1

The tasting started on an inauspicious note–it was definitely one of the worst beers we tasted.

Comments:

“It’s the color of urinalysis.”

“Like Water Gone Stale.”

“I don’t understand how it manages to be both bitter and sour.”

“This is not a promising start.”

Overall Score: 43

Reveal: Milwaukee’s Best

Sample 2

The second beer was a big step up from the first. Mainly, it mainly just tasted like water and with these beers, that’s a good thing. One of the judges actually claimed to taste a hint of citrus here; the rest of us just laughed.

Comments:

“There’s a steady head here, like frothy urine instead of just urine.”

“Really? Because I don’t see any bubbles.”

“I smell metal.”

“This is a lot lighter in taste than the 1^st one, more watery, like, no taste.”

“I wouldn’t want to drink this, but I could do a power hour with this.”

“We should use this as a palate cleanser instead of the corn chips.”

Overall Score: 64.5

Reveal: Natural Light

Sample 3

We knew right off the bat that this one was going to be especially bad since there was coughing as we tried to smell the beer. This was also the first time (but unfortunately not the last) that someone insisted that the beer must be skunked because it couldn’t intentionally taste that bad.

Comments:

“Wow, there are foul notes here.”

“I know this smell; it smells like a port-a-john.”

“Tastes like phlegm.”

“There’s something seriously wrong with this one. It’s like you try to drink it, but your gag reflex automatically coughs it back up.”

“I feel like I’m tasting garbage.”

“That beer mouth raped me.”

“No, seriously, what the hell is this?”

Overall Score: 37

Reveal: Busch

Sample 4

Spirits were very low after the last beer sample. We were discouraged and worried about the insurmountable task ahead of us. Bravely, we soldiered on. Though there was much laughter after I said: “This color is actually ok. I think it’s going to be full flavored, you know, not a light beer.” But besides that we didn’t really have all that much to say. Perhaps because it was so bad, but indistinctly so.

Comments:

“The Smell is? Rice?”

“Tastes fratty.”

“The mouthfeel makes it worse. If you guzzle it down really, really quickly, it probably wouldn’t be so bad.”

Score: 50.5

Reveal: Busch Light

Something is eventually going to taste like one of the ingredients and it’s going to totally blow you away.

Sample 5

Though there was coughing as this one was tasted, relatively speaking, it didn’t end up being that bad. There was also an extended debate about whether or not this one tasted like cinnamon or if we just felt that way because one of the judges insisted repeatedly.

Comments:

“It looks good. Remember that’s all some of the beers are going to be able to do.”

“There are spices in this smell. Cinnamon?”

“It looks good, but tastes terrible.”

“It tastes like soapy cinnamon and expands in the mouth. There’s too much carbonation or something.”

“This taste lingers unfortunately, Like I burped up soap suds.”

“I don’t think I could finish more than 4 of these.”

Score: 62

Reveal: Icehouse

Sample 6

There was at least a minute of silence after we tasted this beer until someone finally ventured, “taste?” A minute or so of laughter followed. It was at this point that we seriously started to question the wisdom of this tasting.

Comments:

“Less head. Smells like rye and a little bit of sugar.”

“Smells like there’s some ingredients in this one!”

“I taste chemicals.”

“This is a real party ender; this comes out and people go home.”

“My burp tastes bad.”

Score: 47.5

Reveal: Genesee

After the first 6 samples, no one feels anything from the alcohol yet.

Sample 7

This next beer was unremarkable. That’s meant as a compliment.

Comments:

“Is it me or do all these beers look the same?”

“I smell rice.”

“It’s like sour bread; not sourdough bread, like bread that’s been spoiled.”

“Tastes like an eraser.”

“Well, it’s not the worst thing I’ve had tonight.”

“I don’t feel strongly about this and that’s probably a good thing.”

Score: 58.5

Reveal: Budweiser

How's the beer?

Sample 8

As we smelled the next sample, one judge described the aroma as piney and floral. After we finally stopped laughing, the aroma was also described as creamy, black, and a little coarse.

Comments:

“There’s lots of bubbles.”

“Inoffensive taste! It’s not bad! It doesn’t fight back!”

“I’m actually enjoying this, especially compared to everything else.”

“I wouldn’t go that far.”

“So far it’s my light beer of choice.”

Score: 71.5

Beer: Bud Light

The beer cooler

Sample 9

The score of this one ended up being surprisingly high. Especially when compared to the comments.

“Tastes like rye. It’s a familiar taste.”

“It takes about 4 sips to realize exactly how undrinkable this is.”

“It gets worse the more you drink it.”

“I gave it a high mouthfeel score because I don’t want to swallow it.”

“I think… it just sucks.”

Score: 61.5

Reveal: PBR

Sample 10

Again we questioned whether this beer skunked or just really bad.

Comments:

“Appearance… looks like another 2!”

“I think I smell garbage again.”

“I taste steel; it’s metallic for sure.”

“My tongue hurts.”

“The mouthfeel is not what’s offensive about this beer… it’s the taste.”

“It’s gonna be rater higher than it should be because the more I’ve drank the more generous I’ve become.”

“I could drink this, but I wouldn’t want to.”

Score: 51.5

Reveal: Miller Lite

Sample 11

This one was seriously awful, even comparatively. One of the judges started gagging, and there was much groaning that followed. It was very difficult to continue after this… spirits were low indeed.

Comments:

“Looks exactly like all the others.”

“I know what this is from the smell.”

“It’s a different kind of bad; it’s worse.”

“The layers of badness that come out over time are incredible.”

“Again, I instinctively want to throw this up. The gag reflex continues all the way down and I have to consciously override it.”

“It’s like a funeral in my mouth.”

Score: 37.5

Reveal: Ginny Lite

Whose idea was this again?

Sample 12

Most of the comments here were positive, which was surprising. It got my pick for the best beer of the night, though the high scores were later debate as being due to novelty, since none of us had ever had this beer before.

Comments:

“Smells like paint thinner and green apples.”

“It tastes a little fruity! I totally taste the apples.”

“It’s the yeast.”

“You guys are messed up.”

“I like this one. I would buy this and serve it at a wedding.”

Score: 63

Reveal: Keystone Light

Sample 13

Since the last one was actually palatable, we were ready for a letdown. Honestly it could have been a lot worse.

Comments:

“Smells innocuous.”

“Sour. Not a very good taste.”

“This is a big letdown after the last one that tasted like delicious, delicious apples.”

“Tastes cold.”

“Sucks.”

Score: 51.5

Reveal: Coors

It was at this point n the judging I discovered I had guessed Bud Light and Natty Light twice.

Sample 14

Before we get to the comments here, I’d like to make a note that this score were seriously inflated since we all guessed what it was due to the color and one judge gave it 5s across the board. This will be known as the Great Controversy from here on out.

Comments:

“Woah! Color!”

“Actually looks like beer.”

“Smells like sweet, wet bread.”

“I taste alcohol. Not a lot, but there seems to be some in this one.”

“Oh! God!” (not good)

“God damn!” (also not good)

“I don’t think I have the words to describe how this offends me differently than the others.”

“Like working on Christmas.”

Score: 72.5 **58.75 adjusted score

Reveal: Yuengling

We take a minute to recognize that we are warriors. And though there are three more beers to try, maybe there’s still a little bit of hope.

Sample 15

Renewed after the pep speech, we soldiered on.

Comments:

“I can read your shirt through this beer.”

“I smell nothing; I taste nothing.”

“I also taste nothing.”

“I taste fizz.”

“I taste carbonation”

“Eh, like water.”

Score: 52

Reveal: Michelob Ultra

Abandon all hope

Sample 16

The only thing that cheered us at this point was that there were only a couple samples left to go.

Comments:

“It’s getting worse the more I drink of it.”

“I can’t give it a low score.”

“I think I’ve been poured Natural Light like 9 times.”

“Indistinct (that’s a compliment).”

Score: 62.5

Reveal: Miller High Life

Taking it seriously till the bitter end

Sample 17

Unfortunately for us, we saved the worst beer by far for last.

Comments:

“There is zero head on this.”

“Appearance = crappy.”

“This is gonna be bad; that’s a bad smell.”

“It feels like a rake in my mouth.”

“It’s definitely a low score.” *shudders*

“Yet another one where I have to override my gag reflex.”

Score: 21

Reveal: Coors Light

Adding the final scores

Scoring

We take a moment to pose with our personal favorites. Understandably, one of the judges was unable to make a clear decision, since there were so many contenders. And honestly, why choose just one?

So what did we learn from this little experience?

First and foremost that Judge Henderson is a dirty, dirty cheater. It was an unethical move to throw the results just because someone is under the impression that Yuengling is not a horrifying beer. With Henderson’s score taken out and the other four averaged, the total came out to 58.75 which places Yuengling squarely in the middle of the pack at 8^th, a much more realistic result.

Second, it was no surprise to this judge that Coors Light came in last. I’ve maintained for years that it’s the absolute worst beer available, and that has nothing to do with the fact that it was the only beer on tap at the pub in college—well, almost nothing.

Third, while we were all surprised that Bud Light came out on top, there were no real winners here.

Finally we learned that we never, ever want to do this again… at least in 2010. See you next year!

**Nicole is a guest contributor and the co-owner of Better Tours of Asheville a local tour company which offers several different tours, including pub crawls.

One of the finest and most exclusive patios in downtown Asheville has always been at 130 College Street. A large, brick-floored area with a sweeping view of nearby Town Mountain, the patio is surrounded by wrought iron fencing, which helps maintain a feeling of exclusivity and security for its patrons. This patio alone has been a staple for summer bar-hoppers for a number of years already, since the Joli Rouge, a pirate-themed private club with alternative looks and an exotic draw, had occupied the location previously. Though the building had remained vacant for the better part of three years since Joli Rouge closed, the property’s new owners have decided to save that great patio for last; after all, the buzz they’re generating has more to do with what’s kept inside.

The new Asheville Arcade at 130 College Street, according to owners Josh Aaron and Leonard Poe, was built on a simple premise: they wanted “a cool place that people would want to go to.” Combining vintage arcade consoles and a bar area outfitted original NES game systems, the Arcade has quickly launched itself as one of the most popular spots in town, despite having only been in business since New Year’s Eve. Promoting their operation with Facebook, Twitter and good old-fashioned word of mouth, a loyal group of followers had already begun to emerge prior to their grand opening. Poe and Aaron, along with bar manager James Browne, were stammered when a line had formed by early evening on December 31; the building remained at-capacity for the rest of the night as the trio brought in the New Year with their new friends.

And things have yet to slow down for the Arcade since then, though Asheville’s recent “Snowpocalypse” has kept many folks indoors the last few days. Creating opportunity for fun and mischief from the inclement weather conditions, an impromptu patio snowball fight broke out recently on the premises, helping keep local spirits high and patrons active.

As the name implies, the Arcade is not only a bar, but also a nostalgic paradise for gamers. The bar’s Nintendo systems are equipped with platform favorites that include the legendary Super Mario Bros, as well as Kirby’s Adventure, Contra, and several others available on request. Arcade staples also line the walls both on the ground level and upstairs, including games like Donkey Kong, Burgertime, Time Crisis, and iconic Tron (no doubt expected to see a renaissance with renewed interest spurred by the release of the new film Tron: Legacy). Asheville’s first (and only) “barcade” provides anyone who grew up gaming in the 80′s and 90′s with a trip down memory lane.

Naturally, the idea of a bar filled with arcade games will appeal to a broad demographic. Aaron and Poe say they expect families during the daytime, and of course, the evening bar-goersa and socialites once the sun goes down. However, delivering to such a wide demographic comes with its difficulties; in order to serve liquor while remaining a public venue, a hot food kitchen had to be included, so patrons could be offered a restaurant menu. “So far, we’ve chosen to focus on American fare,” says Browne, who lists items ranging from hot dogs and corndogs, to “tachos” (tater tot nachos), and a variety of sandwiches. During our visit, Browne invited us to join them for lunch, and sampling the menu ourselves revealed a delicious-looking Pizza Panini sandwich, as well as standards like the Cuban and Club, which we chose to order for ourselves (and yes, they were delicious).

But of greatest interest to Culture of Spirits was the Arcade’s reasonably priced and well-stocked bar. According to Browne, the Arcade’s drink menu will soon feature a variety of custom cocktails inspired by the gaming atmosphere. “The ‘Yoshi’ will be a unique specialty drink,” he told us, all the while prompting us to try and guess what ingredients he planned to use. Browne’s creative character is apparent as he talks about mixology and cocktails, and it is clear that in the coming months he will hope to share some of his creativity in this area with future patrons.

“I think we’ve touched a nerve,” Aaron tells us. It certainly seems so: everything about the location, right down to the décor, is fun but tasteful, adventurous but comfortable. “If you think about it, part of the appeal is the arcade games themselves,” Poe adds. “They’re like artwork, and having them all around is just part of the scenery.”

But the gratitude is what has truly humbled the trio. “There have been so many people who come in and tell us ‘thank you’,” Browne says shortly after admitting to having a Nintendo controller tattooed on his leg. “You just don’t hear that working in bars… it’s ‘have a good day,’ or maybe ‘nice place.’ Here, our patrons thank us for bringing a place like this to Asheville.” That gratitude was evident even while we spoke, as parents were bringing their children in to play games and enjoy family time together. One young girl in a pink winter coat and galoshes—probably not yet seven years old—exhibited incredible skill as she guided Super Mario from pipe-to-pipe across a brickyard covered in diminutive mushroom-like foes and devilish winged-terrapins. At the far end of the bar, two sisters in their early twenties sat together pouring over the menu and the game selection. Upstairs a young couple eyed a curious looking Japanese import called “Guitar Freaks” which, though similar to the now famous Guitar Hero, actually pre-dates the series by several years. And with Browne’s plans to remain open from noon until 3:30 AM Thursday through Saturday, becoming the area’s best new late-night food serving hub will no doubt garner more thanks from locals as well. All the proper elements seem to be coming together, and the future does indeed look promising for this new venture.

“Yeah, we definitely get a lot of thank-you’s,” Browne says with a laugh. With a rich, jovial environment like this, it would have to be hard not to.

Bison Brewing Company, based in Berkeley, California, is an up-and-coming microbrewery known for brewing their entire line of beers organically. Unlike many brewing companies I have seen that produce one or two organic beers, Bison’s small staff believes in supplying the world with a sustainable product that supports small farmers and produces good quality beer at very high standards.

I had learned about Bison Brewing on a whim, purchasing my first Bison product based on its marketing appeal. I was at my local Earthfare grocery store last year, searching for a new and interesting beer to tickle the palate. The time of year was mid-December, and like many drinkers of fine alcoholic beverages, I prefer something dark, thick and malty to assuage the frosty winds of winter. Bison had created an offering called the Chocolate Stout that piqued my interest. There is nothing like a good heavy stout with bold chocolate and coffee characteristics to accompany its smooth velveteen mouthfeel and creamy head of foam. Thus, I made my way to the checkout with high expectations and a feeling of accomplishment, based solely on Bison’s marketing and appeal at the outset. This beautifully crafted and award-winning brew would soon become one of my favorite stouts.

This year around Christmas time, my girlfriend and I were in the exact same place, and with a very similar mission: to discover a beer that was new and creative, and a beer we could enjoy in the dark winter months. I espied a small four pack of beer sitting right next to Bison’s Chocolate Stout in a silver package emblazoned with gingerbread men and cinnamon sticks. Much like many other brewing companies, Bison Brewing’s seasonal brew utilized holiday themes in their marketing scheme, evoking warm Christmas spirits with their Gingerbread Ale. My fair lady is an adventurous drinker, willing to try most beers at least once. But, considering that my choice of beer was between a beer with gingerbread men on the package and another stout emblazoned with a portrait of Rasputin, the choice became clear given the circumstances (and besides, who would turn down a Christmas-y beer during Yuletide?).

I had very high expectations for Bison’s Gingerbread Ale based solely on the fact that I thoroughly enjoy their Chocolate Stout. Unfortunately, this time I was let down. In fact, I was let down so badly that I actually emailed the company to tell them. It’s not that the beer was bad; the beer itself was a high quality brew all around. Again, my issue here was with the marketing. I expected a beer that tasted as marketed, and Bison had billed and advertised this selection as a taste of gingerbread. Yes, there was a subtle aftertaste of holiday spice, but Bison would have better represented the beer by describing it as a winter ale. When I visited Bison’s website to see how they described the beer there, I found a company review stating that “our holiday porter…would surely smooth out that dinner with the in-laws.” So, is it a porter or an ale? The packaging says ale, the color of the beer and the website say porter!

Hopefully, you can see my confusion here. As I said, I emailed the brewery to supply my critique. I was surprised to see that owner/head brewer Daniel Del Grande took the time to email me less than 24 hours later. His explanation made perfect sense, coming from a microbrewer: quality and quantity of supplies, experimental status of beer, stating that next year the beer may be dry-hopped. All of these were valid and pertinent reasons for my disappointment, and in hindsight, though Del Grande may have appreciated my constructive criticism, I also think I may have lost sight of the simple fact that, as a microbrewer, a brand new beer just won’t always be perfect.

In the end, I must say that the Bison Brewing Gingerbread Ale is a great quality beer that is worth drinking. I must warn the experienced beer connoisseur not to be fooled by the label. If you want a strong holiday spiced lager or ale, steer clear of this offering. If you are looking for a subtly spiced porter, this would please the palate thoroughly. Tall glasses to Bison Brewing, and especially to owner/brewer Daniel Del Grande for his attention to this matter of taste and time… let’s see what they’ll brew for us next year.

Cuba Libre. Photo by Martin Belam.

We at Culture of Spirits brought in the New Year in a variety of different ways, with Micah up in a remote mountain village, and myself spending a quiet night alone, lost in thought and a bottle of rum.  Despite my love of Champagne, my drink of choice was the Cuba Libre, which was actually quite appropriate, because I spent a bit of time earlier in the day playing the latest Call of Duty video game, which allowed me to take part in the Bay of Pigs invasion. I started my evening at around 8pm, and finished it at 5am, when sleep finally overtook me.  There are many things to be reflective about for 2010, from the alcohol world to every other facet. My own personal reflections, without getting too personal, are usually worth jotting down, or at the very least remembering them, as they transpire throughout the year. Of course, some things are taken for granted when they happen, and their significance does not become evident until a later time. When that occurs, one can only hope that all the memories are correct, and haven’t gone fuzzy. From growing a new business, to camping under the stars, 2010 was full of adventures, people, places, and things.

My boys didn't like their first taste of absinthe.

I didn’t do much traveling in 2010, unlike 2009 when I went to Puerto Rico, Grand Cayman, Belize, and Florida. This past year I was limited to California and Oklahoma, but what a time both were. I spent nine days outside San Francisco in wine country this past July, attending a wedding as the best man. It goes without saying that the bachelor party was held in San Francisco, where we traveled to many notable bars, such as Absinthe and Danny Coyle’s, but the highlight of the evening was definitely Smuggler’s Cove, the brilliant hideaway of Martin Cate, the renowned rum expert and mixologist. Tucked away in a non-descript building across from a residential complex in downtown San Francisco, it took us an unexpectedly long time to actually locate the address that one of my friends had programmed into his iPhone’s GPS. Just while the bachelor was resigning himself to having to urinate in a bush, we saw a door open across the street and heard the sounds of a bar coming from within. We went in, admired the decor that

But then they loved it.

made us feel like we were in the cargo hold of a sea-faring vessel of antiquity, complete with maps, netting, barrels, and plenty of exotic rums. We ordered ourselves some drinks. We had the Scorpion, a flaming ceremonial style drink that came in a large enough container for the four of us to sip on for about fifteen minutes. After that, we made short order of a variety of Tiki drinks, with the consensus favorite being the Navy Grog. However, since this particular place was recommended to me by mine and Martin’s good friend Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, I was sure to name-drop him to everyone I came across. Unfortunately for me, Tales of the Cocktail was still going on in New Orleans, so I didn’t have the opportunity to meet the good Captain Cate. I did, however, find The Bum in the drink menu.

Mundo Perdido by Beachbum Berry

Given the awesomeness of seeing my buddy’s name in the drink menu of one of the best tiki bars in the country, I obviously had to snap a picture of it. But that was not the only bar in California that I visited and took special note of.

El Capitan and Half Dome. We spent about thirty minutes at this overlook, taking in the beauty.

Towards the middle of the visit to California, I went to Yosemite National Park with my good friends Kevin and Colure Caulfield, where after an exhausting day of staring in awe at El Capitan and Half Dome Mountain, bouldering and wading under waterfalls, we ventured into the tiny little hamlet of Groveland, population: Not very many. If I recall correctly, as my camera batteries were dead so I couldn’t take a photo, the welcome sign proclaimed a population of only a couple hundred people. It was a fantastic place to stop and look around, and we turned it into about a half hour pit stop, looking through shops and finally setting our sights on the Iron Door Saloon, the bar that is claimed to be the oldest in all of California. Of all the little towns and villages we passed by, we happened to pick Groveland, and found the Iron Door. I immediately knew that I would one day write about the experience, so we took our seats at the bar and were immediately carded by the second action of the bartender (the first being to say hello to us). There was a baseball fan

Outside the Iron Door. Photo by Colure Caulfield.

to my left, watching a San Francisco Giants game on the television behind the bar. The beer selection was nothing more than average, which I suppose was to be expected in a small, relatively isolated town. They had Sierra Nevada Pale Ale on draft, so Kevin and I ordered that and were consequently stunned when the tab for the two beers came out to $13. Prior to that day, the most I had ever paid for a draft beer was $5, which was a couple days prior at Danny Coyle’s, when I ordered an Anchor Steam. Nevertheless, the bar was enjoyable. There were some animal heads on the wall, as well as dollar bills and old posters for a variety of things. It had a lively spirit, and seemed like a good place to spend some more time if we weren’t pressing to get back to home base before midnight. I traveled to Tulsa, Oklahoma in October to attend the funeral of a cousin, and experienced the two longest car rides of my life: There and back. What was supposed to take 13 hours took us nearly 16 after all the stops and one failed attempt at taking a nap outside of Little Rock, Arkansas. Fortunately, my sister was up to the task, and didn’t request any help, because I’m pretty sure I would have turned down the request in order to keep the other passengers dry and snug instead of floundering in the Arkansas River. After getting approximately one hour of sleep during the night, we arrived in Tulsa in the morning long enough to get dressed for the funeral. Afterwards, I spent some time connecting with family, and was invited to go out that night for a drink with one of my other cousins. We went to a little Irish bar featuring an entire menu section devoted to different Guinness concoctions. It was the next evening, however, when we decided to go out to a couple bars of note. One in downtown Tulsa, featuring a number of locally brewed beers from Marshall Brewing Company. The ones I tried were quite nice, but the prize of the evening was yet to come. After bidding adieu to half of my cousins, the rest of us went to another bar: Baker Street Pub & Grill. While fairly bland from the outside, set in a modern shopping center, the interior was decked out to the hilt in Holmesian decor, with trinkets and flags and pennants and books galore taking up shelf space. Plenty of dark wood and low lighting to set the mood, and the only uneasy part of the spectacle being unable to find the correct book shelf to unlock the hidden door to the restroom for a couple of minutes (something that I have heard has caused much consternation in the past). I have since learned that Baker Street is a franchise in 13 mid-western cities, but that in no way, shape, or form diminishes the appeal of the establishment. The beer was good, the food was good, and abruptly, the trip was over. We came back to North Carolina the next day, and much sleep was had. So for my travels, I will have to rate California being the best overall, with a special thanks to The Bum for recommending that I visit Smuggler’s Cove. Speaking of The Bum, another Hallmark Moment of the year was a little tiki test party at The Bum’s enclave, where he featured a preview of his new Tiki cocktail before debuting it in Washington D.C. at the Repeal Day Ball. It was a smooth beverage and exciting experience to partake in, and with an encore in the future, it surely will be a memory to reflect upon next year, as well. Another reflection of the alcohol world was a Bourbon taste test that Micah Hanks and I participated in,

Left to right: George T. Stagg Bourbon; Thomas Hardy Rye Whiskey; Eagle Rare Bourbon; William LaRue Weller Bourbon; Sazerac Rye Whiskey

at The Ugly Dog Pub in Highlands, North Carolina. While not exactly where one would expect to go to find a Bourbon tasting, perhaps that was what made it as fantastic as it was. Ugly Dog is a wonderful bar and restaurant that could, in the very near future, establish itself as a premiere craft bar, given the desires of the owners and already existing quality of the bar. We sat down with five shot glasses with top shelf whiskey and bourbon, and sipped away. The amazingly high content George T. Stagg Bourbon (143 proof) left the impression of drinking moonshine, and I could feel my taste buds quivering in fright of another encounter. I will likely subject them to the harsh, uncut bourbon again some day, under proper circumstances. The Thomas Hardy Rye was a quality high proof (126) whiskey that didn’t burn as much as expected, but lost out to William Larue Weller in the battle of the big dogs. The two lower proof (90) selections were Eagle Rare Bourbon and Sazerac Rye Whiskey, with Eagle Rare taking the top spot in that category, and overall. A very smooth bourbon that makes a great sipping beverage, I definitely plan on trying this one again on the rocks. Other events of course transpired throughout the year, but perhaps none in the local alcohol world as important as finding that my beloved Don Q rum is now available in my hometown of Asheville, North Carolina. After being unavailable for years with no return in sight (according to local ABC store operators), I had given up hope on having Don Q in the house except for when I go to Puerto Rico to buy some. Of course, I could travel elsewhere, but really, if you’re going to travel to buy rum, why not just go to the rum capital of the world? I discovered this improbable inventory back in June, and immediately bought a bottle and enjoyed Cuba Libres for the rest of the weekend. I have since kept a pretty steady supply in my liquor cabinet , and I opened a new bottle just in time for New Years Eve. While I ended up missing the clock striking midnight, as I was lost in my collective thoughts until about 12:30am, I certainly did not miss out on my Cuba Libre. On the technological front, I have finally upgraded to an Android OS phone, the Samsung Fascinate. A pretty piece of machinery that taps into the unequivocally awesome Android Market, which has of course led me to begin development on a number of applications for a variety of uses. On the business front, my company grew from an idea to success during our first year, and we are expecting big things for 2011. And of course, one of the most pivotal parts of any New Year’s Eve for me, is thinking ahead to the next one, and what I hope to accomplish between now and then. Rather than setting New Years resolutions, I set out a list of things I want to do and check them off as I go. So without further ado, I present several of these things:

• Publish my first book.
• Travel.
• Discover more good beer.
• Get a Macbook.
• Read more and write more.
• Appreciate a fine cigar.
• Improve fitness.
• Build a hydroponic vegetable garden with solar powered water pumps.
• Learn more about wine.
• Brew my first batch of beer.

And last but not least… enjoy every moment, because with each passing year, that is one you won’t get back. Time is the most precious commodity, and should never be squandered. I am reminded by Jimmy Valvano’s ESPY speech shortly before he passed away in 1993, when he said that there are three things you should do every day: “Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. And number three is you should have your emotions moved to tears. It could be happiness, it could be joy, but think about it: If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that’s a full day. That’s a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you’re gonna have something special.” Onward!

Winter is an interesting time of year, encompassing heart-warming holidays and the dark and strange days of February. Here in my home of the mountains of Western North Carolina, the past few years have seen an influx of snowstorms. As a “young’un”, I don’t remember that much snow, other than a blizzard in 1993 that dumped around six feet on my sleepy community. Though many hate winter, others just love it. Personally, for me the season evokes feelings that I cherish with a warm heart and busy mind, as some of my favorite activities burst forth from the hibernation of summer. If you can’t tell already, I happen to be one who loves winter.

Winter means wood-fueled fires, early mornings in the woods watching the sun come up and catching up on reading. But with winter also comes a change in my tastes so far as food and drink are concerned. When I am asked if I would like a salad on the side, I might choose soup instead. The same goes for my beer. No more Pabst Blue Ribbon, no more light refreshing beers. I want something dark, warm and filling. Therefore, my beers of choice to knock off the chill are porters and stouts. This is not surprising; in fact, it’s a pretty typical habit for many beer enthusiasts.

Traditionally, beers are directly marketed for a particular season or time of year. I have found that “winter beers” are usually among my least favorite varieties of a fine beverage. Thus, the thought of a winter lager sounded a lot like that side salad. “I’m sure it’s nice,” I thought, but I figured I’d rather pass… until a particular winter lager produced by Sam Adams may have changed my mind.

Sam Adams Brewery has very rarely disappointed me (only twice to my knowledge). Though I’ve tried their Winter Lager before on multiple occasions, I have never really been impressed with what I tasted. Indeed, it is a fairly good all-round beer that the folks at the Sam Adams brewery should be proud of, but I still remember it being nothing to write home about (think of it as one of those beers that if you were offered one at a party, you’d take it graciously, but sip on it until it was room temperature). I did notice, however, that they changed the design on the cardboard container this year… I was therefore suckered into purchasing a six-pack yet again, this time based almost solely on those lovely images of a warm hearth and happy holidays had by all.

The Sam Adams website describes their winter lager as having “a magical aroma that promises something special on the tongue” with an infusion of ginger, cinnamon and hints of citrus. This is not a surprising bit of marketing during the holiday season, since many beers marketed around this time will use the same spices, and all of these spices are staples in holiday baking. But my usual problem with winter spice infused beers is that I have never found an example with the right balance for my taste buds. Some winter beers are too spiced, while others are not enough, and though Sam Adams Winter Lager is still not what I would consider to be my ideal winter beer, it is balanced.

In fact, after taking a second chance on my recent impulse-purchase, I found that this year’s batch was actually better than last year (that or my tastes have improved through maturation). The balance of spices is superb; ginger is one of my favorite flavors, and mixing the spicy heat of ginger and cinnamon with the zest and sweet flavor of citrus, this ruby-hued lager is crisp with a molasses-like aftertaste. The website also describes the beer as malty and warming, another concurrence I can make. Although not particularly high in alcohol content, the spice of the beer does coat the throat with a pleasant feeling; almost like an evening by the fire with family.

As sappy as this all sounds, Sam Adams Winter Lager did evoke images of warm fireplaces and cookies for me, and virtually anything else reminiscent of the holiday season. Many beer enthusiasts may scoff at the fact that I am taking the time to review a Sam Adams brew and not something from on of the multitude of obscure microbreweries out there. But in sticking with my tradition of great taste on a budget, Sam Adams Winter Lager is an interesting and festive choice for those who want to spend a little extra around the holidays for their holiday guests, or just a new flavor to sip after a day of shoveling snow or chopping firewood. This is certainly a beer that I’m glad I decided to give another shot. Happy Holidays!

The bludgeoning She-Beast herself, Carrie A. Nation. Poster child of the Temperance Movement and Anti-Saloon League.

The biggest argument against public drinking is that it leads to mayhem, violence, and eventually death. It is upon this idea that almost every state in America has laws against open containers of alcohol in public. There are eight states that do not have open container laws, but within those states, there are only a few select communities that have not passed local ordinances that prohibit public drinking. The historic district of Savannah, Georgia is one of them, as well as Butte, Montana; the Las Vegas Strip; Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee; The Power and Light District in Kansas City, Missouri, and New Orleans.

In a sort of mind numbing paradox, there are several states (Mississippi, Virginia, West Virginia, Arkansas, Kentucky, Connecticut, Delaware) that allow open containers of alcohol to be in a moving motor vehicle, but do not allow open containers in public. Furthering the incredulous nature of this paradox, Mississippi even allows drivers to drink while operating their vehicle, as long as they remain below the legal limit of .08 BAC. Despite allowing people to drink while driving, it is illegal to drink on a sidewalk in Mississippi, and despite allowing open containers of alcohol in a moving vehicle, the other states also prohibit it.

The laws don’t make much sense, but then again, they oftentimes don’t. Take these gems for example: Up until 2004, it was illegal in North Carolina to practice palmistry or fortune telling unless in a school or church; It is illegal in Virginia to engage in pre-marital sex, under a law titled “Fornication”; in Tennessee carrying skunks into the state is outlawed, and in New Jersey it is illegal to wear a bulletproof vest while committing murder.

So, we have ample reason to believe that certain laws pertaining to open containers are not the only silly ones around, and thus, like other existing silly laws, perhaps they need to be repealed, or at very least modified so that they make more sense. In fact, perhaps it is also time a thorough, nationwide study be undertaken to see what the realistic impact of public drinking is, rather than using outdated and impractical arguments regarding safety and morality.

In some instances, the notion that public safety is being kept in mind with the prevention of open container laws is little more than a sad contradiction. For instance, groups who might lobby against open containers would be quick to point out that Mississippi, which allows people to drink while driving as previously mentioned, has a noticably higher percentage of fatal accidents than other states with comparable populations. However, it must be remembered that Mississippi only allows public drinking if it is within a vehicle, not outside in urban areas. One of these seems to be a more realistic danger than the other; shouldn’t it be treated as such?

When it comes to making more practical decisions about alcohol laws, comparing statistics between local jurisdictions may be what it must come down to. After all, with listings available for cities and districts that allow people of legal age to consume alcohol in public places, perhaps we can develop a suitable argument for or against open containers. Let’s have a look.

In Clark County, Nevada, the home of the “vice paradise” of Las Vegas, alcohol is served in some places 24 hours a day, and consumption is legal in most public, outdoor places. This led to a staggering 11,913 DUI arrests in 1999; only a whopping 0.02% per capita more than Buncombe County, North Carolina, which only serves until 2am, and allows no open containers in public. In other words, Las Vegas suffers only a negligible percentage of more DUI arrests than Asheville, North Carolina.

New Orleans parish had about 1,200 DUI arrests in 2009, which amounts to 0.097% of the population. By comparison, Buncombe County, NC had 1,923 DUI arrests, or 0.84% of the population. This is anomalous, because it begins to show that public drinking doesn’t seem to necessarily equate to drunk driving, which is the primary safety concern for intoxication. Could this simply mean that Buncombe County has abnormally high rates of drunk driving? This notion too is countered by looking at other counties around the country, and comparing them to the locations that allow public drinking. For instance, Lee County, Alabama had 152 DUI arrests in 2008, which equates to 0.11% of their population–a far cry from Buncombe County, but still higher than New Orleans.

Huntington Beach, California had a 0.83% DUI arrest rate among the population in 2009, ranking them alongside Buncombe County and near Las Vegas. Numbers range high and low around the country, but don’t clearly show a correlation between DUI arrests and a lack of open container laws. The question then, is whether or not open container laws should remain on the books, and what should be done to not just crack down on drunk driving, but to prevent drunk driving.

From an economic standpoint, there must be a great incentive for businesses to promote the dissolution of open container laws in certain cities, as they can serve a greater amount of customers without having to turn any away from the door. Furthermore, the tourism appeal would likely provide increased revenue for the entire food and drink industry in the city. Outdoor entertainment would likely increase with the lifted restrictions on public drinking, and the draw of more people to the area would result in greater revenue to bars, restaurants, hotels, and from that, greater tax revenue from the increased volume of paying visitors to the area.

To curb drunk driving, education must be the issue that is focused upon the most, as opposed to prohibitive laws that politicians use to legislate morality. While there may be a slight or temporary positive net affect in enforcing a particular train of thought or course of actions, a greater deterrent to drunk driving and alcohol irresponsibility can likely be found in greater education. Rather than teaching the evils of alcohol, it would make more sense to teach the social and economic impact of alcohol at an earlier age, so that alcohol does not become a secret, forbidden fruit, but instead a normal piece of society that special attention and care should be paid to. With responsibility taught from an earlier age, it would seem that within a single generation, alcohol related incidents such as DUIs should fall across the board.

However, with such opposition to every aspect of alcohol, and especially to issues regarding minors, it seems unlikely for the time being that such a path will be taken. Instead, police departments will continue to launch holiday crackdowns on DUIs in a fruitless attempt to cure a symptom rather than a problem, and politicians will continue to oppose public drinking in the name of keeping our society safe. Until these minds are opened and alternative belief systems are brought into play, we may never come out from behind the puritanical curtain that has enshrouded America since the Temperance movement began gaining momentum with each violent ax blow of Carrie A. Nation.

Last year, fellow Culture of Spirits writer Micah A. Hanks wrote an article about Japanese brewing company Sapporo’s efforts to produce beer from space-grown ingredients. The rising popularity of the notion of future space tourism will indicate, for some, the next gold mine in fields that are wishing to prosper… beer should be included among these, also. After all, who would want to take a trip to space without the ability to enjoy a cold one along the way?

Space.com reported Monday that the Australian non-profit space organization Astronauts4Hire will perform a series of tests on a beer developed and brewed by Sydney’s 4 Pines Brewing and Saber Astronautics Australia. The goal of the research is to test the sustainability and drinkability of the beer in space, and the tests being done by Astronauts4Hire will include taste tests as well as the physiological affects that come from drinking it in a zero-gravity environment.

On an interesting note, the International Space Station has a strict no-alcohol policy, so until that policy is changed, none of the hardest working men and women in space will be allowed to cap off their work day with a frosty container of Earth’s finest. However, when the great vacuum above finally becomes accessible to the public, one can indeed expect that there will be a great demand for the creature comforts that everyone is used to back home. Whether it be my own preference of a brick-oven pizza with a pitcher of a micro-brewed pale ale, or another’s preference for caviar with a bottle of Dom Perignon (a more likely scenario, if we are to base judgment on the estimated ticket prices for civilian space travel), there will be a need for a little something more than the dehydrated pasta and granola bars that our astronauts have grown accustomed to.

Imagine this, though: Through the use of pressure, a pitcher of beer is successfully filled by a tap… but then the beer floats out of the pitcher and off down the corridor before a lid can be placed on it. This may begin an all-new great Space Race of our time, to be the first to provide an environment where passengers and crews alike breast-stroke their way through the shuttle, playing a very quirky zero-gravity game of guzzle the beer (which might almost resemble bobbing for apples here on Earth). Or, perhaps more likely, passengers will hold out their glasses to collect a filling of the beer as it floats by, and then quickly cap their containers before it floats away. Either way, it would be a very entertaining method of service, and definitely one that I would want to participate in.

Image by Katie Lips via Flickr.

In Virginia, Governor Bob McDonnell’s proposition to raise funds for road improvement by privatizing liquor sales has been met with sharp criticism from state lawmakers. In the wake of the controversial measure, some legislators have argued that privatizing the sale of alcoholic beverages will, in the long run, only cost Virginia hundreds of thousands of dollars in annual revenue. Though privatization may afford independent liquor store owners new flexibility in the products they choose to acquire and sell, new regulations paired with the privatization effort may do little to boost the alcohol economy, as well.

McDonnell and his staff, on the other hand, claim that 94 percent of all the revenue being brought in at present will remain. In order to achieve this, an excise tax of $17.50 per gallon has been proposed, which will be levied on the wholesale of distilled spirits to raise what administration officials say will amount to $175.7 million annually. Another alternative will involve a “convenience fee” which retailers can opt to pay, which will constitute 2.5 percent of on-premise sales instead. If retailers opt for the 2.5 percent increase, officials say the resulting annual revenue gains could amount to $19.4 million per year.

The notion of imposing excise taxes, especially in exorbitant amounts, on liquor and beer presents an unusual circumstance which, as history shows us, is seldom preferential to maintaining a healthy wine and spirits industry. Earlier this year, Chris McCollum discussed on this blog a tremendous hike in excise taxes proposed in California, under which taxes on six-packs of beer would rise from 11 cents to $6.08 USD, a 5,527% increase. “With that in place, say hello to $12 six-packs of Yuengling, and a lovely $15 for a six-pack of a good micro-brew,” McCollum wrote of the proposition. Further commenting on small winery operations, McCollum shared the fears of one grape grower in Soledad, California, who had warned that “the most in-demand product on the wine market are mid-range bottles of $7 to $8,” with lingering fears that “raising the price on those hot ticket items by an additional $5.11 will reduce the overall demand and put a tremendous strain on local wineries, eventually leading to job losses.”

Writing for the website Politomatic, I similarly argued against untenable increases in the form of excise taxes on liquor sales:

In spite of the sorts of increased revenue the California State Attorney General’s summary projects under the proposed act, experts warn that this is flawed logic, and in spite of its apparent endurance during trying economic times, alcohol is no more recession-proof than any other product that isn’t a true necessity. Peter Cressy, president of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, argues that “recession resilient” is a better term for alcohol’s economic elasticity, which he said in 2009 “is a point (alcohol) industry officials make when cautioning lawmakers about raising taxes.” A word of warning, perhaps, to states like California, as well as Oklahoma, Virginia and Massachusetts; all of which have suggested raising alcohol taxes to achieve budget recoups since last year.

Is Virginia already headed down the road toward levying excessive taxes which, in the long run, may actually harm Virginia’s alcohol industry, while doing little to boost revenue as intended? The economic forecast seems dire; even in spite of the fact that McDonnell’s plan would remove existing excise taxes, the new restrictions placed on wine and spirits vendors could be oppressive. However, is this a reasonable cost to have to pay, with interest in attaining a privatized market for sale of spirits? Arguably, there is good that comes with the bad, considering the wider variety of craft products that may be provided, in addition to a greater degree of control altogether for those who oversee their own liquor operations. Only time will tell, perhaps, what the long term effects would be given such circumstances; hopefully over-taxation would not usurp the potential merits of privatized liquor sales in Virginia.

Image courtesy of Chesapeake Bay Program via Flickr.

Back towards the end of March, the 10th annual San Francisco World Spirits Competition took place in (of course) San Francisco, California. 30 experts from around the United States judged 1024 spirits from 57 different countries, before casting their votes to find the best in the world. The winner of the Gin category was no real surprise, with Beefeater pulling the Best Gin award, and the winners of Rum and Tequila coming from the right parts of the world, as well as Bourbon and Scotch. However, the biggest surprise of the event was Chase Vodka, out of Herefordshire, England, winning Best Vodka over their more traditional Russian, Swedish, Ukrainian, and Polish counter-parts. The small operation near the border of Wales in western England is owned by William Chase, who had the desire to create a potato vodka using the pre-dominantly agricultural and potato-based industries in Hereforedshire as the backbone of his operation. Growing his own potato crops allows him to cut down on production costs, as about 35 pounds of the spuds go into each 700ml bottle, which sells for £32.95 (about $48 USD).

The bulk of production lately has been pint bottles, with about a thousand of them a week being produced and a good portion of them going to rising markets in the United States. The gourmet brand has an overall production capacity of about 3,000 bottles per week, and according to Chase, will not be expanding their operations and risk lowering the quality of their product.

Right now, the product can mostly be found on the internet.

In other categories, the Best Rum award went to Vizcaya VXOP Solera Rum from the Dominican Republic, which is a dark/gold.

• Best unaged Tequila award went to Trago Silver Tequila.
• Bourbon went to Elijah Craig Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon.
• Best Canadian Whisky went to Seagrams VO Canadian Whisky.
• Best Irish Whiskey went to Bushmills 1608 Irish Whiskey Limited Edition.
• Best Blended Scotch went to The Grand Bark Equinoxe Blended Scotch.
• Best Single Malt Scotch went to Ardbeg Single Malt Scotch.
• Best Cognac went to Comandon Cognac XO.

The best in show for liqueurs went to Grand Marnier’s 100th Anniversary Liqueur, which sells for $135 a bottle.

If you take a sip of any of these spirits, drop us a line and let us know what you think!

Image by Wonderferret via Flickr.