Published by Matt January 26th, 2007
in beer and reviews.
A beer named “Midas Touch Golden Elixir” makes it hard for a brew lover to resist. This isn’t a limited edition beer, but after trying it a few years ago, I haven’t been able to find it again until recently. I remembered it to be a very unique and distinctive beer that I really enjoyed. So when I saw a four pack at “Total Wine and More” for $11.99 (ouch), I didn’t want to pass it up, regardless of the hefty price tag.
The story behind the recipe can be found at the Dogfish Head site. They claim to have taken the ingredients found in the drinking vessels of King Midas’ tomb, developing a beverage that combines elements from beer, wine, and mead to make an unique drink that they purport to be “the oldest known fermented beverage in the world”.
Some more information from the Dogfish site:
“Most remarkably, the tomb held the largest Iron Age drinking set ever found–157 vessels, including a ram-headed and lion-headed situla–for preparing, serving, drinking and libating a special beverage at the funerary feast of the king. The secrets of the beverage were revealed by the new methods of Molecular Archaeology. Dr. Patrick McGovern of the Museum discovered that the residues inside the vessels belonged to a “Phrygian cocktail,” which combined grape wine, barley beer and honey mead. Starting with the ancient chemical evidence, Dogfish Head Brewery “re-created” a marvelous golden elixir, truly touched by King Midas.”
The beer poured a beautiful golden amber, with a head so small it really doesn’t even count. The aroma was sweet and full of grapes, raisins, and honey. Upon tasting it again I remembered why I pick it up every time I see it. It is totally unlike any other beer I’ve ever had. In fact, you could easily argue that it’s not really a true beer at all. Some characteristics are present, but, all in all, the beverage really is the quasi-beer barley wine mead drink (for lack of a better description) that Dogfish Head described above. The flavor falls in line with the aroma with the fruity grape quality coming on strong in the beginning. Then it switched to honey and spice (which I assumed was the saffron mentioned on the label). It finished very malty with a tartness at the very end. Overall very sweet, but you can definitely taste all the ingredients. Plus, the richness of the flavors mask the strong alcohol level (9% for those who are counting). Although it won’t be for everyone, Midas Touch has such a unique story and flavor that I highly recommend trying it at least once.
Published by Matt January 15th, 2007
in recipes and liqueur.
Ok, we are running behind for “Mixology Monday.” But it’s all good. This recipe is a winner. Considering that the temperature has been in the mid to high 70’s and the air conditioner went belly up at work, it was a little bit of a challenge to mentally shift my brain up North into the cold weather. But we worked through all that to bring you the “Monk’s Coffee”. This warmer features no less than four (count ‘em) liqueurs that you can combine with your coffee bean of choice. We happened to have Starbuck’s Breakfast Blend on hand.
The Monk’s Coffee is:
1/4 oz. Amaretto
1/4 oz. creme de cacao
1/4 oz. Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur)
1/4 oz. Cointreau (orange liqueur)
Add the liqueurs to a cup of coffee, stir, and top with whipped cream. My wife added the orange zest on top for a very nice touch. Enjoy!
Published by Matt January 14th, 2007
in recipes, cocktails and liqueur.
We all want to find a safe, happy place…don’t we? Well now you can find it via the liquor cabinet with this pleasant little cocktail.
This cocktail based on the “Happy World” recipe from the “Complete Home Bartender’s Guide,” which I received for Christmas. The original recipe includes banana liqueur. While I don’t have anything against bananas (they are one of my favorite fruits) they tend to overpower any competing flavors in a recipe - whether we’re talking about a bread, a smoothie, or a cocktail. Plus, I haven’t figured out how to juice one to get a nice, fresh banana flavor instead of using a liqueur with a flavor manufactured chemically in a lab. That was my justification for swapping the banana liqueur for blue curacao (citrus liqueur). This had a twofold effect: first, it changed the drink color from bright yellow to light green and, second, it gave the drink a more balanced taste. No more getting slapped in the face with a bunch of bananas.
I was quite pleased how well it turned out. That’s the fun part of experimenting with cocktail recipes. It becomes a discovery process that can be rewarding, or disastrous, but that’s how new drinks get made. Obviously, in this case, it was a very simple swap between liqueurs. But getting the experience of tasting how the endless combinations work together is the first step in the creation of your own private stock of recipes.
The Happy Place cocktail is:
1 oz. of brandy
1/2 oz. of Cointreau
1 oz. of fresh orange juice
1/2 oz. of Blue Curacao
Combine all the ingredients in a shaker with ice and stain into an old fashioned glass.
Recommended listening for your Happy Place…Witty, upbeat rock from Belle and Sebastian:
Belle and Sebastian’s latest album was one of best releases in 2006. On this perfectly produced disc they draw from the 1970’s glam-rock of T. Rex and David Bowie while still keeping their classic pop rock sensibilities intact.
Published by Matt January 7th, 2007
in beer and reviews.
We’ve got a great local bar in Ybor City, Tampa, “Barley Hoppers”, that we don’t visit enough. On our first visit, a few years ago, I was impressed with their large selection of quality draft beers; they have around 50 beers on tap at any given time. Plus, they serve one of my favorite brews, Chimay. But once we started exploring the uncharted waters of the bars taps, my wife and I have discovered quite a few very good beers that we may not have experienced otherwise.
St. Amand’s French Country Ale is one those great finds. The beer is a nice bargain at $6.99 for a 750-ml bottle. It pours a nice dark amber with a full head. The aroma is earthy yet sweet-smelling, very malty with a touch of fruit and it has a nice full body. The combination of strong malt and yeast flavors gives a taste not unlike cookie dough and the fruit kicks in mid-sip with peach and cherries being the most distinguishable. The finish has a slight touch of hops. This is not a bitter brew, but a rich and distinctive drink that is very enjoyable. The alcohol level is 5.9% so you may want to share the big bottle with a friend…or not. Either way, you’re getting a Belgian-style beer (it’s actually brewed in France near the Belgium border) at a great price.
Published by Matt January 2nd, 2007
in recipes, beer and food.
Around New Year last year my friend Ryan sent an email to a bunch of our friends that included a recipe for Welsh Rarebit. My wife and I made it on New Year’s day last year and we enjoyed it so much we made it again on New Year’s day 2007 . We plan to make it a tradition! Like many things, the origins of the Welsh Rarebit seem to be hazy and perhaps even a little shady. Apparently, in the 17th and 18th centuries, “Welsh” was used in England as an adjective that meant “inferior.” It was a slur of sorts. “Rarebit” was originally rabbit. So the name implied that the Welsh were not up to the challenge of snaring a rabbit, or couldn’t afford to buy it, and would have to substitute this dish of cheese and toast instead. Whatever it all meant, I’m not sure it matters now. If you love cheese and beer, this dish is right up your alley.
My wife decided to research Welsh Rarebit recipes on the web to see what kind of variations are out there. In the end, being a huge Alton Brown fan, she settled on his recipe that’s posted at foodtv.com. The result was delicious. Guinness beer, mustard, cheese, and Worcestershire combine to make a very rich and savory dish that’s quick and easy to make.
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
2 T unsalted butter
2 T all-purpose flour
1 t Dijon mustard
1 t Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t kosher salt
1/2 t black pepper
1/2 cup porter beer
3/4 cup heavy cream
6 ounces (approximately 1 1/2 cups) shredded Cheddar
2 drops hot sauce
4 slices toasted rye bread
In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Cook, whisking constantly for 2 to 3 minutes, being careful not to brown the flour. Whisk in mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper until smooth. Add beer and whisk to combine. Pour in cream and whisk until well combined and smooth. Gradually add cheese, stirring constantly, until cheese melts and sauce is smooth; this will take 4 to 5 minutes. Add hot sauce. Pour over toast and serve immediately.
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