Hats and Drinks - A Match Made in Heaven

[Short Balding Guy]

Tonight is another opportunity for a Belgian Surley Brett IPA.

Best wishes, Eric -

 

[Snowman]

Ha… somehow I knew I might be asked about that.. should have made better note I believe it was a regular old fashioned using a Japanese whiskey

actually…. From PF Chang website….

JAPANESE OLD FASHIONED
Mars Iwai 45 Japanese Whisky, bitters, pure cane sugar, smoky aromatics

was quite tasty indeed

Makes sense! Sounds like a delicious variation.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

 

[The Shoe]

Cracked open the Kilchoman Machir Bay just now. First impressions…Etsuko found the alcohol smell overpowering straight out of the bottle. Mine sat in the glass for a bit before I sampled. I found it quite smoky on the nose and not overpowering at all. I got burnt toast on the palate, which I like. There’s also some sweetness, but not the caramel or vanilla that you often get in a nice whisky. Overall, a very pleasant drop. Time will tell if it will be one we buy again. I like it more than Etsuko does.
Today’s hat is a Lagomarsino nutria.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Cracked open the Kilchoman Machir Bay…

In case you don’t have it on your calendar from last yr, Feb 8 is International Scotch Whisky Day.

 

[The Shoe]

I neglected to show the beautiful Māori patterned coasters we picked up in Aotearoa. These are now our offical whisky coasters.

 

[The Shoe]

In case you don’t have it on your calendar from last yr, Feb 8 is International Scotch Whisky Day.

Duly noted.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

@The Shoe

Especially in the summer when I’m out & about I like to get a cold brewed ice coffee & add a couple oz of Irish Cream Ale. You can buy Irish Cream Ale in the size of a coffee creamer but it’s expensive to buy it that way. Today I found a 4oz stainless steel Barbour flask NOS in the box with leather case. After receiving an offer from the seller I jumped on it. Now I’m looking for something similar in 7-8oz.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Another new German brew from KC Bier Co, a Weizenbock Dunkel @ 7.5% ABV. And some take-home pizza for tomorrows AFC Divisional game with the Chiefs hosting the Jaguars. Enjoying tonight’s HH under a VS Playboy clone in Bluesmoke.

 

[The Shoe]

More pictures from the trip...
Beer for Etsuko, coffee for the driver.

The next day. The car remained at our hotel for the day, so I was able to indulge in a Good George IPA. Etsuko had a Good George Pale Ale.

Followed later by a nice Shiraz back at the hotel.

.

 

[The Shoe]

On Christmas Eve, we broke out the Glen Moray. Not many whisky drinkers in my family, so they tasted out of curiosity for our distant family links to the distillery. Only Etsuko and I, and my brother's mother-in law had more than a tiny sip.

 

[Short Balding Guy]

I finished the last of the 6 pack of Belgian Surley Brett IPA last evening.

Best, Eric -

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Cracked open the Kilchoman Machir Bay just now. First impressions…Etsuko found the alcohol smell overpowering straight out of the bottle. Mine sat in the glass for a bit before I sampled. I found it quite smoky on the nose and not overpowering at all. I got burnt toast on the palate, which I like. There’s also some sweetness, but not the caramel or vanilla that you often get in a nice whisky. Overall, a very pleasant drop. Time will tell if it will be one we buy again. I like it more than Etsuko does.
Today’s hat is a Lagomarsino nutria.
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Congrats on the Kilchoman. Sounds tasty. I hope that it grows on Etsuko. Perhaps a bit of water might cut the alcohol greeting.

I got the opportunity to taste a couple Kilchomans at the liquour store and chose the Sanig. It sang to me that day. I like it. It has an enjoyable peaty, sherry cask taste.

Cheers.

Another new German brew from KC Bier Co, a Weizenbock Dunkel @ 7.5% ABV. And some take-home pizza for tomorrows AFC Divisional game with the Chiefs hosting the Jaguars. Enjoying tonight’s HH under a VS Playboy clone in Bluesmoke.

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Dunkle, pizza and blue mist Playboy - man you are hitting all the "likes."

More pictures from the trip...
Beer for Etsuko, coffee for the driver.
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The next day. The car remained at our hotel for the day, so I was able to indulge in a Good George IPA. Etsuko had a Good George Pale Ale.
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Followed later by a nice Shiraz back at the hotel. View attachment 483115 .

On Christmas Eve, we broke out the Glen Moray. Not many whisky drinkers in my family, so they tasted out of curiosity for our distant family links to the distillery. Only Etsuko and I, and my brother's mother-in law had more than a tiny sip.
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Thanks for sharing your adventures. Appears fun.

Best to all, Eric -

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Tacos & Tequila Tuesday are one of my favorite days early in the week. Wearing my BSHW heather short nap.

If you can stand the queue you should get in as soon as Bob opens his order book back up!

PS: on the radio today I heard that old song, “Time On My Hands” by Styx. Now I got this ear worm:

I got plenty of friends
The fun never ends
As long as I’m buying

 

[The Shoe]

This is not supposed to happen in Wakayama! We get snow, but it rarely settles, and almost never like this.

School’s closed & transport systems are down. I worked from home in the morning and have the rest of the day off.
What was I to do, but take advantage of the natural fridge and enjoy a couple of snow-cold beers!

The hat is my Christys’ Trilby.

 

[The Shoe]

The next lot from Aotearoa.

I ordered beer in a jug. When I left NZ, a jug cost four or five dollars. It's now over $20.

This sawmill chocolate stout was very nice without being anything really special.

That's about it for my drink pics in Aotearoa.

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Good evening folks. Home and went outside for a walkabout sipping a Founders Porter. Excellent beer choice after a long day and a brisk cool evening. Feeling chilled when coming in I poured myself a dram of Kilchoman Sanig.

Gary, The Shoe, was my inspiration for opening the whiskey bottle. I wondered if my taste memories had changed. This Islay whiskey is a single cask whiskey finished in bourbon and sherry casks. Tonight I am not struck by the alcohol, but a punchy peat and fruit smell and taste. The taste lingers in the mouth. Not sweet from the sherry barrels, but fruity. I rolled the 46%abv whiskey in the glass for a long while and the taste was a bit "more." I like the whiskey. Very reachable and presentable tonight. Not a lot of hidden taste corners.

Peat is a spectrum for me. I have the taste memories of the strong Laphroig Quarter Cask and the light GlenAllachie - Single Cask. My recent bottle of Balvenie falls just a bit higher than Glen Allachie on the peat spectrum. This Kilchoman offering falls within the first third of peat., IMO.

I bet it would hold its own with a beef meal. Tonight with a tuna salad with pickled cucumbers and beets it is tasty. No overpowering of my meal.

Cheers, Eric -

 

[Short Balding Guy]

This is not supposed to happen in Wakayama! We get snow, but it rarely settles, and almost never like this.
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School’s closed & transport systems are down. I worked from home in the morning and have the rest of the day off.
What was I to do, but take advantage of the natural fridge and enjoy a couple of snow-cold beers!
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The hat is my Christys’ Trilby.

Congrats on a snow day! It would have to be a real monster snow fall to have us call a "snow day" in my neighborhood. Doesn't the neighborhood look grand with a covering of new white snow? Glorious. It provides the opportunity for snow adventures. Enjoy the unique occurrence sir.

Cheers, Eric -

 

[Hurricane Jack]

@The Shoe

Gary, what say you about this premium beer? I’ve been tempted to go ahead & try a 6-er instead of a single.

 

[The Shoe]

@The Shoe

Gary, what say you about this premium beer? I’ve been tempted to go ahead & try a 6-er instead of a single.

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To be honest, it’s just another beer. It was my beer of choice many years ago, but it’s really not much different from any other Japanese big brewery beer. On the local market, it says Kirin’s Prime Beer where that bottle says Japan’s Premium Beer. Nowadays, I only drink it if it’s the tap beer at the restaurant I’m eating at.
If I’m drinking a beer from one of the big breweries, I try to go for Suntory Premium Malts, which I find to have a bit more flavour. But I rarely drink that, either since Yahho Brewing puts out some really nice IPAs, Pale Ales, Porters etc for only a few more yen.

I was shocked the other day to hear that Yahho Brewing has decided to discontinue their Tokyo Black porter. It’s literally the only decent quality porter or stout on the market here available at a sensible price. I’m buying up all I can.