Hats and Drinks - A Match Made in Heaven

[dh66]

Wow, thank goodness that I am a regular. I picked up nearly $80.00 of beer ordered this past week. I wheeled the purchase out towards my car in the parking lot and wham! Another customer backed up and hit my cart and speed off. Broken beer bottles and cans all over the lot.

Jack, no whiskey this pick-up! Thank goodness as the cost per item is much higher. I am intending to shop whiskey Sunday.

I went back inside and asked for the managers assistance in cleaning up the mess. I relayed the situation and the folks duplicated my purchase and put it into the car before the manager and I cleaned up the mess. No questions asked. They rock! I do know they have camera surveillance on the lot and imagine they will identify the customer who sped off. I thanked them and will drop off some my barbecued brisket Sunday as a thank you.

I picked up Guinness, various Surley beers, Founder offerings, a few special IPA's and a couple of Bent Paddle (Duluth, MN brewery black IPA and hazy offerings). My beer refrigerator is certainly better stocked. I have family and extended family coming tonight for a barbecue and movie.

Anywho, I am enjoying a Bent Paddle Pordij (Duluth, MN - https://www.bentpaddlebrewing.com/beer/pordij-series.php) which is a hazy Beer offering. It uses a Lulu fruit. The Lulo Fruit belongs to the nightshade family (tomatoes/eggplant). Interesting fruit to use, but darn if it does not work. The IPA bitterness it tempered by the hazy fruit (kind of citrus flavor) and then yields to a malt flavor. Interesting beer.

The brisket is done and needs to come inside and join the homemade slaw, sourdough bread, pickled cukes/red onions/peppers, baby carrots and dill, and roasted squash/sweet potatoes. I need to put my phone away and get the food ready for guests.

Cheers, Eric -

Better broken bottles than broken bones....glad you survived to tell a tale with a happy ending. Enjoy the beer and brisket!

 

[The Shoe]

Wow, thank goodness that I am a regular. I picked up nearly $80.00 of beer ordered this past week. I wheeled the purchase out towards my car in the parking lot and wham! Another customer backed up and hit my cart and speed off. Broken beer bottles and cans all over the lot.

Jack, no whiskey this pick-up! Thank goodness as the cost per item is much higher. I am intending to shop whiskey Sunday.

I went back inside and asked for the managers assistance in cleaning up the mess. I relayed the situation and the folks duplicated my purchase and put it into the car before the manager and I cleaned up the mess. No questions asked. They rock! I do know they have camera surveillance on the lot and imagine they will identify the customer who sped off. I thanked them and will drop off some my barbecued brisket Sunday as a thank you.

I picked up Guinness, various Surley beers, Founder offerings, a few special IPA's and a couple of Bent Paddle (Duluth, MN brewery black IPA and hazy offerings). My beer refrigerator is certainly better stocked. I have family and extended family coming tonight for a barbecue and movie.

Anywho, I am enjoying a Bent Paddle Pordij (Duluth, MN - https://www.bentpaddlebrewing.com/beer/pordij-series.php) which is a hazy Beer offering. It uses a Lulu fruit. The Lulo Fruit belongs to the nightshade family (tomatoes/eggplant). Interesting fruit to use, but darn if it does not work. The IPA bitterness it tempered by the hazy fruit (kind of citrus flavor) and then yields to a malt flavor. Interesting beer.

The brisket is done and needs to come inside and join the homemade slaw, sourdough bread, pickled cukes/red onions/peppers, baby carrots and dill, and roasted squash/sweet potatoes. I need to put my phone away and get the food ready for guests.

Cheers, Eric -

Glad to hear it all turned out well... I do want to see that brisket, though. I’ve never done a brisket as they’re hard to come by over here - and very expensive if you can find them - but I do want to try one.

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Thanks for the well wishes folks. I was not even thinking about personal well being as I was just bummed about the beer and disappointed at my fellow human's behavior.

Glad to hear it all turned out well... I do want to see that brisket, though. I’ve never done a brisket as they’re hard to come by over here - and very expensive if you can find them - but I do want to try one.

Brisket - I am just learning how to do it at home. A Weber charcoal grill using oak chips from our property took 12 hours yesterday. I left for work at 6:15 am with the grill set-up for smoking. My nephews visited four times during the day. They wrapped the brisket in foil after 8 hours (160'f). Home at 6:30pm I was ready for the final steps of preparation. I used this article for reference in working the beef - https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/24/dining/smoked-brisket.html . I used 14 pounds of prime brisket. Pricey, but a wow in flavor. A Dalmation rub (salt and pepper) was my treatment.

We severed the brisket sliced on butcher paper on top of plates. That is just for ambience. We provided dipping sauces for the vinegar/hot/tomato/mustard lovers. I like mine without! Rough sliced on a platter offered before 10 people last night not a morsel was left.

Thanks for the well wishes folks. Eric -

 

[The Shoe]

A nice, but not spectacular Habig is the perfect choice for a nice, but not spectacular Teacher’s Highland Cream whisky. A cheap, but pleasant quaffer.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

I’ve never done a brisket as they’re hard to come by over here - and very expensive if you can find them - but I do want to try one.

You want to buy a full untrimmed beef brisket & not just the brisket flat. The bulbous looking end of a full brisket is called the deckle end. Nothing wrong with the deckle end but butchers usually trim it off because it has muscle & membrane running thru it so it is hard to slice nice & neat when ready to eat. Use the deckle end for pulled brisket; great for tacos or fajitas. The brisket flat will slice nicely.

To keep the brisket moist while in the smoker I like to leave about a 1/4" or 3/8" firm fat cap on top; trim off the soft belly fat. If you maintain a temp in the charcoal smoker of around 200 -215f for 12-14 hrs you will find the fat cap will slowly be rendered to liquid & keep the brisket moist. When smoking for such a long length of time use woods like Oak & pecan for beef. Hickory & mesquite are too pungent for such a long smoking time.

 

[The Shoe]

You want to buy a full untrimmed beef brisket & not just the brisket flat. The bulbous looking end of a full brisket is called the deckle end. Nothing wrong with the deckle end but butchers usually trim it off because it has muscle & membrane running thru it so it is hard to slice nice & neat when ready to eat. Use the deckle end for pulled brisket; great for tacos or fajitas. The brisket flat will slice nicely.

To keep the brisket moist while in the smoker I like to leave about a 1/4" or 3/8" firm fat cap on top; trim off the soft belly fat. If you maintain a temp in the charcoal smoker of around 200 -215f for 12-14 hrs you will find the fat cap will slowly be rendered to liquid & keep the brisket moist. When smoking for such a long length of time use woods like Oak & pecan for beef. Hickory & mesquite are too pungent for such a long smoking time.

While I appreciate your advice, I must say, beggars can’t be choosers. I love doing pulled pork, but I can’t even get a bone-in pork shoulder, let alone choose to what extent a brisket has been trimmed.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

While I appreciate your advice, I must say, beggars can’t be choosers. I love doing pulled pork, but I can’t even get a bone-in pork shoulder, let alone choose to what extent a brisket has been trimmed.

I love a good Pork shoulder/butt & I always get bone-in also. There's nothing more satisfying to me when it's done, you take a pair of pliers & with just a wiggle, you can remove that bone & it comes out clean as a whistle! Then you know you're in for some good eating!

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Aberlour Double Cask 12 for Chiefs @ Ravens on MNF.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Woo hoo! Chiefs 34 Ravens 20!

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Woo hoo! Chiefs 34 Ravens 20!

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MNF was a great excuse to reduce the Double Cask bottle contents. Cheers, Eric -

 

[Hurricane Jack]

MNF was a great excuse to reduce the Double Cask bottle contents. Cheers, Eric -

Thanks Eric. It’s oak & fruit; apples, oranges or maybe an orange zest, & pears. I can’t identify the spice but this is a good after dinner or bedtime Speyside.

 

[Desert dog]

My plans for a relaxing hike in the Sequoia forest didn't pan out. Closed due to fires. A good consolation was a lunch at Kern River Brewing. The Wet Exit IPA was very good. A floral, citrus aroma and well balanced with the hops. The wet hops have a clean bitterness without being overly citrus. No pine notes to speak of. I should have brought a growler home, but Just Outstanding IPA did make it home with me.

 

[Desert dog]

 

[Hurricane Jack]

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Sequoia Red looks enticing also DD. And now you have to go back tomorrow 9/30 for first day of the Stout coming back for the season.

 

[Desert dog]

Sequoia Red looks enticing also DD. And now you have to go back tomorrow 9/30 for first day of the Stout coming back for the season.

Any excuse to go back is fine!

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Stout season is here! Guinness Stout this evening to start off a cool evening walkabout.

Cheers, Eric -

 

[Short Balding Guy]

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I am bad as I begin salivating reading a few of the descriptions. Cheers Desert Dog as I like your selections today.

Eric -

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Thanks Eric. It’s oak & fruit; apples, oranges or maybe an orange zest, & pears. I can’t identify the spice but this is a good after dinner or bedtime Speyside.

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Jack your description is very appealing. It matches the descriptions of the reviews I have read. I have added the double cask to my whiskey shopping list. This weekend I did not manage to do any whiskey shopping. Life stuff just seemed to pull me in every direction. I look forward to a coming Sunday shopping.

BTW; Do you folks have suggestions to who and what I should read or watch for whiskey reviews/suggestions? Preferences? Of late I have read Whiskey Advocate and watched a couple of the Whiskey Vault vids.

Cheers, Eric -

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Jack your description is very appealing. It matches the descriptions of the reviews I have read. I have added the double cask to my whiskey shopping list. This weekend I did not manage to do any whiskey shopping. Life stuff just seemed to pull me in every direction. I look forward to a coming Sunday shopping.

BTW; Do you folks have suggestions to who and what I should read or watch for whiskey reviews/suggestions? Preferences? Of late I have read Whiskey Advocate and watched a couple of the Whiskey Vault vids.

Cheers, Eric -

The oak in this Whisky is nice & is probably an influence on the mild spice. I enjoy the taste of clean fresh pears in the aftertaste although it's not necessarily long & lingering. I don't usually eat a lot of fresh pears, it's a texture thing I guess. So I enjoy it in this Whisky.

I like to read the Whisky notes & video reviews by Ralfy best for Single Malts. They're not like paid commercials plus he will drink a dram neat then add a drop up to a tablespoon of water if he thinks it will open up the Whisky. I think he's the real deal.

http://ralfy.com/

 

[belfastboy]

Jack your description is very appealing. It matches the descriptions of the reviews I have read. I have added the double cask to my whiskey shopping list. This weekend I did not manage to do any whiskey shopping. Life stuff just seemed to pull me in every direction. I look forward to a coming Sunday shopping.

BTW; Do you folks have suggestions to who and what I should read or watch for whiskey reviews/suggestions? Preferences? Of late I have read Whiskey Advocate and watched a couple of the Whiskey Vault vids.

Cheers, Eric -

I have a hard time translating the written descriptions of whiskies into the world of actual taste. I read the descriptions, all wonderful flowery prose and I scratch my head. I think, like wine, the world of whisky reviewing is an insiders game and the more arcane the language the more mysterious and compelling it is supposed to appear. For me you can't beat just drinking. That is the best review in the world and encompasses just a few words....."I like it".....or "I don't". As well so much of it is subject to time and place. One of my favourite whisky memories is sipping a cheap bottle of Glen Scotia (The B&B owner put out for us) watching the sunset on a Highlands sheep farm overlooking the loch.