Third bottle of a set from Ursa. This one is from Paso Robles (the other from the Sierra Foothills and a vineyard blend). Characteristic. Finally got some nice astringent tannins in this one, though a bit mild, after the last few disappointments. Really big berries. Mellows out and softens a bit too much with some aeration, but it does get jammy.
I guess this is a sandwich. Sort of. Sourced from Kevin. I didn't have Swiss or even provolone, ended up using mozzarella which wasn't bad, though I forgot to add cheese to both tortillas. If done right, I think it'd be really good. But why not just have a reuben?
Sourced from Elise. I used boneless country ribs instead of spareribs. The canned sauerkraut didn't carry the same punch I was hoping for even though I included the entire contents. Maybe I used too much water. Instead of white wine, I used half a bottle of Ephemere which was a good move.
Need to get some caraway seeds and try this.
Sourced from Kevin. It's kind of like chili, but thicker and done finely enough that it's like a sauce of sorts. Unlike chili, it's sweeter, more savory and should have a more complex heat. I didn't have good peppers to use, so I ended up just using chopped jalapenos and cayenne, but roasted chiles would be really good here. I should really get some chipotle chiles.
For some reason, I put off trying this for a really long time. I guess because I've been so disappointed by jalapeno chips in the past. Turns out this is actually pretty fucking awesome. It has a nice flavorful heat without coming off as too "fake meaty" savoriness.
I actually haven't bought it again since I tried it. I guess I forgot I liked it? Which is exactly why I have to write down things like that here.
Randomly read about its release and looked around and found it here. Normally priced at around $12 (half the price of American Honey), Evan Williams has a rebate going to help move and establish its product. After rebate, a 750mL bottle comes to $3. Hot.
And the thing is, Honey Reserve is just as good as American Honey. It's a little less viscous, a touch lower ABV, and little generically sweeter, but I can't justify paying the retail for American Honey when there's such a comparable product at half the price.
I had a taste of this at a brewfest, and while it's not something I'd necessarily buy, it was on sale for a good price. Fruit-based beers are always a gamble with a high variance in payoff. Unibroue is pretty well-respected by myself and abroad, so I would expect nothing less from them. And this one nails it pretty well. I'm kind of curious about how it does after some cellaring. But I don't really have the motivation for that with this. Maybe if the price is still good.
