It’s November, and while it may seem like Christmas and the holidays are right around the corner, we still have plenty of autumn time left before it turns really cold. The cavalcade of “Octoberfest” beers designed to celebrate the season have been rolling along. Just about every major brewer, and micro comes up with their version of a hoppy beer, at times bitter beer that epitomizes what fall is all about- warm days, chilly nights, eating lots of crisp apples, and a good beer to match.
Magic Hat brewing company has come up with two beers that symbolize their version of the season.
Roxy Rolles is the first one. It sort of smells like candy, like what an autumn beer should smell like. The smell of passion fruit is quite noticeable. It also has a smell of coffee (that’s probably the caramel I’m smelling), but it’s definitely fragrant.
On first taste, it is bitter but is tempered by the fruit sweetness. It’s not as bitter as I thought it would be. I’m really surprised I like it, as I’m much more partial to witbiers, hefeweizens, and pale ales. It’s a strong enough taste that it would be great with a steak, something heavy that could help balance out the beer.
It has a deep amber color, a very pretty, deep ruby red. The head is substantial, and the body was medium to light, leaning toward medium.
There’s still enough freshness to it and doesn’t get too heavy. The aftertaste isn’t heavy either but it’s noticeable, without lingering too long. It’s crisp as well. Roxy Rolles is a pretty complex beer.
Magic Hat Roxy Rolles
The second fall beer was Odd Notion. The head of this one is a deep brown color, like chocolate, and the beer itself is very dark brown. This one doesn’t smell good to me. First sniff reminds me of chemicals. The PR notes Magic Hat sent with the beer say it’s supposed to smell like spice with strong roasted notes. When it’s first in your mouth the beer tastes like chocolate at first, then finishes with the roasted taste, like a very deep-roasted chocolate stout. It’s heavier than Roxy Rolles. The aftertaste of Odd Notion hangs around much longer, and is much more bitter. Overall though, the beer is not done badly; it’s just not something I would seek out again.
Magic Hat's Odd Notion Fall 2009
For those who like heavy beers that eat like a meal, they will like Odd Notion. For those who prefer beer to go with dinner or appetizers, they’re better off picking Roxy Rolles.
Whichever one you choose, enjoy it while it lasts!
When met with multiple beer choices, I will almost always choose a nice unfiltered, wheat beer over anything else, so I was psyched to try Samuel Adams Dunkelweizen. The Dunkelweizen is part of the Harvest Collection 12-pack that’s in stores right now.
I’ve never had a dunkelweisen-style beer before and wasn’t sure what to expect.
The beer promises a “wide spectrum of flavors and aromas from clove to tropical fruit.”
The nose was right on. It smelled tropical and delicious.
Unfortunately for me, the good part ended there.
As I said, I’ve never had a dunkelweizen beer before so maybe this is how they typically taste but most of the descriptions I found online promised a spicier beer than what I tasted. I was promised complexity, cloves and carmalized malts. What I found was a very smokey flavor with an aftertaste of artificial banana. Not a good combination. I can deal with one or the other but not both.
Would I still buy the Harvest Collection? Yes, but I’ll stick to the Irish Red or OctoberFest next time.
There are two great reasons to be a wine lover in the Nashua area this week.
If you’ve read The Telegraph at all this week, you may have noticed several ads boasting the sale of a bottle of wine for $1.40 at the Coliseum Avenue liquore store Monday.
No, it’s not a bottle of junk wine they’re trying to get rid of. It’s a promotion for the Liquor Commission’s 75th anniversary.
The bottle is a 2005 Chateau de Macard Bordeaux.
I’ve written a few posts about the deals the Liquor Commission has been offering over the past couple of months, but this may be the best one yet. Check out the Saturday article in The Telegraph for more information. And make sure to get there early (and bring a few friends, since you can only get 1 bottle each). I don’t think supplies will last long.
The other deal is being offered by the Black Orchid Grille on Temple Street.
The restaurant is holding Wacky Wine Week from Aug. 16-21. Some bottles are being marked down to half-price. It’s a great opportunity to relax at the bar with a bottle or go for lunch or dinner. (Check out Michelle Collins’ post in Live Free or Dine about the food Black Orchid serves.
Summer beer is nothing new. At this point, no respectable craft brewer would roll into the warm months without a decent entry.
Enter Magic Hat’s Wacko. On the outside, it’s just another bottle covered with splashy graphics promising a crisp, smooth summer beverage.
The Wacko part comes into play when you pour it out. It’s got a pinkish-red hue, thanks to the inclusion of beet sugar in the brewing process. Though Magic Hat doesn’t mention any fruits added to the process, it has a slight fruity note and slighter fruity nose. A unhappy online reviewer compared it to a wine cooler, which is bit of an overstatement, but I’d probably stick with bottles if I find it at a bar - I don’t need the stigma of a pink drink.
I’ll agree with the crisp and smooth description. And because it’s not very hoppy and has an average alcohol content (4.5 percent), it’s something I could imagine drinking a few of on a warm summer night - and I’m not a big fan of fruity beers. It’s a little less fruity than Magic Hat’s #9, and thanks to that, a less fruity aftertaste.
If this is Magic Hat’s move to steal back some summer beer drinkers from Sam Adams Summer Ale, it’s a nice step. Though I’m not entirely sure why they never sought out this guy for the ad campaign.
Wacko’s hard to find on tap, but you can easily find it in stores in Magic Hat’s Summer Scene Variety 12-pack, which also includes #9, Lucky Cat and a new summer version of the Odd Notion beer, a nice Belgian-style ale that will get its own review in this space in the coming week.
It’s the New Hampshire Liquor Commission’s 75th anniversary and it feels like celebrating.
To kick off the anniversary, the commission is offering a $10 gift certificate for every $75 purchase up to $750 (not sure who buys that much alcohol at once but they must have put the limit in for a reason).
The commission is also starting a year-long promotion starting April 17.
The first event is hosted by WBOS-FM where you could win an anniversary package or a $75 gift card among other prizes.
I guess I’m a finicky drinker; it’s been confirmed.
I got some Goldschlager as a little nip a while ago, which was interesting because I usually stick with white wines and vodka drinks. I’ve always stayed away from that one, Jagermeister, and those other weird-sounding liqueurs that I always thought would lay me under the table if I so much as sniffed it.
But there’s nothing wrong with experimenting, so it was time to give it a go.
To demystify Goldschlager a bit, it’s simply Swiss cinnamon schnapps. Like Peachtree, or Peppermint Schnapps, etc. Learning about what a schnapp is is probably for another blog.
Goldschlager is the one that has those little gold flakes floating around on the bottom. The schnapps can be enjoyed straight, or more popularly, mixed with varying flavors to get a specific taste sensation.
According to wikipedia, “Goldschläger is frequently mixed in equal proportions with Jägermeister, 70 proof (35%), and occasionally peppermint schnapps to make a cocktail called Liquid Cocaine, Golden Elk or JägerSchläger. A mixture of Goldschlager, Jagermeister, and peppermint schnapps in equal proportion is known as “Three Wise Men.”
I used that description to start me off on what I should buy, plus I Googled a bunch of different Gold recipes. There were plenty of ideas to choose from. I didn’t buy any peppermint schnapps though, but I already had Kahlua and Bailey’s so I thought I had a good start.
So far I’ve tried the “Gingerbread Man #1″- Bailey’s Irish Cream, Goldschlager, and Kahlua. Since there were no measurements I did equal parts. The drink is apparently intended to be a cocktail, but I just turned it into a large shooter. It was strong to be sure, but sipped, it was quite warm and a bit spicy.
Next, I tried “Black Gold” (also known as “24 Karat Nightmare”, or “Black Leather Whip”) - Black Gold is ¾ oz Jager and Gold each. It’s very cinamoney and smells good. But I was sorely disappointed; it tasted like some kind of cough medicine, not the taste people would normally go for when drinking socially. I just couldn’t get the taste out of my mouth. It was also sickly sweet and kind of bitter. Thankfully, it was warming at the same time. Didn’t attempt another one of those.
I was interested in trying “Angie’s Favorite Oatmeal Cookie” (Bailey’s, Gold, and Jager) but first wanted to see if Jagermeister was the culprit in my utter distaste of “Black Gold.” Yep, there was the medicine taste again.
Then I tried Goldschlager with Kahula.It’s still not my favorite drink, you can definitely taste the bright cinnamon in the Goldschlager. It’s more drinkable, a step up from “Black Gold,” but I’m not craving it. I thought maybe nibbling on some sweet After Eight dinner mints would help with the Gold and Kahlua taste, but it didn’t have much effect.
I didn’t originally have Butterscotch schnapps in our little collection, but broke down and bought some, because it seems to be one of the friends of Goldschlager drinks. I had a feeling I would like that more, since I go for buttery-type creamy drinks.
Then I tried one called “Cinnamon Toast Crunch #2,” which sounds really good. It has equal parts Goldschlager, Bailey’s, and Buttershots. It was definitely like cinnamon and had a cinnamon toast crunch aftertaste. It was creamy and toasty. But still not something I would be that psyched about drinking.
I finally hit the jackpot just as I was about to give up on anything to do with these cinnamon concoctions: I tried Gold with Butterscotch schnapps. Yum! Buttery and very smooth, and it merged nicely with the cinnamon of the Goldschlager, rendering it more subdued and therefore, very drinkable.
I’ve now decided a few things going forward: When experimenting, make sure you don’t buy a huge bottle of something if you’re not sure you’ll like it. I’m now stuck with a bottle of Jager that I will have to mix with something to use it up. My Goldschlager bottle is small so that’s not too much of a problem. Cinnamon schnapps is definitely not one of my ultra-favorites.
Best thing to do is to find those little nips. They might cost more for what you get, but you save money in the long run if you’re experimenting. Also, when mixing a new drink you’re not sure about, make it just a shot if possible, or just halve the recipe, that way if it’s disgusting you can just down it, which is easier than drinking a highball glass full of it.
Pop Rocks candy claims to be entertainment for your whole mouth. If this is true, then the Pop Rocks martini at the Black Orchid Grille could be called a party.
This photo by staff photographer Don Himsel shows a close up of the Pop Rocks martini at the Black Orchid.
After reading about this specialty drink in the New Year’s edition of Feast, I decided I must try this martini.
On a recent visit to the restaurant, a friend and I couldn’t get enough of the specialty drink, which is really just a martini of your choice with Pop Rocks sprinkled in by the waitress or bartender. The Pop Rocks make lots of noise when they are put into the drink, providing a few seconds of joy before drinking.
My friend quickly became obsessed, asking for more Pop Rocks, and the waitstaff was more than willing to comply. At one20point, Joey, the bartender, did tell her she needed to go to PA.
When she asked what that was, he replied, “Pop Rocks Anonymous.”
Yes, they are that addictive. It something about the old school candy and the new fad martinis that makes a great mix.
My husband and I recently returned from a trip to Costa Rica- land of rainforests, volcanoes and yes, beer. It’s true that the small country, with rolling green hills and warm ocean breezes, is not known for its beer, but it did help ease the muscles after three-mile hikes in search of waterfalls and monkeys.
Costa Rica always gets dark at roughly 6 p.m., every night, every day of the year. So whether you like it or not, outdoor activities like hikes and tours cease, and it’s all about chilling out, going to the bars and drinking.
Imperial beer and sickly sweet "tropicales" juice sit in the same fridge
There’s not a whole lot of variety when it came to beer. There were some malt beers like Mike’s Hard Lemonade or this thing called Rock Ice, which was like water. I did see some Heineken there, as well as Corona occasionally. There was plenty of tequila on hand, as well as vodka- liquor you would normally see at a bar. Sometimes we splurged and had a few margaritas. We were concerned that they would taste supersweet, and not tart, like what we found when we visited Key West a few years back. But it was good and strong, served in a round short glass instead of the typical martini glass.
This was like Budweiser, but worse
The two beers that were available pretty much everywhere was Pilsen and Imperial. Cerveza (Spanish for beer) Imperial is known as the beer of Costa Rica. It’s rather like a glorified Budweiser, not much dimension to it. After a couple of bottles of Imperial, I quickly switched over to Pilsen and that was my drink of choice for the majority of the trip. Pilsen is kind of rich and has a lot of depth. It’s actually quite refreshing and I was surprised, since I don’t normally think that way about beer. I stuck with Imperial or Pilsen because they were the cheapest. Neither beer is anything great- it’s what you get when you don’t have a lot to spend.
Note the bottled water in the background; if you weren't drinking beer you were drinking bottled water.
Wherever you go in Costa Rica, you’ll see huge Cerveza Imperial posters, or brightly lit Imperial signs outside tiny Tico bars or restaurants, hotels, car repair places, etc. The motto in Costa Rica is “Pura Vida” which means pure life. Ticos (what Costa Ricans sometimes call themselves) generally take it easy, have a cold beer, and just chill out to escape the heat and humidity.
Beer never cost more than the equivalent of 2 U.S. dollars. An extra bonus- the bartenders don’t take tips. We left some coins on the table once and they never moved. Cheap beer means you can get some food too, which was usually beans and rice, or chicken and rice, or soup and rice. That doesn’t mean the food was bland, it was always delicious, just not a lot of variety between restaurants.
If you ever get the chance to visit Costa Rica, it is well worth it. It’s beautiful country and the people are very friendly and welcoming, even when there’s a language barrier. All you need to say is “Dos Imperial, por favor!”
The beer is a limited edition brew, comes in 750 mL bottles and looks a little fancier than your average beer, complete with a snazzy metallic label.
Samuel Adams has been brewing it since 2003 after pairing up with Swiss chocolate company Felchin. (The Swiss definitely know their chocolate.)
Chocolate Bock also tastes better than your average beer. With heavy chocolate notes, this beer should be paired with dessert or drink it alone (or maybe as dessert) and could be a great introductory for those who think they don’t like beer.
The only downside: You need to buy this one fast. Because it a limited edition, there are only so many bottles out there and they’re going quickly.
Here are a few places you can find it in the Nashua area:
