Whiskey, ash & stub新 Nah!

In Scotland, the last drop does not mean the completion of golf. According to the royal tradition, sharing a cup of whiskey is the symbol. Many Chinese golfers may lose their head regarding different whiskeys.

　　Before Enjoying

　　There is some good advice if you want to enjoy sterling whiskey. With regard to most single malt whiskeys, you had better add water instead of ice to lessen its strong taste.

　　Whiskey is composed of different ingredients. And they emit their own mellowness. Ice will destroy its effect.

　　Single malt whiskey is composed of barley, barm and water. Production area and process decide its taste.

　 　Some people who begin to touch Scottish whiskey will remind of cigarette ash and stub. However, it tastes sooty and then mellowful. Experienced bar guests often refer to caramel, chocolate and even gingersnap. Don’t let the jargon cheat you. Your whiskey is made up of barley. Alembic can not make chocolate and put herb into the barrel. It is chemical reaction of barley, barm and water. They are stored in the oak cask for long and produce different scent.

　　Vintage Whiskey Linkage

　 　Most sooty whiskeys are made in Scottish western coastline isles. The first two kinds are made in Islay, the third kind is made in Skye.

　 　Ardbet You may taste Ardbet with ten years, but Ardebt with 17 years will taste strong. It is not refined but unique because of the aroma of the earth in Islay Island. Local people call it turf which is used to make a fire.

　　Laphroaig On cold winter I often order a cup of Laphroaig with ten years in the bar of St. Andrews. I can warm up soon as if I swallow down a plateful of fire. The strong taste of pear and herb will emit when adding a little water.

　　Glen Whiskey

　 　If the name of whiskey starts at “glen”（Gaelic, country）, it means it is made in Scotland. Its sooty smell is not stronger than that in Isles.

　　Glengoyne　It is difficult to find this kind of whiskey. Glengoyne which is a rare kind of whiskey is made in the north of Glasgow. Glengoyne with ten years or seventeen years stores enticing nutlet and fragrant honey.

　　The Glenlivet with twelve or eighteen years is good. First you will smell the fragrance of oak and flowers, then strong butter. You had better buy Glengoyne with eighteen years if you want to touch it.

　　Unique Components

　　These whiskeys are unique because of their production area and brewing technique.

　 　 Macallan produced in Macallan is famous for the use of cask storing Shirley. Macallan with twelve or eighteen years is standard. A rare Macallan is auctioned at the price of 40,000 dollars. You can enjoy the mellowness of Shirley with slight pepper and turf.

　　Oban is made in the coast. Most bars sell this kind of whiskey with fourteen years. The smell of salt and butter emits insipid turf.

　Blended Whiskey

　 　Blended whiskey often includes 30%-60% com whiskey. Other ingredients are single malts. Before the middle of 20th century, common customs drank this kind of whiskey.

　　Chivas Regal My friend loves Chivas mixed with ginger juice of twelve years. Good Chivas drank sweet and sooty.

　　Dewars with 12 years is rare. Johnnie’s Blake to Red，12 circles round white label. It is too difficult to find.

All expert barkeeper collect Johnnie Walker with red label or black label. Red one means it is strong. Black one means its smoothness and sootiness is stronger than others. Their smell is smoother than Ernie Els’ swing. Real Scottish Whiskey

　According to Scottish law, single malt brewage must be stored in oak cask for three years at least.（The reason is simple. Single malt looks like vodka in appearance instead of golden liquid.）

　　However, it doesn’t produce oak. Oak casks are imported from German. Most of them are bought from Bourbon whiskey brewers. Every cask can be used three or four times.

　　During the end of 19th century and early 20th century, Scottish brewery began to use a number of Spanish old casks storing Shirley. At present most Scottish brewery use mixed ways—Bourbon, Shirley, Bordeaux, Brandy, red wine and Rum. It makes Scottish whiskey fragrant.

　 Single malt—maybe you think it is easy to bottle. But it is far more than that according to Scottish rules.

Single malt whiskey must be produced in the same brewery. Sometimes whiskeys in the same brewery will be put in a big slot and bottled. It is rare for brewery keeper to bottle in in the same brewery cask. It is called single-single malt whiskey.

　　2004 Classic Scottish Whiskey

　　Auchentoshan Three Wood,$49, www.morrisonbowmore.co.uk

　 　It is another spoon. Auchentoshan is produced in low land and stored in three different casks. Robin McMillan（Scottish, handicap 5）smells herb, orange and ancient wood. Scott Mowbray（4）compare it with ancient quant. “It is a perfect balance between chocolate and oak.”Jeffery Lindenmuth（2）says. Kevin Cook(16)finds it is fragrant and of Scottish rose.

　　Bruichladdich 10 years, $55, www.bruichladdich.com

　It is produced in Islay. Bruichladdich’s soot is not strong, but Lindenmuth(2)still smells soot and turf. Mowbray(4)says: “when adding water, the main smell is orange.” Josha Hill even observes the smell of fruits and herbs in equator area. “In the hot summer of Scotland, it is the best choice when it is 60 degrees.” he says.

　　Comprass Box Eleuthera,$ 55,compassboxwhisky.com

　 　It is the sole single malt whiskey. Eleuthera is made of single malts of many breweries. Lindenmuth(2)feels soft and boiled soot. Then it is of pineapple. Cook(16)feels that Eleuthera is soft, but Hill(1)reminds needfire on the bank. Mowbray(4)says Eleuthera needs water and warns us “If Lagavulin is too sooty, Eleuthera is a good choice.”

　　Isle of Jura Superstition,$ 38,www.isleofjura.com

　 　Jura is a brewery in the north of Islay. Dusek(10)says: Superstition “It is of sooty and bacon and seems be chawed.”Hill(1)smells tar and iodic. Jannot（15）thinks “it is sooty but a little sweet like candy floss and chocolate.”

　　Lagavulin　12years,$150,classicmalts.com

　 Islay malt sells high because it is sold limitedly. And it tastes spicy. Dusek(10)says: “If you take a full breath, you will feel the air is ignited.” After adding the water，Hill(1)smells pear, lemon and bacon. Jannot（15）says it is sweet. Lindenmuth(2)says: “it is brutal at first but sweet then.”

Unproperly used boozer

The unknowing boozer will tell you that the best way to drink brandy is to chase it down with a swig of coke. Though pleasurable to a lot of palates, this practice is a little off beam. The best and proper way to serve brandy is in a snifter or a brandy glass, and at the end of a good meal. Brandy is the perfect digestif; it bolsters digestion, warms the stomach and relieves the senses. A snifter enhances the experience, as its globular shape and the narrow rim concentrate the heft of the brandy�s alcoholic aromas on the top of the glass. And its short stem and rounded bottom allows the palm to cradle and warm the drink.

Serving the brandy also depends on the type of brandy. Typically, brandies are sorted through the regions or the areas from which they come from, but they can also be classified through the fruit from which they are made. The basic brandy or grape brandy, such as the famous French Cognac and Armagnac, is distilled from fermented grape juice or crushed grape pulps and skins. And aged in oak casks for more flavor and aroma.

Pomace Brandies, like the Grappas from Italy, are made from the by-products of winemaking. After winemakers extract most of the grape�s juice, the pressed grape pulps, skins and stems that remain are then distilled. They are rarely aged, and if they are, it is never in wooden casks.

Fruit brandies are distilled directly from fruits other than grapes. They can be made from pears, apples, plums, and cherries among others. Popular fruit brandies include the Calvados apple brandy from Normandy, France, and the Applejacks from the United States.

Brandy should be served at room temperature and warmed with the heat of the hand or with the use of a candle. And for the utmost enjoyment, only the bottom of the snifter should be filled. However with fruit brandies the glass should be icy cold or it should be served chilled or over ice.

Old school bar

What classifies as old school? It’s the kind of drinking session that would include individuals who aren’t your usual crowd [tambay, construction boys, karpintero] and it’s in a place wherein there are makeshift chairs and a table filled with pulutan, i.e. adobong mani, adobong baboy, corned beef, aso and several bottles of beer, gin bulag or quadro-kanto.

For a week’s salary one would even be so generous to decide to unwind a bit by holding a drinking session for the barkada.

Wherein the conversation would eventually revolve around drinking escapades that ended up in barangay halls or the lights from the police sirens illuminating round the neighborhoods block, or experiences like finding out that the tropa don’t have enough money to pay for the beers they had ordered, how they didn’t like drinking with men whose wives often tow them back to their respective homesteads and, my favourite bit, the best drinking combo that can guarantee you lifeless. LOL.

Want to know what the combo is? Heehee.

It’s fondly called the VIRGIN COKE. But you got to pronounce it the Filipino way — “beer-gin-coke” LOL.

1 bottle of beer
1 Gin bilog
1 12 oz. of Coke

After finishing it, try standing up. You can still stand up after that, you see. But when you sit back down — you won’t be able to again. It will knock you unconscious! Hahaha.

I’ve to make a mental note to only do this at home! LOL. Who dares to try it with me?

Ever heard of Gin Pom as well.

1 bottle Gin Bilog

1 sachet pomelo flavor powdered juice drink

Its not just the drink you know, if one could just stay for a little while when everybody got their share of the spirit one would get a glimpse of other peoples lives, as construction workers etc. and, of course, as regular people. Even a good friend could turn out to be an intimate one, so transparent you'd see pass through his soul. You'll see and understand clearly that everyone have dreams, problems, families. Other peoples lives might be less extravagant than mine and yours but, hey, everyone deserve the same respect. After all, we’re all good people who are actually making something out of our lives, which I can’t say for some.

I reckon I need to go through more experiences of the same kind as well to keep my feet grounded. Well, though not necessarily do I advice everyone to get drunk. I almost forgot how much life can teach me if only I keep my mind and heart open. Funny — I used to do this a lot before. I guess I need to re-trace my steps.

Pinoy Beer

Beer is very popular in the Philippines and the largest local brewer San Miguel is one of the largest in South East Asia. San Miguel was established in 1890 by a Spaniard, since then it has grown to one of the largest corporations in the Philippines. San Miguel owns many breweries including Anker in Indonesia and James Boag in Australia, as well making brandy and gin the also manufacture foods and Coca-Cola under license. Despite San Miguel's blue chip strength there still is plenty of room in the Philippine market for other brewers with Asia Breweries also being a top player in the Asian beer market and is possibly the Philippines second largest brewery.

San Miguel

San Miguel locally brews San Miguel Pale Pilsner, Super Dry, Strong Ice Red Horse and Gold Eagle as well as brewing Miller Genuine Draft and Lowenbrau, beers under license. The most popular brand Pale Pilsner is a light and refreshing beer with a crisp taste.

Colt 45 Lager

Brewed by Asia Brewery Incorporated under license along with Lone Star, Stag and Carlsberg. Many people say this 6.5% beer with a distinct taste is smooth, easy to drink and much better than its American cousin it shares it name with.

Stag Pilsner

This 5.00% beer is a distinct full bodied tasting pale pilsner that "has been developed for young drinkers in mind" according to the brewer Asian Breweries.

Beer Na Beer

This 6.00% beer is a uniquely Philippine beer from Asian Breweries. It's label is very familiar, maybe even reminiscent of rival San Miguel's Pale Pilsner Label. This beer has a smooth, clean refreshing beer taste that has won 3 Monde Selection Gold Medals in Brussels. It is reasonably priced in the Philippines and therefore is quite popular on tap in bars as well as in bottles and cans.

Beer 'Swiss Style'

For those of us who failed geography or to those with no sense of direction, it comes as no surprise that there are many similarities between Swiss beer and that of Austria and Bavaria. (For the geographically-challenged: Austria and Bavaria are Switzerland's northern and eastern neighbours.)
This is continental Europe (and not Belgium), so we're in lager country, children. We shouldn't be surprised that country with four official languages is ever so slightly schizophrenic. On the one hand, Swiss brewers voluntarily stick (in certain circumstances) to the Reinheitsgebot. Then they're proud to brew lagers with a third maize or rice. So proud, in fact, that they celebrate the foreign grain in the beer's name. Not that I'm complaining. Odd it might be, honest it certainly is.
Swiss law allows the use of maize and rice, as well as up to 10% sugar and 20% starch. So just how Reinheitsgebot any of the beers really are, is totally up to the brewer. On the Schweizerischer Bierbrauerverein - Société Suisse des Brasseurs site they claim that certain styles are always brewed to the Reinheitsgebot - it's up to you whether you believe them or not.
There are two distinct beer cultures (ignoring mass-market stuff):
Western Switzerland (French-speaking cantons and neighbouring areas, the limit being somewhere near Berne) has been exposed to Belgian imports for 30 years. Since 1997 beers from Quebec have also been available. But they don't limit their influences to other Francophone regions; the micros in this part of Switzerland are also open to British styles.
Eastern Switzerland (German-speaking cantons) is still very much lager country. The micros and brewpubs there brew lager, lager and more lager... it's also the region where independent family brewers are still strong. Their lagers are decent, at times, if unspectacular.
Without any big predators of its own, Switzerland, inevitably, attracted the attention of those that had already emptied their own praries of buffalo. Heineken and Carlsberg gobbled up a considerable portion of the Swiss industry without a great deal of effort. Between them they have around two thirds of the Swiss beer market.
They did what this type of global parasite always does: push their own crappy lagers and kill off any interesting beer that falls into their hands. So goodbye Switzerland's only internationally-known beer (Samichlaus - now brewed in Austria by Schloss Eggenberg). I'm sure that such philanthropically-inclined enterprises will continue to improve and rationalise the the poor old parochial Swiss brewing industry.