10E2568: Pennsylvania Tuxedo - Woolrich x Dogfish Head

"Pennsylvania Tuxedo is a spruce-infused pale ale whose name pays homage to the red and black plaid wool outfits traditionally worn by hunters in the deep woods of Pennsylvania" [where pencils come from - ed].

Woolrich and Dogfish Head are teaming up again. Pennsylvania Tuxedo, a pale ale brewed with spruce tips will begin shipping nationwide on October 24, 2016. The clothing line, which features  “Dogfish Head Plaid” flannels for both genders, caps, blankets, and neat doo-dads - will also be available.

The idea behind the collaboration was inspired by a story from the mid-19th century when Michael Bond Rich, grandson of Woolrich founder, John Rich, had an unforgettable encounter with spruce beer. The incident occurred when his father was hosting a barn raising. The young M.B. Rich recalled, “On account of rain on the day set, the raising was postponed a couple of days and the spruce beer which was prepared had acquired a potency not intended. As it was accessible to me, I drank quite freely and, when later on I stooped over to get a drink from the spring, I fell in headfirst and was too much intoxicated to get out.”

Luckily, M.B. Rich was saved by a woman who happened to be fetching water from the spring, and the young boy lived to tell the story that helped Dogfish Head create Pennsylvania Tuxedo.

If you have not checked out Woolrich lately or had perhaps forgotten about their other lines - have a second look.  Everyone involved obv had a ton of fun with this. Good stuff, via Dogfish Head.

deviant dale's -dale's x 2 in a can

Long/short, craft beer tallboy from Oskar Blues. Hopped up version of the well known Dale's Pale Ale; and though rated at 83 IBU I didn't find it excessive, plus maybe the 7.5 ABV dulls any bitterness too. Lovely copper color. On tap at Five Horses in Davis Square, Somerville, or look for it in 16oz cans.

the dividend

The Last Hurrah. The hotel bar inside Boston's Omni-Parker was a political hangout in the 70s. It is steps from the state house so not hard to imagine.

Bit of an underhanded compliment coming here but the place is sort of hotel-carpet-uncool, but that makes it all the better. Never very busy, so makes a good bolthole.

With your drinks you receive an endless supply of warmed almonds, pistachios, cashews etc, i.e. dinner. If you order a martini you are left with the shaker and any remnants inside; as a southern friend calls it, the dividend. #vocab

single malt flavour map -david broom

How does a beginner find their way around? The whisky industry does not help itself with its regional classifications (Speyside, for example, stretches from Glasgow to Wick, with numerous whisky styles).

[David] Broom has plotted single malts in Scotland on a grid with four co-ordinates: delicate, light, smoky, rich. The horizontal axis plots the lightness or richness and the vertical axis plots the smokiness. "There isn't a 'best malt' position on the map either – it's an unbiased plotting device," he says.
-via The Scotsman

Post-Burns night, having splashed some whisky on haggis (not kidding), have been digging through this guy's stuff. Published author in his field and general go-to for whisky knowledge. Like the map/taste idea above. He talks about it below.

desktop vacation -wilkins farmhouse cider

Wilkins Farm in Somerset, England has a going concern in making rough or farmhouse cider.

There are chairs and newpapers to pass the time of day. The free taster is always half a pint and you will be encouraged to have more; good clean cider. Roger also sells cheddar [unpasturized, rind-on, let's go now... -ed] and stilton [see -ed.] as well as vegetables, chutneys and pickles, and eggs. Don't expect a quick visit, so allow yourself time... This is the real cider none of your concentrate and bottles down here... just Dry and Sweet Farmhouse Cider, which will be blended to suit your tastes, in glass or container.
- via Wilkins

Short doc below is little insight into Roger Wilkins himself and Somerset’s ciderhouse culture. "Dry with a splash" [of sweet -ed.] is supposedly the way to go...

boston sour

Old Mr. Boston Deluxe Bartender’s Guide (6th edition, 1946, or before; 1st ed. 1935)

2 oz rye or bourbon
1 egg white
1/4 oz simple syrup
1/2 oz lemon juice

Shake with ice and pour into 8-oz collins glass. Fill with seltzer water, decorate with lemon slice and cherry.

The above quoted from the fantastic but now-defunct DrinkBoston (nothing to do with the Mr. Boston brand btw, rather a blog from Boston). My brother can rip through the classics (as well as having developed drink menus for various establishments) and over Xmas couldn't resist serving up Boston Sours utilising Bulleitt and Araucana eggs [blue shells, no taste difference -ed.] from the henhouse 50 yards away. I just watch and learn.

karlsson vodka

Not going to lie, getting pulled in here by the whole backstory; former blender for Absolut [not at all my fave -ed] turns to create a once-distilled, unfiltered vodka made from new potatoes, again from Sweden. Serve it neat or w/ cracked pepper in loving 5D slo-mo. Mid priced $24 for 750cl. Well played video about the brand below discussing creating vodka as a value added product for the area (reminiscent of first cheddar then cheese generally as the value added savior of Vermont dairies), but also equating it with farm-to-table sensibilities. You know, the sort of bo-bo stuff for which I am a sucker... In that vein, I need to try Cold River vodka from Maine, similar idea.

teroforma -martini stones

These soapstone cubes from Teroforma have been around for a bit, but I never understood the draw of making your whisky colder. Further I would say adding a splash of water is a good idea to get the nose going. It is a cool idea no doubt. HOHO! You almost missed that pun... Apparently this is a take on a Scandinavian drinking tradition. Anyhow, just thought of a use I can really get behind; martini stones. Keep everything cold and no dilution. Just found this great video about The Vermont Soapstone Company in Perkins, VT that has benefited/survived due to this product. Have a look.

morning bulles

Classic exchange during You Only Live Twice;

Osato: I always take a glass [of champagne] in the morning. You should try it.
007: It's bad for your liver, isn't it?
Osato: Nonsense, it adds a sparkle to the day.
007: I'm sure it does.

Champagne for breakfast. Those 1960s execs had it made... Just discovered this sub-$20 sparkling, Jean-Francois Merieau Bulles [meaning bubbles -ed.] Brut. Available as 80% chenin blanc / 20% chardonnay or 90/10 it really does have the tiny tiny bubbles representative of more 'spensive champoo. This Loire valley méthode champenoise is almost creamy, and fractionally undercarbonated, or at least not hypercarbonated. This fellow Jean-Francois Merieau is a relatively young gun but has taken over his father's St. Julien de Chédon property [source interwebs -ed.] Need to *ahem* try it a few more times but $20 is a tough pricepoint to find winners... might have one here.

switchback brewing co.

Switchback is a small brewery in Burlington, VT that has been in operation since 2002. They only create a few beers, and you can only get it on draft (or small kegs) in about 100 mile radius of the brewery. OK made up that part but you only really find it in VT, NH and southern ME maybe. Their Switchback Ale is the standby; reddish-amber looks and craft beer pedigree with a non-agressive nor heavy taste. Just discovered it recently and can confirm that it tastes fantastic round a campfire. They describe it thus;

Five different malts, select hop varieties, and our own specially cultivated yeast create an ale which leads with hop flavors and a subtle impression of fruit (our yeast’s contribution), followed by a palate pleasing malty finish. Our process uses the yeast to naturally carbonate the beer, and we leave it unfiltered... This ale contains 5.0% alcohol by volume. IBU 28.

when life has even run out of lemons -2

When M. poured him three fingers from the frosted carafe Bond took a pinch of black pepper and dropped it on the surface of the vodka. The pepper slowly settled to the bottom of the glass leaving a few grains on the surface which Bond dabbed up with the tip of his finger. Then he tossed the cold liquor well to the back of his throat and put his glass with the dregs of pepper at the bottom, back on the table.

"There's often quite a lot of fusel oil on the surface of the stuff -- at least there used to be when it was badly distilled. Poisonous. In Russia, where you get a lot of bath-tub liquor, it's an understood thing to sprinkle a little pepper in your glass. It takes the fuel oil to the bottom. I got to like the taste..."
-Fleming, Ian. Moonraker. New York: Macmillan, 1955.

Don't think the movie versions ever did this. If you are a literary type this quote will be well known to you though. Not harsh atall, and taste really opens up as the cracked pepper sinks down after a minute. Provides a warm glow on the tongue. Tiny bit of smoke. Had been meaning to try this for years.

that hurricane look

jack daniel's -honey

I don't care for Jack Daniel's myself, and have never seen this honey flavored version; but the blacked out hive and beekeper are striking images. Making beekeeping badass? Well played Isaiah Seret (Arnold Boston).

Sidenote; Pops keeps bees and I realise a painted hive and dark clothing are not optimal. Incase you care to know, the smokes calms or at least limits the alarm bells of the bees and also prompts them to gorge themselves -reducing their ability to sting.

quotable -betty blue

Zorg (Jean-Hugues Anglade): WOOOOOOOoooooooooohhhhh



I wrote about this 2 years ago but still holds true. No, not "blaze camo hats rule"...
1) Since first seeing this movie, chili con carne has never been the same, instantly transported.
2) there is some fantastic architecture in Gruissan (near Narbonne) France, the setting for Betty Blue. The beach houses on stilts made a big impression and I found a photog who has been trying to save them from demolition/condofication, Paul Grand.




Sidenote; you like Rapidos? That is tequila and tonic. Schweppes. Goes straight to the brain... Again, blame Zorg.

herman blume

jack daniel's yee-haw poster documentary

Arnold Advertising created this video for a new Jack Daniel's campaign. They went to Yee-Haw Industries in TN to watch them create a bunch of posters. Are letterpress guys the new rocks stars btw? Add the furniture, crank the quoins... The recent HD cameras just take these vids to another level... Dolly shot! Focal shift! So good.

The other part of the campaign focusses on pure 'Merican pride. Do like the visuals... Including here for completeness.

spindrift soda

Spindrift soda is made with fresh squeezed juice; specific amounts of fruit~ 1/2 a fresh orange, 1/4 of a fresh grapefruit, a whole lemon, 8 blackberries~ and added sparkling water with some evaporated cane juice. Sodas made every 4-6 weeks in tiny batchs, then stored and distributed cold. About $2.50.





Spindrift is brewed and bottled in Worcester, MA. The man behind it, Bill Creelman, who lives in Charlestown, says a spindrift is "the whitewash of a wave." It's a term he picked up while working on a fishing boat. It is health conscious as made from a fresh puree of the fruit so retaining fibers, and the company donates back to water resource preservation.

"There is a bit of a personal crusade to this soda," Creelman said. "Though I realize it's a fun category for people too. It's not called sparkling juice for a reason. Because that's boring. Soda is supposed to be fun."

johnny walker x shanghai

As part of their design of a new 'experience space' in Shanghai for whisky brand Johnnie Walker, creative agency LOVE created a series of commemorative edition bottles, referencing the Chinese decorative style of blue and white porcelain... via CreativeReview

Honestly JW is not my go-to but these porcelain bottles (only 1,00 made) look great.

magic hat #9 now in cans

Newsflash to Sis; Magic Hat are now canning #9 for your innertubing-down-the-Connecticut-River needs. That is all.

the champagne coupe

Admittedly a little early on Monday morning for this... but discovered an added benefit to the coupe glass, that is the slight effervesence of the champ'poo tickles your nose as you tilt the glass to drink. Unless your soul is completely crushed it has to bring a little smile to your face.

NotCot has an potted history of champagne glasses here. About the coupe they note;

Then appears the “coupe” (or glass) at the beginning of the 1830s, a new glass first used during buffets because of its easy using for caterers and waiters. The “coupe” has a different appeal from one culture to another: it is elegant for British people and is popular in Russia because of its ability to contain more champagne...