Old Pavilion Pilsner- Marshall Brewing Company

When I first started to drink beers other than Miller High Life and Bud Light, I was twenty one and curious to try new things at bars. My favorite bar to go to back then, the Library of Norman, had brewhouse beers from Coaches on Main Street. Because they were cheaper than all the other options, especially happy hour, I started to explore the different flavors of the house beers.

 The first non-commercial beer I fell in love with was the brew house Pilz (a pilsner beer). So coming back to a pilsner beer seemed so exciting to me. I picked up a Pavilion Pilsner from Campus Liquors and here we go.

The thing I had noticed most about the Marshall Brews so far is the short head retention. The lace is not very intricate eithers. Not so much for an interesting Instragram picture. When it really comes down to it, taste trumps appearance. Though first impressions aren’t as promising.

The aroma of the beer smells like a pilsner but also a little more bitter than other pilsners I have had. The scent isn’t lingering and doesn’t feel heavy.

I took my first sip and just as I thought, bitter. I think that these Marshall Brews have a more bitter overall taste for their brews. I even noticed a hint of bitterness in the Sundown Wheat.

It was not my favorite beer, but if you love IPA’s or Irish style ales, then the pilsner might be a good change of pace.

Sundown Wheat – Marshall Brewing Company

As you readers should already know, I love wheat beers!

I was driving home from work thought it was about time to get some more new beers. I have actually begun to get a little nervous because the big Oklahoma craft beer names that come to mind: Mustang, Choc, COOP… I feared that I was going to run out of beers at the liquor stores.

Normally this wouldn’t be a problem, but with graduation drawing ever so close, I inability to spend the time and money at the bar is placed on the backburner while I write my final papers and cram for the dreaded cumulative final.

I got into campus liquors and searched through the individual beers hoping to find something new. What I stumbled upon was the Marshall Brewing Company beers. There were three different types so I bought two of each. So out of them the first I chose was naturally, the Sundown Wheat.

The Sundown Wheat beer had a small head that quickly vanished. Maybe lasted only two to three minutes. The color is a darker goldenrod and is not transparent. The beer’s color and consistency almost directly correlates to the taste of the beer for me. Sundown was still light and crisp like all wheat beers, but it almost seemed heavy on my tongue. Not in a gross or painful way, but is a perplexing one.

The smell has a hint of citrus but realistically as a pretty natural wheat taste. I think that when it comes down to a refreshing wheat beer, Marshall’s Brewing Company hit the nail on the head with Sundown Wheat.

Mistletoe Sweet Red – Land Run Vineyard and Winery

I was meandering through Corkscrew Liquor in Norman looking to pick up some more ingredients for my “studies”. After making my way past the sales of McCormick Vodka and PBR, I found the Oklahoma wine and beer area. I had been drinking a lot of beer so I wanted to get some more wine.

The area of Oklahoma wine, while fairly small, was surprisingly diverse. I looked through the wine and noticed that Land Run Wines seemed to have very interesting titles to wines. I picked up Land Run Mistletoe. I wanted to expand to wines that I can drink alone. The Land Run Mistletoe is a sweet red that drank very well on its own. I didn’t pair it with anything. It is a good wine for new wine drinkers to start with. It is a mixed berry wine and reminds me of your basic mixed berry fruit juice. I think that this would be a great picnicking wine for when the weather gets a little warmer.

Thinking back to the liquor store and looking at wine, I remembered that there were many different fruity wines to choose from. Because of the natural sweetness of the different berries showcased in the Land Run wines, there are many different types of sweet wines. So if mixed berry isn’t your flavor then try a blackberry or white cranberry. Land Run winery offer red and whites that please anyone’s sweet tooth.

The prices of the wines range from $10.99 to $15.99 depending on the wine you pick. That’s not bad considering the taste of the two wines I have had so far. For people interested in pairing the Mistletoe Sweet Red, try it with Asian food, Cajun food, or a sweet desert.

Thus far, I have enjoyed both wines from the Land Run Winery. They have a large collection of wines and I hope to get another one to try pretty soon.

Black Gold Reserve – Land Run Vineyards and Winery

I am not really a wine connoisseur. If there is one thing I noticed about Oklahoma, it was that the abundance of wineries across the state. After my previous fiasco with the Canadian River Chocolate Merlot, I decided I needed to get more familiar with my wine does and don’ts.

First thing to consider when trying out a wine is to understand the pairings. I didn’t want to screw up twice in a row with wine so after googling around, I found this great online resource that helps you match food to wine or wine to food.

http://www.foodandwinepairing.org/

The website also offers some great idea for wine tasting and additional information.

I made spaghetti with hamburger so I searched and found that cabernet sauvignon works well with my meal. This can really make all the difference. What I have come to find with wine, taste can be great with some meal, while a wrong pair can make quite a mess. The Black Gold Reserve was great because it has a sweeter taste compared to other dry red table wines.

The BGR is a pretty dry wine, meaning there is around 4 grams of sugar per liter of wine. Compare that to the Chocolate Merlot that might have a g/l rating of 6.

The flavor is best described by the after taste. The black cherry aromas leave my mouth wanting just one more sip. The wine also had strong tannin characteristics that help to cleanse the palate.

The Black Gold Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is great with beef, but would also be a good choice with lamb or blackened meats.

Redbud Sweet Red - Put a Cork in It Winery

After trying the different wines from mine and Theresa’s wine tasting experience, we decided to pick a wine to take home. While I thought the Indian Paintbrush Merlot was tasty, we both agreed that the Redbud sweet red wine was our favorite.

Redbud is a red zinfandel that was just sweet enough without overpowering the delectable pomegranate flavor. It is almost like a kool-aid for adults. The aroma of the pomegranate is subtle with a light wine smell.

It is different from most of the wines I have tasted due to it being a pomegranate wine instead of a grape based one. I think that this would make for an excellent summer wine. Maybe complement it with some type of chocolate snack or wafer cookie.

While I am usually big on finding types of food that work well with wine, I think that Redbud stands pretty strong on its own. It is a comfortable drink and any sweet red wine lover will fall in love with its flavor and refreshing qualities.

Overall, Redbud is merely one of the many choices of sweet wines that Put a Cork in It Winery has to offer. Don’t take my word for it though. Next time you are strolling through Bricktown before a Red Hawks game or wanting to class up a Hooters night, stop by Put a Cork in It and indulge in what could be your new favorite sweet red. And if Redbud doesn’t do it for you, then you still have four more choices to make with no out of pocket expense. You’d almost be crazy to not to go and try.

For a full list of the Put a Cork in It wines, Click the link below

http://putacorkinitwinery.com/our-wines/

Put a Cork in It Winery - OKC in Bricktown

Most of my buddies started consuming beer as their first type of alcohol. While I enjoy a refreshing pint or well concocted cocktail, I enjoy the romanticism of divulging in a delectable wine. The problem is that it is pretty hard to just jump into the wine world and know what to drink and what each type tastes like. It wasn’t until my girlfriend shared the spoils of a Groupon purchase that I found a solution for any Oklahoman in the metro area facing the issue of finding their favorite type of wine.

Put a Cork in It Winery in Bricktown of OKC has been a great experience for me and I think that many other aspiring wine enthusiasts would benefit from stopping by and giving the wine bar a chance to win over your heart.

Put a Cork in It Winery is a wine bar located under Hooters in Bricktown. The Winery offers over twelve different wines to taste and purchase. The ingredients are shipped in from California and is produced and bottled in Oklahoma. Put a Cork in It has free wine tasting for up to five different wines on their diverse list. If you want to get the full experience, I recommend spending the ten dollars and trying all the wines. An added bonus for the full list testing gets you walking away with a souvenir wine glass.

The experience was my favorite thus far in my Oklahoman beer and wine travels. The bartender sits you down and gets you started right away. They also give you a pamphlet you can fill out to rate and make notes for the wines you either like or dislike. It puts you in the seat of a wine reviewer and it fun. The pamphlet gives a description of each wine and the types of flavors in each one.

I think that this activity has great potential for special and the fact that you can rent out a room for gatherings makes it perfect for bridal showers, birthdays, or bachelorette parties. The party room will run you $15 per person which gets a full list taste and a souvenir glass. The winery allows for guests to bring their own hors d'oeuvres or Put a Cork in It can provide cheese trays for an additional $5 a person.

The wine list offers a wine for any type of seasoned wine enthusiast too. Maybe you feel like a crisp Sauvignon Blanc, their Skirt Alert is great. Not into white wines, no problem. Get a glass of Indian Paint Brush, their Oklahoman style Merlot. If you desire a specific wine, Put a Cork in It also sells individual glasses of all their wines with prices on the rating sheets.

Once you’ve given the wines a taste, get a bottle for the house and visit the gift shop for some fun and interesting boutique-esque gifts.

So if you want to broaden your horizons on wine tasting, or looking for a fun evening with a couple of close friends, give Put a Cork in It a visit and reward your palate. You’ll be happy you did.

Native Amber - COOP Ale Works

This is my second beer from the two COOP Ales that are sold in liquor stores. The Native Amber is actually a member of the Library’s MIO Beer Flight. Because the beer samples are so small for the beer flights, I wanted to have a full beer to be able to spend a little more time on it.

As I had already stated in the previous post on the COOP Ale Horny Toad Cerveza, the brewery which these beers come from are brewed using 100% wind power. Another green fact about these beers is that they only come in cans, so don’t look for bottles at your local liquor store. The aluminum cans are much easier to recycle and is another one of ways that COOP Ale Works are trying to show their effort for a more green company.

The color of the Native Amber is a surprising amber hue that is very transparent with a minimal amount of carbonation. Though the head began as fairly large, the retention is not very long, but the lacing left is better than all of the beers I have tried thus far.

I agitated the beer and wafted. The scent was earthy and robust. It makes the word Native in its name seem more fitting than I originally thought.

I sipped the beer and let it rest over my tongue. It was rich in taste and a little bitter. The can has a little synopsis of the taste. It mentions tastes like caramel and hops. The hops flavor is pretty strong but blends well with malty taste. It reminds me of a Shiner Bock.

 I think that all in all, the COOP Native Amber is a great beer to compliment a hearty Oklahoma meal. Maybe to wash down some mashed potatoes and barbeque brisket. I recommend checking out the full COOP Ale Works selection by going to the Bricktown Brewery. Maybe we’ll run into each other sometime.

Horny Toad Cerveza– COOP Ale works

The Horny Toad Cerveza is the first Oklahoma beer that I have tried that comes in a can. I think to match other cervezas like Tecate or Modelos, it is supposed to be drunk out of the can as opposed to a glass. The consistency of the beer is a very light and crisp taste. This is a beer that you take to the pool when swimming or catching some rays

. To get a better look, I poured out the cerveza into a beer mug to see if there was much to the head or lacing. The head was more full then I expected and left a lower quality lace compared to heavier beer. Seeing the beer poured out allowed me to check the color, a dark yellow or even goldenrod. It was transparent with a fair amount of carbonation.

The Horny Toad Cerveza might be the best Oklahoma summer beer I have had thus far. I can see myself cracking open a Horny Toad while wading in three foot pool of my apartment complex.

Horny Toad Cerveza is produced by the COOP Ale, a brewery that became official in 2008. They offer six types of beer and are pushing to be eco-friendly. The four packs I bought were connected by a small amount of plastic with a finger loop. The brewery is run off 100% Oklahoma wind power. Going green and getting buzzed was never so good.

Below is a link to a cool video that talks about the OGE Wind Power Program

 

http://ogepet.com/videos/coop-ale-works.aspx

Twister Vodka

While I am not big fan of professional football, Super Bowl Sunday was my best excuse to drink. While going out to sports bars can be fun, I enjoyed the luxury of drinking at a house party because I could drink plenty of beer without breaking my wallet. As my friend Walden and I watched the game and drank beer, we were the epitome of what Super Bowl Sunday was all about.

 As soon as the game ended, we finished up the beers and watched Elementary, the Sherlock Holmes show on CBS. Not a bad show for anyone who enjoys both the detective style of Sherlock Holmes and your traditional crime drama. What really sparked my attention though was the news after at the end of the night. A small distillery in Moore, OK, was finally starting to distribute their vodkas and other liquors to liquor stores across the state. Needless to say I had to try it.

I had only tried a couple of beers and wine at this point, so when it came to vodka I had to step back and analyze the situation a bit. Drinking beer slow allows for all the flavors and sensations of disperse, all drinking vodka slow does is make your process to tipsy or drunk a less enjoyable one. Regardless of how I would try and sample Twister Vodka, I would need to first try it on its own.

Vodka was probably my least favorite of hard liquors, mainly due it being the drink of choice for my first drinking experience and also my first hangover experience. I tried to keep an open mind and poured my first shot. The vodka smell was not too overpowering like cheaper vodkas. I would rate Twister vodka equal of a vodka like Absolute or Svedka. One thing I noticed was that the burn was not nearly as present in Twister Vodka as it is in other brands of vodka. With one shot down and so fast, drinking straight vodka was not the answer for getting an overall flavor or experience. I decided to try some drinks that people might make with vodka and see how they tasted with Twister Vodka.

 

Which drinks to choose though? I ended up going with a Vodka tonic, a Vodka sour, and my personal favorite, a Bloody Mary. While I should have done a screwdriver too, due to my first hangover being caused by nine screwdrivers in one night, I don’t think I could be unbiased when discussing that drink.

I started with the Vodka Tonic because I felt that it was the drink that had the most vodka taste of the drinks I chose. I purchased all my mixers together and followed the mixing instructions instead of my usual eyeball method that often times ended with a whole lot of vodka and little to no mixer. The vodka tonic was one part vodka and three parts tonic water, stirred not shaken. I discovered this after attempting my first vodka tonic and having it explode on me. My second attempt was a success but after having it mixed I realized that I had celery for my Bloody Mary but no lemon for the tonic. I substituted the garnished lemon for a squirt of lemon juice from the freezer.

Vodka Tonics actually taste pretty great with the Twister Vodka. The harsh burn that comes with many types of vodka isn’t there with Twister and made the vodka tonic a much more enjoyable drink. I think that says a lot coming from a whiskey lover. It was crisp and surprisingly refreshing. Vodka tonics make a great drink with this vodka because of the lighter burn and almost peppery taste.

My second drink was vodka sour. I used master of mixer’s sweet and sour mix. I used a shaker and again followed the explicit mixing instructions. The drink was strained into a short glass with ice. The drink had natural foam and was pretty syrupy. It reminded me of alcoholic lemon lime Gatorade. It seemed sweeter to me than sour but I think that has to do with the type of liquor in it. This one was probably my least favorite drink because it left my mouth pretty sticky. I think that some people would enjoy the drink so I think it’s worth the $2.50 the mixer costs to keep it around for someone who doesn’t like Bloody Marys or Vodka Tonics.

The final drink I prepared is my personal favorite cocktail. Bloody Marys are hearty, filling, flavorful, and not to mention a great cocktail to use Twister Vodka. I used master of mixers and Louisiana hot sauces for more kick. Because the vodka has a natural peppery taste, it makes for the best homemade Bloody Mary. I shook the mix and vodka in a shaker with ice and salt and pepper. Then I strained it into a large glass with ice, added some Louisiana Hot Sauce and finished by stirring in the hot sauce with a celery stalk.

I have to say that I have never made a Bloody Mary that had the taste and flavor at my house. I think that the peppery flavor and mild burn makes this vodka the best for making Bloody Marys and is even worth keeping Twister Vodka solely for Bloody Marys.

After sampling each of the drinks I thought about what makes a type of vodka good compared to bad. I have a friend that says that McCormick’s is the only type to buy because you drink vodka for one reason… getting faced. I have to say after drinking Twister Vodka, it is worth the $16 dollars at the liquor store.

Twister Distillery has just begun to distribute their hard liquor to bars and liquor stores. Try out their vodka and like them on facebook. There is a link below. The company is owned and operated by Oklahomans and use all Oklahoman ingredients. Look out for their other liquors: Twister Sweet Tea Vodka, Oklahoma Land Rum, Twister Gin, and coming in 2015 Gustav’s Reserve.

http://www.twisterdistillery.com/

Session ’33 – Mustang Brewing Company

This is my second review of a Mustang Brewery product and this is the only one you can buy in a grocery store. Session ’33 is ale that uses a combination of Oklahoma grains and European hops.

The Session ‘33 is crafted in honor of the end of prohibition in the United States. The beer is similar to the Washita Wheat in its smoothness and light flavor. This is a great ale for someone who is trying to get into ales because of its mild nature.

The beer is more orange than yellow with a small head and a full lace. The beer had a light carbonation with a very transparent constancy.

The taste of the Session ’33 was interesting beer for me. I didn’t dislike the taste, but I think that this beer is not one that I will go out and buy. The flavor of the Session ’33 is a slightly bitter bite with a sweet aftertaste. The favors are pretty refreshing in the brew though.

I think that with all the Mustang beers I have had so far, they are very drinkable and very smooth. That is something I notice about the label on their beers. They stress the importance of drinkability and smoothness. These beers are made for social gathering and crafting beers that all people at a gathering can enjoy.

While Mustang Brewing Company stresses the importance of drinkability, they also put out very limited specialty beers to people who sign up for their newsletter. You can check out their newest brew here.

http://www.mustangbrewing.com/beers/saddlebag-series

Take a chance and try the Session ’33 for yourself. I think that it can be enjoyed by a small party of people around the grill. Get Session ‘33 at grocery stores, including Walmart, and leave a comment to tell me what you think.

Mustang Brewing Company- Washita Wheat

I’m a wheat beer guy. Through these Oklahoma Beer Reviews, I have always enjoyed drinking wheat beers. While I am getting to point where I can drink the other darker and stout beer, I always enjoy trying a new wheat beer and the Washita Wheat by Mustang Brewing Company is no exception.

When I first picked up a six pack of Washita Wheat from the liquor store, I initially thought that it was out of Mustang, Oklahoma. Being a Yukon Miller, my inclination to put back the beer out of high school rivalry that was ground into my mind was pretty strong. I simply shook the thought from my mind and paid for my beer and went home.

After a little research, from what I can tell the Mustang Brewing Company was started in OKC. It was a little juvenile to have this short lived disgust, but on to the beer.

The Washita Wheat is fantastic. It has the wheat flavor that I love, but with a little something extra. Most wheat beers are made with gold wheat, but the Washita uses Oklahoma red wheat. I know that I’m drinking a wheat, but it doesn’t taste like any other I had drank.

 What I seemed to notice in taste and timing of the flavors was interesting. The intial drink was very calm and smooth. The strongest presence of the flavor was a split second after my first swallow. It may have been the result of in mouth agitation, but the second flavor is what I might say a result of the red wheat compared to golden wheat.

The actual aftertaste was much like the initial taste and smooth. I think that the flavors of this wheat is very circular in that you begin very smooth and mellow, then you have the slight flavor change before finishing at the aftertaste where you started.

All in all, I think that the Washita Wheat has been my favorite wheat beer so far. I think any wheat beer fan would be interested in trying a new twist on a hearty favorite.

Hanging the Hangover Out to Dry This Spring Break… Wait Don’t Dry It Out

By Chad and Steph through creative commons

As we all are on the brink of Spring Break 2013, it is important to review some tips when dealing with hangovers. Because of the nature of my spring break I want to try and avoid hangovers, but if I’m being realistic I need just as much review as any other traveling college student.

The first thing to consider when dealing with hangovers is what they are and how they are caused. Basically your body is punishing you for overindulging in alcohol the night before. Hangovers can range from nausea, pounding headaches, sensitivity to light and sound, or all the earlier together.

The main cause of the symptoms is dehydration. The brain is affected the most by dehydration and as a result shrinks. The tissues that hold the brain then become stretched to keep the smaller dehydrated brain in place and results in pounding headaches. Some are so intense that the person gets painful sensitivity to light and sound. The one drink (12 ounce beer, 5 ounce glass of wine, or one shot of hard liquor) takes an hour to metabolize in the body. While tossing back twelve or so cold ones seems like a good idea while on the beach, it might not be the wisest choice.

The best prevention advice I had found was essentially to pace yourself. Drinking in my opinion is more about the journey than the destination. Helpful advice was to drink water in between drinks and have snack throughout the night. The more hydrated you can keep yourself throughout the night, the less your body will hate you in the morning.

Now sometimes prevention measures fail and you are left with a terrible hangover. While a lot of information is varied from person to person, the general consensus is to not drink the hangover off. The method is known as the Hair from the Dog that Bites. All parties agree that while the alcohol can lessen some of the effects of a hangover, the worst the hangover will come with a vengeance. Basically, the alcohol causes the hangover, so stop drinking it genius.

Things that the websites stated that help are water and some other interesting choices. Water or anything else that helps hydrate is a good choice when you’re fighting a hangover. Another type of food that was helpful was crackers or pickle juice. These things are high in sodium and help to get your body back to normal quicker.

The bottom line is really to drink responsibly and keep hydrated. Be safe over Spring Break and get ready for more Oklahoma Boozes in the coming weeks.

Additional Reading on Hangovers here

http://alcoholism.about.com/od/hangovers/a/cures.htm

http://greatist.com/health/best-foods-hangover

MIO - Made in Oklahoma Beer Flight

I haven’t always consumed as your typical college student. While house parties can be great, I really prefer to sit down at a small bar and sip a flavorful beer with a few close friends. Living in Norman, there is no shortage of bars for student. Campus corner is the epitome of OU nightlife. While dancing at Logan’s or getting a rocket at O’Connell’s is usually a good time, I have always been inclined to the small and relaxed nature of the Library Bar and Grill. My twenty-first birthday was celebrated there, and my older brother couldn’t have picked a better bar for me to make my first public appearance as a drinking customer.

The Library has a great variety of beer and wines as well as a full bar for cocktails. One thing that always caught my attention on the menu is the beer flights. A beer flight consists of four or five small sample beers that follow a specific theme. I ordered the MIO Beer Flight, also known as the Made in Oklahoma Beer Flight. It consisted of four Oklahoma brews.

The first on the flight was the Choc 1919 from Krebs. It was a darkest of the beers and had the most bite. I had recently tried a couple Choc beers from the Choc Beer variety pack, so I had an idea of how it would taste. This was the original Choc beer and it met my expectations. It had a bitter bite with a more mellowed out aftertaste. Overall a great beer to start.

The second beer was the COOP Native Amber from OKC. The taste was sweeter than the Choc beer and had a more distinguished lace (the more distinguished the lace, the healthier the beer is). This was my first taste of the COOP brews and the Native Amber left a good taste in my mouth. While the beers flavor wasn’t as pungent as the Choc, it had a heavier consistency. A great beer to be featured on the flight.

The third beer was the Brewhouse Irish from Norman. Brewhouse beers are common house beers in the Norman Area. When I’m at the Library, I mostly order Brewhouse beers because they have a hometown charm and great taste. The lacing was beautiful for this beer and though I tend to avoid ales and pale ales, I have to say the beer was sweeter than I expected. It also had a bitter aftertaste. I need to try some more Irish Ales.

The final beer of the flight was the Marshall Jomoke Porter from Tulsa. The first distinguishing feature of this beer is that it was the only one garnished with a lemon. MJP was the lightest of the flight and was a yellow color. I squeezed the lemon into the beer and sipped. The beer had a bubbly consistency and very crisp. I may have over squeezed the lemon, rung out a whole lemon slice for a four ounce beer.  I really enjoyed this beer.

I have already established a taste for my lighter beers, but I think that I am starting to acquire a taste for the darker beers. The Beer Flight is an excellent way to get a variety of beers around the state. You sample four beers for $5.50. They have two other beer flights and a large assortment of other beers and wines. The library is located at 607 W. Boyd, Norman, OK 73069. They are open daily from 11:00 am to 2:00 am.

The Spaghetti Fiasco - Canadian River Chocolate Merlot

Sometimes when you are experiencing new things, you make little mistakes that help you learn much more than by trying to do everything right the first time. My first time at experimenting with Oklahoma wine is a good example of that. I knew a couple things about wining and dining before this blog. Allowing wine to breathe before drinking and white wines with fish, just to name a few. Besides those few exceptions, my experience with wine was more along the lines of slapping the bag of White Zinfandel Franzia and avoid wine hangovers at all cost.

 So when I was at the liquor store to purchase my first bottle of Oklahoman wine, I should have asked a couple of questions. I didn’t.

There is some weird disposition I have that makes asking for advice and direction near impossible. I understood at the time when I was walking down the various wine aisles that it only had to say “Made in Oklahoma.” Because I’m a broke college student and I had already dropped eight bucks on the Choc Beer Variety pack, I knew that I was going to buy a cheaper wine. I wanted to start my wine tasting with a red wine because I was trying to use up some pasta sauce before it spoiled.

After struggling to find Oklahoman wine, most liquor stores divide by wine varieties and not by place of origin, I grabbed a Merlot from Slaughtersville, OK, and made my purchase. Eight dollar wine already seemed to be a little bit of an underdog when it came to finding good wine, but my disposition of saving a couple bucks struck again.

At home later that evening, I cooked the hamburger meat and allowed my wine to aerate for ten minutes before I poured a glass. I had high hopes because my spaghetti turned out to look and taste pretty good. Mom would have been proud that I figured out how to prepare dinner that wasn’t delivered to my front door. I poured my wine, prepared my plate, and dinner was served.

Being oblivious to the tasting processes that I had recently learned, I washed down some perfectly good pasta with a swig of the merlot… not good.

I tried to figure out why I struggled to drink the wine and eat the spaghetti. After examining the bottle, I realized that sometimes the price tag isn’t the only thing to look at when tasting wine. I had gotten the Canadian River Chocolate Merlot. I decided I needed to push through and finish the wine with dinner. Sometimes when experimenting, you are just going to get things you don’t like.

 After suffering through a serving of spaghetti, I still had a half glass of wine left. I looked through my fridge to find something else to munch while finishing the wine. After the spaghetti debacle, I didn’t want to press my luck with American cheese. I noticed a spice cake with cream cheese frosting in the back of the fridge I made last week. Why the hell not?

After cutting a slice of cake and sitting back down, hope seemed kind of lost. I instead stumbled on a happy accident. I found a pairing that worked. The chocolate merlot that was so hard to drink with spaghetti went down great with the spice cake. It was amazing how much a wine changes with how it’s paired. I know from now on, spice cake and chocolate merlot make for a good combo. It would be great for a romantic desert or a girls’ night.

Choc Variety Pack - Choc OPA Black

Choc OPA Black

The choc OPA Black is the third and final beer in the Choc Beer Variety pack. It poured into my frosted glass nicely, creating a healthy head that bubbled around the edge. The OPA Black was the least transparent of the three beers and was a dark brown color, similar to a root beer hue. I agitated the beer and the head held up quite nicely.

 The aroma of the beer was sweet and full. It may be my favorite smelling brew of the three. The scent was characteristic of berries or rich woods. I breathed it through my nose and exhaled through my mouth. The scent doesn’t linger in the back of the throat long, but to me is heavenly.

I agitated the beer once more before taking my first sip. The beer seemed almost slushy because I stuck my beer mugs in the freezer for a couple hours before I used them. The consistency was definitely the heaviest of the three beers. The sharpness of the OPA Black was worth it for the sweet lingering aftertaste. I would go as far to say that I prefer the Black OPA over the regular OPA. From what I understand about drinking a variety of beers to acquire taste, it is usually drinking in a progression from lighter beers to darker beers. I feel that with the Choc OPA Black, the aftertaste is worth the bite more than the less present aftertaste.

 

 

*Final Words – Choc Variety Pack*

1^st choice – The Wheat – It was the most familiar taste and I love the heartiness of a wheat beer.

2^nd choice – OPA Black – The bite seems less painful when followed by the sweet aftertaste of the dark beer.

3^rd choice – OPA – The original OPA is my least favorite because while the bite is about the same as the OPA Black, the aftertaste is less present, which makes for a more challenging drink for me.

Choc Variety Pack - Choc OPA

Choc OPA

Choc beer’s Oklahoma Pale Ale was part of my Choc beer variety pack and my review of it was inevitable. I must say that when it comes to beer, I normally stick to wheat and pilsners. Pale ales are normally too sharp with too much bite, but I am a beer connoisseur that believes that all beers are created equal. That being said, Oklahoma Pale Ale was not my pint of choice.

Appearance: The beer had a lighter color and a bigger head than the American Wheat. The color was still a dark gold but more cloudy.

Smell: The smell was much different than the taste. The aroma had hints of berry or woody scents. The smell was also sharp and bit the senses.

Taste: The taste, like the smell was sharp but not as pleasing. The Oklahoma Pale Ale sinks to the back of the throat and almost curdled. The sharp taste hits the back of the throat and moves forward across the palate. This beer is bitter and though not a personal favorite, my friend Walden thought the beer was sharp but pleasant. He thought it was dry and not overwhelmingly bitter, but enough to make it pop. The beer also seemed to have a bit of acidity. This is definitely not a beer to chug.

Overall: The beer for me left a bad taste in my mouth. Though I didn’t enjoy it as much as my friend Walden; it had its own personality. As the beer warmed a bit, the bite was a little weaker and easier for me to drink. Pale Ale lovers may like this beer, but for me it’s not a first choice.

Choc Variety Pack - The 1919 American Wheat

For my first attempt at reviewing beer, I went to a liquor store and spent thirty minutes looking around the store for the Oklahoma products. After looking over the different beer options, I settled with a variety six pack of Choc Beer. Over the course of this week, I will be reviewing these three beers. So here we go.

1919 Choc American Wheat

1919 American Wheat is a great brew for any wheat beer lover. The deep gold beer has a light and crisp constancy with an earthy flavor that rolls across the palate in a light and delicious manner. When tasting this beer, the most important thing I had to keep in mind was my steps in tasting beers as I outlined in my last post. I will be focusing on the presentation, smell, and of course the taste. I started with the Choc beers because they are pretty prevalent in the Oklahoma sections of the liquor stores.

My first was the American Wheat and it was an excellent choice in starting out my exploration of Oklahoma’s beers.

Appearance: The color is a darker gold and a fair transparency. The head and lace of the beer was very minimal but overall good.

Smell: The aroma is mild with a hint of natural wheat flavor. It has an almost calming and relaxing effect, which is normally my goal in enjoying a beer with my friends. The flavor comes to a head when tasting.

Taste: The beer consistency is light and smooth with big flavor. The organic taste of this American Wheat is crisp yet flavorful. The subtle flavor sweeps gently as the wind goes down the plains. Any wheat beer lover is going to love this beer.

Overall the American Wheat Beer from Choc Beer Company is a great beer for me to start with. I am most fond of wheat beers because making the transition from your generic domestic beers, such as Bud Light or Miller Light was easy. I would compare this beer to a Belgium White Blue Moon or Boulevard Wheat. In my further exploration of Oklahoma brews and wines, I hope to gain more perspective and offer more information.

The Onward Journey

I love beer. I love drinking beer. As a twenty two year old male, I could think of nothing better than tasting a new beer and telling anyone who would listen. I am a student at the University of Oklahoma, so I know a thing or two about pounding some cold ones before Anth 1113. But as I got older and drank copious amounts of beer, I wanted more. I wanted to venture past the Blue Mountains and get a different taste of Oklahoma.

Oklahoma had just passed laws to legalize home brewing in 2010. As time has passes, I hope that more microbreweries pop up, but for the time being, I hope to explore the world of Oklahoma breweries and brews. I also want to explore the many wineries throughout the state. I hope that through my exploration, people may learn alongside me about sampling beers and we might acquire some new favorites.

The first thing I had to do when sampling new beers was to learn some common terms and how to taste beers. For any new beer connoisseur, getting educated on the lingo is the first step in beginning to try new beers. A good source for getting into beer is the Beer Advocate Magazine. I’ll put a link at the bottom of my post. The four steps of their system will be used in all my beer tastings.

 You begin by looking at the beer. Also remember to agitate, swirl the beer, in order to pull out the smells and prepare for a better waft. The smelling of a beer is almost as important as the actual tasting. Because the nasal and oral senses are so closely related, the importance of preparation is crucial to the beer tasting experience. Drinking the beer is no race. Take time to sip the beer and allow for the taste to flood your taste buds.

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/101/taste

Another important thing to understand when trying new beer is to understand terms. Here is a shorter list of terms that I have started to use when sampling new Oklahoman Beers.

Head- the foam after the initial pour.

Lace – the sideway view of the beer foam, specifically the pattern.

Agitation – the swirling of beer to release its flavors.

Hoppy – hops taste is strong.

Flat – carbonated beer that loses the effervescence

Dry – beer lacks sweetness

Mellow – A well rounded beer. Not too sweet, not too Bitter. Just right.

Smooth – soft beers that have a calm refreshing taste.

For the entire list, check out the link below to Brookston Beer Bulletin.

http://brookstonbeerbulletin.com/beer-tasting-terms/