Boston Beer Company – Longshot Strawberry Lager (5.5% ABV)

Nothing subtle about the strawberries here. The aroma of fresh garden fruit pops right out of the bottle. The body is a surprising golden-hue. When pouring into a pint glass, the nose had me fully expecting a reddish color. There is a front-loaded tart in the flavor ceding to strains of maltiness before finally arriving at a pronounced sweetness in the finish. A crisp, refreshing, strawberry-infused sensation stays with you at the end and will leave you wanting more.

Abita Brewing – Strawberry Harvest Lager (4.2% ABV)

This wheat beer is brewed using actual, late-harvest Louisiana strawberries, when they are the freshest. It pours fairly clear for a wheat, with a small layer of white foam bubbling in the head. The most remarkable aspect of the Strawberry Harvest is an initial profile of hops, making their presence known before fading away to let the strawberry work its magic. If you’re looking for the essence of strawberry without an overwhelming sweetness, this is the lager for you.

Samuel Smith Old Brewery – Organic Strawberry Fruit Beer (5.2% ABV)

This is unabashed strawberry, folks. From a hazy pour with its reddish head, the fruit-forward sweetness, to the tart finish–there’s no question about the hallmark ingredient of this product. It almost smells like jam and the flavor is no less agressive. If strawberries are what you live for, this beer will leave you with a profound sense of purpose. Namely, to drink much more of it.

Chicago’s award-winning Koval Distillery takes the term ‘craft‘ quite seriously. A label thrown around so often in this day and age it’s almost become hollow, Robert Birnecker and his wife Sonat are working to restore meaning to the phrase. Witness their line of luscious liqueurs–whole, organic ingredients, macerated on-site and brimming with flavor. The Ginger Liqueur requires 60 pounds of the medicinal root per 10 gallon batch. You can taste the healing properties of this exotic elixir with each mouthful. At 40 proof, it was born to be a digestif, easing your belly after the most menacing of Windy City gorge-fests.

Their delicate mash marinates for 4 days, soaking in all that spicy saturation before undergoing a 3 week long fermentation process. The resulting liqueur can be sipped at room temperature or even topped with just a splash of Fever Tree ginger beer for an added element of effervescence.

The only other product I’ve tasted to even approach the depth of flavor in Koval’s Ginger Liqueur is from New Deal Distillery out of Portland, Oregon. Theirs is slightly spicier and works best when mixed into other spirits. The distiller recommends a jigger of Bourbon for a more potent take on a whiskey ginger. My favorite mixture has been alongside dark, spiced rum. A shot of it mingled with 2 oz. of Siesta Key Spiced Rum, topped with a splash of soda water produces the most alluring, life-affirming Dark and Stormy known to man.

Ginger liqueur is an unexpected enhancement to many a fine libation. But it’s gotta be done right. Artificially-flavored neutral spirits aren’t going to cut it. Stick with these guys and they’ll soon become mainstays of your completed cocktail cabinet.

Getting right down to business, we positioned ourselves in a spacious booth next to the bar. The interior of Cochon evokes bygone industry–this is the Warehouse District, after all. Yet somehow it maintains a cozy and inviting feel. Faded brick facades have a way of doing that. Without hesitation, Stephen ordered The Swinekiller–an appropriate choice considering his restaurant is French for ‘piglet.’ It’s a variation on a gin rickey with an infusion of rhubarb bitters. I’m drawn in by The Honeysuckle Rose–Prosecco, honeysuckle vodka, mixed with grapefruit and homemade peach bitters. How exactly does one turn down homemade peach bitters?

The slightly sweet, country tartness of my cocktail acted as an unexpected counterpoint to  the deep, peppery tones of my wood-fired oysters. Armed with liquid courage, I was ready to venture deeper into the culinary Bayou: fried alligator with garlic aioli and boudin–deep fried croquettes of sausage and rice. Savory pairs with spice and so I called upon the Hey, Jack–tequila immersed in jalapeño puree, with taragon, lime juice and ginger beer in tow. I was proud of my evolving cocktail cavalcade until I looked up and noticed that Stephen was staying true to the Swinekiller.

It felt like as good a time as any to confess my deep-seated penchant for all things pig. Chef responded with a recommendation for the oyster & bacon sandwich. Far from a traditional New Orleans Po’ Boy, this comforting creation is delivered in between toasted white bread. Essentially an upscale BLT with fried oysters added into the fray, I needed a similarly straight-forward libation to match, pound-for-pound. The Orange Whiskey Cocktail was willing and able. Buffalo Trace bourbon–a personal favorite–enhanced with Peychaud’s and a splash of OJ. Some sweet, some starch, a touch of brine and many fine laughs. A recipe beyond food and drink, morphing into transcendent revelry.

Back on planet Earth, Cochon features a noteworthy list of bourbons. Blanton’s and Willett Pot Still Reserve are both well worth the $12 pour, pairing well with any Creole-influenced entreé. Beer drinkers will have no reservations when faced with a diverse list of local craft.

After the dining was done, Stryjewski led me down the street to his brand new Peche (800 Magazine Street), opened with co-chef/impresario/culinary wizard Donald Link. It’s going to do for fish what Cochon does for meat. Namely: blow your frickin’ mind. I hope your sitting down.

Upon first sip, the most provocative tasting note from this buttery-bodied white is complexity. If you’re in the mood for a sweeter, one-dimensional Chardonnay, look elsewhere. The Alexander Chardonnay has a sharp, mineral backbone that carries through into the finish. All along the way you’ll experience apples, pears, orchard fruits rush forward before slowing dissipating. But the tinge of acidity will trudge heroically past all of those short-lived esters.

Serve this wine slightly chilled, on a warm summer’s day. Pair it with lighter meats. Roasted chicken, white-bodied seafood, like a crisp, Dover sole. A fresh garden salad with a lemon vinaigrette. These are the profiles that will dance around this delicate delight.

Personally, I’m much more of a red man. I was persuaded to bring this bottle to a friends house. She preferred Chardonnay to a bold Cabernet. I took a small pour in order to be polite, fully anticipating a lackluster reaction with my palate. How surprised I was to discover that there is something pronouncedly unctuous about this Chardonnay. It stays with you. I was delighted to take another pour and even discovered some flavors that weren’t immediately apparent in the first glass. They must be something in the water up there in Alexander Valley.

Research into the particular vintage reveals that 2011 was a particularly cool growing season, producing some of the stronger flavors that I detected in this bottle. At $18, it’s well worth the price of admission.

You can purchase the 2011 Estate Chardonnay along with other Alexander Valley wines from their website.

For one, you create custom pies at the bar–directing the pizzaiola, ingredient-by-ingredient before he hoists it into high temperature, wood fire ovens. The pizza is in the Roman style, by way of Berkeley–ultra thin crust, consisting of the freshest, local ingredients imaginable. Such vivid, robust tastes require equally active cocktails to engage the palate. The way Build approaches this incomparable combination is unique and inviting to any connoisseur.

When it comes to the beer, they have 16, frequently rotating, local microbrews on tap. The offerings are divvied into several flights concentrating on specific flavor profiles–hoppy, malty, etc. But where the bar really takes flight is in the unique cocktail menu curated by manager Jay Crabb. Every day he batches a trove of curious bitters and elixirs immersed within an ethereal assortment of Italian digestivos and Kentucky Bourbons.

Complex beverages with playful names–I ordered a Ubiquitous But Delicious Nevertheless–might seem daunting to the novice drinker. Yet they become immediately accessible thanks to Crabb’s meticulous organization. All the concoctions are separated by generalized style and equipped with annotated subtitling. It might give room for pause to see the Tazza Di Alloro E Zenzoro–a cocktail blended with bay laurel and Douglas fir. But when you see that it’s merely their take on a reliable ol’ Pimm’s Cup, your reservation is supplanted with anticipation.

I certainly couldn’t wait to inspect the Sfera Grande sculpted ice served with my drink. Chainsawed and chiseled into massive transparent globules, the ice is literally faultless and serves to slowly open up the cocktail as you sit.

A new approach is inherent to every facet of Build. Most radical of all might be their kegged wines. Damn good wines. 20 in all are served on tap at the bar. Not only are they better then you expect, they’re actually more ecological this way: each keg saves 24 glass bottles from the landfill. Does it get any more Berkeley than that?

When you think you’re finished, save room for dessert: their homemade butterscotch budino, served with mascarpone cream is as decadent as it sounds–salted, caramelized sugars, encapsulated in a luscious cream. When paired alongside the rich, roasted flavors of the Payback Porter on draft, I believe I had epiphanous visions of the Great Beyond.

In this town of culinary grandiosity, it’s not enough to merely do something different; you have to do it well. Bravo to Build for bringing it all together.

OGIO Prosecco comes from the hills of northeastern Italy, where the sunny-yet-cool climate produces a grape that is remarkably dry and full of earthiness. A subtle lingering mineral element evokes the gently terraced foothills of the Dolomites.

Sweetness is a big no-no for me when it comes to wine. I think that’s what immediately appeals to me about OGIO. There is a bold, crisp finish that results after each sip. When the bubbly has gone down, my tongue clicks involuntarily against the roof of my mouth to combat the satisfying burn of CO2 exposure.

Another inviting element of OGIO is the price point. Prosecco has steadily grown in popularity throughout the 2000s to become one of the hottest varieties of Italian wines on the market today. Consequently, some elite brands have emerged to capitalize on the wine’s heightened stature. Typically under $20 a bottle, OGIO Prosecco will happily stack up against far more expensive brands.

Beyond the phenomenal flavor and surprising cost, the packaging is also noteworthy. A sleek bottle with rounded lines and understated, metallic labeling highlights the vigorous bubbles housed inside.

All-in-all, OGIO is worthy of cellaring for an upcoming celebration or sipping with anyone in your life that you truly appreciate. I’m glad this one made it over the pond and into my refrigerator.

Photo Credit: Timm Eubanks Photography

Thirty-two years later, in September 2006, Shafer Vineyards released the 2002 Hillside Select Cabernet, a vintage that Robert Parker had awarded a perfect 100 points.

Doug Shafer’s well focused memoir, written with Andy Demsky, is the rocky-hillside-to-world-renowned-Napa-wine story of father John Shafer, son Doug and winemaker Elias Fernandez. The Shafer story is a tale of vision, luck, daring and modesty.

There were plenty of mistakes along the way. There was the decision to plant Sangiovese in the hope that the varietal would be the next big thing. There was the misguided cold soaking of the 1985 Chardonnay grapes, treating them like red wine grapes, for which juice contact with the skin tannins is desirable. “Never make the same mistake twice” became a Shafer motto.

It was John Shafer who convened the 1984 kickoff meeting to seek appellation status for the Stags Leap District. He helped shepherd the application through the byzantine process which involved competing testimony on matters geological, historical, meteorological (is there or is there not a unique wind pattern through the box canyon, and if so, does it stop at or beyond the northern hills?) and plain folkloric.

Beginning in the “cult wine” boom era of the late 1990s, the Shafers realized that they were in fact running two operations: the “real wine” business and the “fantasy wine” business of their Hillside Select. Son Doug was now winery president; his father chairman. Doug resisted his father’s urging to increase production from thirty to sixty thousand cases. “I’m not an empire builder,” he writes. “I don’t wake up in the morning with fire in my veins to expand this business.” By focusing on quality over quantity, Doug Shafer helped avoid the fate of many valley wineries who were left with debts and excess inventory when the boom went bust.

That focus on quality is the obsession of Shafer winemaker Elias Fernandez, who was named 2002 Winemaker of the Year by Wine & Spirits. We first see him as a young new hire, the son of farm workers, fresh from UC Davis with a degree in fermentation science. In a deliberate hazing gesture, Doug assigns him some nasty grunt work which Fernandez takes up competently, uncomplainingly, and quietly. He later explained that as a newbie assistant he was simply absorbing everything around him.

It’s a telling remark that Shafer doesn’t elaborate on, but it is clear from the narrative that Fernandez has never stopped absorbing everything around him: sniffing each oak barrel upon delivery, fussing over the cork, tasting and observing and tasting again. The Shafers named their Syrah/Petit Sirah blend (Wine Spectator’s 2012 Wine of the Year) in honor of winemaker Fernandez: it’s called Relentless.

Caledonia Spirits

Turning honey into vodka is no easy task, either. It requires a unique process of cold fermentation which preserves the subtleties of the nectar while highlighting some unexpected complexities. For example, my first sip of the silky smooth spirit produced lingering notes of vanilla that lasted for a few moments after the swallow. There is a slight spice on the tip of the tongue that doesn’t quite make it to the back of the throat.

Mass market vodkas in this country tend to be used almost exclusively for mixing, but you won’t need to adulter this refined flavor with Red Bull or orange juice. Barr Hill is meticulously crafted to enjoy one sip at a time. Knowing the amount of care that goes into it, I’d actually feel a built guilty masking it with overpowering additives.

Being that traditional vodka comes from grains or potatoes, it’s remarkable that Barr Hill is able to achieve a similar, yet more vibrant profile from an entirely unrelated ingredient. It stands out not just as a novelty, but as a a testament to craft distillation. The virtues of quality, local components augmented by skillful labor.

The packaging is somewhat simple and entirely alluring. An understated label with a hand-numbered batch ID displays a gentle sketch of the Vermont landscape. Fragrant beeswax is used to seal a wooden cap, stamped with a lone honeybee. The same 375ml. bottles are used for their similarly compelling gin. If you crave a touch of sweetness, their fragrant elderberry cordial might be just for you. 

Find out more about ordering their products here.

Ratings (Out of 100): Worth your time and money.

Body: 86 | Nose: 84 | Flavor: 89 | Presentation: 96 | Overall: 88

There’s something magical about all of that. But what really saps the mysticism is how so many mass market rums are complete garbage. Artificial in flavor, burning the back of the throat on the way down. Not good. If that’s what you’ve come to expect from this Caribbean-themed spirit, then you’re in for one hell of a treat when you get your hands on Siesta Key Spiced Rum. It is pure, it is smooth, it is simple and it is 100% natural.

While those accolades might not seem groundbreaking, they truly are. Whereas most other rums are using artificial flavorings and chemical additives to inject sweetness, Siesta Key distiller Troy Roberts has taken an entirely different path. When you taste his Spiced Rum you taste real molasses. You taste real vanilla. Cinnamon. That’s because it’s all really in there. And most of the ingredients are local to the Sunshine State, where Troy makes his product.

Based out of Sarasota, Florida, it’s only natural that he named his rum after a nearby island renowned for world-class white sand beaches. That’s exactly where I want to be drinking this stuff. And yes, it will make for a mind-numbing Mai Tai or Rum Punch. But this light brown, fantastically aromatic spirit is especially suited to sipping.

On a recent trip to the distillery I observed the meticulous care that goes into a superior product such as Siesta Key. After all, flavor like this doesn’t happen by accident. The copper still, imported from Germany, was skillfully modified by Troy and his crew to exacting specifications. It is gleaming, inside and out. The whole warehouse reeks of liquid sunshine. And that’s exactly what rum is and ought to taste like.

Try some and you’re immediately overwhelmed by smooth notes of nutmeg, vanilla and cinnamon. That white sand beach is never more than a sip away.

The Bay Area based microbrewery continues to hit it out of the park time and again. This robust, exceptionally dark offering is no exception. The flavors evoke a perfect marriage between the popular bourbon barrel stout style and a Belgian-inspired Quad. That means a beer with hints of roasted, vanilla, chocolate and coffee, coalescing with the pungent tone of dark fruit. This is partially from Belgian candi sugar added to the dark ale before it ages in oak for no less than half a year. After aging, the beer is blended with American Imperial Stout to produce the end result. So the art and science that goes into making this delicately-balanced beer actually involves barrel-aging as well as blending. These are skills that can easily be butchered by less capable brewers.

No one could ever charge brewmasters Jessie Friedman and Damian Fagan with a lack of ability. The duo possess an attention to detail that is easily noted in each satiating sip of their innovative brews. The only downside to this beer is they suggest you let it age for up to 5 years, as it will only evolve more complexity in the bottle. Yeah. That’s gonna take supreme patience. Best advice: grab a few of the beautifully packaged 375ml bottles, pop one open as soon as you get home and cellar the rest to see how they develop throughout the years.

Ratings (Out of 10): Buy this, now.

Appearance: 8 | Nose: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Presentation: 10 | Overall: 9