Baron Bill's Drink Dummy Blog

A Breakfast Shot - Truly Bizarre, But Wonderful!

2011-12-02T15:50:00.000-07:00

Hello Drink Dummies. Come, gather round the drinking table and prepare for an amazing shot. Yes, it does come in two shot glasses. No, you cannot eat that bacon yet. Just trust me. It will all become clear.

So, a friend of mine heard about this shot from another friend who heard it from another friend, etc... It sounded wacky and I love urban legends, so I decided to give it a chance. It's pretty involved as it requires a half a piece of bacon but it's totally worth it. Here's a picture:

Ok, here's the breakdown:

Shot glass #1: Half Jameson (or other Irish Whiskey) and half Buttershots (butterscotch schnapps).

Shot glass #2: Orange juice

And a half a piece of bacon...

Here are the steps:
1. Drink shot glass #1
2. Drink shot glass #2
3. Eat bacon
4. Savor
5. Love yourself
6. Rinse and repeat

It truly tastes like eating bacon dipped in maple syrup. Trust me. It's a little extra effort but you will not be sorry!

Nut Liquor? Yes please!

2011-09-27T15:44:00.001-06:00

Here's my story:

I was in the liquor store looking for something to give to an acquaintance as a birthday present. I knew that this acquaintance was a drinker, so a bottle of something in the $10-$20 range seemed like a pretty safe bet. My fiance told me to find something "fun".

So, I'm in the vodka aisle thinking "maybe I can find some obscure fun flavor of vodka". Seems reasonable, right? And there it was... the holy grail of "fun":

Nut Liquor - Peanut Butter Vodka!

I quickly imagined it to be all shock value. It would taste dreadful and the joke would be funny. I quickly grabbed a bottle and ran home to show the woman (Yes, I paid for it first). She was thrilled. We showed it to others, and they shared our thrill as well.

We put it in the freezer and the next day we were off to the Birthday party. We unveiled it and laughs were had all around. Mission accomplished! High five for the funny name and the obscure flavor combo.

Imagine my surprise when the birthday boy said "Let's open it up and try it." What? I hadn't planned that far in advance. Surely he was kidding, right? He must've known it was a joke, right? Of course, being a drunk and in charge of this blog, I relented VERY quickly...

OH MY SWEET PEANUT BUTTERY BLISS it was good! It was VERY good. It was everything I thought it wouldn't be. It was smooth, just sweet enough, and actually tasted like alcoholic peanut butter (without the medicine-y vodka aftertaste) . You could've knocked me over with a feather.

Now since then, we have bought more bottles and experimented. It is excellent as a sipping drink straight on the rocks and well as a chilled shot. We have come up with some shots like 2 parts Nut Liquor to 1 part Creme de Cacao is amazing (tastes like a peanut butter cup).

Now, go buy some and love yourself for it!

What Have I been Drinking? Glad you asked...

2011-09-14T10:22:00.000-06:00

So, it's been awhile since I've posted and many of you are probably wondering what I've been getting myself into. Well wonder no more! I have lots of good stuff to share...

#1 is Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey!

This stuff is amazing. It started out as a joke and turned into a staple almost overnight. I have two friends (well a friend and an in-law) who have made a tradition the last few years of getting each other a bottle of the most terrible sounding alcohol they can possibly find (The best so far has been Lava, a truly horrible alcoholic monstrosity). This year, my buddy found Fireball. Surely something as unusual sounding as Cinnamon Whiskey would be so horrible as to be beyond comprehension... Right? Not so much.

This stuff is AWESOME! There is at least 2 bottles of this stuff at every party we have these days and between me and my friends, we drink this stuff all the time. It is so smooth and has such a great flavor, we can't stay away. Imagine dropping an Atomic Fireball candy into a shot glass of the smoothest whiskey you've ever tasted. So good...

How do you drink it? Thanks for asking. We shoot it mostly (chilled please), but it is also great in Coke, Ginger ale and Sprite. That's really all we've tried it in, but if you have any suggestions, post them in the comments.

Since we discovered it many months ago, it has started showing up in a ton of bars and almost every liquor store we go to now carries it, so go pick yourself up some and "you're welcome"...

I'll save #2 for the next post...

Some of my favorite Alcohol inspired music videos

2011-02-25T15:52:00.000-07:00

No list would be worth a damn without this Bare naked Ladies classic:

The Dropkick Murphy's know how to party it up right:

Against Me tears it up with "Pints of Guiness Make you Strong":

You may be noticing an Irish theme here with Flogging Molly:

Shifting gears here for a minute is John Anderson with "Straight Tequila Night":

Another big shift to Snoop Dog and "Gin and Juice":

Few songs inspire drunken rants like "One bourbon, one scotch, and one beer" by Mr. George Thorogood:

And what drinking list would end without "Closing Time" by SemiSonic? Not this one:

There you have it, my list of favorite Alcohol related music. Feel free to suggest your own in the comments and I'm sure I'll be posting more soon.

Thanks for reading!

Beer Review: Young's Double Chocolate Stout

2011-02-01T12:22:00.003-07:00

Hi all! Just to prove that I can still do a decent beer review, I was looking in my fridge last night for a review-worthy brew and what did I find? An old favorite: Young's Double Chocolate Stout.

We'll start with Presentation. In this case, I am reviewing a bottle poured into a pint glass. As you can tell from the picture above, it is very dark (effectively black) in appearance. It pours with a solid deep tan head that dissipates fairly quickly.

The smell was chocolate with a distinct coffee/espresso aroma. Some maltiness was also evident.

Taste was very smooth and creamy. Dominant chocolate flavors with a hint of coffee and malt. It had a very smooth finish and the chocolate flavors really came to life as it warmed slightly.

This is one of the most drinkable beers I've found. It is a stout (big time) so it may not be for everyone, but drinkers of Guinness have probably already discovered and fallen in love with this beer.

If you haven't tried it, go out now and buy some!

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That's all for now!

Random Weekend Alcohol Check!

2011-01-31T14:13:00.002-07:00

Hello Drink Dummy fans! Time for another installment of the Random Weekend Alcohol Check. What have I been drinking this weekend? Let's find out!

I was out at the bar on Friday night and they had a $2 shot special of Rumple Minze Lime. Now, I'm kind of a sucker for a $2 shot and Rumple Minze isn't the worst shot ever, so we decided to give it a shot (pun intended).

Now, for anyone not in the know, Rumple Minze is a 100 proof Peppermint Schnappes. Now to me, the "Lime" version pretty much tasted like regular Rumple Minze with a twinge of lime flavoring. I happen to like Peppermint so I thought it was tasty. Some of my friends were not singing the same tune. To each his (or her) own, right?

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Pyramid Apricot Ale - Now, I've had this particular beer quite a few times and overall, I'm a fan. My only complaint has always been the uneven settling of the contents in the bottle that can make for some uneven taste from one bottle to another.

Guess what I found this weekend? Pyramid Apricot Ale on TAP! Whaaat?? Yeah, you heard me. And it was REALLY good. Gone was the issue with settling and the draft version had a much cleaner and fresher Apricot flavor to it than the bottled version. Call around, and see if you can find someplace that has it. Here in Denver, the Mellow Mushroom is where I found it.

Now, I will re-iterate, the bottled version is also good, but just not AS good...

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I'm going to share something with everyone here. I am not a fan of mixing alcohol with dairy products, but some friends of mine and I were inspired by a recent viewing of "The Big Lebowski" and we decided to make some White Russians. This classic recipe is good for a drink or two, but I find that I can only take so much of milk-based drinks.

The White Russian (On the rocks)

2 oz. Vodka (make it decent vodka or your whole drink will taste like Skoal)
1 oz. Kahlua (or other coffee liqueur)
3 oz. Milk or Light Cream

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And now for some pics:

Adios my friends!

You like drinkin? Who the hell don't?

2010-12-10T11:24:00.006-07:00

Sorry I've been away for so long. I was probably drunk.

So, as per status quo, here are a few funny pictures I found:

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So, what have I been drinking lately?

Leopold Bros. Rocky Mountain Peach Whiskey

One word... AWESOME! This stuff is fantastic (a little pricey, but worth it). It is probably best as a sipping whiskey, although we have done our fair share of shots as well. It is probably the smoothest whiskey I've ever had the pleasure of imbibing. Go buy some. Leopold Bros. Website. They have other flavors like Blackberry, Apple and some others, but I haven't tried them yet.

Harlem Liqueur

Brought to market by the folks that bring you Ketel One Vodka (excellent vodka), Harlem is Nolet Spirit's attempt to compete with Jagermeister. Everyone knows I'm a huge Jager fan, so I feel bad saying anything nice about competition, but it's not bad. Harlem is 80 proof (to Jager's 70) and has a slightly harsher taste to it. As a shot, I still prefer ice-cold Jager, but I found (and most of my friends agreed) that Harlem tastes a little better with Red Bull than Jager. I still have a bottle of the stuff in my freezer and as I experiment more with it, I will post.

Well, that's all I have time for today, I will post again soon with more hidden (and not so hidden) treasures of the Alcohol World!

Wasted Wednesday Wharrgarbl...

2009-11-04T17:16:00.002-07:00

We'll start out with some fun pics...

Here's a few new tastes I've picked up in last few months:

Pear Vodka is great with Red Bull and Apple Cider...

White Grape Vodka is also great with Red Bull and Apple Cider but also goes well with most sodas like Coke, Sprite, and Orange Soda...

Now don't go abandoning me because of this next post, but Bud Light Golden Wheat is surprisingly good! It tastes like a lighter Blue Moon (which I like alot but gets awfully heavy). It's a pretty darn good "drinking beer" and has become somewhat of a favorite House beer of mine lately. the drawback is that it's kind of hard to find. Give it a try before you lambaste me for saying something nice about a Bud Light...

I'll leave you with a new shot invention that I came up with for my birthday 2 days ago called the JagerMill which is a shot glass with half Jagermeister and half Bushmill's Irish Whiskey (you can sub Jameson or any other Irish Whiskey of your choice). It goes down smoother than it sounds and isn't quite as bad as you're thinking, but it hits like a freight train....

Some More Tuesday Tidbits

2009-07-07T17:12:00.002-06:00

So, 4th of July went well. Lots of fireworks and of course lots of drinking. Some faves from the weekend:

Summer Solstice Cerveza Crema

One of my new favorite beers. It jumped right into top 5 status and shows no signs of ever falling out. This review from Beeradvocate.com sums it up perfectly:

"the aroma is quite subtle with just some touches of tofee and caramel.
the taste is malty in the malt ball sense, with a soft cream soda type flavor and smooth nutty toffee/caramel hits you mid palate. after that a soft sweet lemongrass type of flavor develops. it's somewhat bready, but not in the typical yeasty sort of way. soft and supple, this beer nails creaminess."

Go buy some immediately! The only drawback is that it runs about $12 a six-pack (if you can find it).

Peach Pucker

The old staple came through for me again. It's not quite as sweet as Peach Schnapps and you can drink a ton of it without passing out.

The Mexican Slut

On the advice of some friends, I tried it with Tequila first THEN pickle juice and I must say it was not as good that way. If you need a refresher, check out The original Mexican Slut post to see how it's done.

A warning to my drunk snowman brothers:

Yes, it can happen to you!

Even Storm Troopers need to cut loose sometimes

Till next time!

The Go Plate!

2009-06-24T13:56:00.000-06:00

In my ongoing quest to bring you not only the latest and greatest alcoholic beverages, but also the coolest beer/alcohol related stuff, I present you with my latest find: The Go Plate!

I think the pics are pretty self explanitory but if you want to read more or buy some, Click Here

When in Rome Part 2 – The Tequila/Mexican Bar

2009-06-24T10:58:00.003-06:00

When in Rome Part 2 – The Tequila/Mexican Bar

In the last edition of When in Rome I touched on Irish Pubs and how to not be a complete Douche by embarrassing yourself with a Bud Light or Pina Colada. In the spirit of keeping yourself free from merciless taunting in yet another temple of alcoholic consumption, I bring you “The Mexican/Tequila Bar”…

(pictured) One of my favorite tequila Bars in Denver is La Sandia at Stapleton.

For the sake of establishing this conversation, I am going to refer to a Mexican Bar as any type of bar or tavern that makes a real attempt at establishing a “Mexican” style theme. Most of these types of places serve Mexican food and many have Spanish names like “El Coyote”, or “Las Margaritas”, or “Frijoles Grandes”. For anyone here in Denver, “Casa Bonita” DOES NOT qualify as a Mexican Bar. Mexican bars typically have Hispanic style décor like bright colors, pictures/paintings of cactus, and signs advertising Corona or Margarita specials… A “Tequila Bar” may or may not follow any of the guidelines above, but they pretty much always advertise the fact that they are a Tequila Bar so they are pretty easy to spot.

Ok, so you’ve established that you have indeed entered a Mexican/Tequila Bar, now what? First of all, any Mexican beer is just fine (Corona, Tecate, Negro Modelo, Modelo Especial, Pacifico, Dos Equis, etc). Any drink with Tequila like a Margarita or Tequila Sunrise is also encouraged. What else you ask? Well, given its overwhelming popularity in Mexico and in the Mexican community here in the US, Bud and Bud Light are acceptable in a Mexican Bar. Another very acceptable alternative to beer and Tequila is Sangria. Sangria is usually pretty different everywhere you go as there is no “official recipe” so try it before you buy it.

Now on to the most important part any visit to the Mexican/Tequila Bar… Shots. Tequila is the only acceptable shot in a Tequila Bar. If you don’t like Tequila, refraining from shots is probably your best bet, although many higher end (read: expensive) Tequilas are quite smooth and have almost nothing in common with cheap well or Cuervo shots. Try a Premium or Super Premium Tequila like Don Julio, Herradura, or Cabo Wabo and see if they don’t change your mind about Tequila. Shots in a regular Mexican bar (read: not a Tequila Bar) are a little easier. Any shots that are on special or advertised in the table tent or menu are fine although Tequila is still preferred.

There you have it. Hopefully you can now go into the world and seek out a Mexican or Tequila Bar and not have people pointing at you and talking behind your back. If so, my job here is done.

Random Weekend Alcohol Check

2009-06-22T17:21:00.003-06:00

What have I been drinking this weekend? I'm glad you asked:

Cruzan Raspberry Rum: Awesome stuff straight out of the bottle!

New Belgium Sunshine Wheat: A great summer wheat beer. Light with a hint of citrus. I could drink this stuff for hours (and I did). Also, to answer you question, yes I did drink cans because we were at the pool for a good part of the day yesterday.

Smirnoff White Grape Vodka: Great flavor but a little much to drink straight. Awesome with Red Bull.

Mojo IPA

2009-06-20T10:29:00.003-06:00

Mojo IPA by Boulder Beer Company

Type of beer: IPA (India Pale Ale) "an ale that is light amber to copper in color, medium to medium-high alcohol by volume, with hoppy, bitter and sometimes malty flavor." (from wikipedia)

This is a very decent IPA that is fairly typical of the style. It has a golden amber color to it with a nice head that leaves plenty of lacing on the side of the glass.

The smell is a big hit of hops up front with a lingering citrus undertone.

The taste is very hoppy up front with a slight bite of grapefruit and malt on the finish. Clean citrus notes are ever-present and it finishes smooth with a great bite at the very end. I'm a fan of IPAs for the most part and this did not disappoint in the least. I love hops and this beer provided that in spades.

Final Answer: This stuff is great and I would highly recommend it to anyone who likes IPAs. The casual light beer drinker would not be able to handle the hops and people who don't care for beer with over-the-top flavors would also be advised to stay away.

Billy's Chilies Beer Review

2009-06-17T11:14:00.003-06:00

Billy's Chilies Beer by Twisted Pine Brewing Co, Colorado.

Ok, so this beer intrigued me when I saw it at Total beverage the other night as I was building my own six-pack (neatest idea ever). The label says it is made with jalapeño, anaheim, fresno, errano, and habanero peppers. How neat is that, right? So I grabbed one and decided that last night was the night to pop it open and give it a go.

First thing you notice is the smell. I am a huge chili fan so the smell was great to me. It smells like a jar of fresh chili salsa. Basically it smells like when you open a can of diced green chilies or jalapeños. So far so good.

The taste wasn't quite as good. It basically was like taking a coors light and draining jalapeno and habanero juice into it. It had a nice chili burn in the back of your throat which was a real plus for me, but the flavor was just not that great. I guess I was expecting something a little more full bodied than I got and was pretty disappointed. It's not that it was terrible, it just wasn't great. I would probably not buy anymore in the future.

Final Answer: I would recommend you try it if you are a fan of chilies. It is a neat novelty beer, but not one I would buy on a regular basis as it is a bit awkward tasting.

Xingu Beer Review and a Beer Commitment

2009-06-15T17:09:00.002-06:00

So I spent the weekend in Orlando Florida (aka, the surface of the sun)and happened to eat dinner at a fantastic Brazilian Steak House called Texas De Brazil. It was at this wondrous meat-lover's fantasy come true that I got to taste a Brazilian Beer that I had never tried before called Xingu Black Beer. So, I offer up this review for your visual consumption:

Xingu Black Beer:

Type of Beer: (From Wikipedia.org) Schwarzbier, or "black beer," is a German dark lager beer. It has an opaque, black color and a full, chocolatey or coffee flavor. Although they share some similar flavors they are quite a bit milder tasting and less bitter than British Stouts or Porters.

ABV: 4.70%

Brewed By: Cervejaria Sul Brasileira (Brazil)

This beer poured an almost solid black color with a thick, very decent sized head. It had very malty, almost sweet, and mild roasted smells to it. The taste was right along the same path with a creamy, malty, slightly roasted caramel taste with some light coffee undertones to it. It was extremely easy to drink and i enjoyed it alot. The only disappointment was a noticeable lack of hops flavor. I'm definitely more of a hop-head when it comes to beer so this was a bit of a letdown. I wasn't that disappointed though because I did order another one (and another after that). I really can't stress enough what a drinkable beer this is and it really complimented the steak-fest that I was enjoying.

Verdict: Enjoyable, easy drinking exotic beer with just enough maltyness to make up for it's lack of hops. I will definitely be buying again and I recommend that you do too.

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My commitment: I think it would be a cool idea to try to commit to doing 5 beer reviews per week for a month. That's 20 beers that I've never laid taste buds on that I will be trying and posting about over the next month. I'll still do plenty of my traditional non-beer review posting on shots, bars, humor, etc so don't stop reading if you're not a "beer person" because there will still be plenty for you!

Thanks for stopping by and I'll be back soon.

Wisdom of Norm from Cheers

2009-06-08T17:26:00.003-06:00

I'm 33 and like most people my age, I grew up watching Cheers. As a child, I don't think I ever really understood the intricacies of the characters that populated everyone's favorite fictional watering hole, but I do now. Only in reruns can I now pick up on exactly how sad these people's lives really were. Honestly though, I think I can now look back on Norm as the wisest and funniest of the bunch. I've scoured the internet for some of his best one-liners (and 2 and 3 liners too) and have assembled his wisdom here for the Drink Dummy masses...

Coach: Can I draw you a beer, Norm?
Norm: No, I know what they look like. Just pour me one.

Woody: Hey, Mr. Peterson, what's the story?
Norm: Boy meets beer. Boy drinks beer. Boy gets another beer.

Sam: What's new, Normie?
Norm: Terrorists, Sam. They've taken over my stomach. They're demanding beer.

Woody: What's going down, Mr. Peterson?
Norm: My cheeks on this barstool.

Woody: How would a beer feel, Mr. Peterson?
Norm: Pretty nervous if I was in the room.

Woody: What's your pleasure, Mr. Peterson?
Norm: Boxer shorts and loose shoes. But I'll settle for a beer.

Sam: Hey, how's life treating you there, Norm?
Norm: Beats me. ... Then it kicks me and leaves me for dead.

Woody: What can I do for you, Mr. Peterson?
Norm: Elope with my wife.

Sam: Beer, Norm?
Norm: Have I gotten that predictable? Good.

Coach: How's a beer sound, Norm?
Norm: I dunno. I usually finish them before they get a word in.

Good stuff! Words to live by if you ask me. Anyway, since I'm already here posting this, I think I'll leave you with an awesome shot recipe:

Mind Eraser

Ingredients:

* 3-4 cubes Ice
* 1/2 shot Kahlua
* 1/2 shot Vodka
* 1 shot Sprite to taste

Place ice cubes in a small, narrow glass. Add the Kahlua, then the vodka and then the Sprite.

Do not stir or shake, drink through a straw all at once. Drink should be layered.

A Mexican Slut (Don't worry, it's a shot).

2009-06-05T15:39:00.002-06:00

So, some friends and I were at a happy hour earlier this week at a local dive called Doc's here in Denver. This is not a fancy place or really the kind of place you would expect to find new things so it figured to be a nice relaxed happy hour with a couple of pitchers of Coors Light (on special) and maybe a standard shot or two of Jager with some good friends.

Imagine my surprise when I asked our waitress if they had any shot specials. She apparently misunderstood me and thought I was asking for "special shots" so she busted out with the Mexican Slut. According to her, a few customers had come into the bar a week or so ago and told her about a shot called a Mexican Slut that they claim is very popular in Chicago where they had just moved from.

Intrigued, I leaned in and asked "So, what's in it and how much will it cost me?" She responded back with the following: "A Mexican Slut is a shot of pickle juice followed immediately by a shot of Tequila.

Unsure if this sounded even remotely palatable, I turned to my friend Sommer and raised my eyebrow. Sommer loves pickles, so she quickly responds that we should give it a try. No one else at the table would agree so I ordered two and waited uneasily...

So, sure enough, it arrives as a two piece shot, a shot glass of pickle juice and a shot glass of well tequila garnished with a lemon. A minute or so of curious study and trepidation followed it's arrival. Finally, a "Cheers!", the clanking of shot glasses and down goes the pickle juice followed by the tequila followed in turn by the lemon...

Wow. It was actually really good. I like tequila but can have a lot of problems with well. The pickle juice really helped take the edge off of a very unsmooth well tequila and the lemon was a perfect compliment to the overall flavor profile of the shot. Ultimately, for the price ($3) this was a decent shot with some incredible flavors and was surprisingly smooth and easy to drink. I ended up getting two...

In summary, give it a try the next time you're out. It may not be your thing, but it may end up joining your shot repertoire.

Alcohol Party

2009-06-02T14:21:00.001-06:00

So I was looking around youtube and I found this video by stand-up comic Jim Breur and I thought it was pretty funny so I'm sharing it with you...

When in Rome - A Guide to Bar Themes #1 (Irish Pubs)

2009-05-29T11:03:00.003-06:00

Sushi Bar, Sports Tavern, etc... The purpose of this series of articles is to save people from making fatal mistakes in these specialized places of alcohol consumption. We've all seen it right? If you haven't, you might be a perpetrator. read on as we start with Irish Pubs! here is a picture of the Irish rover here in Denver, CO. It is one of my faves:

Irish Pub - I admit to being very partial towards the Irish Pub. I love the atmosphere, I love the culture and I love the alcohol. Please don't be the guy who orders a Corona or a Bud Light at an Irish Pub. What is preferable is any Irish Beer or liquor.

Common Irish Beers include: Guinness, Smithwick's, Murphy's, and Beamish. Though not really Irish (made by Coors), Killian's Irish Red is also acceptable. This list is not exhaustive as many Irish Pubs will feature several excellent (though not well known) Irish beers that are not listed above. If you can confirm it is Irish, it is acceptable.

Irish Liquors include, but are not limited to (see above): Jameson's, Bushmills, Tullamore Dew, Baliey's Irish Creme, and almost any Meade.

Also acceptable is any British or Scottish Beers and liquor (ie: Newcastle, Bass, Strongbow, and any type of Scotch). Basically, try to fit in. Don't get a Bud Light, try something new and different. Get out of you comfort zone. Trust me, people notice the guy sipping a Pina Colada at an Irish Pub. I'm just sayin'

Next in the series - Sports Bar

Visions of the Weekend...

2009-05-29T09:45:00.000-06:00

So, I got an e-mail forwarded to me yesterday with a bunch of pictures of the worst hang-over moments imaginable. Some of them I found quite entertaining, some not so much, and some VERY NSFW. Since I post most of this blog from work, I have decided to leave out the NSFW ones (and some of the not funny ones) and post these warnings of the dreaded "next morning" here at Drink Dummy. So without further ado:

Sadly, these pictures do nothing to quell my thirst for a nice big glass of beer and a a half dozen shots. It's weird, because I myself have been in similar positions as the ones above, yet I shall not be denied! I have the next week off of work and I intend to make the most of it...

Tuesday Tidbits and More Flasks

2009-05-26T08:54:00.000-06:00

So, I'm at work, trying to find some inspiration to work and I cannot. It's the day after a long Memorial Day weekend and I just can't bring myself to concentrate, so I figure it's a good time for some alcohol related musings...

Not Your Father's Flasks (Revisited): I found the best way to sneak liquor onto the golf course (or at least to not look like an alcoholic on the golf course). I bring you the Kooler Klub Golf Club Flask

Holds 48 oz. of you favorite beverages. It's insulated for hot and cold drinks and is easy to clean. Buy it HERE.

Avid Bird Watcher (or just want to pretend you are)? Check out the Barnoculars Binocular Flask:

Holds 16 oz.(8 in each barrel) and can be bought HERE

It isn't often that I find a liquor that I really don't like, but I found one, Absinthe. Basically it tasted like someone soaked a whole box of Good and Plenty's (black licorice candy) in a bottle of Everclear for about a month. It was not good. Well, I guess that's not fair to say as I really think it might just not be good by itself. So, to make my peace with Absinthe, I will attempt to find some kind of use for it in the coming weeks and I will report back to you when I find a shot/cocktail recipe that makes good use of it's not-so-subtle licorice flavor.

My top 5 list of canned domestic beer (in order of cost-to-taste ratio):

1. PBR
2. Busch Light
3. Keystone Light
4. Coors (regular, not light)
5. Miller Light

Ok, I have to get some work done now... See you soon.

Long Time No See...

2009-05-23T17:39:00.000-06:00

Hey there! I know, I know, I've been gone for an inexcusably long time. Well, I've decided to make a conscious effort to keep this blog up to date and relevant. Relevant to what you ask? I don't know. We'll have to figure that out as we go.

So what have I been up to? Well, drinking a lot as always of course. I've discovered some great stuff like white grape and raspberry flavored vodkas and Guinness' new 250 anniversary stout. I've also discovered some not so great stuff like corn whiskey (moonshine). For those of you who have not tried the Guinness 250 Stout, here are the details:

Guinness 250 Anniversary Draught
Alcohol: 5 percent by volume
Calories: 136.3 per 11.2 ounces
Brewing: Made with a double brew stream that combines two types of malts, ale and stout. Carbonated. Uses Guinness yeast, triple hops and roasted barley.
Pour: A one-part pour, at an angle.
Date: Launches in the U.S. April 24, in Australia and Singapore later.

Now, I personally think this stuff is top notch! I love it. It is a bit different from traditional Guinness as it is carbonated rather than nitrogenated like the original. Guinness is my all time favorite and the 250 is a close second. GO out and try it if you haven't yet as it's only around for a few more months.

Another great thing I've discovered is Fresca Peach Citrus (pictured below):

Combined with Peach schnapps or Peach Pucker, it is a dream come true! Go get some.

Well, I think my time is up, so I'll catch you again soon. I promise! Cheers.

Not Your Father's Flasks...

2009-01-28T12:27:00.000-07:00

So, I'm looking at flasks the other day online and I was somewhat surprised to find not only a vast array of traditional flasks, but also a whole slew of "flaskesque" items that run the gambit from pretty cool to just plain ridiculous. Today's DrinkDummy is about some of the items I came across.

Flip-Flop Flask

They claim each flip-flop will hold 4 shots worth of liquor (3 oz.) Seems tailor made for the beach or outdoor summer concerts. They also have a built in bottle opener!

The Sippin' Seat

Perfect for sporting events!

Cell Phone Flask

Pretty much good to go anywhere! Looks like a cell phone, especially when in it's case.

Beer Belly Flask

WTF? Doesn't seem like this would really work in a real life setting. Seems like people would catch on that your belly was shrinking... hmmm...

Well, there you have it, the best of the "Flaskesque". See you next time.

Shot Repertoires

2009-01-21T15:19:00.000-07:00

Everyone has their "shot repertoire" as I like to call it. This is the (usually short) list of shots that any given person immediately thinks of when someone at the bar says "let's do shots!" Think about it. When it's your turn to pick the shots, you know you run through 3 to 5 shots that your comfortable with and that spring to mind first. that's your "shot repertoire". It's not like you object to shots outside of these, but these are your comfort shots, your bread and butter, your peeps.

I have a repertoire myself and that's what I would like to share with you today.

#1 Jager Bomb
Ingredients:

* 1 1/2 oz Jägermeister
* 1/2 can Red Bull energy drink

Preparation:

1. Fill a shot glass with Jägermeister.
2. Drop the shot glass into an highball glass, or other tall glass, filled with a half of a can of Red Bull. Drink like a madman!

#2 Irish Car Bomb
Ingredients:

* 3/4 pint Guinness
* 1/2 shot Irish cream liqueur
* 1/2 shot Irish whiskey

Preparation:

1. Pour the Irish cream liqueur into a shot glass.
2. Pour the Irish whiskey on top.
3. Pour the Guinness into a pint glass or beer mug 1/2 to 3/4 of the way full and let settle.
4. Drop the shot glass into the Guinness and chug.

#3 The Jameson Bomb (Ok, my friends and I made this one up but it rocks)
Ingredients:

* 1 1/2 oz Jameson Irish Whiskey
* 1/2 can Red Bull energy drink

Preparation:

1. Fill a shot glass with Jameson.
2. Drop the shot glass into a glass filled with a half of a can of Red Bull. Slam. Finish with a Cherry.

#4 Red-Headed Slut
Ingredients:

* 1 oz Jagermeister
* 1 oz peach schnapps
* 2 oz cranberry juice

Preparation:

1. Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
2. Shake well.
3. Strain into a shot or old-fashioned glass.

#5 Tuaca Bomb
Ingredients:

* 1 1/2 oz Tuaca
* 1/2 can Red Bull energy drink

Preparation:

1. Fill a shot glass with tuaca.
2. Drop the shot glass into a glass filled with a half of a can of Red Bull. Slam it back.

That is my repertoire. You can draw a few conclusions from it like: I like Jager, I like "bomb shots", I like Red Bull. All true. I for one am always on the lookout for more shots to expand my repertoire, but it's tough to get away from your favorites. Make an effort and I will too.

What Makes a Dive a Dive?

2009-01-16T11:49:00.000-07:00

What makes a "dive bar" a dive bar? According to Wikipedia:

A dive bar, or simply a dive, is a down market drinking establishment serving a working class (or poorer) clientèle.

The term "dive" dates from the London of the 19th century when younger men wanted somewhere slightly more risqué to spend their afternoons than the great clubs frequented by their fathers. They formed more informal clubs where they smoked and drank coffee.[citation needed]

The Shorter Oxford Dictionary indicates that in the U.S in the 1880s, it referred to an illegal drinking den or place of low repute, especially in a cellar or similar place. It has also been used to refer to opium dens. More recently, in Canada at least, it is associated with cheap and dirty accommodation (such as fleabag motels and run-down rooming), as well as with prostitution and other disreputable or illegal activities.

While most of this doesn't seem to apply to a modern day dive, I thought some other internet research was in order. I found multiple message boards and such with interesting things like: "a dive has no food and no windows", and "the bathrooms are what defines a dive", and my favorite "a dive is any bar with me in it". Since I don't think any of those definitions really helped either, I was forced to look inward.

Here are my thoughts on the "dive bar". To me, a dive is a bar that feels "non-corporate". By that I mean you find stuff like home-made menus, graffiti that never gets cleaned, bartenders and waitresses taking shots, a stool at the bar that has seemingly always been broken (and probably always will be), at least one sign above the bar threatening people with physical harm if they walk-out on their tab, a broken juke-box, etc...

Have you ever been drinking at a place where the waitress asks you to finish up your current drink so she can use the glass for your next drink? That's a dive.
How about those places with $5 pitchers of PBR or $1 pints of Natural Light? Also a dive.
Have you ever taken your waitress home for a night of drunken passion? Probably happened at a dive.
If you walk into a bar and someone is passed out sleeping at the bar with a drink in front of them, you've just entered a dive.
Can't find your bartender because he's back in the kitchen frying up your wings? It's a dive.
Does it seem like making it in the urinal (or toilet) is completely optional? I'm gonna say dive.

A lot of Corporate chains these days are trying to pass themselves off as "dive-esque" but don't let them fool you. You can spot corporate bars. Some good indications are: clipboards and thermometers (real dives don't do safety and temp checks), uniforms of any kind (stink of corporate identity), overly pleasant wait staff or bartenders (it usually takes a few visits for them to come around and treat you like a regular at a real dive), topshelf drink specials (like $1 off Grey Goose or $10 Beefeater Martinis), and clean restrooms (total corporate give-away).

I guess we all have our own personal definitions of what constitutes a "dive bar", but I think we can all agree that they have the best drink specials, the best company, and feel the most like home.

Is There Anything Better?

2009-01-14T16:55:00.000-07:00

Is there anything in the world better than the first sip of an ice cold beer after a long day's work? Honestly it doesn't even matter to me what kind sometimes. Even crap like Keystone Light or PBR taste like gold medal champions with that first glorious icy cold gulp. I personally believe that if you disagree with that statement then one of two things must be true about you. Either you really aren't a "beer person" or you have way too easy of a job.

Now when I say not a "beer person", I don't mean you don't like beer. I just mean that you are not one of the beer passionate people who would (and sometimes do) do almost anything for a beer (any kind of beer). There are people out there who are passionate about a particular kind of beer like Guinness or Czechvar (both outstanding by the way) but they tend to be looked at by "beer people" as "beer snobs". I am a "beer person". I love all beer. Obviously I greatly prefer some beers over others, but I have no problem grabbing a 30 pack of Keystone Light for house beer when it's on sale for $12.99. If I'm watching the game and the bar has a $5 Coors Light pitcher special, guess what I'm drinking for the rest of that game.

Now, I'm not downgrading "beer snobs". They have a very prominent place in the great alcoholic ecosystem of which we all play important roles. If everyone was a "beer person" there would really only be a couple kinds of beer. "Beer snobs" keep the non-Anheiser-Busch/Miller-Coors breweries in business which we can all agree is a good thing.

Anyway, I just wanted to say that I've had a long day at work and I am really looking forward to that first frosty gulp of beer (whatever it is) in about an hour when I get home. Cheers!

A Black 8-Ball

2009-01-12T13:13:00.000-07:00

Every once in awhile, friends can surprise you. You think you've seen all their alcoholic tricks a hundred times and then they spring one on you. That happened to me yesterday while watching the NFL Playoffs.

A quick run to the LQ resulted in the acquisition of several 40 oz. of Old English (always an old school/cost effective maneuver) and a 24 oz of Guinness. To my surprise, my friend quickly drank half of his Old English (OE from here on out) and proceeded to fill the rest of his bottle with Guinness. Now, I'm a lover of Black and Tans to be sure, but The OE and the Guinness did not layer like that. Rather they mixed into an obsidian liquid unlike any I'd ever witnessed. So I asked what he was doing there and he replied "It's a Black 8-Ball". Appalled (but also curious) I asked for a taste. It was wonderful! I love Guinness above all beers and am normally dumb-founded and outraged when it is diluted or combined with something that takes away from it's true beauty, but this Black 8-Ball was something different. It was different in a good way. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Shots

2009-01-09T16:59:00.001-07:00

I have recently stumbled upon the following article via Modern Drunkard Magazine and I had to share it with anyone and everyone who will listen. The Art of the Shot is a masterpiece of shot etiquette. It should be read and shared by all who would even entertain the notion of possibly ever partaking in the social ritual of the shot. It contains the fundamental rules and faux pas of the shot and it's closest relation, the toast. Read it, read it again and commit it to memory.

While we are on the subject of shots, I would like to share with you one of my favorites. It appears to be an original (I haven't seen it anywhere else) of a bar near my house in Arvada, CO. It is a bomb shot (kind of) and you will need a 12 oz beer mug (or glass) and a standard shot glass. I will do my best with the description but I don't know about the actual quantities. Without further ado:

The Jacob's Ladder

You will need:
Cranberry juice
Pineapple juice
Raspberry vodka
Triple Sec
Light Beer

Pour about a half inch or so of cranberry juice in the mug. Then place the shot glass into the bottom of the mug (in the cranberry juice). Then fill the shot glass with raspberry vodka. Then add a layer of pineapple juice into the glass. Next, pour about a half oz of Triple Sec over the shot glass. You should be pretty close to the top of the glass by now (three quarters of an inch to an inch from the top). Lastly, finish the shot off with a light beer up to the top of the glass.

Now, I realize this seems awfully big for a shot (it really is intimidating) but it goes down very smoothly. Go try it and you can thank me later!

The Gator Bomb revised (The Day After)

2009-01-09T12:47:00.000-07:00

My Gators did their part last night and I did mine. We did a Gator Bomb every time the Gators scored (and one before the game and one after as well). We revised it from the previous post because I am currently riding a 3 month+ streak of no soda (Pepsi and Coke are reeling) by dropping the UV Raspberry Vodka into a glass of Crystal Light Mango that we whipped up pre-game. The result was undeniably wonderful. The UV Raspberry Vodka was surprisingly smooth and finished well. I had never tried UV Vodka before and I was very impressed (will buy again). Warning on the Gator Bombs though: they sneak up on you. The Vodka is so smooth and the Crystal Light did a great job of covering the alcohol taste so it was very easy to lose track of how many we had (5 by my count). Some of my friends tried the traditional Gator Bomb as described previously and their reactions were also quite positive.

Congrats Gators!

The Gator Bomb

2009-01-08T16:16:00.000-07:00

So, I'm a huge Florida Gators fan and tonight is the big game against Oklahoma. Of course, I begin my search in earnest for an appropriate gator-related shot to down every time we score and I come across "The Gator Bomb". I'm intrigued to say the least. A Gator Bomb is:

A Shot of UV Raspberry Vodka (nice blue color) dropped into a cup of Sunkist Orange soda. According to the instructions, you should pour the Sunkist from cup to cup a few times to get rid of some of the fizz.

I for one am going to rush out and buy the necessary ingredients and drink my gator tail off tonight. My prediction: Gators 48, Sooners 32. Mark it down my friends, I'll be back to gloat in the morning (but not too early).

Potato Goodness!

2008-10-17T17:11:00.000-06:00

So, I haven't been writing in a while and I thought I would hop on in and post about something that I think the world should know about. For anyone who hasn't had the pleasure, I have one word for you... Potato Vodka (ok, maybe 2 words, but they go together so nicely).

I had the sincere joy of partaking in the awesomeness that is potato vodka recently and I will probably never drink any other vodka as long as I live. Now before any smart guys go shooting me an e-mail about how vodka is supposed to be from potatoes anyway, I have some news for you. Almost all vodka on the market these days is made from grain, not potatoes, so there...

You ever notice how vodka and rubbing alcohol taste so much alike? Not so with potato vodka my friends. Potato vodka is about as smooth an alcohol as I've run across. I cannot say enough great things about this stuff. And it mixes so much better with anything (red bull, sprite, and cranberry juice are my personal faves) than regular vodka that it's almost like drinking a different alcohol. Now I can see some die-hard vodka fans preparing to stoop reading and to to you I say "wait". The overall flavor profile is virtually identical. The real difference is the drinkability (sorry Bud Light, I know I stole that from you). Potato vodka is just so smooth without losing everything you love about vodka taste (minus the ethanol taste).

The brand I had was called Luksusova Potato Vodka and it was very easy on the wallet. Give it a try and tell 'em Baron Bill sent ya!

More from my Book

2008-08-05T09:32:00.000-06:00

"Step 2 – Additional Liquors

As stated before, Step 1 pretty much takes care of the $100 bar setup. If you are in this for the $300 budget bar, you will want to include the following:

- Jagermeister
- Peach Schnapps
- Peppermint Schnapps
- Spiced Rum (ala Capt Morgan’s or Admiral Nelson’s)
- Sour Apple Pucker or Apple Schnapps
- Triple Sec

I only included the most common of the schnapps (peppermint, peach and apple) as they are very common in many popular drinks and shots. Fell free to add any additional Schnapps flavors to the list if you are a big schnapps fan.

I won’t go into detail on this list as none of the above (except Jagermeister and spiced rum) are considered primary alcohols in any cocktail. Just trust me that you will use all of the above on a pretty frequent basis if you are entertaining very often.

I think it is worth noting that if you are stocking a $100 bar and you have decided to cut out any of the primary liquors in step 1 and you still have a few bucks, Schnapps and triple sec are very cheap yet very versatile and are well worth considering here."

(To be continued...)

Preview of my book in progress

2008-07-31T17:24:00.000-06:00

I'm going to start posting the first few pages of a book I'm working on about how to set up a budget home bar. Any comments would be appreciated:

"Step 1 - Basic Liquors

Liquor. The heart of every bar. The absolute bare bones bar should have at least the following:

- Vodka
- Tequila
- Rum (light)
- Whiskey
- Gin

These are the basics. If you are actually stocking your bar to entertain others, I would definitely include all of the above. If you are stocking your bar primarily for making drinks for yourself, feel free leave any off of the list that you don’t like. You should be able to acquire a bottle of each of the above for under $80 so if you are stocking a $100 bar, your liquor purchases pretty much stop here. If you are stocking a $300 budget bar, there will be more liquor goodness to come.

Let’s take a look at each of these categories separately:

Vodka - In my personal opinion, if you are going to splurge a little for a medium or premium brand of any liquor, vodka should be it. Cheap vodka, while easy on the pocketbook, can alter the taste of a cocktail very noticeably. No other liquor displays quite as much difference in taste between the cheap and the premium as vodka. In its cheapest form, vodka has an overwhelming “rubbing alcohol” taste that can be strong enough to ruin (or at least noticeably downgrade) any cocktail. Luckily, medium to premium vodka can still be pretty affordable and it will definitely be worth it to upgrade.

Tequila –Unlike vodka, cheap tequila is usually just fine. I must admit to being somewhat of a tequila snob but not very many people are so cheap tequila is probably just as good as medium tequila like Cuervo or Sauza. The most common tequila drinks, Margaritas, are so prominently combined with other mixers, that even cheap tequila is typically not that noticeable. You will probably want to go with a typical “anejo” tequila (which is usually the most common cheap tequila) although a mid-grade “blanco” may be a bit smoother going down.

Rum – Light rum typically has very little flavor aside from a slight sweetness, and therefore makes a great base for cocktails. Rum, like Tequila, is usually considered ok to skimp on if money is a factor. For the $100 bar, a bottle of cheap light rum is a must have. For the $300 budget bar, a cheap to medium light rum as well as a spiced rum like Captain Morgan’s should definitely be on your shopping list. If you are a true “rum connoisseur” you may want to consider a dark rum or a premium or super premium “sipping rum” however, they can be quite expensive.

Whiskey – Love it or hate it, whiskey is one of the basic liquors that qualifies as a necessity for the fledgling budget bar. Fortunately, there are many types to choose from, some more palatable to the average Joe than others. One of the smoothest (and consequently my personal favorite) types of whiskey is Irish Whiskey (ie: Jameson, Bushmill’s, Tullamore Dew, and Connemara). Because of its exceptional smoothness, Irish whiskey is often recommended to beginners to “ease” their way into drinking whiskey. It has a mellow yet flavorful character that blends well in any whiskey cocktail. The other option is the American whiskies like Bourbon or Tennessee Whiskey. These can be very flavorful with a noticeable sweetness. However, they will never be defined by the word smooth. They can be very overpowering in cocktails, so make sure you know you like whiskey before you over pour your drinks. For the $100 bar, a decent cheap sour mash whiskey can be all you need to get the ball rolling. For the $300 budget bar, I recommend either a medium to premium whiskey or 2 types like a Bourbon and an Irish.

You’ll notice I did not mention Scotch in my discussion of Whiskey. This was not an omission but rather an opinion that Scotch is so different an animal from other whiskies that it actually deserves its own section. Unless you are a dedicated scotch fanatic, you can take Scotch off of your $100 bar wish list although it certainly does deserve a look when stocking your $300 budget bar.

Gin – Gin is a prime alcohol for many cocktails, specifically Martinis. There are many types of Gin on the market and almost every one of them has its own distinct flavors. Like many of the other alcohols above, cheap Gin is probably just fine. Because of their interchangeability in Martini’s some people are firm believers that Vodka is the perfect substitute for Gin in any cocktail. While I do not agree with that myself, I could see some justification for a budget bar owner to scratch Gin off the list in order to free up some money for a more premium Vodka."

More to come...

Jager, Jager, I love Jager

2008-07-30T14:31:00.000-06:00

I love Jager. Not in the same way I love my children or my girlfriend, but still passionately. The thing most people don't get about Jager is it's versatility. Some of my personal favorite shots are Jager based:

The Red-headed Slut
* 1 oz. Jägermeister
* 1 oz. Schnapps, peach
* 3 oz. Cranberry Juice

Tropical Depression
* 1 oz. Jägermeister
* 1 oz. Rum, coconut
* 4 oz. Pineapple Juice

The Sodomizer (This is only if you hate yourself)
* 1 part Gin (Beefeater)
* 2 parts Jägermeister
* 1 part Southern Comfort

Surfer on Acid
* 1/4 oz. Jägermeister
* 1/3 oz. Rum, coconut
* 1/2 oz. Pineapple Juice

A Sourmeister
* 1 part Jägermeister
* 1 part Sour Apple Pucker

Sex With an Alligator
* 3/4 oz. Chambord
* 3/4 oz. Jägermeister
* 3/4 oz. Midori

Liquid Heroin
* 1/2 shot Jägermeister
* 1/2 shot Schnapps, peppermint

Jager Bomb
* 1 shot Jägermeister
* 1/2 can Red Bull

The As Yet Unamed (currently taking suggestions for a name)
* 1/2 shot Jagermeister
* 1/2 shot Tequila

I could go on and on. Go down to the LQ today and grab some Jager. Tell them Baron Bill sent you. They'll have no idea what the hell you're talking about, but give it a try.