Beer Review: Young's Double Chocolate Stout

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!

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!

When in Rome Part 2 – The Tequila/Mexican Bar

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

Tuesday Tidbits and More Flasks

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...

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.

Is There Anything Better?

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

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!