Archive for December, 2009

Given that “one should never drink alone,” fantastic drinking and blogging buds have offered this week’s “bottle of the week” review in a case of His and Her point of view, reviewing Harvest Moon by Blue Moon.

Her Point of View by @ChurchPunkMom from http://myembellishedtruth.com
Fall is my favorite time of year (well, next to winter, that is..). Some of the things I love best about fall? Leaves, cool crisp air, the impending arrival of Thanksgiving and all that it brings, all things pumpkin, and of course, beer! In case you hadn’t noticed, some of the best brews come out in the fall, and it’s no wonder considering it’s the season that Oktoberfest lands right smack in the middle of. Many beer companies have a seasonal brew that people will wait around all year for and stock up on as soon as September arrives. Blue Moon is no exception to this tradition and their seasonal fall brew, Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale is one that I look forward to very much! Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale has a full, rich flavor with all the spices you’d expect in a good fall brew – cloves, nutmeg, allspice.. All the makings of a lovely accompaniment to your Thanksgiving meal as well as any other fall meal you may partake of. Or, perhaps, just a nice cold one to enjoy on a crisp fall afternoon after raking up all those leaves!

His Point of View by @OnlyAman from http://Tangible.tv
When I think of fall, I think of seasonal beers. At the top of my list is Blue Moon’s “Harvest Moon”. With it’s caramel flavor mixed with flavors that remind me of fall, like pumpkin, nutmeg and candy… um… not candy I was just thinking of October and got side tracked of Halloween and pumpkin pie. Matter of fact I believe this beer would pair well with a pumpkin pie or a soup or just about any meal you would eat in the fall. I like to come home and drink a few six packs of this and beat the shitty kids and smile at the dog while I drool a little and talk about how “awesome” the president is and how Nixon would have been a better leader. Well ok, it’s not really what I do, but I will say that if you enjoy a flavorful brew that has some nice spices a nice head when poured straight down the glass and makes you feel warm inside, then you will appreciate a “Harvest Moon” by Blue Moon.

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Awe… they’re so sweet! Well why don’t you go grab a 6 pack and a blanket, go sit with your significant other and listen to Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon”.

Your comments are appreciated. Shoot me an email mybottlesup@gmail.com

From the dirty-dirty south comes this week’s “Bottle of the Week.” My good friend Kim (aka on twitter @kimt205) from http://www.livefromthe205.com introduced me to not one, but TWO fantastic brews, both produced by Huyghe Brewery in Melle, Belgium. Delirium Tremens (the bottle with the light blue foil) looks like apple juice as you pour it. The head appears quickly and then dissipates even quicker. Light in color but bold in citrusy fruit flavor, I was a bit surprised with the hoppy aftertaste that lingered with each sip. This beer left me slightly delirious as the alcohol content is quite high.

But that didn’t stop me… I had to “try” the next one, Delirium Nocturnum (the bottle with the dark purple foil). Seeing this was the darker of the two beers, I instantly found myself excited to sip and enjoy (maybe part of the excitement came from the beer I had already indulged in… I dunno). To be perfectly honest, I thoroughly enjoyed the spicy flavor of this beer even more as it warmed up in my glass. The aroma was heightened and the caramelized flavor made itself known after the brew sat and brought itself a little more to room temperature.

It seemed only appropriate that these bottles be pictured on my tie dyed t-shirt… a little trippy, no?

Cheers! Nic

Comments or suggestions? Have your own “bottle of the week” to share? Shoot me an email: mybottlesup@gmail.com

Doubling up not only on my alcohol intake, but also on my husband’s superb choice of beer, this week’s “bottle of the week” is Rogue’s Double Dead Guy Ale, offering 9% by volume, thankyouverymuch. Given its “buttery peanut brittle, orange blossom tea” flavor, I felt it only appropriate to include a picture of what looks to be a brittle desk and chair that I fantasize once belonging to a fantastic writer, who only drank the finest when writing his/her masterpiece. The true masterpiece in this ale is the carmel undertone that one doesn’t entirely experience until the much-anticipated finish of the spicy, full-bodied brewsky that makes it truly a double. And yes good sir… I believe I will have another.

Cheers nic!

PS- I chose to keep this sucker up for 2 weeks since it’s double the alcohol content… ya know, keepin it klassy.

Just when I think I can begin to transition my palate to red wines with the coming of fall, since I am a seasonal wino, the temperature hits friggin 93 degrees. Awesome. So, instead my palate has pulled a 180 and back-tracked to summer-time foods and wine, which brings me to this week’s “Wine of the Week.”

From the Central Coast of Cali, Rock Rabbit Sauvignon Blanc has rocked my world in a few ways…

1. the label is cute.
2. it’s only $8.95 a bottle
3. screw top… yay!
4. it’s NOM NOM NOM with a very light, citrusy finish and a hint of apricot…

which is what I need in the end of summer heat. Someone grab me a fan & a bottle puhlease…

Cheers nic!

I’m truly hoping this is the LAST week of summer for us… honestly. It’s getting obnoxious. September starts Tuesday, so… Mother Nature… in all your goodness, I beg of you to rid the Maryland/DC area of this oppressive heat. The Pinot Grigio lover in me has gone all Sauvignon Blanc this summer, so I’ve got another one for ya… (You’re probably as sick and tired of Sauvignon Blanc as I am of this damn weather.)

I picked up a bottle of Barn Buster today for $11.50. This particular wine is actually a Semillon Sauvignon Blanc Verdelho (don’t ask… I don’t know what that means.) It comes from South Eastern Austrailia, and is (according to the label on the back of the bottle) “thrilling in all the right ways.” Eh… I don’t know if I’d go that far… In fact, I may just bust your barn and say that it’s not quite thrilling at all. It’s tasty, don’t get me wrong, fruity almost to the point of being a Reisling (and I am NOT a Reisling fan.) With a definitive pineapple finish, I imagine drinking this wine with a delectable fruit and cheese platter. (I think I’m just plain old ready to move on with Sauvignon Blancs in general… if you have recommendations, or even want to shoot me a write up yourself, email me.)

Cheers to sweaty summers ending!

Black Swan Chardonnay 2007 This week’s wine comes from a friend of mine, Dani Webb, who can be found at http://destinationlife.typepad.com. Dani is fun, funky, fantastic, and I am so grateful for her contribution to my Wine of the Week post. “If you are looking for an inexpensive white wine that goes down easy in the summertime, Black Swan Chardonnay is for you! The wine possesses a rich golden color in the glass and a strong scent of pineapple on the nose. A very drinkable white, this wine strikes a fine balance between sweetness and dryness. It is very fruit forward (pineapple), but not too sweet, and is not as dry as your typical Chardonnay. The finish is slightly oakey. Yum! While some inexpensive Chardonnays can be too light and wimpy – the watered down version of the grape, Black Swan’s version has found that threshold where inexpensive meets flavor! And at $5-6 dollars a bottle, you can easily enjoy a bottle. Or two!”

***** sorry fellow winos… i caved.***** i’m not a beer-snob. my husband is. i stick to wine (and i’m not even a snob with that.) if beer goes better with what i’m eating, then i’ll have a beer. however, paul introduced me to Stone Imperial Russian Stout, a beer that goes with NO food because it is a meal in itself… a marriage of flavors consisting of roasted coffee beans, dark chocolate, and a soft finish that makes a girl feel like a stud. cuz, ya know, she just drank a stout… and that’s hot.