Craft Tequilas for the Tequila Season!

Most of us know that Tequila is produced in the area surrounding the city of Tequila, Mexico, 40 miles northwest of Guadalajara, Mexico. It is a distilled beverage made from the blue agave plant which grows in the well suited red volcanic soil in the surrounding region.

Tequila is most often made at a 40% alcohol content (80 proof), but can be produced between 35–55% alcohol content (70–110 proof). Though most tequilas are 80 proof, many distillers will distill to 100 proof and then dilute it with water to reduce its harshness.

Though we have had a mild winter and spring this year in America, tequila consumption does not really begin in the States until Cinco de Mayo and runs through the summer and consumed in margaritas or straight with a cigar. With that in mind, here are four “must try, craft tequila brands” for the tequila season.

KAH – Day of the Dead Tequila

I am starting to see these brightly colored skulls in many locations. That’s right – KAH tequilas come in skull bottles – each symbolizing the different stages or elements of the Day of the Dead – a November 1st celebration of the dead in Mexico. These smooth tequilas are perfect for sipping or mixing in cocktails.

Blanco – The “White Skull”
This tequila has notes of white pepper even with sweet notes from the cooked, blue agave. It is smooth, but leaves the zest of spices on the palate.

Anejo – The “Black Skull”
A two year aging process brings forth heavy notes of tobacco, chocolate and coffee while the American white oak casks used during aging bring spicy vanilla notes on the finish.

Reposado – (110 Proof) – The “Devil (Yellow) Skull”
A ten month aging process in French oak creates this smooth-sipping, high octane tequila with notes of vanilla and caramel on the finish and full agave flavor throughout.

Extra Anejo – The “Crystal Skull”
This flavor-bomb tequila seemingly goes through the gauntlet of flavor profiles from smoky wood and pepper to vanilla, honey, and sweet spices. This skull is covered in 700 crystals.

Kinky Friedman’s “Man in Black” Tequila

Kinky Friedman is a writer, singer and song writer from Texas though born in Chicago. In 2011 he released a book called Drinker With A Writing Problem (a collection of Kinky’s columns for the Texas Monthly) which has gained some success. “Drinker with a writing problem” – what an intriguing idea!

Plata
Like all of Kinky’s tequilas, Plata is filtered only once in the distillation process – a process that does not “water down” the tequila by over distilling. Plata is aged in charred American white oak casks which creates a hint of white pepper.

Reposado
This Mexican classic is aged in American White Oak casks and provides a warm peppery finish as well.

Anejo (Noir)
Aged in charred French oak barrels, this tequila provides sweet caramel with spice throughout and finishes long. It goes well with a great cigar just as Kinky would want it to!

Man in Black Extra
This dark, smoky tequila is aged for eight years in charred French oak casks. In limited release, it is a classic sipping tequila.

AsomBroso Fine Tequilas

These bottles are truly colorful works of art. Unlike books, you can judge them by their cover as what’s inside is just as beautiful as what's on the outside.

El Platino
The nose has dried herbs and the palate is peppery with an offset of sweet pepper and ripe agave. The finish is mellow and toasty.

La Rosa Reposado – 3 months
Sweetness and floral scents cover the nose. There are seemingly characteristics of vintage Bordeaux wine. The taste is quite spicy and peppery with a smooth, vanilla finish.

La Rosa Reposado – 11 months
This reposado is 100% Agave silver (or “blanco”) tequila and is aged for two months in oak barrels and then placed in new French oak casks that were used to make a vintage Bordeaux wine to take on a reddish hue. After several months, the tequila is soft on the palate and has a hint of sweetness.

Del Porto
This tequila is aged in Port Wine barrels which gives it a higher sugar content and creates a slightly sweeter tequila which takes on the color of Port.

El Carbozado
Tennessee whiskey barrels are used to further age (11 years) and influence the base AsomBroso tequila. You will find hints of charcoal from these barrels which gives off a sweetness of butterscotch and caramel on the nose and a smooth oakiness with a sweet finish.

11 Year Anejo (Vintage)
This extra special aged anejo is only available in extremely limited quantities. It is aged for eleven years in French oak casks and is a true a homage to “sipping tequilas” for the season.

Clase Azul Tequila

In keeping with the beautiful bottle theme of craft tequilas, Clase Azul’s packaging is distinctive and bottled in handcrafted, hand-painted Mexican ceramic bottles. Produced in Jalisco from 100% blue weber agave, the tequila is twice distilled and aged in fine oak barrels which gives off a smooth flavor and aromas.

Plata
Plata is produced from organic Agave that has matured for at least nine years. It is then cooked in traditional ovens and ferment using a combination of yeasts. Clase Azul uses refined water, a five steps distillation process and triple tequila filtration to ensure superior quality. Its exceptional smoothness makes it ideal for sipping.

Reposado
This tequila is aged for a minimum of eight months in oak barrels which were previously used for Bourbon, Cognac, and Sherry aging. This beautiful bottle is called "Talavera", which was introduced to Mexico by Spanish artisans of the Colonial period.

Ultra
This ultra-premium tequila is aged a minimum of three years in heavily charred, Sherry oak casks. This first edition was limited to 100 bottles, 50 for Mexico and 50 for the United States. The packaging is a decanter which takes 40 days to produce. The medallion is hand-made pure Silver with hand painted Platinum paint and a label of 24K Gold.

La Pinta
La Pinta is an infusion of Pomegranate juice and 80 proof Clase Azul Tequila. The aging process takes 12 months to ensure the tequila takes on the sweet pomegranate characteristics. It is a perfect sipping tequila for a hot summer day.


As always, thank you for reading and I hope you find that these tequila truly represent the art and spirit of tequila – both in style and taste and flair in the packaging. They are all perfect for sipping or paired with spicy dishes and cigars.

What is your favourite tequila for the season?



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Modern Day Moonshine - Piedmont Distillers

Going to school in Alabama, I was exposed to Moonshine on several occasions. I only tried it once. While bartending, a fellow bartender brought in some of his family’s “shine” which they produced in the woods of Northern Alabama.

“It’s my granddaddy’s recipe,” he started. “He got it from his pappy. They use to run shine through the woods.”

I didn’t really know what Moonshine was, but as usual, I had to try it and find out. We poured a few drops of the shine from a mason jar into a couple of rocks glasses. I held it to the light and caught a light blue hue before taking a sip. The hooch burned my lips, rattled my teeth and scorched my throat. I coughed a little as my eyes watered. I have never tasted gasoline, but I can only imagine that this is what it was supposed to taste like.

“Oooo, weee! That’s some damn good shine,” my fellow bartender shouted. “Let me know when you’re ready for more.”

The truth was, I didn’t want anymore, but I did want to learn more about moonshine.

“Moonshine” is a term for an illegally-produced, distilled whiskey. The word is believed to come from the fact that distillers produced and distributed this homemade spirit by the light of the moon to avoid the law. Moonshiners produced their spirits in unlicensed stills and without paying state taxes for distribution. Moonshine was usually extremely strong and is commonly associated with the Appalachia and Atlantic Canada regions. Other terms for Moonshine are “mountain dew”, “white lightning”, “hooch”, "Tennessee white whiskey", and many others.

Piedmont Distillers is one distillery that is making Moonshine today (legally). In 2005, owner Joe Michalek opened the distillery in Madison, North Carolina, and created the company’s first spirit called “Catdaddy Carolina Moonshine.” Junior Johnson, of NASCAR fame (see below), became a part owner in 2007 and shared his family recipe for corn whiskey which was bottled as “Junior Johnson’s Midnight Moon.”

Every batch of “Midnight Moon” is handcrafted in very small production and continues to follow the Johnson family’s Moonshine recipe.  “Midnight Moon” is produced in a copper still, made from corn, and is triple distilled for a smooth and clean spirit.

Piedmont Distillers recently released the handcrafted line “Midnight Moon Aged with Fruit” which includes Moon Cranberry, Moon Strawberry, Moon Apple Pie, Moon Cherry, and Moon Blueberry. Packaged in mason jars (just like moonshiners have done for generations), the line joins together the “Midnight Moon” recipe and real fruit. To ensure each jar reaches the peak of all-natural fruit flavor, the spirits are aged in the jar for several weeks at the distillery before shipment.

Who is Junior Johnson?:

Junior Johnson (Robert Glen Johnson, Jr.) was born in 1931 in North Carolina. His family owned a corn farm and soon realized that the corn was worth more distilled than it was as grain. With high taxes, most families could not afford to make a living off their moonshine so they began to bootleg the product across the East Coast. The Johnsons followed suit as their moonshine was considered to be the best.

At age 14, Junior began bootlegging Moonshine by tending to the family’s stills and quickly became a moonshining and bootlegging legend as he was never caught while running moonshine.

In 1955, Johnson decided to use his “moonshiner” driving skills and became a NASCAR driver on dirt tracks. One year later, Johnson was caught working the family still and was convicted of moonshining. He was sent to the federal prison for 11 months – a conviction later pardoned by President Ronald Reagan in 1986.

Johnson returned to the NASCAR racing in 1958 and retired in 1966. He claimed 50 victories over his career – 11 of which were on major speedways.

In 1965, author Tom Wolfe published an article about Johnson in Esquire magazine which was the basis for the 1973 movie titled ‘The Last American Hero’.  The movie stared Jeff Bridges as Junior Johnson and featured the Jim Croce hit song, “I Got A Name.”

There is something romantic about running from the law while holding illegal contraband – the modern day outlaw. Pedal to the floor, kicking up dust along country roads all by the light of the moon. Today, Moonshine is smooth and flavored – a long way away from the blue stuff I tried once in college.

Now, I must ask: Where is your favorite “shine” from?

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MLB Opening Day 2012: Craft Beers by MLB Teams

30 teams + 30 beers = 1 Great 2012 Major League Baseball Season!

It’s that time of the year again. We’ve waited through several weeks of spring training just to hear the crack of the bat and the home team crowd cheering on the boys of summer once again.

What goes better with baseball than a fist full of golden brew? Beer has been a part of baseball just as crackerjacks and hotdogs. It even makes the game go by quicker. Opening Day is a tradition that began in 1869 and continues to this day.

Below, you will find all 30 Major League Baseball teams paired with local beers which I tried to keep to low production Microbrews. Take a look below at your team and see what your pairing is.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Burning Bird Pale Ale (4.8% ABV), Sonoran Brewing Company (Phoenix, AZ)

Atlanta Braves

Laughing Skull Amber Ale (5.7% ABV), Red Brick Brewing Company (Atlanta, GA)

Baltimore Orioles

The Raven Special Lager (5.5% ABV), Baltimore – Washington Beer Works (Baltimore, MD)

Boston Red Sox

Rich & Dan’s Rye IPA (6.9% ABV), Harpoon Brewery (Boston, MA)

Chicago White Sox

Cutthroat IPA (5.5% ABV), Finch's Beer Company (Chicago, IL)

Chicago Cubs

Daisy Cutter Pale Ale (5.2% ABV), Half Acre Beer Company (Chicago, IL)

Cincinnati Reds

Nut Brown Ale (6% ABV), Mt. Carmel Brewing Company (Cincinnati, OH)

Cleveland Indians

Elliot Ness Amber Lager (6.2% ABV), Great Lakes Brewing Company (Cleveland, OH)

Colorado Rockies

“Hoss” Rye Lager (6.2% ABV), Great Divide Brewing Company (Denver, CO)

Detroit Tigers

Cherry Stout (6% ABV), Atwater Brewery (Detroit, MI)

Houston Astros

“Santo” Black Kolsch (4.7% ABV), Saint Arnold Brewing Company (Houston, TX)

Kansas City Royals

Unfiltered Wheat Beer (4.4% ABV), Boulevard Brewing Co. (Kansas City, MO)

Los Angeles Angels

Anaheim 1888 (5.5% ABV), Anaheim Brewery (Anaheim, CA)

Los Angeles Dodgers

Hollywood Red Carpet Ale (5.9&% ABV), So Cal Beer Company (Modesto, CA)

Miami Marlins

Big River Pilsner (5.2% ABV), The Florida Beer Company (Melbourne, FL)

Milwaukee Brewers

Rendezvous French Style Ale (7.2% ABV), Lakefront Brewing, Inc. (Milwaukee, WI)

Minnesota Twins

“Lonely Blonde” American Blonde (4.8% ABV), Fulton, (Minneapolis, MN)

New York Mets

Resin (9.1% ABV), Sixpoint Brewery (Brooklyn, NY)

New York Yankees

The Bronx Pale Ale (6.3% ABV), Bronx Brewing (Bronx, NY)

Oakland Athletics

Old Oakland Ale (7.2% ABV), Pacific Coast Brewing Co. (Oakland, CA)

Philadelphia Phillies

Rowhouse Red (5.75% ABV), Philadelphia Brewing Co. (Philadelphia, PA)

Pittsburgh Pirates

Pious Monk Dunkel (4.3% ABV), Church Brew Works (Pittsburgh, PA)

San Diego Padres

Calico Amber Ale (5.5% ABV), Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits (San Diego, CA)

San Francisco Giants

“Inception” Belgian Styled Ale (8% ABV), Triple Voodoo Brewing (San Francisco, CA)

Seattle Mariners

Kilt Lifter Ruby Ale (6.5% ABV), The Pike Brewing Company (Seattle, WA)

St. Louis Cardinals

Kolsch Styled Ale (4.8% ABV), The Saint Louis Brewery (Schlafly Brand) (St. Louis, MO)

Tampa Bay Rays

Cuban-Styled Espresso Brown Ale (5.5% ABV), Cigar City Brewing (Tampa, FL)

Texas Rangers

Texas Red Amber Lager (4.5% ABV), Rahr & Sons Brewing (Fort Worth, TX)

Toronto Blue Jays

Nut Brown Ale (5% ABV), Black Oak Brewing Company (Toronto, Canada)

Washington Nationals

The Public Pale Ale (6% ABV), DC Brau Brewing Company (Washington, DC)

Now, who’s going to win the pennant this year and what brew will you be drinking when they do?

Some bunnies bring cocktails on Easter.

Let me start by saying that I may be struck down by the hand of God by writing this blog, but I must go on. I will always remember my Great Aunt Francie who drank Sherry every day, lived to be 107, and use to say: “The Devil won’t take me and God’s not ready for me yet.” I have always lived my life by that motto and if I’m still here after all I’ve done, I have to ask the following question:

Is drinking on Easter sacrilegious?

Let’s face it, the answer is ‘no’ unless you live in a church or a house full of religious zealots.  Don’t get me wrong, religion has its time and place, but let’s face it; even I drop to one knee and “Tebow” every time I enter a bar and see several full shelves of magical bottles. I remember many an Easter with thick ham, luscious turkey, deviled eggs and wine flowing around the table.

Picture this: a chubby adolescent descending a staircase, holding the rails as training wheels. It is a cool, brisk, spring morn. The day is Easter – the day Christ has risen again. Christ rose from the dead and fatty sat cross-legged in front of a basket of plastic, green grass. In celebration of the rebirth of Christ, the corpulent child dug candy from the fake turf and licked his lips as he devoured it as it smeared his cheeks.

That fat kid was me and I can remember when I first outgrew the candy phase. I had started bartending and I rose one Easter morn (or afternoon depending on how you look at it) and went downstairs to find a basket full of airplane miniatures, a martini shaker and matching martini glasses.

“What is this?” I started. “Where’s the candy, the Peeps, the basket?”

“I didn’t know what else to get you,” my mother replied.

“Are these Drunken Olives?” I quipped as I dug through the synthetic grass.

 “You’re a bartender now. You’re older. I figured you would like this kind of stuff.”

“You’re right,” I said. “Let’s have a cocktail to Jesus.”

“Well just a small one,” she said.

There is nothing better than making your own mother a cocktail to enjoy. We had two drinks each and went to Easter service with a slight buzz. We sang the songs, celebrated the rebirth and even enjoyed the wine they served at the sacrament.  We returned home and drank wine with a late Sunday brunch and I fell asleep on the couch by six o’clock.

Another Easter celebration I remember was being with my parents in New Orleans, LA. We went to Commander’s Palace during Jazz Brunch and my father ordered a Bloody Mary. Out came a glass of tomato juice which was followed by a waiter with a bottle of vodka encased in ice. Having been one of the coolest presentations I had ever seen, I ordered one and the whole table followed suit.

The lady at a table next to us said, “That entire table is drinking! On Easter!”

I asked our waitress to give her one. The religious stranger initially scoffed at the drink, but sipped when no one was looking.

Listen, I’m not trying to poke fun at Easter or religion, but the fact is that you can drink during any holiday; especially those that include family. That being said, here is a quick list of some Easter cocktails that I thoroughly enjoyed serving while behind the bar.

The Easter Bunny

Ingredients:

3 oz Absolute Vodka

3 oz Dark Creme de Cacao

1 tsp Chocolate syrup

1 tsp Cherry brandy

Method:

Shake creme de cacao and vodka with ice. Strain over ice in a rocks glass. Float chocolate syrup and cherry brandy.

Carrot Cake Martini

Ingredients:

3 oz Bailey's Irish cream

3 oz Kahlua

1 oz Goldschlager

Whipped Cream Rim

Nutmeg dusting

Method:

Shake over ice the Bailey’s and Kahlua and strain into a martini glass. Pour chilled Goldschlager on top and rim the glass with whipped cream. Dust with nutmeg.

Jelly Bean Shot

Ingredients:

½ oz Kahlua

½ oz Anisette

½ oz Bacardi 151 proof rum

Mixing instructions:

Add chilled Kahlua and Anisette to a shotglass and float the Bacardi 151. Light it on fire. Blow it out after 5 seconds and shoot.

The Jolly Rancher

Ingredients:

3 oz Belvedere Vodka

1 oz Midori melon liqueur

Fill with Cranberry juice

Method:

Shake the Belvedere vodka and Midori, pour over ice in a high ball and fill with cranberry juice.

The Candy Bar

Ingredients:

3 oz Cream

2 oz Kahlua

1 oz Creme de Cacao

1 oz Frangelico

Method:

Shake Kahlua, creme de cacao, Frangelico and cream with ice. Strain and serve over ice cubes in a highball glass.

Yellow Bird

Ingredients:

1 oz Bacardi 151 proof rum

1 oz Ketel One Vodka

½  oz Galliano

4 oz Sour mix

Method:

Add all of the booze in a blender with a handful of ice and pour into a highball glass. Stir in sour mix to fill the glass.

Tootsie Roll Shooter

Ingredients:

1/3 oz Tia Maria

1/3 oz Dark Creme de Cacao

1/3 oz Frangelico

Method:

Pour all ingredients and shake with ice. Strain into a rocks glass and enjoy.

I hope you enjoyed this post and I hope you enjoy Easter with friends and family. If you gave up booze for Lent, then I know you will have a great Easter celebration!

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The American Distillery

Distilleries have been part of world history since the Chinese developed rice based liquor in 7000 BC. The growth of US distilleries developed in the rural South during Prohibition with “bathtub hooch” production to rise against the state and local liquor laws.

In terms of worldwide sales and distribution of liquor, Diageo (based in London) ranks #1 with $16 billion in sales. Diageo is followed by Pernod Ricard (Paris - $11 billon), Carlton (Australia – $4 billion), Brown-Froman (Louisville, Kentucky - $3 billion), and Foster’s (Australia - $3 billion) to round out the top five.

What about the little guys? Just like the microbrew craze, microdistilleries are gaining popularity across the US. Today, there are a total of 57 microdistilleries in the US market with several opening each week in compliance of state laws. Though they produce a small piece of the total US sales of alcohol, they continue to be a trend to watch for global liquor production.

This summer, New Columbia Distillers (http://newcolumbiadistillers.com/) plans to open the first distillery in Washington, DC. Headed by John Uselton and Mike Lowe, the distillery plans to start its Gin and Whiskey production to combat other local distilleries such as  Catoctin Creek Distillery in Virginia (Gin producer) the Mount Vernon Distillery in Virginia (produces small amounts of whiskey based on George Washington’s recipes), and Blackwater Distilling in Maryland (Sloop Betty vodka).

This leads me to my next question: Out of all of the little guys, who is making the surge to put US distilleries on the global map? My answer is Philadelphia Distillers. Located north of Philadelphia, this distillery has been producing American spirits since 2005. The founders (Andrew Auwerda, Timothy Yarnall and Robert Cassell) have a strong belief that spirit drinkers appreciate high quality American crafted spirits.

Beginning with Bluecoat American Dry Gin (2006), Philadelphia Distilling has developed its catalog by adding “Penn 1681 Rye Vodka” (2008), “Vieux Carre Absinthe Superieure” (2009),  and recently added “XXX SHINE White Whiskey” (2011). The spirits can now be found from Italy to Hawaii and most places in between.

Bluecoat American Dry Gin (2006)

This five times distilled spirit boasts a unique in flavor profile and is craft distilled using organic juniper berries and a blend of organic American citrus peels and other organic botanicals. Bluecoat is distilled in a custom-built, hand-hammered copper pot still. In true batch distillation, the process calls for extremely slow heating of the pot, which allows for maximum separation of alcohols. The result is a spirit that is intensely smooth and invigorating.

Penn 1681 Rye Vodka (2008)

Penn 1681 Rye vodka’s name comes from the year (1681) in which King Charles II granted William Penn the land to create the "Commonwealth of Pennsylvania"--to pay homage to the founding of the state of Pennsylvania. It is made with organic rye selected from local farms. At 100 calories per shot, it received the 2010 silver at the San Francisco World Spirits competition. Penn 1681 Rye Vodka is 80 proof, so it is of a moderate proof relative to other vodkas.

Vieux Carre Absinthe Superieure (2009)

Named after the French Quarter (locally known as Vieux Carré) which is the soul of New Orleans, Louisiana. This homage to the unique and colorful history of Absinthe in New Orleans was first released on December 31, 2008. It is the first legal absinthe to be distilled, bottled and sold on the east coast of the United States in nearly 100 years. I recently had a chance to take in this botanic spirit at District Commons in Washington, DC.

A quick history of Absinthe:

Absinthe originated in Switzerland and achieved great popularity as an alcoholic drink in late 19th- and early 20th-century France, particularly among Parisian artists and writers. Vincent van Gogh and Oscar Wilde were two notorious absinthe drinkers. It is commonly referred to in historical literature as "la fée verte" (the Green Fairy) and in cafes from Paris to Prague, absinthe was drunk by artists and laborers, butchers and bankers. 

New Orleans embraced the Green Fairy in 1869 when the Aleix brothers opened a bar named the "Old Absinthe House" at the corner of Bourbon and Bienville streets in the French district. The Absinthe Room attracted an impressive list of visitors, including presidents William Howard Taft and Theodore Roosevelt, Mark Twain, Walt Whitman, Aaron Burr, and Oscar Wilde.

XXX SHINE White Whiskey (2011)

With the tag line: “No Sugar, No Color, No Wood –No Bullshit”, Shine is the real deal. This blend of American corn is distilled three times (XXX) in a copper pot still. As a shot, on the rocks or with your favorite mixer, XXX SHINE Whiskey is clear and smooth and becomes almost invisible when mixed. I had the chance to try this distilled spirit at a wine show in Washington, DC. With its smooth taste and finish, it paired well with a head full of wine.

I am certainly looking forward to what comes next from these American micro distilleries.

The 40oz Challenge

I like beer (well, liquor and wine too). I was talking the other day with a friend about the first time the golden brew touched our lips.

“What kind was it,” my friend asked.

“Budweiser, I think,” I replied. “My friend’s mom left us alone at home and we took back a sixer in the back yard. When she came home, she had no idea…at least I don’t think she did.”

“Did you ever drink forties?” he asked.

“I wouldn’t say I drank them a lot,” I started, “but my first forty was King Cobra. I kinda lean towards Mickey’s now if I’m driving into the deep, malt liquor black hole.”

That gave me the idea to write a blog about malt liquor and all of its glory. After all, one of my favorite songs is “Forty Ounces to Freedom” by Sublime.

Malt liquor is a strong lager or ale in which sugar and corn are added to the malted barley to boost the final alcoholic strength of the product. These brews (sometimes referred to as “Ghetto Wine”) are commonly sold in 40 oz bottles (Forty-Ounce, Forty or Foa-tay) as opposed to the standard 12oz bottle or can. They have been known to be produced in bottles up to 64oz at one point. Though imported “malt liquors” can be expensive, American domestic "malt liquors" tend to be very inexpensive and are usually less than $3.

Some of the better known malt liquors include Colt 45, Black Fist, Country Club, Olde English 800, Mickey's, Black Bull, Labatt Blue Dry, Wildcat, Molson Dry, Private Stock, St. Ides, Steel Reserve 211, King Cobra, Genesee, and Hurricane. Almost all of these have been endorsed by American rappers at some point and time. The highest ABV for a malt liquor is from Canada in Mountain Crest which comes in at 11%.

Recently, a local brewer (Dogfish Head Brewery) has sporadically produced a high-end bottle-conditioned forty called "Liquor de Malt.”

Here are a couple that I’ve tried in the past.

Colt 45 – 5.6% ABV

National Brewing Company introduced Colt 45 in 1963. Today, this malt liquor is owned by Pabst Brewing Company. Some may remember Billy Dee Williams who coined the phrase “It works every time” in the 1980’s ad campaign. In the early 1990’s, Colt 45 makers experimented briefly with a mint flavored beer (Cool Colt), a double malt version (Colt 45 Double Malt), and fruit based beer (Blast by Colt 45).

St. Ides – 8.2% ABV

McKenzie River Corporation out of San Francisco, CA first introduced this high octane, malt liquor in 1987. At the time, It was brewed by Pabst Brewing Company and was eventually purchased by Pabst’s parent company Miller. Every rapper know to man has endorsed this product at some point whether in a musical tribute or an ad campaign. The original brew had 6.2%, but in the early 2000’s it jumped to 8.2% calling itself “High Gravity.”

Steel Reserve 211 – 8.1% ABV

This intoxicating beverage is produced in Fort Worth, TX by the Steel Brewing Company – a subsidiary of Miller Coors. The “211” which appears on the label is actually the medieval sign for steel.  During the 28 day (minimum) brewing process, extra barley and hops are added to produce a higher gravity.  First introduced by SABMiller in London, Steel Reserve also produces a Triple Export Malt Liquor which weighs in at 8.2% ABV.

Mickey’s – 5.8% ABV

For an everyday malt liquor, try Mickey’s. I think I just came up with a new ad champagne. This liquid remedy is best known for its 12oz grenade-shaped, stubby green bottles with a hornet on the label and secret codes under the caps.  There is a reputation of Mickey’s being the “white guy’s” choice of malt liquor – yes, even I drank it in college. Today, Miller continues to produce Mickey’s which has become a sponsor of Ultimate Fighting in the USA.

Olde English 800 – 5.9%

Pabst began brewing Olde English (OE) in 1964 and sold the brewery and brand in 1999 to MillerCoors.  They also produce a high gravity brew which comes in at 8.2% ABV.  According to The New York Times, the "40-ounce bottle, introduced in the late 1980's with aggressive marketing campaigns aimed at minority drinkers" was by 1993 "fast becoming the intoxicant of choice for black and Hispanic youths in New York and other American cities.” Today, OE continues to win worldwide awards.

Hurricane – 5.9% ABV

MillerCoors can’t have all the fun with Malt Liquor! Anheuser-Busch (Budweiser) produces this low alcohol alternative in Missouri. Hurricane produces a pale, straw color with a full bodied taste with a bit of bite from the booze. They also produce a high gravity beer with 8.2% ABV.

King Cobra – 6% ABV

Introduced in 1984, King Cobra is brewed with a warmer fermentation than usually used for Anheuser-Bush’s pale lagers, and the ingredients include barley, malt and corn. As stated before, The Cobra was the first malt liquor I ever tried. I’m pretty sure that it cost around $1 back in the day. I remember drinking it from the bottle, just as most Forties should be consumed.

I won’t pick a winner here – I will let you try them out and decide. If you can’t take down the whole Forty, go out, buy one, invite some friends over and pour it out in solo cups. It’s like a poor man’s keg party!