I might have a tuesday night problem :D

After another stressful Tuesday night that even a 4 mile run couldn't sooth Mike came by for a glass of wine. He stumbled on a sale at the Eastway Liqueurs by his house (no, i have no idea how to spell the name...) Two for ONE! Whoot! The first bottle we pulled out was a very tasty, lightly dry Shiraz Cabernet blend that we'd never heard of. This bottle was definitely better than the last rosemount i've tried. With a light fruity flavor, but nicely dry, this was a good nightcap, even though we couldn't persuade my roommate to change the channel (for fu*ks sake, i hate dance moms). Mike would give this wine 3.5 out of 5 for taste, and at 4.99 at half off, originally 11, i'd give it a 3.5 for value, 2 regularly, if it were 11. Its a good way to round out an evening, and I'm glad for it! Hurray antioxidants! Although, I hear i can get those in junk food now, too... more on that later after i've done my nutrition research. Good evening to all!

Patrick's Day Party!

For St. Paddy's we decided to celebrate again! Patrick and Marissa threw a Patrick's day celebration ( I wish i had a picture of the sign they put up). Guinness, Car Bombs, Whiskey and Wine! While nothing classy was imbibed, we managed to finish some of the lone soldier bottles in the fridge. The Car Bombs were delicious however! 5 out of 5 (not so much for value thought, they aren't cheap). More wine to come!

Bicycle Brewery Tour

I almost forgot! Wednesday was the bicycle brewery tour! Instead of waiting for Sunday, when this event usually takes place, we decided to hurry up and make our own. A group of us biked over to People's Brewing Company over in Lafayette, IN. We even had a few non-bicycle friends take part. Just a note: if you want a growler filled (Wednesday is growler filling night, i believe) then make sure you bring a growler with the warning label on it. Keith found this out the hard way. He couldn't get his delicious 6 dollar fillup.
At the brewing company I got a delicious stout, something i haven't tried there before. I usually get their irish red, very seasonal, I know, but I was feeling more adventurous. A few friends got Mr. Brown, PBC's fancy higher alcohol beer, and a few others got the IPA, unfortunately not my favorite there. Just slightly too hoppy and bitter.

After PCB we headed over to Sargent Preston's for a nice outdoor beer and to meet a few more friends. Unfortunately we were left waiting for our food and beers for almost an hour, which killed our drinking momentum. Next time we go to Scotty's for half priced appetizers and a better beer selection.

Catching up

Its been a little while and i've been a bit bad about emailing pictures to myself from my bricked out Iphone. For a quick catchup- about a week and a half ago Patrick's roommate Marissa treated a few of her awesome friends to a delicious homemade Italian dinner of stuffed pasta. In addition she provided a very tasty and well matched cabernet savignon from Livingston. For 6 dollars, this giant bottle made its way around the room. Sadly, i was not there when the bottle was drained, but it was definitely empty the next time i came by. I'd give it a 4.5 for value (giant bottle!) and a 3.5 for yumminess!
 Moving on to last Thursday! Date night! We didn't get around to eating until about 8pm, and pizza salad was on the menu. We baked some Pillsbury pizza dough up with some freshly grated parm. Then when it was done topped it with salad and some veggies that were sauteed in a fairly tasty pinot from Jacob's creek that was left in the fridge after the classy party (3 for yummines and ? for value... I . We drank some Trader Joe's Costal savignon blanc.Very tasty! Another 4 for taste and 5 for value at 4 dollars.  After dinner we enjoyed some delicious rootbeer floats spiked with vanilla vodka. A great way to top of a relaxing evening. A very filling and relaxing evening. I'm sure there will be more floats this evening since we are celebrating all things Patrick for St. Paddy's day! And while i might be a little Irish via Boston, I too cannot resist celebrating every holiday that employs drinking as its official celebratory act. More to come!

A Lovely Spring Break in Indiana

Its Spring Break! After destroying myself on a massively strenuous backpacking trip, or what others would call a meander through the woods, it was definitely time to settle back to my spot on the couch for a little R and R. The California Collection lingering in my fridge needed to go, and its not risotto season anymore, so down the hatch! Mike came by for some post work TV and brought along his last bottle of on sale Beringer from the Thanksgiving of Awesomely cheap wine. ( I say that with nostalgia since i miss being able to buy these in bulk at such low prices.) It was a lovely Pinot Grigio with a nice smooth mellowness. It was a touch sweet, but it contrasted nicely to the slightly drier, fruiter Savingon Blanc I started the night with. I'd give this bottle a 4.5 for value; how can you beat $2.50 a bottle? For taste its more of a 4, probably a 3 really, but I can't get over how yummy it is for how cheap it is. Or Indiana is just messing with my wine pallet, they do love their sweet table wines.
On a completely unrelated note, tonight is going to be our very own bicycle brewery tour! There might only be one brewery on the tour due to laziness, and my lackluster appreciation for the Lafayette Brewing Company: Peoples. There should be some good photos to come!

Sometimes there is food, too!

After a long weekend of sleeping as much as possible, running almost 12 miles (I know! There is a little bit of an overachiever in me.) and grading papers, a relaxing Monday night was definitely in order. I decided ill-advisedly to try my hand at some vegetarian Moussaka, which while delicious took FOREVER to assemble. Yes the photo is me showing off. 

Charles and Patrick meandered over to try some of the outcome and watch some bad television, my entertainment of choice. Patrick showed up with a bottle of Fontana Candida Pinot Grigio. With low expectations we wrestled the cork from the bottle and were pleasantly surprised. This 9 dollar bottle was purchased from the Village Bottle Shop across the intersection from house. Officially, this is now the only wine we have ever gotten from there that I would consider drinking again. In a quick search of other reviews this wine is labeled compelling. While this may be true for some, I find this wine a decent deal, maybe a 3/5 for 9 dollars, putting it in my mid-range price category. Light, refreshing, and overall, doesn't have anything that stands out as bad or horribly wrong (that standard being set by home brew of course.) I'd give it a 3 for flavor. 

Just a note on my current price categories:
Category 1: $6.99 or less
Category 2: $7-15
Category 3: Things I cannot afford.

Brewing Day!

 Yesterday was beer brewing day! Patrick and I decided to split a 5 gallon kit of "Phat Tire". It was also Charles' birthday! So naturally, no beer brewing evening or birthday is void of of beer or other potables. The beer of choice for the evening was some delicious and under-priced honey brown. When that was all done we switched to some Guinness in honor of Charles, who might be slightly obsessed with it in the best way:D. We bought it in the first place to make some Guinness cupcakes that were never made since Tyler showed up with some of his mom's amazing red velvet cake (FROSTINGGGGG).
 He also brought over a very nice bottle of Louise d'estree brut rose. For 8 dollars a bottle it wasn't a bad way to catch a buzz. I'd give it a 3 for taste and a 4 for value, out of 5 of course.
The night, however, dragged on longer than my buzz. We managed to get Keith's beer all set, but ours didn't get onto the stove until just about 10. After hours of boiling, stirring, going out to buy more beer, ice, and beer again, and a few episodes of Psych and Black Mirror later and almost everyone had left. That and our beer was racked and ready to ferment. The wort was sweet and super yummy! I can't wait for it to be ready. As its friday, i'm sure there will be more adventures, at least some port and (vegetarian) rubens!

Tuesday night TV and wine

 What else is there to do on a lazy Tuesday when all motivation has left the building but crack open whatever wine has been hanging out in the fridge and check the TV for new episodes of Portlandia and Archer (or at least episodes that are new to me)? Especially when a food coma has set in from demolishing some awesomely seasonal Shamrock Shakes. For this exciting occasion I pulled out the second tier Vinho Verde (I'm hoarding the good stuff, it'll pop up on the blog a little bit later. Espiral brand, that I had Mike pick up from Trader Joe's for me for a little under 5 bucks a bottle, is a a good stand in for my favorite type of Vinho Verde. Light and crisp, its more of a summer drink, but I'll drink it anytime I get the chance. For under 5 bucks this bottle is a great value, I'll give it a 4.5, with a 4 for taste. This was a great bottle to start the evening.

Unfortunately, I made the not so great decision to switch bottles midway through to a bottle of California Collection Beringer wine that I picked up for about 4 dollars from Payless last week when I was food shopping. While I was looking for a bottle of  light, drinkable white, I should not have followed up one of my

favorite with a savignon blanc. This wine wasn't sweeter than the Vinho Verde, but it somehow contrasted really poorly to my first glass. I think i'll have to try it again on its own before I can make a real decision on it. It seems like a wine that would be good with dinner as oposed to an accompaniment to some tv time. After this thanksgiving when Beringer wines went on sale for $2.50 a piece for a few varieties of deliciously drinkable wines, thus making my holiday season, I can't just write them off.

I'd also make a note, that yes, those are Ugg slippers behind the bottle. And no, they are not mine, they are Patrick's. :)