KegWorks Blog

What type of golfing cigar smoker are you? Over the years I have noticed three types of cigar smokers on the course:

1. Those that smoke the “best” cigars.
2. Those that smoke “golf” cigars.
3. Those that smoke anything that will burn.

Type 1 cigar smokers take the opportunity they have on the course as a chance to smoke a nice cigar, something they consider top notch. They usually don’t often have the opportunity to smoke any other time. Whether they are busy and can’t block the time out or whatever. Their golf time and their cigar time are one and the same.

The type 2 cigar smoker regularly enjoys a cigar usually at the cigar shop with guys, or on the porch after a tough day at work. Therefore, the golf course is just another place to light up. These types usually have a stock of “golf” cigars. These are smokes that the person would normally not smoke given a choice. However they make a perfect stick for the golf course. Given the sometimes windy conditions and distractions on the golf course, such as playing golf and flirting with the cart girl, the type 2 person prefers the “golf” cigars because, given the unfortunate event of a bad shot or deflated ego should the cigar accidentally hit the nearest tree with blazing speed, it is not a big deal. You simply pull out another “golf” cigar and carry on.

Then every cigar smoker has played with the Type 3 guy. He will bum anything he can get his hands on, and you, not wanting to be rude, have to give him something; you don’t want to part with one of your premium smokes. Hopefully you have your “golf” cigars; again no big deal and everyone is happy.

Advantage – Type 2 guy!

TAGS [ GOLF | GOLFING | CIGAR | CIGARS ]

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On Trial

In the latter part of the 19th Century, French wine growers faced declining wine production in the wake of an insect infestation that decimated crops. Absinthe gained popularity in the vacuum created by the absence of wine. Attempting to recover from disaster, the wine industry sought demonize absinthe, saying that it made homicidal maniacs of men and turned God-fearing women into harlots.

The coup de grace came during the famous case of a Swiss man named Mr. Jean Lanfray, who was convicted of murdering his pregnant wife and two children. Police revealed that Mr. Lanfray had consumed 7 glasses of wine, 2 crème de menthes, 6 glasses of cognac, and a coffee laced with brandy – along with two ounces of absinthe. The trial lasted a single day and by dusk, the murders were solely blamed on the influence of absinthe. (Clearly the excessive wine and

liquor had nothing to do with it.). What followed in the wake of such “evidence” led to a complete ban on absinthe in many countries.

Dispelling Myth

As an element of propaganda, absinthe was reported to be a hallucinogen and had an ill-gotten reputation for causing insanity. The fact is absinthe does not cause hallucinations. Reports of hallucinations are likely the result of poor quality materials and the results of contamination –including heavy metals (which can be poisonous and cause hallucinations). After all, with absinthe becoming increasingly popular in the absence of wine, everyone wanted in on the business. Not all absinthe producers were legit and many inferior (and sometimes deadly) products were available in the high-demand market of absinthe production.

It was once believed that Vincent Van Gogh had lobbed off his famous ear as a result of absinthe consumption. This rather hysterical notion fades into obscurity since we now understand that Van Gogh suffered from bipolar disorder, amongst other mental conditions. (So much for absinthe being the cause of insanity.)

Thujone, the chemical compound found in wormwood is not a cannabinoid, nor is it related to cannabis. This assumption was originally made because the chemical structure of thujone closely resembles that of THC (or tetrahydrocannabinol– which is the psychoactive chemical found in cannabis). As anyone who knows the difference between a duck and a goose can tell you, just because they appear to be the same, doesn’t mean they are the same. Thujone’s psychedelic and psychoactive effects, if any, are minuscule at best. Modern absinthes, depending on the country of origin, have little or no thujone and are highly regulated in many countries. Some myths never die.

Reported states of heightened lucidity have been reported during absinthe consumption – which is likely the result of the herbs used in production. Some herbs have calming effects, while others have stimulating effects. In fact, some of the herbs in absinthe also have anti-parasitic and even painkilling properties.

Looking Forward

Many may dismiss the reemergence of absinthe as mere trend, as the latest flavor of the week. Others will embrace it openly.

Regardless of modern acceptance, absinthe will continue to be a waypoint in our history, representing a period of time when our eyes were opened and we looked into the future with inquisitive, optimistic eyes; when we peered from behind the curtains of obscurity and uncovered the truths about our existence and our perceptions of the universe in which we live. We breathed a life into our arts and stepped bravely into the future.

TAGS [ ABSINTHE | ABSINTH | ABSINTHE HISTORY ]

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The 19th Century marked a time of great invention and discovery. Mankind made many significant leaps forward during this short, hundred years. The discoveries of this time laid the foundation the 20th Century and the advancements in mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, art, and society which we sometimes take for granted today.

It was the time of the great masters of art, the Industrial Revolution, and the beginning of the end for slavery. The Origin of Species shook religious belief to its foundation and a serial killer known as Jack the Ripper stalked London by night.

It was also an era of influence, indulgence, and inspiration. It was the time of la Fée Verte - The Green Fairy.

If you’re like me, what you don’t know about absinthe can probably fill a room or two; that is, unless you’re a connoisseur. I’m not, so I did quite a bit of research on the subject to educate myself and I’d like to share some of my more interesting finds with you. So, grab a spoon and a sugar cube, sit back, relax, pour yourself an ounce of vintage Pernod Fils and set up your ice water drip as we swim through the louche to uncover the facts and fiction surrounding the mysterious spirit known as absinthe.

Into the Green

Absinthe is a high alcohol spirit (ranging from 45%-80% alcohol by volume) distilled from a variety of herbs. It is classified as a spirit and not a liqueur because it is not bottled with added sugar.

The original absinthes (as opposed to modern ones) included an ingredient called Artemisia absinthium or grande wormwood which contains a chemical called thujone. (More on thujone later) Other herbs used in making absinthe were green anise, petite wormwood (Atesmisia pontica), fennel and hyssop.

Absinthe gets its green color from the chlorophyll of the macerated herbs used in its creation although, not all absinthes are green. In fact, some are clear and some are naturally rouge or rose colored because hibiscus flowers were used in its production.

The Ritual

The process of preparing an absinthe drink is referred to as “the ritual” – and rightly so. It is a relatively slow process that requires some patience, but as they say, “All good things come to those who wait.”

Start by pouring 1-1½ ounces of absinthe into a glass. Place a sugar cube on a specially designed, slotted or perforated spoon, which rests across the rim of the glass. Using an absinthe fountain, fresh ice water is slowly dripped over the sugar cube into the absinthe. This process sweetens the otherwise bitter absinthe and, in the process, causes the spirit to become cloudy. This is called “louching.” The cold water helps to release the oils from the herbs, giving the drink a strong herbal flavor.

Check back soon for myths and the future of absinthe, in Absinthe Minded - Part 2.

TAGS [ ABSINTHE | ABSINTHE FOUNTAIN | ABSINTHE HISTORY | ABSINTHE GLASSES | ABSINTHE SPOONS ]

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The snow is gone! Usually in Buffalo that is enough to start hitting the links. Who cares what the temperature is, No Snow = Golf Season! Thus the rekindling of a perfect marriage: the outdoors and cigars. Calling up your friends and picking a course to play at is usually an easy choice; what is close by, and which one won’t have a long wait time. Choosing which cigar(s) to smoke while playing golf is a whole different matter. It is not as simple as grabbing a few sticks out of the humidor and running off to the course. There are a few directions this line of action could take.

1. Smoke something unique, one of your better smokes.
2. Smoke something you don’t care about.
3. Who cares, I smoke whatever someone else brings.

Before we go any further, which one of the 3 are you? In my next post we will analyze the different routes golfers take.

TAGS [ GOLF | COOLER | SPRING | GOLFING | BEER ]

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Next time you sit down to enjoy a pitcher or pint of cold, delicious beer, take a moment to pat yourself on the back for doing a good thing!

I found a cool website that breaks down just how much the beer industry does for our country. Check it out at beerservesamerica.org.

According to Beer Serves America, the beer industry employs approximately 1.7 million Americans, paying them almost $55 billion in wages and benefits and forks over $36 billion in business, personal and consumption taxes to Uncle Sam every year.

Check out the direct impact that the beer industry makes in your state specifically and even break it down to your Congressional District. It’s pretty sweet to see what a difference beer makes and they’re probably not even including the impact of things like tap handles, drip trays or cleaning kits. Perhaps if everyone drank a little bit more beer, we could avoid this darn recession everyone is so worried about.

TAGS [ BEER | ECONOMY | BEER INDUSTRY ]

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On a recent trip to my favorite hole-in-the-wall hot spot, Faherty’s, Joe (bartender extraordinaire) whipped out a brand spankin’ new vodka. As I said in a recent post, this is the time of year when I trade my Guinness for light lagers, and whiskey for vodkas. He had just gotten Smirnoff White Grape in stock, and was dying to try it himself. We saluted the coming of spring with a shot of the refreshing vodka, straight up. Delicious! I promptly ordered myself a double White Grape Vodka and Soda and enjoyed the hub-bub around the Elmwood Strip and Faherty’s fantastic patio.

I’ve made mention of this before, but I am truly a great fan of simple drinks. It doesn’t have to have 18 ingredients to be a success - in fact, I hope I never come upon a cocktail bearing 18 ingredients (and I’m sure my bartender friends feel the same way). This week, treat yourself to something light and cool, with a bit of bubbly, for spring.

White Grape Vodka and Soda
1½ oz Smirnoff White Grape Vodka
Club soda, to taste
Twist of lime

Fill a rocks glass with ice. Add vodka, then fill with soda to taste. Give a quick stir and finish with a twist of lime and a cocktail straw.

Cheers!

TAGS [ VODKA | SMIRNOFF | COCKTAILS | COCKTAIL RECIPE | DRINK RECIPES ]

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As Americans we have all heard about the strange beer drinking habits of the British; namely, they like their beer warm and flat. The warm, flat brew that many Americans find so strange is the traditional beer of Britain and is known as real ale or cask ale. Real ale is a term developed by CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) in the early 1970s to differentiate traditional locally brewed British cask conditioned ale from the bland, cold, fizzy mass-produced lagers being mass marketed by large national breweries which began to threaten the existence of cask ale.

CAMRA defines real ale as “name for a draught (or bottled) beer brewed from traditional ingredients, matured by secondary fermentation in the container from which it is dispensed and served without the use of extraneous gas [added CO2].” The draft equipment we sell at KegWorks is used primarily to dispense American keg beer, and if everyone drank real ale in the US, we would have a very different draft beer product line. Keg beer in America is non-pasteurized beer (keg beer produced in other countries may be pasteurized) dispensed with gas pressure from a pressurized vessel; that pressurized vessel being a steel keg. Because real ale is served without “extraneous gas,” it usually has less carbonation than beer from a keg, since the only carbonation occurs naturally by secondary fermentation in the cask. Real ale is served at cellar temperature, around 55-degrees Fahrenheit, while keg beer in America is served refrigerated at about 38-degrees Fahrenheit.

I worked for a summer at the Turf Tavern, a pub in Oxford, England, that specialized in real ale (when I worked there I think there were 13 casks on tap that changed daily). I found myself endlessly explaining what real ale is to summer students and tourists from the US. I learned that the best way to easily explain the difference between real ale from a cask and US keg beer was to liken real ale to red wine and US keg beer to white wine. White wine, like most domestic beers, is served cold and tends to have a light mouth feel and sharper flavor profile. While red wine, like real ale, is served at cellar temperature and tends to have a heavier mouth feel and mellower blended flavor profile. I like both styles of wine, and depending on any number of factors, at certain times I may want a glass of red and other times I prefer a glass of white. I feel the same about cask ale and refrigerated lagers. Maybe my comparison is not completely accurate in all cases, but in the broadest general terms I find it apt, and it was a helpful teaching tool, provided the recipient of my wisdom drank both red and white wine.

Real ale is starting to gain popularity in the US, and I for one could not be happier. In Buffalo, my local bar of choice, Mr. Goodbar has a cask on Fridays for happy hour and some other special occasions. I have found this site that seems to be pretty up to date listing real ale bars by state. If you want to attend a real ale festival, check out the New England Real Ale Exhibition outside of Boston, April 30th to May 3rd. I’ll be there! So watch this space for more about real ale and my reflections on NERAX.

New England Real Ale Exhibition
April 30 - May 3, 2008
Somerville, Massachusetts
For more info, check out NERAX.org

TAGS [ REAL ALE | CASK ALE | DRAFT BEER | CAMRA | NERAX | TURF TAVERN ]

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