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Explosion, Experiments and Delicious Success

Torch & Crown Brewing Company
King Elizabeth
Barleywine
11.4% ABV
New York, NY
Founders, brewers, and youthful troublemakers/geniuses: Joe Correia and John Dantzler

Dark brown with reddish tint and small head in light cappuccino foam. Spirited sniffs of anise, herbs, tangerine and orange, and a little Dr. Pepper. Kicking back a powerful punch of toffee, caramels, cocoa, and those southern homemade Chewies that look like brownies but no, so much better. A little bitter that is maybe even like some burnt edges of the pan that just might have stayed in the oven a minute or two too long. Also a little banana and mandarin. I am so surprised at how much I am enjoying this little can, and maybe I should have taken the recommendation at Beer Boutique and bought a second back up one.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: Blerg! No do not pair!

When I saw this can, I thought, label alone I must have this! Figured I would mostly be writing about Elizabeth, who as they say is the emperor of their production facility in the Bronx. He has one faulty eye but who cares, I have a one-eyed kitty and have a deep soft spot for them. Then I stumbled upon the story of how Joe Correia and John Dantzler ended up in beer. These two, what little inventive trouble makers they were as kids. They as many, had fake IDs but evidently went into the wrong NYC bar and got busted. They were 16, what do you think kids at that age are going to do, wait until they’re 21? No way! They started with a home brew kit and well, let’s just say like most guys they didn’t read the full instructions, and busted again but by John’s mom due to the explosion in her kitchen. That didn’t stop them. They got better and better, and won home-brew awards (underage), so their dads got the credit. And look at them now, they made it through college in differing degrees. They didn’t kill themselves with their experiments and now they have their own business, and they make damn good beer! Oh and there’s a restaurant too, and they do take out and delivery. Check out their party packs. The Super Bowl one looks fab.

@torchandcrown @BeerBoutiqueInc @cheezits #beer #barleywine #KingElizabeth #wine #winestagram #instawine #cheezit @worldbyglass #pairswithcheezits #craftbeer #beerstagram #beersofinstagram  #NewYork #NY #Manhattan #Bronx #cats #catsofinstagram #caturday #oneeyedcats #oneeyedcatsofinstagram

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Snappy Wake Up Call

Liten Buffel
Mother Makes Glucose
Dry Sparkling Red 2018
Col Fondo
Bookwood homestead blend
11 varietals of grapes, 2 cultivars of pears, Bookwood Homestead Honey
Organic, biodynamic, foot crushed whole cluster, unfined and unfiltered
Niagara, NY
Winemakers: Patrick Vaughn and Zack Klug

Fine pour of bubbly crushed raspberries. Those raspberries are still there on the nose along with strawberries, lemon zest, and a growing floral like a room full of roses. Again raspberries hit you first in the sip then tart like licking a lemon. Firm pears like the type my granny used to make pear hot pepper relish. That stuff was so delicious and I need to get my hand on that old recipe. Oh, back to the wine, there’s also smoke and sour patch kids. This is like a cider and a sour had a baby.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: blunts some of the tart and sour

Going out of my comfort zone and trying a NY wine. Many, many years ago NY State wines were just not known as the wine to go searching out. Yes, many of us went on wine trails and hit the tasting rooms, but except for some late harvest and ice wines, I just took the rest of it for granted and dismissed them. Well, things have really changed, and I’m late to coming on board so feel free to call me an idiot. Whether it’s climate change, expansion in grapes, or the fact that there are so many more natural wines out there now; I am now fully chastised. Liten Buffel, blew me out of the water with this crazy dry sparkling red. Your whole mouth just erupts in all sorts of flavors and wakes you up. Hats off to y’all! Looking forward to discovering more of your creations.

@vinewinenyc @litenbuffel @zevrovineselections @red_wizard_collage @cheezits #cheezit #wine #redwine #sparklingwine #cider #beer #sour @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #sustainable #biodynamic #organic #naturalwine #Niagara #NY #NewYork

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For a Good Time…Shake In Bottle

Wandering Barman
Socialite
Old Fashioned with elderflower gin
28% ABV
Ridgewood, NY
Mixmasters/founders: Julian Mohamed, Roxane Mollicchi, and Darren Grenia

Hazy cucumber juice green on the rocks. Mmmm smelling fresh cucumbers, delicate flowers, salt, and gin. I can already sense what is coming before it even hits my lips. Whoooo! Cucumber and elderflower gin that has a bit of a burn down your throat at first but give it a second sip and smoooooth and sweet which is definitely from cane sugar and an aftertaste of light pine. What better drink to have while I’m quarantined due to flying to see my mom. It’s refreshing, cool, elegant, lovely, and dare I say classy.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: brings out the sweetness and cucumber

So I was questioning a cocktail in a bottle. I’ve tested some that seemed not quite right, but yes I got sucked in by the label, and it was at a shop I trust. Very glad I went with my gut, and purchased not just one but two and now having a twang of regret that I didn’t grab two more. Follow the instructions on the cap as it says, “shake in bottle” and then pour over some rocks. Had I not been the one pouring this cocktail, I would have thought it was all fresh made. From what I’m reading, restaurants and venues have been snapping them up. Definitely would ease up on time waiting in a line at a concert or play (well, when we get to go back to those again). Also seeing that Wandering Barman creates their own bitters, syrups, and infusions and hold them to a high quality. “Socialite” definitely hits high quality in my book. Oh, just noticing on the back label that 1% of profits is donated to alcohol addiction support groups. Always nice to see people giving back!

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @wanderingbarman @cheezits #cheezit #wine #cocktails #spirits #bitters #gin #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #socialite #ridgewood #Brooklyn #newyork

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Pretty In Pink

Wölffer Estate Vineyard
‘Pink’ Gin
Distilled from their famous Rosé wine with estate grown hand picked juniper berries and 5 other botanicals
Sagaponack, Hamptons, NY
Sustainable farming
Winemaker/Distiller: Roman Roth

Very light pink glow. Pine and juniper berries hit your nose first and then it smells like grappa. First try is on the rocks. It’s a delicate sip, but has a kick that comes back. There’s a feel of a peppermint, but not the taste. Again it’s piney and juniper berries with a slight licorice feel at the end. And of all things, do I taste grape? Now, here goes it neat. There’s sage, pine, some floral bits and that grappa-like thing going on that is tingling my lips.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: turns me into a flame blowing dragon. Try at your own risk.

Not only does it look like a bottle of romance, you’ll know it is once it hits your lips. IWANT design gets the credit for this label melding what went into making this delightful gin. Check out their graceful projects. Quite a nice partnership with other Wölffer wines and cider. Also giving a little nod to my absolute favorite pink…you had to know this was inevitable: The Psychedelic Furs – Pretty in Pink

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @wolfferwine @iwantdesign @cheezits #cheezit #wine #gin #spirits #grappa #worldbyglass @worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #sustainable #Sagaponack #Hamptons #NY #NewYork #PsychedelicFurs #PrettyinPink