Dave Van de Walle

Jan 02 2015

Stiegl Radler

Is it beer? Is it soda? Is it a summery beverage? Why are you drinking it in the Winter, Dave?

We were really intrigued the first time we tried this stuff. It was the middle of summer and we must have been drawn in by the Communist Propaganda Poster that is the can of Stiegl Radler – the “beer with fruit soda malt beverage specialty” that is all the rage in Germany, it appears. It comes in a four-pack of cans that are half-liters, or just more than a pint, or enough to refresh you after running that 10-miler you like to run every Friday after your organic beet farming group meets. Dude! It’s like drinking soda, but it’s like drinking beer, and I don’t know, let’s just review it!

Stiegl Radler Review

I should start a revolution – sorta like the people who claim that Coca-Cola wasn’t a winter beverage until it was marketed as such by those polar bears. Or Santa Claus. My revolution involves 365 days of Stiegl Radler as the refreshing beverage of choice for those wanting grapefruit refreshment, alcohol, sugary soda (even for those who gave up soda, like me, ahem), and the feeling of satisfaction. Or something. I’m babbling.

Taste

Like a party in your mouth…wait, that’s someone else’s marketing tagline. Sorry. Really, though, yum! Not syrupy sweet, some sugar, but doesn’t have that “OMG I just downed a tablespoon of sugar” feeling you get from downing a Mountain Dew. There’s grapefruit – but not way, over-the-top, sour morning grapefruit way.

Profile

TINY amount of alcohol – 2.5% ABV. So you can have a 16 ouncer and be all like – HEY! I still have all my faculties!

Value

$9.99 for a four-pack. Cans are tall. Yes, folks, I say that’s a pretty good value.

Metasip Grade: A-

As a *critic*, I’m not sure if I’m giving that grade to Stiegl’s version or the entire genre. Perhaps it’s the style that gets me wondering if this is something I like – but maybe others will do even more justice to this variety.

Jan 01 2015

Bell’s Christmas Ale

Why am I drinking a Christmas Ale…on New Year’s Day?

This is a good question. Perhaps it’s because I bought too much beer for the Christmas season. I don’t know exactly why – there are no rules, really, around Christmas Ale. You drink them before Christmas, during Christmas, what’s wrong with a week after Christmas? Bell’s does good work, so why not give their Christmas Ale the week after test? Bells will still be ringing for awhile, right?

Ring some Bells for… Bell’s Christmas Ale

First of all, I don’t get into the hype around these things. In fact, first time I had one of these Holiday brews, I was all like…I ordered Sierra Nevada! But their Holiday Ale – maybe it was called “Christmas Ale,” but I’m afraid of overusing the keyword here – came in a bottle with a red label. I wanted a green label. Waaah!

Then there was the time I had the Great Lakes Christmas Ale for my post-Christmas birthday – it was a milestone birthday and, well, I got knocked out.

Anyway, this here bad boy from Bell’s had to be picked up because, well, it’s from Bell’s and their Oberon earned its stripes many years ago.

Taste

Hoppy, not too much so. They tell us on the bottle that it’s made with 100% Michigan barley malt – there’s a bit of a malty aftertaste, which I like. Not overflowing with weird, goofy spices – that’s something I don’t want out of my Christmas Ales. (Like going to Starbucks and ordering a double half-caff mochachino with two shots of gingerbread. No thanks.)

Profile

5.5% ABV. Can’t find IBU info – I’m guessing it’s somewhere in the 25-30 range – but here’s a link to the site.

Value

With any of the special series brews from any of the regional craft brewers, you’re paying more – $9-$12 for a six-pack. Is it worth it? Sure, in this case. It’s a quality beer.

Metasip Grade: B+

We couldn’t go much higher, as this one didn’t have us going batty – maybe it’s because the waters were sullied by some of the other experiences we had with holiday brews. (Watch this space for another review that still has us befuddled.)

Dec 16 2014

Quick Take: DirectCellars.com

Here’s a new Quick Take for ya, and this one is an affiliate link. There’s a kicker at the bottom, and it actually really got my attention. Really. Read on for more!

So today’s Quick Take is from DirectCellars.com – and they have a pretty interesting concept in the whole wine world. First up, here’s a link: DirectCellars.com-Great Wines, Exceptional Prices, Delivered to Your Doorstep! Click here!

Really, though, DirectCellars.com is different…HOW?

I see three different varieties of membership. Hmmm. Here they are:

Wine Lovers. Basic, two reds, two whites, or one of each. $50 a month.

Red Wine Trio. They do the hard work. “Hand-picked reds of the world.” $60 a month. Three bottles.

Connoisseur’s Choice. Two bottles, but “best wines on the planet.” $75 a month.

But, Dave, what’s that kicker that really got your attention?

“Always free shipping.”

So wait, think about that for a second. Schlep over to the wine store, or use another club that charges for shipping…or go for the “all in” price above. I like the thought of not having that extra shipping charge every month.

Here’s that link again – it’s an affiliate link to DirectCellars.com. Good luck and happy shopping!

Dec 10 2014

Quick Take: Global Wine Cellars

You had me at “Reds of Italy.” Affiliate Links below, meaning we’re compensated if you buy through this link.

Today’s Quick Take features Global Wine Cellars: they’re running a pretty darn cool special on Reds of Italy. Enjoy exceptional reds from 3 of Italy’s premier growing regions. Only $49.99 (a $59.75 value).

Italian Reds from Global Wine Cellars

Elsewhere on these pages, we’ve reviewed a couple reds from Italy. (That sound you hear is me scratching my head trying to remember which ones…OH, that’s right: Montepulciano! So maybe it’s just one red from Italy. We really liked it, it was from Aldi, and often the big, bold red grapes from Aldi are, indeed, a tremendous value.)

But what about THESE Reds from Italy? Well, we have yet to take advantage of this particular deal – though we’ve heard good things about Global Wine Cellars – here are the three that, as of this writing (December 10, 2014), they are featuring on the site:

Dolcetto

Though the name means “little sweet one,” that doesn’t refer to the taste but, rather, the ease of growing and making the wine from this grape. It’s also the everyday red for people in the Piedmont.

Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon

They do blends in Italy, and even blends of grapes more popular in, say, the Bordeaux region. Of France. France and Italy DO get along!

Nebbiolo

The name means “little fog,” and it’s considered the “most noble” grape among those grown in Italy.

More than Italian Reds

Not interested in wines from Italy this time around? No worries, spin through the Global Wine Cellars site and see what else is there – again, “Global” is the operative word. Hand-crafted, boutique wines, delivered. 25% off your first club shipment and no shipping charges.

Fine print: wines subject to change, per the website. We make no guarantees, use the affiliate link at your discretion, and Global Wine Cellars terms and conditions will apply here.

Dec 03 2014

Quick Take: California Wine Club

Today’s Quick Take is, for us, a trip down memory lane. All links in this post are Affiliate Links – so we may be compensated if you sign up as a result. Read on!

Way, way back when – we’re talking MID-1990s – we signed up for a deal with something called The California Wine Club. It was our first foray into a wine club – and, given the fact this was actually pre-Internet, a really novel concept for the time. This Quick Take revisits the California Wine Club – and finds tons of options to choose from.

The Drill…

It’s one of the first non-magazine subscriptions we ever signed up for. Every month, we received a couple bottles of wine – and there were tasting notes and recipes and more in each shipment. It was a great way to learn about wine, and to discover wines and wineries that weren’t household names. A great deal for us newbies.

They’re still at it over there at The California Wine Club – and you can use one of the links below to sign up.

California Wine Club

Mom and Pop Wines? They’ve got that: The California Wine Club – Handcrafted, Quality Wines from “Mom & Pop” Wineries. No Bulk Wine.

Actually, the variety is pretty stellar – we could send you to a variety of different products:

Buy The California Wine Club’s Signature Series for yourself
OR
Buy The California Wine Club’s Aged Cabernet for yourself
OR
The California Wine Club’s International Wine Club for a global wine experience.

Free Shipping?

We love this deal – if you give a Premier Club membership as a gift, you’ll get free shipping. Free Shipping Offer.*read the fine print over at the landing page.

Considering they go BEYOND just California – there’s International, there’s Pacific Northwest! – tons of stuff to try out over at The California Wine Club!