Metasip

Jun 21 2013

Two Brothers Resistance IPA

If you’re anywhere near Chicago, you’ve heard of Two Brothers. They make beer. And good beer. And they’ve been involved in the craft brewery movement for what seems like forever. (Note: that means 1996, according to the Two Brothers website. Or 1993 if you choose the date they first formed the co-op.)

If you are wondering whether or not they have the coolness street cred thing going on, they’re the types of people who host concerts with bands that are huge in Canada.

We digress: let’s talk about one of their Seasonal Ales, the Two Brothers Resistance IPA. We scored this six-pack at Whole Foods, where the very knowledgeable beer steward said, and I quote: “This just got here, I haven’t had it yet.”

(To her defense, and she knows her stuff, they have a lot of beer at Whole Foods.)

To the review!

Two Brothers Resistance IPA Review

I know what you’re thinking…”Resisting Resistance is Futile.” At least that’s what I was thinking after the first sip.

Hop. This has got Hop. And Hops.

6.9% ABV, so it packs a wallop. But, as IPAs go, this is really worth your attention.

We went back and forth on the review: were we too quick to give other IPAs an “A-?” Does this one deserve such a high rating, or is it a notch below?

We think that could be a very healthy debate; but, sadly, due to distribution vagaries, only Metasippers in Illinois, Indiana, New York, Minnesota, and Ohio can take advantage of Two Brothers’ stuff.

Taste

It’s got that combo of bitterness and hoppiness that you’re looking for in an IPA. Not too much spice – like you’d find in a Trippel or something that has some spicy kick to it.

Profile

As we mentioned, 6.9% ABV. So more than one and you’ll want to pace yourself. 70 IBU.

Value

We paid $8.99 at Whole Foods for a six-pack. $1.50-ish a bottle.

Metasip Grade: B+

Yeah, like we said, back and forth on whether or not this was “A-minus-worthy.” Talk us out of it if you’ve had this: weigh in below.

Jun 20 2013

Monte Velho 2011 Red Wine

“I want to go to there.” – Liz Lemon, “30 Rock.”

First thing’s first – Liz was talking about a place, not a bottle of wine. But work with us here…you can use this wine to take a virtual trip to an outstanding part of the world. Right? RIGHT?

Obrigado, Portugal. And thanks for this rather outstanding trip to your country, through one out-flippin-standing bottle of red.

To the review!

Monte Velho 2011 Red Wine Review

You know you’re in for an adventure when the highly knowledgeable wine steward at the highly reputable store tells you, point blank, that this wine contains “three grapes I’ve never heard of.”

Those grapes are Trincadera, Aragonez, and Castelao. Don’t worry, I hadn’t heard of them, either.

What do we call this blend? Don’t know. Not sure I care. Wine was awesome, just outstanding. Probably justifying an A-…but first, a little more.

Taste

“Soft tannins.” Yeah, that’s probably the winner. Really smooth. Nose isn’t over-powering. And the fruit? There’s fruit – berries, cherries – but it’s not a fruit bomb like a Malbec. Extremely mellow.

Profile

Trincadera 40%, Aragonez 40%, Castelao 20%. 14% ABV.

Vinho Regional Alentejano. I didn’t know there are 14 different wine regions in Portugal.

(BTW, need more info on the Wines of Portugal? Well, there’s a website for that – Wines of Portugal.)

Value

TEN BUCKS. Drinks like 20 or 25. You MAY want to let it open up for awhile – I’d recommend a good long decant – or cellar this if you want. But it’s drinkable today.

Did I mention it was TEN BUCKS?

Metasip Grade: A-

Yes, it earned an A-. That means like a 90 or 91 on the traditional 100-point scales. At $10 a bottle (wait, you didn’t say it was TEN BUCKS!) it is well worth your time.

As for the folks from Portugal: call me. I want to go to there. Or drink the wines from there. (Or…both.)

Jun 19 2013

Midnight Moon Moonshine

Editor’s Note: We enlisted the help of world traveler and sometimes moonshine shopper Sondra Morin for this review.

Driving north on I-95 from Massachusetts to Maine, the highway winds through a small patch of tax-free New Hampshire. Located on either side of the highway is the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet, a must-stop for any traveler seeking tax-free spirits. Of course, there are two types of consumers who enter the store:

The consumer who stops by just to see what’s on the shelves and if it might be worth it to buy a tax-free bottle of whiskey, and
The consumer who plans to stockpile a grocery basket with as much tax-free wine, beer, and liquor as possible.

I happen to be the first type of consumer, so I went straight to the whiskey.

Moments before walking away with a bottle of Knob Creek, I noticed rows of fancy black-and-white-labeled Mason jars on the lower shelf that read “Midnight Moon.”

Moonshine! I put the Knob Creek back and inspected the jars. Cherry moonshine caught my eye first, then I noticed that there were jars of straight moonshine, blueberry moonshine, and blackberry moonshine. Blackberries being my favorite New England berry, I opted for that jar. $18.99. Blackberries soaked and floating at the bottom. Tax-free.

Midnight Moon Moonshine Review

The company behind this exotic elixir is Junior Johnson, specifically “Junior Johnson’s Family Recipe.” Midnight Moon Moonshine: Distilled from Corn is an excellent way to brighten up a party, but be sure shots are taken lightly or not at all.

Taste:

Sipping it straight or on the rocks is not recommended – even with blackberries, it tastes like cough medicine and torch ignition. You could blow fire with this stuff. One berry is about the equivalent of a whole shot, so eat one slowly. Though quaint, a jar is not ideal for pouring any alcoholic liquid. Use a small ladle, tablespoon, or melon spoon to serve the liquid – pouring straight from the jar causes spillage.

Profile:

It’s Moonshine. 50% ABV. 100 Proof. Whoa!

For me, I figured the best way to put this through its paces was by making a recipe of my own.

The recipe I concocted for the elixir is a Moonshine Spritzer:

2 Ice cubes

2 Tbs Blackberry Midnight Moon Moonshine
1 Fermented berry from the bottom of the jar
6-8oz Lime Seltzer

Slice of lime (for garnish and to squeeze in the juice)

For more sophisticated recipes, Junior’s Midnight Moon has a list of fancy drinks on the website, including a Strawberry Shortcake Martini.

Value:

$18.99 – but tax-free. So if you’re in a tax-heavy state (I’m looking at you, Illinois), jack that up by $2 or more a jar. And, if you use it in recipes like the one above, or you take your time sipping it straight (RECOMMENDED!) then, you’ll get a lot out of one jar.

Metasip Grade: B.

It wins in character, but loses for practicality.

May 21 2013

Simi 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

I think, for this Cab, we need to play the “How Much?” game.

I mean, there is no doubt – NONE WHATSOEVER – on the first sip that this Cabernet Sauvignon is not an everyday Cab.

In fact, it’s been awhile since I’ve taken a sip, then another, and another, and found that the wine keeps tasting more expensive.

So…Let’s try it this way: we sip, we start the review, we sip again, we find out how much it might be, and then we sip again.

And so on, and so forth.

Here goes.

Simi 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Review

Taste:

Nose is strong, and, at first blush, this is the sort of Cab you have come to expect from Alexander Valley. 2009 is an exceptionally strong year, and this one is every bit as yummy as the other ’09 Cabs we’ve tried. Insert all that typical red-wine speak here – “buttery Cab, spice and pepper on the nose, berries but not too fruit forward” – who cares? This is damn good. Insert stuff about color being dark, almost black cherry in color. Deep red. Blah blah blah. Again, who cares what color it is – a really solid gulp of cabernet.

Right now, since we’re having it with a huge filet, let’s guess it’s $30 a bottle.

Profile:

13.5% ABV. Note that the winery says it’s 94% Cab, 3% Malbec (?), and 3% Petit Verdot (?!).

A Google search tells us that you can find this SOME places at around $25 a bottle. It drinks at least that expensively.

Value:

Boom! Found it at Sam’s Club for $18 a bottle. (Note: this was in Central Illinois, so your experience may vary.)

Metasip Grade: A-

Just an inch short of an “A” rating. Really outstanding Cabernet, and a tremendous value if you can find it under $20.

May 11 2013

Vina Decana 2009 Tempranillo

It’s getting harder and harder to hide my love for Aldi wines. So I tried another one – and, Aldi Corporate People, I’ll keep reviewing them if you want to send them to me. Please.

I heart the Tempranillo grape. But, if you didn’t know, I tend to be more partial to the off-the-beaten-path grapes like Temp, Montepulciano, Carmenere, and Malbec (which isn’t so out there anymore).

It’s very Spanish – in fact, it might be the quintessence of Spanish wine. (Moreso, IMHO, than Garnacha.) So much so that the last time we all went out for tapas, that was the grape. And the time before that, and the time before that.

I know people for whom the Vina Deana 2009 Tempranillo is indeed the house red. Should it be for you? Read the review and rock on!

Vina Decana 2009 Tempranillo Review

This is from Aldi.

I have to get that out there – and you can read all about quite a few other Aldi wines here on the Metasip site.

But one reason I have to say that up front is because some people will never try a wine because it’s from Aldi, and others will never try a wine because it’s under $5.

As the 12-year-old in this house would say…”Pish posh to you, sir.”

We found this for under $5 and liked what it did. “Full bodied.” At least if you believe the label. Opened up after a few minutes, and the second glass was better than the first.

Taste

It’s got a great nose, but not one that will burn your nostrils. Powerful, but not overpowering. Peppery. Some fruit – black cherry mostly – and stands up to food. (Served with…uh…Sloppy Joes and oven-fried potatoes. Don’t judge.)

I wouldn’t call it crazy-tannic, but there were some tannins.

Profile

This is a 2009 Tempranillo. Utiel Requena, Crianza – it’s got the official Spanish wine seal on it, so Aldi doesn’t mess around. ABV of 12.5% – yes, that seems like a low number in comparison to some of the more powerful reds out there.

Value

Until I’m named the official wine critic of Aldi stores, I’m just going to keep banging the drum on the value you’ll get from just about everything in the store. We did not pay $5 for this, and it’s a great wine for the money.

It’s probably worth $10 or more a bottle.

Metasip Grade: B

Can’t go to B+ here, but that’s okay – the equivalent of an 85-point wine on other scales, but for less than $5? This could very well be your house wine for years to come.