Beverages Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Books and Beverages

Thirsty Planet Brewery | Austin, TX

January 1, 2019 by Jamie 2 Comments

One of my friends here in Austin is soon leaving the great state of Texas for a new adventure and I’m super excited for her and all the things that await! Anyway, one of the things we decided was to try and do some Austin type things before she leaves. So last month a few of us headed out to Thirsty Planet, a popular brewery out in Austin.

Minus the fact that it was blazing hot (and I don’t know if the ac was working inside), it was a fabulous trip! It’s always fun to tour and see how different breweries make their beer. Thirsty Planet fits Austin so perfectly as well and worth checking out if you enjoy trying local beers and find yourself in Central Texas. 🙂

The owner, Brian Smittle, sharing about the process.

Looking for a local #Austin brewery? Check out @THIRSTY_PLANET!

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They have three year around brews and my favorite was definitely Thirsty Goat. Perfect for football season and grilled burgers or hot dogs!

Thirsty Goat

American-style Amber Ale
Sweet, Malty and rich deep flavor with a spicy finish

Buckethead

American-style India Pale Ale
Light caramel sweetness followed by a bitter punch in the mouth with a long finish

Yellow Armadillo

Light American-style Wheat
Crisp and refreshing, light citrusy notes, clean finish

I liked that they had games available for use – it makes for a great afternoon of conversation and laughs. A perfect fall day would make the visit even better, you know when you can sit outside and not turn crispy.

Find out more about Thirsty Planet around the web
Website | Twitter | Facebook

What are some local hot spots where you’re at?

Samuel Adams Brewery | Boston, MA

January 28, 2019 by Jamie 2 Comments

Apparently breweries are my jam right now. But hey, if you’re in Boston, of course you have to check out their beloved Samuel Adams. It would be a crime not to. 😉 Plus the tour is free and they give you a souvenir glass to take home. Wins. I’m all about wins.

These are hops. If they ask you to rub them between your hands, don't. Unless you like sticky hands.

These are hops. If they ask you to rub them between your hands, don’t. Unless you like sticky and hoppy smelling hands.

One of their rare brews, Utopias, is stored in old Whiskey bottles for a year. Certain states don't even sell it!

One of their rare brews, Utopias, is stored in old Whiskey barrels for a year. Certain states don’t even sell it!

Our tour guides Andrew and Bobby were rather comical and made the tour that much more enjoyable. They’re commentary had me chuckling quite a bit.

When in Boston the @SamuelAdamsBeer Brewery awaits! Photos and a review are up

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We got to try three, so here’s my official review!

Boston Lager
This brew accounts for about 50% of their annual sales and is known for it’s clarity, amber gold color and tastes right in the middle of hops bitterness and malt sweetness. I liked it. It’s one I’d buy and keep in the fridge. If you haven’t tried a Samuel Adams beer, I’d definitely start with this one.

Summer Ale
Mmmmmm. I’m learning when there is summer involved in the name or description I’m usually a fan. This one was no different. So refreshing!

Belgian Wheat Ale
We’ll just say this one wasn’t my favorite. A bit too bitter for me.

The tasting room

This one is their most popular

So there you have it – a peek into the inner workings of the mighty Samuel Adams ;). Boston really is such a fun city. There’s something for everyone and I definitely want to visit again!

Have you ever tried Mr. Adams’ beer? I think I need to start adding wineries to the blog. Anyone up for a trip to Fredericksburg? 🙂

Jester King Brewery | Austin, Texas

January 13, 2019 by Jamie 8 Comments

Here’s the thing you need to know about Austin, Texas.

It’s awesome.

There’s all kinds of local attractions to visit and check out. Enter in Austin’s very own Jester King Brewery. Not wanting to neglect the beverages aspect of this blog, I deemed it necessary to take a drive and check it out.

It should be noted that I have zero knowledge of the creation process for any kind of beverage, let alone brewing beer. So not only was the tour helpful, but I learned quite a few things. For you beer connoisseurs, here’s some fun facts (at least to me) about Jester King.

Jester King beers are Farmhouse ales
It’s about making beer with a sense of place; a connection with where the beer is made
They don’t use city water, but rather from off a well with water from the Hill Country
They use hops from Oregon and are of traditional variety (they use aged hops like Belgium has for centuries)
They culture the wild yeast from the area; this why the beer has a bit of a sour taste (it’s from the bacteria in the area). It’s unique to the area
Using this method, beer can’t be made fast (2-3 months normally, but sometimes a year)
The beer naturally carbonates once bottled

The brewery used to be a machine shop. The oldest parts are the railings in the roof.

On the tour with one of the founders of the brewery.

Can’t be in Austin without live music!

Review of the Beers

Le Petit Prince Farmhouse Table Beer: Very light; nothing too serious. I liked it as it was refreshing.

Throughout Northern Europe, light-bodied, well-hopped, low alcohol table beers were often the beverage of choice with all meals at times and in places where the water wasn’t always safe to drink. Le Petit Prince is a dry, unspiced, highly attenuated Table Beer unique to our land in the Texas Hill Country. Naturally occurring wild yeasts impart a sense of place to this unfiltered, unpasteurized, 100% naturally conditioned ale.

Detritivore Farmhouse Ale Refermented with Cherries: They talked a bit about their beers being more sour and this was a good example of that. I wasn’t sure what I would think of it, but I enjoyed it. It’s different from what I normally enjoy, but still fun to try.

Detritivore is a dry, well-attenuated farmhouse ale refermented with the same cherries used in the production of Jester King Montmorency vs. Balaton. Naturally occurring wild yeasts impart a sense of place to this unfiltered, unpasteurized, and 100% bottle conditioned beer.

Provenance – Orange/Grapefruit Citrus Saison: Very tasty!

Our first batch of Provenance takes the vibrant flavors and aromas of oranges and grapefruits and presents them in the unique way that only wild fermentation with native yeast and bacteria can. Unfiltered, unpasteurized, and 100% bottle-conditioned.

Provenance – Tangerine/ Clementine Citrus Saison: My favorite one. Much like the grapefruit, but I like tangerines more. Plus it’s smoother.

Our third batch of Provenance takes the vibrant flavors and aromas of tangerines and clementines and presents them in the unique way that only wild fermentation with native yeast and bacteria can. Unfiltered, unpasteurized, and 100% bottle-conditioned.

Black Metal Farmhouse Imperial Stout: This reminded me why I don’t drink Stouts. No ma’am. If you are a Stout fan though, I bet you’d like this one.

Black Metal, a.k.a. Iron Sword, a.k.a. Blackened Death, a.k.a. El Martillo del Muerte, is a cruel and punishing beer fermented by the sheer force of its awesome will. Black Metal is dry, roasty, and fermented with farmhouse yeast.

Have you ever heard of @jesterkingbeer? It’s worth checking out in the ATX!

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My favorite fun fact was the origin of the name. Jester King is a play on Shakespeare, where the wise fools were able to poke fun at authority (in this case the big brewers of the world).

The Location

It’s on a beautiful piece of land. Tons of space, tables and tasty food. It’s a great place to celebrate something (or make something up to celebrate 😉

Even if you don’t drink beer, they have other drinks and really good pizza. Plus it’s the lovely Texas Hill Country where you can connect with friends, relax and have a good time. I look forward to visiting again for sure!

So what are some hidden or not so hidden gems in your town? Be sure to connect with Jester Kings Brewery online to check out more!

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Books and Beverages | Which One With Which?

January 31, 2019 by Jamie 14 Comments

Today is a big day friends. A big day! Today marks the day when books and beverages collide on the same post. Thank you for being a part of this momentous blog moment. 😉

So maybe it’s not that momentous of an occasion ;), but a few months back at book club we started talking about what drinks would pair with what genres and thus this idea was born! Without further ado, here we go!

YA | Shirley Temples

According to Wikipedia, YA is “fiction written, published, or marketed to adolescents and young adults.” Since that means all of those folks are under the age of 18, they better be sticking to Shirley Temples. Personally I love Shirley Temples, but I do admit I only see them on children’s menus. Whatevs.

Fantasy | Hot Tea (Preferably English Breakfast)

This genre requires a perfect cup of hot tea. This probably subconsciously comes from the fact that my two favorite fantasy authors were British and when I think of all things British I think of tea. But I also feel it’s a safe bet that many fantasy characters drink some form of tea.

Romantic | Red Wine

Obviously. What are some of your favorites? I’m usually not a red wine fan, but in a rare blue moon I’ll find one I enjoy.

What would you drink with different genres? Here’s Books and Beverages’ list!

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SciFi | Romulan Ale

Confession! I recruited friends to help me with this idea. So if you know where this drink is from, then you and my friends should be amigos. Any guesses? Apparently Captain Kirk and this drink have a troubled history (or it was a one time event – I don’t recall all the details). While you might get arrested if you have this in the Star Trek realm, it’s perfectly legal in our world and consists of blue curacao, vodka, seltzer, lemon-lime soda and garnished with blueberries. You can check out the recipe here, but it sounds rather tasty.

Historical Fiction | Dos XX

My go-to genre gets paired with my go-to beer. I do apologize if you were expecting something more creative.

Contemporary Fiction | Peach Moscato Wine Slushies

When I think contemporary, I think of novels I’d bring on a vacation. And when I think of vacation I think of beaches and refreshingly tasty drinks. An ice cold lemonade would work just as fine for the perfect southern summer night on a porch – so really, the options are kind of endless. But something about Moscato slushies sounds fabulous. You can find the recipe here (it only consists of three ingredients).

Mystery | Scotch

Do I like Scotch? Absolutely not. I’d rather die of thirst than drink Scotch. I also have a theory people drink it while hating it to look sophisticated….;) Not really, but ew is my official statement on Scotch. Anyway, this drink seems to pop up in every mystery, does it not?

Are any of these your favorites? Or what drinks would you pair with your favorite genre? How about a non-fiction book? What would you pair it with? Maybe next book club we’ll mix things up with a bring your own book and beverage. 🙂

Craft of Tea | Product Review

December 8, 2018 by Jamie 11 Comments

As we know, I don’t do coffee. I think it tastes terrible. (I’m sorry if you’re just finding this out. I hope we can still be friends). But I do love and adore tea. Not only does it make me an honorary Brit, it tastes fabulous.

Thanks to the world of twitter, I came in contact with Craft of Tea and fell in love. They sent me some of their popular favorites to try and kids, I’m in love! Some of these blends are simply fabulous!

So what exactly is Craft of Tea? Glad you asked. Here’s from their website:

Craft of Tea ~ Superior Artful Blends. As our name implies, we handcraft all loose leaf teas to offer our customers the most premium tea tastes and lifestyle. After researching hundreds of different flavors of teas from all around the world with our tea experts, only those teas with exotic and extraordinary flavors are selected for Craft of Tea!

We offer the largest variety of teas in a small sample size in our monthly subscription packages and gift boxes. We encourage and allow our customers to make their own selection of teas every month to customize their unique tastes. Currently, we offer over 50 flavors of teas and plan to offer over 100 flavors in the next few months. Hence, there are plenty of premium teas to choose from every month. Customers can order bigger sizes of teas from our website directly. This is perfect for a tea tasting party with friends and families. Subscribe to our tea program and enjoy the tea tasting journey today!

So yeah, you get fabulous blends sent to you each month automatically. That’s what I call a win. And you never know, maybe one day a British man will deliver the tea to you. TOTALLY POSSIBLE. If monthly shipments aren’t your thing, you can also buy online. Be sure to check out the bottom for an awesome discount and a chance to win a box of their teas!

“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.” C.S. Lewis

Oh and it’s all loose leaf! I feel more British drinking loose leaf tea. (Also I promise I love being an American. I just realized I referenced Brits three times already. I blame the accent. It’s an unfair advantage).

Hearty Spirit – Black Tea | Start Your Day

A black tea blended with Ginger, Cardamom (had to google that guy), Cloves, and Cinnamon.

The first smell that hit me was the cinnamon. Thus making my first thought: uh oh. I’m not a fan of the spicy teas, so I was nervous trying it. But I was pleasantly surprised by it. It wasn’t too spicy and a great cup to start the morning with. And when my sample ran out? Ummm…rude! Good thing I plan on purchasing more. This is a good one to switch out when I run out of English Breakfast (which I have a mild obsession with).

Calm & Refresh – Herbal Tea | Herbal & Decaf

Our signature naturally caffeine-free organic Herbal Tea blended with organic lemongrass, South African rooibos & honey bush, ginger, lemon verbena, apple bits & marigolds.

The smell is absolutely lovely. Whenever rooibos is mentioned my heart gets happy thinking of my Zambia days and the insane amounts of rooibos tea I drank daily. This has the refreshing rooibos taste and it a delicious herbal tea option. Another one I recommend!

Are you a #tea fan? Check out these tasty finds from @CraftofTea!

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Cleanse & Detox – Herbal Tea | Herbal & Decaf

Our signature naturally caffeine- free organic Herbal Tea blended with organic coriander seed, fennel seed, milk thistle, chicory root, burdock root, dandelion root, ginger, hibiscus, schizandra berries, licorice root, rosehips & orange peel.

You never know what you’re going to get when there’s a detox involved. Will it taste like tar? Will it be nasty McNasty? But nothing to fear with this one! It tasted like herb tea with a hint of sweetness. Kinda like Tang. Throwback! Mmmmm….

Zesty Soul – Green Tea | Artisan Favorites

A premium green tea from Japan and China, blended with zesty Lemongrass & Ginseng leaves.

I saved the Green Tea for last because I’m usually not a fan of Green Tea. It’s really healthy and good for you, thus the percentage of me liking it drops significantly (The day cookies, fries and ice cream are good for you, I’ll be set!). It’s not an overwhelming Green Tea taste. It hits you ever so slightly, but nothing too dramatic, which is exactly what I can handle for Green Tea.

Their teas are fabulous and I look forward to trying more of their options! I noticed they have English Breakfast, so I shall be getting it! So if you love tea like me, definitely swing by their website and check them out! You can find them at here:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

But wait! There’s more ;). The fabulous folks over at Craft of Tea not only have hooked up you dear friends up with a 30% off code (simply enter this code at checkout: SPRING30), they are giving away a box of tea goodness to one of you lucky readers!

——> ENTER HERE <——

Thank you Craft of Tea for the samples! Alright fellow tea drinkers, what are some of your favorites? Do you prefer light and herbal? Black tea? Green? I’m always up for trying one I haven’t!

Want some bonus entries? Here you go!
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Want to win a box of the delicious @CraftofTea teas? Enter here!

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Contest open through 4/11/14 at 11:59 p.m. (CST).

Don’t forget to enter by April 11, 2014 by 11:59 p.m. CST