Twenty 2 Vodka

Vodka can be a hard thing to describe. Some people just want a cheap thing to make a drink of their choice alcoholic. Of course not necessarily a cocktail though. A few actually like notes of flavors added. I'm part of the group that wants a liquor that can make a fine drink with a few other pieces added. Twenty 2 Vodka is made by The Northern Maine Distilling Company in Houlton, ME. Let's see what category this vodka falls in.

Ethanol is apparent in the nose, but not in a biting way. This is certainly a hint of a good vodka that has no similarity to watered down alcohol in a plastic bottle. The palate is quite unique. I feel that it is a touch heavier than water in your mouth, but in perhaps a way of ethereal taste? I'm asking myself if there is drop of honey put in this bottle. Something I do know is the grainy ethanol is existing lightly on the back of the tongue. After sipping my glass I finished it by shotting the rest, and it was the first time I had any major burn.

Experimenting with cocktails such as the godmother and kamakazi, I could taste the difference in quality. I'm not hesitating to score this with an A (excellent) because it's a blank sheet to work with cocktails and is the first clear liquor besides gin that I've enjoyed straight. I'll be keeping this one in stock.

Trader Joe's Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Well, with Thanksgiving behind us, the beginning of the holiday season is here. To start that warm fuzzy feeling you get inside of you, I've got a cup of hot chocolate. I should also note that this is also my first Trader Joe's product review. I'll be adding some of their house brand's lineup of drinks because they just opened a new store in Portland, ME, and they've gotten quite a bit of attention. So before you try to make it through their extensive lines to the cashier, I'll let you know if it's worth it.

You don't have to get your nose very close to notice the peppermint. This peppermint is also peppermint. The light foam on the surface doesn't last long, but the little bits of chocolate in the mix don't melt completely. On the tongue the chocolate take the front seat from the peppermint, but it's certainly still there. As for the body of the drink, that's up to you, and who doesn't want it thick and creamy? So I'd recommend using the milk instead of boiling water, and don't be scarce with the powder.

For a powder based hot chocolate, this will be my choice for the cupboard. Not a bad start for Trader Joe's. B (good)

P.S. What everyone's talking about around town is the "two-buck-chuck" wines. I'll get to that soon.

Maine Mead Works HoneyMaker Apple Cyser

Portland, ME is well known for it's breweries with beers getting national attention. Maine Mead Works is expanding Portland's drink spectrum. With a brand new location on the east end, being available at many more places, and more flavors since their start in 2007, there has to be a reason behind their success. Tonight I have a glass of their newest mead, Apple Cyser.

The fact that this has apple in the title and is a mead it should be quite obvious that honey and apple are the prime factors. They are but they work together so well. The body of this mead is lighter than others and not 'sticky' sweet so the crisp and light tang of apple compliment it great. When chilled the apple is more apparent and the honey comes out more when warmer. In either temperature you get a tart finish from the apple, but still the sweet in your mouth.

Quite the balance. I'm not hesitating to give this an A (excellent) and it won't be uncommon for me to keep a bottle of this in my stash. Maine Mead Works has many other choices as well and a quick visit to taste what they have will let you know which one would be your best investment. Portland is more than a beer town now.

McSorley's Irish Pale Ale

An Irish pale ale? When I think of a pale ale's origin I think British, and Irish are obviously known for stouts. McSorley's is actually an old pub in New York City that was established in 1854, so it's not as Irish in origin as some others beers. This isn't a history lesson though, I'll tell you how it tastes.

Once poured the hue didn't look like a pale ale. It looks copper like a red ale, which is more traditional to the Irish! It has hops and malt in the aura characterized in a sweet way. On the palate hops takes a back seat to a 'creamy' malt, but this is not heavy in body. The body is actually crisp in a citrus way. Once swallowed the taste dwindles and you get it dry in a pale ale way.

I'd say this is a cross between a red and pale ale. There is a variety of things going on but I don't think they're working together well. I have to give it a C (decent), but on a positive note it's fairly easy to drink despite being dry at the end.

Bard Coffee Honduras Marcala Dark

You know you're in an ok cafe when the barista knows the difference between a latte and a cappuccino. At Bard Coffee on Middle St in the Old Port of Portland, ME, every employee can tell you the difference between the different beans in ways beyond which one is darker. It's a great cafe. Today I have a cup of one of their single origin coffees, the Honduras Marcala Dark.

When most think of 'dark' they think of a french roast, this is different from that. Tackling the difference in adjectives between the two has been quite hard. The marcala dark is smoky in a clean way unlike french roasts, another way I'd put it is almost woody. The single origin of the beans also come through with notes of caramel on the back of the tongue. It's also only medium bodied with little acidity which works with the palate very well.

If you fee like exploring your darker side of coffee smoothly this is a fine choice and it's a B (good) in my book. Bard Coffee isn't just a place of a fine form of caffination though, it's also place of community. Those that want to get to know the fine city of Portland should check it out.

Smirnoff Root Beer 100

The recent trend with vodkas has been as many new and unique flavors as possible. Everyone knows Smirnoff. It seems to be a staple for those who want to just put something in soda or an energy drink. Tonight I have it in it's purest form, in a glass without rocks to sip on.

There's no clue to the flavor smelling it, but once in your mouth it's quite blunt. Wow this is sweet. I suppose this is true to the flavor because root beer is the most sugared soda around. The flavor only exists on your tongue though because there is no aftertaste, just a burn. Quite simple.

Looking back on this selection it was an odd one because it doesn't relate to the title luxurious. I'm leaving it with a F (avoid) and think there are far better options unless you're going to spike an A&W root beer.

Homegrown Herb & Tea Sniffle T

Many of you should take note of todays tea because, as the title would suggest, it's a great choice for fighting a cold. It's also the first tea I'm reviewing from Homegrown Herb & Tea, a small place ran by a dedicated and knowledgeable Sarah in Portland, Maine. If you're in the area I'd suggest you stop by her storefront to experience it's homely and organic aura with your tea. I'm here to tell you of the tea's taste though.

There's a lot going on in this cup. A strong floral element is one of the prime tastes, probably clover and chamomile. Earthy in a slightly chai way is stronger though. Anise must be a the part that creates the chai effect. It leaves you with a ginger-like kick at the end which a sick person would enjoy immensely, (I don't believe there is any ginger in this though).

Most cold combatant teas I've had are just mint leaf or ginger with honey. Homegrown has outperformed those in sinus cleansing. It's a solid B (good) in taste though. This is the one I'll be keeping on hand this winter.