NFL Super Bowl XLVIII - Where to Drink Local

Are you ready for some football. As you are aware this is Super Bowl week as game XLVIII kicks off this Sunday February 2nd at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Yes a cold weather venue so attendees should be prepared to stock up on warming wines, brews and spirits. Since the game features two teams whose host cities (Seattle and Denver) are well versed in the local craft wine, beer and spirits movements, here is where these fans can find their equivalent in New Jersey and New York. Better yet, theCompass Alcohol Locator mobile application can navigate you to any of these destinations as the image to the left depicts.

The closest establishments to the stadium in New jersey are the New Jersey Beer Company in North Bergen followed by the Bolero Snort Brewery in Ridgefield Park. I've never tried their beers, but I'm sure there are flavors for everyone.  Furthermore west there are a plethora of breweries plus two distilleries, the Black Prince Distillery and Jersey Artisan Distilling. Distillery tours are now allowed in New Jersey, but contact the distillery before visiting to ensure that they are open and offer tours. 

For those visiting or staying in New York City, there are a host of establishments in almost all of the boroughs - Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx. The most well known would be Brooklyn Brewery and the brewery offers a nice tour and tasting experience. Another well known Brooklyn brewery, Sixpoint Brewery, has put their tours on temporary hiatus while they renovate the distillery.  While in Brooklyn schedule a weekend tour at New York Distilling Company or The Noble Experiment NYC and see why craft distilleries are popping up in the "City of Churches". Across the East River, in Manhattan there are several new brewpubs that have serviced and from previous visits we recommend the Chelsea Brewing Company.

Looking forward to a great Super Bowl and if you plan to visit one of these establishments beforehand, call ahead to verify hours. Cheers yo drinking local and an entertaining Super Bowl.


New Jersey Breweries & Distilleries near East Rutherford

New Jersey Beer Company North Bergen NJ
Bolero Snort Brewery Ridgefield Park NJ
Black Prince Distillery Clifton NJ
Jersey Artisan Distilling Fairfield NJ
Cricket Hill Brewery Fairfield NJ
Gas Light Brewery South Orange NJ
Climax Brewing Company Roselle Park NJ 
JJ Bitting Brewing Company Woodbridge NJ
Trap Rock Restaurant and Brewery Berkeley Heights NJ


New York City Wineries, Breweries & Distilleries

Singlecut Beersmiths Astoria NY
The Bronx Brewery Bronx NY
Port Morris Distillery Bronx NY
Tirado Distillery Inc. Bronx NY
Breuckelen Distilling Brooklyn NY
Brooklyn Brewery Brooklyn NY
Brooklyn Oenologyy Brooklyn NY
Brooklyn Winery Brooklyn NY
Cacao Prieto Distillery BrooklynNY
Industry City Distillery Brooklyn NY
Joseph Zakon Winery Brooklyn NY
KelSo Beer Company of Brooklyn Brooklyn NY
Kings County Distillery Brooklyn NY
New York Distilling Company Brooklyn NY
The Noble Experiment NYC Brooklyn NY
Other Half Brewing Company Brooklyn NY
Shmaltz Brewing Company Brooklyn NY
Sixpoint Brewery Brooklyn NY
Van Brunt Stillhouse Brooklyn NY
508 Gastrobreweryy New York NY
Alphabet City Brewing Company New York NY
Chelsea Brewing Company New York NY
Paulaner Brauhaus & Restaurant NYC New York NY
Ruckus Brewing Company New York NY

The Final Wine Chateau Offering - Castello Banfi Belnero 2010

The final wine we received this winter from The Wine Chateau was the Castello Banfi Belnero 2010 ($28). This family owned winery has a unique story of perseverance as the patriarch's (John F. Mariani, Sr.) family was forced to return to Italy from American and lived with his aunt Teodolinda Banfi - who in time became the "guardian" of the papal apartment of Pope Pius XI. After returning to America, Mariani Sr. opened a wine house, Banfi Vinters, in Old Brookville New York in 1919 - just in time for Prohibition a year later. He survived by "importing spices and other Italian specialties as well as the manufacture of medicinal bitters, an alcohol product permitted under the new law". After repeal, Banfi began importing Barolo, Gattinara, Brunello and Chianti Riserva wines and eventually introduced Lambrusco to the U.S. market. In 1978, Mariani Sr's sons John Mariani Jr. & Harry Mariani opened the Castello Banfi vineyard estate, in Montalcino, Tuscany.

The Belnero is made from Sangiovese grapes, with small amounts of  Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot - all harvested in estate vineyards, on the southern hills of Montalcino. The aroma and flavor exude black fruit - plums and blackberries - with a sold structure of chocolate and tobacco. The wine has a long, tannic finish leaving the flavors to fuse throughout the palette until the next sip.  This is a very nice wine, and with patience will improve even more over time. Thanks Wine Chateau for this wine as well as the Ruffino Chianti Classico Riserva Ducale Oro Gold and Château des Jacques Moulin-à Vent. Cheers.

Touring DC Breweries with #theCompassApp Winery, Brewery, & Distillery Locator

Yesterday I spent a rainy Saturday testing the various features of #theCompassApp Winery, Brewery, & Distillery Locator by visiting three Washington D.C. breweries. My first stop was into the far reaches of Northeast Washington to DC Brau Brewing - the District's first production brewery since the mid-1950s.  The brewery was started by Brandon Skall and Jeff Hancock from 2009 - 2011 and the pair had to assist the local gov't in drafting new legislation to allow beer consumers to taste at the brewery and fill growlers. By now they are well known for their canned portfolio - The Public™ Pale Ale, The Citizen™ Belgian Ale, and The Corruption™ IPA. Today #theCompass navigated me to the back of the shopping center where a eased into the last parking spot. After entering the brewery and receiving my 4 free drink coupons, I discovered why the lack of parking - the brewery was packed. Visitors were tasting in the front room, the side area, and even in the packaging area - tasting and listening to music piped through large speakers. I quickly grabbed a sample of their Exaltation Holiday Ale and joined a brewery tour - learning about their history, process, production levels, and murals coating the brewery's interior. What a cool place to spend an afternoon - particularly when getting one of the last pours of their Pauncy Stout™.  I had to share the good news via our social media channels using #theCompass' share functionality - allowing me to seemliness check on via Foursquare and share on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

From DC Brau,  the application navigated me easily a few miles to Chocolate City Beer, a much smaller establishment but equally hospitable. This brewery was started by Jay Irizarry and Ben Matz and is located close to Catholic University. In fact, the building once hosted the stone making equipment that created the The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception (the largest Roman Catholic church in the United States and North America). Now most Catholics like a good beer and Chocolate City offers a few from their every day lineup of Cornerstone Copper Ale, Big Chair IPA, and Cerveza Nacionale (black lager). My favorites were The Big Chair - named for the District's own monument in Anacostia - that delivers a smooth refreshing finish for an IPA and the Mister Mayer Second Term Imperial Stout. This latter is named after former mayor Marian Berry and is fermented with Marion Berries (a blackberry developed by the USDA ARS breeding program in cooperation with Oregon State University). The is a really nice beer - chocolate notes mingle with a sour ale-ish finish - and don't worry if a few berries make it into your pour. That's by intent.

Unfortunately I couldn't visit longer being on a tight schedule and thus parked the car at work and used a cab for my last stop: Bluejacket Brewery. And a cab or Metro is highly recommended for this stop; there's a lot to sample - talking about over 20 beers on tap - all produced in house. And they are good; Beer Director Greg Engert and Brewmaster Megan Parisi must work long hours keeping the brewery supplied because once again - this brewery was packed - two to three deep at the bar and all tables filled. And this was four in the afternoon - evenings must be even crazier. But don't let the lines prevent a visit - the beer and breadth of their portfolio is worth it. Want a pale ale or pilsner, no problem; English bitter, Imperial IPA, Porter, Stout, Hefeweizen, Biere de Garde, Kolsch, Dunkelweizen, Barleywine - all on the menu. My favorite was the Mexican Radio, a chocolate stout laced with spicy peppers and believe me it's like sinking your teeth into a gourmet chocolate bar of the same nature. I can't wait for baseball season, with the brewery two blocks from Nationals Stadium - good baseball and beer -> what's not to like.

Cheers to the DC brew scene. Next on the agenda - 3 Stars Brewing Company, Atlas Brew Works, and Right Proper Brewing Company.

More Zhumir - Paute and Pina Colada

This weekend I sampled two more Zhumir products and am quickly becoming fond of this  Ecuadorean company. The Paute is a spirit made from sugar cane juice - which is harvested in the company's plantations in the Paute Valley in south-center Ecuador. It possesses sweet honeyed aroma followed by a sugary profile like Cachaca. The tail hints of a burn, but is quite smooth. The Pina Colada is exactly what it says - a pre-mixed Pina Colada fortified to 30 proof. This was quite delicious, far superior to any overly sugared pre-mixed or machine made version. They even include coconut bits mimicking our favorite Bahamian recipe. Nicely done. Pair with the talented Carlos Rodrigo.

Cruising the Shawangunk Wine Trail and Finding Chardonnay

This weekend I spent in New York - and in between bad weather - had a little time to explore the Shawangunk Wine Trail - about an hour northwest of the city. I selected two wineries rather close to each other and close to a mall to leave the family - Baldwin Vineyards & Brimstone Hill Winery. Both are located in Pine Bush and have been operating for over 30 years - maybe not as old as Brotherhood - but that's a long run. From visiting other wineries in the area, I've become fond of Baco Noir - yet I discovered on this trip that old reliable Chardonnay was the featured wine.  Both versions were very similar - made in the Burgundian style - fermented in oak and aged on lees with more oak aging. The result are two creamy, buttery wines with decent flavor -   although the classic Chardonnay profile gets overwhelmed. The tail is short and could use more acidity - but these are pleasant wines - and very affordable for local wine standards at a little over $10.   Pair with The Farewell Drifters.

Rum, Hammond, and Beer in St. Kitts and Nevis

My whole family just returned from celebrating Christmas and vacationing at the wonderful Caribbean islands of St. Kitts and Nevis. Besides the normal sun, sand, snorkling, and snoring that generally accompanies a beach vacation; this trip included plenty of local beer, rum, and hammond: local moonshine.

When arriving in St. Kitts you immediately notice the supremacy of Carib beer advertising as its displayed everywhere - bars, billboards, and boats.  Even though the parent company is located in Trinidad, there's a local Carib Brewery that produces its namesake beer as well as almost anything else drunk on the island - including Ting (grapefruit juice beverage) and Shandy (low alcohol, sweet beverages).  Once you tire of the the sweet malty flavors of Carib, most bars also carry Skol and Stag - two European styled lagers with slightly more hops - but headaches galore.  Most interesting, during a beach bar crawl on Frigate Bay, the friendly bartender Aleric at ChinChillas, brought out two surprise local beers: a Guinness and Mackesons. Apparently Carib Brewery partners with the parents of these brands (Carlsberg for Stol) and brews these favorites on the island. The Mackeson Cream Stout became a regular night time ritual and I learned to drink Guinness in the local custom - on the rocks. Best of all, there was price parity between the stouts and the lagers.

>Beer's all good, but of course when in the islands, Rum is the word and I immediately headed to the Duty Free store to at the Marriott to stock up for the week. They offer samples of the various rums locally distilled at Brinley Gold Shipwreck Rum. The distillery offers a wide portfolio from spiced, coconut, mango, vanilla, and even coffee - which may have been my favorite. Their spiced rum was not over the top (mostly vanilla and nutmeg) and was a nice sipping rum for Christmas. However, I was seeking a solid reserved rum to fortify weakly made coladas and rum punches and none of Havana Club Havana Club Añejo 7 Años - my mind was set - not only because of its Cuban origins but also its a sweet honey and nutty flavor. I carried a water bottle filled with the HC all week, great for sipping on the beach or fortifying cocktails. One of these cocktails was a Ting and Sting - the grapefruit beverage above and Cane Spirit Rothschild (CSR) - a white rum produced from sugar cane syrup. Quite refreshing - although CSR comes with a burn - don't bother drinking neat. Although still billed as the Spirit of St Kitts, CSR has been distilled by Demerara Distillers Limited in Guyana and then bottled at a plant in Basseterre since the death of CRS's founder Baron Edmund Rothschild.  Another rum distilled by DDL and bottled in St. Kitts is Belmont Estate, a medium bodied rum - nothing special - but at $8 a decent souvenir.

Now being a fan of all things distilled - and those undercover of darkness - I asked around about real locally made rum and learned about hammond. This is the St. Kitts version of moonshine and most is now made in the more secluded island of Nevis. Fortunately we planned a Blue Water Safaris catamaran excursion to the island where I learned that several bars utilize the hammond in their rum punches. At our first stop, I asked for several rum punches and a hammond and with a smile the bartender pulled out a container containing a clear liquid and poured a couple fingers.  This one had a hot sugary aroma, but the flavor profile was rather smooth - trending more to a cachaca then traditional rum.  The punch was also made with hammond and with the addition of a nutmeg sprinkle was a more interesting twist of the standard fruity flavor. I then pressed my luck and asked if there were any darker versions of hammond and after a few whistles and shouts a water bottle appeared with a medium roasted looking rum. The aroma was incomprehensible - part peat, part hay, part tobacco - with a more pronounced wild nutty flavor that lasts forever. The most bizarre spirit I have ever tasted - but so intriguing. This hammond was distilled from molassis that has been fermented with with yucca and aged with green nuts. Guiness on the rocks is a nice chaser to this one.

Finally, no trip to St. Kitts is complete without a stop at the famous Rum Tree - between Sprat Net and the entrance to Caribelle Batik. Now that's a Christmas Tree. Cheers and pair with any steel drum or reggae music.

Wine Chateau brings back memories with the Ruffino Chianti Classico Riserva Ducale Oro Gold 2008

When our friends at the Wine Chateau forwarded a care package, one of the wines brought back memories of my first ventures into wine though the Ruffino brand. A neighborhood Italian restaurant served the Ruffino Il Ducale and over time we graduated to the top of the chain - the Ruffino Chianti Classico Riserva Ducale Oro Gold ($30). The winery has operated in Tuscany since 1877, when the cousins Ilario and Leopoldo Ruffino starting sourcing local fruit to produce wine. Over time the winery survived succession and war and in 1947 winery produces it first Chianti Classico Riserva Ducale Oro Gold. In this package I received the 2008 vintage, one year removed from the 50th anniversary bottling. The Sangiovese grapes are harvested  from the Ruffino estates of Gretole, Santedame, and Montemasso, within the Chianti Classico sub region. The wine also includes a small percentage of Cabernet and Merlot and was aged two years in oak and then another six months in bottle. The result is a big wine with luscious dark black fruit, some leather and dirt, and a polished finish - smooth with  balanced tannins. A very good wine at a very reasonable price. Cheers

Graffigna Centenario Elevation Red Blend Reserve 2012

During the past few weeks I have been learning about Argentinean wine through Protocol Wine Studio's titter chat #winestudio. This week they had planned their Grand Tasting of the wines discussed in previous weeks, and wouldn't you know that that day, I received a prize from Argovino a reviewer of Argentinean wine. Apparently my email was selected from their newsletter subscribers and I was sent the Graffigna Centenario Elevation Red Blend Reserve 2012 ($10). Forget about the price tag for a moment. The Graffigna family immigrated from Italy and settled in San Juan, Argentina - establishing the winery in 1870. This makes them the oldest winery in the Pedernal Valley and the second oldest in all of Argentina. San Juan is located in the steppes of the Andes Mountains - a desert climate - dry, with 310 days of annual sunshine. Wind sweeps off the mountains that help to prevent mildew rot and disease. The Graffigna estates are located anywhere from 700-1,500 meters above sea level on steep slopes that are nourished from an underground water supply. Graffigna Centenario Elevation Red Blend Reserve 2012 is an equal blend of Bonarda (Douce noir/Charbono), Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Syrah, and Tannat. The wine is fruit forward, made to be drunk now, even though there are some subtle tannins to balance the fruit. The flavor is a jammy blackberry plum combo followed by nice acidity. This is a very drinkable wine and for ten bucks - what's not to like. Pair with The Gipsy Kings. Cheers.