Cocktail Confessions

I can’t take credit for this article, though I’d be more than happy to participate in the research if my fellow country men called for it.  I’m actually ‘borrowing’ this from FoxNews online, more specifically from author Richard Goldmsith, so if anyone has a problem with these choices, go write him.

Anyway, without further ado, here’s what Mr. Goldsmith has to say:

In addition to being an occasion to recognize the sacrifice made by so many to keep America enjoying the liberty its known for, Memorial Day also serves as the unofficial beginning of summer. That means one thing – there’s going to be a whole lot of grilling going on this weekend.

Backyard barbecues and beer are a match made in heaven, and it’s rare to find a bag of charcoal that doesn’t have a cooler full of frosty beer sitting alongside it just waiting for friends and family to arrive and crack open a few bottles and cans. The trick for a good host is to make sure you’ve got the right stuff in there, and the right stuff is completely dependent on what’s tossed on the grill.

Typically, traditional American grub – burgers, hot dogs, brats, steak, and even ribs coated in sticky sweet barbecue sauce – calls for lighter beers like lagers and wheat beers. But if you start breaking out some of the more intense international flavors that have hit the flames more often in recent summers, the bulgogis, carne asadas and other heavily spiced cuts of meat, then beers that can bite back make an appearance. IPAs, porters and even heartily-hopped ales are tailor made to cut the spice and clear the palate for the next tantalizing bite. But the best beers to drop in the cooler straddle a fine line between these categories, switch-hitting with the same skill as Mickey Mantle and making every bite better, no matter what it may consist of.

Here are a few that manage to hit it out of the park every time.

North Coast Brewing Co. Red Seal Ale – An American Amber Ale brewed in California, Red Seal breaks out subtly sweet caramel flavors nicely balanced by earthy aromas and a hefty, though not too soda-like dose of carbonation. It pours a gorgeous deep amber red, and drinking it straight from the bottle is all sorts of satisfying, concentrating the citrus and bitter hops that come through on each swallow. The clean flavors pair up just fine with a hot dog or three, but there’s enough body to balance out some fairly significant heat. Just don’t break out the habaneros. That sort of fire will turn most beers, including this one, into a unique form of penance.

Oskar Blues Gubna – Conveniently packaged in a can for easy access, not to mention providing protection for the beer against the sun’s rays and premature skunking, Gubna is an Imperial IPA, a style known for some serious hop-borne bitterness, and Gubna is no exception. Brewed in the craft beer wonderland known as Colorado, Oskar Blues imparted some intense hops flavor into this can. But with surprisingly gentle carbonation and a finish that seems almost oak-aged, featuring a light vanilla note, Gubna is surprisingly easy drinking. It’s a heavy beer, but some spice and citrus do a nice job of breaking it up and balancing out what is an extremely complex brew. It stands up to the heaviest spice you can throw at it and hits back with a punch of its own: a 10 percent alcohol content. A few of these and even the most charred hunk of mystery meat will taste absolutely amazing.

Two Brothers Dog Days Dortmunder Style Lager – The closest beer in the lineup to a traditional summer thirst quencher, Dog Days is Two Brothers’ summer seasonal and combines a light golden body with satisfying yeast and wheat and just enough bitterness stemming from the addition of noble hops to make the mix interesting. It’s straight-up pure unadulterated beer in the grand German tradition. That doesn’t happen nearly often enough with American craft brews. It’s refreshing, with a touch of orange sweetness that sneaks up on you similar to the way a six pack of this stuff will disappear like a ninja without anyone noticing.

Victory Sunrise Weissbier – A well-executed Bavarian wheat beer, Victory replaces a heft dose of malted barley with malted wheat, resulting in a tasty summer concoction with heavy banana and clove flavors. It’s an unfiltered beer, so it pours cloudy and the texture can be a bit off-putting if it’s not a familiar style. But the tangy fruit and clean lemony citrus, offset with just a touch of spicy pepper, are a spectacular counterpoint for heavily spiced sausages and marinated skirt steak. Despite this, it still pairs up nicely with a simple burger or drinks nicely on its own. It has a unique fizzy texture to the carbonation as well, likely from the particulates still floating around in the bottle. It’s the most refreshing beer of the bunch by far but the banana notes can be a bit polarizing, as can the lack of filtering, so it’s wise to keep a few backup bottles handy for those who aren’t into it – leaving that much more for you as you man the flames at the grill.

Got an extra $400 laying around and want to have a backyard conversation starter reliving your glory days as a pledge with your fraternity?

Well, Huntingdon County Customs can outfit you with a cutom retrofitted keg within 2-3 weeks.  And if you supply your own keg, they’ll shave off an additional $99.  You can customize this further by adding an additional adjustable brass air intake (+$39), an additional grate (+$79), or even some custom lettering (+$49) as just some of the options (check the website for more).

It comes with one adjustable air intake, a stainless steel water pan, coal/wood basket, grill plate, removable exhaust stack, and a remote digital temperature gauge.

Looks like a great ways to make a smoked brisket or beer can chicken.

I came across this ‘classic barbecue rub’ recipe today by Taming the Flame author, Elizabeth Karmel.

I’m not exactly sure what constitutes this recipe as ‘classic’, because it seems many of the dry ingredients are found in just about any rub, and I one could always modify this to add or subtract thier own spices based on individual tastes.  For example, I love the smokey and heat profile of chipotle, so I may substitute this in for the chili powder.  I also personally love rosemary which I happen to think always goes well with chicken, pork, and lamb….but it’s noticeably absent here, something I’d more than likely add.

Perhaps it’s “classic” by the definition of what are the most common ingredients across various regions and therefor the basis for all rubs with minor tweaks here and there depending if your grew up in the south or west, or north-east.

Most importantly to me, however, is that you try and use the freshest spices that you can, meaning you may want to invest in a mortar & pistol to grind your own.  That’s where all the true flavor resides, in the natural oils being released for the first time, not those stagnant and lifeless spices that have been sitting in your pantry for the past year and a half. 

Anyway, the recipe below yields about 1 1/2 cups and can be kept in an airtight container for upwards of six months.

Classic Barbeque Rub

• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon celery salt
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine all these ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  For smoother rubs, you can process this mixture in a spice grinder until all the pieces are uniform and becomes a fine powder which is tan in color.  However, I like the more natural and earthy feel of untouched herbs and spices.  It appears more rustic and hearty to me and when grilled, forms a bit more of a char than a fine powder would.

In the not so distant past, I would never have given the discount store Big Lots a second glance when planning a party, let alone when thinking about hosting a backyard BBQ.

However, on a recent trip to a local neighborhood shopping center, I decided to go on ahead and check Big Lots out.  I haven’t been in one of these stores since they used to be called “Pick and Save” here on the west coast back in the mid 80′s. 

I’m not sure what I expected.  I’ll be honest in my thinking when I say I suppose I was expecting cheap clothing, clearance Christmas ornaments, “As Seen on TV” trinkets, and other second hand and junk gernerally reserved for out of state truck stops or Goodwill, but instead I discovered a whole new world that I can apply to my backyard parties.

Namely, they have tons of party supplies, backyard decorations, picnic style foods, condiments, sauces, spices and much more for dirt cheap.  There’s nothing wrong with this stuff either, that is if you don’t mind an occasional dented can, off-kilter label, mis-colored packaing, or a crushed corner of a box.

It was total impulse that I went in this past weekend, and I also did quite a bit of impulsive shopping walking away with quite a few things for a grand total of under $20.  Some of my items included: 1 bottle of marinade, 2 jars of dry rub,  a jar of salsa, 4 packs of cilantro/lime rice, a few cans of pinto beans w/ diced onions, can of diced jalepenos, a few bags of chips and more.

I strolled around a bit and I made a mental note of more things I can use next time around, and many of these things are at least 50% – 75% off the price you’d find at your local grocery store or Target:

• Tiki Torch fuel
• Dixie plastic cups (the kind you see at parties), plates, utensils.
• Chips, dips, salsas, nuts and candies of various varities.
• Sodas, energy drinks, teas.
• Rubs, mustards, marinades, spices, crackers, canned beans.
• BBQ utensils, charcoal, lighter fluid, portable/disposable grills (for camping or the beach).
• Bug sprays, cintronella candles, solar lights, disposable towels, coolers, outdoor furniture, and more.

Most of the stuff is name brand, although there are a few ‘generic’ products in the mix, but I know I would have spent closer to $50 or more for the same excat stuff I bought for just under $20.

So try a Big Lots the next time you think about hosting a BBQ or backyard party.  You’ll be surprised what you’ll find for discounted prices, especially in this economy.