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Ian McCarthy

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Posts posted by Ian McCarthy

    Favorite Taiwanese oolong vendors?

    in Coffee & Tea

    Posted

    I used to order many many from Guang at Hou de, but it seems like he is putting up fewer fresh offerings these last few seasons. Red Blossom here in SF has been satiating the craving to a certain degree... but not on the same level, methinks.

    Where are your favorite places to drop a paycheck on the choicest Li Shan?

    Thanks friends.

    (Not So) Simple, Flavored, & Spiced Syrups

    in Spirits & Cocktails

    Posted

    If you know how much sugar you added by weight, and how much gum you added by weight, subtract them both from the weight of your current batch, and that is how much water you have. Top it up from there.

    Your Syrup should still be fluid at fridge-temp. Be sure to take time scumming off the gunk that floats to the top when you are simmering. This will give you a clear, consistent product without lumps. If everything was not flowing well, you likely did not have enough water. Figure out how much you burned off, add it to your batch, re-heat, and skim it mercilessly. If it is still isn't treating you right, your gum might have some impurities.

    Salt in coffee?

    in Coffee & Tea

    Posted

    The word is spelled percolator. I sometimes wonder what ever happened to them. Guess drip was just a better method.

    Much better. Boiling coffee is bad news. When needing to be thrifty by stretching a few beans further than you should, that sort of aggressive brewing scheme has some merit, but cup character will always lose out in a big way.

    Milk Punch: The Topic

    in Spirits & Cocktails

    Posted

    This might be off topic, but I have heard a few folks remarking in passing about aging strained milk punches, Where the milk solids have been allowed to curdle and are strained off. Looking for specifics in recipes has not yielded results.

    Anyone have any experience with this? How long do you age? What are the results like?

    Cocktail Sugars

    in Spirits & Cocktails

    Posted

    I love Gula Jawa, (jaggery, palm sugar), with rums. It has a way of bringing the funk out. My Swedish punsch replica was not complete until I put it into the mix. Saying the inch-and-half-thick, rock-hard, frisbee-shaped disks are not fun to work would be extremely generous.

    Buying, Making & Using Swedish Punsch

    in Spirits & Cocktails

    Posted · Edited by Ian McCarthy (log)

    Goatghost:

    The Batavia Arrack Van Oosten is a truly phenomenal, one-of-a-kind product. The truth is, you can mix it with some other ingredients, call it "Punsch", and use it in recipes that call for said Punsch to really fantastic effect. Authentic? I'm no Swede, and I'm not sitting on any vintage bottles.

    Even if you have absolutely no interest in making Swedish Punsch, do yourself a favor and get some Van Oosten.

    Whisky and Water

    in Spirits & Cocktails

    Posted

    Here is where I am curious. I have been led to believe for quite a while that a few drops of water will "unlock" a whisky, as if there were something happening on the chemical level that made aromas more apparent. Of course, diluting a high ABV spirit is going to lessen the numbing effect of the alcohol, allowing you to perceive more flavor, but what happens when you add "just a few drops"?

    What Tea Are You Drinking Today? (Part 3)

    in Coffee & Tea

    Posted

    Rou Gui from seven cups. Much worse than the Da hong pao yesterday. I suppose I don't have the experience with Wuyi as I do with Anxi and rolled Taiwanese types. Anyone want to share their Wuyi brewing-fu with me?

    I am using good R-O water with minerals added to bring it up to 200 p.p.m TDS, Letting it rest off the boil for a few minutes. Small gaiwan, at least 5 grams of leaves: quite full, but not stuffing the thing to the brim. No rinse, VERY short infusions to start, (shy of 5 seconds), and I'm still getting really aggressive tannins. Really crap clarity too. What gives?

    All About Rye Whiskey (Part 1)

    in Spirits & Cocktails

    Posted

    Digging the new Bulleit rye. A little heavier mouthfeel, and a bit sweeter than I am used to. It's not punching through other broad-shouldered ingredients quite like Rittenhouse BIB does, but it is shining through well in simple preparations. Very, very, very good old fashioneds were made the last few nights.

    Tea Geography

    in Coffee & Tea

    Posted

    Sha-li-shian, Yu-shan, Nantou, Mu-zha, Li-shan... Where do I find them? What are the borders and boundaries for these designations? Maps would be great. Similar information for Anxi, Wuyi, and Pu-erh would be fantastic as well. Thanks.

    Inedit

    in Beer

    Posted

    I recall the label saying something about it being the first beer specifically created to pair with food. Much eye-rolling ensued....

    Pairing wine with green salad has always given me trouble. This worked, but no better than any other citrus-y wit beer. For anything with fat content, I felt like it did not have the acidity to cut through richness, (this happens to be my beer and food pairing criticism on the whole.)

    Good? Yes. A revelation? No. Overpriced? Yeah. Over-hyped? Way.

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