beans

In the example of vodka, there is a balance of flavours the master distiller would like to maintain. Regarding whisk(e)y, this website is on the whole grossly misleading the consumer regarding what one is paying for -- the cost of expensive advertising. What about the old "gigo" concept (or something similar to that -- what goes in = what comes out; or literally "garbage in garbage out")? Or what about the mellow aging and careful blending? During university this is something that was the foremost of all imbibing efforts on a tight budget, and a "Harry Buffalo" comes to mind with the dumping of rot gut alcohol and mixing in fruit and various Kool Aids. But seriously, it would be interesting to learn of which cocktails were popular and developed during the time of Prohibition and speakeasies (sp???) were the sole source. What did they do to doctor up that bat-tub variety of gin? After recently watching that History Channel program Time Traveler: Rumrunners, Bootleggers and Moonshiners I think they may have mentioned that "the Purple Gang" smuggled liquor from Canada and then cut it down to create more volume/product to sell. I think the comments made were similar to speculation that this end product liquor was little more than turpentine!

Shady. I wouldn't be surprised if it is a coffee filter in the middle of some PVC tube. Sort of reminds me about the solar dryers once advertised in the back of some magazine. Legend has it when one mailed away for the information along with their money order/cashier's check/SASE/etc., they got in return a clothes line and pins. I particularly enjoy the following from their website: There's a difference? I see an AIM method of contacting the company. I couldn't resist. "liquorfilter" was on line, but away from their computer, however now they are popping up telling me their product is "cool" and asking if I tried it. edit to add: "liquorfilter" just told me via AIM they had to run but that I needed to check out their website....

Never tried Blue label. I've tasted JW Green, which I found to be ok. I LOVE JWBlue. Gold label is awfully yummy too. boo! Testosterone!

No worries tryska sweetie. Gratuities are subjective and quite discretionary. If you gave a few more bucks to another, it is no one else's business, nor do you really need to justify it. (although you were very considerate to provide an explanation.) It's like removing a band-aid. Quick and deliberate, no second thoughts or worries. It really ought to be a cue to that other tender that perhaps he/she needs to do more to earn the better tips, or perhaps accept that some people tip for many other reasons outside of the realm of "good" service -- for instance like: an entertaining bartender (silly illusion type of bar tricks or an amazing coordinated one that can flair quite well), perhaps this is a senior bartender who has been there longer, you are friends, (and not saying this about you at all!!!!) but perhaps as a way to say 'hello' in a wanna-date sort of way. Or heck! Just because you want to do so!

But the US is still a free country (in most states) The folks at http://www.gettips.com [Training for Intervention ProcedureS] have a fairly decent liquor law database, however they have recently changed their restrictions on who can access the specifics I enjoy reviewing in one quick and easy glance. (It was available to all who registered on their website, but is now mostly restricted to Trainers ). Their databased covered the States, District of Columbia, US territories, Canadian Provinces and, I think, some of the Mexican laws. There are very exacting laws by each state, and sometimes even further restricted by municipality/burrough/county, about the sale and service of alcohol. It is the server's (whether waiter/waitress/cocktailer/bartender/barback/manager/owner) responsiblity to be aware of and in compliance with same. These laws were motivated for various reasons -- from sales tax revenue to promoting social responsiblity and serving a deterrent to DWI/DUI related incidents. edited to add in ol' Washigton DC

This saddens me tremendously.

yer smart. as i recall, the other bartenders did in fact have a go at him, as he was clearly having a very bad day. usually that is worse... again Laughing is good for the soul. With guests; about yourself; about guests and yourself.... I'm always for silly fun. None better. edit: DARN THOSE TAGS!!!!!!

Come on eG! How about this thread being the Infusion "club"????

On a quick note -- thank you again MiguelCardoso. Your kind words cause me to I'm thrilled that an eGCI class inspired another. I'm elated that infusing has occurred. Regarding the shipping of an alcoholic/spiritous beverage. Rats! I've exhausted most shipping venues regarding this matter so as I may simply send a lovely bottle of Woodford Reserve to one within the United Kingdom. ( He's my inspiration, so what's with a little ole bottle gift for the holidays?? Hmmm. Guess I'll have to hand carry on the next visit.....) In short, it is not legally cohesive. There are highly regulated rules on legally licensed liquor business to buisness, depending upon state. Durn!!!!![/]

i had the balls to bust the balls of an irish bartender (at an irish bar) that didn't throw me a buy-back. now this was a place that i found myself in several times a week on a good week. the guy damned near threw a pint glass at my head. i took something away from that little exchange. This being Canada, it never comes up, because it's illegal for a bar (or a bartender) to give a customer a free drink, or I guess, for that matter, a heavy pour. Lately I found tremendous interest in applicable, pertaining liquor laws. Within oHIo it is too. No drink is *ever* for free as it causes the great State a loss in some revenues somehow or somewhere. However, we, as alcoholic beverage pourers, are not mandated by law to pour with a measuring jigger, and accounting for each and every drop, literally, poured. Needless to say, right or wrong, it does happen. And I do believe I've been gifted a complimentary while in Niagara. Bad bartender! uh oh - tired typos....

i had the balls to bust the balls of an irish bartender (at an irish bar) that didn't throw me a buy-back. now this was a place that i found myself in several times a week on a good week. the guy damned near threw a pint glass at my head. i took something away from that little exchange. tommy, you adorable, b - a - d boy. However avoiding attempted bodily injury I find is a must within the bar environment! Someone wasn't cheerfully up to the challenge of the chain yanking one needs to accept within one's every day [night]'s worth of work.

First, welcome to eG meatloaf. Okay, overall, I'll have to say 'I hear ya.' I'd like to address this as I never felt as though I should pay for anyone else's drinks. It is my pleasure to purchase a deserved cocktail for another for the sheer benefit of their smile. I come from a long line of angry and hostile lawyers that sent me packing for a new profession -- and bingo! I found bartending (or rather there are moments I feel like it found me). The customer service of my time spent in retail or food and beverage was purely for the instant gratification. Somehow it has amounted up to some other nice bennies too. Bartending School? (may cause a new thread ) I certainly did not! Bleh. Food coloured waters and being given a print out of basically our own [my on again/once off again place to work] Drink Recipe book regurgitated and rebound. (Yes, it in fact has happened). But you are correct with that observation between tender and regular. Excellent analogy. Like many desired relationships, it requires effort and compromise too. I love my local dive we hit after we close, despite the lovely bar god "Mark" didn't previously know how to make a Rusty Nail. It was his attentiveness, even temperment and general positive, cheerfulness that won us over, and much of my own evening's tips transfering into his jar. Aw durn. This is where we part meatloaf. I've always been of the philosophy of leaving home at home which is probably why I really dug the Hard Rock training philosophy of each and every time a bartender starts their shift, they are in fact throwing a party. (rather empowering come to think of it) Use that money making opportunity! A tip jar may overfloweth.... Always lovely, however not necessary. After all this is the service industry, and coming from both retail management and a law background these social niceties were even *more* rare. The whole concept of being thanked for efforts made to affect an enjoyable evening for another, were heady and profitable. Glad to see another that works behind the mahogany. I hope you stick around meatloaf and see all of what eG has to offer.

pariah_kerry -- without a doubt sweetie. I couldn't envision anyone else to fill those Siren shoes. I love it! This is going to be fun. Nero, Belle of the Heartland, get your drink on!

A bartender that allows that to translate into a salty "don't tell me how to do my job" is in desperate need of a prescription for an attitude adjustment of say, like manning the service bar on a Monday afternoon shift, or two. As a patron, don't worry about it too much. It's more about them than you. And! Shame on them! Tips are discretionary!!!!! It is a request, often a direct order, that happens all of the time. Deaf ear and a smile. Patrons always hope for a little extra or 'the hook up.' Where I work there is a fair amount of leeway with "shift leaders" and senior bar staff (somehow I don't like how that last part sounds! ). No one gives away the house, but there is a dance to the whole fostering good will/repeat business. Then there's always that one bad apple that expects it. So, it all depends. When it is a group of loud, obnoxious young men on the hunt that are constantly dogging each server/bartender for the hook up they get what everyone else receives -- the standard pour. Usually someone from the bar staff will, with much charm, tell them if they want a double, then order one! If it is a regular that never abuses that sort of deal, well then a treat every now and then, can and may happen. If I'm behind the bar and someone that walks in with tragic news as a lay-off, I'll buy them the drink. I do that often for a visiting buddy or another in the biz that stop by to have a drink, or two, at my bar. Depending upon management I'll start a tab under my name and pay at the end of the night with management ringing and closing the check.

Which forum? Beer? Soft Drinks? In the News? Japan? Well, move as needed, but here's a Kyodo news story right here. Call me crazy, but these things never seem to taste very good.

Okay, that jogs my memory. During the undergraduate years, I worked for a few biggie law firms on the summer breaks. One of which was the insurance defense firm for one pizza maker that was packaged, frozen and sold at a fairly large distribution of grocery stores. One family questionably treated this product and ate it well beyond the use by date. Surprise, they sued as someone became ill. Litigation = [while not at all discounting legitimate claims] I guess now I can empathise why this warning is printed on nearly every foodstuff purchased (which I tend to see is predominately condiment sorts).

I thought that flour in the refridge was a no-no. Moisture. I ward of bugs by frequent use and the supplementing of a lowly bay leaf, per Jacques Torres' advice. It drives me nuts when I visit my family in Alaska. They leave butter out until it is gone (I suspect it may be margarine), jams and jellies too. But then again, they also refrigerate their tomatoes and place their potatoes and onions in the same bin. This is perhaps why I so love shopping whenever any of us arrive into the rainforest homelands and cheerfully do all of the cooking and dish washing. I'll have to consider the good quality soy in the fridge. I usually take forever to use it all up and will toss the bottle and purchase a new one the next time I am using this ingredient.

I'm both jealous and inspired!

Thank you for your very kind words MiguelCardoso. Those sound fantastic and what a lovely gift. Heck, here's an original idea! The New Yawkers have their elyse Burger Club, Chef Fowke's a Chef's Beer thread inspired a home beer brewing club, why not an Infusion Club? [isn't there a Pizza Club too?] What worked; what didn't. Suggestions, ideas and ones that didn't quite work as well as expected. And recommendations on how to serve or mix the end result! The thread is already here, for some time now, and there appears to be a fair bunch of eG'ers that infuse. A silly or worthwhile endeavour?

Welcome to eG byrdhouse! I think there may be some confusion between George Dickel's Tennessee Whisky and what by law, is recognised as Bourbon Whiskey. Plus, I somehow thought that George Dickel highly guarded their proportion of grains... I could be wrong. However that 51% corn is a lawful protecting requirement in order to be labeled and distinguished as Bourbon. With regard to the above assertion, the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Department states as follows: Emphasis added. Also to add, I directly quote this from George Dickel regarding the difference between their Tennessee Whisky and that of Bourbon Whiskey, via their Distillery Tour, Step 5, Charcoal Mellowing (click on those links to reach the following): Now regarding prices. They can be steep, indeed. The simple economics of Supply/Demand apply here. Some will pay that much for boutique products of distinct, fine craftmanship -- hence I'm sure very much so helping those master distillers and distillery owners. Heck, I'm *far* from what one may call financially rich, but I've shelled that baht out for some special spirits. (Made that event all the more memorable and special). I hope to tour those distilleries to see that fine craftmanship in the works, that I really look forward to doing one day.

Sort of ancillary to this, the distiller, A. Smith Bowman Distillery, that produced Virginia Gentlemen was recently purchased by Sazerac Company, Inc. The interesting Fredericksburg.com article can be found here. In the Jack Daniels instance, don't forget they like to stress they use local spring water.

Here are some lovely suggestions for consideration from the BBCi, including one recipe from Jennifer Paterson, Two Fat Ladies! Personally, I'd love to try the Jubilee Cocktail, by Salvatore Calabrese, and most likely the Raspberry Martin, by Oz Clarke, since I love those little berries. The raspberry mixture must be a fantastic colour. Even the non-alcoholic Cranberry Pear Sparkle sounded refreshing. Cheers!

Does ironing a grilled cheese with a clothing iron and heavy weight foil count? Thinking of another university sort of food prep story, I remember the guys from the "B" hockey team would have access to a large van for some road trips. One frigid trip they bought a sack of fast food burgers that they left in the van and froze as hard as a brick. The third row of seats had a second automobile heater beneath, which they used to reheat their frozen sandwiches the next day.

Sometimes it is house policy that staff cannot order at their own employing restaurant.

Hand schlepping occurs each and every Sitka visit. Perhaps the most tedious was the fresh herring eggs that I carried back for my mother. I found a most kind barman in Anchorage that scooped a generous amount of ice to sustain a nice cold temperature for these seasonal goodies the remainder of my trip back east. In fact, come to think of it, I had a few nice offers for them since it was a southeastern Alaska thing that people farther north, like Anchorage, didn't have opportunity to enjoy.