Cravings: we all know the powerful desire that drags us over to the dark side of sugary, salty, fatty, juicy hedonism. Even supermodel Chrissy Teigen encourages indulging palatable impulses. In this week’s Bar Tab, our editor appeases her hankering for the sour, the sticky, the slutty (her words) and the spicy. So come on in, belly up to the counter and order a digital drink you’ve been jonesing on us.
The Sour: Wander Brewing Black Currant Millie Sour || European specialty malts, hops, black currants and Lactobacillus are brewed in this rendition of the Bellingham, Washington, brewery’s flagship sour of many seasonal faces. The ruby red, semi-dry sipper sates the appetite for tang, turning the sour up a notch with the tart cassis flavors and shiver-inducing acid. A fantastic respite from the norm.
The Sticky: Sea Cider Farm and Ciderhouse Cyser || The Vancouver Island-based orchard and ciderhouse takes on the ancient art of cyser, a blend of mead with cider. True to the house style, certified organic honey is fermented into mead and blended with tart apples for this sweet, sticky and supple tipple. Mandarin oranges, white flowers and nectar flavors ooze and satisfy the palate with buttercream and a lick of salt in the finish. Enjoy with fresh apple cobbler and vanilla ice cream, another harvest-time want.
The Slutty: ROCO Winery 2014 Gravel Road Pinot Noir, Oregon || The James Brown of Oregon bubbles brings similar soul and rhythm to his still wines at ROCO Winery, like in this Willamette Valley Pinot, comprised of Pommard, Dijon and Wädenswil clones from owner-winemaker Rollin Sole’s favorite vineyards that happen to be located off gravel roads. Juicy, vibrant and just the right amount of slutty, berry fruit gushes in this 100 percent Pinot Noir that goes down smooth, full and shamelessly. Like she should.
The Spicy: Cascade Alchemy Hot Pepper Vodka || Talk about brazen: this Bend, Oregon, distillery channels their inner (or apparently outer?) mad scientist in this fire-inspired vodka. Per distillery standards, the corn-based vodka is filtered 20 times then is infused with jalapeño and Serrano peppers with a kick of garlic for an earthy pungency. As advertised, this smooth vodka ignites both the nose and the taste buds with spicy peppers and garlic, with sensory receptors firing on all cylinders. Day time cocktails? This is a must for Bloody Marys.
