Monthly Archives: June 2011

Breakfast beer

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I know beer is kinda breakfast drink, tho i’d prefer champagne in the a.m, but now there’s an ‘official’ breakfast beer.

It’s called Moa Beer (abv 5.5%), a cherry-flavoured one that is being marketed as a breakfast drink. Cherry beers have been around a long time tho, especially in Belgium. Had a crazy time trying all d fruit beers in Brussels – grape, strawberry, apple, raspberry, apricot, etc.

Yup

I think except for heavier ales like stouts and porters, all beer is suitable for breakfast, especially if ur having an English breakfast, with bacon n shit.

Anyway, this New Zealand wheat-based ale, to its credit, isnt some shandy-wannabe as it’s above 5%. And the launch took place at 7am. Probably a lil too early.

Of course alcophobics have criticized it, as they aint day-drunks. They say it encourages pathological behaviour. Hmmm. I guess that makes me a pathologist.

And, there’s also a pizza-flavoured beer from the US. That’s right – a beer that tastes like liquid pizza.

If there’s one thing i could eat daily, it’s pizza! (Actually, I did. For six months in the UK.) Would love to get my lips on Mamma Mia! Pizza Beer. Basically, a Margarita pizza is boiled (sounds bad, but it’s received very good reviews), then spices and hops are added. After a coupla weeks, it’s ready!

In theory, as i can eat pizza everyday, this drink could turn me into an alcoholic.

It’s also good as a cooking ingredient.

Drink your food

I’d think it would be like a fizzy, spicy, sweet-sour tomato juice ale.

I want one! Should be great for breakfast too, if not better!

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ACE in town

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Carlsberg Malaysia recently launched ACE (A-class Experience). It’s to upgrade the skills and service of bar and restaurant staff.

Long way to go, but it’s a start. We all know service levels in Malaysia are going down, as i commented on once.

Pay attention now..

The event was attended by employees from various outlets. Taylor’s University is involved to improve bar operation skills and customer service. Since it was done in English, i assume the foreign staff didnt understand much.

I sat out the training module as it was only for outlet staff. (sorry, all pix by camera phone.)

Brands distributed by Carlsberg Malaysia via Luen Heng

The highlight that day was the attendance of George Reisch, the main man, aka Brewmaster of Anheuser-Busch InBev, which owns brands like Becks, Leffe, Hoegaarden, Budweiser and 200 others. Its the world’s largest global brewer, with 25% of the market, revenue of more than 100 billion a year, and staff of 116,000.

He gave a presentation about beer as well. One memorable statement from him – when storing your beer, keep it in a dark spot so it dont get ‘light-struck’ – light affects beer quality. Hence beer bottles tend to be dark.

Lightstruck! Haha!

We also got to taste half-made lager.

Shady-lookin brews

The oldest was a 20-day (with added wood chips for flavour as is done with Bud), which tastes as good as regular lager. The 5-day End of Aplha is pretty raw, with a nose of cider. Taste is quite bland.

Like Jaz Beer.

The cold wort is very young, and smells to me like Guinness Malta. Its cloudy, and tastes bitter-sweet.

That's George

George enlightened us that 400 different compounds / molecules have been found in wine, and 1,200 in beer. More complicated that you think.

Hmmm. Tough choice. I'd probably go for some Leffe

Also met Carlsberg Malaysia's new marketing director, York Spencer

The program went on for a day. Let’s hope there’re some better-educated bar staff out there now!

 

Brain damage: 5/10

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Dewar’s 12 Years gets a makeover

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The Dewar’s 12 Years Old Scotch is one i always enjoy drinking. Good-tasting stuff. Well-balanced, lively, clean easy-drinking whisky. I remember we (+ the cousins n uncles) polished 20 bottles of this before my brother’s wedding-lunch, at like 11am.

Insanity? Nope. Biasa.

The 12 is not seen very often here, but i feel it’s got potential to do better.

The White. Classic

In fact, the standard Dewar’s, the White Label, is decent stuff as well (with over 100 awards). Can be enjoyed with water. The White is also the number one-selling Scotch in the US. (The top-selling whiskies featured here before).

In the ‘Fields (Brickfields), its only 70 bucks a litre. I usually keep one handy in my room.

Notes

It’s come a good way since John Dewar’s small wine and spirits store in 1846 in Perth. But it was his son Tommy that travelled the world by sea to market it. Like he said way back then – “If you don’t advertise, you fossilize.” He created the first alcohol cinema ad – in 1898!

Bye!

Anyway, Dewar’s of Aberfeldy decided to give its bottles a new, contemporary look. The event was cool – at the Turf Club in Sg Besi.

Hello

My first visit there. Its huge. It happened in the corporate box overlooking the track. Fat cat, with it’s own bar n shit.

Ringside

My brunch

After some bubbly, we got down to the real stuff. I enjoyed mine with water & ice. Sometimes soda.

The new design incorporates a wave in the glass, symbolizing the well-rounded whiskies that Dewar’s creates.

Slurp!

There are 40 whiskies from all over Scotland that go into each bottle of Dewar’s. And the unique feature is that although the whiskies that go into the blend are already aged, the blend is then aged again in oak casks, before being bottled.

Makes the drink smoother, creamier, with a lingering finish. It’s called double-aged, obviously. Dewar’s has been doing this for over 100 years.

Ta-daa!

The main flavour found in Dewar’s is honey, which comes from Dewar’s own distillery, the Aberfeldy (which is also sold as a single malt).

The current master blender is a chick! That’s a first!

Full gallop

Made bets on the race. Win some, lose some

Party warmin up

This is where we bet

This where the cheap seats bet

The door gift? The best gift at such events. My very own Dewar’s 12 Years. The new design of course.

It’s lookin at me right now…

 

Brain damage: 7/10

 

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Gettin fresh with cocktails

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Sagatiba did a great cocktail session at View Rooftop Bar, G Tower, called Fresh Mixology Session with John Gakuru. In town for this was John, who’s Sagatiba’s brand manager based in London.

Funny thing – i shot all pictures blind – my camera’s lcd screen is blank, and there’s no viewfinder. Gotta mentally imagine the picture n shoot. Haha! Koyak.

Mari mari mari

Bartenders in action – John, Ben Ng (Fluid Alchemy), Junior (View) and Josh (21), all established guys.

For some reason, i wuz expecting a classroom / education session. Instead, what i got was an all-out, party-style, cocktail-making and drinking session! On a rooftop.

Definitely not disappointed.

It was very well-organized by TWE. Congrats Michelle, Vincent, u boozepimps!

In session. In the end, everyone was buzzed

Each bartender has minimum three special fresh cocktails created, and u just go up to each of them and make a request from their list.

Too easy.

Caipirinha with a twist

My first drink of the afternoon was at Junior’s station – Pineapple Cardamom Caipirinha: pineapple chunks, 30ml cardamom syrup, 60ml Sagatiba Pura. Interesting; lil too sweet for me.

Hit up the Kayu Manis next: a whole lime, 30ml palm sugar, 60ml Sagatiba, one cinnamon stick. This one’s refreshing, tho very limey after awhile.

Stick it!

Ben was my next visit. He fixed me a shooter called Red Hot Smoke. Totally loved this – zesty, fresh, slightly herbal-spicy.

Ben's poisons

It’s a mix of smoked Sagatiba and gazpacho (tomato, aged balsamic vinegar, chillies, ginger & citrus). I had many.

Smoked 'em

I checked in at John’s station. What i loved most was this –

Sagatiba Wallpaper

It won cocktail of the year by Wallpaper magazine. Nice mix of tangy n light sweetness.

Its 30ml Sagatiba, 20ml fresh passion fruit puree, 1 bar spoon of passion fruit syrup, 2cm of a vanilla pod, 1 small piece (5mm) of red chilli (to taste) (optional).

Vincent of TWE havin d chili option

Unfortunately, all the notes i made while drinking is gone. The wind was awesome on d roof, so i wondered how paper planes will perform if i threw them off, so unintentionally away went my notes.

Ridiculous! D stupid shit i do when am cruisin. Making paper planes from your media release gotta be waay up there.

Lift-off point

John also fixed me a berry-lime mix

Yuuummm seng!

Afternoon drinking. I like.

I think i asked John on several different occasions for particular styles of cocktails, etc, that i wanted him to make. He obliged, in style. We chatted n shit.

John takin a break

There came a point when John yelled, referring to me, “Who is this guy?? Really, who are you man?”. Haha! I guess i got his attention. After introductions, he says he’s been to this blog. Alco.

Main bar, View. Style. Will be reviewed on this blog soon..

John’s got skills, and it was an honour sampling his varied styles of cocktails. He gave me ideas.

Chachaca is pretty versatile, good for cocktails or shots. If u like rum, but would like a stronger-taste liquor base for your mixes, consider Sagatiba, either Pura or Velha.

The slingers - Josh, Ben, John & Junior. Very happy

A funky, casual, professional cocktail showcase in a great atmosphere. We could use more of these!

 

Brain damage: 7.5/10

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