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Beer Nut: The Question Looms – Is Beer Losing Its Popularity?
Is beer fading?
Over the past few weeks, I’ve written about both how beer fared in 2023 and some thoughts on what’s in store for 2024. While I remain cautiously optimistic overall, some clouds gathering on the horizon can still give me pause.
One such specter was the focus of a recent story on Fox News Digital by Anders Hagstrom. The piece noted that Americans drank less beer in 2023 than any other year this century. No matter what the extenuating circumstances, that fact can’t be seen as a positive for beer fans.
Of course, craft beer still only makes up a small percentage of the overall U.S. beer market. So part of the 2023 decline has to be blamed on the boycott against Bud Light. You might recall that the boycott was fueled by conservative reaction to Bud Light’s sponsorship agreement with transgender activist and social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
The brand commemorated Muvaney’s year of identifying as a woman by showcasing cans with the influencer’s likeness. This decision provoked backlash causing Bud Light’s sales to plummet 30% from 2022.
Nevertheless, even such a significant blow to one brand, regardless of its size, can’t fully explain why beer has reached a 23-year low.
As detailed in a recent Washington Examiner report, the changing preferences of younger generations are contributing to the dwindling beer sales. The report cited an MRI-Simmons data firm survey revealing that Generation Z drank less alcohol in comparison to other legal adults in the country. Only 58% of respondents acknowledged consuming alcohol in the past six months and a mere 56% of that group had consumed beer.
The widespread legalization of marijuana seems to have also taken a part of the beer market share. The younger generation appears to prefer marijuana over alcohol. Market analysts predict that sales will continue to fall steadily and show no sign of rebounding in 2024.
But everything is relative: Considering beer enjoyed more than a decade of extremely robust sales, it can probably take a hit. And the main indicator of beer’s flatlining was pointed out in a Slate article midway last year: Beer sales aren’t horrible; it just has lost market share to other types of alcohol. Last year was the first time beer came in second place for market share: Spirits edged out beer 42.9% to 41.2% as far as market share.
So let’s not think the sky is falling (and it certainly seems like Skye Vodka isn’t falling), but instead let’s keep celebrating the Golden Age of Beer we live in, by raising a glass – of beer, of course.
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Chris Stapleton Debuts New Traveller Whiskey in Collaboration with Buffalo Trace’s Master Distiller
If you’ve heard Chris Stapleton‘s smooth rendition of “Tennessee Whiskey,” it might not be surprising that established whiskey brand Buffalo Trace has tapped the Grammy-winning crooner for a collab. Leave it to the genius of Buffalo Trace’s Master Distiller, Harlen Wheatley, to match Stapleton’s soulful tunes with an equally captivating whiskey. Traveller Whiskey, a newly launched premium blend that celebrates the alliance between the singer and the award-winning whiskey brand, is such a sipper.
“Some things just make total sense — and this is definitely one of those things,” Stapleton said of the dream project in a press release shared with Tasting Table. Traveller, also the name of Stapleton’s 2015 Grammy-winning solo debut, is a fitting name for the liquid product. After careful experimentation and multiple taste tests, the celebrity and whiskey label mash-up has culminated in an oaky, 90-proof whiskey blend that delivers subtle undertones of leather and sweet maple.
The blend has a nose of vanilla and a buttery, sweet taste that’s followed by a spicy, toasted finish that will leave drinkers reaching for the bottle. “When making art — and we really do think that both Chris’ music and the whiskey we make at Buffalo Trace is art — you experiment, test, adjust, and don’t give up until you’ve got it right,” Wheatley said, estimating that over 50 blends were tasted before deciding upon the final combination that would be used to make Traveller Whiskey.
Read more: The 25 Best Bourbon Brands, Ranked
Traveller Whiskey doesn’t mark the first collaboration between the singer and the distillery. Chris Stapleton was raised near the Kentucky distillery which has contributed towards several of his charitable endeavors. The main aim behind this whiskey production was to devise a mixture that would be appreciated by everyone, from individuals new to whiskey to aficionados and collectors. “This whiskey is designed for everyone, irrespective if you have been sampling different whiskies for years or are new to the taste,” stated Harlen Wheatley in the press release.
The celebrated singer and distiller aimed to craft a whiskey that could be not only savored at the end of a tiresome day but that could also be an ingredient in recipes, such as an old fashioned cocktail, resulting in beverages that are easy to enjoy. Traveller Whiskey was made available to bartenders and retailers from January 1, 2024, hence keen customers can anticipate seeing this blend in stores soon. At a suggested price of $39.99, it’s a bottle unlikely to shatter any New Year’s financial resolutions.
Read the original article on Tasting Table.
Crisis in the Vineyard: Is Washington Wine in Trouble?
This story is from an installment of The Oeno Files, our weekly insider newsletter to the world of fine wine. Sign up here.
Last summer, in a meeting in Eastern Washington, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates (SMWE), delivered some devastating news to the grape growers in attendance. The state’s largest winery told the vineyards it would purchase 40 percent less fruit from them over the next five years. That massive reduction came on the heels of SMWE announcing layoffs earlier in the year; just last month it revealed yet another round of job cuts. SMWE has long been a driver behind Washington wine, so its cascade of bad news cast a pall over the state’s entire industry in 2023. Words like “crisis” have been thrown around, while others argued Washington wine needed to be saved.
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Sean P. Sullivan, the publisher of Northwest Wine Report, summarized the situation well in an article written in early December, just after the second round of layoffs was announced. As Sullivan so succinctly states, “Washington is very much a tale of two industries.” SMWE produces seven million cases of wine per year—almost half of the state’s entire output—while “90 percent of Washington wineries make fewer than 5,000 cases per year.” So although there’s been a lot of doom and gloom in the air, in our eyes, much of the hand wringing is akin to a large fast-food chain announcing it will be closing eateries immediately followed by news outlets forecasting the end of fine dining.
While it seems that a major producer cutting its orders on fruit by 40 percent is a bad thing, not everyone sees it that way. Sullivan thinks it could be “very beneficial for Washington.” He tells us, “It gives growers a once-in-a-generation opportunity to evaluate what they have planted, where they have it planted, what is working, what is not, and what they might do differently. That will lead to taking out varieties or vines in some areas as well as planting or replanting in others.” And as Scott Lloyd, general manager of Quilceda Creek Winery—which grows its own grapes in estate vineyards and does not buy any fruit from outside growers—says, “For other wineries, there will be a renewed opportunity to have access to vineyards they have not had before to make fantastic wine at a great value.”
If you haven’t yet had the pleasure of sampling Washington State wine, you’re definitely missing out. This brand of wine is characterized by variety, with over 80 different grape varieties grown in the region. Despite this diversity, consumers and traders continue to prefer products they can easily identify. Common pairings include Napa with Cabernet Sauvignon, and Burgundy with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. In Washington State, variations range from Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Riesling, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc to any grape variety you can think of. Being the second-largest wine-producing state in the US, Washington started its winemaking journey in the 1860s. Today, a substantial proportion of the state’s wine products are shipped out of state. Top-tier wineries deliver directly to their consumers.
Quilceda Creek epitomizes such wineries. Their Cabernet Sauvignon is in such high demand that customers have to join a waiting list. Quilceda Creek owns and operates its own vineyards in the Columbia Valley and Red Mountain AVAs. A bottle of Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon fetches $200, while a bottle from Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley Cab Sauv sells for $17. Quilceda Creek’s prospects look bright, given its fiercely loyal customer base and consistent high ratings for its Cabernets.
Jesús Martínez Bujanda Mora, CEO of Valdemar Family, who represents the fifth generation of his family’s winemakers, also produces wine in Washington State at their Valdemar Estates winery in Walla Walla. While he predicts a high level of competition due to an oversupply of grapes, he believes that the quality and consistent high standards of Washington’s wines will counter any potential negative fallouts from the competition.
The Valdemar Family, in addition to Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, also produces Syrah, which could potentially further broaden Washingtons’s appeal to wine lovers. The high-quality, diverse and well-priced Syrah and Syrah-based blends, ranging from light and earthy to full-bodied and rich, make for an enticing prospect for consumers.
Everyone we spoke with offered a positive outlook for Washington wine. “Although we’re clearly in a period of transition, we remain optimistic about the future,” Kristina Kelley, executive director of the Washington State Wine Commission, says.
That transition echoes the one facing the industry as a whole, with sales falling the last few years as younger drinkers look to different beverages or abstain from alcohol entirely. That’s taking a toll on the likes of SMWE that specialize in wines on the lower end of the price spectrum. But there’s still a market for premium offerings, which Washington has plenty of. So we will carry on covering some of the shining stars to guide our readers toward the best wines the state has to offer. Look for bottles from L’Ecole No 41, Sparkman Cellars, DeLille Cellars, Figgins, Leonetti, Doubleback, and even the high-end bottlings from the winery that started this conversation, Chateau Ste. Michelle.
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Discover Kástra Elión: The Olive-Based Vodka That Elevates Your Martini
Kástra Elión vodka is made from a blend of olives and wheat
Vodka often carries an expectation of having a rather flavorless and neutral element, yet it conserves its popularity. It seems that its status is not about how it tastes or smells, but the lifestyle it represents. However, this image is mostly passé. There are brands, some even among the highly esteemed, that distil their product to the point of flavorlessness, basking in their neutrality. While several others thoroughly infuse aroma and texture into each bottle, more daring ones toy with unconventional base ingredients, extending beyond the common grains and potatoes.
Kástra Elión is a part of this innovative group of vodka brands. Originating from Greece, this vodka is a blend of Greek olives and wheat. Named after an ancient castle, which stands sentinel over the hills and olive orchards of Nafpaktos— the ancestral residence of the vodka and its founding family.
The brand’s inception was spearheaded by master blender and certified flavor chemist Frank Mihalopoulos. He has accumulated nearly forty years of experience in product development for companies like Baskin Robbins, Dunkin Donuts, and Kahlua. Moreover, he served as a consultant for spirits brands such as Absolut and Stoli. His co-founder and son-in-law, Mike Camello, serves as the president of the company.
“We were enthusiasts of vodka, particularly the European varieties fashioned from malted barley and rye, noted for their exquisite textures,” shares Camello. They pondered the possibility: Can vodka be produced from olives?
Mihalopoulos invested a year in realising this concept. He arranged for a lab and procured distillation apparatus, embarking on tests with various global olive types. “I consciously detached sentimentality from the narrative, but coincidentally, we opted for a combination of three varieties that conveniently stem from my own home region in Greece.”
Kástra Martini |
The entire procedure is artisanal in nature, and it logs a higher yield loss than most vodka producers face. However, Mihalopoulos clarifies that conducting precise distillation cuts are imperative to filter out the heads and unstable compounds that are introduced by the olives.
There’s not a lot of sugar in olives, so the ethanol comes from the grains. Mihalopoulos is quick to point out that the olives lift up what already exists in the grain. There’s no flavor contribution from the olives, and the company never set out to make olive-flavored vodka; instead, the olives contribute the vodka’s trademark mouthfeel and smoothness. Before bottling, the distilled spirit is blended with spring water from Greece’s mineral-rich Mount Taygetus.
Kástra Elión vodka has a very clean nose, free of any off-putting chemical notes or exaggerated alcohol burn. Aromas are sweet and savory, with vanilla and butterscotch leading the way. The palate brings mild fruit notes, citrus and a hint of pepper. It sits on the tongue and stays with you, activating the salivary glands as flavors build to more butterscotch and vanilla and some toasted bread.
Camello likes to drink Kástra Elión on the rocks with olives in it, but he acknowledges that not everyone wants to sip vodka. Fortunately, it’s well-suited to Martinis. When introducing the vodka to bartenders, the brand hopes they keep drinks spirit-driven and don’t go too crazy with sugar. “We want the vodka to shine and keep its mouthfeel,” says Camello.
Kástra Elión recently launched its own olive brine and cocktail olives, available individually or in a kit alongside a bottle of vodka, that are meant to create the ultimate Dirty Martini. The brine and olives both hail from the same Nafpaktos region where the vodka is made, so one can enlist the full trio for a very Greek, very olive-focused take on the traditional cocktail.
Revolutionize Your Rum: Cool It Down with Frozen Coconut Water Cubes
There’s no wrong way to enjoy a single measure of good rum. You can have it straight, mix it with water or cocktails, or savor it on the rocks with ice. The latter option is perfect for newcomers or those seeking a milder taste, as it tempers the sharpness while letting you relish the sweet, nectar-like flavor without an overwhelming alcohol punch.
However, there’s a reason why lots of folks recommend using whiskey stones instead of regular ice when enjoying rum on the rocks. Accidentally adding too much water can dilute the unique flavors and nuances within the rum (especially the pricy kinds), and it’s hard to get the balance just right when you’re dealing with varying-size ice cubes. But instead of whiskey stones, here’s an idea: coconut water ice cubes!
Made from coconut water instead of plain water, these ice cubes won’t dilute the rum’s flavors as they melt. Instead, they’ll enhance the taste of the liquor with a hint of coconut, giving neat rum a rather tasty and tropical coconut twist. They’re incredibly easy to make. Simply get some fresh coconut water — the fresher, the better — and pour it into a large whiskey ice cube mold. Pop them in the freezer, and in a couple of hours, you’ll get a trayful of coconut water ice cubes ready to go. Drop one into a neat measure of rum, sit back, and enjoy your rum on the rocks!
Read more: 23 Cocktails To Try If You Like Drinking Gin
These special ice cubes aren’t limited to just rum on the rocks; they’re a perfect addition to a wide range of tropical cocktails! Let’s start with the classic daiquiri. It’s a simple blend of rum, lime, and sugar, but you can elevate it by incorporating coconut cream and a few coconut water ice cubes while blending. The result is a sweet, nutty, and undeniably tropical creation that evokes the essence of a Caribbean sunset. It’s perfect for sipping whether you’re lounging on a palm-lined beach or enjoying it at your kitchen island.
These versatile ice cubes can also enhance a variety of chilled or blended tropical cocktails that feature rum. Take the Caribeño, for example, which already includes coconut water as a core ingredient. Adding coconut water ice cubes doesn’t dilute the taste; instead, it’ll amplify the drink’s signature equatorial flavor and give you a drink with a far more pronounced taste.
But while these coconut ice cubes work best in rum-based drinks, they can work with other liquors, too. If you’re a tequila enthusiast, consider fortifying a coconut margarita with these cubes. They’ll introduce a smooth, robust coconut essence that will bring this classic cocktail to a whole new level. And for an extra creamy touch, try adding coconut cream to the coconut water before freezing the cubes.
Read the original article on Tasting Table.
Unveiling Why Southern Comfort does not Qualify as a Real Whiskey
Southern Comfort is an American staple responsible for various and sundry long nights and even longer mornings. It’s got a sweet kick and a little spice, perfect as a shooter for anyone who doesn’t enjoy the bite of traditional whiskeys. But, Southern Comfort is also something of a chameleon, slipping onto the whiskey shelves of liquor stores nationwide with very few of us the wiser. You see, Southern Comfort is no whiskey.
You can’t blame the good people for not knowing — the Southern Comfort marketing team has leaned hard into its fake identity. The back of the bottle describes the origins of Southern Comfort as a mix of whiskey with fruits and spices. While that may be true, it’s a bit misleading. The whole situation was even further complicated in 2016, when Sazerac purchased Southern Comfort from its previous owner, Brown-Forman.
Sazerac announced that Southern Comfort would once again be made using real whiskey starting in 2017. It turns out, the previous company had been using a neutral grain spirit (similar to vodka) as the base for decades. You may be wondering: Now that whiskey is once again the base spirit, is Southern Comfort whiskey? As a matter of fact, no, it’s not — it’s a liqueur.
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The boundaries that exist within the alcohol universe aren’t always crystal clear, yet they’re not wholly random. A liqueur involves the amplification of a base spirit with various spices and sweeteners. This base could comprise vodka, whiskey, a neutral grain spirit, rum etc. Southern Comfort, whose actual ingredients remain a well-guarded secret, is known to have whiskey as its base spirit, as announced by Sazerac. Following this, sugar and a fruit concentrate are incorporated, which land Southern Comfort its distinctive apricot-taste.
Therefore, although whiskey is one of the ingredients in Southern Comfort, it is more accurately a liqueur based on whiskey. For the regular Southern Comfort consumer, this is an insignificant detail. Whether it’s called flavored whiskey, spirit whiskey, or whiskey liqueur, most individuals acknowledge its difference from traditional bourbons or ryes.
A point of contention arises when we attempt to determine the exact moment whiskey switches over to something else. For instance, scotch has an added flavor from peat. The peat is smoked over the barley, not directly added to the drink, but the difference isn’t substantial. A feasible analogy could be this: a canned premixed Jack and Coke clearly isn’t whiskey, even if it comprises whiskey. If we regard Southern Comfort more as a premixed cocktail and less a single-barrel bourbon, we’re thinking in the right direction.
Check out the original article on Tasting Table.
Editorial: Beer – The Perfect Compromise Witnessed
Gov. Phil Murphy and the Legislature have hopefully found the right balance between tastes great and less filling so that New Jersey’s craft breweries can start 2024 on an optimistic note.
It needs to happen by Monday, when what’s called the 2022-2023 legislative session ends, but a Senate committee has advanced a bill that loosens the tight collar around the brewers, and gives the governor some of what he wanted in broader alcohol license reforms.
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Understanding Spirits: A Comprehensive Guide to 9 Different Types of Vodka
Pouring vodka shots
Without vodka we wouldn’t have the Dirty Shirley, the trendy espresso Martini or the legendary massive comopolitan cocktail Ina Garten shared on her Instagram in April 2020. The clear spirit with the neutral flavor is a popular booze for cocktails because it plays well with many mixers, but not all vodkas are the same, which is why you’ll see many different vodka brands at your local bar. There isn’t just one singular type of vodka, but different ones based on location and ingredients and which one you prefer depends on what you like and how you’re using the spirit.
“It’s all about creating a match made in *your* cocktail heaven,” says Ashley Eldefri, brand ambassador for The Community Spirit Vodka. “Price is only sometimes an indicator of quality: Expensive doesn’t necessarily mean better regarding vodka. It’s always worth trying different brands and price ranges to find one you enjoy.”
To help you narrow down your choices and make your next trip to the liquor store a bit easier, we chatted with drink experts to break down 9 of the most popular types of vodka based on their ingredients, country of origin, flavor profile and more.
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Making vodka has plenty of nuance, but for the purposes of this discussion, we’ll try to distill (pun intended) it down for you. Vodka starts with your base ingredient (often a grain, though it could be potatoes or molasses), water and yeast. That mixture is fermented for a couple of weeks, then strained. The liquid from the fermentation process is distilled, filtered, diluted with water and bottled.
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Eldefri suggests that grain-based vodkas like rye provide a more spiced character with strong, rich undertones. This type of vodka tends to be leaner and drier than other variants.
Rye vodka is specifically well matched in certain mixed drinks. Alissa Marinello, a bartender at Vivamee Hospitality properties, Renault Winery & Resort and LBI National in New Jersey, explains that a dirty vodka martini can highlight the unique traits of rye vodka. The subtle, dry nature of rye vodka pairs superbly with the sharp hint of olive juice in this cocktail.
On the other hand, fruit vodka does not originate from fruit itself. The fruit flavor is infused post-distillation. Eldefri points out that numerous contemporary brands offer flavored alternatives, with added fruits or herbs post-distillation. Popular fruit vodka flavors encompass melon, strawberry, blueberry, lemon, raspberry, lime, and orange.
Marinello suggests avoiding artificial ingredients and colors, and instead making your own flavored vodka. Her advice is to fill a jug with a non-flavored vodka and a fruit of your preference. The vodka is then left to infuse for a minimum of three days, and a maximum of seven. After the infusion, the fruit flavored vodka is strained into a jar or bottle, ready for cocktail making!
Many people love having corn with their dinner, and it is also a favored ingredient in vodka. According to Eldefri, vodkas made with corn are praised for their mild and slightly sweet taste, combined with a silky mouthfeel and hint of vanilla or buttery nuances.
Eldefri suggests that if you are craving a martini, you should consider using a corn-based vodka for this classic drink, allowing the liquor’s unique flavor to shine through.
Now, to clear any misconceptions, vodka made from potatoes does not taste like french fries or mashed potatoes. Eldefri explains that these types of vodkas are loved for their creamy, rich texture and the slight earthy and nutty flavor they possess.
Potato vodka is a wonderful companion to savory foods, such as particular cheeses and meats. This can be a valuable tip for future dining or dinner party hosting.
If you’re looking for a distinctive vodka experience, consider molasses-based vodka. Eldefri explains that this type of vodka, typically associated with rum production, delivers a marginally sweeter and more nuanced flavor, featuring molasses and caramel nuances. The caramel-like flavor of molasses vodka can beautifully complement a cream-based cocktail like a white Russian.
As Marinello points out, flavored vodka is enjoyable to experiment with as it allows for the creation of more complex cocktails with fewer ingredients. However, she recommends those with gluten sensitivity to avoid this type of vodka, as post-distillation artificial flavorings that may include this prevalent allergen can be added.
Regarding the variety of flavors, there is a vast spectrum, with many falling into the citrus (like lemonade, grapefruit) or fruit (such as strawberry, blueberry) categories.
In addition to the base ingredients, vodkas can vary based on where they’re made because different areas are known for specific styles of the spirit. “Russian vodkas, traditionally crafted from wheat or rye and subjected to multiple distillations, are celebrated for their pure and smooth qualities,” says Eldefri. Some of the most popular Russian vodka brands include Beluga Noble, Husky, Marmot Siberian and Smirnoff.
Eldefri says that American vodkas span from smooth neutrality to a focus on unique flavors driven by various base ingredients. American vodka is generally made with rye, wheat, potato or corn to create a unique flavor profile with a velvety texture and earthy, warm taste. This will vary based on the bottle, but the best way to think about it is the best of both worlds made from different types of ingredients.
According to Marinello, Poland and Russia both claim ownership of introducing the first spirit. That said, Polish vodkas, made from potatoes or grains, offer a slightly more robust flavor with hints of earthiness or sweetness.
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Introducing a New Wine Fault You Should Be Aware Of: Mouse
“Corked wine” isn’t the lone culprit that can mar a wine’s flavour. There’s an increasing discussion around a “new” defect, typically addressed as “mouse” or “mousiness”. This flaw was hardly recognized or even existent a few decades prior, but recently, its occurrence has escalated, courtesy of a rising trend of utilizing minimal to nil sulphur in wine-crafting and producers plucking mature grapes with lower acidity. Here’s your need-to-know on this.
Pinpointing this flaw with precision can be challenging. The commonly perceived manifestations can be likened to corn, popcorn, basmati rice, tortillas, and, predictably, a mouse though admittedly, the actual smell of a mouse remains ambiguous).
A person sniffing a wine in a wine glass, copyright BKWine Photography
The chemical compounds that give rise to mousiness don’t evaporate easily in the acidic habitat (low pH) of wine. But they do when you take a sip of the wine, as the acidity level alters.
Interestingly, the pH level in humans’ mouths is noticeably higher, so when the wine is introduced to your mouth, these compounds become more volatile, allowing you to experience the “flavour”, or more aptly, the smell.
Unusually, mouse is a flaw that can’t be detected by simply smelling the wine. Its presence only becomes apparent when you actually taste the wine.
Typically, a sommelier will present the wine for you to taste at a restaurant before service. Often, a sniff is all that’s required to identify flaws like TCA or “corked” wine, but with mouse, you actually have to taste it to confirm its presence. Adding to the challenge, not everyone has the sensitivity to detect mouse (this is true for other wine faults as well).
On multiple occasions, I’ve attended tastings where wines were intentionally tainted with the mouse flaw (alongside others presenting different types of faults). Even then, it was still difficult to definitively say if a wine was affected or exactly what the fault truly was. Sometimes it’s just a vague feeling that something about the wine is slightly off. Maybe if mice were more prevalent in our area, the identification would come easier…
Scientists believe that mousiness is caused by a group of compounds called pyridine. This compound consists of a basic molecular formula of C5H5N, and is even used industrially as an additive to render spirits non-potable.
A woman in a lab coat in a laboratory in a winery, copyright BKWine Photography
So, what brings about mousiness in wine?
Based on a recent research conducted at the University of Bordeaux, three main factors are found guilty: Brettanomyces, also known as the “wild” yeast that may lead to its own wine fault, “brett”, the so-called “lactobacteria” that execute the malolactic “fermentation” of malic acid to lactic acid in wine, and some inorganic chemical activities, majorly, the Maillard reaction.
The research implies that the risk of having a mousy wine elevates with very low sulphur levels. Consequently, the ongoing trend of low-sulphur wines and even no-sulphur wines have significantly amplified the risk of experiencing mousiness. Different researches provide different statistics. Some tagging 20% of low or no sulphur wines as impacted while others mention numbers up to 50%.
Potassium metabisulphite is a form that SO2, sulphur, can be added to wine, copyright BKWine … [+]. Photography
Another impactful factor is the prevalent acidity in the wine. With the shift in weather patterns and changing consumer preferences, grapes are being harvested at a later, more mature stage, leading to diminished acidity levels. This, in turn, increases the risk of yielding a mousy wine, an issue perplexed by the effects of climate change.
From my perspective, there’s no easy solution for the winemakers besides being cautious and continuously monitoring the acidity levels, perhaps tweaking them periodically, and ensuring appropriate levels of sulphur are used. I am not aware of any quick fixes that can eradicate the issue if it occurs.
If you ever get a bottle with it, unfortunately, there’s not much to be done. If it is a mere trace, maybe it won’t make much difference.
The good news are that in most cases, it is not a very stinky fault, it is relatively rare, and some people don’t even notice it.
—Per Karlsson
Enhance Your Poultry Dish with a Flavorful Combination of Beer and Herbs
Beer and chicken are a perfect pairing, not simply when you’re at a sports bar. Beer often becomes the go-to choice for battering not only chicken but also fish and other fried foods. To pack your chicken with flavor, try basting it with beer and some herbs.
Whether you’re preparing fried chicken strips or onion rings, beer is an essential ingredient for the batter. Its carbonation provides a lightness and crispness to fried foods, enhancing their taste experience. So, why not incorporate those advantages and others when roasting or grilling chicken too? A slightly fancier version of beer-can chicken, the ale-infused bird stays juicy and cool due to basting and acquires the malty flavor of beer.
You can create a marinade by combining beer with olive oil and tossing in some herbs and spices. It’s not necessary to be a beer connoisseur to understand that no two beers are the same. They tend to have a sweetness, so balance your basting mixture with earthy herbs such as oregano, rosemary, or sage.
Read more: 12 Different Ways To Cook Chicken
Beer ranges from light and fruity to dark and bitter; it’s impossible to choose the absolute perfect herb for the drink. Instead, start with what you want to eat your chicken with and pick a type of beer. Something classic like baked chicken with a side of fries and an everyday salad with herby lemon vinaigrette requires a classic beer. A light, crisp lager like Miller Lite or Corona Extra works best with rich, savory herbs — think basil or marjoram.
For a dish that’s on the sweeter side, opt for fruit beers. Something sweet with hints of mango, orange blossom, or grapefruit works well with a tangy coleslaw or sauteed veggies. Choose herbs that enhance the bright flavor of the fruity beer. Zesty herbs like mint, thyme, or lavender are the perfect accompaniment to a mellow, fruity beer. If it’s something citrusy, like a lime-flavored beer, use cilantro and chives and shred the chicken to make leftover makeover shredded chicken tacos.
Enhance your favorite dark, caramelized stout with the woody flavors of rosemary, tarragon, and bay leaves. To play up those rich, bitter flavors, a dash of heady spices like cinnamon and nutmeg offer smoky hints of sweetness. Balance out this woodsy, roasted chicken with something light yet savory — this cheesy asparagus galette provides a hint of tang from the lemon, followed by an undertone of umami courtesy of the goat cheese.
Read the original article on Tasting Table.