Guinness Stout, Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout and Young's Double Chocolate Stout
I have a dear friend who I've known since 1980. He has never judged me. He has always been there for me. I love him like the brother I never had. But Brian always buys beer that's on sale. I understand he's married with a family and a budget is important - - I understand that. But after you've been playing tennis in Florida - - in the summer - - and you're hot and soaked in sweat - -you do not invite me to your home and offer me a Stout.
But on a New York City winter's night - - with a bowl of Wick Fowler's Two Alarm chili -- there is nothing better. Add some decent corn bread. You know, the stuff that tastes like cake and I'm a very happy man. This Winter Brian is offering up IPAs, pilsners, lagers and anything else that ain't moving in the beer aisle.
I've been a big fan of Guinness for as long as I've been drinking beer. There are folks who read this blog that'll confirm, in the 80's, I bought warm, bottled Guinness in bars...and happily drank it. The Pub cans are head and shoulders above that old bottled tangy taste. But not even Guinness comes anywhere near Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout. Something of an acquired taste on single guy's budget ($10 for 4) I can assure you Brian'll never offer you one of these. Winter or Summer. They never go on sale and they're tough to find. If you see a 4 pack - - grab it.
Lastly, there's Young's Double Chocolate Stout. It's okay. Very creamy but not nearly as complex as Imperial. A big girl's blouse stout, yeah? Great for a beginner. There's a bunch more Stouts out there and Brian can certainly steer you to the stuff on sale come July.
J. McLaughlin Needlepoint Fox Belt
I was thinking of doing Champagne with the needlepoint Fox belt but they don't pair very well. This belt is from J McLaughlin and I'm a fan. There are other needlepoint's out there but nothing comes close to the heft, detail, stitching and heavy brass of the McLaughlin belt (unless you can con someone to make one for you). The Fox and Riding Crops on the navy field look perfectly at home on heavy winter cords.
The Odd Jacket is side vented but a proper hacking jacket would be center vented. Not that I care. I don't ride anymore and could care less. My sister will tell you I never could ride but that's a whole bunch of other stories which remind me of the time she locked me in a tack room in the middle of July.
Another Fox
That's Mrs Charles R. Rogers who appeared in the Summer 1953 issue of Gentry Magazine. I think she's stunning. Love her hair. I'm not sure why but in band I always had a thing for girls who played horn.
you bought warm Guiness into bars? Clown. It should be served at cellar temperature (As should all real ale) not 'warm'.
ReplyDeleteLike the belt/cord/jacket; heartily agree with your thoughts on stout; but cornbread that "tastes like cake" ain't cornbread. Just sayin'...
ReplyDeleteScott
Love the Friday belt feature. I have two questions about belts that I'd love to hear your thoughts on.
ReplyDelete1) I seem to always be between belt holes. Which do you prefer - cinch it up, or let it hang? (I usually go for the latter).
2) Do you have any experience with shell cordovan belts? I recently purchased the Alden 35mm. While it is beautiful, I think the width is a bit burly.
Have a great weekend and keep up the great work!
stout looks like poo poo
ReplyDeleteStout in the summer sounds tiring and heavy. In the colder months it is restorative and warming, almost medicinal - a completely different proposition. Sharp look for Friday.
ReplyDeleteThis has become a great Friday feature! I was not familiar with the belts but I am looking for one. That one you have is great.
ReplyDeleteYou probably won't believe it but there is a small store about half a mile from my house out here on the Western Front that has Imperial most of the time. I'm going today to buy some before the weather gets too hot.
And the Lady. Her photo brings back lovely memories of Steeplechase and Hunt weekends in Charlottesville a LONG time ago. Great job.
ML
mlanesepic.blogspot.com
I really love the Friday belt feature as well. I never comment on your blog, but had to express my opinion this time. I just moved to Hong Kong from Boston (temporarily) and the climate is really messing with my clothes AND drinks.
ReplyDeleteWhen done right, what to wear and what to drink depend highly upon the season. Trad style and classic drinks just don't seem to fit in over here. How wrong is wearing jeans to formal events and ordering Mojitos all year round? Explain this to the "ex-pats" and locals over here.
-Mikey
Please don't think ill of me but I love a Black and Tan. For the irony alone, perhaps. Slainte.
ReplyDeleteYes !!! WF's 2 Alarm is good stuff.
ReplyDeleteKick it up a notch.
1) Use w/ chili ground beef. Boil the fat out of it. Makes for nice-n- easy digestion. And a guilt free 2nd helping.
2) Then add 2 cans of Rotel diced tomatoes w/ lime juice and cilantro. In addition to the 8 oz of tomato sauce on the directions.
It is SO good you can leave out the red pepper. It isn't hot. Just that full of flavor.
http://www.ro-tel.com/product-mexican.jsp
Oh .. can eat w/ an oxford cloth bib w/ cashmere lining around neck. Ha Ha Ha!!!
Starting to get addicted to your Friday Belt series. Great stories. Yeah, that's what I need, more useless interests!
ReplyDeleteReally like the jacket, BTW.
It is true. He did drink warm Guinness in the 80's and thankfully made me a lifelong fan as well. Guinness was a treat in those days though at $3 a pop. Most of the time, the bevie of choice was a warm diluted "quarter beer" or a six of National Bo. The student austerity budget allowed for very little good taste. ME
ReplyDeleteYou're not still holding a grudge against that tack room thing, are you? You're right, you never could ride. But I wonder, now, whether you might not have given it a better shot if you had ridden the English seat in Vu-gin-yuh, rather than the Western in Colorado. The garb would have suited you so much better.
ReplyDeleteI also love the black and tan...Walt got me hooked on them many, many years ago. But with the Florida summer coming on, I'm looking forward to the gin and tonic.
tm
Anon- Clown indeed. My shoes are still too big for me feet.
ReplyDeleteScott- There are a number of regional preferences for Corn Bread. While I grew up on the burly texture common to my mother's NC roots - - I've became a fan of the dense and sweet when it was introduced to me at Heaven on Seven on Chicago. It's better than pecan pie.
W Essex-
The former for me. I hate hitching up my pants like Mr Haney in Green Acres.
I'm crazy about cordovan and for a shoe I think it's a great value having a pr of Brooks Cordovan longwings from 1985 - - Having said that, the belts are very expensive for a strip of leather and while I hope to get another 20 years outta those shoes -- I have no idea what my waist'll do in 20 years.
anon - Not mine.
HTJ-So true about medicinal. I recently discovered The Ginger Man in NYC. An amazing pub with a plethora of winter stouts on tap. I plan on submitting my receipts to Flex Spending.
MLane- I never could find Imperial in my southern neck of the woods. You're a lucky man for that alone not to mention the Charlottesville Steeplechase.
Mikey- When I read your comment I was thinking of how utterlty cool Morgan Freemam looked in a tan wool suit in Batman. I'm also a huge fan of the early Chow Yun Fat HK movies (Hard Boiled) and have always wanted to visit HK. When in Rome, sir. When in Rome. I'd have a nice two button, SB, peak lapel made up in a tan mohair with side tab trosuers. Something "Anthony Eden-ish." Very cool. Very British. And you'll have it for those sweltering Boston summers.
Tessa- Cheers to you. The parade starts soon.
Anon 14:40- I will try the rotel idea. I use Kenny Shopsin's chili recipe (lottsa onion) with the Fowler mix and 75% - 25% chuck. I pour the fat off and for left overs roll the chili in corn corn tortillas briefly cooked in olive oil and broiled with cheese on top. Paired with a Carta Blance or Pacifico...it makes for a quick and easy casual dinner. I like to eat these while watching The Wild Bunch.
CG- Thanks but it wouldn't be an interest unless it was useless. That's the whole point.
ME-Do you remember Schlitz Dark on tap? Ooooo, poor man's Guinness.
TM- I agree. I find pearl snap button shirts to be the ultimate vulgarity. It reminds me of dirty fingernails and Coors tall boys. Although I always did like riding in CO in the Winter. I felt like the Marlboro Man. Look for Plymouth Gin, sis. Lowest alcohol content of any gin. When you wanna have more than one G&T or two.
I was just at a restaurant last night that had Imperial. My uncle got one. I should have too, I guess.
ReplyDeleteYes, chili: stringy cheesy melted on top, w/ lotsa fresh onion, and cold beer.
ReplyDeleteA good movie to chili to?
Needs a crossing of hot desert, banditos, grimey, sandy sweat, pics of full sun, tumbleweeds, a scorpion or two, hot senorita flashing her skirt in a cantina, rattlesnakes.
Sounds like West Odessa.
Sweet cornbread = Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix. Ditto Scott. jg
ReplyDeleteCertainly agree on stouts only in the winter, last time I drank a heavy stout in warm weather I almost felt sick.
ReplyDeleteSam Smith has always been my goto with Mackeson's Triple following close behind.
Certainly agree on stouts only in the winter, last time I drank a heavy stout in warm weather I almost felt sick.
ReplyDeleteSam Smith has always been my goto with Mackeson's Triple following close behind.
Great post. Guiness is my favorite, just cooler than room temperature. Hardly something I could afford in the 80s. Ours was Milwaukee's Beast, $5 a case from Dixie Liquor above Wisconsin Ave., D.C.
ReplyDelete... and you know why you had a thing for girls who blew horn.
I knew from first glance you had Samuel Smith in the line up! Hard to find in small city liquor stores, but curiously abundant in big box suburban joints. Go figure.
ReplyDeleteMemphis88 - Always order what the Unck drinks.
ReplyDeleteAnon 20:18 If West Odessa ain't a movie...it should be.
jg- I have 3 boxes of Jiffy in the pantry.
drinkin and dronin- I'm tryin your 2nd next.
Ben- My 80's choice of beer was Red, White and Blue at $1.69 a six pack. Bottles even. Went well with Totino's frozen pizza at .99 cents.
dandy- I never looked in the big box stores. I never go to the big box stores. I'm in midtown - where there are no big box stores but thanks for the lead.
Girls who play the horn don't have to prove their femininity. They admire elegant things. Naturally, I played the French horn and trumpet when I was a kid.
ReplyDelete