Thursday Happy Hour: Cocktail Recipes, Drinks, Music, and Good Times

Ballast Point Calico Amber Ale

Go Fish

After a run on the Ocean Beach pier, I had fish on my mind. Doesn’t seem to matter when I'm out there -- day or night, spring or fall -- I see poles lined up along the railings and people kicking back, waiting for a bite.

Avery's Gimlet Up

Improving on a Classic
Have you ever had a favorite bar for appetizers and happy hour -- only to be royally disappointed when the bartender moves on and the drinks tank? That happened to us at Roy's in La Jolla a while back. The drinks became syrupy touristy concoctions. We stopped going.

Then our friends invited us to join them there -- and we were in for a head-spin. A new-to-us bartender named Avery not only made up drinks for us when we described what we like -- the Square One Cucumber & Lemon was a summer's garden in a glass -- he also improved on one of our own house favorites: the Gimlet Up. 

How is this possible?

Albero 2007 Monastrell Red Wine

Good Intentions

I try to buy organic—at least when the price of the organic choice is not exponentially higher than the regular version.

So when I came upon this $6.99 bottle of red wine “made with organically-grown grapes,” I was sure I had a winner. Not only was the bottle inexpensive, I was also doing the planet a favor.

As I plunked down my change at the counter, I thought of all the chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides I had just saved Mother Earth from.

You know what they say about good intentions...

AleSmith Old Numbskull Barley Wine

What's in a Name?
Sometimes you order a beer just because it sounds interesting . . .

So when I brought an out-of-town friend to my nearest bottle shop in search of a local treat she could take back east with her, naturally her hand alighted upon a bottle of AleSmith’s Old Numbskull. Good choice?

Possum Hunt

It's ... Good?
You probably won't like this cocktail. In fact, you probably can't get the main ingredient for it. So you won't even make it. We received our latest bottle of feijoa-infused vodka as a gift from Chase Jarvis. G was skipping with happiness. I was ... less so.

Because, a Possum Hunt is, in fact, a weird-funky-ass tasting drink. Bubbles. Licorice. Lemon. But it also grows on you. Like kimchi or li hing mui. You may not find feijoa-infused vodka in the States, but you might experiment with these others.

Ack! You will not believe what just happened.

Loredona 2007 Monterey Riesling

A Wine for Simpler Times

I tend to avoid sweet wines.

Somewhere I picked up the idea that sweeter wines are less sophisticated than a dry white or rich red. Plus, I worry that they’ll remind me too much of those peach Bartles & James wine coolers I used to drink my freshman year of college (sorry, Mom).

Time to face my fear and pick up a bottle of Riesling.

Dogfish Head 90 Minute Imperial IPA

The Best IPA in America?
What’s the best IPA in America? Oh, them’s fightin’ words . . . so when I asked some fellow beer friends recently which one they thought was tops, I wasn’t surprised that I got about as many responses as I have friends. Fortunately, it didn’t go to fisticuffs and we all parted agreeing to disagree.

Lemon Bars vs. Whiskey Bars

Can Your Guests Guess the Secret Ingredient?
"Tastes like ... graham cracker crust," I said to G when he served up a cold, lemony concoction with a secret ingredient. I sipped again. It was like drinking lemon pie. Or closer -- lemon bars. Oh, how I love lemon bars. But as a drink? "What is it? Brown sugar?" I asked, trying not to slurp too fast. The balance of baked goods and lemon tart were easy to get used to.

G poured a darker whiskey-based drink for himself with the secret ingredient -- smokier, manlier, and still delicious.

No, not brown sugar. But close.

Marques de Riscal 2004 Rioja

Decanting Is ... Yes, Sexy
It was suggested that I decant this bottle before enjoying it. Having merely a vague idea of what that meant, I did a little research to learn more.

So, why decant?

1. It looks cool. Any wine—red or white—looks beautiful served from a decanter. (And, after you hide the bottle, few will suspect that you scrimped and bought 2-Buck-Chuck.)
2. It lets your wine breathe. Exposing a young wine to air brings out the aromas that may be hidden by its immaturity—too much tannin, for example—and smooths its brash nature.
3. It clears your wine from sediment. Red wines aged in the bottle sometimes develop sediment that clouds the wine’s appearance and flavor. Decanting leaves the residue in the bottle so it doesn’t end up in your glass.

Trader Joe's Vintage Ale 2008

Fast, Cheap, and Under Control

Do you and your friends love expensive Belgian beers but feel the need to control expenses?

Whenever people come to visit, I hit Trader Joe’s for little treats, cheap-but-good wine, and a bottle of Trader Joe’s Vintage Ale.

Your Hosts Have Gone AWOL

In Search of Inspiration
Tonight, we're thinking of ways to enjoy a good happy hour on the beach. So we're at the beach. Thinking. And thinking hard. Because in San Diego, it's now against the law to drink alcohol on public beaches. No matter how civilized the drinker. We know. Lame.

So what do we end up doing? Oh, come on, guess. If you need extra clues, follow us on Twitter. Or check out our Facebook fan club. Here are some hints:

Black Box Wines 2007 Pinot Grigio

Would You Drink it in a Box?

When I think of boxed wine, I remember the cardboard container of pink wine my Dad kept in the garage refrigerator when I was a kid. My father is a practical man, and for him, boxed wine is a good value. It stays fresh, keeps cold, and fits in the fridge easily next to the twelve-pack of Coors. Trust me, he isn’t the kind of guy who pays attention to a wine’s fluttery notes of apricot or crisp finish. But when he wants a glass of wine, it’s there, at the ready.

Boxed wines are making a comeback—yet another trend due to leaner times, perhaps. A friend told me about Black Box Wines, a wine-in-a-box with a good reputation. Still, the name implies that it’s able to withstand the impact of a fiery plane crash—not something I usually look for in a beverage, but hey, why not? I set out to change my perception of wine relegated to plastic and cardboard. Would I miss the bottle and cork?