There are a lot of traditions connected with cognac drinking. But it is not necessary to turn the cognac drinking into the problem. First of all it is necessary to like the taste of cognac and to enjoy it. After all it is the main purpose of cognac.
First of all it is necessary to choose the right glasses for the cognac. Experts recommend taking the wine glass that reminds the tulip by its form. But the low rounded glass will be also good.
Take the glass and look at the surface of cognac. The colour of the cognac may tell a lot. For example, the light-yellow colour is the feature of young cognacs and other brighter and darker colours are the features of old cognacs. The colour always tells you about the cognac age. Continue Reading »
If you are on the quest to experience beer, more so than just drinking it, then aging beer is an important part of that journey. To see how a beer changes over the year or years can be a lot of fun and well worth the wait. Now, you will hear me talk about my beer cellar, or this or that, but I want you to know that I don’t have a special walk in freezer, or walk in room with temperature and humidity control. As nice as that would be, it is not within my budget. However, there are things you can do on the cheap to store beer for long periods of time. Please keep in mind that my recommendations are not suited for beers with a generally short shelf life, such as average IPA’s, wheat beers, average strength beers, and so on. This is primarily for your barleywines, strong ales, high alcohol Belgian styles, or any other heavy hitter. So without further delay, here is what I use for a beer cellar……… Continue Reading »
Champagne is not intended to be opened just for special toasts and important occasions. The bubbly refresher complements any meal from brunch to a midnight snack. It is a real treat just sipped by itself especially when relaxing with a few good friends. A good champagne can make any occasion memorable.
There’s no special talent needed to open a bottle of champagne or sparkling wine without injuring your guests. The secret is chilling the champagne and turning the bottle instead of pulling the cork. Here’s a simple lesson… Continue Reading »
Wine, especially that for which you have paid a premium, is worth more than a quick swallow. So perhaps this section should be entitled ‘Wine Appreciation’, because there is a lot more to judging the quality of a wine than just tasting it. Predominantly it involves smell, using that organ which protrudes from the front of the face just above the mouth. Despite this simple fact, however, many regard those that know enough to swirl and sniff their wine as pretentious wine ’snobs’. But this is not the case. This is how to get the best out of a bottle, and I do it with every wine I drink, be it a cheap glugger or a Bordeaux first growth. My guide to how to taste wine explains how it’s done. Continue Reading »
Q: Does coffee or caffeine prevent the absorption of vitamins or minerals? What about alcohol?
A: Coffee is the most concentrated source of caffeine in our diets, with each mug giving you about 100 milligrams. This caffeine can interfere with the absorption of certain minerals, including magnesium, calcium, and iron, but the loss is minimal. And while some studies suggest that drinking coffee can thin bones, you can offset the danger by adding milk. (I recommend nonfat powdered milk, which delivers calcium but adds few calories.) Continue Reading »