IT'S OFFICIAL #647

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LarryMullen's POPAngel

Blue Crack Distributor
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I'll be up with the sun, I'm not coming down...
My friend and I just ended the night at a local coffeehouse. I had a tall mocha latte. I am going to be up all night now.

Oh, and I'm watching the Boston dvd-yay!!! Edge is gonna throw his gee-tar around soon-woohoo!!
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Cut out the poetry
Let's hit the main artery
No time for a tourniquet
Let the colour's all run out of me
 
I'm immune to caffeine by now
comes with the job

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Salome
Shake it, shake it, shake it
 
I wouldn't survive my job if it weren't for a steady stream of caffeine.

It's 2:15, and I'm not sleepy. And I haven't had any caffeine since coming home. I did have a glass of wine, a beer, and my first shot of cement mixer (interesting...), but not in that order.

Today was actually a good day (especially compared to the last few days I've had). I'm not exactly happy, but it was a good day nonetheless.

Aaaanyway...
 
Ok.
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Take 2 shotglasses. One half full of Bailey's, One half full of sweetened lime juice. Put the Bailey's in your mouth (but don't swallow). Then put the lime juice in and swish them around before swallowing.

It tastes good, it's just a weird texture thing.
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It sounds like one of those drinks that make you screw your face up and wait for your tongue to go back to normal. Kinda like the lemon after Tequila, and then the salt.

Whoever thought they were a good idea????

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Originally posted by Diemen:


It tastes good, it's just a weird texture thing.
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Isn't there a shot like that called Brains? But it's already curdled in the shot glass, giving it that lovely brains look and texture.

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I've been walking Central Park
Singing after dark
People think I'm crazy
 
Originally posted by ~LadyLemon~:
Isn't there a shot like that called Brains? But it's already curdled in the shot glass, giving it that lovely brains look and texture.


Yep. I haven't tried one yet, but it's the same idea. Except I think it's cooler to have the reaction take place in your mouth.
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I LOVE tequila!

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I've been walking Central Park
Singing after dark
People think I'm crazy
 
Yes, I also love tequila and I think that this alcoholic beverage has gotten a particularly bad rap because most people have only tried really shitty tequila like Cuervo which resulted in a blackout and a really bad hangover. True tequila contains only 100% Blue Agave and if this is not stated on the bottle than your tequila is a mixture of agave and grain alchohol or some other really cheap stuff. I can sit around and drink good tequila all night and still not have a hangover the next morning as long as I remember to drink a glass of water before I go to sleep.

If anyone is interested in trying some decent tequila, I suggest:

Patron Silver (a bit expensive but worth it. This is a sipping tequila)

Hornitos Sauza (a good mid-range tequila. The price is right and so is the quality. This one could be used in Margaritas)

"There is no worm in Mexican-bottled tequila. Yes, some American-bottled brand(s) put one in their bottle to impress the gringos and boost sales, but it's only a marketing ploy and not a Mexican tradition. There is a worm - called a gusano, properly a butterfly caterpillar (Hipopta Agavis) - in some types of mezcal (but not all). You may also get a small bag of 'worm salt' - dried gusano, salt and chile powder tied to a mezcal bottle."

Sorry for ranting.


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We plants are happy plants.
 
Calluna, you have awed me with your tequila knowledge.

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I've been walking Central Park
Singing after dark
People think I'm crazy
 
Yes Calluna Kalhua. Amazing is your knowledge. Unfortunately, it does not take away from the fact that Tequila still tastes like Turps. In fact, turps is on average, about $40 a bottle cheaper than Tequila, so...
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I have on idea what Tequila I have had, its most like the really cheap and nasty turps variety, Im usually so absolutely completely totally and undeniably rat shit by the time I get to Turps/Tequila shots, that I wouldnt be surprised if they served me up shots of the good old 'Diggers Mineral Turpentine'. And being me, happily hand over my $6 for the shot and then proclaim it would have been a lot easier to actually swallow a flame than consume 'this shit'. hehehe.

Mmm, alcohol. So Calluna, what IS the dif between cheap tequila, and good tequila?
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Thanks Lady Lemon, Angie and Diemen. I was afraid I was just ranting and no one would care what I had to say. But for some strange reason it is an important issue for me. I guess you could say that I take my drinking seriously.
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Angela, the easiest way to tell if a tequila is good is to check the label. If it says 100% Puro de Agave or 100% Blue Agave then you can be fairly certain that it is a good tequila. But if it says Distillado de Agave or nothing at all then you can be fairly sure that it is not pure tequila but a mixture of Agave and other nasty stuff like additives and bad alcohol. Yes, good teqila is expensive but it can be very nice in the summertime with some lime and chips and salsa. It is your summer now so you should treat yourself to a bottle!

"The most important identifier on the label is "100% agave" or "100% agave azul" - cien por ciento de agave azul. This means it is made only from the blue agave plant, and was approved by a government inspector to ensure purity. If it doesn't say this, it legally can be mixed up to 49 per cent with other ingredients (allegedly the amount of agave required was increased in 1995 from 51% to 60%, but this has not been confirmed). Sometimes this means added spirits, but usually it's sugar, caramel and almond essence - and it can still be called 'tequila.' Mixto tequilas bottled outside Mexico do not have to live up to the 1995 standard and may be diluted to 51% agave.

All those non-agave ingredients are the recipe for a hangover. And "100% agave" can make even a blanco tequila into a respectable drink, with a peppery flavour-sharp tang."


Official designations:
The four types of tequila

Blanco or plata (white or silver) is Tipo (type) 1: the most common type. It's considered 'unaged' and is under 60 days old, and may be bottled fresh from distillation. Sometimes this is a harsh, young (joven) drink, but it can also be tastier and more robust than highly refined varieties, if it's marked "100 per cent agave" (see below). Some distillers may 'rest' blanco tequilas in oak barrels for more smoothness - the maximum allowable period is 30 days.

Joven abocado (young and smoothed, also called gold - oro) is Tipo 2: basically the same as blanco, but with colouring and flavouring ingredients added to make it look aged. These are also called suave or oro (gold) because of its colouring (usually through added caramel and sometimes oak essence, up to 1% total weight). In the industry they're known as mixto, or mixed blends. Generally they're not as good as 100% agave, but they are also very popular for export sales. Note that Herradura calls its 100% agave reposado tequila "gold," but it is not to be confused with a gold mixto.

Reposado, Tipo 3, means rested. This is aged from two months to up to a year in oak casks or barrels. This is where the better tequilas start and the tastes become richer and more complex. The longer the aging, the darker the colour and the more the wood affects the flavour. Reposado accounts for more than 60% of all tequila sales in Mexico. It was the first type of aged tequila.

A?ejo (aged, or vintage) is Tipo 4: aged in government-sealed barrels of no more than 350 liters, for a minimum of a year. They may be aged longer - as long as eight to ten years, although many authorities say tequila is at its best at four or five years. It is usually removed from the barrels and racked into stainless steel tanks after four years because evaporation in the barrels reaches 50% or more). Many of the a?ejos become quite dark and the influence of the wood is more pronounced than in the reposado variety. After three or more years, these a?ejos may be called "muy a?ejo" or "tres a?ejos" by the manufacturers - a term not recognized officially.

Reserva de casa although not an officially recognized "tipo," usually means premium, and may be a limited production variety. Most are also a?ejo. Other unofficial categories include gran reposado - which should mean it was aged longer than the minimum - and blanco suave. These are attempts by manufacturers to identify their product as unique within the rigid government guidelines for labelling. Both should also be identified as 100 per cent agave.

Types aside, all tequilas have similar alcohol contents - roughly the same percentage as any standard scotch, vodka, gin or bourbon - around 38-40 per cent (76-80 proof).

I got those quotes from: http://www.ianchadwick.com/tequila/buying.html
In Search of the Blue Agave


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We plants are happy plants.
 
Originally posted by ~LadyLemon~:
Isn't there a shot like that called Brains? But it's already curdled in the shot glass, giving it that lovely brains look and texture.


Ummmmmmmmmmmmmm.... no thanks.



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She's gonna dream up a world she wants to live in / She's gonna dream out loud.
Visit my web page at www.u2page.com
 
Sorry to be draggin this one up again, but I have to ask Calluna our res. Tequila chick one or 2 more things. Firstly, whats the dif in taste?
And secondly, Im curious, you say Tequila doesn't give you hangovers. I personally haver never had a hangover, but whenever I do drink it, it gets me drunker than any spirit or cocktail ever could. I dont feel any side effects the next day, but it sure doesn hit me during drinking it! So how exactly do you drink it anyway? Straight with a bit of lime juice? I'm guessing its not in shot form either.

Btw, that really is some fascinating info on it! thanks dearie
 
Originally posted by Angela Harlem:
Firstly, whats the dif in taste?

A good silver or blanco tequila is clear in color and very smooth. It is not aged so you can really taste the agave, it is almost more like a cactus wine than a liquor.
Reposados and Anejos have been aged for a period of time in oak barrels. Often the Oak barrels were previously used to store cognac so the cognac flavor is apparent in the tequila.
What it all comes down to in the end is personal preference. I happen to prefer the silver or blanco tequila because I like that agave flavor and smooth quality, but that is just me.

"What makes a good tequila? For some it is the earthy, vegetable taste and aroma of the agave. For others it is the sharp bite of the blanco or reposados. Still others prefer the smooth, oaky body of the a?ejos. Edgar Allen Poe's three commandments for great writing - brevity, intensity and effect - capture the effect of a good tequila.

There is no single 'best' tequila - although by all reports the ultra-premium a?ejos are just about everyone's favourite choice. Maybe it's because they cost so much. For those us with shallower pockets, there are other brands a little less expensive that are equally wonderful to enjoy. Be cautious when choosing by sight alone: darker colour does not always indicate longer aging or better quality.

The best advice is to try several brands?and several types to find the taste you like. Some distilleries have reputations for making mild, spicy or earthy brands, others for strong alcohol finish or other tastes. A good way to introduce yourself to tequila is to find a bar which specializes in it, and a bartender who understands the differences between them.

Originally posted by Angela Harlem:
So how exactly do you drink it anyway? Straight with a bit of lime juice? I'm guessing its not in shot form either.

"....The proper order of the traditional method of drinking tequila is salt-tequila-lime: lick, sip, bite. But as Alvaro Mutis wrote in his poem:

Tequila is frequently accompanied by two attendants:
salt and lime.
Yet it is always willing to engage in dialogue,
backed by nothing other than its lustrous transparency.

As a special drink, a premium tequila should be sipped like cognac or single-malt scotch, eschewing even the salt and lime until you learn to appreciate its subtlety. Afterwards, once you've appreciated its character, you can always put out a plate of lime slices and salt... or drink a chaser of Sangrita, a popular non-alcoholic and spicy drink made of orange and tomato juices, that tastes a bit like a Bloody Caesar. Don't mix it in margaritas or shooters - the true flavour will be lost in the sugars and syrups of the companion liquids (the blended stuff - mixto - may be fine here, but it's preferable to use 100% agave).

But sip the premium tequila neat - slowly and gently, to enjoy the aroma, the body and the taste. Taste it as you would a fine wine. Life is really too short to miss out on enjoying it properly. Vicente Quirarte, writing in Artes de Mexico no. 27, compares those hastily-downed "tequila shots" to "the paid favours of anxious adolescent sex."

I got my quotes from the same website, listed above. Thanks angie, I'm glad you found this info informative.
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We plants are happy plants.
 
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