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"Bad news isn't wine. It doesn't improve with age." - Colin Powell

Mayflower Brewing Co.

Beer was the staple drink on board the Mayflower. Unlike water, which quickly spoiled when stored in the hold of ships, beer contained no bacteria, and the then-recent introduction of hops made it keep longer. It was also a terrific source of carbohydrates. Men, women and children drank beer daily, and sailors aboard the Mayflower received a daily ration of a gallon.
Almost 400 years later, there is still some great beer being made in Plymouth by our friends at Mayflower Brewing. They’ll be doing our “Chill and Grill” on Friday, July 11 and will feature “Hop Chef” winner Johnny Sheehan of New World Tavern on the grill. They make some terrific beers and for that reason, we’re featuring them as our “Beer of the Week”.

Pale Ale – Traditional English pale ales have mild malt character and aroma offset by pronounced hop bitterness. Mayflower Pale Ale is a dry version of this classic beer style. Its bready and toasted malt flavor is balanced by earthy and herbal aromas from two varieties of traditional English and American-grown hops.

Golden Ale – Mayflower Golden Ale is crisp and dry with a slight malt flavor and a subtle hop spice. This straw-colored ale offers easy drinkability for the novice yet plenty of flavor for the discriminating connoisseur.

India Pale Ale – As the British Empire expanded, English brewers added extra hops to keep beer fresh for increasingly long sea voyages. Mayflower IPA balances a powerful hop profile with full malt flavor to create a smooth brew with well-rounded bitterness. Four varieties of American hops lend a delightful piney flavor and fruity aroma.

Porter – Mayflower Porter is a rich, complex brew that is smooth and full-flavored. Five varieties of malted barley provide notes of roasted coffee beans and bittersweet chocolate with a hint of smokiness.

Summer Rye Ale – Mayflower Summer Rye Ale is the ultimate summer session beer. Brewed with pilsner, rye, and wheat malts and plenty of American hops, this beer is dry and spicy with mild and fruity bitterness.

Drew Estates Cigars

The Natural cigar line by Drew Estate is a cigar you have to try. Each is handmade in Esteli, Nicaragua with a host of different gourmet long-leaf tobaccos from Syria, Haiti, Turkey, Dominican Republic and St. James Parish. Each size and shape is slightly different… but each is infused with aromatic pipe tobaccos for a distinct experience that only Drew Estate can deliver. These cigars impart a unique taste which you won’t find anywhere else.

Each size in the line is a different blend and therefore offers a very distinct flavor profile.

Jucy Lucy: Cameroon wrapper; small size; hint of caramel, smooth
Big Jucy: an extra-big, extra-juicy, Jucy Lucy
Dirt: black as night; delicately seasoned; hints of mocha
Root: mocha cappuccino taste; hearty flavors
Dark Angel: a chunky torpedo with a rich, sweet, and complex medium-full flavor.
Egg: an intriguing flavor, aroma, and rabbit-in-a-snake appearance

Something New and Fresh!

Try one of these fun cocktails and as always stop by Pioppi’s to grab all of the spirits needed to create these fresh concoctions.

Elderflower Mojito

Ingredients

  • 4 blackberries
  • 4 mint sprigs
  • 3 lime wedges
  • 1.5 ounces Dunc’s Mill Elderflower Rum
  • 1 lime wedge (for garnish)
  • 1 mint sprig (for garnish)
  • Club soda or sparkling water

Directions
Muddle blackberries, mint sprigs and lime wedges in a highball glass. Add rum. Fill with ice. Top with club soda.
Garnish with lime wedge and mint sprig.

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Mama’s Lemonade

Ingredients

  • 2 parts Mama Walkers Blueberry Pancakes
  • 4 parts Lemonade

Build in a collins glass.

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Green Apple Tartz

Ingredients

  • 1 part Three Olives TARTZ™ Vodka
  • 2 parts apple juice

Mix all ingredients together with ice & serve in a rocks glass. Garnish with a green apple slice.

Siglo Maduro

Siglo Maduro

I always try to revisit old friends. It’s been a while since I’ve had a Siglo. They kind of sit towards the bottom of the humidor and I will try one a couple of times a summer. The summer like sun yesterday was my excuse (it really wasn’t all that summery but this winter, we take any excuse. Above 30 feels good). My thoughts on the revisitation:

The Siglo Limited Reserve Maduro is an attractive cigar in almost every way. The band showcases the Siglo Limited Reserve Maduro name over a silver, black, white, and yellow color scheme while the cigar itself has a dark oily brown wrapper. It harkens to the Cuban Cohiba band. It’s supposed to.

The Siglo is also quite smooth on the surface and sports solid construction. The foot reveals a slightly sweet aroma with hints of chocolate. This stick lights evenly and has a great draw.

The flavor of the Siglo Limited Reserve Maduro is complex and packs a nice punch throughout the smoke. It opens with earthiness in the first third. There is a slight hint of sweetness that develops into the middle of the experience and the smoke develops a nice bit of spicy pepper along with some leather notes. The finish is a blend of toast, wood, and more pepper. This is definitely a full-bodied cigar.

I enjoy the Siglo Limited Reserve Maduro and you will too if you’re a fan of maduros. It provides a fairly complex taste profile without being too overpowering. I recommend this stick for when you’ve had a good meal and want something with some oomph that will hold up as an after dinner smoke. It’s not for beginners, however, so keep that in mind.

There are five sizes in the line that includes 5 1/2 x44 II, 7 x 54 IX, 5 x 54 IV and VI, and the 5 1/8 x 52 X. The cigar’s filler is a blend of Nicaraguan and Dominican tobaccos. The binder is Broadleaf, and the wrapper is Mexican San Andres Morron.

Enjoy! JPS

Lovefest - Featured Craft Beer

The Perfect Valentine’s Day Craft Brew

lovefest - Boston Beer WorksLove Fest By Boston Beer Works

This robust Chocolate Strawberry Stout is brewed to warm up even the coldest, darkest, dreariest New England winter evening. A very rich and malty brew with hints of cocoa and real strawberry, this beer is perfect for sipping fireside!
OG:16.5°; IBU:40; ABV:6.5%

 

January Featured Spirits

Fun Featured Cocktails

Try one of these featured drinks as they are sure to warm up any cold winter afternoon!

Hot Cherry
  • 1 part Fireball Whisky
  • 1 part Grey Goose Cherry Noir® vodka
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • Shake all ingredients and serve over fresh ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with a lemon slice.

 Connection

  • 1.5 oz. Ciroc Coconut
  • 2 oz. Cranberry Juice
  • 3/4 oz Grapefruit Juice
  • 1 oz St Germain Liquor