So last Friday we started the test and here are the results of an objective jury

The basic receipe of making perfect Mint Julep:

1 tsp powder sugar
dash of water
approx. 4 twigs of mint
9 cl bourbon
crushed ice

Dissolve powder sugar in water. Add mints, leaving couple of leaves for decoration. Muddle the mint leaves slightly. Add some crushed ice and bourbon. Stir from bottom up, top up with more crushed ice. Place mint leaves on the top, so that you can have the smell in your nose when drinking. Klaus tip was to take a slice of ananas and rub it around the rim of the glass. This makes the taste!

So first we tried as in the cocktail workshop the julep with Jim Beam Black. The taste is really balanced, easy to drink, sour, light smokey – perfect for julep! We really got into that drink

Next we tried The Original Georgia Mint Julep.
Basically mixing like above, but instead of bourbon this is done with 6cl Cognac (Brandy) and 3 cl real peach brandy. We used Remy Martin Grand Cru and Apricot Brandy.
This was quite sweet, less apricot brandy would have done it, too.
Wooden taste, smells way better than mint julep with Jim Beam Black, but apricot brandy overwhelms the taste.
Apricot brandy is certainly a nice touch, but if adding too much of it, it almost ruins the drink.
So the first Mint Julep holds it position!

Further it goes with two other variations. Mint Julep with Maker’s Mark and Mint Julep with Booker’s. Actually in early days Mint Julep was drunk by farmers around 6 am in the morning (before breakfast!), as they were going around their farm. And they used Booker’s for this – to note, Booker’s has over 50% alcohol. I don’t know if I could have done this so early in the morning….

The smell of the Mint Julep with Maker’s Mark was by far the best. But we noticed that the taste developes better after the ice has melt in the drink a bit more. Right at the beginning it was a bit too sweet. After waiting a while, much better!

Finally Booker’s. We did this by burning the alcohol, which actually made one of the glasses break… Bad glasses! Or it was not the burning, but Peek who wanted to go home by then and broke the glass in purpose… you never know!

It hadn’t any smell really, but a roasted aroma. (I can’t really read my notes anymore, maybe this drink had something to do with it..) Anyway something like strong, therefore hard to taste the fine aromas. But comes close to Jim Beam Black.

Actually the very best bourbon in Mint Julep was suprisingly Jim Beam Black. I wouldn’t recommend though to do the test with so many bourbons at once (or finish all drinks), cause we were just a little bit drunk afterwards

I will first list the cocktails of the evening with receipes and finally also some pictures! It is still a bit challenge to make the same drink for seven people

The Alamagoozlum Cocktail
1/2 egg white
6 cl genever gin (I used Bols Bokma)
6 cl water
4,5 cl jamaica rum (didn’t have one, so used Brugal instead)
4,5 cl gomme syrup
1,5 cl orange curacao
1,5cl Angostura Bitter (I just put a few dashes not to make it too bitter)
Shake very hard and pour into several cocktail glasses.

This was very interesting cocktail, some first expressions went to Jaegermeister direction. But lighter and not so sweet.

The Bebbo Cocktail
4,5 cl gin
3 cl fresh lemon juice
1,5 cl honey
2 teaspoons orange juice
Stir all ingredients (except ice) together in a cocktail shaker until the honey dissolves. Add ice, shake, and strain into a cocktail glass.

Also not a bad one, with honey a bit sweet. As gin I used the Bols Silverdrop Dry Gin, which seemed to go quite well in the drink.

The Communist
3 cl gin
3 cl orange juice
1,5 cl cherry brandy
2 cl fresh lemon juice
Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

Yes, very drinkable. At least I didn’t hear so many complaints Great thing with these cocktails is that you don’t really need any decoration for the drinks they convince one with the taste.

This cocktail i.e. was named first in a cocktail pamphlet from 1933 titled Cocktail Parade.

The Filmograph Cocktail
6 cl Brandy
2 cl lemon syrup (the book recommends lemon juice instead, otherwise quite sweet)
1,5 cl kola tonic

Shake in an iced cocktail shaker and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

Quite nice this drink! Making kola tonic takes a bit time, but it is definately worth trying!
I actually had another two cocktails on the list to try, but due to quite high amount of alcohol in these cocktails we didn’t manage to get further… I suppose in 1930’s long drinks were not that common?

In between we continued the Gin & Tonic blind tasting. This time with one really big suprise! So here are the Pt. III tasting notes:

Flight 1: Citadelle/Schweppes, Tanqueray/Schweppes, Citadelle/Haindl’s
Citadelle with Schweppes fresh, light, neutral, round, not a strong gin taste – winner of this flight
Tanqueray with Schweppes more gin taste, bitter, lemon – came second but not far from the first place
Citadelle with Haindl’s too mild, nasty lemon, metallic, cheap, flat – clear loser of the round
This round had really suprises, biggest one was the absolutely different taste of Citadelle with these two tonics! With Schweppes nice round and with Haindl’s not drinkable at all. And this was the common opinion. Small suprise that Tanqueray did first, we would have expected Citadelle to do so, as quite many do favourize it.

Flight 2: The Duke/Schweppes and Hendrick’s/Schweppes
The Duke fresh, gin comes nicely through but not being too intensiv – winner
Hendrick’s milder but more gin taste, partly moldy, not well balanced – clear No. two
Here again, we added cucumber to Hendrick’s after taking the tasting notes. The taste changed remarkably – for the better! This made some to prefer Hendrick’s to The Duke. The Duke is a dry gin from Munich, so German gins are not doing so bad in our tastings!

Flight 3: Bombay Sapphire/Schweppes and Larios 12/Schweppes
For both gins all opinions went for bitter and not good. But best of the worst was Larios 12, after adding slice of orange to Larios 12 the taste changed also here for much better and made it clear winner of this flight.

As we experience so many suprises with gin & tonic blind tastings, we will continue with pt. IV next time
And of course with another cocktail theme.

This time without the ambitious plan to try as many beers as possibly, but just to go around and taste some nice beers
You just can’t go pass Augustiner Edelstoff on tap.. so we took the time and enjoyed this one. Right beside it there was a Czech booth with some interesting sign in there – Dark beer bowle. Hmm.. need to try! Basically this was just ‘the Prag beer’ of Staropramen brewery, poured into a glass with some can fruits.. The beer was ok, but these fruits made it too sweet and artificial. No need to try this again!

We moved on and tried some Belgian beers. Trappisten beer, Kastell and Champagne beer. Trappisten was really good, nice malty. Kastell way too sweet and Champagne beer also too sweet, with a slight taste of lime. While sitting in there we noticed a phenomena, never seen before in outdoor festivals – there was a queue to men’s toilet, not to women’s! I quite found that hard to believe, so I had to go and see myself. And indeed, I was able to walk right in! Another reason to love the Bierboerse!!!

We also tried some other beers, but these are not really worth mentioning. The last specialities we had at Greizer’s, there was a lot to try.. But no more tasting notes on these, just enjoying.. It was worth again to visit Bierboerse, especially on Friday, where you could go around from one booth to another without large crowds blocking your way. Next year again!

But before starting this, we tested some “Weizen” (wheat beer) at the balcony. It was warm and sunny evening, so what would be better than that!

First we tried Schorschbock and Schorschweizen from a Bavarian brewery Schorschbräu. The brewery calls this “one of the strongest beers in the world”. 13% Vol. in 0,5l bottle.

Schorsbock tasted too much of hops, heavy, sweet. All in all a beer for a summer garden in a snowy winter day!

Schorschweizen tasted bitter, but sweet. Too sweet, so it felt like eating marschmellows. Maybe a wheat beer for winter – but just maybe. All in all not so nice taste.

And we did something, we normally never ever do – after a few sips poured the beer in a sink..

Next we tried Thurn und Taxis Weissbier of Brauerei Thurn und Taxis.
5,3% Vol. in 0,5l bottle.

In a way sparkly, light, refreshing. This you can call a summer “Weizen”.
Although on the other hand dull in aftertaste, so personally I found it a little bit too waterly and tasteless.

Now the sauna was warmed up, so we could take the next two beers under inspection.
And what should you test in a finnish sauna? Finnish beer, of course! The competing beers this time Lapin Kulta and Heidelberger.

Lapin Kulta (also called reindeer piss in Finland..), 5,2% Vol., 0,33l. This is the export beer of Lapin Kulta, so stronger than the normal beer they sell in supermarkets in Finland.
Typical light scandinavian beer, the normal version with less alcohol would probably be even better in the sauna. Refreshing and when getting warmer, more round taste. Quite netural in taste, which may work good in the sauna, but not outside. 8 points from Jens, 8 points from me + 1 extra point for feeling almost like home in Finland (specially with finnish music in background ). All in all 8,5 points for Lapin Kulta.

Heidelberger is probably not very well known beer, but due to it’s funny labels and ads, such as “No Prosecco, but the Original” or “No Alcopop, but the Original”, it is already cool! 4,7% Vol., 0,33l.
Lightly bitter, still not too heavy in the sauna. Not the worst one we tried, but doesn’t quite come up to the very best. We give 7,5 points.

Premium beer continues as No. 1, closely followed by Lapin Kulta. But we do not stop testing!!

Schweizer’s is located in the old Keeper’s Lounge premises on Schweizer Strasse. Very nice interior and hearing that Oli had done everything by himself, we were very impressed.

Unfortunately the place was so crowded that we just sat outside and had some gin tonics.  Looking forward next time sitting in the back lounge and having a (hopefully) great long island iced tea..

So all the best Oli – you’ll be seeing us!

Castle Hill Doublewood

This single malt comes from Switzerland. Jens found this in last year’s Interwhiskey and as only one in our group learned to love it.
It matures at the start in chestnut barrels, after which it ist moved to used scottish whiskey barrels. It should taste of chestnuts with a light smokey aroma.
Well, as of Jens opinion it has this cheesy smell and taste. I do love cheese, but find this whiskey tastes like smelly feet..

As is generally known – there is no accounting for taste!

Ardbeg Supernova

Ardbeg brought about few months ago their most smokey whiskey with 100ppm phenol count to market.

If you are a fan of smokey whiskeys, this is a treasure you should get. First day it came out, we (or Jens) got a bottle and it has found friends with everyone, who has tasted it.   I would say a real “male” whiskey it is

What is every poker player’s favourite drink?
- Vodka Raisin!

It wouldn’t be us, if we didn’t find a way to serve this drink Cheers!

My absolut favourite Coeur de Cognac of Rémy Martin had a good resonance also amongst others. It’s has a round, full, fruity taste, very smooth. With crushed ice this cognac suites every occasion.
After that we didn’t leave the opportunity to compare also the two XO’s we had. Rémy Martin and Courvoisier. They both are exceptional good, but funnily enough Courvoisier is much smoother and easier to drink. Interesting to compare these two, didn’t cross my mind that there would be such a difference. Still have the Rémy Martin Extra, which is aged at least 23 years in oak barrels (XO – 18 years).

After a few rounds of poker we moved to a gin & tonic blind tasting. Three gins, three tonics.

First flight was the quite new Beefeater 24 gin, with Schweppes and Kinleys.

The smell was better with Kinleys, but the taste scored better with Schweppes. Tasting notes of sweet, smooth with character, full and round were mentioned with Schweppes.

With Kinleys it was fresh, but also plain dull. Bitter, but better finish.
All in all a very nice gin, but more round with Schweppes.

In the Second flight we had Pink 47 against G’wine. Both with Schweppes.

First thing to notice was the very strong cardamom smell of Pink 47. This was the first time, we actually noticed this so strongly, although we had been drinking that gin before. The smell continued in the taste, strong cardamom. But also light lemony, all in all very special taste.

G’wine had opinions a bit apart. On the one hand waterly (maybe due to grapes) and lemony, not really suprising, good basic gin & tonic. On the other hand intensiv, scratchy.

At last in the third flight Adler Gin from Germany.
At the beginning I have to note that previously this gin was rated one of the best, even by people, who normally don’t drink gin. This is the reason we were so suprised after the blind tasting.

Schweppes and Fentimans tonics were put against each other with this gin. With Schweppes there was only one opinion – not drinkable. Taste of car cleaning liquid.
With Fentimans a light lemony, but also metallic taste. Not much more to say to this gin.

Clear winner was Beefeater 24 with Schweppes, followed by Pink 47. Biggest suprising loser was Adler. It was again funny to notice, how the taste of the gin is changed by the tonic. We will though keep testing, still many more gins to try!

Firstly we tried Kozel (0,5L bottle, 4,0% alcohol). But not really suitable for the sauna. Too bitter, too heavy. There just isn’t more than 4 points in to it.
We had high expectations of Eiszäpfle (0,33L, 5,6% alcohol), since the Tannenzäpfle is quite a nice beer and the name of this (ice) directs to a nice cooling effect in the sauna. The beer itself is not bad at all, but in the sauna it was too spicy, missing the refreshing effect. We rated this with 3 points.
We also shouldn’t miss the classic Beck’s on tap (4,9% alcohol), one of our favourite beers. Actually before starting the sauna test the only beer we had in the sauna. Funnily enough, not anymore the ultimately best one! In my opinion, beeing very cold it has this bitter taste, but when warming up a little bit, it becomes much more nicer and smoother in taste. 8 points.
Then finally the Augustinerbräu München – Lagerbier Hell (0,5L, 5,2%). This was really a surprise, refreshing, light, very drinkable in the sauna! But still having nice aromatic taste. 8 points also.

So the standing at the moment:
1. Premium beer – 9 points
2. Beck’s on tap – 8 points
2. Augustiner Hell – 8 points
4. Gambrinus – 7 points
5. Hövels – 6,5 points
6. Holy Grail – 4 points
6. Kozel – 4 points
8. Eiszäpfle – 3 points