HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: winalski@adserv.enet.dec.com (Paul S. Winalski)
Subject: Re: Some questions for a novice
Reply-To: winalski@adserv.enet.dec.com (Paul S. Winalski)
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation, Nashua NH
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 1992 20:54:17 GMT


|>hacksaw@cellar.org (Hacksaw) writes:
|>>
|>>  Generally, what is the highest proof that can be _safely_ consumed straight 
|>> by the average drinker? By "safely" I mean something that may knock you out 
|>> for an short while, but not cause blindness/death or any other long term 
|>> side effects. 

The percentage of alcohol (proof) has a lot less to do with safety of
consumption than the amount consumed.  The biggest problem with 95% (190 proof)
alcohol is that since it has none of the congenerics and flavoring elements
of conventional booze, it is possible to drink too much of it without
realizing that one has done so.  And since it's nearly 2.5 times as strong as
the usual booze, it takes far fewer drinks to get the same amount of alcohol
into your system.

Concentrated ethanol is a very potent mucous membrane irritant, which is why
distilled spirits burn in the mouth and throat.  Doing shots of 151 or 190
proof booze is bad for the lining of the mouth and esophagus.  Heavy drinkers
of distilled spirits have a higher incidence of esophageal and stomach cancer.
Long term, heavy consumption of alcoholic beverages of any kind is not good
for the liver.

Blindness isn't a problem associated with excess consumption of ethanol.  It is
a problem with consuming methanol, which is quite poisonous and can cause
blindness.  Methanol is commonly added to 95% ethanol as a denaturant, so that
the resultant product can be sold for commercial uses without being taxed as
an alcoholic beverage.  It's important, when consuming 190-proof alcohol, to
make sure that what you buy is in fact intended for human consumption.
Otherwise, it might contain methanol, benzene, or other assorted nasties in it.
Methanol can get into booze if it's not distilled properly.  Drinking moonshine
is thus a risky business.

Drinking until you pass out is not safe.  There have been cases were people have
died of acute alcohol poisoning after rapid consumption of a fifth of 86-proof
booze (what happens is that you go unconscious, vomit in your sleep, inhale the
vomit, and suffocate).  It would take less than half a bottle of Everclear to do
the same thing.

--PSW

Newsgroups: rec.food.drink
From: cloos@theory.TC.Cornell.EDU (James H. Cloos Jr.)
Subject: Society of Scotch Malt Connoisseurs' whisky selections
Organization: Cornell Information Technologies, Ithaca, NY 14853
Distribution: rec
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 1992 08:04:28 GMT

A local (high volume) discount liquor store carries a few of the
SoSMC's selections for $55 (USD) for 1977 caskings.  I'm curious how
that compares, value-wise, with other stores, esp. those in the UK.

(For those near Buffalo, Premier is the store; the SoSMC whiskys are
in the rare wine room.  They have Speyside, Compeltown, Northern and
Lowland--all 1977 caskings for $55.  They also have a 1965 casking of
Northern for $75.)

For those not familiar with the SoSMC, it has, I think, been discussed
here before, though I forget what was said--the name just sounds
familiar....  I picked up a fifth of the Speyside.  The label
indicates that it was casked in Dec'77 (cask no B15) and bottled in
Sept'88, and that it is at 55% alcohol--full cask proof.  The tasting
notes say:

	Nice and light pre-dinner dram.  Great nose, dry, with
	a hint of peat.  Full and round.  Really good dram.

and I have to agree, though I've not had one as an apertif, yet.  I
tend to prefer the likes of Laphroig, Tallisker, etc, but I find this
Speyside quite enjoyable, too.

May you have a flavourful day!

-JimC
-- 
James H. Cloos, Jr.		include <std/disclaimers.h>
Cloos@Theory.TC.Cornell.EDU     include <std/qotd>
Cloos@Batcomputer.UUCP 		Phone:  +1 716 866-5249
Cloos@CrnlThry.BITNET 		Snail:  POBox 1111, Amherst, NY 14226-1111
Newsgroups: rec.food.drink
From: sharen@iscnvx.lmsc.lockheed.com (Sharen A. Rund)
Subject: Re: Drinkable mass market wines?
Organization: Lockheed Missiles and Space Co.
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 92 17:10:35 GMT

In article <1992Dec17.231551.27821@leland.Stanford.EDU> stefan@leland.Stanford.EDU (Stefan Michalowski) writes:
>In article <Dec.12.23.16.11.1992.22347@gandalf.rutgers.edu> deatz@gandalf.rutgers.edu (Gregory H Deatz) writes:
>>pciszek@nyx.cs.du.edu (Paul Ciszek) writes:
>>
>>>I'm looking for tolerable wines that one can find in most liquor stores
>>>(in the U.S.) for under $7 a bottle....
>>
>>Try Bull's Blood. It's a hungarian red wine that I find to be one of 
>>the best I have ever had. I'm no connosieur, but I do appreciate my wine, and
>>it only costs about 6.99 a bottle. That's what I like the best.
>
>
>I second this recommendation. Egri Bikaver has been around for
>many years and has always been a good value. But $6.99 a bottle??
>You can get it at Trader Joe's in California for around $3.00 [sic].
>

Cost Plus also carries it for about the same lower price - and, I 
believe you get that cute little 'bull' that you can keep as a
souvenir....B-)

>Stefan
>
>P.S. Caution must be used when bashing Gallo wines. It used to
>be cool to scoff at all American wines, especially Gallo. Then
>the cognoscenti decided that Gallo was just not the thing compared
>with such exotica as Beaulieu and Mirassou. My advice is to skip the
>judgements that are based on image, advertising, etc, and to
>recognize it for what it is: a decent, medium-priced product.
>No more, no less.
>
>S.


-- 
________________       __        ________________   "They that can give up
\_________      \     /_ \      /      _________/  essential liberty to 
 \_________      \_____/  \____/      _________/  obtain temporary safety
  \___________________      __________________/  deserve neither liberty 
                     /______\                   nor safety."  
ALL disclaimers apply ....                           --Benjamin Franklin
From: sharen@iscnvx.lmsc.lockheed.com (Sharen A. Rund)
Newsgroups: rec.food.drink
Subject: Re: rye whiskey (was: CC Classic vs Crown Royal)
Date: 18 Dec 92 20:29:04 GMT
Organization: Lockheed Missiles and Space Co.

In article <RSHAPIRO.92Dec18100327@kariba.bbn.com> rshapiro@bbn.com (Richard Shapiro) writes:
>In article <1992Dec10.214613.12416@osf.org> bsmith@crustacean.osf.org (Bruce Smith) writes:
>   Is Canadian whiskey = to rye whiskey?
>
>
>No, Canadian is not rye. There isn't much rye whiskey on the market
>these days. The one with the most rye flavor is Old Overholt, but
>don't expect much finesse. For better balance overall, if less rye
>taste, I'd recommend Wild Turkey Rye. This is my personal favorite.
>Two other brands you may find are Pikesville Rye (undistinguished,
>imho) and Jim Beam Rye (never tried it). 
>
>   Has anyone
>   tried any straight Canadian; that is, the equivalent of a single malt?
>   *Is* there an equivalent?
>
>I believe all Canadian whiskey is blended, so there's no equivalent.
>You can get straight US corn whiskey, but I don't know why you'd want
>to.
>

don't know if all Canadian is blended - used to drink Windsor back in MN -
have a real hard time finding it out here tho - it was so smooth,,,,

-- 
________________       __        ________________   "They that can give up
\_________      \     /_ \      /      _________/  essential liberty to 
 \_________      \_____/  \____/      _________/  obtain temporary safety
  \___________________      __________________/  deserve neither liberty 
                     /______\                   nor safety."  
ALL disclaimers apply ....                           --Benjamin Franklin
	  
Newsgroups: rec.food.drink
From: michi@ptcburp.ptcbu.oz.au (Michael Henning)
Subject: Re: wine news from oz
Organization: Pyramid Technology Corporation
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 23:32:59 GMT

max@currawong.bhs.mq.edu.au (Max Coltheart) writes:
> Riesling is the name of a different grape.
  ^^^^^^^^

Bettern make that "Rhine Riesling". Riesling is a wine style.


								Michi.


-- 
      -m------- Michael Henning                 +61 75 950255
    ---mmm----- Pyramid Technology              +61 75 722475 FAX
  -----mmmmm--- Research Park, Bond University  michi@ptcburp.ptcbu.oz.au
-------mmmmmmm- Gold Coast, Q 4229, AUSTRALIA   uunet!munnari!ptcburp.oz!michi
Newsgroups: rec.food.drink
From: igb@fulcrum.co.uk (Ian G Batten)
Subject: Re: Society of Scotch Malt Connoisseurs' whisky selections
Organization: Fulcrum Communications
Distribution: rec
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 17:35:22 GMT

In article <HUNTER.92Dec13163156@work.nlm.nih.gov> hunter@work.nlm.nih.gov (Larry Hunter) writes:
>  Lagavulin (my regional fave)

I bought a bottle of 1977 single cask at barrel proof last week.  The
exact horrific number escapes me, but it's about 58% v/v alcohol.  Cost
me about 30 quid, which isn't too bad given that a regular bottle is the
best part of twenty.

It's a merchant bottling by Cadenhead.

Oddbins, so it's mainstream!

ian

Newsgroups: rec.food.drink,mikec@scripps.edu
From: sharen@iscnvx.lmsc.lockheed.com (Sharen A. Rund)
Subject: Recent tasting (90 zins) 
Organization: Lockheed Missiles and Space Co.
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 92 22:32:17 GMT

I belong to a group that does monthly tastings: for this one, the host
asked us if we could tell which wines were from which region and if
we could find the old wine (this was a blind tasting):

1990 Zinfandels (all CA: 4-Napa; 1-Pasa Robles; 1 Russian River; 2-Sonoma)
      1 of the above was 1982

1.  Dry Creek - Healdsburg - 14.5% alcohol - $12.00: tea, peppers, plums,
    nutmeg on the nose; pepper, berries, cherry, dill, rosemary, butter
    on the tongue - hint of residual sugar (my #2, groups #1)
 
2.  Castro Cellars - San Miguel, Pasa Robles - 14.2% alcohol - $6.99: 
    berries, pepper, spice on the nose; fruity, berry, cherry on the 
    tongue (my #3)

3.  Villa Mt Eden - Napa (CA grapes) - 13.8% alcohol - $6.49: tea, humidor
    faint nose; beefy, cherry, vegetal on the tongue

4.  Duxoup (pronounced duck soup)- Dry Creek - 13.1% alcohol - $ : berry,
    mint, pepper, wood on nose; cherry on tongue

5.  Caymus-  - 13.0% alcohol - $7.99; humidor, plum, berry, vanilla on 
    the nose; dry, faint berry, tart, cedar, medium acid on the tongue

6.  Ravenswood - North Coast - 12.9% alcohol - $5.69: tea, cherry, berry, 
    plum, jam on the nose; cherry, berry, jam on the tongue - chewy (my #1)

7.  Mayacumus (1982) - 13.0% alcohol - $8.00: berry, pepper, prunes, anise 
    on the nose; cherry, pepper, smokey, tobacco, leather on the tongue -
    could easily see the brown on the edges

8.  Sutterhome - Napa - 13.0% alcohol - $2.98: pepper, tea, spice on the
    nose; pepper, cherry, anise, mint on the tongue (my #8)

9.  Jug (or preminary taster wine) James Arthur Field - Napa - 12.5% alcohol
    - $ : generally around good drinking red table wine

To Mike, sorry, I mislead you on the year - only one was an '82

-- 
________________       __        ________________   "They that can give up
\_________      \     /_ \      /      _________/  essential liberty to 
 \_________      \_____/  \____/      _________/  obtain temporary safety
  \___________________      __________________/  deserve neither liberty 
                     /______\                   nor safety."  
ALL disclaimers apply ....                           --Benjamin Franklin
From: Robert.T.Warfield@dartmouth.edu (Robert T. Warfield)
Newsgroups: rec.food.drink
Subject: Re: information on MicroBArtender
Date: 15 Dec 92 19:58:54 GMT
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
X-Posted-From: InterNews1.0b3@newshost.dartmouth.edu


 I have just created a Hypercard bartenders guide of my own. While not
a good as MBA, it will be free. Is anyone interested?

**********************************************************************
* Arthur, king of the Britons    * King of the who?                  *
* King of the Brittons!          * Who are the Brittons anyway?      *
* I am, you are, we all are the  *                                   *
* Brittons and I am your king!   * Well, I didn't vote for you.      *
**********************************************************************
Robert T. Warfield@dartmouth.edu
From: Jari.Makela@hut.fi (Jari.Makela)
Newsgroups: rec.food.drink
Subject: Re: Society of Scotch Malt Connoisseurs' whisky selections
Date: 17 Dec 92 18:02:05
Organization: One of these days I'm gonna get organisized.
Distribution: rec
	<HUNTER.92Dec13163156@work.nlm.nih.gov>
NNTP-Posting-Host: hydroman.cs.hut.fi
In-reply-to: hunter@work.nlm.nih.gov's message of 13 Dec 92 16:31:56

In article <HUNTER.92Dec13163156@work.nlm.nih.gov> hunter@work.nlm.nih.gov (Larry Hunter) writes:
>Jim Cloos Jr asks: 
>  A local (high volume) discount liquor store carries a few of the SoSMC's
>  selections for $55 (USD) for 1977 caskings.  I'm curious how that compares,
>  value-wise, with other stores, esp. those in the UK....

>I saw the SoSMC selections when I was touring Scotland last summer, and tasted
>a couple of them.  The ones I saw were labeled "Pride of X (Speyside, etc.)"
>These are blended whiskeys (NOT single malts), but the blends are intended to
>capture the regional tastes you would get from buying single malts.  They have
>much more in common with the singles than the typical blended Scotch.

WRONG! 

The Pride-series is NOT by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society but by
independent bottler Gordon and MacPhail and the Prides aren't blends
either but _vatted_malts_. That is they are vats of different single
malts but contain no grain whisky.

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society bottlings are completely a different
thing:
"While official bottlings are normally reduced from a cask strenght of
60-plus to around 40 vol, with varying degrees of filtration at cold
temperatures to ensure brightness, some independents avoid these
steps, believing that they remove flavour. The Scotch Malt Whisky
Society is dedicated to this view." (from Michael Jackson's Malt
Whisky Companion)

The idea in cask strenght bottlings is that whisky is dilluted with
little water when drinking it and thus avoiding the chill filtration
process. When I first tried cask strenght whisky I was told to use
fifty fifty ratio in water and whisky but I decided to go for 25/75
which I would also recommend to anyone trying.

In cask strenghts the price is often bigger but you get 'more' whisky
too.

The only time I have seen the Scotch Malt Whisky Society bottlings was
in a bar havin a collection of about 300-400 different bottlings of
_single_ malts!! The labels of the SMWS bottlings only named the
region and no distillery name. There was also dates of distilling and
a description of the distillery so that one with enough information
(or Michael Jackson's book) can easily identify the distillery. The
descriptions were something like this: The most western distillery on
the south bank of Isle of Islay. I don't remember any actual ones but
that should give an idea.

Why the descriptions and not distillery names? Don't ask me... Maybe
the folks at the SMWS like trivia quizes... :)

Would I pay $55 for a SMWS bottling? Sure! Sad we have none here in
Finland for sale...

Where is the bar mentioned? Well... You'll bump there if you're enough
of an whisky enthusiast... :)

Jari
--
		 Yes shure, You're a long time dead.
Newsgroups: rec.food.drink
From: martin@lyra.cis.umassd.edu (Gary Martin)
Subject: Re: Drinkable mass market wines?
Organization: University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
	<1992Dec13.052956.17980@Princeton.EDU>
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 15:45:48 GMT

In article <1992Dec13.052956.17980@Princeton.EDU> roger@crux.Princeton.EDU (Roger Lustig) writes:

   From France, La Vielle Ferme continues to deliver great value.  Their 
   white-label white and red are always well-made, and their gold-label
   Cotes du Rhone are also good value at one price-notch up.  

It should be interesting to see what happens to the price and quality
of this wine over the next year or two.  It's been my favorite bargain
wine for about 4 years now, during which time I've seen the price
go from 3 for $10 up to about $7 or $8 per bottle (for the Cotes du
Ventoux).  I still see it occasionally on sale for around $5.  I've
also seen it in Texas for $9.  It's a good value at any of these
prices.  But Parker says that the bad years in the Rhone Valley in
1991 and 1992 have affected the quality, and that he won't be
recommending it.  My guess is that it will still be drinkable,
but not worth the current price.  So, will the price come back
down or will they try to make the most of the reputation they've
built over the last few years to charge more than it's worth?

I'm currently working on a bottle of the Cotes du Rhone reserve (1987?),
which has reminded me how wonderful this wine can be.




--
Gary A. Martin, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, UMass Dartmouth
Martin@cis.umassd.edu
Newsgroups: rec.food.drink
From: vsh@etnibsd.uucp (Steve Harris)
Subject: Re: juicer recommendations
Organization: Eaton Corp, Semiconductor Equipment Div., Beverly, MA
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 19:39:41 GMT

In article <3j-rhqq@lynx.unm.edu> mulberry@triton.unm.edu writes:
>Over ther Christmas holidays I intend on shopping
>for a juicing machine.  I would like to know which
>ones that people have liked and recommend.
>
>Comments?
>
>Bill  (mulberry@triton.unm.edu)

The subject was covered in this month's (or last month's)
Consumer Reports.

We have the Braun which, as Consumers noted, is a pain to clean,
so we don't use it as much as we might otherwise.

We are considering a mechanical (i.e., non-electric) citrus juicer.

-- 
... Steve Harris - Eaton Corp. - Beverly, MA - vsh%etnibsd@uunet.uu.net
From: annie@garnet.berkeley.edu  (Anne Jessop)
Newsgroups: rec.food.drink
Subject: Re: Drinkable mass market wines?
Date: 13 Dec 1992 08:03:05 GMT
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
NNTP-Posting-Host: garnet.berkeley.edu
Originator: annie@garnet.berkeley.edu

In article <1992Dec13.013821.1093@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu> pciszek@nyx.cs.du.edu (Paul Ciszek) writes:
>I'm looking for tolerable wines that one can find in most liquor stores
>(in the U.S.) for under $7 a bottle.  I thought I'd give Gallo a chance,
>just to be fair, but there was a seam in the cork and the stuff tasted
>like wine that has been opened for quite a while.  I have found some
>good Ste. Michelle and Charles Krug for under $7, but they are not always
>available in unenlightened booze marts.

To cleanse your palate, some unabashed Gallo bashing:
First off, Gallo is, by and large, shit.  Don't believe those
yuppie-wannabe-california-cuisine ads they've had out for the last six
months or so... where they display some artfully arranged prawns and lemon
grass and cilantro and say something like, "It's time to go back to Gallo."
They know they put out a low end product and they are trying to compensate
for that image.
The best "jug" wine I have tried (about $6 a bottle) is James Arthur
Field's table wine.  I'm not sure about the widespread availability of it,
but it's fairly easy to find in Northern California. I prefer the red to
the white, but then again, that reflects my general preference.
Good luck...
Annie


Newsgroups: rec.food.drink
From: josh@cqs.washington.edu (Josh Hayes)
Subject: Re: Black Velvet
Organization: University of Washington
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 17:53:59 GMT

In my opinion, the important thing is to pour them
separately into the glass: the champagne first (it's
also good to substitute a good cider if you have it
on hand), and then float the Guinness on top. It makes
a beautiful-looking drink, and tastes very nice.

IMHO, of course.

Josh Hayes
--
  Josh Hayes, Quantitative Sciences HR-20 U of Washington
  josh@mowgli.cqs.washington.edu             206 543-5004
 That's one more kid that'll never go to school, never get
	   to fall in love, never get to be cool
Newsgroups: rec.food.drink
From: jmemon@shearson.com (Janine Memon)
Subject: Re: Wine Spectator "Wine of the Year" Handicapping
Organization: Lehman Brothers, NY
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 19:33:51 GMT

In article <1992Dec9.190510.13743@riscsm.scripps.edu> mikec@scripps.edu (Mike A Christensen) writes:
>It's that time of year again.  Last year was a real no-brainer with the 89
>Ch. de Beaucastel (Rated 98 at under $40).  This year, there doesn't seem to
>be any run-away winner.  Anyway, here's my handicapping:
>
>1. 1989 Chateau Olivier Bordeaux, rated 95, $19.  Definitely the front-runner.
>
>2. 1989 Clerc-Milon, rated 96, $34.  A dark-horse, not even a Spectator
>	Selection or Cellar Selection.  Still, it's the highest rated wine
>	under $40.
>
>3. 1990 Comte De Vogue "Bonnes Mares", rated 99, $66.  Another dark-horse,
>	Not a Spectator Selection or Cellar Selection.  Still, a 99-rated wine
>	under $70 has to be considered.  Availability may kill this one.
>
>4. 1988 Anselmi "Recioto di Soave Recioto Dei Capitelli", rated 95, $34.  Very
>	Unlikely, given it's equal score to the Olivier and higher price.
>
>5. 1989 Chateau Margaux, rated 99, $140.  It would be hard to argue with this
>	one, though price makes it unlikely.
>
>6. 1990 Comte De Vogue "Musigny", rated 100, $140.  Price and availability make
>	this one unlikely.
>
>7. 1989 Haut-Brion, rated 97, $110.  Price and lower score than Margaux would
>	make this one unlikely.
>
>8. 1988 Guigal "La Landonne", rated 98, $150.  Price and availabiltiy make this
>	one unlikely.
>
>9. 1988 Gaja "Sori San Lorenzo", rated 96, $125.  Price and "relatively low"
>	score make this one unlikely.
>
>10. 1987 Heitz "Martha's", rated 95, $65.  Price and "relatively low" score
>	make this one unlikely.
>
>
>Any I've overlooked?  Also, there could be a "December suprise".  The bottom
>line is, if you were considering buying any of the 1989 Ch. Olivier or
>Clerc-Milon, I'd do it now.  BTW, I've recently seen the 1989 Clerc-Milon in
>the $18 range.  Just shows that the prices listed in the Wine Spectator are
>typically wine-maker's or distributor's fantasies.
>
>Mike Christensen

The winner for the Wine Spectator wine of the year went to the '89 Ch Pichon-
Longueville with a score of 98 and a price of $45.

The '89 Clerc-Milon came in second with a score of 96 and price of $32

Chateau Margaux and Mouton-Rothschild came in 3rd and 4th respectively

I just bought the issue today.

			Janine

--
Janine N. Memon				| All views expressed here are my own  
Lehman Bros, Inc.			| and should not be confused with those 
Amex Tower, World Financial Center	| of my employer.
New York, N.Y.				| email address jmemon@shearson.com
Newsgroups: rec.food.drink