BAR PILOT

More Drinking Dates

Everything from soup to so long, Tommy

Posted by: John Chandler on Feb 22, 2011 at 03:00PM 2 Comments

Chowderheads rejoice!

No rest for the wicked liver.

Lompoc Brewing’s Annual Chowder Challenge Now that’s good chowder! If you’re a seafood fan with a craving for clams, you’ll want to pipe yourself over to the Fifth Quadrant on Saturday to help determine the People’s Choice Winner at the Fifth Annual Lompoc Brewing Chowder Challenge. The festivities actually commence on Friday night with a shrimp boil between 6-9, where for $12 a plate you can load up on andouille sausage, shrimp, spuds, corn, and all sorts of yummy sides. From noon-5 on Saturday, 14 pubs and eateries, including Green Dragon, Hopworks, Laurelwood, and EAT: An Oyster Bar, will ladle up their finest chowder in order to impress not only you, the public, but an esteemed panel of guest judges including Lisa Morrison (aka, the Beer Goddess), the Portland Tribune’s Bread & Brew columnist Anne Marie DiStefano (aka, the Whiskey Widow), and yours truly (aka, the Bar Pilot, aka, the Handsome Lad). My credentials? I grew up on the coast, my family owns a fishing boat, and I ate clam chowder at least once a week from 1965-80. Of course, when you’re at one of the Lompoc locales, a river of beautiful beer is only a waitress away.

Hillsdale Brewfest If you’ve still got some room after stuffing yourself with chowder, the Hillsdale Brewery and Pub is the site of the annual Hillsdale Brewfest, in which 20 McMenamins brewers will square off to see which of them will represent the company at July’s Oregon Brewer’s Festival. Again, your votes will decide the winner. It’s just like American Idol except with lots of beer and no crappy singers—a 100 percent improvement IMHO.

Lucky Lab’s Barley Wine and Big Beer Festival There’s no room for Coors Light at this annual skull-smashing soiree. Some 40 brews—strong ales, old ales, vinter varmers, barley wines, and other potent potables—will be on tap at the Lucky Lab Beer Hall on NW Quimby, Mar 4-5. You will need to purchase a glass and tokens—not to mention a taxi.

Bon Voyage, Tommy One of Portland’s best bartenders, Tommy Klus, was recently awarded a grant from Tales of the Cocktail’s apprentice foundation to study scotch-making at the Bruichladdich distillery in Islay, Scotland. To make sure young Tommy has a bit of walking around money in the U.K., his pals at the Teardrop Lounge are throwing a fundraiser on his behalf, Sunday Mar 6 at 6. A roster of all-star bartenders will prepare an enchanting array of cruise-themed cocktails (Grog, Quarter-decks, among others). If you’re wonder about the dress code, head bartender Daniel Shoemaker suggests “luxury liner during Prohibition.” Hmmm. I’ll have to get the sherry stains out of my camel’s hair coat, but it shouldn’t be a problem.

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Tags: Beer Festivals, Cocktails, Lompoc Brewing Company, Teardrop Lounge, McMenamins, Lucky Lab

Tequila Time!

Don’t forget Feb 22 is Margarita Day!

Posted by: John Chandler on Feb 21, 2011 at 04:00PM 0 Comments

Don’t forget, February 22 is National Margarita Day! If anyone needs me I’ll be at the ¿Por Que No? on SE Hawthorne where pint-glass margaritas with Sauza Blanco are $7 from 3 to closing. In the meantime, here’s a little musical number to set your toes to tappin’. Sorry, but I’ll take the Champs over Jimmy Buffett any day!

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Happy Hour of the Week

Green Dragon has it all—but could be better

Posted by: John Chandler on Feb 16, 2011 at 10:00AM 7 Comments

Happy Hour ain’t rocket science. All you need are a few simple ingredients, namely a cheap, but tasty food menu, and some kind of token drink discount. The Green Dragon (928 SE Ninth Ave), a Southeast industrial-decked pub that operates like Batteries Plus for beer, almost nails it.

My afternoon spent at this Rogue Brewing satellite operation was surprisingly pleasant. I’d heard nothing but tales of terror about an inattentive waitstaff, and this turned out not to be the case at all. Our waitress was prompt as microwave popcorn. She speedily delivered food and drinks with a smile and even made a serviceable off-the-cuff joke. (Me: What are these fries seasoned with? Her: Considering how many I eat, probably crack.) OK, so it isn’t Last Comic Standing. But they were hella busy.

The Green Dragon’s Happy Hour is 4-6 daily and 9-close Sun–Wed; 10-close Thu–Sat. The food menu offers an array of savory snacks ranging from $3-5, including a cone of Belgian-style fries ($3) that disappear faster than Justin Bieber heading to the limo apres concert. Seasoned with a salt, parsley, pepper combination (and probably some mysterious secret ingredient—crack?) the fries have a very slight herbal sweetness that adds a winning complexity to the most basic of Happy Hour sides. Anyway, my chums and I powered through two orders. Another dish that got double ordered was the bratwurst bites ($4) with whole grain mustard. I was expecting a pedestrian slab of sausage diced into poker chips. What arrived at the table was a basket of individually grilled brat slices (each crispy with a little char) that were begging on hands and knees to be plunged into the vibrantly tangy grain mustard. We obliged. On the down side, there was nothing to recommend the pulled pork slider ($4). The meat was dry and flavorless, with buns by Wonder. Next time we’ll jump on the beer-battered cod and fries ($5). There was a dude behind me chowing down on an order with such noisy abandon, that we almost “shssshed” him.

Of course, any trip to Green Dragon is going to be primarily about the beer and there’s 50 taps ($4.75-6) to choose from, with a fresh menu appearing daily. I decided to try the Chamomellow Ale, a Rogue recipe that’s now being produced under Green Dragon’s in-house Buckman Village Brewing label. With chamomile as a primary ingredient, what you get is a floral golden ale with a sneaky, spicy pumpkin pie flavor nestled into the mix. It’s crisp and invigorating, and proved to be a sufficient motivator to inspire a return visit on my behalf. Among the dozens of guest taps, I can recommend the rich and malty Anchor Bock and the devastating North Coast Old Rasputin, a superb roasty-toasty stout that packs a 9 percent alcohol punch. The beer selection is a true embarrassment of riches.

Here’s my only beef: With 50 beers on tap, couldn’t one or two be featured as a “special” during Happy Hour? Maybe $3.50 a pint? Please? Come on lads, let’s make a good thing even better.

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Tags: Happy Hour, Cheap Eats, Rogue Ales, Buckman Village Brewing

It’s the Water

Brewers pay it forward

Posted by: Nicole Buckner on Feb 15, 2011 at 03:00PM 1 Comments

For all you environmentally savvy ale lovers, it’s time to get out that “green” list and add, “use less water.” Even though we live in a remarkably wet part of the country, conservation is a growing concern around these parts. But don’t feel too guilty about your inability to use less beer, because Oregon’s brewing companies are making up for our lack of initiative by buying Water Restoration Certificates.

Local beer entrepreneurs are becoming more aware of water limitations and are standing up for H2O by buying in to the Water Restoration Certificate program (WRC). Led by Bonneville Environmental Foundations (BEF), the WRC program is a nifty way for businesses to conserve their water consumption and pay it forward by (according to their website) “purchasing water credits to take responsibility for their water consumption by returning an amount of water equal to what they’ve used back to the environment.” Current water laws give landowners the right to annually withdraw an amount of water from rivers and streams for “beneficial economic use.” Unfortunately, sometimes the demands from specified waterways exceed the amount available.

It only costs $1 to restore 1,000 gallons of water, which is equivalent to about a 1/4 of the price of your frosty pint of hefeweizen. That’s enough water to restore some flow to the Deschutes River, as parts of it have been known to run dry during summer months. Hopworks Urban Brewery and Widmer Brothers Brewing have purchased a total of $9,800 worth of water credits and have restored 9.8 million gallons of water across the Northwest over the last year.

Remember, your beer is mostly water—no water, no beer. So let’s save the world, one pint at a time!

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Get Romantic—With Booze!

Cocktails for Valentine’s Day

Posted by: John Chandler on Feb 11, 2011 at 04:00PM 3 Comments

Come on Romeo! If you’re going to ply your beloved with libations on Valentine’s Day, you’ll have to do a lot better than that pitcher of Everclear and lemonade you threw together last year. Let’s learn a little lesson about the art of romantic mixology from our man Ted Allen.

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Pearl Dives

From Low Brow to lo mein

Posted by: John Chandler on Feb 08, 2011 at 03:00PM 6 Comments

I like to think of myself as a man of humble ambitions and modest goals. The idea that desire leads to suffering is not only one of the major tenets of Buddhism, but it’s common knowledge as far as I’m concerned. Unfortunately, in a frantic consumer-based society, moderation is a virtue that’s easily jettisoned in the face of possibility. After all, I’m as human as the next nitwit.

So what’s all this got to do with Happy Hour, Perfesser?

Just this: Most of the time I’m content with settling down at one establishment, partaking of a fistful of fries and a brew or two. I query my companions, steal a few bites from a neglected sandwich, and pass around a signature cocktail. Then it’s time to gather my notes and head for home declaring, “mission accomplished.” There are occasions, however, when my (forbidden) desire to extend Happy Hour frolic leads to a change of venue. I blame the fabled wanderlust that epitomizes the true Oregonian. Hell, let’s try the grass in that other pasture.

Portland’s highly polished Pearl District isn’t exactly an oasis for the budget-conscious imbiber, but if you can manage your wits, you shouldn’t have to sign over the deed to the family farm to pay off your bar tab. When in a restless mood, begin your excursion at the Low Brow Lounge (1036 NW Hoyt), which despite the name, isn’t particularly divey. True, it’s darker than a coal mine at midnight (resulting in shock and surprise upon leaving only to discover that it’s still daylight), and there is a wall apparently constructed out of old Jagermeister bottles. But unlike most dives, the darkness here isn’t meant to camouflage torn upholstery and greasy menus. It’s a clean, orderly joint with seven taps ($3 during Happy Hour, except for Guinness), 18 beers in the bottle, and more than 30 menu items priced under $8. Hell, the only thing on the menu that’s over 10 bucks is the Macho Grande ($12), a behemoth platter of nachos (chili beans, black beans, and chicken) that could satisfy an armada of shipwreck survivors.

Pups & Tots!

Happy Hour itself runs from 4-7 with a dollar off pints and wells. Whoopee. However, when you can land an Alaskan ale battered cod sandwich with fries or tots for $7, or a pizza-stuffed pretzel for $3, complaints are few and far between. To my mind, there is no better Happy Hour snack in town than the Low Brow’s basket of Pups & Tots ($5). Usually served mouth-blisteringly hot right out of the fryer, the marriage of salty stumps and mini corn dogs with a subtly sweet exterior crust (and goopy pools of ketchup and mustard), never fails to get the hunger monkey off my back. The Pearl might be a high-rent district, but you wouldn’t know it at the Low Brow.

Take the Ginger Cure at Seres.

And yet even as I joyfully buried my snout in the searing pile of deep-fried starch, I could tell that this would be a day that something more was needed. I need additional spice; flavor; nuance. I needed Chinese food. As luck would have it, one of my amigos directed my attention to the nearby Seres Restaurant and Bar (1105 NW Lovejoy), a newish bistro specializing in organic Chinese food. They also specialize in kicking ass at Happy Hour, which takes place between 3-7 daily.

In sunny contrast to Low Brow’s relaxing gloom, Seres shines like new silverware, with blond woods, lofty ceilings, and the Pearl District’s omnipresent minimalist industrial-modern charm. For Happy Hour grazing, head to the bustling bar off to the right of the main entrance.

Cantonese fried chicken and pork-fried rice. All gluten-free!

• They have eight (!) gluten-free items on the Happy Hour menu (20 total). I’m not sure how this came to pass, but I have several friends (including my beloved fiancee) with gluten intolerance. Well, to these comrades I bring glad tidings. The crispy, fried chicken Cantonese style ($7) is smashing. I happened to have a gluten-free friend in tow and she agreed, praising the small pucks of cluck that were cunningly fried in a light rice flour.

• The chicken is the spendiest dish on the HH menu, and aficionados of Asian cuisine can also languish over plates of smoldering Mongolian lamb ($6); zesty Tang Tang noodles ($3); and liberally sauced Lo Mein ($5), among other worthy entrees.

• The cocktail menu is huge and the glasses are tall. Tropically tickled drinks with fresh juices such as the mojito (three varieties); the Pomegranate margarita, and the Mandarin cosmo come to your table during Happy Hour for a mere $6.50. Still too pricey? Never fear, because they also have a selection of $5 cocktails made with shochu, a neutral grain-based spirit (known in Korea as “the working man’s drink”). A shochu-fueled martini or Ginger Cure (sake with ginger ale and muddled ginger) should awaken your appreciation of libations from the mystic East.

• The dinner menu is roughly the size of the Hong Kong phone book. You could visit every night from now till Christmas and still find unexplored terrain.

• It’s organic! So dig in with a clean conscience! They even have a “Sustainability” page that details where and how the food is sourced, if you’re one of those nosey noshers like _Portlandia_’s Fred and Carrie characters.

Make no mistake, it’s a worthwhile adventure to visit either the Low Brow or Seres without piling one atop the other. But when you must heed the siren song of possibility, you can do so without fear of plunging into poverty. Even in the Pearl.

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Black Gold

Full Sail limited release is worth the wait

Posted by: John Chandler on Feb 01, 2011 at 12:00PM 8 Comments

It was during the fall of 2007 that Full Sail brewing genius John Harris bestowed upon me a heavenly gift, a sample of his Black Gold Bourbon-Barrel Imperial Stout that had been aging in the bottle for more than a year. It was (and remains) the best stout I’ve ever had. Smoky, silken, and as opulent as a Turkish rug, it was both boundless in taste and surprisingly svelte in body; a brew masterpiece fit for a visiting potentate.

The reason I’m bringing this up now is because Full Sail will be releasing its latest version of Black Gold (ABV 11.4%, IBU 37.5) today at 5 p.m. in two locations; the Full Sail Riverfront and the Full Sail Tasting Room and Pub in Hood River. It will also be available in 22 ounce bottles later this week at New Seasons, Zupans, Fred Meyer, and Whole Foods, as well as artisan bottle shops like Belmont Market and Beermongers. But if history is any indication, it will be flying off the shelves with near Bieber intensity.

Black Gold presents beer fanatics with a most painful choice: drink it now, or tuck it away in the vault so it can continue its flavor evolution. Better stockpile enough to do both. Seriously—this is the stuff of dreams, a stout worthy of cult adoration.

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Tags: Craft Beers, Full Sail Brewing, Black Gold Imperial Stout

Rest in Peace: Don Younger

Tireless publican and craft beer supporter passes

Posted by: John Chandler on Jan 31, 2011 at 10:00AM 7 Comments

Photo: Courtesy Brookston Beer Bulletin

Don Younger

A true legend of the Portland craft beer community, Don Younger, passed away shortly after midnight this morning at the age of 68. According to Oregonian beer writer John Foyston, his passing was due to “multiple health problems triggered by slipping and breaking a shoulder last week.”

I first met Don in the summer of 2006 when I was working on my first big beer story for Portland Monthly. We hung out at the Horse Brass on a Tuesday afternoon and had a few pints. I don’t think I ever got around to asking him any questions, because the first thing he said was, “I’ll talk, you listen.” This turned out to be one of the best pieces of journalistic advice I ever received. He was gruff, hilarious, and absolutely tireless in his dedication to Oregon craft beer. As a veteran publican, he helped many of the local beer pioneers gain footing in Portland by stocking their earliest efforts. It’s safe to say that without his support our beer industry would not be the envied model of innovation and opportunity it is today. His grit, wisdom, and spirit will be sorely missed.

Here’s a reprinting of a short piece I wrote about Don for our July 2006 Summer Beer feature.

The first bar Don Younger ever set foot in was the Howdy Doody in Gresham. He was 17, he looked 13, and no one seemed to care. “I ordered a Blitz,” he remembers. And it was love at first taste. In March 1967 he took over the operation of his first tavern, the Mad Hatter on SE Milwaukie Ave—now known as the Bear Paw Inn—and since then has owned or co-owned “14 or 15” places around town, including the (now defunct) Rose & Raindrop, three New Old Lompoc locations and his flagship operation, the Horse Brass on SE Belmont St, frequently a meeting spot for those in the beer business.

Speaking of beer business, that’s exactly what Younger, who describes himself as a “drinking man” rather than a businessman, has on his mind at the moment. “Wine gets everything it wants,” he says. “And what do you see about beer? Bubkes. But we’re just as important. We’re Oregon jobs, we’re Oregon money, we’re using Oregon hops. That’s my mission right now.”

Younger is referring to his part in the promotion of Oregon Craft Beer Month (that would be July), a grassroots movement that encourages Oregonians to reach for local brews rather than out-of-state options. It’s also a reminder to area brewers—especially the big boys—to make use of those regional ingredients. “Some of these brewers have gotten too big for their britches,” Younger growls. “You’re supposed to leave the dance with the one who brought you.” And Don Younger’s been to his share of dances.

“He’s a great character,” Mike McMenamin says. “He’s the classic publican.”

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Cheap, Cheap, Cheap

Premium lager at Walgreen’s?

Posted by: John Chandler on Jan 28, 2011 at 01:00PM 6 Comments

Yes, I’m drinking at work again.

I was browsing at the Walgreen’s on 21st and W Burnside looking for sweat socks (Mother’s Day is coming!) when I bumped into a display for Big Flats, a lager that retails for a ridiculous $2.99 a six pack. Hell, that’s 1982 pricing! I am nothing if not diligent, so I went outside and panhandled for a bit and soon had enough coin to make a purchase.

Big Flats is a contract beer sold exclusively at Walgreen’s, and it’s churned out by the Genesee Brewing Company of Rochester, New York, which apparently has been doing business in one form or another since 1878. It’s brewed under the corporate aegis of Winery Exchange, “the leading corporate brand beer supplier for premium quality beers from the USA, Latin America, and Holland.” They also provide custom libations for Costco and Trader Joe’s.

Beer Advocate lists Big Flats as an American Adjunct Lager, which means it’s mass-marketed, light on malts, extra carbonated, and contains adjunct grains, such as rice and corn, which are used as filler in the brewing process to cut costs. In other words, it’s Yankee cheap swill. It weighs in at 4.5 percent alcohol.

But at $2.99 for a sixer, how good does it really have to be? I chilled my Big Flats for a few hours and took it for a spin. It’s a light gold in the glass and it foams up and settles down in about two minutes. It’s lacking anything resembling a malty backbone, but has a not-unpleasant corny sweetness. I could drink about 14 of these things on a hot day (if I was between paychecks), hence the term “lawn mower beer.” I’ll go along with Beer Advocate’s analysis, which awarded Big Flats a grade of “C.” I’ve had worse beers—not exactly a ringing endorsement.

I do think, however, that hitching the word “Flats” to your beer is a colossal mistake. The Winery Exchange website claims the name “pays homage to the flat boats that traveled the area’s rivers delivering goods to early settlers.” That’s fine, I love history as much as the next gink, but it still creates an unfavorable association in the mind of the consumer. How about $2.99 Lager instead?

My recommendation is to pick up a half case if you’re going to a barbecue at someone’s house that you don’t know very well and aren’t particularly interested in cultivating as a friend. What do you think drinking buddies? Can you think of an occasion when a fine $3 lager would come in handy?

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Tags: Beer, Cheap, Big Flats Lager

Drinking Dates

A few items for your quaffing calendar

Posted by: John Chandler on Jan 25, 2011 at 12:00PM 2 Comments

What’s a brew believer to do? You’ve already dipped your beak in all the winter ales worth wrangling and the warm-weather beer festivals are still oceans of time away. Cheer up drinking buddies! Instead of trying to figure out a hangman’s knot that will bear your weight, you would do well to make note of these upcoming events that should do wonders for restoring your hibernating happy face!

First Annual Scottish Ale Festival No need to stare forlornly at the horizon. The Cascade Brewing Barrel House is hosting a sudsy salute to Scottish Ales this Saturday from 3 to 11. Nine regional breweries, including Cascade, Lucky Lab, Fearless, Rock Bottom, Coalition, and Upright, will have specially brewed ales in the house for your sipping pleasure. There will be some Scottish sustenance available (haggis?), and Cascade brewmaster Ron Gansberg is bringing in his band Stone Porridge to provide some trad Scottish music. Join the cult of the kilt!

Hop & Vine Bottle Shop Opening I’ve sung the praises of this sophisticated North Portland saloon on several occasions, so I’m pleased as a weasel to announce its expansion into the space next door to serve as a bigger bottle shop to house Hop & Vine’s well-curated collection of beer, wine, sake, and mead. Festivities take place Feb 5 from 3 to 7. Reps from Hopworks, Upright, Heater Allen, and Elysian will be on hand to pour some free tastings. And for the vino-centric, folks from Grochau Cellars, Winderlea Wines, Purple Hands, and Trust Cellars are likewise expected to be present. “All well and good, but I like cocktails!” you say to yourself. First of all, you should stop talking to yourself; your reputation is already on shaky ground. Secondly, at the stroke of 7, Metrovino mixologist Jacob Grier will take over with $5 drink specials featuring libations from House Spirits and Ransom Spirits. Name your poison—you’re covered.

Van Havig Night! Havig, the outspoken brewmaster from the local chapter of Rock Bottom Brewing parted company with his corporate overlords earlier this month after 16 years. Havig is certainly one of the most knowledgeable brewers I’ve ever had the pleasure to chat with, and any regional brewery would count itself lucky to hire a man with his skills, taste, and wit. On Feb 8 at the new Grain & Gristle, some of his brewing comrades from Lompoc, Widmer, Barley Brown, and Ninkasi will pay tribute to Havig, with small-batch beers brewed in his honor.

KLCC Microbrew Festival Our sister city to the south gets in on the brewfest action on Feb 11-12 with a benefit blast to help keep Eugene’s public radio station, KLCC, sounding off loud and proud. Some 50 breweries will be represented including local heroes like Ninkasi, Steelhead, Track Town, and Oakshire, not too mention one of my faves, little Wakonda Brewing from Florence.

Zwickelmania 3.0 For the third straight year, the Oregon Brewer’s Guild offers the beer curious the chance to jump on a bus and tour some of the state’s top breweries on Feb 19. Meet your brewing idols (OMG! OMG! OMG! John Harris is such a dreamboat!) and get a taste of what’s cooking in the tank. There are tours taking place in Bend and Hood River, but here in Beervana attendees can swing by Alameda, Amnesia, Breakside, Bridgeport, and many more. And it’s friggin’ free!

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Tags: Beer Festivals, Craft Beers, Widmer Brothers Brewing, Cascade Brewing, Ninkasi Brewing, Hop and Vine, Brewery Tours, Wakonda Brewing

Crack A Cold One!

Beer Can Appreciation Day

Posted by: John Chandler on Jan 24, 2011 at 11:00AM 5 Comments

It was on this day in 1935 that New Jersey’s Gottfried Krueger Brewing Company put beer in a can—for the very first time! And thus was born Beer Can Appreciation Day. Though I’m normally a relentless cheerleader for our regional craft beer community, for today I’ll grant you a special dispensation to schlep down to the market and pick up a sixer of cans.

Conventional brew wisdom holds that beer in a bottle tastes better than beer in a can, though cans outsell bottles. How do you account for this? Also, please share your favorite beer in a can brand with me and the rest of the drinking buddies. I’ve always been partial to Rainier in the can, myself.

Now let’s enjoy a little holiday music!

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Tags: Beer, Beck

Booze News

A roundup of potable press

Posted by: John Chandler on Jan 21, 2011 at 03:00PM 4 Comments

You like me! You really like me!

ITEM: Congratulations to Clyde Common mixologist Jeffrey Morganthaler, the winner in Portland Monthly‘s inaugural Best Bartender contest. The public has spoken and Morgenthaler, aka, the blogging bartender, outdistanced some stiff competition, including Mint’s Lucy Brennan, who finished second, with Beaker and Flask bartender David Shenaut coming in third. Hats off also to our two top write-in candidates, Matt Stiles from Three Doors Down, and Jimmy Mak’s mixing maestro J.D. Stubenberg. My liver says you’re all winners, but the Bar Pilot has been a fan of Morgenthaler’s swizzling skills for a few years.

ITEM: Ezra Johnson-Greenough over at the New School blog reports that Hopworks Brewing’s Christian Ettinger is set to open the Bike Bar, a new venue on North Williams Street, just one building down from Lompoc’s 5th Quadrant. Already the home of Pix Patisserie and Tasty & Sons, along with 5th Quadrant, North Williams shall now be known as Temptation Avenue. The Bike Bar is aiming for a mid-May opening.

ITEM Caught this story in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer about the coming of Sir Edwin’s Blended Whisky in a can, a bold new product from Scottish Spirits Ltd. Christie Scott, the OLCC’s media liaison, says she’s heard of it, but points out that Sir Edwin hasn’t come up for a listing review before the board yet. “I can’t imagine the market for such a thing,” she says. Oh come now! The 330 ml can contains about eight shots of whiskey, perfect for the the lunch-hour dipsomaniac or the busy tippler on the go. Of course, as a distilled beverage, it would be sold in liquor stores, so any hopes we had of skipping down to Plaid Pantry for a can of whiskey will have to wait.

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