Zima is on the market again. When is is iced cold - like put in the bottom of the tub and covered with ice for an hour cold- its not bad on a hot summer day. Better than all the fruit flavored malt beers and the "adult" sodas that are on the market now.
I find it goes good with an english or scottish blend.
Sorry guys, been busy and in pain, went to Dr. and might have to have surgery on my arm and still debating about my knee. Today I will be drinking Scotch and smoking Something?! lol
Pain sucks. I went through two months of intractable pain following my cancer surgery in 2000. Doctors just gave me increasing dosages of morphine, which 1) doesn't really make the pain go away, 2) makes you stupid, 3) gives you bricked up bowels, and 4) gets you used to taking it. [ahem]. Actually, it drove me to thinking about suicide. I finally ditched my surgeon and my doctor and went to a pain clinic. They prescribed two drugs "off label," meaning drugs intended for treating two other conditions, neither of which, I had. Less than a week later, I was back at work.
I sympathize, @Wolf41035. I really do. (Knees surgeries enjoy very satisfactory success rates and outcomes these days.) Be strong.
Smoking a local house blend mix of Summer Smoke and Vanilla while drinking some Buffalo Trace. First time I've tried this whisky, and while its not the smoothest, I'll be damned if it ain't chalked full of flavor. It's definitely become a part of my regular brown water rotation.
Yesterday was German Beer day, I was at Schutzenfest eating German food and Drinking German Beer, smoking a Cigar because I didn't take my pipe and listening to German Music.
These are the Dog Days Of Summer and here in the Midwest the humidity is stifling, so I stick with non-alcoholic beverages like sweet ice tea or better yet, simply bottled water with a couple squirts of Real-Lemon juice - or Real-Lime juice. Don't even add any sweetener ... want that tart taste to wash over my tongue and hopefully loose a little weight in the process.
@ghostsofpompeii have you tried a citrus mixer? I have put Orange slices, Lemon slices and Lime slices in a bottle and added water, let sit for a couple hours and drink, good for you and refreshing! Thought about adding a couple apple slices to the mix.
If you have ever been to the Chicagoland Pipe Show, you probably know (or at least have heard of) Coffee David, whose ritual of offering cafecitos to everyone he meets has actually won him hospitality awards. As we pipesmokers are generally fond of both coffee and rituals — and we weren't about to wait a year for another cup — we started our own tradition here in the office, with Shane attempting to replicate David's recipe.
This morning, I watched as Shane poured the first few drops of stovetop espresso over a generous portion of granulated sugar, whisking feverishly to produce something like a sand-colored soft serve. "You have to add just a little at the beginning, for the acidity, otherwise it won't turn out right," he said between stirs. "That's how you get the crema." He then introduced the remainder of the moka pot into the sugar mixture, before distributing velvety-smooth Cuban-style coffee between a few demitasse cups. He's practically got it all down to a science at this point, though he told me it took a heavily caffeinated weekend or two to really get the hang of it.
Like proper pipe smoking techniques, the method for brewing a good cup of Cuban coffee takes a little time to learn. Somewhere between the modern immediacy of standard drip and the ritualistic intensity of a Japanese tea ceremony, it's by no means a tedious or difficult process. Part of the fun is slowly learning more and more, and enjoying the journey along the way. Looking back, I don't really think about that first 10-year-old tin of something-or-other I sampled as often as I think about the first time I folded a flake (as opposed to rubbing it out), or when I tried DGT while smoking, or when Andy and I began to smoke clay pipes. It's these little rituals, these details, and getting to share them with people who also enjoy them, that have come to define the hobby for me. So as you light your pipe and sit back to browse today's update, think about what those experiences have been for you, and maybe treat yourself to a fresh one.>>
I feel embarrassed by my lack of interesting drinks to go with my pipe. So I'll simply lie.
After being chased by Russian agents down a winding road the left front tire on my Aston Martin blew out causing the car to crash through a guard rail then roll end over end down a hundred foot embankment. When I regained consciousness I discovered the car was upside down in a dry river bed, and I was wedged between the steering wheel and broken driver's seat.
Luckily my shirt pocket was still buttoned and my pipe, tobacco pouch, and lighter remained securely in place. After much difficulty I was able to load my pipe and smoke it upside down. Midway through the smoke I got a case of dry mouth and became quite thirsty. Cupping my hands together I was able to gather just enough urine to quench my thirst. Once again ... very difficult to do while upside down. I nearly water-boarded myself. I was eventually rescued by a toothless hobo with a Swedish accent who had been panhandling for gold. Once he pried me out with a small tree my car uprooted as it tumbled down the hill, we had a delightful time together - shared a bowl of Carter Hall and swapped urine. At dusk I got a ride home from an Uber driver I spotted tossing an unconscious passenger over the embankment. What a day I was. And in the end I discovered Carter Hall and lukewarm urine were a perfect pairing. So you guys sip your 'Fancy Dan' mixed drinks, pale ale, and high class liqueur. Give me a glass of Swedish Hobo Urine and cheap OTC tobacco any day.
I bought a new Keurig 2.0 in April. It's not the first one I've had. Since they became popular, I've had 4 others and with proper care and feeding they can last for 3 or 4 years. Mostly I upgrade because I like new features. The first one I had was made a single cup at a time and you had to pour water into the reservoir before each use. I bought this one because I liked the idea of the carafe which would make multiple cups of coffee.
It worked great at first. Didn't give me any problems until after I had it for 8 weeks and then it started weirdly malfunctioning. Wouldn't make the right amount. Make the right amounts but full of grounds. Give me a "Pod underpressure" error message, etc. So I called Keurig.
"No, it's probably not the machine. What type of water do you use?" - Filtered city tap water.
"What pods are you using? Are the Keurig approved?" - Several different brands. The boxes all have the Keurig K on them and says approved for all models.
"Did you use the needle cleaning device?" (its a little bulb thing you fill with water and put in the machine, then raise and lower the handle several times to flush out any errant grounds) - yes.
"Well, maybe the cupholder is defective. We'll send you a new one." They sent a new one. It seemed to work for about a week. The other day it didn't. Finally called them again.
"What type of water are you using?" Filtered city tap water.
"Oh! That may be the problem. If the water is filtered or softened, the sensors in the machine may not be able to sense when the right amount of water has been dispensed." Strange, when I just dispense water into a measuring cup, it dispenses the correct amount.
"Well, some of the K-Cups may be made differently than others and the grounds may swell up more if the right amount of water isn't dispensed."
But aren't all the K-Cups supposed to be made to your standards?
"Well, I know it's not the machine but we are going to ship you a new one anyway. Don't send the old one back to us, just send the cup holder so we know the old one is no longer usable." ???? So just return the cup holder you sent the second time? Keep the old machine and the old cup holder because it's the water's fault and you're sending me a new machine and not interested in testing the old one. Sure.
Semi-ending to a long story...
I am having a cup of Community Coffee this morning brewed in a 12 cup drip pot I paid $10 for at WallyMart. Smoking some Briarworks Peach Cobbler.
Wow and I was actually thinking of getting one of the Keurig machines.....Maybe I need to think that through a little more? What models have you had that you like and what was the model of the one that was JUNK?
@PappyJoe There is a reason those old drip pot coffee pots were around for so long. They're simple ... and they work. No buttons, no programming, no moving parts ... just water and the coffee grounds . And maybe a filter. That's it. Pretty simple - and for decades if not longer - they provided America with a fine cup of coffee. And didn't create more plastic waste for the landfill.
For generations our parents and grandparents, all the way back to the pioneers put on a pot of Maxwell House. Eight 'O Clock, Folgers's, or what-ever brand the pioneers were drinking - and enjoyed their morning cup of coffee. And continued drinking from the pot until it was empty - or thick as tar. Today's we've all become coffee snobs ... including myself, insisting on the finest gourmet coffee as though we're Royalty or some high society billionaire who demands nothing but the best. For the most part we all struggle to make ends meet ... yet reach for that over-priced package of 12 K-Cups for our Keurig Coffee maker, when you can buy a can of coffee or even a better grade ground coffee in a bag for much cheaper. For the sheer convenience of having that single cup of coffee brewed for your personal pleasure ... rather than making a pot to drink from throughout the day. At least buy one of those inexpensive mesh insert cups that allows you to use your own ground coffee.
Convenience is just another term for 'more expensive'. Go to a Convenience Store like 7-11 and the prices are much higher for a can of Spam or Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup than at a supermarket. Stand in line at the check-out counter at Walmart and you'll see the refrigerated coolers with single serving bottles of Pepsi, Coke, Mountain Dew, or Root Beer selling for almost a dollar more than a two ounce liter bottle, conveniently located at arms length for the impulse shopper. Once again - the cost of convenience.
I've had three Keurig's since they were introduced. I got my second one because I wanted a choice of cup sizes. I got the third, a B450, because I worked my B60 to death. The B450 clogs vary occasionally, But the bulb device that came with it, the thing that @PappyJoe mentioned, immediately clears it.
I can make better coffee with a chemex, but who has the time..... or the lucidity, first thing in the morning.
BTW, if you can find Cafe Bustelo Espresso Style k-cups, they rock. For those who prefer dark roasted coffee they are the best k-cups I've found. A four ounce cup on the strong setting, and it's a passing substitute for real pulled espresso. And making it in an 8 ounce cup on the regular setting pleases most medium and light roast drinkers. It's so full of flavor!
@wolf41035 - There is no reason not to buy a Keurig. I've been using them for 7 or 8 years and like @motie2, upgraded the first time because I wanted a choice of cup sizes, the second time because I wanted a bigger reservoir. This last time for the ability to use a carafe. It's just this last machine a K400 2.0 is a lemon. That happens occasionally with mass production.
LOL Yeah I brew coffee the old way and I have one of them expensive Espresso cappuccino machines that make the milk froth on top but both take more time than I want to take and with my hands they way they are it is a pain in the arse so K-Cup might be ideal for me. Thanks guys
Comments
Today I will be drinking Scotch and smoking Something?! lol
It's been chilly the last two days, Hot Coffee.
I feel embarrassed by my lack of interesting drinks to go with my pipe. So I'll simply lie.
After being chased by Russian agents down a winding road the left front tire on my Aston Martin blew out causing the car to crash through a guard rail then roll end over end down a hundred foot embankment. When I regained consciousness I discovered the car was upside down in a dry river bed, and I was wedged between the steering wheel and broken driver's seat.
Luckily my shirt pocket was still buttoned and my pipe, tobacco pouch, and lighter remained securely in place. After much difficulty I was able to load my pipe and smoke it upside down. Midway through the smoke I got a case of dry mouth and became quite thirsty. Cupping my hands together I was able to gather just enough urine to quench my thirst. Once again ... very difficult to do while upside down. I nearly water-boarded myself. I was eventually rescued by a toothless hobo with a Swedish accent who had been panhandling for gold. Once he pried me out with a small tree my car uprooted as it tumbled down the hill, we had a delightful time together - shared a bowl of Carter Hall and swapped urine. At dusk I got a ride home from an Uber driver I spotted tossing an unconscious passenger over the embankment. What a day I was. And in the end I discovered Carter Hall and lukewarm urine were a perfect pairing. So you guys sip your 'Fancy Dan' mixed drinks, pale ale, and high class liqueur. Give me a glass of Swedish Hobo Urine and cheap OTC tobacco any day.
@jfreedy I lead a boring life. Occasionally it's necessary to spice things up with a little white lie.
@PappyJoe There is a reason those old drip pot coffee pots were around for so long. They're simple ... and they work. No buttons, no programming, no moving parts ... just water and the coffee grounds . And maybe a filter. That's it. Pretty simple - and for decades if not longer - they provided America with a fine cup of coffee. And didn't create more plastic waste for the landfill.
For generations our parents and grandparents, all the way back to the pioneers put on a pot of Maxwell House. Eight 'O Clock, Folgers's, or what-ever brand the pioneers were drinking - and enjoyed their morning cup of coffee. And continued drinking from the pot until it was empty - or thick as tar. Today's we've all become coffee snobs ... including myself, insisting on the finest gourmet coffee as though we're Royalty or some high society billionaire who demands nothing but the best. For the most part we all struggle to make ends meet ... yet reach for that over-priced package of 12 K-Cups for our Keurig Coffee maker, when you can buy a can of coffee or even a better grade ground coffee in a bag for much cheaper. For the sheer convenience of having that single cup of coffee brewed for your personal pleasure ... rather than making a pot to drink from throughout the day. At least buy one of those inexpensive mesh insert cups that allows you to use your own ground coffee.
Convenience is just another term for 'more expensive'. Go to a Convenience Store like 7-11 and the prices are much higher for a can of Spam or Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup than at a supermarket. Stand in line at the check-out counter at Walmart and you'll see the refrigerated coolers with single serving bottles of Pepsi, Coke, Mountain Dew, or Root Beer selling for almost a dollar more than a two ounce liter bottle, conveniently located at arms length for the impulse shopper. Once again - the cost of convenience.