A barbican is basically a tower/fort situated on a gateway over say a bridge or wall entrance. Particularly this one is referring to the Warsaw Barbican. Now if you are wondering why we are starting this review talking about some structure and what it has to do with vodka – it’s a good question. Because we don’t know either *makes side glance at brand*
Trail Haze: 5.0 – Well we’ve recently had a fairly good lucky streak with Hazy IPA’s, but given the Pils last week – expectations are sufficiently lowered. However the result here is downright pleasant if a bit boring. It’s soft with a decent hoppy and bitter flavor, but nowhere near sharp. It’s easy to drink, but mostly forgettable and not really flavorful.
Price Average: $20 for 15-pack sampler
Website: https://sixpoint.com/
It’s been near on a decade and yet the word Jura still evokes a spirited response (and not a good one), but it would erroneous to fault an island for one bad scotch – so let’s see how they’ve fared at gins, which recently we’ve been on a kick for with scottish gins so this should be interesting. The short version is that if you are looking for a truly unique sort of gin in this day and age, you will certainly find it here, and more so there are places where this gin does rather well. However as you’d expect there’s a big butt on the horizon.
The Crisp: 2.0 – What a bitter over hopped mess. Expectations were not high when this came as part of a 4 pack where the rest were IPA’s but there was hope that some solace and sanity would prevail in the pilsner, no hope could be found though. Just another bitter hoppy beer wearing a disguise.
Price Average: $20 for 15-pack sampler
Website: https://sixpoint.com/
If you’ve never been on a riverboat – it’s objectively okay. Sure it feels nicer than say a regular ferry, and it’s certainly got some historical interest – but then so does a clipper ship. The point we’re very long-windedly trying to make is that it’s nothing special. This is because it makes a perfect segue into this Riverboat whiskey.
Pride and Parquet: 5.0 – On the one hand, we’re pleased to try another Lager given how shafted it’s been over here with so many ales as of the last few years. It being from good ol’ Jack’s Abby is a welcome sight, but then they gotta throw some basketball stuff at us and who needs that? Answer Boston people which this is clearly catering too, but how is it for everyone else in the world? Well it’s good they put hoppy there so you’re not surprised. It’s not amazingly tasty or flavorful, but we guess if you were in a pub watching the game – it doesn’t have to be.
Price Average: $11 for 4-pack 16oz
Website: https://jacksabby.com/
Given our track record if we led with the fact that we’ve yet again bought a twelve dollar rum you could already expect the subsequent review. One of pain and woe, of price not being worth the wincing and sugar and awfulness. Put that aside though, because while yes Kaniche has a fault, it’s not as glaring as you might think, and given some other aspects – it might not even be a concern.
Maduro Brown Ale: 6.0 – Fairly dark for a brown ale, both in color and feeling slightly closer to a porter or stout. There’s more cocoa and sweet malt vibes than nuttiness, but that doesn’t stop it from being pretty tasty. Overall may not fit you’re (og recipe) Smutty Old Brown Dog wishes, but it’s a good brown ale as we start now to finally move into autumn and away from all the pales.
Price Average: $10 for 6-pack
Website: https://www.cigarcitybrewing.com/
Aging whiskey in red wine barrels isn’t as common compared to beers, or even to sherry casking, but as we’ve seen before with Blood Oak, the effect is solid enough that more should give it a shot. Luckily Agitator makes wine, so them doing this makes – well a lot of sense. The question though is whether this soak in an old barrel has done anything to improve the whiskey, or just made it a slight shade of red.
