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User: michaelyblam

Rowing the Concept2 Ergometer Model B on Slides Sorry drinking pals - I have let you down again...this is another rowing vid and it has nothing to do with the Beverage Review althought I had both wine and beer afterwards... Tags: Rowing Concept2 Ergometer Model Slides

User: michaelyblam

Rowing the Concept2 ergometer Sorry drinking pals this is nothing to do with the Beverage Review. I stay fit competitively by rowing, running, cycling, swimming, hiking...so that I can drink more good stuffs! Rowers (Hello Xeno Muller!!!), please examine and comment my rowing technique on the ergometer. Any constructive comments are always welcome! Tags: indoor rowing ergometer concept2 technique

User: michaelyblam

Wine Tasting 56: 2002 Thorn Clarke Shotfire Shiraz from Aust I tasted both the 2002 and 2003 T & C Shotfire Quartage (Reference Episode 6 & 9) before with you so I decided to taste the shiraz here. This wine was big and complex and I needed some time to air the wine to wake it up. Like the Quartage, this upfront Aussie new world wine came with cassis, black plum liqueur, cola, dry violet and a herbal eucalyptus nose. The wine was dense but the tannin was surprisingly round. More of the above with Maynard black wine gum, black licorice and secondary tastes such as spice, dark chocolate and dark soya sauce followed. I thought the Quartage I tasted was more complex but less brute but this is hot climate Aussie style so it is! I suggest further aging needed. (Rating 90-92 points) by Michael Lam of the Beverage Review. Tags: Wine Tasting Michael Lam Beverage Review

User: michaelyblam

Wine Tasting 55: 2003 Talomas Chardonnay/Viognier From Calif This Talomas Chardonnay (83%) / Viognier (17%) came with a musky buttery nose mixed with very faint gasoline and the usual tropical fruit and pineapple suggesting the wine has gone through malolactic fermentation. The wine was surprisingly fresh, refreshing and crisp unlike many California chardonnays which are OTT (Over the top): Smokey, oaky, full body, with full blown malolatic buttery and off dry fruit -- I call it being suffocated by Dolly Parton's bosoms...Although this Char is not too complex as expected, I believe the Viognier has contributed the wine with much vibrancy and spiciness. The lifted but balanced acidity also means the wine is versatile with a large variety of food. The wine was reduced in BC from $21 to $7.99 in the summer of 2006 after Mondalvi was bought by Constellation brand in 2004. It's still available at private stores such as Central City of Surrey in BC at $12. What a mark up (!) but still fair in price I guess. Drink now like the way I quaffed it down after filming! (Rating 87-89) points by Michael Lam of the Beverage Review. Tags: Wine Tasting Michael Lam Beverage Review

User: michaelyblam

Beer Tasting 54: Krusovice Imperial from Czech Republic The Royal Brewery of Krušovice is one of the oldest breweries in the Czech Republic. The brewery was established in 1517. Krusovice Imperial is their pilsner style larger which started to appear in Vancouver, BC, Canada about 2 years ago. This bronze colour beer gave a dry hay, grainy, biscuit nose with a faint hint of hop but the grainy characters seemed to dominate the hop level. It was relatively light and clean but didn't have the floral hoppiness of the Budvar or the power of the Pilsner Urquell. The mouth feel was soft and gentle followed with biscuit, malt and corn characters but the hop was slowed to reveal then suddenly, a film of sharp, astringent hop mixed bitter lemon or citrus oil characters played the catch up game. It carried a medium finish neither too malty nor too hoppy. Another good quality beer from the famed brewing country! (Rating 88-90 points) by Michael Lam of the Beverage Review. Tags: Beer Tasting Michael Lam Beverage Review

User: michaelyblam

Beer Tasting 53: Central City Brewpub IPA Surrey BC Canada We all have our weaknesses. I have two right here I am honest enough to confess to you. First, I love North West style Indian Pale ale. This style of IPA is usually more forward/upfront, slightly off dry with more malty sweetness, hoppier and higher in alcohol than the old world IPAs. The hop is big in aroma and bitterness and often comes with abundant grapefruit characters. Second, although I am not into idol worship, I have to say a few local brewers (professionals and amateurs) are definitely my heroes in the drinks world. Gary Lohin of Central City is for sure one of them if I have to name names! The gifted brewer consistently brews fantastic beers that not only wow my palates but many beer geeks including some international beer 'hoppers'. This IPA comes with an amber colour and when nosed...profound grapefruit, resin, pine and furniture polish all popped out with underlying malt. Drinking confirmed the above with extra fruits such as peach and date but what's beautiful was the subtle barley wine character underlying all the complexity. The bitterness covers the mouth and seeps down my throat creating a long lasting bitter but fruity finish. This is wonderfully made by this talented brewer whom we met a good 10 years back. Like many brewpubs, Central City serves samples of Gary's brews so pop in there to taste Lord Lohin's handcrafted beer! I am not worthy...I am not worthy...(Rating 92-94+ points) by Michael Lam of the Beverage Review. Tags: Beer Tasting Michael Lam Beverage Review

User: michaelyblam

Beer Tasting 52: Steinlager from New Zealand What do people associate New Zealand with? I immediately think of their mighty rugby team (and their Maouri dance). What do people associate New Zealand with when it comes to a good drink? Most people would think of their Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and perhaps even Riesling and Merlot. Little would people imagine New Zealand would brew such a beautiful pilsner style lager. The Steinlager to me is the Prince of beer if I call Pilsner Urquell Emperor of all beers and Budvar King of all beers...OK just because some commercial ads try to brain wash the public calling their ugly 'Butt' King of all beers...This straw colour beer when poured has a healthy head indicating good carbonation. The nose has a profound flowery and biscuity aroma. Dry, biscuity, grainy, astringent bitterness gradually popped out upon tasting. This soft body beer was more backward than Pilsner Urquell but the sharp bitterness gradually revealed itself in the mouth with a hint of subtle sweetness. This flowery biterness beautifully intermixes with the biscuity malt to create good depth and complexity. The finish is long with positive astringent bitterness. Wow! The All Blacks has just scored another try and had it converted with ease!!! (Rating 91-93 points) by Michael Lam of the Beverage Review. Tags: Beer Tasting Michael Lam Beverage Review

User: michaelyblam

Beer Tasting 51: Zywiec from Poland Dzień dobry! Stolat! I was introduced to Zywiec along with another beer called Okocim when I worked briefly in Poland back in 1990 and 1991. I was told the two were good quality household Polish piwo (beer) that I had to try. 'Mr. Zywiec' and I parted for a good 12+ years and then we had a reunion when they started to import my old Polski friend to British Columbia a few years back! Zywiec is a Polish larger. It came with a light straw colour and a nose of honey, citrus, grain and sweet corn syrup although I believe no corn was employed in this brew. The mouth feel is soft / smooth and the taste is grainy, faintly fruity and biscuity that resembles some of the low hopped Japanese beer. However, the hop presence is here in this one leaving a sharp, positive astringent finish. Pretty good! Till next time! do widzenia! cześć! (Rating 87-89 points by Michael Lam of the Beverage Review) Tags: Beer Tasting Michael Lam Beverage Review

User: michaelyblam

Beer Tasting 50: Pilsner Urquell from Plzen, Czech Republic If the Original Budweiser (Budvar or Czechvar) is the real King of all beers then Pilsner Urquell (Original Pilsner) has got to be the Emperor of all beers! From the town Plzen in Bohemia which is now the heart of Czech Republic, this beer style is actually relatively new developed in the mid 19th Century. The beer was so good that people started to call the style pilsner and go about to duplicate it. This healthy deep straw, bronze colour beer when nosed has a profound characteristic nose of flowery but bitter Saaz hop intermixed with honey, faint citrus, baked nutty biscuits and grain from light roasted barley - very complex! The mouth feel was full and creamy yet clean with all the above. Although this is not as feminine and fragrant as the Budvar, this beer is more assertive and bigger in everyway (except alcohol level) especially with the noticeable higher level of hop. The finish was long but soft. My friends, life is too short to drink bad beers...please abandon your 6 packs of poor and not so 'Cool-s Light' or anything 'But-wise-r' which are tasteless chilled watery pee-pee with massive adjuncts and choose the finer things in life...(Rating 93-95+ points by Michael Lam of the Beverage Review) Tags: Beer Tasting Michael Lam Beverage Review

User: michaelyblam

Wine Tasting 49: 1999 Hardys Tintara Cab.Sauvignon Australia Hardys is an Australian household name. The winery has been around for over 150 years. In fact, your lowly was invited to celebrate with Bill Hardy in a private tasting when he came to Vancouver a few years back for his round the world 150th anniversary of Hardys wines tour. Wow! Bill LOOOOOVES talking and I mean he LOOOOOVES talking! When the birthday cake came with the candles lit, he made a speech but the speech turned out to be longer than the Great Wall of China. All of us were watching the candles burning away...then one of the ladies had to step forward to signal him from talking further and asked him to blow out the candles immediately. Phew! I thought the fire alarm would go off any seconds... The Tintara series is a premium economical line from Hardy. This wine when observed already gave a slight bricky colour. The wine has a typical nose of black current and black plum of a cabernet but has a scent of minty eculyptus mixed with green pepper and green stalk in the background. Medium to full body with slightly elevated acidity. It had soft tannin but not overly complex. What followed was dark chocolate character but like some other Tintara shiraz I tasted, bitterness and astringency (probably from over zealous wood treatment) came out that overpowered the fruit. The higher acidity and astringency made the wine a tad inbalanced. Still, all in all, this is a solid quaffer of good quality. Drink up your stock if you have any. (Rating 84-86 points) by Michael Lam of the Beverage Review. Tags: Wine Tasting Michael Lam Beverage Review

User: michaelyblam

Beer tasting 48: Red Hook Extra Special Bitter Seattle, USA I tasted the Red Hook IPA a wee while back...this time I bought myself this ESB from Point Roberts, WA (Check where this place is -- it's very interesting geographically speaking). ESB stands for Extra Special Bitter or Extra Strength Bitter but this style of beer is no where near the bitterness of an IPA. I drank gallons of traditional bitter when I lived in Britain between 1979-1992. It's the standard pub drink for anyone and everyone! Those who drank otherwise except Mild were sometimes classified as somewhat 'outsiders'...at least that was how I felt anyway. The northwest style of ESB is more forward, fruitier, sweeter and higher in alcohol than the original British version but I am not sure if I can say it's more complex...it really depends on the brew individually. Although the name implies bitterness, brewers actually strive for a balance of malt to the bitterness in this style of beer. The colour was deep bronze and the nose was actually quite malty with this brew. The mouth feel was smooth and creamy and the balance between malt and bitterness was also fair. What's intriguing was a taste of dry red tea in the background. The finish left a good pure chocolate bitter taste. This is a forward off dry beer running at 5.8% compare to the 3-4% British bitter. The Yanks seems to like everything bigger...from the size of a steak to a pop to body sizes (!)...a regular pop would be an equivalent of a large British pop in size and a large pop from the USA would instantly send any kids hyperactive...(Rating 87-89 points) by Michael Lam of The Beverage Review. Tags: Beer Tasting Michael Lam Beverage Review

User: michaelyblam

Wine Tasting 47: 2004 Marquis Philips Shiraz from Australia Reference to Wine Tasting 45. From the same cut as its sibling but this wine from Sarah and Sparky Marquis is made from Shiraz. Wow! The nose...blackberry, black current, cola, toffee, black Maynard wine gum, sweet potpourri, violet, spicy wood and cream vanilla all emerged out. Forward and upfront, this powerful full bodied aromatic wine is packed with complexity that rivals the Sarah's blend...this time it's even fruitier with a hodgepodge of spices, black pepper, dark chocolate, black licorice and incense. The tannin is sweet but ripe. This is another full blown new world excitement especially especially accounting for the price. Viewers should make attention that Sarah & Sparky will not longer continue this project with USA importer Dan Philips after the 2005 vintage. Sob, sob, sob...hurry up -- get the remaining stocks for Cad$20 for a $40-50 wine! Can age further for 3-5 years to gain complexity! (Rating 91-93+ points) by Michael Lam of the Beverage Review. Tags: Wine Tasting Michael Lam Beverage Review

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Wine Tasting 46: 2004 Finca Luzon from Jumilla, Spain Jumilla is a municipality and also an up and coming wine producing region in south eastern Spain. It is located in the province of Murcia, along with other appellations (or they call Denomination of Origin or simply DO) such as Yecla, Alicante and Bulla. Jumilla's wine production is particularly notable for its use of Monastrell (Mourvedre) as a varietal. Like many areas from the old world of wine making. Spain, the third largest producer of wine (after France and Italy), is going through a revolution despite its very rich winemaking tradition. New generation of winemakers are not just learning the art (and science) of winemaking from grandpa and papa but they are soaking much on modern winemaking knowledge and investing big money in both viticulture and modern wine making equipments. The new Spain has arrived and getting better vintage after vintage! The Finca Luzon is a Monastrell blend. Bright red fruits of strawberry, raspberry, red cherry with violets from the nose. Juicy on the palate, lots of ripe red fruits mixed with spicy herb, tobacco, violets with some stew fruit reduction characters then smoke, potpourri and a hint of varietal bitterness to follow in the finish. This is a good wine with food because of its acidity. (Rating 88-90 points) by Michael Lam of the Beverage Review. Tags: Wine Tasting Michael Lam Beverage Review

User: michaelyblam

Wine Tasting 45: 2004 Marquis Philips Sarah's Blend fm Aus. If you love full blown, upfront, loud New World wines then this is for you! Don't get me wrong as I equally love a backward, sensual old world wine too. Like blonds and brunettes I love them all. There are occasions that I lust over new world wines and there are other moments I yearn over the liquid poetry of old world classics. The Marquis Philips wine is a joint project between overly talented Sarah and Sparky Marquis and Yankee importer Dan Philips. Doesn't that give you a hint that something BIG is coming along the way? The Sarah's Blend is a Pseudo-Bordeaux style blend but very un-Bordeaux like due to its very 'new world' style and it's 60+% Shiraz content! The nose was assertive with showy concentrated ripe black current cassis, black plum intermixed with sweet vanilla spicy wood. In fact, the resemblance of a British Maynard black wine gum on the nose is profound! The full body wine was fruity, juicy, upfront and had much weight sitting on my tongue. Eucalyptus, cola, black licorice and dark chocolate to follow. The tannin was sweet and supple and the acid too was well balanced. The finish was generous but the alcohol (at 15%) finally emerged with some hotness. This wine can age for 5+ years. At Cad$20 for a $50 quality wine - a steal. US Viewers- this is even cheaper at discount stores!!! (Rating 91-93 points) by Michael Lam of the Beverage Review. Tags: Wine Tasting Michael Lam Beverage Review

User: michaelyblam

Beer Tasting 44:PhillipsInstigatorDopplebock/Victoria/BC/Can Phillips brewery is from Victoria, the provincial capital of British Columbia in Western Canada. Dopplebock is a style with a history trace back to Munich, Germany. Father Barnabas Still of a local monastery was according to history the one who created the recipe. The beer was brewed to celebrate the end of the 40 days fasting during Lent but another version suggests that it was the very beer that sustained the monks during this time as a liquid diet! Either of the above versions (Also look at the Trappist beer) suggests that the monks were a thirsty bunch and needed much stimulants for their intense meditation...zzz... Dopplebock is meant to be a higher alcohol malty but hoppy drink. This one come with an amber brown colour suggesting the beer uses a medium roasted malt. The mouth feel was smooth and creamy followed with some roasted but sweet and biscuity malt then the hop followed. I am not sure what type of hop they use but traditional German DB uses much Hallertau hop. The hop contributed some bitterness but with a herbal tea taste. This is not the biggest DB I have tasted but bigger and more assertive don't mean it's better. Very drinkable indeed. (Rating 87-89 points) by Michael Lam of the Beverage Review Tags: Beer Tasting Michael Lam Beverage Review

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Wine Tasting 43: 2003 Ch. de Carles fm. Fronsac Bordeaux, Fr Chateau de Carles is from Fronsac in right bank of Bordeaux. Fronsac is considered as a 'minor' region north west of two more famous communes west of Pomerol and St. Emilion. Here the main grapes are merlot and Cabernet Franc as to the predominant Cabernet Sauvignon in the left bank. 2003 was a usually hot year. Much merlot in the Pomerol region shut down during the summer months due to the intense heat but St. Emilion did. Also, many minor producers benefit from the heat producing ripe and plummy fruit. The Ch. de Carles was sold at Cad$23 - considered as a value buy. The wine has some vibrant red fruit (red cherry, red soft berry) intermixed with some earth, soil and barnyard characters. What came in tasting was it also carried some dark chocolate,ink block, graphite and licorice characters. The body was medium and soft. Not too complex but has reasonable solid structure. Drink up within the next 2-4 years. (Rating 86-88 points) by Michael Lam of the Beverage Review. Tags: Wine Tasting Michael Lam Beverage Review

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Wine Tasting 42: 2004 Black Rock fm Swartland, South Africa Shhhhh!!!!! Well another bargain I bought in the Vancouver area reduced from $27 to $X (Hint: Massive reduction) so I have to test it out and see if it's up to par... The Black Rock is a true Rhone blend consists of 76% shiraz, 14% Carignan and 10% Grenache. The first impression from the nose is the wine is rustic...sweet ripe cherry fruit, cherry stone and cherry based cough cordial, earthy and with a hint of volatile alcohol. (*** Mistake on the video: Not shery nose but Shiraz or Syrah nose ***) The wine when tasted offered more assertive waxy cherry stone character intermixed with dry wild flowers, wild berries, game, burnt earth, smoke and black pepper. This upfront, full body and reasonably complex wine still has a film of grippy tannin and is somewhat hot and spicy. The finish is quite long with a feel of hot peppery attack. This is a marriage of new world fruit and old world rusticity? A delight to drink with wild game or a lamb roast because of it's slightly elevated acidity as well as spiciness. I am curious to see what the 2005 has to offer in comparison but for the 2004 vintage of Cad$X (OK X = Under 12) a pop, this is definitely my first steal of 2007. (Rating 87-89 points) by Michael Lam of the Beverage Review. Tags: Wine Tasting Michael Lam Beverage Review

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Beer Tasting 41: Gulden Draak vintage from Belgium Ah another Belgium! Gulden Draak, brewed by brouwerij Van Steenberge, comes with an porcelin looking creamish white bottle with a long tongued funny looking Golden dragon (Gulden Draak) wearing a Santa hat! This is like a Belgium version of a British barley wine although thiis version is only brewed with a surprisingly low 7.5% alcohol. Brown deep amber looking beer with a typical nose of spicy yeast mixed with typical dry stone fruit such as fig and perhaps orange reduction. The entry was smooth with classy little tingling bubble then spicy pear, bitter chocolate and figgy malt to follow. The hotness of the beer was detected due to the alcohol which is very typical of many begian ales. The finish leaves a bitter aftertaste. Good beer to pair with an onion based beef stew? (Rating 89-91 points) by Michael Lam the Beverage Review Tags: Beer Tasting Michael Lam Beverage Review

User: michaelyblam

Wine Tasting 40: Benjamin Port fm Mildara Blass, Australia The is a bargain as it's selling in the US for about $12-14 bucks but we have to pay more here at approx Cad$24 and as far as I know available only from private stores. When it comes to port we think of Portugal but the Aussies are surely making much port style wines from their own grapes. The NV Tawny port comes with a brown amber colour and smells of the typical raisin, caramel, sweet fig, ripe prune but here I detected cola. More coffee and caramel fruit comes out upon tasting. The body is medium by port standard and overall although not an outstanding port, it does have it's fair show of structure. This is a steal for the price. Hey we can't always afford vintage port first for their higher prices but most practically wait for it to age...so in the meantime drink tons of these while wait for the VP to mature! (Rating 87-89 points) by Michael Lam the Beverage Review. Tags: Wine Tasting Port Michael Lam Beverage Review

User: michaelyblam

Whisky Tasting 39: Teacher's Highland Cream from Scotland You so called single malt purists, please please please do not look down on blended whiskies. Many blended whiskies are wonderful everyday drinks (and a few belong to the aristocratic league) just like the French and Italians have their everyday wines or Chinese their everyday tea. Before the introduction of single malt, blended whiskies were the drinks of the choice and rightly so. Grain whiskies are made from corn/maize and distilled using the more effecient continuous stills and they are mainly distilled in and near Glasgow. Famous traditional blends are many such as Johnnie Walker, Famous Grouse, Stewart Cream of the Barley, J & B, Black & White, Teacher's...The teacher's has a volatile sweet grainy nose, old sherry wood and a hint of peat. The spirit while moderately complex, is friendly and easy to understand. Sweet corn and malt with a hint of smoke and peat. Very well balanced and revitalising. A superb all round sipping blend. (Rating 83-85 points) by Michael Lam of the Beverage Review. Tags: Whisky Tasting Michael Lam Beverage Review

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