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Responses to Imbibers 100
So far the response to the Imbibers 100 has be interesting, and opinionated, of course. A few forums have jumped in and started plucking away at the choices. As per one uptight poster "Sauternes AND Chateau d'Yquem?" My response is but of course, if you don't know what the bottom tastes like, how can you ever appreciate the finest? Same reason I added Bud. Even though I haven't actually chugged a Bud, I've had enough macrobrew (Blue, Canadian, etc.). Just because drinks are the same style doesn't mean they are the same. Taste can be, and should be, an exercise in contrast.
I never trust someone who claims to only drink microbrewed beer and single malt scotch, and states overwhelmingly that they are better than macrobrew and blended. Why? Again, appreciation is having the understanding of taste range. Plus, we always have to factor in a persons preferences, heritage and genetics (non, normal and super tasters).
Of the responses, Ting, Wray & Nephew Overproof and Clamato seem to be high on the list of something everyone should try.
Now the most controversial item was Buckley's Cough Syrup. For those who have tried it, they would laugh, so maybe it was a location / inside joke. Why didn't I get the memo that humour had died on the Internet?
Overall, a fun little experiment. Keeping it to 100 seems to provoke discussion. The list could easily go to 1000, but that would be no fun.
83 Comments on Responses to Imbibers 100
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As I said on the original post, I'm very pleased you did this as its inspired a lot of memories of some great (and not so great) occasions for me, I think another group on the next 50 would be a good talking point that way stopping people wanting to change out your original posts, and I promise, that I am done with my suggestions, the sour toe cocktail was my last. If I had a parallel in the UK, either 'pine & honey expectorate linctus' or 'tixy lix' which is a strawberry flavoured childrens cough syrup.
I'm stopping now, I promise.
I really liked this idea of imbibers 100, i have never really thought in that way about what i have or haven`t tasted before, not so that i had listed it, it was interesting.
Yes, i think taste is an exercise in contrast but also in matching and to understand a taste range takes time, time that i really do enjoy.You also got to do errors to find the good ones.
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I think the next stage could perhaps be a list or forum of drinks that people can't or struggle to drink and appreciate. I truly believe that there shouldn't be any boundaries to what we should be willing to try to experience (drinkswise)so long as there are no harmful effects. As an example, the only thing that I struggle with now is pastis. I would love to be able to appreciate it however my experience of it is limited to Pernod & Ricard. I'm aware that it was created to replace absinth in the drinks market however I'm fine with absinth served parisian style and still can't drink pastis served the same way.For example I'm sure that there would/will be a lot of people citing tequila as a 'can't do' drink and there is a good reason... bad experiences on mixto instead of appreciation of 100% agave, however these things can be overcome by experience and education, the point of the blog would be to promote that.
As a bartender I've broken a lot of myths for my customers and pride myself on learning how to appreciate, gain a palate for, use and be well informed about everything I list.