Drinks in Retirement.....and Covid

As summer winds down and I am enjoying one of my last caipirinhas of the year I got to thinking about how my tastes in adult beverages have evolved since retiring. I’ve become more open to trying new drinks. Once the Covid lockdown lifted I began taking advantage of having more time to travel to several NJ breweries to sample as many local beers as I can. I’ve also been helping others to experience the beer from our local brewery by helping to can beer there. Always a fun activity and being paid in beer is a bonus.

Since many of you probably have never heard of a caipirinha (Brazil’s national cocktail), let me start with that. The drink’s base is cachaca, a Brazilian sugar cane rum which has a very strong taste. Due to that strong taste, it is cut with lime and sugar-in-the-raw to make a refreshing hot weather drink – hence my drink of choice in the summer. Here’s how I make mine (in a pint glass which is basically a double): slice a lime and drop the pieces into a martini shaker or other vessel suitable for muddling; add a tablespoon +/- of sugar-in-the-raw (bigger lime = more sugar); muddle together; add 3 shots of cachaca and stir lightly; refrigerate for a while to let the ingredients mix (not a required step, but it results in a smoother drink); grab a pint glass and fill half way with ice cubes; pour the entire contents of the shaker into the glass (I push the lime slices to the bottom to add to the flavor); pour a shot of cachaca into the shaker and swish it around to get the remaining sugar; pour into the glass, insert a straw and enjoy. I should have mentioned this is a sipping drink, not one to be chugged. A perfect way to cool off and relax on a hot summer day.

When looking for something that doesn’t require that much effort, I have found a variety of good sipping rums from Rhode Island, Maryland, and the Florida Keys. My exploration into rum started when my wife brought me a bottle from a small Newport, RI distillery. It was the first rum I ever had that was even drinkable on its own. Eureka! That opened my taste buds to trying various rums as we have traveled. There have been some duds along the way, but also some great finds that are currently in my liquor cabinet. The beauty of visiting tasting rooms is you get to try sips and don’t have to blindly commit to a large purchase.

Bourbons and whiskeys have also found their way into my growing stock. The type I reach for depends on my mood. A good rye whiskey (I found a great example in Cooperstown, NY on our trip with our nieces and nephew this past July) is a pleasant way to relax in the shade during summer, or in front of a fire in winter. Same for a solid bourbon, not too sweet, not too sharp, a little warmth in a glass. On the lighter side, Irish whiskeys offer a gentler flavor on the palate and are refreshing when it is warm out. I started my journey with these spirits as most people do, by trying some of the major brands. Being as curious about spirits as I am about beer, I always look for whatever is local as I travel, and I don’t hesitate to ask knowledgeable shop personnel what they recommend based on what I like. Both methods have helped me expand my tastes - and forced me to expand my liquor cabinet.

Thanks to Mr. Peart I developed my taste for scotch and have become a fan of The Macallen. The 18 year is phenomenal but I do not wish to spend my entire retirement fund on scotch so I stick with the 12 year and treat myself once in a while to the 15 year. Both exceptional while not requiring a second mortgage on our house.

My appreciation for wine has also increased as my wife and I are lucky enough to have a friend who is a sommelier. He has given us a lot of advice on affordable (under $20) bottles that are wonderful, and that has emboldened us to try wines from different regions, look for grape varietals that have not yet become “in”, and look for vineyards/wineries under the radar too. Thanks to dinner at a friend’s recently we learned of a Sonoma winery’s Pinot Noir (one that we had tried at their Sonoma tasting room with these and our sommelier friends in the before time) at a liquor that happened to be right by my dentist. I quickly bought several bottles as it is a fantastic wine and a great value, and we haven’t seen their wine anywhere near us before.

You’ve likely read enough of my posts to know that while the main content has been about alcohol, there is going to be some sort of bigger message included. I have expanded my palate trying new adult beverages by visiting local tasting rooms, attending wine, beer, and spirits tastings, seeking the advice of knowledgeable friends and local shop personnel, and asking questions when I see something I am curious about. This same willingness to try something new, seek out the local flavor, and discover new things by going off the beaten path can help you expand your horizons, to learn and grow. So as you move about the country – or your local liquor store – be curious, ask questions, and try something new. You’ll be glad you did.

Shout out to my home state of New Jersey – we have some top-notch breweries, wineries, and distilleries, so if you live in the state or are travelling here, check them out!

Here’s a link to get you started: https://visitnj.org/search/node/breweries%2C%20wineries%2C%20distilleries