Secret Passages and Wine

Anyone who knows me, knows two things about me. I am extremely limber and I love secret passages. I mentioned in my post from earlier today that I would have a passage or a trap door in my uniquely designed house, and I meant every word of it.

At the same time, I have been gaining an affinity for wine lately. I don't really like the drink that much. I certainly appreciate it, especially a good Shiraz or a Port, but I am more fond of the culture. I very much like the look of a wine bottle on my counter or table. It's a classy drink, and I aspire to be classy. The epitome of class however is not merely having "a" bottle or "a few" bottles, if you want to be in the big leagues of classocity you need a cellar. That's right I wine cellar.

There are few things better than the ability to say phrases like,

Are we out of wine? Let me go grab another bottle from the cellar.

Or,

The wine cellar is looking a little bare, we better buy another case of that Cabernet you like so much.

Or even better,

We just had sex in the wine cellar.

Awesome, right?

Well, what if we could combine secret passage with wine cellar? Check this out.






I want that. It's the classiest thing I have ever seen. And it's attainable.

Thank you FFFFound.com for showing me a picture of it, and thank you SpiralCellars for digging a whole in any room of my house and installing classiness and jealous friends into my life. Now expand to the US, so I can utilize your services.

Now.

Awesome Packaging Design

After my beer post yesterday, i got to thinking about how terrible the packaging for the Hoppin' Frog B.O.R.I.S The Crusher is. For such a deliscious beer, it looks like it would taste like Frog crap and swamp water, and trust me the consitency of the beer doesn't help in relieving that concern either. It wouldn't surprise me if some would just pass it up just for that reason.

Now, mind you I am the type of person who chooses wine based on bottle design and label, not quality, age or grape. Not so much with beer, but sometimes I'll give a beer a try just because I like the design.

A perfect example is the above beer and its gorgeous packaging. The Howling Monkey Black and Tan is damn near perfectly designed all way down to the choice of bottle. The design firm Tuner Duckworth can take well deserved credit here for an amazing capture of a brand.

I can't wait to try this beer, and I don't even like black and tans. I mean I'll drink them if they are done right. This is what I mean by done right:



But what we have with Howling Monkeys and with any black and tan in one bottle is what a 8 year old me would call a "suicide". A "suicide" is essentially every flavor of soda from the fountain, including but not limited to Coke, Sprite, Orange, Root Beer, and Mr. Pibb (none of this Pibb Xtra bullshit... what's Xtra?... another post I guess). Just like a black and tan in a bottle it always tasted OK, but never as good as each flavor would have on its own. Especially if Hawaiian Punch came into play... never a good compliment to any other soft drink.

This kid has the right idea, and I can admit that he's a stronger man than I.



But I digress.

Here are some amazing packaging designs I have been seeing on this great site Lovely Package. Check them out:





















Check out the site for some great inspiration, or just awesome products that probably aren't half as awesome as their packaging.

B.O.R.I.S.

Have you ever considered drinking Motor Oil that tastes like a trip to Aspen on Christmas with a Supermodel Ski Bunny. You need to try Hopin' Frog Brewery's B.O.R.I.S. The Crusher. B.O.R.I.S. (Bodacious Oatmeal Russian Imperial Stout) is a meal in and of itself, and has what some might call hints, but I call taste explosions, of chocolate, roasted oats, and barley. As the folks Hoppin' Frog say the Imperial Stout "is the grand-daddy of all Stout styles". Combine that heritage with the popularity of the Oatmeal Stout style, and the alcoholism of those crazy Russians (This beer sports a 9.4% ABV) and you have delicious beer that can either start the party or cap off the night.

It recieved an A on Beer Advocate, and most reviews tend to put it at the top of the class in Flippin' Awesome Beer 101.

Check it out at your local wine bar, or fine beer supplier.

I get it at Erato Wine Bar in Edwardsville, IL. They sport one of the best Beer Lists in the midwest, and that is only small part of what makes this restaurant and bar great. They feature one of the Top chefs in the St. Louis area, coupled with a Sous Chef who arguably might be even better at some things. Regardless, you can trust me that the menu is amazing. As is the wine list, service and atmosphere.

Check out this Riverfront Times article/review from 2007.

If you go, look for a short, but tall in heart, bald man behind the bar named Todd. Tell him I sent you, and he'll make sure you're well taken care of.