Pisco Sour By caseywest, May 20, 2010 via Flickr Creative Commons

After watching one of the greatest shows ever, Three Sheets, I became sad to see that the host Zane Lamprey never got around to show casing the Peruvian side of this liquor. Instead we only saw the Chilean side, which seems to be more regulated in its creation of Pisco. The side by side taste test will have to wait till I’m able to locate some pisco from Chile, until then these pompous pisco producers will have to deal with a full Pisco breakdown where both sides get a full review.

Some of you may not be too familiar with pisco, but may be more familiar with its Italian cousin grappa. Grappa is made from wine discards while pisco is made from fresh grapes and in Peru it includes the typical discards. Both drinks were once considered a poor man’s drink but nowadays both can be seen in high class cocktails for man and monkey alike.

Type: Beer – Rice Lager
Name: Kirin Ichiban
Price: $3.29
Made: California?
Alc/Vol: 5%
“With his gold label and Special Premium Reserve appellation, Ichiban outclasses and outperforms.

In 1990, Ichiban’s debut made a splash in the world of super premium beers. The luxurious single wort (or first press) process yields a unique, complex flavor. With his gold label and “Special Premium Reserve” appellation, Ichiban outclasses and outperforms. But don’t be fooled by a snooty attitude — this is a great beer that goes with anything.

What makes Ichiban great

Prominent wort. Finest barley malt, premium hops, smooth finish, no bitter aftertaste.”

Type: Beer – Double IPA
Name: Victory Brewing Company – Hop Wallop
Price: $2.09
Made: Downington, Pennsylvania
Alc/Vol: 8.5%

The Legend of ‘Hop’ Wallop

“So Horace ‘Hop’ Wallop headed west a broken man. For in the city of Blues a Miss LuLu Bell Lager had left him thirty for more. Drawn by wild tales of riches to be had in the gold mines, Hop pressed on westward. His last nickle spent on a prospecting pan Hop’s hunger got the best of him. Two fist fulls of barely and three of some wild and Wayward hops tossed in a pan with some clear water was to be his meal but sleep overcame him and he later awoke to a bubbling cacophonous concoction overjoyed with the beautiful ale he had made, Hop realized the secret of the green gold he had discovered in those fresh hops. Celebrated far and wide Hop Wallop lives on this vivid ale with his words, ‘Hoppyness is Happiness’. Enjoy!”

Type: Wine – Concord
Name: Matus Winery – Martin’s American Concord
Price: I got it for free
Made: Wakeman, Ohio
Alc/Vol: 12%

“A sweet red wine made from Concord grapes picked from Uncle Marty’s 50 year old vines.”

This wine was given to me while I was out camping for Memorial Day weekend, while moving between a Pinot Grigio and some Boones Farm – yeah we spare no alcohol on a camping weekend. If you saw the list of beers we were drinking the wine mix wouldn’t surprise you. While chit chatting over our love for alcohol and sampling the drinks for the night I was offered a bottle of Concord wine from Matus Winery. Yes, ladies and gentlemen this is a Monkey Brewster first – a freebie just because I’m a blogging drunken monkey.

Type: Beer
Name: Mythos Hellenic Lager Beer
Price: $1.99
Made: Sindos, Greece
Alc/Vol: 5%

To this beer I say drink up, it is my way of supporting Greece in their time of financial crisis, for there is no better gulp of beer than one that helps another. This lovely beer was enjoyed on a hot day as I try to pawn off my belonging in a garage sale in preparation for my move. (Read why here) I used a screw driver to pop the cap off and gulped down my first sip as I sat in front of my former riches, giving me a King Kong complex of sorts. So what did I think of this self proclaimed, ‘ first authentic Greek beer’?