I just became aware of a documentary about the battle in the marketplace between craft breweries and the established ‘macro’ breweries. It looks pretty interesting. It doesn’t look like it’s screening in this area but if you follow the link on the homepage to buy tickets it does appear to be screening in several movie theaters in Northern Virginia. You can watch the trailer at the website, www.beerwarsmovie.com.

If I get a chance to see it I’ll post a review here.

Here’s a neat short documentary about the beer industry in American and the rise of craft brews.

Just got an Email from the University. They will be testing the campus warning system tomorrow between 12 and 2 in the afternoon. This will involve tones and voices over a loudspeaker.Don’t worry – it’s not the end of the world (despite what the tv n…

There’s an Eric Asimov article in today’s New York Times about Santa Barbara County in California, remarkable for its wide variety of chardonnay styles. The tasting panel for this article tried 25 different bottles, and kybecca has one of their top choices in shop, the 2005 Serenity. And you don’t have to stop there — kybecca has several chardonnay offerings from Santa Barbara. It’s going to be 70 degrees in Fredericksburg on Saturday, we spring ahead (daylight saving time Saturday night), and though it seems impossible today, it’s time for spring fever! Stock up on those front porch wines.

Serenity 2005 Unoaked Chardonnay Santa Barbara County.
No oak. No malolactic fermentation. Made as an expression of pure fruit without anything to get in the way. Citrus, honeysuckle and tropical fruit scents perfume the nose while focused green melon, pineapple and lemon rind add vibrant mouth feel. Lean, crisp, clean and balanced. A great value at $17.

Well happy birthday to me. Another year has somehow passed by without me noticing. They tend to do that.Celebrating my birthday always makes me think of my parents. On a sentimental note, I think of the decision that they made to have a fourth child, c…

I was able to take a little time off this year and I decided to head to Yosemite for the vacation. My good friend Adam lives in Stockton, a few hours away from Yosemite, and it made good sense to spend some time with him while going to the beautiful park. Adam picked me up in Sacremento and off to Stockton we go. Being geographically challenged, I had no idea in relation to CA, where Stockton was located. Soon we were passing large expanses of agriculture in the San Joaquin Valley; almonds, tomatoes, sugarcane and, you guessed it, grape vines. A few more geographic inquires lead me to discovered Adam lived 7 miles from Lodi. The Zin capital of California.

I contacted Vino con Brio, producers of the Matzin, and Ann Matson answered. It was then clear where the wine got it’s name. Asking if we could come and visit, She explained that she was watching her niece, Katherine Sophia, and as long as we were ok with that she would be happy to open up for a tasting.
We arrived at the beautiful Vino Con Brio where Anne, Katherine Sophia, and cookie monster met us with a smile.

I was happy to help out with Katherine Sophia while Anne showed us their wines. Delicious!~ What a great time! This family run business has the beautiful Amorosa Vineyard inn and Garden facility that can accommodate you while in the Valley. Anne was then nice enough to take us to their production facility. All in all a wonderful experience.

So if you are in CA and want to meet some of the nicest, most accommodating, friendly, down to earth people in the valley, head to Vino con Brio in Lodi. This family run business will treat you well. If you want to try the Matzin locally, it is in our enomatic machines available now!

Thanks Anne and Katherine Sophia.

This post has been long overdue. Fitting I write about this on the day one of America’s best newspapers, the Rocky Mountain News, published it’s final edition. The economy and the newspaper business is in utter turmoil. Last month, I found myself on th…

I found this good article in the New York Times about pairing wine with spicy food. Spicy food is a tricky pairing and as the article points out people usually go with beer, hence the short wine lists usually found at Thai or Indian restaurants. I prefer white wines with spicy foods, especially whites with a bit of sweetness to them. Off-dry or semi-sweet Rieslings are a great choice, or Chenin Blancs done in a sweet style. Wines with a bit of sweetness go very well with these foods because the food also tends to be salty, and sweet and salty go very well together, like popcorn and soda. You also want your wines to be low in alcohol. I don’t really get the red choices in the article. If I went with a red I would do a Beaujolais, made from the Gamay grape. Those wines are light, fruity, and pair really well with food.

Truth be told I usually go with beer with spicy food. It’s just a more natural pairing (although I tend to think wine is better with food in general). I have heard it said many times that hoppy beers go well with spicy food. I can’t imagine how that recommendation got started because that is a terrible pairing. If you really like hops and don’t feel like tasting anything in your food except the heat from the spice, then it works. I like beers with some malty sweetness, like a Czech Pilsner for lighter stuff or a Belgian Tripel for more robust dishes.

Walking into kybecca, it is sometimes easy to get lost in all the great wine and beer racks and miss the cheese fridge. Don’t let this happen to you! If you’re a serious fromage lover, I’m sure you’ve wandered the supermarket aisle in vain looking for gruyere or a really luxurious blue. kybecca has both! Here are a few of the great choices in the shop now.

Rothkase Gruyere — Domestically made Gruyere means less money than the imported version. Sharp and tangy cheese with some earthy notes from aging. Use this instead of cheddar to make amazing macaroni and cheese. It’s so cold out today — grab a baguette, a bottle, and cuddle up with some fondue at the family table.

Rothkase Grand Queso — Very similar to Manchego, this Wisconsin cheese has a firm body and nutty flavor. Pairs very well with red wine. Sprinkle it on soups or salads. Makes a great omelet.

Sovrano — An Italian cheese made from buffalo and cow’s milk. A delicious alternative to Pecorino Romano. Grate over pasta.

Rogue Smoky Blue — A smoked blue cheese made by Rogue Creamery, owned and operated by the same people who run Rogue Brewery in Oregon. A sharp blue that pairs well with Port or other dessert wines, or sprinkle it on your salad, burger or pasta with serrano ham.

Ugh! My belly is full. I have been literally overdosing on my favorite Polish pastry… paczki.Paczki (correctly pronounced as ‘ponch – key’) are only around for a short time each year. The tasty treats are special-made as a pre-Lenten tradition, makin…