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A big espresso to stop me from slapping myself to stay awake.

Enjoyed some Bailey's (Well a generic equivalent) with my coffee on one of my days off work yesterday. Would recommend again.

Homemade cold brew, made with 8 O'Clock Coffee whole beans.

Ryan's (Bailey's Knockoff that's cheaper and larger) with my coffee while teleworking.

Now later in evening: Kroger's brand Concorde grape and a splash (tablespoon'ish) of grape vodka and Cruzan 151.

Nummy. Still miss Bacardi's version of 151.

Currently a nice Portuguese Porto Barros 20 year old port...out of a jelly jar, haha. Very few things can put you on a beautiful porch overlooking limestone cliffs in the middle of summer like a glass of port...even when it is cold and dreary outside with 3 months to go until spring. On my mind at least I imagine most happy old men in Portugal and Spain drink it out of simple glass cups instead of fine stemware.

Wiens Brewing Co. Apricot Wheat

Reaaally digging this beer. Extremely creamy, good head on it. It had me at Belgian Style, Fruit and Wheat.

Coffee. Kinda necessary as I set off on another quiet drive across Australia. Just a lazy 5000 odd km from Western Australia to Queensland.

Starbucks: Kenya roast.

You guys and your caffeine addictions. I'm drinking flavored water.

Dogfish Head Siracusa Nera

Typical weird-ass (is that an oxymoron?) Dogfish Head beer. Hybrid of an Imperial Stout and a red wine (Syrah grapes), aged on oak. 10% ABV.

One of their better experimental brews. Not too sweet, not to dry. You can taste the beer, the grapes, and the oak, and it's deceptively smooth for a 10% beer.

Coffee with milk. Nothing unusual, really.

"Pimm's winter cocktail" - Pimm's, Brandy, apple juice, mulling spices, piping hot.
Spouse loves mulled wine, i don't, so this was a compromise this Christmas. It was a big hit and wife is asking for it again tonight. Because it's zero outside.

Laphroaig 10 again.

Hot Tea, decaffeinated.

JustAnEngineer wrote:

Hot Tea, decaffeinated.

via Imgflip Meme Generator

I've never understood the allure of decaf? I suppose if you have negative effects from it? It always seemed like it tasted different to me, but that could be physcological.

I'm drinking a local coffee brew (no decaf ) from "North Pole Coffee" called "Musher's Blend". It's a local favorite. Very fortunate to have good brews of both the hot and cold types.

It's late on this side of the continent. I usually try not to drink caffeine after lunch unless it's really necessary.

Welch wrote:

I've never understood the allure of decaf? I suppose if you have negative effects from it? It always seemed like it tasted different to me, but that could be physcological.

Caffeine is bitter, so I imagine taking it out can affect the flavor. I've always thought that caffeine-free cola tastes a little different too, but that could be due to other differences in the recipe besides the caffeine.

just brew it! wrote:

Dogfish Head Siracusa Nera

Typical weird-ass (is that an oxymoron?) Dogfish Head beer. Hybrid of an Imperial Stout and a red wine (Syrah grapes), aged on oak. 10% ABV.

One of their better experimental brews. Not too sweet, not to dry. You can taste the beer, the grapes, and the oak, and it's deceptively smooth for a 10% beer.

Just read an article about hops growing well in simulated Martian soil and my first thought was, "oh god, I bet Dogfish Head will be all over that."

Carbonated my first drink, made a 2-litre sugar-free sparkling lemonade with a DIY carbonation rig. I can't believe how much better the cheap powder mix tastes when carbonated at 40PSI, has a little extra bite.

I'm definitely hooked. I think I'm going to have to figure out a faucet filter system so I'll have a decent source of water. Definitely glad I upsized to the 20lb CO2 tank now.

Coconut La Croix.

But I was drinking this damn good "New Belgium - Honey Orange Tripel" last night

http://www.newbelgium.com/beer/honey-orange-tripel

A solid 10% Tripel. Not at strong as Silver Gulch Brewery's Quad "Timmy's Little Helper"

https://untappd.com/b/silver-gulch-brew ... er/1898872

Recently got hooked on Americana huckleberry soda.
Quite difficult to find locally,so I'm hoping I can buy it online.

-water.

But apparently I should be drinking something with alcohol ..in moderation of course:

https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/news/sto ... brain.aspx

Welch wrote:

I suppose if you have negative effects from it?

I now get terrible headaches without caffeine, and I'm trying to reduce my intake slowly (..if painfully). Perhaps worse, the only headache medicine that seems to work worth a crap is extra strength Excedrin - which has caffeine (..and it may well be mostly why it "works").

Getting away from it isn't easy though - I drink a lot of tea at restaurants. I'm currently taking caffeine-free soda to certain restaurants where I drink that sort of thing with the meal (..like Coke with Tex-Mex), and at some point I think I'll have to do the same where I drink tea (which is just about everywhere else).

CScottG wrote:

Welch wrote:

I suppose if you have negative effects from it?

I now get terrible headaches without caffeine, and I'm trying to reduce my intake slowly (..if painfully). Perhaps worse, the only headache medicine that seems to work worth a crap is extra strength Excedrin - which has caffeine (..and it may well be mostly why it "works").

Getting away from it isn't easy though - I drink a lot of tea at restaurants. I'm currently taking caffeine-free soda to certain restaurants where I drink that sort of thing with the meal (..like Coke with Tex-Mex), and at some point I think I'll have to do the same where I drink tea (which is just about everywhere else).

Try real organic tart cherry juice and then green tea with tumeric and ginger. It will knock those headaches out fairly quick. If you can, I'd also go for a massage to get rid of some tension. Caffeine can be a hell of a drug , that is for sure. A long time ago I had that issue after drinking 4-5 cups of strong coffee a day. Found it to be mostly my diet. Cut out soda (I do La Croix instead), cut out most of the resteraunts, they mostly serve not good quality food unless you are going to fine dining.

Being the I.T. guy for a food distribution center for 10 years and my office upstairs I've come to know how cheap the quality is for a lot of restaurants. If you eat out a lot, you'll feel it, believe me.

At work right now and here it is usually coffee or water.

Right now I am having decaffeinated instant coffee with a bit of cocoa powder added (the plain stuff, not the sugary thing) and a bit of milk. While I usually drink regular black coffee, I like to spice it up in various ways from time to time. The flavors of ground cocoa and coffee goes along very well in my opinion and cocoa should even have several health benefits as long as you can drink it without sugar. Like coffee, the bitter taste of pure cocoa is an acquired taste but not one that is harder to acquire than for coffee in my opinion. Once you get the hang of it it is very nice indeed and hard to live without, just like coffee.

If you go cold turkey from caffeine, it should not take more than about one week before you should be rid of all the symptoms. While it may feel bad during that week, it is quite easy and quick to kick compared to nicotine-addiction etc. While I do drink coffee most days, I am unsure just how addicted I am to caffeine. Some times I can go a couple of days without having coffee without any adverse effects. I get most of my coffee at work, so during the weekends it happens regularly that I don't drink any between Friday and Monday.

CScottG wrote:

Welch wrote:

I suppose if you have negative effects from it?

I now get terrible headaches without caffeine, and I'm trying to reduce my intake slowly (..if painfully). Perhaps worse, the only headache medicine that seems to work worth a crap is extra strength Excedrin - which has caffeine (..and it may well be mostly why it "works").

Getting away from it isn't easy though - I drink a lot of tea at restaurants. I'm currently taking caffeine-free soda to certain restaurants where I drink that sort of thing with the meal (..like Coke with Tex-Mex), and at some point I think I'll have to do the same where I drink tea (which is just about everywhere else).

Yep you have withdrawal headaches which I used to get. The first time I cold turkey quit I had headaches so bad they induced vomiting. Caffeine isn't for everyone.

Talking about cocoa, my wife has been making me soruced up bullet proof coffees in the morning. MCT oil (coconut oils refined) cocoa, spurlina powder and a few other things. The cocoa in that form was pretty darn tasty actually. Wasn't even hungry until about 3-4pm.

Drinking some Johnny Walker black. The waitress told me a story about how the only order she ever received for blue was an accident and the guy meant to order black. I must admit I think the prices on some drinks are silly. There's nothing that much mind blowingly better to justify 45$ a shot.

Kirkland Signature Premium Small Batch Bourbon / Tennessee Straight Bourbon Whiskey / Aged 7 Years

(Egads that's a mouthful, but I'm just quoting what it says on the label.)

Costco's house brand. $30/liter. Caramel, oak, and vanilla; not too sweet; oak tannins aren't too in-your-face. Surprisingly smooth for a 103 proof liquor.

Costco brand bourbon?!?!

Good thing VT is a control state, or my self-enforced ban on distilled spirits would be out the window (yes, I've been able to stay off).