What's in your glass tonight?

[jswordy]

The rise in popularity of Rolling Rock continues to astound me. I grew up in a 'burb east of Pittsburgh and not all that far from Latrobe (Arnie Palmer's digs). In the 1950's and 1960's, Rolling Rock was known in the Pittsburgh area as "skunk-beer." It was wildly unpopular. My father owned a beer distributorship and, while we would order truck loads of Iron City, Duquesne, Budweiser, etc. on a weekly basis, our Rolling Rock order would come in on two or three dollies, maybe 25 cases a week.

Later, after I had moved away from Pittsburgh, I saw it in Rochester, New York and I thought, "What in the world is that doing here?" Later is saw it in Florida and I came to realize the power of Madison Avenue. They have had the green bottle for as long as I can remember and at one time it was only offered in the 7 ounce bottle, 24 per case. I note that it is now longer "Brewed from mountain spring water" as was their old claim to fame. For a time, it was brewed in a brewery that also has produced Sam Adams, Heilemann's, Iron City, Old German and perhaps a number of others. I imagine the beer was "brewed from pure Allegheny River water," famous for its "Allegheny White Fish!"

I am almost, but not quite, tempted to try some to see if it really has changed.

As someone who has been drinking Rolling Rock for decades, since way before AB Inbev bought it out, I can tell you that YES, it has changed. There remains just a hint of the flavor that once was back when RR was a $6.95 a sixer beer (that would be a $12.95 sixer at today's prices) and was exclusively produced in Latrobe. Now, it is made by AB Inbev and is $9.99 or $10.99 a 12-pack where I live.

Today, RR is produced at whatever AB Inbev plant has capacity and the correct yeast on hand – yet RR is still produced using the original yeast strain that's specific to it and cannot be found elsewhere. AB Inbev has just cheapened the grain bill and process. There is no more production in glass-lined tanks, and I believe that as a result of all that change, the beer is probably less popular now than it was when it was a privately owned brand. It has 4.95% ABV, which I like because I can enjoy it longer without getting smashed. But that low ABV is a turn-off for a lot of young drinkers, who drink to get smashed.

As far as the flavor, I never gave a rat's ass what anybody else ever thought – or thinks – about what I drink, what I like, where I live, or how I live. And I never will. If it makes me happy, that is all that counts. I am not a snob in any way, shape or form – let alone being snobbish about something like drinking the piss of yeast in whatever form – nor do I seek to social climb or achieve the approval of others. I have a very happy life this way, freed from many social anxieties, pressures and concerns.

 

[Rocky]

As someone who has been drinking Rolling Rock for decades, since way before AB Inbev bought it out, I can tell you that YES, it has changed. There remains just a hint of the flavor that once was back when RR was a $6.95 a sixer beer (that would be a $12.95 sixer at today's prices) and was exclusively produced in Latrobe. Now, it is made by AB Inbev and is $9.99 or $10.99 a 12-pack where I live.

Today, RR is produced at whatever AB Inbev plant has capacity and the correct yeast on hand – yet RR is still produced using the original yeast strain that's specific to it and cannot be found elsewhere. AB Inbev has just cheapened the grain bill and process. There is no more production in glass-lined tanks, and I believe that as a result of all that change, the beer is probably less popular now than it was when it was a privately owned brand. It has 4.95% ABV, which I like because I can enjoy it longer without getting smashed. But that low ABV is a turn-off for a lot of young drinkers, who drink to get smashed.

As far as the flavor, I never gave a rat's ass what anybody else ever thought – or thinks – about what I drink, what I like, where I live, or how I live. And I never will. If it makes me happy, that is all that counts. I am not a snob in any way, shape or form – let alone being snobbish about something like drinking the piss of yeast in whatever form – nor do I seek to social climb or achieve the approval of others. I have a very happy life this way, freed from many social anxieties, pressures and concerns.

Wow! I am amazed at the pricing you cited. I was referring to the time when RR was $2.88 for a 24-7oz. bottles case and when the 12 oz. bottles and cans came out, they were less than $4.00 for a case of 24! I am not a big beer drinker and really only enjoy a beer when working outside on very warm days. My comments were more at my surprise that RR had made such a transition over a 60+ year period. I had the sensation of a person who had been out of touch with the automobile industry for many years and then found that Yugo had become a luxury car.

 

[Retired teacher]

As someone who has been drinking Rolling Rock for decades

I just started drinking RR this past year. I switched mainly because of the low price but I’ve stayed with it because I really do enjoy it. I’ll have to ask my store owner if he can order the bottles for me. Right now, all he carries are the 30 pack cans. $17.95 for a 30 pack.

 

[Hazelemere]

Sheridan Chardonnay & Hazelmere Muscat 2023

This is a 50/50 cooler carboy blend with Sheridan Chardonnay fermented with V13 yeast and my homegrown Siegerrebe-Ortega Muscat blend fermented with 71B yeast. My son in law loves my muscats and I gave him a case of mine which he used to make this blend.

Here are my comments:

Appearance - clear lemon yellow

Smell - the muscat improves the buttered popcorn smell of the Chardonnay by making it more fruity like Sonoma or Carneros Chardonnay. This has a very good smell.

Tannin - good

Acid - good

Flavour - really tasty, fragrant Washington Chardonnay-Fraser Valley Muscat blend. This will age and should become even more fragrant over time. I think my son in law will like it.

retaste:

needs acid. Citric should work. Otherwise it is very good.

 

[Hazelemere]

Cyser 2023

Homegrown organic apples ground, pressed and chaptalized with unpasteurized blueberry blossom honey.

Here are my comments:

Appearance - clear yellow gold

Smell - honey smell is dominant, complex good nose

Tannin - slightly high but ok i.e. russet skin and honey tannin.. This should age.

Acid - good

Flavour - intense cyser. Tannin is dominant. Tastes like it could be very good in 3-5 years when the tannin drops so I'll let it.

 

[Hazelemere]

retaste of Pacific Black Iris

This is Black Iris (68% wild blackberries, 32% pitted wild cherries with Sheridan Syrah 2020 (salvaged from a burnt rubber nose from MLF gone awry) plus 2023 homegrown Marechal Foch ~8% Syrah, 5% Marechal Foch and about 73% Black Iris. I can make 2 cases of this as a house red which I will do. Here are my comments;

Appearance - inky purple

Nose - good wild cherry dominant

Tannin - good

Acid- good

Flavour - good, rich dark dry fruit wine which will age. Has a bottle of Bols cherry liqueur in it which is noticeable and gives it a really nice finish. This is balanced and tasty, maybe slightly sweet. I'll mix Foch and/or Regent in the future to make decent house reds from fruit that I grow or can pick in my neighbourhood. e.g. Black Iris Foch 2024 or Black Iris Regent 2024.

So then I tried one more blend to stretch the black iris and use more Regent to drop the sweetness in a 50/50 blend:

Here are my comments on this new Regent Black Iris blend:

Appearance - inky purple

Smell - good fragrant nose

Tannin - good

Acid - good

Flavour - as a house wine this is fine, It has a bit of tannin in the finish and the previous sweetness is still slightly there but overall this is decent, not great but certainly drinkable and flavourfull. I'd rate it as "good" i.e. not "very good" or "excellent".I'll definitely cut small amounts of Black Iris 2024 (I have enough excellent pitted wild cherries to make 35 bottles in total of Black Iris) into both Marechal Foch 2024 and Regent 2024 to create more complex homegrown red wines. I'll use RC212/71B with nutrient to get the acid in the Foch and Regent as low as I can ahead of malolactic fermentation with medium toast American oak. I'll also make 100% Regent and Marechal Foch for comparison.

retaste of Pacific Black Iris

Appearance - inky purple

Nose - good wild cherry dominant

Tannin - good

Acid- good

Flavour - good, rich dark dry fruit wine which will age. Has a bottle of Bols cherry liqueur in it which is noticeable and gives it a really nice finish. This is balanced and tasty, maybe slightly sweet but not by much.

 

[jswordy]

I just started drinking RR this past year. I switched mainly because of the low price but I’ve stayed with it because I really do enjoy it. I’ll have to ask my store owner if he can order the bottles for me. Right now, all he carries are the 30 pack cans. $17.95 for a 30 pack.

My favorite way to drink RR is to get some beer mugs in the freezer overnight and then just rotate them through. Oh, it is cold and it is good. I have them stocking it again now, but just one 12-pack per store, so I had to go to two stores today to restock. Here a 12-pack of bottles is $9.98 or $10.98. Boy, I'd like to find 30 cans for $17.95! The distributor here just doesn't care for the brand and does as little as possible to promote it or stock it. That's too bad, as other people buy it too when they have it on the shelves. I emailed when I got back home and told them I had to go to 2 stores. I said if they'd just put 4 12-packs in stock at Walmart then I would buy them out every time and be done with it, lol...

 

[Rocky]

You all have piqued my curiosity! I am going to give it a try. Here are my local prices.



30 each 12 oz. cans $21.99 or 12 each 12 oz. bottles $11.99

 

[jswordy]

You all have piqued my curiosity! I am going to give it a try. Here are my local prices.

View attachment 114385 View attachment 114386

30 each 12 oz. cans $21.99 or 12 each 12 oz. bottles $11.99

I support anyone who is willing to try something new and make up their own mind. I buy the bottles and much prefer the beer in a mug that has been well-chilled in the freezer. It used to be better when it came from Latrobe, but I still like it enough to squeal when they pull it off the shelves here, lol....

 

[Rocky]

I support anyone who is willing to try something new and make up their own mind. I buy the bottles and much prefer the beer in a mug that has been well-chilled in the freezer. It used to be better when it came from Latrobe, but I still like it enough to squeal when they pull it off the shelves here, lol....

Mug is in the freezer, beer in the ice box! Going outside to level some of my paver driveway and then will enjoy my first RR in many years. BTW, the price of $21.99 is a "special" and the regular price is $24.99 for the 30 can case.

 

[wineh]

2019 "the judge". 41% merlot, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Cabernet Franc. Black currants, cherries and blackberry. 14.6%

 

[Hazelemere]

retaste of Pacific Black Iris

Appearance - inky purple

Nose - good wild cherry dominant

Tannin - good

Acid- good

Flavour - good, rich dark dry fruit wine which will age. Has a bottle of Bols cherry liqueur in it which is noticeable and gives it a really nice finish. This is balanced and tasty, maybe slightly sweet but not by much.

I'm trying to figure out the best way to use Black Iris with Marechal Foch and Regent. This blend in a glass is 1/3 Regent, 1/3 Marechal Foch and 1/3 Black Iris.

Here are comments on this blend in a glass:

Appearance - inky purple

Smell - very good and complex

Tannin - very good

Acid - good

Flavour - this is wild ass red! The flavour is totally different and drum roll.............GOOD

This isn't very good or excellent but it is certainly good. It has a really good aftertaste.

Bottom line - my homegrown Regent + Marechal Foch blend (Moraine) is improved by being cut with small amounts of Black Iris i.e. blackberries, wild cherries and dried elderberries plus medium toast American oak.

 

[jswordy]

Mug is in the freezer, beer in the ice box! Going outside to level some of my paver driveway and then will enjoy my first RR in many years. BTW, the price of $21.99 is a "special" and the regular price is $24.99 for the 30 can case.

View attachment 114404

Well, I hope you're not stuck with 29 cans...

 

[Rocky]

Well, I hope you're not stuck with 29 cans...

Actually, I am down to 27 cans, three having gone the way of all flesh! I have to say not bad at all and certainly not the RR I remember from my young adulthood. That is also a very attractive price for 30 cans. I normally keep Peroni (from Italy) and Yuengling (from PA) on hand.

I did the mug thing in the freezer and was surprised that the head on the beer never waned. Amazing. I am not sure of the Chemistry/Physics of that but I had never seen it last the whole beer. I had two when I took a break from working on the pavers (needed to come up with some new swear words) and one with dinner, Butoni 3 cheese ravioli topped with olive oil, basil, red pepper flakes, garlic, S&P. Went along very well.

Thanks for the lead.

 

[winemaker81]

Bottom line - my homegrown Regent + Marechal Foch blend (Moraine) is improved by being cut with small amounts of Black Iris i.e. blackberries, wild cherries and dried elderberries plus medium toast American oak.

You might try making up the following blends in 100 ml (3.5 oz) samples:

10 ml Black Iris, 45 ml Foch, 45 ml Regent
20 ml Black Iris, 40 ml Foch, 40 ml Regent
30 ml Black Iris, 35 ml Foch, 35 ml Regent
40 ml Black Iris, 30 ml Foch, 30 ml Regent

In November we will be making blends from CS, CF, and Merlot. Inspired by MacGegor Vineyards Rob Roby Red, I was thinking of a blend that's 60% CF, 30% CS, and 10% Merlot as that's the ratio from a few years ago. We'd also do a 60% CS, 30% CF, 10% Merlot with the other half of the wine.

However ... the bottle of the 2021 that I have on order is roughly 40/40/20 ... which changes the ratio a lot. When we do the taste testing for this one, I'm going to have my son bring a change of clothes, as there's no way I'll let him drive after the taste testing ...

 

[winemanden]

Mug is in the freezer, beer in the ice box!

You guys must be missing out on the taste, having beer and mugs ice cold. It may be refreshing on a hot day, but drinking anything too cold is no good for taste.
Chilled,yeah. Ice cold no!

 

[Rocky]

You guys must be missing out on the taste, having beer and mugs ice cold. It may be refreshing on a hot day, but drinking anything too cold is no good for taste.
Chilled,yeah. Ice cold no!

You are correct and I remember when I was in the service, stationed in Germany, workers there with their bottle of beer with the spring top porcelain cap, taking a swig or two periodically. I could never get used to the warm or room temperature beer. I guess I more enjoy the refreshment than the taste. I also recall that the beer in English pubs, while not ice cold, was kind of "cellar cold." That seemed to go well with my favorite pub meal, the "Plowman's Lunch."

 

[ibglowin]

You guys must be missing out on the taste, having beer and mugs ice cold. It may be refreshing on a hot day, but drinking anything too cold is no good for taste.
Chilled,yeah. Ice cold no!

When its 100F (38C) outside I'll take my beer (ice) cold please. It'll warm up fast enough!

 

[Retired teacher]

When its 100F (38C) outside I'll take my beer (ice) cold please. It'll warm up fast enough!

I’m with you on this one!

 

[jswordy]

Actually, I am down to 27 cans, three having gone the way of all flesh! I have to say not bad at all and certainly not the RR I remember from my young adulthood. That is also a very attractive price for 30 cans. I normally keep Peroni (from Italy) and Yuengling (from PA) on hand.

I did the mug thing in the freezer and was surprised that the head on the beer never waned. Amazing. I am not sure of the Chemistry/Physics of that but I had never seen it last the whole beer. I had two when I took a break from working on the pavers (needed to come up with some new swear words) and one with dinner, Butoni 3 cheese ravioli topped with olive oil, basil, red pepper flakes, garlic, S&P. Went along very well.

Thanks for the lead.

Glad you liked it. It's awesome after mowing on a hot day, too. Good luck on the project. Are you sharing photos here anywhere?