Sip Trips #29: Camping Capers

Posted on July 23, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

There’s a lot to get to this week, so let’s get right to it. With Mrs. Sip’s return from Europe, she brought home a bottle of Pimms Strawberry with a hint of Mint and a bottle of Croatian wine. Friends of ours, living in London, also had mini bottles of schnapps (peach and pear) to send back with her.

For our camping trip to Golden Ears, some serious shopping had to be done, to stock up on beverages for the getaway. While I prefer drinking from bottles, it’s always good to have some canned beer on you when camping, as it fits better in coolers, is easier to conceal (if need be… I don’t tell people how to live their lives!), and provides near identical relief.

I grabbed the Big Rock Swinger Pack to satisfy this requirement. The mixed set included their Grasshopper Wheat Ale, 7B California Common, Rhine Stone Cowboy Kolsch, and Cherry Farini Kristalweizen, which I was particularly curious about and was looking forward to try. I like Big Rock, but I find their Grasshopper to be very light on the wheat side. The Cherry Farini was a little heavier, though, and I liked the flavour, which wasn’t too overwhelming. As for the rest of the pack, they were solid brews and just right for the summer heat.

While you always worry about whether your packed enough booze, some of the bottles I picked up with the hopes of consuming while out in the forest, I never even got to. This included the Red Truck Campfire Kolsch (ironic due to the current province-wide campfire ban), Old Yale Moon Dance Mango Wheat, Hoyne Dark Matter, and Cannery Blackberry Porter.

Mrs. Sip and I did split the Mango Wheat after returning to civilization, and while good, it wasn’t chilled to the right level, having just made the journey home with us in a cooler that had lost much of its cool. That’s my fault for jumping the gun on the beer, but thirst needed to be quenched!

For future camping, we learned to save our canned beers for trips to the beach or hiking, as they travel a little easier than bottles and seem to stay chilled longer. Tasting glasses also seemed to be a hit, especially with bigger bomber bottles that were better split and shared among friends.

Late last week, we managed to squeeze in a bike ride to Postmark Brewing, where we sat down to a tasting flight of their beers, including the Raspberry Lemon Zest Hefe (the brew that drew me into visiting the location), West Coast Pale Ale, IPA, and Dry Irish Stout.

While there, we also grabbed a couple of products from their store, including the Glassbender Farmhouse Ale and BISA, a Belgian ISA. It was interesting to note that the Farmhouse Ale was $4 cheaper in the store, compared to the adjacent restaurant. If you’re on the fence about whether to give the brew a shot, pick it up and take it home. Mrs. Sip and I both enjoyed it, pouring it into plastic wine glasses while camping, to emulate how the beverage was being served in the restaurant. The BISA, which combines tangerines and spice, is at the forefront of my Drinking ‘To Do’ List!

I also bought a bottle of Wiser’s Vanilla Spiced Whiskey recently, as I need to get caught up on all the recipes I wasn’t able to put together as first we had to vacate our apartment due to the flood all the way back at the start of May and then Mrs. Sip leaving for a month-long vacation in Europe, taking our camera with her.

The next week looks busy (when doesn’t it?) with a family barbecue, a trip to the drive-in theatre, a Vancouver Whitecaps game – where thankfully, the stadium has come to embrace the craft beer revolution! – and who knows what else wild stuff we’re likely to get up to!

Flavour Revolution – Marshmallow

Posted on July 20, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

Original Origins

Legend has it that the word s’more (one of the most popular marshmallow concoctions) is a contraction of “some more”, as in “I want some more s’mores!” As a wordsmith and general random information hound, I’ve often wondered where other words and concepts come from… here’s the answer to some of those origin stories:

Ponzi Scheme

I never really thought about the fact that the term Ponzi Scheme (taking money from new investors to pay older investors) came from an actual person. In fact, it came from the originator of the practice. In the early 1920’s, Charles Ponzi started taking money from investors for international postal coupons, promising returns of 50% in 45 days and 100% in 90 days. Although he never purchased the coupons, Ponzi quickly raked in $15 million as the scam went as viral as things could back in that time. Ponzi was later arrested and convicted, but went on to launch other schemes after his release. He eventually died in Brazil, an impoverished man.

Boycott

Today, people boycott products and concepts for all sorts of reasons. We have Charles Boycott to thank for that, although it’s not like he ever wanted things to turn out this way. When Boycott tried to evict a number of tenants during the Irish Land War of 1880, the result was being ostracised by his own workers, who refused to lift a finger for their employer; the disruption of trade between Boycott and other local businesses; and even the stoppage of mail being delivered to Boycott. A number of famous boycotts have occurred since, including countries refusing to attend various Olympic Games and the use of boycotts to invoke changes in civil rights, such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Guillotine

In 1789, Dr. Joseph-Ignace Guillotin suggested to the French government that they find a more humane way of executing prisoners. His solution was to rapidly lop off their heads, rather than stick with the traditional methods used previously, such as beheading by sword and axe. The Guillotine would go on to be called France’s ‘National Razor’ – a term Gillette should steal for themselves – and was an immensely popular device, causing spectator events and parties surrounding executions. Despite this, Guillotin was not happy to be so closely associated with the device of death, his ancestors even trying to change its name, by appealing to the French government.

Turtle Guillotine

Sadism and Masochism

Two of the big four that make up the BDSM culture, can be attributed to people who practiced the acts, as well as wrote extensively on the subjects. Respectively, Marquis de Sade and Leopold von Sacher-Masoch can be credited with being the faces for these sexual behaviours, as introduced by Richard von Krafft-Ebing, a German psychiatrist, in his 1890 work ‘New Research in the Area of Psychopathology of Sex’. Half of Sade’s life was spent in various prisons and asylums, where he wrote many of his compositions. While Sacher-Masoch avoided jail time during his life, he also ended up in psychiatric care. Now, if only we could also explain bondage and domination in a similar fashion.

Miranda Rights

This right to remain silent, while being arrested by police in the United States, can be attributed to Ernesto Arturo Miranda, who argued that he was not informed what he was confessing to could be used against him as self-incriminating evidence, when he was detained, in 1963, on suspicion of kidnapping, rape, and armed robbery. Miranda was retried without his admissions being used in his subsequent trial and was convicted again. Upon being paroled, in 1972, Miranda would sell autographed Miranda Rights cards for $1.50 each. That was until he was killed in a bar fight in 1976. Many other countries have adopted similar warnings, since this case occured.

Flavour Revolution: Marshmallow Fondue

Swirl glass with Chocolate Syrup
2 oz Marshmallow Vodka
Top with Chocolate Milk
Garnish with Mini Marshmallows

The largest s’more ever made weighed 1,600 pounds, consisting of 20,000 marshmallows and 7,000 chocolate bars. This was possible thanks to a 1927 Girl Scout Handbook recipe, which not only outlined the ingredients needed, but gave the treat its name!

July 18 – Red Baron #2

Posted on July 19, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

Sordid Sequels

With the prevalence of movie sequels nowadays (the summer season being riddled with them), it’s amazing that some of these franchises never received a second treatment. Hell, we waited 20 years for a follow-up to Dumb & Dumber! Some supplemental films get stuck in development hell (for example, Jurassic World, which was finally released last month, 14 years after the last film), while others never get off the ground and running. Here are the Top 5 films we should have seen a sequel to:

#5: Quick Hits

I’m going to lead off this article with a few honourable mentions, with brief ideas I would have for the sequels. Snakes on a Plane – Why not ‘Snakes on a Train’!? Wedding Crashers – The twist for this movie is that the main characters from the original have their wedding crashed, by the next generation of comedic stars. Serenity – What’s left of the infamous space crew goes after Fox executives to teach them lessons on giving up too soon. Team America: World Police – Not gonna lie, I just want more puppets! If any film studios want to hire me, my agent will be happy to hammer out a contract!

#4: Zombieland

Mrs. Sip and I are big fans of the original movie, particularly the rules of surviving a zombie apocalypse that appeared throughout the film. Following the success of the first installment, all of the main cast members expressed interest in returning for a sequel, but nothing has come to fruition as of yet. There was an attempt to bring Zombieland to the small screen with both a CBS and later Amazon series, but the CBS run never materialized and an Amazon ordered pilot was not picked up. In October 2014, rumours of a movie sequel surfaced again, so there’s still a chance for the franchise.

#3: Roger Rabbit

A sequel to Roger Rabbit has been in development for years, following the success of the first movie, released all the way back in 1988. One of the biggest hurdles was original director Steven Spielberg having a change of heart, as the original script would have seen Roger’s origin story and saving Jessica Rabbit from being kidnapped by Nazis. After Spielberg made Schindler’s List, he decided he could no longer combine Nazis and comedy. In 2013, news surfaced of a Roger Rabbit-Mickey Mouse buddy comedy, but no updates have come from the original reports.

#2: Beetlejuice

There have been numerous attempts to bring a second Beetlejuice movie to the big screen after the quirky 1988 film was both a critical and commercial success. Scripts have been written that included Beetlejuice moving his operations to Hawaii, where he was to battle an ancient Hawaiian Kahuna and win surf competitions… seriously, this was in the script. As recently as January 2015, news broke that a script had been finished and that director Tim Burton, along with stars Michael Keaton and Wynona Ryder would participate.

#1: Ghostbusters

With a third installment of the popular Ghostbusters franchise due in theatres in 2016, it will have been a long time between releases, with Ghostbusters 2 hitting big screens all the way back in 1989. Since then, fans have held their breath, waiting for a follow-up. Interestingly, the third film will star a cast of female Ghostbusters, including Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig. Will that work out for the devoted supporters that have longed for just one more run of the Ecto 1? Time will only tell, but I’m willing to give it a chance.

Super Saturday Shot Day: Red Baron #2

0.75 oz Crown Royal
0.5 oz Amaretto
Splash of Cranberry Juice
Garnish with Cranberries

There’s a great scene at the end of 22 Jump Street that suggests the franchise could make numerous sequels in the future; everything from Medical School to Culinary School. There are some films, however, that as much as I’d love to see more of the story or characters, are better as one-offs. This list would include Inception, The Sixth Sense, and Fight Club… you know, movies with cliffhanger endings or big twists that just couldn’t be replicated.

Sip Trips #28: Tipsy Taste

Posted on July 16, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

This week’s main event was Tip N’ Taste in Langley, which has become one of my favourite events on the drinking calendar. Mrs. Sip and I first attended the beer bash in 2008 and have enjoyed watching it evolve over the years.

The event cost $30, but with that, you got five drink tickets (which you can usually stretch into more samples) and five food tickets. This is a far better deal than some events I’ve seen recently where you’d pay a similar fee and that only covered your entry. While I’m not the biggest fan of tokens/tickets and prefer an all-inclusive vibe, I have to hand it to the organizers of Tip N’ Taste for at least giving attendees fair value.

Prior to Friday, I had mapped out a bit of a game plan going into the festival, including breweries that had beers I wanted to try and breweries that were new to me. As you’ll see below, I did pretty well for myself over the course of a couple hours.

My first stop of the evening was Coal Harbour Brewing, which was featuring a few beers that looked neat. I tried their Woodland Witbier, followed by their Smoke and Mirrors Smoked Ale, which I was particularly fond of and went back for later, although by then they were out.

Next up was one of my favourite visits of the night, where I had a long chat with the guys from Big River Brewing, while sampling each of their four available beers: Acid Trip Sour Wheat, Sidewheeler Blonde Ale, Belgium, and Red Bretty IPA. The Acid Trip was my favourite of the bunch.

Finally moving on, I enjoyed a pair of wheat beers, first from Black Kettle Brewing and followed by Howe Sound Brewing, which was serving up a Blueberry Wheat I had marked on my ‘To Do’ list from my initial walk around the convention floor.

At this point in the evening, it was time to switch things up and go to some darker brews, in order to fend off palate fatigue. I started with the Old Yale Sasquatch Stout and followed that with the Cannery Blackberry Porter (which had always caught my eye in liquor stores, but I had never picked up). I wrapped up my visit to this section of the room with the Mt. Begbie Nasty Habit IPA, which was another good pick.

Earlier in the night, I had made note of the only spirit table at Tip N’ Taste, which was serving up De La Tierre Maple Liqueur Tequila. It was a very interesting blend, which went down easier than most other tequilas and would probably make for some fun cocktails.

Going back to beer, I snagged a sample of Mission Springs Chinook ISA and then went to visit my alma mater, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, which has recently launched a diploma program in Brewing and Brewery Operations. They were featuring a Golden Ale, one of the first releases to come from the new course.

I finished the evening with a couple quick hits, trying to get rid of my final drink tickets. I’ve enjoyed a few Russell Brewing products lately and made a stop by their table to try their Blood Alley Bitter, which I’d somehow never tried before, despite being a staple of their lineup. My last beverage was the Lighthouse Tasman Pale Ale, which was guzzled quickly as event organizers tried to clear the room of happy drinkers.

As for food, there were some really good offerings at the event. Earl’s had a chicken taco, while Original Joe’s gave you a pair of pulled pork sliders, and Me N’ Ed’s came through with some delicious slices of pizza!

All in all, this was another successful Tip N’ Taste for the Sip Advisor. Next week, I’ll outline our weekend camping trip to Golden Ears Provincial Park, which is always preceded by a thorough liquor shopping trip!

Flavour Revolution – Marzipan

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

Reasons to Celebrate

As a good half-German boy, Ma Sip was always proud that I grew up a fan of marzipan… at least until I ate too much of it one Christmas. I still like the stuff, but only in small doses now. Despite my appreciation, I’m surprised that marzipan has its own national day (January 12^th). As crazy as that is, there are other holidays that seem even more obscure:

National Punctuation Day

Celebrated every September 24^th, as a writer, I must admit that I’m a fan of exclamation marks, commas, ellipses, and everything in between. To imbibe on National Punctuation Day, it’s suggested that people read a newspaper and mark all the punctuation mistakes or record store signs that have similar errors. Sounds like an off-the-hook way to praise those beautiful sentence accentuations.

National Weather Person’s Day

I hate weather people… I’ve even written an article on the subject. February 5^th seems an odd day to celebrate weather people, since it’s at a time of year when they could really bungle the forecast. Why not celebrate these duds in the summer, when their predictions are a little more accurate. How hard is it to say sunny and hot, am I right!?

International Breast Day

My only complaint with this holiday is that it took so long to come into existence. Why are we supposed to only give tribute to breasts on one day of the calendar? And I have to ask, are we also celebrating the male breast? No, of course we’re not. There is also National Cleavage Day, sponsored by Wonderbra and held in South Africa, in either March or April of each year.

International Stupidity Day

Now, is this a day for committing stupid acts and getting away with it, or honouring the great men of stupidity that have come before us? In a similar vein, you could celebrate “Blame Someone Else Day” after executing an act of extreme stupidity and passing the liability off to some other schlub. Mrs. Sip will attest that International Stupidity Day occurs nearly every day of the calendar in our home!

National VCR Day

I salute the VCR for the many years of enjoyment it provided me as a youngster, but the platform has been extinct for just as long of my life as it was part of it. March 2^nd is National Old Stuff Day, so people could try going to closed down video rental stores, while listening to their Walkman or Discman, perhaps even while rocking some of those ancient roller skates from the land before time!

Be Late for Something Day

Let’s hope Mrs. Sip doesn’t read this article and learn that there is a national observance for something she does practically every day of her life. The Sip Advisor is a punctual person, so it has always been frustrating to be dating, engaged, and finally married to someone who has absolutely no concept of time. At least she’s beautiful and is a spokesperson for the aforementioned International Breast Day!

Flavour Revolution: Almond Joy

Almond Joy

1 oz Marzipan Liqueur
1 oz Crème de Cacao
0.5 oz Coconut Rum
Top with Milk
Garnish with Marzipan

The German city of Lubeck is the hub of marzipan production, where local legend dictates the food was created there, likely during a famine, where all that remained was almonds and sugar. Regardless of the accuracy of that tale, we must thank them for their tireless efforts!

Sip Advisor Bar Notes (4 Sips out of 5):
This martini was very good as a dessert option. The Marzipan Liqueur is like a creamy version of Amaretto, while the other liquors added some complexity to the beverage’s taste.

July 11 – Scorpion’s Tail

Posted on July 11, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

A Movie of Their Own

With the Minions (more on them later) getting their own movie, out in theatres this weekend, the Sip Advisor thought it would be a good time to look at other characters that proved so popular that they earned their own film(s). Kind of like how Mrs. Sip keeps trying to break away from me and launch her own brand… too bad for her, she’s under contract for years to come!

#5: The Scorpion King

After a brief appearance in The Mummy Returns (in one of the worst CGI effects of all-time), wrestling star The Rock launched his Hollywood career with his own film, as the titular Scorpion King. While it wasn’t going to garner any Oscar consideration, the action in this movie was great and the story pretty good, too. Three additional movies have joined the franchise, although The Rock vacated the role.

#4: Machete

It’s funny that the ultraviolent Machete first appeared in the children’s movie franchise Spy Kids, before branching out on his own vigilante activities. Played to badass perfection by Danny Trejo (a former prison inmate before turning to acting), the Machete character has enjoyed two film installments to date, featuring massive deadly weapons, beautiful women, and a lot of creative kills.

#3: Puss in Boots

This suave little kitty stole out hearts, starting with Shrek 2, en route to his own movie and Netflix TV series. Puss in Boots may have existed since 1697, but he has never been more popular than when he sliced and purred his way through various enemies in the DreamWorks films. Voiced by Antonio Banderas, Puss is based on the classic character Zorro, another role tackled by Banderas.

#2: Inspector Jacques Clouseau

This bumbling detective character is a favourite of the Sip Family, as is star Peter Sellers. Just a side character in the first film of the franchise, The Pink Panther, Sellers stole the show away from lead David Niven and never looked back. As Clouseau, a number of additional movies were made under the Pink Panther banner, up until Sellers died in 1980, at the age of only 54.

#1: The Minions

I love these little yellow guys, despite the fact I can’t understand most of what they say. The trailer for this movie is pure gold, with the Minions switching from one evildoer to another, after accidentally killing their masters throughout the ages, including an Egyptian pharaoh, Dracula, Napoleon, and others. I can’t wait to check out the movie and I know I’m not alone in that desire!

Super Saturday Shot Day: Scorpion’s Tail

0.5 oz Coconut Rum
0.5 oz Banana Liqueur
Top with Cranberry Juice
Splash of Pineapple Juice
Garnish with a Pineapple Wedge

Honourable mentions include Jay and Silent Bob, the Penguins of Madagascar, and Aldous Snow (Get Him to the Greek). I wasn’t sure how to handle comic characters, such as Wolverine and Elektra, as they are their own entities, so I’ll leave them in this section. Hate if you want, but let’s all just relax and have a drink!

Sip Trips #27: Calm Before the Storm

Posted on July 9, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

Well, there wasn’t a whole lot going on this last week, but that will change this weekend, with the annual Tip N’ Taste in Langley, as well as Mrs. Sip’s return from Europe on Monday. I better enjoy that last weekend of laziness!

Of course, that’s not to say that the week was absent of drinking. What a foolish conclusion you had come to, my little sippers. With the various beverages, I tried a bunch of new products, starting with a couple of the wines Ma and Pa Sip recently picked up while touring the Naramata Wine Region. These included the Monster Rose Bubbly and Deep Roots Gamay, both of which were quite enjoyable.

I also managed to do a little shopping here and there, picking up a bottle of Old Yale Mango Wheat, which I’m looking forward to trying, and one of my favourites from last summer: Steel & Oak’s Smoked Hefeweizen.

The Smoked Hef was my contribution to dinner with Cousin Sip, where we also worked our way through Mill Street Brewery’s summer seasonal mixed pack, including their Lemon Tea, Amber Lager, Ginger Cat, Tankhouse Ale, Summer Ale, and Organic Lager beers. Along with that, we also drank Bomber’s Passion Fruit Ale and Tree’s Vertical Winter Ale. You might think it odd to enjoy winter ale during the height of summer, but you can’t argue with flavour.

I picked up the Smoked Hef at the Viti Beer and Wine Store in Vancouver. Their prices are a little higher than other places around town, but not too extreme. Plus, they have a selection of some items that you just can’t find anywhere else. I did find the Rogue Sriracha Stout there, which I’ve been trying to track down for a while. Sadly, it came at a price of nearly $20, although it is a 750ml bottle. I might just have to take the splash eventually.

That’s about it for now. I will be live tweeting and instagraming from Tip N’ Taste on Friday, so if you’d like to join the Sip Advisor’s public debauchery, click the links above to check out my various accounts. I will also have a wrap up of the event for next week’s Sip Trips!

Flavour Revolution – Maraschino Cherry

Posted on July 6, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

Spit Take

Maraschino Cherries lack a pit, which is a bit of a shame. As a youngster, I loved spitting cherry pits out the car window on road trips and that thrill would simply be missing with the Maraschino variety. While my spitting was pure pleasure, these incidents led to much harm for all involved:

Roberto Alomar – Baltimore Orioles

When Alomar was up for election into the Baseball Hall of Fame, the only real knock against him was the spitting incident that had long-tarnished his reputation. At the end of the 1996 season, Alomar was arguing with umpire John Hirschbeck, when he spit in the official’s face. Alomar claimed Hirschbeck had used a racial slur against him and went so far as to say the umpire was bitter over the death of one of his kids. The two eventually made peace, with Alomar doing charity work for ALD research, the illness that claimed Hirschbeck’s child and Hirschbeck fully endorsing Alomar’s Hall of Fame appointment.

Keith Hernandez – Seinfeld

In one of the greatest scenes ever from the popular “show about nothing,” Kramer and Newman take the audience through their experience after a Mets baseball game, where they claim they were spit on by star player Keith Hernandez. Using visuals that resemble the famous Zapruder footage from the JFK assassination, it is deduced by Jerry that there must have been a second spitter, a la the second shooter conspiracy theory, which is part of the JFK murder folklore. Interestingly, actor Wayne Knight, who played Newman, appeared in a similar scene in the 1991 movie JFK.

Roger Waters – Pink Floyd

During a concert in Montreal (us Canadians cause all the world’s problems!) on July 6, 1977, in front of about 80,000 fans, Waters spit in the face of one audience member. What spurned the Pink Floyd frontman to do this, you ask? Well, concert goers were lighting firecrackers, throughout the band’s performance, particularly during quiet sections of the show. It has long been thought that the events of this concert inspired Waters to create his concept for The Wall, which brought the band a whole new level of fame. So, at least they turned a negative into a positive!

Bret Hart – World Wrestling Entertainment

When Hart’s more than a decade long relationship with the then World Wrestling Federation and its owner Vince McMahon went sour in 1997, one of the lasting images from the acrimonious split – in which McMahon and other officials changed the planned ending of Hart’s championship title defense against challenger Shawn Michaels – was Hart launching a loogie at the face of McMahon and scoring a direct hit. The entire incident was dubbed the Montreal Screw Job (wow, a lot of spitting happens in Montreal) and it took many years before fences were mended between both sides.

Frank Rijkaard – Holland

There seems to be a lot of spitting in the football world. So much so, in fact, that there are Top 10 lists on the subject. The most infamous, likely due to happening at the 1990 World Cup (the sport’s biggest tournament and event) involved Frank Rijkaard of Holland spitting in the hair of Rudi Voller of West Germany, not once, but twice. Rijkaard also twisted the ear of Voller and stomped on his foot. That is one pissed off Dutch dude. Somehow, the result was both men getting ejected from the game. Rijkaard later apologized, but the German press had already given him the nickname ‘Llama’!

Flavour Revolution: Vida Verde

Vida Verde

Muddle Cucumber and Mint
1.5 oz Tequila
1 oz Maraschino Liqueur
Splash of Sweet & Sour Mix
Garnish with a Cucumber Slice

Maraschino Cherries are the perfect topping on cocktails to ice cream sundaes and everything in between (even baked hams). In fact, these fruits are so good as the final touch, that if you have a few good things happen to you, a smaller, nicer occurrence, might be called the “cherry on top”! Just like when you’re having a decent day and you wrap things up by reading The Sip Advisor…

Sip Advisor Bar Notes (4.5 Sips out of 5):
There’s a lot going on with this cocktail and it’s all good! The drink is very refreshing thanks to the Cucumber-Mint combo and there’s both sweet and sour to be had. A very enjoyable sipping experience!

July 4 – Stars and Stripes

Posted on July 4, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

American Made

While my neighbours to the south celebrate their Independence Day, I’d like to salute the most steadfast American patriots… well, at least of the fictional variety. And no, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter doesn’t count! On with the list:

#5: Sam the Eagle

This Muppet is a staunch advocate for the good ol’ U-S-of-A, while also being a straight-laced defender of decency and high culture. He certainly doesn’t fit in with many of his fellow Muppets, who rely on slapstick routines and lower-brow entertainment. Perhaps Sam’s biggest role was in the recent Muppets Most Wanted film, where he, as a CIA agent, teamed with an Interpol agent to clear the good name of Kermit the Frog and save the entire Muppets troupe, in the process.

#4: Wrestling

The wrestling world is rife with American patriotism, featuring countless battles between red, white, and blue clad heroes versus villainous foreign foes. It’s hard to pinpoint one grappler in particular, but these are a few of the many who have fought in defense of Old Glory, capitalism, and the American way: Hulk Hogan, Lex Luger, Kurt Angle, The Patriot, Sgt. Slaughter, ‘Hacksaw’ Jim Duggan, Jack Swagger, Dusty Rhodes, Corporal Kirchner, and the American Express. U-S-A, U-S-A, U-S-A!

#3: G.I. Joes

This line of Hasbro action figures was first released in 1964, representing four divisions of the United States’ armed forces: the army, navy, air force, and marines. In fact, the releases were the first to ever receive the designation “action figures”. A cartoon later came in 1985, which saw the Joes battle the evil terrorist group Cobra. Two films, in 2009 and 2013 (with one to come in 2016) have also been released for the franchise. Good will always triumph over evil!

#2: Uncle Sam

Used as a major symbol for propaganda, particularly during war times, Uncle Sam (who coincidentally has the initials, U.S.) has existed for approximately 200 years. Many believe that Uncle Sam was based on Samuel Wilson, a meat packer from Troy, New York, who helped provide soldiers with rations during the War of 1812. Regardless, if you see Uncle Sam, he probably wants you to fight for the country, joining one of the branches of U.S. armed forces.

#1: Captain America

Battling evil forces, the likes of which include the Red Skull, Barons Helmut and Heinrich Zero, Flag Smasher, and even Adolf Hitler, himself, Captain America is the ultimate defender and avenger (see what I did there!) of the United States against oppressors from other evil nations. With his trusty red, white, and blue shield, Captain America will be protecting the country (and world) for years to come. And to think, he was originally rejected as a member of the army, before going super soldier.

Super Saturday Shot Day: Stars and Stripes

0.5 oz Grenadine
0.5 oz Blue Curacao
0.5 oz Peach Schnapps

I was surprised at how difficult this article was to put together. I figured there would be so many more glaring examples of fictional American patriots, but many weren’t so obvious. Perhaps I’ve just missed a number of folks that should have made this list. Let me know if I’m guilty of neglect!

Sip Trips #26: Canadian Celebration

Posted on July 2, 2015 by Daniel Wilson

While Mrs. Sip is away, the Sip Advisor mouse will play and that was certainly the case this past weekend. With Canada Day occurring mid-week, the partying stretched on… although, that’s not a lot different than if Mrs. Sip had been around the whole time. She is definitely missed around the offices here!

On my way out to Ma and Pa Sip’s place in Delta on Saturday, I stopped by Four Winds Brewing to see what was new at my hometown brewery. They have expanded since I last visited a couple years back and had a number of interesting beers on tap. I decided to sit down to a set of tasters, including their Saison, Grisette, Passionfruit Berlinerweisse, and Nectarous. The Nectarous was the reason for my trip out there, as I was informed of the limited release by a friend, and decided I wanted to add a bottle to my burgeoning brew collection.

The rest of the day was spent in gluttonous splendor, as the Sip Advisor ate and drank to his heart’s content. Cousin Sip brought over Granville Island Brewery’s summer mixed pack, while I tapped into a collection of ales, highlighted by my Russell Smokey the Beer, which was smoky and delicious. To be honest, I probably should have saved it for a time when I was more appreciative of what was going into my system, but it was the right beer at the right time.

As the next day left me kind of lonely and with the weather changing for the worse, I decided to run a couple errands and that always includes a stop at the liquor store. Here, I grabbed a six-pack of the Steamworks Killer Cucumber Ale, as well as bombers of Lighthouse Jackline Rhubarb Grisette and Elysian Superfuzz Blood Orange Pale Ale. I’ve gone through most of the Cucumber pack and think I prefer the brew on tap, but have yet to crack open either of the bombers.

For dinner Monday night, Ma and Pa Sip accompanied me to the Yaletown Brewery, where I enjoyed their chicken schnitzel sandwich, along with a Shangri La Saison. The strong beer (6.8%) went well with my meal and was a good beverage choice, given the recent heatwave in B.C.

Back in April, I wrote about coming across the Viniq Shimmery Liqueur and how it was one of the most amazing spirit products I’ve ever seen. It’s so cool, that Mrs. Sip was once showing it off to a friend and he was so mesmerized that he forgot to stop pouring the beer he was emptying and it spilled all over the place. Well, the company has now added a Ruby version to their line-up and I noticed that they have a bunch of great recipes available for each variation. Now, we just have to stop admiring the bottle and open it up!