Tasting
There’s something I find particularly delightful about running
tastings. Either blind taste tests, in which the goal is to identify the
differences between foods and perhaps a personally preferred form of
something, and also more general tastings where we’re exploring the
realm of taste.
This page is a record of the tastings I’ve been doing.
tournament style: Root Beers
This is beginning to get out of hand, so much so that my partner has
created a spreadsheet to track our results.
I’ll record just a few key notes here:
- A&W is by far the best of the big three (Mug, Barq’s,
A&W).
- Shasta follows closely behind A&W.
- Bundaberg Root Beer is beautifully delicious, perhaps my favorite,
but maybe too bitter and cola-like for most root beer fans.
Some of the classics that you think would be really great
turn out to be quite disappointing when put up against others. Both
Dad’s and Henry Weinhards lost in the first round.
head-to-head: Jalapeno
Potato Chips
The only thing I remember from this tasting is that Tim’s Jalapeno
chips was the best by far.
head-to-head: Vegan Cream
Cheese
This one was conducted months ago, but the conclusions were, in broad
strokes:
- Violife (tasted extremely cheesy, it’s wild. I’m not even
vegan and I’m not sure I could tell the difference.)
- Nuurish (contains non-animal whey, so not suitable for folks with
dairy allergies.)
- Kite Hill (potentially a lower-than-typical rating, as the samples
had been in my fridge for a bit before the others.)
- Tofutti (a powerfully beany undertone that is surprisingly difficult
to hide with other flavors.)
- Miyoko’s (a weirdly strong vinegar taste, and an odd color and
texture places this solidly in last place.)
general records of wine
red
- 2020
La Quercia Montepulciano D’Abruzzo
- really tasty, a great wine to pair with food. Relatively mild, lots
of fruit notes, medium body, not too tannic.
- I think a great beginner wine, but still satisfying.
- West
Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Bushwood Estates
- fruit forward, somewhat spicy, also good with food.
- not sure which year.
- started me on my Cabernet Sauvignon kick.
- 2022
Caves Vidigal Vinho Regional Lisboa Porta 6
- really excellent. Don’t remember too many notes, but certainly some
spice and fruit.
- this is a pretty affordable bottle at Trader Joe’s, which is
awesome.
- Post
House Road 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon
- mild, approachable, jammy. Lots of stone fruit. Not a ton else, but
a very serviceable wine for general audiences.
- Clos
de Mendoza 2020 Malbec
- delicious! Maybe my favorite yet?
- fruity, spicy, pleasant and approachable. A great table wine.
white