Sierra Nevada Porter

"SIERRA NEVADA CLASSIC PORTER is a completely natural beer, full of roasted malts which give it a rich, bittersweet and roasted tofee flavor. This medium-bodied ale is perfectly balanced, with a smooth malty flavor and crisp American hops."

5.6% ABV. Read more on Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. website.

College Green Brewery's Headless Dog

"College Green Brewery was established in Belfast by the younger generation of the Scullion Brewing family. We are determined to maintain an independent brewing tradition, producing fine individual beers full of character.
"Headless Dog – A pale hoppy ale produced with North American Cascade hops and Munich malt. Named after a mural of a headless labrador on the brewhouse wall, for details check out www.factotum.org.uk."

4.2% ABV. Not unforgetable.

Patrón Silver Tequila

"Patrón Tequila, like the great wines and cognacs of the world, is exceptional for a reason. It begins with the finest growing region in Mexico. High in the mountains of Jalisco exists a region with perfect soil and climate which allows the sugar and acid balances of the Weaber Tequilana Blue Agave to mature and produce an 'agave pineapple' unequalled elsewhere in the world. Like premium wine grapes the sugar acid balance must be perfect before harvest. Patrón tequilas are produced in the traditional handmade fashion.
"After harvest the 'pineapples' are carefully selected, trimmed, and then slowly steam baked. When cooked to perfection the 'pineapple' is macerated with large natural stone milling wheels. The fermentation is done with the fiber of the 'pineapple' which helps impart its unique flavor and smoothness. After a double distillation process the tequila is fine filtered in preparation for hand filling into artisan, hand made bottles. Every bottle of Patrón is truly one of a kind."

This is clearly the most outstanding tequila I ever tasted. I made the best margarita ever with it:

• 4 cL tequila (Patrón Silver)
• 2 cL freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 cL triple sec (Cointreau)

Rim a cocktail glass with Fleur de Sel and put it in the freezer. Shake all ingredients with ice. Strain into the chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a long lime twist or thin strands of lime peel or grated lime peel.

Using Fleur de Sel instead of normal salt really makes a huge difference. I was not a big fan of salt rim before that, but Fleur de Sel is much more subtle and enjoyable. Its coarse grains slowly melt in the mouth while drinking and swallowing. The lime zest as a garnish is also fantastic.

40% ABV. Read more on The Patrón Spirit Company website.

College Green Brewery's Belfast Blonde

"College Green Brewery was established in Belfast by the younger generation of the Scullion Brewing family. We are determined to maintain an independent brewing tradition, producing fine individual beers full of character.
"Belfast Blonde – A clean tasting pale beer with a pleasant and distinct hop character lingering at the end."

4.3% ABV. Not unforgetable.

Grolsch Premium Weizen

Wheat beer from Holland.

5.3% ABV. Read more on Grolsch website.

Wild Turkey 8 yo 101 proof

"The famous name on this bottle comes from a group of wild turkey hunters, one of whom brought a special 101 proof barrel-aged bourbon on their annual hunting trip. In later years they always requested 'that Wild Turkey bourbon' and to this day it is still hand-crafted in the same slow traditional way."

This bourbon is very much enjoyable in an Old Fashioned cocktail:

• 4 cL whisky (Wild Turkey)
• 1/2 cL sugar syrup
• 2 healthy dashes of Angostura bitters
• Orange peel

Pour the first three ingredients over fresh ice in an old fashioned glass. Stir a little to blend all ingredients together. Take a big fat orange peel and squeeze the oil out of it and throw it into the glass.

50.5% ABV. Read more on Wild Turkey website.

Bulmers Berry

Bulmers Berry (outside Ireland, Magners Berry) is a berry-flavoured cider.

4.5% ABV. Read more on Bulmers website.