The other day I was riding in my car and I received a call on my cell phone. It was my friend Lee, and I could tell by the urgency in his voice that he needed help. "I'm at the grocery store and I've got to find a good cheap wine, any suggestions?" It turns out that Lee had a date that night, and didn't want to "bomb" on his wine selection.
I get asked questions like this frequently, so I decided I'd write this article and try to address people's concerns over selecting good cheap wines. First of all, for our purposes let's define "cheap." Now I could go on and on about individual definitions of the word "cheap" as it pertains to wine, but I don't want to bore you. So, for the sake of these discussions, let's define "cheap" wines as wines priced in the 5.00-12.00 per bottle range.
"Good" is a subjective term. So when we describe a wine as "good" what we're really saying is that the wine is acceptable to the majority of people who drink that type of wine. I wouldn't know a good Merlot from grape juice because I don't drink Merlot. So, tip#1 is to try several wines in the 5.00-12.00 range in the category of wine that you enjoy. Determine which of these wines tastes best to you. O.K, O.K, my friend Lee didn't have the inclination to start tasting wines in the grocery store, so what could he do?
My first suggestion is to stick to well known brands, preferably some of the larger vintners in California. Brands such as Robert Mondavi, Berengers, and even Sutter Home are dependable. These large wineries have both exclusive, select vintages, which tend to be pricey, and large mass produced vintages. Berenger's Stone Cellars variety and Mondavi's Woodbridge variety are mass produced, but reasonably priced and good. Fetzer is another good, reasonably priced California winery. Gallo, the grandfather of all mass produced wines, has recently introduced it's "Gallo Of Sonoma" varieties of wines. These are quite good and easily fit our price range. Wine Spectator magazine has an excellent feature titled,"Great Wines For Under 20.00." Check it out!
Ah yes, don't let me forget box wines. Box wines have improved tremendously in the last few years. This improvement is probably due to wine's increased popularity. At any rate, one can pick up a "box" which is usually the equivalent to 4 bottles of wine, for under 20.00!! Check with Boxwines.org for reviews of various box wines.
Hopefully, these few suggestions will be of help to you the next time you're entrusted with "choosing the wine."Apparently it helped Lee, he's been dating the same girl for 2 months now!
Take Advantage Of My FREE report: "Living It up On A Budget- 23 Wines That Deliver OutstandingQuality For 10.00 or less!" GO HERE NOW: http://prime-time-wines.com
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Hangover Cures
Sooner or later every home bar owner has too much to drink. The end result of which can be a good old fashioned hangover. Actually, there is nothing "good" about hangovers! The symptoms include headaches, dizziness, and sometimes nausea. Yuck! Luckily there are some treatments that can effectively minimize the effects of a hangover.
The first step is to prevent the severity of the effects of drinking too much alcohol. It is a good idea to eat a good meal before beginning to drink. Preferably a meal with plenty of carbohydrates, as they slow down the rate at which alcohol enters your bloodstream. Try to avoid caffeine, as it tends to cause dehydration. Be careful about consuming sugar before, during, and after you drink. Alcohol itself tends to spike blood sugar, which is one of the causes of a hangover. Additional sugar simply aggravates the problem.
One of the main causes of hangovers is dehydration. During the process of dehydration, the body eliminates large quantities of water soluble vitamins and minerals. Losing large amounts of sodium, potassium, vitamin C and B-complex vitamins definitely can cause the miserable headaches associated with hangovers. Consequently, take vitamin C and a b-complex vitamin before you begin drinking. A good trick to employ is to drink plenty of water while drinking alcohol. This practice minimizes dehydration and also helps prevent drinking too many alcoholic beverages. Try to drink mostly light colored alcohol. White wine is a good choice over red wine. Also, try to avoid mixing different alcoholic beverages.
What you do to treat your hangover the next morning is critical. Be sure to drink lots of water, and a sports drink. You may not feel like it, but they will alleviate the symptoms of dehydration. If you don't feel like drinking a sports drink, eat an orange instead. Force yourself to eat carbohydrates such as pasta or crackers. Also, take more vitamin c and b-complex vitamins. After you've had food and drink, go back to bed and sleep for a couple of hours. When you awaken, have a snack high in protein. Whatever you do, don't drink more alcohol in the morning. This is an "old wive's" tale, and will only make the problem worse!
Most importantly, the next time you have a gathering around your home bar, be sure to slow down your drinking. Try to count your drinks. Know your limit and stick to it. That way , you'll remember how much fun you had with your friends!
Take Advantage Of My FREE report: "Living It up On A Budget- 23 Wines That Deliver OutstandingQuality For 10.00 or less!" GO HERE NOW: http://prime-time-wines.com/
The first step is to prevent the severity of the effects of drinking too much alcohol. It is a good idea to eat a good meal before beginning to drink. Preferably a meal with plenty of carbohydrates, as they slow down the rate at which alcohol enters your bloodstream. Try to avoid caffeine, as it tends to cause dehydration. Be careful about consuming sugar before, during, and after you drink. Alcohol itself tends to spike blood sugar, which is one of the causes of a hangover. Additional sugar simply aggravates the problem.
One of the main causes of hangovers is dehydration. During the process of dehydration, the body eliminates large quantities of water soluble vitamins and minerals. Losing large amounts of sodium, potassium, vitamin C and B-complex vitamins definitely can cause the miserable headaches associated with hangovers. Consequently, take vitamin C and a b-complex vitamin before you begin drinking. A good trick to employ is to drink plenty of water while drinking alcohol. This practice minimizes dehydration and also helps prevent drinking too many alcoholic beverages. Try to drink mostly light colored alcohol. White wine is a good choice over red wine. Also, try to avoid mixing different alcoholic beverages.
What you do to treat your hangover the next morning is critical. Be sure to drink lots of water, and a sports drink. You may not feel like it, but they will alleviate the symptoms of dehydration. If you don't feel like drinking a sports drink, eat an orange instead. Force yourself to eat carbohydrates such as pasta or crackers. Also, take more vitamin c and b-complex vitamins. After you've had food and drink, go back to bed and sleep for a couple of hours. When you awaken, have a snack high in protein. Whatever you do, don't drink more alcohol in the morning. This is an "old wive's" tale, and will only make the problem worse!
Most importantly, the next time you have a gathering around your home bar, be sure to slow down your drinking. Try to count your drinks. Know your limit and stick to it. That way , you'll remember how much fun you had with your friends!
Take Advantage Of My FREE report: "Living It up On A Budget- 23 Wines That Deliver OutstandingQuality For 10.00 or less!" GO HERE NOW: http://prime-time-wines.com/
Monday, September 1, 2008
Hilarious Drinking Games
First and foremost, let me say that drinking games are really a blast! However, many people avoid playing them correctly, or make up their own rules. Avoid doing that!! When played correctly, the object should not be to get drunk. Often, drinking games can require skill and teamwork. This article will focus on a couple of popular drinking games, with an emphasis on playing them correctly.
The first drinking game we will feature is Beer Pong. Beer Pong is played at virtually every college bar/frat party in the U.S.You will start by placing 10 cups in the shape of a pyramid at one end of a table or flat surface. Have the top of the pyramid pointing toward the middle of the table. Fill each cup 1/2 full with beer. You will need a cup at each end filled with water. You will use these cups to clean the balls.
Form teams of two people each. Go ahead and flip a coin to determine which team plays first. Give each team two ping pong balls. Take turns attempting to either gently toss or bounce the ping pong balls into the opposing team's cups. When bouncing the balls, make sure they bounce on the opposing team's half of the table. The defensive team removes the balls that enter their cups, and drink the contents. The team tossing the balls is the offensive team, while the other team is the defensive team. As cups are removed, try to arrange the remaining cups into another pyramid. If both offensive players hit cups, they get to go again. The game ends when all of one team's cups are gone, they are the losers. They are required to drink all the contents of the remaining cups.
Drinking games that require skill are great fun! Caps is a good example of such a game. Caps is another popular drinking game with the college crowd. Form teams of 2 players each, sitting approximately 10 feet from each other, facing each other. Place a 1/2 filled cup of beer in front of each person. Take turns attempting to toss bottle caps into the opposing player's cup. When an opposing player hits your cup, you must drink the beer. If the opposing player hits your cup, you have the right to make a return throw. If you are successful, they must drink the beer.
However, they have the opportunity to return as well. One point is earned for each successful throw. Most games of Caps are played until a team reaches 21, but that is up to you.
Drinking games can really add to the life of the party! Please play them with common sense. Avoid finding yourself in a position where you have to drink and drive, or you are "forced" to get drunk. The purpose should be to have fun, and nothing else. Cheers!
Take Advantage Of My FREE report: "Living It up On A Budget- 23 Wines That Deliver OutstandingQuality For 10.00 or less!" GO HERE NOW: http://prime-time-wines.com/
The first drinking game we will feature is Beer Pong. Beer Pong is played at virtually every college bar/frat party in the U.S.You will start by placing 10 cups in the shape of a pyramid at one end of a table or flat surface. Have the top of the pyramid pointing toward the middle of the table. Fill each cup 1/2 full with beer. You will need a cup at each end filled with water. You will use these cups to clean the balls.
Form teams of two people each. Go ahead and flip a coin to determine which team plays first. Give each team two ping pong balls. Take turns attempting to either gently toss or bounce the ping pong balls into the opposing team's cups. When bouncing the balls, make sure they bounce on the opposing team's half of the table. The defensive team removes the balls that enter their cups, and drink the contents. The team tossing the balls is the offensive team, while the other team is the defensive team. As cups are removed, try to arrange the remaining cups into another pyramid. If both offensive players hit cups, they get to go again. The game ends when all of one team's cups are gone, they are the losers. They are required to drink all the contents of the remaining cups.
Drinking games that require skill are great fun! Caps is a good example of such a game. Caps is another popular drinking game with the college crowd. Form teams of 2 players each, sitting approximately 10 feet from each other, facing each other. Place a 1/2 filled cup of beer in front of each person. Take turns attempting to toss bottle caps into the opposing player's cup. When an opposing player hits your cup, you must drink the beer. If the opposing player hits your cup, you have the right to make a return throw. If you are successful, they must drink the beer.
However, they have the opportunity to return as well. One point is earned for each successful throw. Most games of Caps are played until a team reaches 21, but that is up to you.
Drinking games can really add to the life of the party! Please play them with common sense. Avoid finding yourself in a position where you have to drink and drive, or you are "forced" to get drunk. The purpose should be to have fun, and nothing else. Cheers!
Take Advantage Of My FREE report: "Living It up On A Budget- 23 Wines That Deliver OutstandingQuality For 10.00 or less!" GO HERE NOW: http://prime-time-wines.com/
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Drink Recipes For The Holidays-"Spice-tini"
Howdy Y'all! Party Animal here, For all you newcomers, I'm the dude that loves a good party! My blog is designed to give you scrumptious drink recipes, party ideas, party planning tips, and much much more! So check in regularly and you won't be disappointed. We are now featuring unique and delicious drink recipes to make your holidays more enjoyable. Check out our featured drink. What a seasonally delicious version of a martini!!
Spice-tini
2 parts gin
2 parts apple cider
3/4 part orange juice
a splash of bar syrup
Combine all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice, mix well and strain in to a martini glass. This one will "set you free" over the holidays! Tell me what you think. In the mean time, swing on down to my online stores: Looking for unique gifts for dad? http://www.giftsfordadsuperstore.com How about home bars and bar accessories? http://www.home-bars-and-more.com Party Animal- over and out!
Spice-tini
2 parts gin
2 parts apple cider
3/4 part orange juice
a splash of bar syrup
Combine all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice, mix well and strain in to a martini glass. This one will "set you free" over the holidays! Tell me what you think. In the mean time, swing on down to my online stores: Looking for unique gifts for dad? http://www.giftsfordadsuperstore.com How about home bars and bar accessories? http://www.home-bars-and-more.com Party Animal- over and out!
Monday, November 12, 2007
5 Awesome Wines For Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and it is time to consider what will be served. For some, the traditional turkey dinner is a family tradition. For others, goose or duck are a nice variation. Still others prefer beef or a nice, spiral cut ham. Regardless of your preference for your main dish, it is important to select a suitable wine to enhance the flavors. This article will offer some suggestions for types of wines to be considered..... MORE wines for Thanksgiving
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Drink Recipes For The Fall- "Last Chance"
Howdy Y'all! Wow. time sure does fly! I can't believe it is almost time for drink recipes for the winter! I guess you could say that today is your 1st chance for "Last Chance." This drink recipe is a winner before you go to bed, a real good night cap. Drink recipes with honey are rare, but this one is a winner!......
Last Chance
21/2 tbsp gold tequila
1 tsp apricot brandy
11/2 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp clear honey
Shake all ingredients thoroughly with ice and strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with a slice of lime. Items such as bar stools, wine racks and wine accessories make great gifts! Check them out HERE Buy dad a leather jacket or a leather accessory HERE
Last Chance
21/2 tbsp gold tequila
1 tsp apricot brandy
11/2 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp clear honey
Shake all ingredients thoroughly with ice and strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with a slice of lime. Items such as bar stools, wine racks and wine accessories make great gifts! Check them out HERE Buy dad a leather jacket or a leather accessory HERE
Monday, November 5, 2007
Planning The Perfect Casino Night Party
Casino night parties are among the most popular themed parties for adults. They allow for the use of your creative "juices" and for your imagination to run wild! Casino nights can be very elaborate, or quite simple depending on your available resources and budget. Should you decide on a large and elaborate affair, consider hiring a company to stage it. This article will focus on helping individuals plan and stage a successful casino night on their own.... MORE Casino Nights
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