Fall TV Frenzy! Pairings for Your Favorite Shows

The arrival of fall brings us the return of many of our favorite shows. Some enjoy the comedies, the cheesy chick flick(ish) shows, and others the thrillers. Regardless of what show(s) you prefer – they’re back! Several hours will be taken away from the time you thought you had in your day as you stare at the tube losing brain cells. The least you can do is feed your body with tasty food and beverages. For you we polled our trusted ES focus groups ourselves to determine the shows that we are looking forward to watching most, pairing them with our own crazy dishes. Plan some parties with your several friends and impress with creative themes and pairings. You’re welcome.

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FOX – New Girl

A show about a girl living with a bunch of dudes (and her ex) but somehow they all get along. Crack open a pumpkin wheat beer that everyone can enjoy together and put together (or order) a buffalo chicken pizza. While some biased people out there liken beer and wings to men, there are plenty of women out there that enjoy it too. Like Jess, find common grounds and dig in.

Drink: Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat

Eat: Buffalo Chicken Pizza

 

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FX – American Horror Story

Always a little creepy, and typically even more disturbing, American Horror Story merits something that will take the edge off while watching. The Séance Saison is a fall seasonal that adds fall spices to the mix to get you in the spirit. Also considering the fact that this year’s season’s theme is circus, we thought the best meal to pair with the theme would be circus food: corn dogs and some air popped popcorn.

Drink: Séance Saison

Eat: Corn Dogs with Popcorn

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Endless Whiskey: Pumpkin Spice Whiskey!

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Yes! The moment I’ve been waiting for. Hop-flavored whiskey was good, but I’ve been waiting for this kind of seasonal for a long time. Last year, Sons of Liberty used 4,000 lbs of pumpkin in their fall whiskey seasonal. This year, they worked with a local Rhode Island farmer to use 32,000 lbs of pumpkins  to create two batches of pumpkin spice whiskey. This year’s seasonal offering took one of ten World Whiskies Awards given by Whisky magazine; Sons of Liberty was the only craft distillery to win (with a PUMPKIN whiskey!).

Sons of Liberty paired with facebook volunteers to wash, cut, core, roast, and press all of the pumpkins. From there, the pumpkin juice is blended with a single malt whiskey. Finally, spices including cinnamon, clove, sweet orange peel, vanilla and allspice are added to the blend. Last year, owner Mike Reppucci used his mom’s oven to roast 4,000 lbs of pumpkins. I guess this year he realized his mom’s house may not be plausible, so he rented conventional ovens. Don’t fret though – he still kept it in the family by using his dad’s vintage wine press to press the pumpkins. I have to admit…I kind of wish I lived in Rhode Island just to take part in this crazy event. Here’s the tasting profile:

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Endless Whiskey: Hop-Flavored Whiskey (Part II)

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If you recall, during the ridiculous winter storms of February, I tried the 2013 SOL Hop Flavored Whiskey. Well, here comes the 2014 version. Founder and owner Mike Reppucci said that the award-winning 2014 version is more hoppy than last year’s and potentially even more mellow.  The single malt whiskey from the north continues to provide the basic flavors of an IPA style beer in the form of whiskey.  After the wash is fermented and completes the distillation process, the whiskey is dry hopped with Citra and Sirachi Ace hops (grassy and citrus hops).

While the flagship whiskeys produced by Sons of Liberty offer either a sweet or smokey taste that many of us liken to whiskey or scotch, the hop-flavored whiskey has more of an “in your face” but refreshing profile. The warming and sweet malt flavors come through at first, suddenly cut by a strong bitterness from the hops and complemented by our good friend ethanol. The citrus and grassy flavors of the hops complete the taste.

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Endless Whiskey: HOP-Flavored Whiskey

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I’m talking to you, hopheads. Sons of Liberty previously brought us two of their staple whiskeys and they did not disappoint. If you remember, a hop=flavored whiskey was teased when I mentioned their selection. The hopped-up one arrived in the mail shortly afterwards, and I finally had a chance to tip one back.

Sons of Liberty owner Mike Reppucci explains that the craft distillery makes their whiskeys based on the recipes of their favorite beers. So, it should not surprise us that they offer a whiskey infused with hop flavor. After they age the spirit in oak barrels, they dry hop this son of a bitch. YES—dry-hopped whiskey. For those of you unhipsters, that means that they pour a bunch of hops right into the whiskey. The happy hops then marinate in the spirit to share their flavor with the rest of the world.

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