Little things / simple pleasures you’ll pay $$$ for

[Saxum]

17 hours ago, Bill from NYC said:

Beer. I turned into what I always scorned lol, a beer snob.

 

I like an IPA called Coney Island Merman (Brewed in Brooklyn). It is $10.99 per six pack and 5.8 abv., and not to be confused with their "Mermaid," a pilsner. Another IPA is from a Canadian company, Collective Arts. The beer is called "Life in the Clouds." It cost $13.99 for a 4 pack of 16 ounce cans and I can only get it at Trader Joes. It is 6.2 abv. They carry it at Wegman's in Williamsville, I bought it there last summer. They are worth every last cent, and if the price goes up I will still buy it.

 

Both are cloudy, hazy IPAs and absolutely perfect. I'm glad these great products were not around in my younger days when I drank 5x or 10x more than I consume today.  I am no longer able to drink Coors Light, Bud, Miller, etc., to the point where I turn it down at parties.

 

Who knew?

 

Smart man whose taste matured.

When I was in high school I had plenty of opportunities to drink beer and every time I drank it I never finished a cup or can.

It was not issue with alcohol and I had a number of mixed drinks which I had chance to drink.

Shift to college and living in dorms.  Same issue in any party or when I worked in pub.

There was a guy in dorm who would buy beer from Canada but he needed 5 guys to go with him to buy so he could get 12 cases.

He offered Chinese dinner in Fort Erie as incentive so once I went with him.

Third or 4th time he did not have enough guys so I said give me a minute, went up to my old floor and asked if anyone wanted free dinner for helping someone on beer run. Person needed id.  I got 3 volunteers.

We did the Chinese food/gas/beer run.  Guys got out of car but I offered to help him carry beer.

After beer was in room he said you must be thirsty so he cracked open a beer and poured some in cup.

I told him I do not like beer and he said "try it" so I did.  It was good. He said you probably just drank American beer which tastes like piss water.

 

I can drink some American beers, they have improved and some microbreweries make some good one, but mostly still drink imported.

[Bill from NYC]

6 hours ago, Limeaid said:

 

Smart man whose taste matured.

When I was in high school I had plenty of opportunities to drink beer and every time I drank it I never finished a cup or can.

It was not issue with alcohol and I had a number of mixed drinks which I had chance to drink.

Shift to college and living in dorms.  Same issue in any party or when I worked in pub.

There was a guy in dorm who would buy beer from Canada but he needed 5 guys to go with him to buy so he could get 12 cases.

He offered Chinese dinner in Fort Erie as incentive so once I went with him.

Third or 4th time he did not have enough guys so I said give me a minute, went up to my old floor and asked if anyone wanted free dinner for helping someone on beer run. Person needed id.  I got 3 volunteers.

We did the Chinese food/gas/beer run.  Guys got out of car but I offered to help him carry beer.

After beer was in room he said you must be thirsty so he cracked open a beer and poured some in cup.

I told him I do not like beer and he said "try it" so I did.  It was good. He said you probably just drank American beer which tastes like piss water.

 

I can drink some American beers, they have improved and some microbreweries make some good one, but mostly still drink imported.

Yeah, some of the IPAs are too hoppy or too strong for me. The ones I listed are perfect. NYC water is actually very good. It comes from upstate reservoirs.

 

America no longer makes the world's worst beer. Not even close. Every state has these microbrews and most of them make good products.

[BuffaloBud]

This may not meet the "simple pleasure" requirement, but I will not ski east of the Mississippi ever again.  Grew up skiing at Holimont and KB.  Went skiing out west and have been out there many times.  Conditions are sooooo good.

Otherwise, a real good meal with good company (wink wink).

[Fr. Jerk]

On 4/28/2020 at 9:59 PM, 4merper4mer said:

Ask Bob Kraft

 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

On 4/29/2020 at 5:19 AM, Chandler#81 said:

If anything, I suppose Pepperidge Farms Milano cookies. Just because they’re ridiculously priced compared to other store bought cookies..

love ‘em.

 

We don't normally shop at a store which carries them.  Asked a neighbor to buy some for 87 year old Mom, thinking they were the dark-chocolate dipped cookies she kept pining for.

 

Nope, turns out it was actually German dark chocolate dipped cookies from Aldis.  So she's got her "fix" now.

[billsfanmiami(oh)]

I’ll add one I didn’t think of initially because although somewhat obvious, it’s a more recent thing for us. Wine. I’ve always been a beer guy and still love the craft beer but obviously one has to be versatile in the drinking repertoire. Couple years ago started getting big into bourbon and I’ll pay for some decent stuff but I’m also totally fine with the middle of the road stuff. Wine however, was drastically altered for us after we went to Napa last fall for our 10 year. Good lord, so many good options to choose from. That 3-4 day trip totally ruined us on cheaping out at the grocery store when it comes to the vino. I’m not talking crazy expensive but there’s almost zero chance of buying anything less than the $15-20 range now even though I know good stuff exists below that price point. It’s just not worth the gamble anymore to us. 

 

Luckily during this whole thing there is a small local wine store doing no contact delivery. Not only do I like supporting the small local place, but they have some great stuff! More import heavy selection than California, but all pretty solid stuff and they’re doing cases that you can mix 6 & 6 of reds, whites, sparkling, rosés, etc. Wife has been under a lot of work stress lately so we’ve had 4 cases delivered since this all started. ?Certainly haven’t drank them all at the rate they’re coming in, but doing our best!