SPIRITS MUDDLING THROUGH

We’re great at knocking back mojitos, but not the best at mixing up a new batch. Now, 10 Cane Premium Rum is offering an all-in-one mojito kit, including Stirrings mojito mix and a bottle of 10 Cane, for the mixologically challenged among us. $32 at Central Liquors, Flemington, NJ. 
 

BREW BEYOND THE PALE 

It’s summer: time to kick off your shoes and lighten up. And the same goes for your beer. When you reach into the cooler, look for something light—no, not, heaven forbid, “lite.” We’re talking white beer, the refreshing, Belgian-born style of brew that’s made a comeback recently among local craft brewers. 

 “They’re nice, light, very easy-drinking beers,” says beer guru Matt Guyer, owner of The Beer Yard in Wayne, PA. “They’re cloudy with a little spice, coriander or Curacao orange peel, and they’re lower in alcohol.” 

According to Guyer, it was the return to fashion of Hoegaarden—the summertime draught favorite oft served with a wedge of lemon or orange—that sparked this white beer renaissance. A Belgian milkman, Pierre Celis, is credited with single-handedly reviving the region’s traditional witbier when he relaunched Hoegaarden, starting his first brewery in 1966 using old dairy equipment. 

Now, local brewers are crafting their own versions of the Belgian beverage.  Downingtown’s Victory Brewing Co. offers a Whirlwind Wit each April through August. At Weyerbacher in Easton, the Blanche witbier has been a favorite for several years now. Reading’s Legacy Brewing Co. uses a blend of five spices in their popular Midnight Wit, available year-round. And the Kensington-based Philadelphia Brewing Co.—only recently available in bottles—has put together a poetically inspired Walt Wit, an unfiltered brew infused with citrus and spices. 

Use these beers—priced around $30 to $40 a case—to cook mussels in, or sip them with light fare like salad or grilled chicken. These refreshing Belgian-style brews are more than just a summer fling. The Beer Yard, 218 E. Lancaster Ave., Wayne; 610-688-3431; beeryard.com. —Samantha Melamed

WINE HOME RUN

Every day at least one friend or acquaintance asks me to recommend a wine. There is no one answer; I taste thousands of bottles of wines a year, and I can wholeheartedly recommend quite a few. But considering today’s economy, there’s one especially compelling basis upon which I can suggest a wine: a good Quality-to-Price Ratio (QPR).

I am always more impressed with my friends as savvy wine lovers when they introduce me to a great $20 bottle of wine than if they try to wow me with an overpriced $100 bottle that simply has a well-known name. In the past, I rejected more than 70 percent of the wines that were presented to me, often based on value. And at Newman Wine & Spirits, I have rejected more than 500 offerings; some were delicious, but the QPR didn’t work. 

It is crucial to be selective as a wine buyer. I seek wines that over-deliver for the price, especially in a contracting economy. Nobody wants to cut wine from their budget, but they don’t have extra money to spare for overpriced bottles. A great bottle of wine unites family, friends, good food and a great lifestyle. Enjoying an excellent glass of wine is the fastest way to put a little luxury in your daily life. But there is nothing that leaves a more sour taste in your mouth than overpaying for a bottle of mediocre wine.

Here’s the first step to finding good QPR wines right now: Look closer to home. 

Because the U.S. dollar is so weak, it’s increasingly difficult to find good European wine values. I love French and Italian wines, but I’m drinking far more American wines these days because the QPR is much better. 

For best bets, seek out wines from great growing regions, like the Napa or Sonoma valleys. Wines from sub-appellations like Rutherford, Dry Creek Valley or Russian River Valley are even better. I especially like the value and taste profile of red wines from the Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County. Winemakers like Scott Lindstrom-Dake of Kelley Creek can produce wines with tremendously bright flavors, including his Flow Bordeaux Blend, Cabernet, Merlot and Zinfandel, without charging a fortune for them. And even with the weak US dollar, I’m still finding good QPR wines from spectacular appellations in Australia, particularly the Mak Collection of wines including the 2000 Special Edition Yarra Valley, 2003 Premium McLaren Vale Shiraz and the 2004 Coonawarra Cabernet blend.

It’s a great time to be a wine buyer—either for a company or for your own cellar. Drink well and don’t overpay. And the most important thing to remember: Trust your own palate and drink wines that you enjoy.

Jonathan Newman served as chairman of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, the largest buyer of wine and spirits in the US, and was named Wine Enthusiast’s Man of the Year in 2003. He now heads the wine buying firm Newman Wine and Spirits, online at newmanwineandspirits.com.