Happy 160th Birthday Jack!

One of the most successful spirits and most recognizable names is, of course, Jack Daniel’s. In celebration of his 160th birthday, the famous Tennessee distillery has released a special limited edition black bottle. One thing that has got me confused, is that, according to Jack Daniel’s (the man) Wikipedia page, he was born on September 5, 1846. Based on this, Jack would have just celebrated his 164th birthday. Now, the 160 could not possibly be in reference to the founding of the brand, since Jack Daniel’s (the brand) wasn’t founded until 1875.

So are all of the blogs (Cool Material, Notcot, Vodka & Co.) that are posting about the special 160th Birthday Bottle four years too late? Or, is the brand just using the 160 because it’s a nice round number?

On closer inspection, the Jack Daniels website posts that no one really knows exactly when Jack was born:

“No one really knows exactly when Jack Daniel was born. A town fire destroyed the courthouse records, and conflicting dates on Mr. Jack’s and his mother’s headstones have left his date of birth in question. It’s customary to celebrate Mr. Jack’s birthday in September – so he gets a whole month. But for a man as unique as Jack Daniel, one day just wouldn’t seem proper, anyway.”

So there you go, there should be an asterisk next to Jack’s birthday on Wikipedia.

As for the limited edition 750ml bottle, it’s sexy as hell. Jack would be proud.

Beer Savers: Silicone Bottle Caps

According to the official Beer Savers website, Beer Savers are good for 10 reasons:

1. Durable, stretchy molded bottle cap charms
2. Designed to help keep beer fresh and safe
3. Dishwasher safe and reusable
4. Made of food-safe silicone
5. Come in multi-colored sets of 6 – the perfect party pack.
6. Make a great housewarming or hostess gift for any beer lover.
7. Fits most standard beer bottles
8. Make for a great talking point at any dinner party or beer tasting party.
9. Help homebrewers keep their beer bottles clean and sterile before bottling.
10. Helps keep your beer safely identified when in clubs, bars and restaurants

I’m not sure about you, but I would feel a little weird carrying around little silicone bottle caps when going bar hopping. It should be law that if you open a bottle of beer then you should finish it!

With that said, Beer Savers, send me a few caps and I’d be more than happy to test out your product. I’ll start off in the comforts of my own home and then work my way out!

Buy a 6-Pack of Beer Savers from Beer Savers for the sale price of $7.99 (Retail: $12.99).

USB Bottle Opener

Some might argue that with the increased prevalence of cloud storing services, thumb drives may soon go the way of the dodo bird, much like the floppy disk. Having said that, it might be impossible for beverage enthusiasts with an appetite for technology to not lust for this thumb drive. The USB Bottle Opener Flash Drive is like any other flash drive, except it has the added feature of being able to open your favorite bottle of beer. Neat? Absolutely.

Buy the USB Bottle Opener from the Brando Workshop for starting at $19 (2GB).

Stelton My Water Bottle

Who thought a water bottle could look so sexy? The new reusable My Water Bottle from Stelton offers a different take on the ubiquitous H20 carrier. Buying bottled water is wasteful. Instead, pick up one of these to help keep yourself hydrated while looking good at the same time. No word yet on pricing.

“My” water bottle from Stelton is your personal water bottle – just a bit more stylish than an ordinary recyclable bottle. The bottle takes 0.5 litres and you can find space for it in any bag. My water bottle is a container with a handgrip in a choice of colours, red, midnight blue and light blue. The bottle has a removable top formed like a bottle neck and a close-fitting lid. The top as well as the lid can be removed making it into a drinking glass. The bottle, top and lid may be washed in the dish washer and the grip may be washed at 30 degrees in the washing machine.”

Wine 101: Demystifying Wine Bottles

Wine is a complicated drink, we know this and that is why at Call Me Thirsty we have the Wine 101 Series! Our aim is rid the confusion that comes with wine so that we can enjoy this wonderful drink without being totally confused by it. In this Wine 101 post I hope to demystify a few things about wine bottles. To do this I’ve created a little graphic for you all to enjoy, that includes six of the major bottles shapes that wine comes packaged in. Intertwined in the graphic you’ll find some fun facts about the bottles.

Click on the graphic and take a closer look at it!

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Bottle Types

German wine bottles tend to be narrow and tall. You’ll also find that Rhine, Mosel, and Alsace wines are packaged in these narrow and tall bottles that have little or no punt (see below for a description of what a punt is). If you’re picking up a Riesling, chances are that it is packed in this bottle type. This type of bottle is also known as having a Hock shape.

Champagne bottles must have thick walls to withstand the pressure of the carbon dioxide bubbles inside of it. These bottles are typically described as having sloping shoulders. Champagne bottles typically have a very pronounced punt.

Red and White Burgundy bottles tend to have a tall shape with sloping shoulders. You’ll find Pinot Noir and Chardonay packaged in this bottle type. This bottle has a small punt and thicks walls to help contain the pressure of these wines.

Sherry, Port and Bordeaux bottles feature straight sides and high shoulders. Red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec feature this bottle shape, as do white wines like Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. These bottles have a very pronounced punt. The Bordeaux type bottles has also been called a Claret and Souterne.

Chianti bottles are reserved for the red Italian wine produced in Tuscany. These bottles feature a squat bottle that is usually enclosed in a straw basket.

Sizes

The graphic above shows some of the most popular wine bottle sizes. A standard bottle of wine contains 750 mL (or 0.75 cL).

On The Ladder:
Quarter ( aka Piccolo) = 0.188 Liter (smallest)
Half = 0.375 Liter
Full = 0.75 Liter
Magnum = 1.5 Liter

On The Floor:
Jeroboam = 3 Liter
Methuselah = 6 Liter
Salmanazar = 9 Liter
Balthazar = 12 Liter (largest)

There even more bottle sizes but the above are the most common and the most important for you to know.

Wine Bottle Colors

Dark Green: These bottle are said to be able to protect the wine from sunlight. You’ll usually find red wine packed in dark green bottles.

Light Green: Dry white wines are often kept in light green bottles.

Brown: Wine produced in Mosel (regions in France, Luxembourg, and Germany) and Alsace (Alsace region in France) often come packaged in brown bottles.

Clear: These bottles have generally been reserved for sweet whites but have also come to be used for whites in general.

Sometimes wineries use non-traditional colors to individualize their wine. An often used non-traditional color is blue.

What’s a Punt?

A punt is the little dimple or “kick-up” that you’ll find at the bottom of the wine bottle. Historically, the punt originated from the free blowing technique used to make the wine bottles. The punt also aids in preventing the bottle from tipping over when it is standing up and consolidates the collection of sediment at the bottom of the bottle.

Mimijumi Bottles

For the beverage enthusiast in training, this BPA free baby bottle is the perfect transitionary tool when going from the natural comforts of the nipple to the synthetics of a baby bottle. I’m not even kidding when I say this is probably the closest thing you find to a nipple on a bottle. And with beautiful design, what’s not to like about it.

“With natural colors, textures and forms, the mimijumi baby bottle closely mimics the breastfeeding experience, providing the perfect complement to breastfeeding and the best possible transition to bottle feeding. The innovative design of the nipple to replicate a mother’s breast creates a natural feeding and latching experience for a happier and healthier bottle fed baby. Bold color and soft textures are combined to give the Very Hungry bottle a distinctive, eye-catching appearance.”

Buy the Mimijumi BPA Free Baby Bottle from Mimijumi starting in December.