Nice Mike! I am having an Aviation Cocktail in honor of my vacation coming to an end and the flight home on Saturday that I dread.

Aviation made with The Duke gin, Luxardo maraschino, lemon juice and Bitter Truth Creme de Violette, which I have never seen before. One if the two owners of the Bitter Truth used to work at this bar and is good friends with the bartender/waiter who had been taking such good care of us.

Claridge Cocktail with The Duke Bavarian dry gin, Noilly Prat dry vermouth, Bols apricot liqueur, orange bitters and an orange twist. Dry and fruity and tasty.

I was curious about The Duke so the bartender said he would give me a bit to taste. (still waiting--he's busy)

I should have asked for these bitters.

Are the bitters themselves sexy or do they make the consumer sexy?

Not sure, Shelly. They haven't been used in my presence but I will let you know.

^ What do you think Fire Island Santa had been Drinking?

That aviation looks yummy. That looks and sounds like an awesome bar. It appears that The Bitter Truth guys have an entire line of liquers now. Interesting.

In Lodi, CA sampling nearly every Oak Ridge Zin.

Hot bloody mary. Instead of my normal couple of splashes of Louisiana hot sauce I used a habanero hot sauce. Big burn but still has good flavor.

Perfect Manhattan.

Margarita, what else would I be drinking? with Casa Noble tequila and Cointreau

In honor of our man in München

Now in Volcano, CA.

Racer 5, then bartender placed several glasses of yet to be named 4 year old port. Five piece Portuguese band playing in background for bartender, Mel and I.

Damn, looks like a great time.

Lagunitas lucky 13 .alt.

Still tastes like lagunitas.

Wow Ric, jealous of your drinking day out.

Thanks guys. Now back in Amador City finishing things off at self-service bar with Manhattan-ish. Skipped the Cosmo.

EDIT: Make that two.

Edited July 8, 201114 yr by blessingx

I'm at home with an Atwater Vanilla Java Porter. They need to put chocolate in the title, its sweet and has more cocoa then java easily.

Interesting choices all round Ric. Looks like fun.

Self service bars are fun! Looks like a great day all around, Ric.

I got up and headed out for a tour of Dachau concentration camp. It was five hours or so with train/bus rides and three hours of tour and short film. Incredibly interesting and moving to be in a place as notorious and disturbing as that. Never Forget and Never Again, indeed.

After that sobering experience, I needed a drink, so I am watching the Tour de France in my hotel with a snack and a Franziskaner Dunkel Weiss.

Happy last day in Germany, Al. Safe journey home tomorrow.

Boer & Brit, "The Field Marshall". Blend of Tinta Amarela, Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache and Carignan.

OK wine, fun marketing blurb. The wine makers are, respectively, the great-great-grandsons of President Paul Kruger (the main Afrikaner political leader of the Second Boer War) and Field Marshall John Denton Pinkstone French (one of the top British commanders during the conflict).

Bygones and all that.

Here's wishing good flight films heading home Al.

Damn mixers seem to be shut off at this bar this morning. Able to make a Seven and Seven at least. The cleaning woman doesn't have a trusting look in her eyes though.

Happy last day in Germany Al! Too bad you will soon be back at work and I will be headed to Maui.

Alternately, Alpamanta estate & Lamadrid single vineyard reserva malbecs

Finished these last night -- have to change my tune. The Lamadrid was "alright", and the Alpamanta was "off" (and I don't mean in a general way, I mean specifically this bottle was off, so would be unfair to judge without trying another bottle). I was drinking the Alpamanta first that night, and it tainted my tastebuds.

Dirty Bastard Scotch Ale

^Good stuff.

Claire popped the last beer in the fridge, and we split it while letting our feet rest before dinner. I haven't walked this much on a daily basis in a long time.

I was tired enough to forget to take pics of our last drinks at the hotel restaurant, but they were good ones. I had a rye sour and Claire a sidecar. A glass of Austrian white wine with the meal was the closer.

This has been a fantastic trip and I absolutely love Germany. People were right when they said the tourist invasion takes a lot away from Prague, but I could move into the Ameriky Bar for a good long while.

Thanks for all the well wishes along the way folks. Auf wedershen.