Mo's Wine & Spirits

Spirits have played a significant part in our Nation’s History, from the Jamestown settlers right up to the 21st century. Meshed in to the political, social and religious issues of our times, we see the full spectrum of attitudes towards spirits as well as wine and beer. So as it is an integral part of our country’s history, what do you know about Spirits? Perhaps its time to study for your own Bar Exam with these tidbits of information and trivia!

Alcohol beverages have been produced for at least 12,000 years.

As Magellan prepared to sail around the world in 1519, he spent more on casks of Sherry than on weapons.

Early ancestors probably began farming not so much to grow food, as to insure a steady supply of ingredients needed to make alcohol beverages.

The bill for a celebration for the 55 drafters of the US Constitution was for 4 bottles of Madeira, 60 bottles of claret, 8 bottles of whiskey, 22 bottles of port, 8 bottles of hard cider, 12 beers and seven bowls of alcohol punch large enough that “ducks could swim in them.”

Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president of the US, stated that “…the problems with alcohol relate not to the use of a bad thing, but to the abuse of a good thing.”

Prohibition in the early 20th Century led to widespread disrespect for law. New York City alone had about thirty thousand (yes, 30,000!) speakeasies. Even public leaders flaunted their disregard for the law, including the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, who owned and operated an illegal still.

(By the way, prohibition lated 13 years, 10 months, 19 days, 17 hours and 32.5 minutes. For those who were counting).

Bourbon is the official spirit of the United States, by act of Congress.

In the late 1970s, Jimmy Carter banned the service of hard liquor at the White House, and only served wine at state dinners.

Maybe this year’s presidential candidates can take an idea from Sweden - nearly all of 185,000 gallons of alcohol seized from smugglers trying to sneak beer, wine and liquor into Sweden in 2006 was turned into alternative fuel used to power buses, trucks and trains!

Stoudt’s Brewing is back in CT.

For over 20 years, Stoudt’s Brewing Company has grown and evolved from a small brewery with limited draught distribution, to a packaging regional microbrewery with distribution in 10 different states, producing over 10,000 barrels a year.

Mo’s Wine & Spririts just got in stock Stoudt’s Double IPA Fat Dog Oatmeal Stout, American Pale Ale, Pilsner, Scarlet Lady ESB, and Gold Lager, all in 6 packs.

Our favorite is the Fat Dog Oatmeal Stout. It pours almost pitch black with a syrupy texture. The very intense aromas of coffee, chocolate and roasted malts make a powerful impression. The thick creamy texture and the roasted chocolate flavors along with the medium-to-low carbonation, make this Stout very drinkable.

With the fall cool weather coming (hopefully) this beer is perfect with desserts, or just by itself.

Cheers, Mark

Oktoberfest is a two-week festival held each year in Munich, Bavaria, Germany during late September and early October. It is one of the most famous events in the city and the world’s largest fair, with some six million people attending every year. With this celebrated event comes the influx of many “seasonal” beers from the United States.

From Flying Dog’s Dogtoberfest to Thomas Hooker’s Oktoberfest, these beers represent the season of cooler weather and the colors of fall. They all tend to be on the darker style with flavors of malt, fruit, caramel, and various spices.

Our favorite at Mos’ Wine & Spirits is the Brooklyn Oktoberfest. Other Oktoberfests that are available are Spaten, Becks, Paulaner, Hacher Pschorr, Sam Adams, Thomas Hooker, Otter Creek, Hofbrau, Newport Storm, Victory Festbier, Weyerbacher Festbier.

Along with the release of the oktoberfest beers come the pumpkin beers. Our favorite at Mo’s Wine & Spirits is the Dogfish Punkin and at 7% abv its not for the casual 4-5 beers on the porch. Loaded with flavor and finese Dogfish Punkin needs to be experience before you make any judgemnet.

Other Pumpkin beers available are Shipyard, Saranac, Smuttynose, Gritty’s, Postroad, Weyerbacher, Thomas Hooker, and Bluemoon.