A while back, I noticed some little mix packs in a gift shop in Vegas. They were from Noble Mick’s and promised single serve craft cocktails out of a pouch. They were priced at a couple of bucks each, so I picked some up. I’m always interested in trying new products, and a couple of bucks was worth the risk to me.
The packs are designed to be mixed with water (still or sparkling depending on the drink) and then added to liquor to make the drink.
So, I decided, as one does, to do a side by side comparison, I started with prepping the glasses
Added the bourbon, stirred until mixed, and later added ice.
But enough about the appearance and how they look. How did they taste?
Honestly, pretty good. The Noble Mick’s one was more diluted (adding an ounce of water to an Old Fashioned will do that), a bit sweeter, and had more fruit notes. Now, I did not garnish either, as I wanted it to be a fair comparison. So this means the traditional one has no orange notes or cherry, while the Noble Mick’s one does.
I’m particular when it comes to my Old Fashioneds, and don’t consider it that difficult to bitter up a sugar cube and muddle it. It takes more time and effort (to me) to make this drink from the packet. No matter how much I stirred, shook, or mixed, there was still some undissolved sediment in the packet made drink. This translated to cloudiness in the finished product.
I’ve got at least another set of side by sides to do, that one for a carbonated drink, so I’ll hold off on final judgement until I complete the series (with a break for the Cocktail of the Month for June). These may be useful for camping or backpacking, but at least for the Old Fashioned, you’ll be better served with some bitter infused sugar cubes.
If you’re looking to get an idea of what a cocktail is supposed to taste like, I would lean towards an RTD (Ready To Drink) cocktail or dropping the money at a bar. On the other hand, these weren’t offensive, and the price point was well within the impulse buy category. So, while I’m not telling you not to buy them, go in with tempered expectations, and with open eyes.
sand?
Mr. Ilium has obviously drunk the traditionally-prepared beverage and flung the glass into the fireplace.
I blame copying this over from the Substack.
It’s early for an off-topic, but… Do concrete mixes count?
I finally found somebody to repair my side stairs. The concrete has been applied and given an initial surface texture. We’re waiting for it to set a little before the next treatment. The contractors are off to get something to drink. I didn’t ask of what nature. Water, Caffiene, or Beer would all be in-character. (career blue-collar guys who’ve promoted themselves to running their own business).
I just hope no neighbor kid decides to draw in the concrete.
They both have silicon dioxide.
Just write “Keep Off” in the new concrete big enough for the local kids to see.
At least write the date, small and discreet so you’ll know how long this upgrade lasted.
It is ten years since I moved in to this house, within a month.
So, the concrete has dried to the point where it no longer appears any more vulnerable to vandalism than fully cured contrete, thus will be uninteresting to the neighborhood children.
Phew.
Now is the time to flood it so that it cures slower and is more durable.
Respect the will of the people
Platner’s candidacy has become one of the clearest examples. While some Democrats view his controversies as disqualifying, others argue that voters made their choice.
“He won the nomination. That was the decision of Maine voters. And I respect that decision,” said Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif.
Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego, who has endorsed Platner, agreed the decision lies with voters.
“It’s not up to the politicians to decide,” he said.
Offer not valid for all political parties.
What was the turnout for that primary, I wonder?
410%
https://www.mainepublic.org/politics/2026-06-11/graham-platner-gets-more-primary-votes-than-any-other-democratic-senate-candidate-in-maine-history
To be fair he does have the dreamy far-left politics Dems crave now. That is the only concern.
I wonder how much of his support is of the form “Well, Republicans are attacking him therefore he must be awesome!”
We trade Canada Maine for the eastern half of BC and Alberta.
Pro Tip: Class up your sachet of old-fashioned powder with booze. Oh. You did. Good. Moving forward.
“Old Mick,” eh? Damn. Saint of Irish drunks, though I repeat myself. In the second side-by-side, the Mick drink has an odd reflection in it, like a white-faced bulldog, nose up, puking, eyes squinting, tongue wagging out. (Surely, that’s not just me. (“It’s not just you,” Shirley replied.)
“…there was still some undissolved sediment in the packet made drink.” Add more booze, ya Mick.
Also, breaking news to half of the planet that still needs it, “sparkling” water is disgusting and not potable outside immediate dehydration. Discouraged even then, as you’ll shart out whatever you *did* manage to get down. Shockingly, yet amazingly, it’s more disgusting than sweet tea. I blame Hitler for Europe’s failings in this regard, cuz why not?
*reads article, check calendar, scratches head*
Summer replacement series?
I wasn’t around to wish you good morning in return, being Somewhere with spotty Internet.
Mexi is tied up, so I offered to help cover.
What might be fun is a comparison of large ice cube/ball makers to see which one does best for the money.
BY MONEY MEAN…
Cheap.
The issue is that you’ll have to define what you want for “best”. Now… if you want the cheapest method to get clear ice at home, one method I’ve seen frequently involves filling a cooler with water, and putting it in a large enough chest freezer. It will slowly freeze, which should push the impurities and air out, giving you a large amount of perfectly clear ice and a small amount of filthy waste water. At that point, score and cut into the sizes you want.
Me, I generally have four types of ice in the freezer:
1) Large square (2″)
2) Large sphere (2.5″) – this is a single insulated mold that’s supposed to give perfectly clear ice. It can, but only if you jump through quite a bit of hoops.
3) Small rectangles (1.6″)
4) Small hexagon (~1″)
I’ve got other molds I use infrequently and a couple of Lewis bags (for making crushed ice).
I had some of the silicon ball molds, they always made cracked/smoky ice. I heard that you can fill it, put it in ziplock full of packing popcorn, and place that in the freezer to slow the freezing process and produce clear ice. Never tried it.
R.J.:
The one I have has a large insulated base, with a plastic and silicon insert. When it’s assembled, half of the sphere is above the insulated base. To get it perfectly clear, you need to use boiled filtered water, slowly fill the mold, tap it on the counter a dozen times or so to knock all the air bubbles out, and then put it in the freezer for ~24 hours. You get one sphere of clear (or mostly clear) ice, and a chunk of grey ice.
“Me, I generally have four types of ice in the freezer”
*wide-eyed scrunchy face, hints of intimidation* I also like ice! It gets bigger when it freezes!!
(You know what else gets bigger when it’s cold? *searches* PLUTONIUM!)
I wonder how much of his support is of the form “Well, Republicans are attacking him therefore he must be awesome!”
We have to defend democracy from that deranged right wing extremist Susan Collins!
Vote for Platner.
at least for the Old Fashioned, you’ll be better served with some bitter infused sugar cubes.
News you can use.
Thanks Neph!
Headline says it all.
Huh I might have need of that service soon, maybe I will kick (((them))) 20 bucks.
Isnt that simply the free market in action?
Stupid Groyper. If he’d said he wasn’t interested in working for a Zionist he’d already have job offers from ten NGOs.
He’s probably flooded with offers from various other NGOs.
Do rinos ever learn that no matter how far left you move you are still a hard right extremist? Might as well go full Trump slobberer and be done with it.
Isnt that simply the free market in action?
I don’t have a problem with it. Big deal. He’d be a hero if he turned down an offer from Musk.
Speaking of commie gibberish
Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) late Friday criticized what he called a “corrupt system” that produces extreme wealth at the top while many Americans lack access to health care.
“There is something terribly wrong about an economy that produces its first trillionaire, but cannot provide health care for its people,” he wrote late Friday on social platform X, while sharing a story from The New York Times about SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. “Or one in which the richest handful of families have the combined wealth of almost forty percent of the rest of the country.”
“This is the cost of a corrupt system, where wealth perpetuates itself, and poverty, at the same time,” he added.
Politics of envy.
It never gets old.
He literally stole one trillion dollars from us. He should pay it back.
It never gets old.
something, something some commandmants something
Someone knocked at my door, which I ignored, since I wasn’t expecting anyone. I somewhat regret this now, as it turns out they were canvassing for Amy Acton.
I would have enjoyed telling him to fuck off and die.
Now that isn’t particularly stoic.
Amy Acton is responsible for more of my friends’ deaths than COVID.
I understand now. Curse away.
Was the Bren gun too accurate?