You have to have a glass of champagne on New Year's Eve (or bubbly as we call it because only bubbly stuff from the area in France called Champagne can legally and morally be called that. Otherwise, it's bubbly.) Maybe it's like Hoppin' John and portends good luck for the coming year. With 2012 being the end of the Mayan calendar, we will all need every bit of good vibes we can muster. So let's drink!

Do you just buy the stuff on display in your neighborhood grocery store? Shame on you! No wonder you complain that "champagne" always gives you headaches.

Thanks to the Wall Street Journal and Lettie Teague, we have a bit of a guide, but be prepared to spend at least $40.

But rum? I guess I thought if you’re going to mix it with Coke or ginger ale or a tumbler full of mint does quality really matter? The answer is yes. Quality always matters and not just the quality of the alcohol in this case, rum, but also the mixers.

I love rum and ginger ale. I discovered Vernor’s diet (diet!) a couple of years ago and mixed it with some small batch rum we had purchased in a little shop with a sand floor on a Caribbean island. Then, I tried Fever Tree mixers. They’re expensive compared to the ubiquitous Canada Dry ginger ale, the smell of which can remind me of countless upset stomachs. Fever Tree’s ginger ale balances the carbonization and the sweet peppery ginger is nuanced…don’t try it unless you can afford to have it all the time. It’s available at Flight by special request. (Raises the price of your drink by $1.)

When the rum ran out, we despaired and have been testing various rums ever since to find something similar at the ABC store. We haven’t found it exactly (and I think the time and place we bought it has colored our taste buds to a degree), but we’ve found some really amazing sipping rums:

Appleton Estate Reserve – Imbibe magazine says “This is a medium-bodied rum with an aroma of orange peel and brown sugar, and a taste of caramel, almonds and warm spice.” $25

Cruzan Single Barrel Estate – “Soft, but luscious…has a flavor of brown butter, toffee and toasted almonds.” $30

Zaya Gran Reserva – “Dark and heavy, with lush flavors of chocolate, toffee and candied orange peel.” $32

Do you have a favorite? And how do you like to drink it? Straight? Mixers? What kind?

Budweiser Select 55 55 2.50% 88.2%
Bud Ice 123 5.50% 86.8%
Natural Light 95 4.20% 85.8%
Michelob Ultra 95 4.20% 85.8%
Miller Lite 96 4.20% 84.9%
Miller Genuine Draft64 64 2.80% 84.9%
Bud Ice Light 115 5.00% 84.4%
Budweiser Select 99 4.30% 84.3%
Busch Light 95 4.10% 83.7%
Milwaukee’s Best Light 98 4.20% 83.2%
Coors Light 102 4.20% 79.9%
Heineken Light 99 4.00% 78.4%
Keystone Light 104 4.13% 77.1%
Corona Light 105 4.10% 75.8%
Miller High Life Light 110 4.20% 74.1%
Bud Light 110 4.20% 74.1%
Natural Ice 157 5.90% 72.9%
Rolling Rock Prem Beer 120 4.50% 72.8%
Molson XXX 201 7.30% 70.5%
Bud Light Lime 116 4.20% 70.3%
Amstel Light 99 3.50% 68.6%
Michelob Light 123 4.30% 67.8%
Busch 132 4.60% 67.6%

Do you think they even had blenders back in the ’50′s much less this thing? I wonder how hard it is to clean after each martini. Hmmmm….must order one.

We stayed at the Copacabana Palace, a beautiful old grand dame and loved everything about it, but Liza soon found that the beach favored by students was Leblon, a few miles down the boardwalk. Leblon is also the name of the most famous cachaca, both here and in Brazil. Cachaca, labeled Brazilian Rum here in the states, is the liquor you use to make Caipirinhas. That’s pronounced “kai-pur-een-ya” and while both cachaça and rum are derived from sugar cane, cachaça takes the actual cane sugar juice and ferments and distills it, while rum is derived from molasses.

With the Olympics and the World Cup choosing Rio for their games, you’re going to want to learn about Brazil and its culture.

Start by checking out Leblon’s website and get a free muddler. Watch the hang gliding video — Rio from the air — it’s beautiful.

Menu
Seared tuna with mango gastrique served with:
Gateway Kölsch — While known for their lagers, German brewers also produce terrific ales. French Broad’s Kölsch is faithful to the great German ales found in Köln. Golden in color, with a refreshing crispness, pleasantly sweet malt finish, and distinctive German hopping.
SRM: 3.9 • IBU: 32.3
OG: 11.5º PLATO
5.3% ALCOHOL BY VOLUME

Panko fried duck with dried cherry cream and roasted corn served with:

Wee Heavy-er Scotch Ale — This staple from the highlands of Scotland
is right at home in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Wee
Heavy-er is French Broad’s best-selling beer. At 7% ABV, this beer is
meant to be savored. Great with food and friends.
SRM: 14.5 • IBU: 24
OG: 17º PLATO
7% ALCOHOL BY VOLUME

Grilled rack of lamb with balsamic syrup and pommes frites served with:

Rye Hopper — An Asheville interpretation of an American Rye Ale. The
rye malt character is accompanied by a distinctively heady American hop
profile and a smooth, bittersweet finish.
SRM: 10.5 • IBU: 59
OG: 15º PLATO
5.9% ALCOHOL BY VOLUME

Rum and Raisin Bread Pudding served with:

13 Rebels ESB — French Broad Brewery’s interpretation of the classic UK Extra Special Bitter. A bright copper color with a complex malt palate is complemented by traditional British hops, notably East Kent Golding. French Broad has made this classic public house session beer a cult classic with its skull and crossbones artwork.
SRM: 7.3 • IBU: 42
OG: 13º PLATO
5.2% ALCOHOL BY VOLUME