It is the alcohol from the sugars that makes it into any distilled spirit. The only other things that come across in the distillation process are volatile oils, some of which are toxic.

Regardless, if you don't want to ingest something that was produced from a source that contained gluten, don't. There are some great drinks out there that are not. Potato Vodka can be great!! St George Spirits vodka is amazing (since they flavor with herbs and fruits even the flavored stuff won't have gluten.)

But scientifically, unless something is added to a spirit after the distillation process there won't be any gluten proteins in the beverage. Here's a good link:
http://noglutennoproblem.blogspot.com...

So by your logic the main motivation for baristas is money? Wow!! Didn't know that baristas were living so well.

I would think that if an employer treats people well, even if they can't pay them well, the workers tend to be nicer. Have you ever been to Dennis Leary's The Sentinel? It is a sandwich shop maybe 100 sq ft, 8 workers, a line out the door. I doubt the workers are raking in the dough, but none of them give you any attitude. No forced smiles. No falsetto voices asking you what you want. They genuinely appear to like what they do and what they make.

Remedy was obviously not run well. They had a nice concept. Sadly, the owner seemed to make bad decisions like installing a first-class kitchen and never using it. Setting up systems that made the workers run around and take forever to make one simply drink. People got fed up and were able to walk a block away to get a decent cup of coffee.

I do think it is classless to not say goodbye to loyal customers and a community that was good to them. It probably would make people less likely to be excited and welcoming of a new venture, further down the road.

Arbor Cafe must be better in some way or people would have been flocking to Remedy instead. They are a little more friendly and welcoming . . .

Any distiller who knows what they're doing will deliver a pure product.

I think everyone should care enough to look into what they are drinking, especially when it comes to spirits.

I agree, stay away from mass-produced, especially flavored vodkas. But a vodka like Hangar 1 is not going to have any impurities in it. (yes, I've been to the distillery and even seen the still in operation.)

Scotch, by definition, will have no glutin in it.

It surely won't hurt anyone, celiacs and non-celiacs, to look into what they are putting into their bodies. You might actually enjoy what's in your glass more than the club kids just tossing back a Popov and Redbull at 2:00AM. . . .

A little more info:

http://www.eastbayexpress.com/WhatThe...

Seems like maybe some bad business decisions. Wonder who's going to take if over next.

Yea. I originally posted this in a regional board for SF Bay Area. My rant doesn't apply to 99% of the American continent, thank God!! It is funny to read responses from people who see me as anti-worker, über-picky, or almost anti-free market. . . .

Here in some corners of the Bay Area there seems to be kind of an obsession in some cafes . Sadly, just getting a simple, decent cup of coffee is a major production, involving 1000 minor adjustments, explanations, redefinitions and pedantic detail.

No matter how good it is, it's still just coffee. And I still want a full cup!!

I don't see why vodka made from grains would be dangerous.

The process of making vodka (or any spirit) removes any chemical resembling glutin.

You ferment the sugars into alcohol. Distill off that alcohol and make something that is basically 100% alcohol. Then add water to make it drinkable.

No glutin, not even in whiskey. Totally safe.

Peppermint tea with milk is disgusting. Try it if you don't believe me.

Chai is not an herbal tea and it should have milk: bitter, balanced out by milky, yum!! :p

No. How about fill up the cup and say, "Have a nice day."

Who's talking about drama?? I just take what I'm given and roll my eyes.

I just don't like getting an inch of room if I say "no room" and then 2" of space at the top of my cup if I say "yes" to room. It's silly.

Yea, I have tried both Santa Tereza and Diplomatico now. Smiling, just thinking about them.

Bacardi Añjo isn't great, but not bad for $12!! ;) All the other Bacardi bottles I stay far away from.

Wow, I wrote this little rant sooooo long ago, I almost forgot all about it.

My tastes have changed a bit. I still do taste that taste, I'd almost call a deep, round bitterness that throws everything else off.

I have since been introduced to Venezuelan rums and am in love. I am slowly working my way through the long list of rums at Smuggler's Cove in SF. Wow! What an education I am receiving there!! :)

What happened to Remedy??

Windows papered, furniture gone. No posts on twitter account for a few weeks.

Not even a goodbye?? I thought they'd have more class. . . .

They were nice while they lasted, not my favorite place, but definitely good place for a cup of coffee.

http://remedyoakland.com/

When and why did all cafes become obsessed with this question?

It seems cheap for a Peets to ask and obsessively keep track of customers who want "room" and those who don't.

The other day an absent-minded barista at a small independent cafe in Rockridge asked me if I wanted room for cream in my mint tea. Yuck. ;)

Wasn't talking about Ol' Rasputin, but why not?? It is very drinkable, especially if you find it on nitro, yum yum!!!

Old Number 38 is their straight up stout, great with a sharp cheddar cheese!!!!

Try Damnation, you'll be happy you did. It is an American/Belgian style beer.

I find their other stuff good, but not consistently, jaw-droppingly good. Every time I have a glass pulled from a tap or pop open one of their bottles I am constantly happy with it.

North Coast Beers are quite good too. Their stout or their Brother Thelonius are both spectacular!! (Another great spot to make a trek to as well!!)

-----
Russian River Brewing Co.
725 4th St, Santa Rosa, CA 95404

North Coast Brewing Co
444 N Main St, Fort Bragg, CA 95437

They have some amazing stuff, I can only seem to get it at Whole Foods here in the Bay Area. Any place that uses apples and no carbonation or sweeteners for their cider is bound to be good!!

Have you ever had Farnum Hill?? It looks like Farnum Hill is starting to get some distribution out West. I'd be psyched if I could get my hands on a bottle of that stuff without having to fly back East for a change. . .

Link

-----
Wandering Aengus Ciderworks
6130 Bethel Heights Rd NW, Salem, OR

Really wish that we could make a good bottle of cider here in the US. I've only found one place that makes cider with actual apples and natural fermentation: Farnum Hill in NH or Wandering Aegus from Salem, OR. Crisp, dry and complex. . .

Can't stand the stuff made from apple concentrate like Magner's, Woodchuck and the like, can you?? It is a bit like comparing Mad Dog to carefully mad wine though.

The next best thing to good Calva is Clear Creek's apple brandy. Quite nice stuff, especially the 8 yr. . . :)

-----
Farnum Hill Ciders
98 Poverty Ln, Lebanon, NH

Clear Creek Distillery
2389 NW Wilson St, Portland, OR

Wandering Aengus Ciderworks
6130 Bethel Heights Rd NW, Salem, OR

Thanks. I shall.

Late to work today, held my nose and went into Buckey's on Market & 3rd for caffeine. I was pleasantly surprised that they have a clover machine going now -- it helped out even the Starbuck's beans that they shoveled inside. The coffee seemed to open up and I could taste flavors I'd never imagine I'd taste inside a Starbuck's paper sippy-cup.

This experience made me wonder where else around the city one might find a clover machine, in a cafe serving nicer beans. . . .

Also, what do other's think of the clover? Is it all hype or is it worth every penny of its $11,000 price tag?

(I shall now say seven hail Blue Bottles, on my Chowhound Coffee-snob decoder-ring for praising Starbucks.)

-----
Starbucks Coffee
7 3rd St, San Francisco, CA 94103

Has the service and the attitude of the owner improved (ie. become more welcoming) at all?

Not a huge fan of Ace. It is way too sweet. If you ever get a chance to try some Normandy cider, cider from smaller producers in England or Farnum Hill, GET SOME!!

If any of you Northeasterners haven't tried Farnum Hill Cider yet, you're missing out.

They grow cider apples, and make the bet dry apple cider I have ever had.

I am not a huge fan of Woodchuck or Fox, they taste too much like alcoholic Juicy-Juice. :( Farnum Hill is hard to find, but I go out of my way to find it whenever I am back east. Hope a few bottles start finding their way out to California soon...

http://www.farnumhillciders.com/

-----
Farnum Hill Ciders
98 Poverty Ln, Lebanon, NH

I just had to give this place a bit thumbs up.

I've been going here for the past 3 years or so. Always loved the food and coffee but tolerated the cold, unwelcoming staff. I have always loved the food here, loved the decor and the art. . . but have never been a regular even though its in my neighborhood. I guess I just never felt comfortable there and the staff always seemed to be unhappy. . . espresso sans joy de vivre?? No thanks.

Today three things happened that have totally changed my mind about this place:

1) The workers smiled when I walked in the door and said, "hello."

2) They made a minor mistake and actually apologized!! :)

3) When I left they said "goodbye" and "thank you."

Does anyone have a good recommendation for deep, round, smooth, tasty rum that you can sip?

I have tried some here and there and all rums seem to have a bitterness that hits me in the back of my tongue.

I've dropped cash on Pyrate OX, tried Zaya, had Appleton's Estated Xv and they all were yummy with a little sparkling water and lime juice, with coke or a biting ginger ale. But why can we sip scotch, enjoy its round flavors but we don't ask the same from our rum?

I imagine a rum that is able to be drunk neat, has a wide complex flavor that passes over the tongue without making me cringe as it makes its way down to my stomach. I'm almost embarrassed to say that the closest thing I've found is actually a $12 bottle of Bacardi Añejo. It doesn't come in as cool a bottle as Pyrate, it's a little simple, but not half bad.

I can think of nothing inherent in rum that would make it unable to be as enjoyable as a fine single malt. Why drop $40 or $50 on a bottle of rum that you can only stand to drink mixed with a bunch a soda that's supersaturated with sugar or corn syrup??

How do you feel?

Yea Masse's cakes look just a little too fancy to eat for me.

If you go there, make sure to get a couple of cookies for later. They do cookies and breakfast pastries well!!

Thanks for the link :)

I wonder how long the bricks of that building will reek of chocolate :D

yea . . . about the factory tour.

Just called them and they have decided to stop doing the tour. You can now only do a virtual tour of the factory online.

Half of the joy of the tour was to leave reeking of chocolate for the rest of the day.

But you can still visit their store. . . HOW LAME!! Grrrrrrrr.

Call and complain!! (510) 981-4066

There has been an interesting conversation going on on a couple different boards and I thought I'd try give this discussion its own space.

Is beer as suitable to be paired with food as wine has been traditionally paired with food?

If so, is beer more suitable for some foods than wine and is wine more suitable for some foods than beer?

(Where does saké -- technically closer to beer than wine -- fit into this equation as well??)

**Ding**