Flavors are funny things. They connect you to specific times and places in ways that few other things can. It’s part of why Hawaiian coffees are so popular – they remind you of your last visit to the islands. Food and beverage are powerful ways to remind us all of what we’re missing and welcome it back into our lives.
Maybe you’re lifting a Coors Light tallboy to remember a summer day at the park. Maybe you’re kicking back with a White Claw recalling the view of Mount Rainier behind the pitch at Cheney Stadium. Maybe you’re drinking whiskey neat. Either way, the survey of our team in quarantine has spoken. We drank before this crisis, and we’re doing the same now.
Take Assistant GM Nick Cherniske, who is sharing White Russians with his wife.
“Lately my wife Samantha and I have been paying homage to her Grandpa Tom and enjoying White Russians. A perfect blend of a smooth, sweet, and calcium packed cocktail. 1 part vodka, 1 part kalua, 1 part milk or cream.”
If he was anything like the White Russian guzzling Dude from The Big Lebowski, Grandpa Tom would be proud.
Here are some of our favorite beers, wines, and cocktails. We can’t wait to share them with you again. In person, of course.
Beer
Quarantine or not, Creative Director Casey Catherwood can’t overstate how grateful he is to live in a first-class drinking city. In this time of uncertainty, he continues to step out of the house, wipe his entire car down in Lysol wipes, and make pilgrimage to Peaks and Pints’ wall of delicious beers. They have everything you could want and are still open for grab and go.
“I’ll admit, I know nothing about beer on the front end, so I just look for beers with the coolest cans. Whether it’s the art or the graphic design, if it’s got a cool can, I’ll try it.”
This fool’s method has helped him to stumble upon hoppy delights like Nightmare Brewing’s Gunga Rao Sour and the citrus overload of Brickstone Brewery’s Disco Juice. Both were a hit with the whole family.
Wine
Flavor nerd and Content Creator Dave Clark is popping the cork on his favorite wines with his wife. If they can’t go to their favorite weekend spots, they’re going to do their best to bring those journeys to their home.
“One of the things my wife and I are missing is visits with our friends out in Walla Walla. But we find ways to remember those good times with a bottle of Tempus Cellars Cab Sav and a few rounds of Sequence. We have other wines, but it’s the Walla Walla ones we are cracking open these days.”
Cocktail
For Marketing Manager Reema Patel, one of her favorites reminds her of a vacation in simpler times.
“Before the stay at home order got put into place, my boyfriend and I were on vacation in the south of Spain sipping on a glass of Vermouth neat. In Spain they typically drink sweet, red vermouth, not the stuff they use in martinis. Each type has its own flavor profile of spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves in the aroma and taste. Enjoy Punt e Mus, a personal favorite, which can be purchased at your local liquor store with an orange slice or a splash of lemon soda.”
Reema’s also trying to recreate Tacoma treasures like Your Old Flame from Matriarch and 1022 South J’s The Arboretum. Those are big shoes (and glasses) to fill. Good luck with that.
Whether it’s pastime or a way to cope with the uncertainty of these times, alcohol has definitely had a seat at our sheltered table here in the South Sound. Fill your glass with a cup of cheer, dream of better days, and drink responsibly, Tacoma.
If you’re looking for your favorite beer, wine, and liquor hit up Stadium Thriftway, Harbor Greens, or any of the other businesses in our Defiantly Tacoma guide to restaurants and small businesses.
Next up? The podcasts filling our earbuds.
Previously we shared the movies, shows, music, books, video and tabletop games we like, and the caffeinated drinks we’re enjoying while we Stay Home, Stay Healthy to support the medical professional, grocers, first responders, and all who keep Tacoma running.
About the Tacoma Rainiers
The Tacoma Rainiers, Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. Tacoma has been a member of the Pacific Coast League since Cheney Stadium opened in 1960, and has been a Mariners affiliate since establishing the Rainiers moniker in 1995.
The most up-to-date news and notes about the Tacoma Rainiers and Cheney Stadium can be found at WeRTacoma.com, or by following the Rainiers on Twitter (@RainiersLand), Instagram (@tacomarainiers) and liking the team on Facebook.
About Tacoma Defiance
Tacoma Defiance is the USL Championship affiliate of reigning MLS Cup Champion Seattle Sounders FC. You can follow The Future of Champions on Twitter (@TACDefiance), Facebook, and Instagram (@tacdefiance). We are #DefiantlyTacoma.
Tacoma Team Store
The Tacoma Team Store is open, online. Grab your Rainiers gear, your Defiance ‘fit, and follow the team store on Instagram and Twitter.
COVID-19 Information
More information on social distancing and how to prevent the spread of Covid-19 can be found at Tacoma-Pierce County Health. The most up-to-date information on how COVID-19 is affecting events at Cheney Stadium can be found here.
September 22, 2023