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Sam's Upstate Blog

Thoughts and Reflections from Upstate New York

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Sam's Upstate Blog

Sam's Upstate Blog

Thoughts and Reflections from Upstate New York

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Sam's Upstate Blog

Sam's Upstate Blog

Thoughts and Reflections from Upstate New York

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June 14, 2026June 15, 2026Cocktails

Today’s Cocktail: The Improved Whisky Cocktail

In honor of National Bourbon Day today, I thought I’d try something new: the Improved Whisky Cocktail. It’s been around since at […]

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January 19, 2026NA Beverages

NA Beer: Deschutes Black Butte

A tulip-shaped beer glass and a beer can sit on a windowsill. The glass is completely full of a deep brown, almost black liquid, with just a hint of light brown foam on top. The beer can next to it is beige and orange, with black accents. It shows a mountain covered with pine trees, and is labeled "Deschutes Black Butte Non-Alcoholic."

I’ve been drinking exclusively NA beer for three months now, and this porter from Deschutes Brewing is the best I’ve encountered thus […]

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December 14, 2025Food

Today’s Bake: White Tin Bread

A load of bread on a wooden cutting board. It's partially sliced, with the slices lying to the side on the right. The serrated silver blade of a bread knife lies in front. Another uncut loaf is visible in the background.

Today’s bake followed Paul Hollywood’s recipe for white tin bread. I’ve made it before, and it’s a great simple loaf (easy enough […]

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November 26, 2025Cocktails, NA Beverages

Cocktail: the Temple Hart

A coupe-style cocktail glass sits on a wooden bar, with two bottles in the background. It's mostly full of a light orangish pink liquid, slightly translucent. A green twist of lime peel rests on its rim.

This was my first attempt at creating a non-alcoholic cocktail using a “non-alcoholic spirit.” The name is a nod to the fact […]

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November 21, 2025Brief thoughts, NA Beverages

NA Beer: Guinness 0

A beer can and full pint glass on a kitchen counter. Some food appears in the foreground, and some jars in the background. The beer can is black with some blue trim. The harp logo of the Guinness brand shows on the front with Guinness spelled out beneath. The pint glass is full of a deep black liquid, with a layer of light colored foam on top.

This is a pretty solid version of ordinary Guinness (which is already a fairly low ABV at 4.2%). It’s not quite as […]

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November 16, 2025Cocktails, NA Beverages

Cocktail: The Tea Clipper

A mason jar with an iced beverage in it sits on a countertop in front of a liquor bottle, a small aluminum can, and a jar with a golden colored syrup.

This was my first attempt at mixing a cocktail that used a spirit “alternative” (something deliberately created and marketed as a non-alcoholic […]

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November 12, 2025NA Beverages

NA Beer: Athletic All Out

A tulip-shaped beer glass on a coaster and a beer can sit on a wooden table in front of an off-white background. The beer glass is full of a deep brown-colored liquid, almost black. A few bubbles are visible near the top around the rim of the glass. The beer can is blue, with a blue "A" shaped logo and the text ATHLETIC BREWING CO. Yellow text beneath indicate that the can contains ALL OUT Extra Dark.

I was impressed by this one. Despite what the brewer says, it’s more in the style of a schwartzbier than a porter […]

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November 11, 2025NA Beverages

NA Beer: FLVR! Oktoberfest

A beer can and a small beer glass sit on a windowsill. The glass is full of a deep amber colored liquid, a thin layer of white foam on top. The can is white with a reddish pattern across its middle. Blue and red text indicate that it's FLVR! Oktoberfest.

Not bad overall. It lacks the crispness I usually associate with an Oktoberfest or märzen-style beer, and it was rather more hazy […]

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November 9, 2025Local Business, NA Beverages

Review: Lost & Found Bar and Kitchen

A close-up of a beer can siting on a wooden surface. It's white with a diagonal blue stripe and dark cursive lettering spelling out Rescue Club. In the background, out of focus are some people sitting at a bar. Light reflecting off of bottles etc. creates a sparkling effect.

NA Beverage Experience: Okay Background The Lost & Found Bar and Kitchen is a small establishment in Albany’s warehouse district. Its building […]

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November 9, 2025November 9, 2025Local Business, NA Beverages

Review: Fiden’s Brewing Company

A brown glass bottle and a beer glass sit on a wooden table. The bottle is in the foreground, and a red label with white lettering indicates IBC Root Beer. The beer glass is in the background, slightly out of focus. It's mostly full of a pale golden-colored beer with a thin layer of foam on top. Black lettering on the glass spells out Fiden's.

NA Experience Rating: Okay Background Fiden’s is a local brewing company that opened just before the pandemic hit. They weathered the pandemic […]

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