Read the label. Some are, some aren't.
Where is Smallhorses when you need him?
Right here! I just discovered this thread before and have been reading it all the way through over the past hour or so. Like the Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy, it contains much which is apocryphal & misleading, but plenty of good information too.
Some corrections I can offer insight on though:-
An Ale should never be served at room temperature.
Typically room temperature is ~23C or 68F, which is too warm to enjoy a beer at!
Ales were developed back in the days before refridgerators (several hundred years before in many cases!), and the beers were kept in casks in the cellar. A good stone cellar being below ground should maintain a temperature equivalent to the earth surrounding it, that being about 55F, which is the perfect temp to enjoy an ale.
A fridge typically sits at 3-4C, which is around 37-40F which is too cold for the Ale. Since not many of us live in places with good stone cellars anymore, it's difficult to chill an ale to 55F though.
3-4C is perfect for most lager beers though.
Single Malt Scotch + Ice? Having just toured 9 of the distilleries in Scotland, each one said the same thing. Adding ice to Scotch cools it too much, and prevents the release of yummy aromatics, just like chilling an ale does. Sure, it's more "refreshing" when it's colder, but you'll sacrifice all that extra flavour that the Whisky makers spent all those years aging their spirit in wooden casks to aquire!
Straight Scotch? Something of a bravado thing, and certainly not recommended for the cask-strength bottlings, which are typically 53-61% ABV! Why? Simply because even at 40% ABV that first sip will numb the tastebuds sufficiently for them to be rendered almost useless thereafter, and you should probably then resort to drinking the blended stuff as you'll never know the difference!
The distilleries always recommend nosing the Whisky first, take a small sip neat, and then adding a little water (preferrably Highland Spring Water, of course) and repeating the process. Generally people smell & taste more after the water is added, since the longer chain organics, such as fatty acids and oils which come through towards the end of the distillation, and are extracted from the wooden casks are "opened up" by the water, and their flavours come through. Certainly the cask strength Whiskies we tasted, are much to overpowering to be drunk straight! I have seen books on the subject go as far as recommending mixing 2/3 to 1/3 Whisky to Water, but that seems a little extreme! Try not to use unfiltered tapwater, though, since the chlorine doesn't do the Whisky any favours!
I have many favourite drinks, depending on what I'm in the mood for.
Beers of almost any description have a time & a place! I had an absolutely marvellous Belgian brewed 8% ABV Guinness in a Belgian bar in Altrincham while I was back in England!
Also love a Diablo. Any Mexican dark beer, in a glass with a salted rim. Add lime juice and habanero sauce to taste. Bliss. Beer & Chilli together, perfection!
Shot of Tequilla? Yes please, Casadores, Patron, Don Julio, Jose Cuervo, anything well aged and expensive!
No Silvers though!
Rum? Love the "Suffering Bastard" at Trader Vic's 👍 Has a large piece of Cucumber in it, and I have a thing for drinks with vegetable garnishes!!! The bar across the road does something called a "Little Buddy" which has dark rum, crushed fresh ginger, sugar, soda, and other stuff in it. Very yummy. 👍
Vodka? Bloody Mary. Very Spicy, Olive, lime & celery please!!!
Gin? Has to be a Gibson. Dash of Vermouth, lots of Bombay Sapphire, chilled in a Martini glass with 2 cocktail onions.
Cognac? Anything V.S.O.P or better!
Port/Wine? Napa Valley on the doorstep, can't go far wrong!
Whisky? Blended Whisky with ginger ale is great.
Single Malt? See above, plenty of favourites!!!! See below!
Our haul from Bonny Scotland!
60.5% ABV Aberlour Cask Strength bottling in the red/black Tartan Bag, in case you were wondering!!!
Got to go and do an Islay tour next time we're over there!
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