Where did the salutary expression “cheers” come from? Google it, and you’ll find lots of potential answers, including avoiding potential poisonings, godly offerings, warding off evil spirits, and the novel concept of expressing gratitude for the moment and the people we’re toasting with.*
I grew up saying “Cheers” or “Prost,” a nod to my family’s German heritage. At some point early on — like really early, probably with a cupful of grape Kool-aid — I was taught how to clink my glass and then tap it on the table or the bench to knock out any evil spirits that may have gotten thirsty.
You don’t want to drink those. We all have enough internal chaos to deal with before dropping a few random evil spirits into the mix.**
Whether you say Salud, Skal, Sante, or Sláinte — I’m told is pronounced slawn-cha — I’ll clink your glass. It’s pretty nice to take a moment to ask yourself, and a nod to the veritable Kurt Vonnegut, “If this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.
Cheers! Tidbits
— I recently received a sample of Rebru Spirits’ (Barrio Logan) newest concoction Longball Lemon Iced Tea. It came in a nice box, which went right into my lovely box cabinet. There comes an age where one doesn’t just dispose of nice packaging. I’ve been over that age for long enough that I’ve had to reconsider what I think of as a nice box.
This one was nice, but I digress.
Longball is an apple wine-based liquor that contains real tea, lemon, and other flavors. In addition to the bottle, there were single and double-shot cans of ready-to-drink (RTD) Longball & Soda. I haven’t tapped into the bottle yet to try it as a shooter. The canned cocktails were quite refreshing and not overwhelming palate blasters.
I appreciated that I had a choice in how much alcohol I drank. I appreciate the convenience of RTDs, but often they run between 8-10% ABV. That convenience is most valued when traveling, at the beach, or joining friends for a park day, which also means I’m driving or cycling. The single-shot option Rebru offers with its Longball & Soda is a plus for me.
Since Longball is brewed with fortified apple wine, a fermented apple cider, it isn’t technically a spirit. However, its alt-cocktail status allows it to be sold at venues holding a beer and wine license, and per a press release, it will be available at Total Wines around San Diego right about…now.
— Baseball is back. I’ve been listening to Spring Training games on my MLB app and watching the World Baseball classic. If you’re headed to Petco to see your Padres this season, you might consider attending Beerfest.
On six Fridays throughout the season, your ticket will get you access to a pre-game beer festival at Petco Park’s Park at the Park, Gallagher Square. The fest is essentially a pre-game happy hour with $5 pours and live music. Some major brands are mixed in with locals, like Coronado Brewing, Alesmith, and Juneshine. See the dates and the breweries on petcoparkinsider.com. Opening Day is March 30.
*The Farmer’s Almanac is still around, and it is quite a handy resource when seeking out information that may or may not have singular, definitive historical answers.
** You may have seen this perfectly encapsulated in one of the more heart-wrenching moments of Ted Lasso (Season 1, Episode 5, 30m30s). It bothers me that they don’t do this consistently. Sometimes they tap glasses and drink. Sometimes they tap glasses and tap the glass on the bar to rid the pint of the evilness.
Stream the classic episodes of the Roast! West Coast coffee podcast on The Coast News Podcast page, and follow Cheers! North County on Facebook and Instagram.
