After Dinner Drinks

What is your favorite after a fine meal?

[James Roscoe]

Sauternes is my favorite, but on thinking it over I should have voted "Other" and said champagne or sparkling wine. There is nothing like a little bubbly to help settle the stomach.

[Robin Garr]

What is your favorite after a fine meal?

I voted coffee, really meaning espresso, as my default reply, but it's really a mood thing depending on time, place and circumstances. A glass of Port or Madeira can be very nice, if I'm at a restaurant where there's a good option available by the glass. And in other settings, I'm not at all opposed to the civilized enjoyment of a snifter of Bourbon (small-batch), grappa, Scotch (single-malt) or Cognac.

Generally speaking, though, espresso strikes me as a fine way to put a period on an indulgent meal.

A rich coffee certainly is an excellent way to end an evening, but then I'd rather NEVER end a good evening! So I like Port, until I "give up"... (This is presuming I don't have to DRIVE anywhere!)

My position is if I am at a restaurant, I'll take a black, blacker, blackest cup of coffee.

If I am at home or at my best friend's house....brandy and with a fine cigar.


A Port will do just as nicely, thank you

If by favorite, do you mean what do I usually and really like to do, it's to have a second glass of the wine I had with my meal. Probably 90% of the time that's my choice either at home or at a restaurant.

It's a wonderful opportunity to see how a wine develops over time, and how it compares with food or all on its own.

Otherwise, Cappuchino, probably decaff, although as I get older, I seem to be able to count myself to sleep even with the caff versions.

Neat question -- hadn't thought about my post dinner behaviour for awhile.

I do enjoy a nice Tokaji.

I love all sorts of things after a dinner. I'll never turn down a good Port nor a single malt whisky (especially if from the southern parts of Islay). Cognac I won't drink as an oakophobe - it seems that all the scents in Cognac are oak derived But my favourites are a Sherry or, even better, Madeira (which is why I voted other). Of course with a good Cuban cigar

I don't know if it's worth a separate thread, but I've found that purposefully oxidised drinks don't get destroyed with cigars. I'll never smoke with a VP but with sherries and madeiras I very gladly will. Anyone else notice this phenomenon? And anyone have an idea as to why this would be so?

After a good meal I like Some Grappa, Amaro, or even a nice glass of chilled Vodka. I'd probably have an espresso after

I voted brandy, but Cognac to be more specific is what I prefer, along with a cup of coffee. Once at a restaurant I ordered both and they served the Cognac IN the cup of coffee . I don't consider dessert wines as "After Dinner" drinks. I think of them more as with or as dessert, which is part of the meal, not after.

Strange as it may seem for a wine lover, my favorite after dinner drink is hot tea. Especially a good oolong or green tea, though I won't turn down Earl Grey or English Breakfast tea. For some reason, I normally find most desert wines too sweet, and as for coffee . . . well let's just say I've had more than one family member tell me that I can't be a good Lutheran with my attitude towards coffee.

I don't consider coffee is an after dinner 'drink', and while I'll have coffee after dinner as a matter of course, I rarely have an after dinner drink - but when I do, I like a single malt Scotch.

I also like to sip a dessert wine after dinner, but usually it was opened with dessert.

[Jenise]

Another 'other' here. My actual first choice is 'none'--I don't want anything after dinner, not even dessert. If I'm at a function where others are ordering desserts, though, I might order an after dinner drink in lieu of dessert, and in that case I would choose something blonde--a Sauternes, Vin Santo, Madeira or sherry.

After almost every meal the first thing that comes to my mind is coffee or black tea. My favorite, if it is available, is espresso, but I try not to over do it.

If I am able to drink alcohol with the meal, and it’s available and prudent, I normally like a cognac, grappa, whiskey or bourbon with my espresso, depending on what I drank with dinner. For example if beer was drank with the meal I would choose a whiskey or bourbon or bitter, if wine was drunk then a cognac or grappa or similar. I give extra points for being able to stay within a country or region.

In Germany we commonly had a bitter or schnapps (not the disgustingly sweet liqueur they sell here in the states; real, distilled schnapps) after every dinner, regardless of the fare. This was called "the digestive drink" and even appeared on some menus so.

I have yet to discover port or sherry as after-dinner drinks.

Fun poll =).

Really depends on what I'm eating for dessert. I'm always partial to a creme brulee and aged tawny - in particular a Taylor's 20, 30 or 40 (if it's on the boss's bill). I think those two pair ridiculously well. I humorously judge restaurants by their creme brulee.

With fruit or fruit-filled pie, or ice cream, I like icewine or late harvest, and with chocolate I like LBV ports. I have yet to splurge on a VP in a restaurant and my own are far too young and important to be cracking open.

If I'm not having dessert, I often enjoy a cup of tea - helps digest the dinner best - or occassionally a single or double espresso, especially if the night is young.

I voted for Port, and that is my favorite (tawny port), but I also like dessert wines and sometimes coffee (if well made) or cappucino or Irish coffee. One memorable evening three of us alternated sipping coffee and Amaretto in a German restaurant. I liked it that way better than pouring some of the Amaretto into the coffee. We kept ordering more coffee and more Amaretto it was so good.

oops - went for liquer and then realised it said liquor. Shame I'm sober!

Personal favourite is Sambuca, however if I could find another bottle of the Tunisian Date Liquer we tried a few months ago (with big time age on it) then that would win. I really must try some Arack sometime ... maybe the Musar version N.B. A point was made by one of our group that many liquers actually improve a little over time.

Other stuff, well coffee is always a favourite, Limoncello is also popular.


... and when everyones gone, a long glass of water!

regards

Ian

After almost every meal the first thing that comes to my mind is coffee or black tea. My favorite, if it is available, is espresso, but I try not to over do it.

If I am able to drink alcohol with the meal, and it’s available and prudent, I normally like a cognac, grappa, whiskey or bourbon with my espresso, depending on what I drank with dinner. For example if beer was drank with the meal I would choose a whiskey or bourbon or bitter, if wine was drunk then a cognac or grappa or similar. I give extra points for being able to stay within a country or region.

In Germany we commonly had a bitter or schnapps (not the disgustingly sweet liqueur they sell here in the states; real, distilled schnapps) after every dinner, regardless of the fare. This was called "the digestive drink" and even appeared on some menus so.

I have yet to discover port or sherry as after-dinner drinks.

Fun poll =).

Well Schnapps is very difficult to come by here in Italy, but I have to say home made schnapps is nearly as good as Potcheen(Moonshine), Lately I have taken a liking to Aged Marsala(Pellegrino) great with or without a dry desert(Pastry no fresh cream) with crema and even better on its own!!

Madeira, more often than not.

Specifically, Broadbent Reserve 5 Year Old, because it's made primarily from Tinta Negra Mole, a red grape.

When I want a digestif, I usually do Averna (which is sorta like a milder, less bitter and more cola and spice version of Fernet Branca or Underberg, to give you a frame of reference).

Grappa!

Looks like we have as many varied selections as we do tastes in wine....very cool

How about this: Of those favorites, which vintner or brand or style or label, etc do you prefer? Do you tend to ask for the same thing each time or do you like to try different things?

What's your pleasure?

Depends on the time of year. Winter= Cognac, Port-- Summer= desert wines of various types.

Depends on the time of year. Winter= Cognac, Port-- Summer= desert wines of various types.

Lou,

I'm the same way.


It also depends upon how adventurous I'm feeling as to what I might order relative to mixed after dinner cocktails.

I reach for grappa or single malt whiskey as first choices. If I have more of a sweet tooth it will be sweet Loire chenin.
And in each case I want to try as many different examples as I can.