“Controversial” Brooklyn Vodka Tasting Wednesday in Brooklyn Heights

By on June 14, 2010 6:39 pm in Brooklyn Heights

absolut

Get a free taste of Absolut Brooklyn, the spirit that had the Brooklyn “blogosphere” in an uproar last week this Wednesday from 5pm – 8pm  at Michael Towne Wines and Spirits (73 Clark Street).  The store will be offering samples of a drink called the “Stoop Party” made with the red apple and ginger flavored vodka.

The PR company representing the liquor, a collaboration with filmmaker Spike Lee, rattled some bloggers here last week due to its marketing plan which asked them to write posts about the booze (and the Brooklyn Blogfest where Lee appeared last week) in exchange for free FlipCams.

So what does the controversial vodka and a cocktail created for Brooklyn by a man who hasn’t lived here in decades taste like?  The Upper West Side?  A spaldeen? Deliciousness? Find out Wednesday!

(Michael Towne is a BHB sponsor…  Maybe this was sorta our idea.  No we didn’t get anything from Absolut for this.)

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  • nabeguy

    Oh, Homer, why did you have to go and mention spaldeens? Thinking of them only confounds me, as I can’t come up with the name of the other ball that we used in my youth. It was a white, dimpled ball (no jokes please) that we used exclusively for punchball, as it was soft enough to not break your hand, but hard enough to bounce. Maybe since47 or bornhere can help me out on this one, as I know they sold them at Silvers. If Spike can come up with the name, I’ll buy a case.

  • my2cents

    I am sure it was a “sell-out” event!

  • nabeguy

    Hah, my2.

  • bornhere

    Nabe — What was there other than “Spaldeens”? We used to play a game called, for some reason, “Russia,” which required a wall, and the Willow Street side of the Towers Hotel was perfect — and one of the best parts was that there were no sewers on the northern corners of Willow and Clark (how many hours do you think you spent trying to figure out how to reclaim a ball from a sewer?). But you’ve totally lost me on the dimpled thing. (Before the “original” Montague Street Silver’s, the neighborhood Spaldeen emporium was a great, dusty toy store on “Fulton Street,” just south of Clark. It was spectacular :)

  • Bryan

    Is it just me or do the flavors “red apple and ginger” not remind me of Brooklyn at all? Open poll for suggestions for what flavors remind you of Brooklyn. Ready… go!

  • http://www.danrosenbaum.com danno

    @nabeguy: You’re thinking about Pennsy Pinkys.

  • http://the-deepest-kind.com/blog GF

    Sure nabaguy we called them “pimple balls” no offense to the dermatologically challenged. The were white, stipled with circular organized rows of raised bumps and were just slightly larger than Spalding’s pinkish, redish – red rubber ball classic.
    ‘Deens were 25 cents and the softer more responsive pimple ball were going for 15 cents a pop, at the time. They were a joy to hit when engaged in game of punch ball on Pierrepont Place in front of the the park. They were also lighter and didn’t last a great deal of time, the glue holding the wonderful hemispheres together would yield to a strong hit on the seam. It often broke in front of you – leading to an out and a fine for the cost of a replacement. We hardly ever bought more than 1 ball at a time at 101, as we called the
    delightful general store at 101 Montague Street. There was a third ball – Pensy Pinky – I believe they were named, with the name, Pensy Pinky, written on 2 lines within a regal shaped sort of pentagonal shaped logo outline. They were not even close to possessing the attributes of the famous Spaldeen. Many happy summer days were spent there playing creative variations of Abner Doubledays gift to the leisurely American past time, with the Spaldeen and other brands of rubber balls.
    A game of “stoup ball” anyone?