Break Fast

[Elie Poltorak]

So what did everyone drink to break the fast?

I started with a 2010 Gvaot Gafna Pinot Noir (A/**) Opened with bracing tannins and strong woodiness (not so much oaky--more like sawdust). Took a while to open in the glass with strong Mediterranean spices and black fruit. Absolutely delicious. Went very well with the whole meal--delicate enough for the salmon yet stood up quite well to a heavily peppered rib eye steak. Despite my lack of experience with PN, I'm going to go out on a limb and disagree with David--I think this wine will improve for at least 2 years and last another 2-3 years beyond that.

After the meal I was feeling thirsty so I enjoyed a 2005 Yarden Blanc de Blanc (A-/***), which happens to be my favorite bubbly. Dry with merely a hint of sweetness (like a Martini over which the shadow of the vermouth bottle passed), yeasty, bright fruit, with a long zesty finish. Very refreshing. Still tastes young! I'm going to see about replenishing my stock of this...

[Jonathan K]

Water and coffee. Some of you guys are way too hard core for me.

[Gabriel Geller]

Water and coffee. Some of you guys are way too hard core for me.

I must agree with you on this one Jonathan, just before and after the fast I'd rather avoid any alcohol. One exception though: Purim night meal, following the fast of Esther.

[Lior Yogev]

Alcohol and caffeine promote urination and as a result cause the body to lose fluids. After fasting it seems almost crazy for me to drink such thinks.
I start with one liter of water, a snack, and then another 0.5-1 liters of water. Perhaps in countries where it is colder than Israel in September water and dehydration is less of a problem, but for me I usually end the fast halfway (or well into) dehydration including headaches. And that is before mentioning the ability to properly taste wines after fasting

Lior

[Steven B]

So what did everyone drink to break the fast?

I had some Orange Juice, Tropicana, 2012 (at least I hope it was from 2012). Not much in the way of tannin but lots of citrus flavors and ripe fruit. There is a ton of acidity but it has a fairly short finish. A pleasant quaffer but definitely not for long term cellaring. Drink now.

[Elie Poltorak]

Sheesh, I really got flamed here! Firstly, we all literally break our fast with wine for havdala! Secondly, it is customary to have a festive meal after the fast, so how can we pass up some good wine? There is a hassidic tradition that material blessings for the entire year granted over Rosh Hashono and Yom Kipur are "brought down" to the physical world through an extravagant post-yom kipur meal.

[Gabriel Geller]

Sheesh, I really got flamed here! Firstly, we all literally break our fast with wine for havdala! Secondly, it is customary to have a festive meal after the fast, so how can we pass up some good wine? There is a hassidic tradition that material blessings for the entire year granted over Rosh Hashono and Yom Kipur are "brought down" to the physical world through an extravagant post-yom kipur meal.

I love this minhag but I don't always follow it, that depends where I am for YK. As to wine, I'd still go for grape juice for havdala after the fast yet some wine later in the night after some good food AND WITH some good food would be fine but I would have some issues finding drinking companions...

[Lior Yogev]

The only Yom Kippur I did away from my family (even IDF was kind enough on this manner ) was at relatives in London, and they broke the fast over a generous (~double) glass of whisky. To this day I still can't believe it, I was getting drunk just from the smell of it...

[Joel D Parker]

I think I read somewhere that some Jewish traditions hold that breaking the Tisha B'Av fast, which usually falls in August, may be done with beer. That made sense to me, since along with lots of water and some light food, cold beer does sound like a good way to break a fast. Anyhow, isn't that what the Belgian monks did for centuries? As an aside, I remember a high school bio-chemistry winning project asking the question of whether or how long one could live on beer and bananas....