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Time for the penultimate post from the Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails and to my favorite entry from the options in the letters P, R and S.
That entry name wins the day. Almost doesn’t matter that the actual explanation is really cool as well. If I didn’t fear the results of a YouTube search with that title, I would watch videos on this cocktail making technique.
Look, I know you see Fireball selling like, well, fire and yes, spooky season is here but goddamn no one wants candy corn flavored whiskey.
Two alternative names, free of charge: call it sugared up beginners whiskey and leave it at that. Or just label it, whiskey that was passed over as inferior by everyone else so we dumped a but ton of sugar in it and are now trying to recoup the cost of the sugar.
And to breweries, do not even think of a candy corn beer.
One of my favorite bourbon stops in Kentucky was Bardstown Bourbon and they have a very craft beer like Collaborative Series.
They have a bourbon aged in Foursquare rum barrels and now an upcycled bourbon….
“Made with our friends at Goose Island, the limited release features a blend of 6- and 7-year Kentucky bourbon aged an additional 12 months in stout soaked barrels that held the brewery’s beloved Bourbon County Brand Stout. The finished blend was then married with a beautiful 9-year Kentucky bourbon, creating an expression bursting with chocolate malt and dried cherry.”
Maybe my anti-Goose Island mood is waning since (more than likely) they will be sold off like all the other craft breweries Bud bought.
Time to sing the praises of my college, Linfield as The Acorn to Oak Wine Experience is now open. It is the University’s student-run wine bar located at 546 N.E. Third St. (the main McMinnville drag) and is open noon-8 p.m. Friday-Sunday and 3-8 p.m. Monday and Thursday.
It is both tasting room and a hands on experience for Linfield students. “From viticulture to wine marketing, students will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in every aspect, all while being guided by seasoned industry professionals.”
Next time you visit Heater Allen and Gold Dot and Golden Valley for beer, get some wine too.
Back into the big ol’ Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails and to my favorite entry from the options in the letters M, N and O.
This month I choose a divisive term, one of many ways that spirits makers can try to cheat code / barrel hack aging but can also be used well if used with the right intent.
I have to say that I am digging the whole gin variant thing. Barrel-aged, Old Tom and now from CalWise Spirits in Paso Robles, smoked gin.
I am looking for cocktail recipes for this already.
Since the SABInBev take-over of Goose Island, lo those many years ago, the annual Bourbon County releases have grown in number and in the amount of flavors they cram into each bottle. This year is different though. Only one of the six variants is in pastry stout land, a bananas foster stout which I will slide away from. But two (see below) really lean into what I think is the core mission of this program. Bourbon and barrel-aging.
2023 Bourbon County Brand Eagle Rare 2-Year Reserve Stout
“With a heritage rooted in authenticity and a commitment to craftsmanship, Eagle Rare captures the essence of American history with its Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey. Just as bourbon is a uniquely American product, Bourbon County Brand Stout is distinctly Chicago. From the carefully selected American oak barrels sourced from Eagle Rare in Kentucky to the distinct combination of our unique climate and original imperial stout recipe crafted here; Bourbon County Eagle Rare Reserve Stout epitomizes a proud American legacy.
Aged for two years in extraordinary Eagle Rare 10-year-old barrels, each sip is a culmination of our passion, intricately woven together with the nuanced flavors imparted by these remarkable barrels. Eagle Rare Reserve is an incredibly complex and boldly rich stout that celebrates the essence of American brewing at its finest.“
2023 Bourbon County Brand Angel’s Envy 2-Year Cask Finish Stout
“Introducing the newest addition to the Bourbon County family: our first-ever “Cask Finish” stout. Inspired by the innovation of our friends at Angel’s Envy, we embarked on a journey to further develop the complexity of barrel-aged stout by introducing never-before-used finishing barrels. The beer starts in freshly emptied barrels that once held Angel’s Envy Kentucky straight bourbon. After aging in those for a year, the beer was transferred to a second set of Ruby Port wine barrels where it patiently matured for another year. By replicating Angel Envy’s finishing process, we refined and amplified the flavors of cherry, spice, and cocoa within this aged stout. Bourbon County Angel’s Envy Cask Finish Stout is a testament to our legacy as the originators of bourbon barrel-aged stout.“
It is almost as hard to keep up with canned cocktails as it is beer. One distillery that is high on my list has two of its fan favorites back in cans.
Ventura Spirits has…
Prickly Paloma is the best selling canned cocktail we’ve ever produced and this version is even better than the original!! Prickly Pear Brandy, Grapefruit Cordial, Lime Juice and Soda.
The Pixie Collins has long been one of our favorite cocktails and now it’s ready to drink straight from these beautiful cans! Wilder Gin, Pixie Cello, Lemon Juice and Soda.
Getting into the middle of the Oxford Companion to Cocktails and Spirits, here is my most interesting entry for the letters J through L.
This I have to try on one of my summer cocktail Wednesdays.
I do not have anything riding on emojis. Do I sometimes use them? Yes. But if they went away tomorrow, my life would go on as Celine says.
So when I learned of the alembic emoji I thought it would be cool to use once or twice but in looking at the cartoon’d version of the ancient distilling tool, I was left scratching my head. I would have guessed hookah or chemistry set before still, ancient or not. Maybe they should stick with a column still.