10 Days of Bourbon Christmas - Day 4

So now for Bourbon Christmas you've got a little piece of bourbon history to read, some great juice, and a nice glass to sip it in.  But what if you want to sip your bourbon on the rocks?  On Day 4 of the 10 Days of Bourbon Christmas, we'll address the topic of ice in a premium way.  Yup, we're blowing the bourbon budget with Day 4's recommendation.  This is the one you get for the bourbon lover who really appreciates his spirit and who takes care of you with bourbon recommendations, tastings, knowledge tidbits, bottle finds, bottle deals, etc.  (I hope you're picking up the hints I'm dropping...)

MackDaddy of Ice - The Cirrus Ice Ball Press

When it comes to drinking bourbon, I always recommend trying it neat first, with no water or ice added in.  This allows you to get the full flavor of the whiskey as intended by the Master Distiller who gave it life.  But sometimes you'll want to add a little ice.  Adding ice will cool and dilute your bourbon, bringing it down in proof.  For many, this makes drinking bourbon a bit more palatable.  Be wary though - traditional ice cubes tend to melt rather quickly and too much can lead to drinking a glass of water with bourbon essence.  That's a buzzkill.  This is where having the Cirrus Ice Ball Press is a major advantage.

You see, ice as a sphere melts slower than ice as a cube.  Why?  Simple science.  A sphere made of ice has less surface area in contact with the liquid in the glass than a traditional cube while allowing for the most possible volume.  This allows for a slow, somewhat controlled dilution of your bourbon without watering it down.  A little bit of dilution will open up the bourbon you're drinking and expose more flavors that may have been hidden behind the higher concentration of alcohol.

Goodness, gracious, great balls of...ice?

Not only does the Cirrus Ice Ball Press help you to cool your drink, it does so in a badass way.  Makes a great impression on guests of your bar wherever that may be.  Check it out in action!

Ok, so it's not the most budget-friendly gift but it sure as hell is pretty cool.  Don't worry if this is not in your price range for Bourbon Christmas.  I'll have a few more ice-related gift ideas for Bourbon Christmas that will produce great results and fit any budget.  Stay tuned!

10 Days of Bourbon Christmas - Day 2

When I originally set out to do this series of posts my plan was to list bourbon drinking accessories first and then a few bourbons towards the end.  Since there was reasonable outcry that Day 1's gift was not consumable, I thought I'd throw ya a bone on Day 2.

My favorite all-around bourbon - Old Weller Antique

Old Weller Antique Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.  Yes, this is a one I talk about frequently as it's my favorite all-around bourbon.  Why?  Let's start with a wheated mashbill that imparts a slight sweetness to blend with the spices and woodiness of the barrel.  Let me remind you that this mashbill is the same exact mashbill used in Pappy Van Winkle bourbons, which makes perfect sense since they are both distilled and aged by Buffalo Trace.  I like these wheat recipe bourbons a lot because wheat doesn't have the flavor fireworks that rye has and the result is that you taste more of the part that the charred white oak barrel has played in the aging process.  Speaking of fireworks, this bourbon is 107 proof, or 53.5% alcohol!  Another reminder: Pappy Van Winkle 15yr is bottled at 107 proof...  My favorite whiskeys are of a higher proof.  I enjoy the fiery flavor when sipped neat and also the flavors that open up when the bourbon is taken down in proof through the addition of ice or branch water.  I'm also of the opinion that higher proof whiskeys tend to mix better classic cocktails, like The BTS Old Fashioned shown above, as they keep the alcohol on center stage.

Ok, so here you have a bourbon that has the same mashbill, proof, and producer as Pappy Van Winkle 15yr.  It's gotta be expensive, right?  HELL NO!  You can find OWA locally here in Miami for about $25! BOOM!

Instead of killing yourself trying to locate a bottle of Pappy this holiday season and then emptying your wallet when you finally do, take the smart approach and give Old Weller Antique a try.  It's a fantastic bourbon at a reasonable price.  Plus, you'll save some money to buy even more Bourbon Christmas items!

Stay tuned!

Happy National Bourbon Day!

As you may have figured out by now from reading this blog - every day is bourbon day.  Today we've got something for everyone else.  Yes indeed, folks!  Today, on this lovely 14th day of June, marks National Bourbon Day.  Why today?  I have no idea.  In the age of National (insert something totally random here) Days we've finally come across one worth noting.

Bourbon whiskey is the only spirit designated as a distinct product of the United States of America.  By law, in order to be bourbon the following factors must be in play:

• Made of a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn
• Distilled to a proof of no higher than 160 proof
• Dumped into a barrel at a proof of no higher than 125 proof
• Aged in a new, charred white oak barrel
• Bottled at a proof of no lower than 80 proof

These guidelines are also known as "How to Make Liquid Awesome".

Bourbon has a history that coincides with American history itself and, like American history, some of it's legends and claims are somewhat foggy.  Take it's development for example.  Some claim the Reverend Elijah Craig was the man responsible for bourbon whiskey, that he was the first to age in charred oak casks which led to the clear whiskey distillate working into the grain of the barrel and taking on the reddish hue of bourbon whiskey.  Others claim that a distiller by the name of James Spears who lived in Bourbon County was the first to label his whiskey as "Bourbon Whiskey" and therefore is responsible for it coming to light.  Some refute all claims, stating there is no clear cut inventor.

Please note that none of the laws that designate a spirit as bourbon whiskey state that it must be made in a specific state.  Today, about 90-95% of all bourbon is made in the state of Kentucky.  As you can guess, that makes Kentucky a bourbon mecca.  They hold the Kentucky Bourbon Festival each September (which is National Bourbon Heritage Month) and have setup the Kentucky Bourbon Trail which encourages tourism of various distilleries around the bluegrass state.

Here at The Blind Tastes Speakeasy (aka The BTS pictured atop this post) we are big fans of the Old Fashioned and after much experimentation we have found our preferred recipe.  Today, on National Bourbon Day, we share it with you.

The BTS Old Fashioned

4oz W.L. Weller Antique 107 proof bourbon
1 sugar cube
4 dashes Orange Angostura bitters
splash of water (small splash!  helps dissolve the sugar)
1 ice ball or large ice cube
orange zest
Double Old Fashioned glass (or rocks glass of your choosing)

Drop a sugar cube into a rocks glass and add bitters and splash of water and muddle until the cube is dissolved.  Add the ice ball and give 'er a spin for a minute to cool the glass.  Add the bourbon.  Zest an orange so it's about 1/2 inch wide and 2-3 inches long, making sure to avoid too much of the white pithe that is more bitter.  Squeeze or twist the zest over the glass.  You'll see the oils from the zest spray out into the cocktail.  Rub the rim with the orange peel and toss that puppy in the drink.  Give it a stir and enjoy!

Derby Day 2012!

Yesterday marked the 138th running of the Kentucky Derby.  A nice gathering of people assembled at Bourbon Steak for the big race and it filled up even more as we got closer to post time.  Everyone dressed their Derby best and there were some really impressive hats worn by the ladies, keeping with tradition that dates back to the 1800s.  I think I can safely say that everyone had a great time.

The Mint Julep in all it's glory

The mint juleps prepared by the bar staff were cool and refreshing and they tasted great!  This year they even stepped up their game and got some legit julep cups, courtesy of Woodford Reserve.  At $5 it was an easy decision to enjoy one if you hadn't tried them before.  It also made it an easy decision to enjoy 10 if you had tried them before.  Fried green tomatoes and buffalo oysters were passed around and those were good as well.

The Derby Day trophy and prize for best hat

Earlier in the day, I had gotten my arts n crafts on and created some prizes for the person with the winning horse and for best hat (the trophy box wrapped in tinfoil contained a stainless steel Churchill Downs julep cup) The numbers 1 through 20 were distributed to the first 20 people who showed and that was their corresponding horse in the race.  The horses went to post and a few minutes later it was all over.  In the end, it was the #19 horse, I'll Have Another (10:1 odds), that crossed the finish line first and won the Kentucky Derby.  It was the first time in Derby history that a horse starting from the #19 post won the race.

Winner of the race prize with #19 I'll Have Another

Winner for Best Hat

My horse was the #5 Dullahann who finished 3rd.  I also had an exacta and trifecta bet going but the winner busted both of those since I didn't have him on either ticket.  It's kind of inexcusable not to have a horse named "I'll Have Another" on my ticket.  The payout on a $2 trifecta was $3065.60.  That woulda been nice!

A big thanks to GM John Riccardo and all of the staff at Bourbon Steak for being the host bar for the Kentucky Derby for the past two years.  I'm looking forward to doing it again next year...if I'm not at the Derby in person!!

Derby Day Drink - The Mint Julep

When it comes to drinks for Derby Day, there's the Mint Julep and then there's nothing else.  The mint julep and the Kentucky Derby have been kissin' cousins for a long, long time.  Spring is here and it's hot in South Florida.  This drink is sure to keep you cool and refreshed while you watch and wish for your horse to come in!

I've been busy at the Blind Tastes Speakeasy mixing up mint juleps all night and we've finally nailed down a solid recipe to pass along so I'll share it with you below.  Don't forget that Bourbon Steak will be mixing up juleps like crazy for $5.00 tomorrow so be sure to come to the party dressed in your Derby Day best and ready to have fun and stay refreshed.

Bourbon, simple syrup, mint, & a stainless steel Julep Cup is all you need...

There are two schools of thought on the mint julep.  One says that the julep is a drink to savor and the other says that the julep is to be consumed rapidly.  Members of the savory club will use a higher proof bourbon to combat the melting of the ice over time that will water down the drink slightly.  Those who drink quickly will not pay attention to proof and instead focus on their favorite bourbon to add flavor.  Both sides will agree to stay away from the more premium bourbons whose flavors need not to be ruined in a cocktail.

Here's what you'll need...

8-10 mint leaves
1oz simple syrup
3oz bourbon
crushed ice
additional mint sprig for garnish/aromatics
1 stainless steel julep cup or other drinking vessel of your choice

I tend to fall in the middle but slightly to the rapid consumption side.  I've always found that Woodford Reserve makes for a great mint julep, especially if you're using a stainless steel julep cup.  Stirring will frost the cup and the cocktail will stay ice cold with minimal melting goin' on.  Woodford is a 90.4 proof (45.2% alcohol) bourbon with nice notes of wood and very floral on the finish.  I like the way the floral notes blend with the mint.  It's also not very sweet which is key because we'll be adding simple syrup.

To begin, take your mint leaves and gently muddle them in your julep cup.  You really don't need to go nuts here.  Just a light muddle will release the oils of the mint to get them rockin'.  Next, add your simple syrup.  I like to give a little stir here too to marry the mint and sugar water together.

Now you'll need your crushed ice.  You can crush it easily in a blender but the heat from the blender will produce some water so be sure to strain the ice out before adding to the cup.  The alternative is to take a towel and put your wrap your cubes in it and then beat the crap out of it with a rolling pin or a wooden muddler like I do.  You'll want to fill it to the rim or above the rim.

The next ingredient is the star of the show - the bourbon!  pour it over the ice and then grab a bar spoon and stir until the outside of the julep cup begins to frost.  If you're using a glass this may be tough to achieve so you can just move on to the next step. 

Ok, you've got your bourbon in there, it's icy cold and you're ready to go bottoms up!  But wait!  Add a little spring of mint to the drink.  When you sip the drink, the aroma of the mint will tickle your nose and make your julep taste even more awesome.  Pro tip: that mint is still good!  Pluck the leaves and use it for your next julep!

The Mint Julep

So, there you have it.  I hope this improves your Derby Day experience and that you'll enjoy a couple juleps while cashing in on your winning ticket!