I never should have given up alcohol for lent.
I would not mind giving it up completely but I also don't like unflavored water as a substitute.My wife had to give up soda pop because we found a connection to her having headaches. She hadn't drank one in years until last weekend. After tasting it, she told me it had totally lost its appeal.
My wife had to give up soda pop because we found a connection to her having headaches. She hadn't drank one in years until last weekend. After tasting it, she told me it had totally lost its appeal.
I never should have given up alcohol for lent.
Honestly saw about 25 brands that I didn't recognize. Seems like everyone and their brother has jumped into the bourbon business. "Peated" bourbon? WTF!?! Way too many experiments, way too many young bourbons. Not enough quality.
Only bottle that interested me was Jefferson's OCEAN CASK STRENGTH was the only interesting bourbon. Didn't buy it. Should have.
I've had several of the latest generation which are pretty good but my rule of thumb is that if it doesn't say "Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey" on the bottle I don't buy it. Many of these new bourbons are made using grain alcohol coming out of Lawrenceburg, IN rather than coming up with their own mash bill and doing it the way God intended.
I don't have an issue with bourbons from Midwest Grain Products. They have produced many award winners. So I could care less if it says "Kentucky" on the label. There are 3 very good New York bourbons in my cabinet, one of which is blended from I don't know what product or where it was sourced, the other 2 are distilled and aged in NY. I've got an awesome Ohio bourbon. And excellent Colorado bourbon (or 2).
The key to me is that nothing ages a bourbon better than age. So if they say its aged in micro-barrels ... I avoid it; tried it, tastes young. If they say its aged in Florida heat and that ages it in "dog years" then I will avoid it ... tried it, it tastes young. I'm not into gimmicks.
But I'm also not all that worried about where it was distilled. Carl J from Starlight in Indiana is an amazing bourbon, about $35, and stands up to Pappy 12 for taste. But its obviously not a Kentucky Straight.
Why do you hate freedom?I'm not sure what you are saying about 'grain alcohol' at all.
Bourbon, by law, is well defined. And the law does NOT require it come from Kentucky.
Why do you hate freedom?
I'm not sure what you are saying about 'grain alcohol' at all.
Bourbon, by law, is well defined. And the law does NOT require it come from Kentucky.
Bourbon must be no less than 51% corn. Its often closer to 70%. The remainder is typically rye, barely or wheat. When distilled it is clear, not brown/amber/golden in color. Totally clear.
Bourbon cannot be distilled to a proof higher than 160.
Bourbon cannot enter the aging barrel at anything higher than 125 proof.
Bourbon cannot be sold in a proof lower than 80.
Bourbon must be aged in new, charred, oak barrels; the gold/amber/brownish color of the finished bourbon comes from the barrel. It must be all natural and cannot contain any flavorings so basically only water can be added and that is done to adjust the proof to the desired bottling proof.
Bourbon aged at least 2 years is "Straight" bourbon. Any bourbon aged LESS THAN 4 years is required to have an age statement but many seem to violated not only this but other label requirements.
An Indiana Straight Bourbon Whiskey, or California, or Colorado, or Wyoming, or Ohio, or a New York Straight Bourbon Whiskey can be every bit as good, or even better than, a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Straight is simply an age statement indicating that it is at least 2 years old. Nothing more. Nothing less.
... Bourbon is actually very well defined. I believe all bourbons could be considered whisky's, but not all whisky's are bourbons due to the legal limits set on defining bourbon.
It is funny how many people think it HAS to come from a certain state, or that it MUST be a certain type of Oak. It doesn't even have to come from America, if I recall correctly. ...