Who knits a sweater for a bottle of ginger ale?

There are some things that you learn in bourbon country that don't happen anywhere else.  There are bourbons that you can only find there like Kentucky Spirit and Ancient Ancient Age.  You also learn that for more than 75 years most of the state has relied on a local bottling company called Ale-8-1 for its primary mixer, not the international brands.  It's a brand so much a part of the bluegrass tradition that the name isn't enunciated any more, it's called "A Late One" instead.  

So I guess it shouldn't come as a surprise that a beverage that is loved this much arrived with sweaters.  And not just sweaters, but sweaters that were knit with the sodas name and a winter design. 

I gotta tell you, I've always loved ginger ale with whiskey.  Until the first time a bartender handed me "a late one and rye".  When the label described it as "Crisp, clean, real Ginger with a hint of Citrus" they are under selling the difference it makes. Now ginger ale just won't cut it.

It isn't widely known or distributed, but thanks to the miracle that is the internet you can buy it online direct from the company. 

Do yourself a favor and keep some stocked in your fridge or wet bar. 

Yesterday was an off day around here....

I said goodbye to an old friend yesterday.  In some ways it was exactly what I thought it would be.  Not much has changed in the funeral mass of the Catholic Church since the 2nd Vatican council approved the move to an English mass after all.

Other things  (mostly people), surprised me.  People who I never would have bet against making it were missing for a variety of reasons.  People I don't remember having a kind words for Packy in High School were crying like it was their son and not Tom and Sally's first born that was taken much too young.

I understand no one knows what to say all the time at these things.  I knew his mother just needed a lot of hugs, because she reached for one any time I was within arm's reach.  She also needed to know she wasn't losing all contact with us just because he was gone.  One thing I have come to realize over the years since high school is that there are some relationships that just ARE. I had not seen Sally in more than twenty years when I walked into that church yesterday, but the hug I received and the obvious thankfulness that I had made it there to be with the family didn't need explanation.  

With his Dad, who had lost his firstborn son and with whom I should have been able to empathize, I know I came off sounding like a freshman on one of his intro to journalism classes.  We had a strong student-teacher dynamic in school but it wasn't very deep or personal.  Why is the first thing we ask "How are you doing?" Or "Are you ok?"????  Shouldn't we know the answers to those two questions without opening our mouths and looking like morons?  We say them anyway, especially or maybe because we don't know what else to say when we know Ok is at a minimum weeks away, and there is still a lot of shock and grief for us all to work through before we can really know how we are coping with this loss.

On one side of the gymnasium we had a family clearly grieving.  Sisters, brothers, aunts, and uncles.  Among them were a scattering of good friends that either now or at various times in the past felt like part of the family.  We were standing around sharing stories about Patrick that made us laugh or cry.  Often stories that needed to be protected and remembered but not amplified by the PA system.  From this group came a stream of people to the microphone to share stories with a wider audience  about the amazing and complex person who the world had lost.

On the other side of the room were a lot of Packy's former classmates, probably some friends and associates from work.  Those who felt for whatever reason socially obligated to be there.  They hit the buffet line, and milled around in the corner furthest from the PA so there was less chance anyone would ask them to say a few words. 

We're all supposed to be adults now.  All around forty (some much older) with lives, jobs, and many of us with kids of our own.  Yet to hear half of the conversation my peers had today you would think they were still living in fraternity houses.  The number of people talking about parties I threw in the early '90s shocked me, and some of the best parts were my knowledge that the guy talking was no where near my party that night.  I hate to reduce myself to a variation on a pop culture reference that will be dated before most people read this post, but - Do you even funeral bro??

As things were winding down I was going to get together with some of the guys for some drinks and reality intruded.  My daughter started texting me about power flickering and water dripping from the ceiling. 

I get home and the dogs are barking, and product is waiting in boxes to be reviewed.  I opened the first and it's candy, and in my mood that works great.  It is a sample pack from a local confectionery we have reviewed before, The Candy Basket.  This sampler contains Red Velvet Fudge, Pecan Rolls, and Divinity.  All are done to perfection, and arrived fresh and soft to my door..  I can also confirm that they all pair well with both Teeling Irish Whiskey and Barterhouse 20yo Bourbon from the Orphan Barrel Collection that I also have sitting there needing to review.  I know, I have a hard job sometimes.

The sampler from The Candy Basket includes from left to right Divinity, Pecan Rolls, and Red Velvet Fudge  

I know it looks like a problem, but the flasks in this picture are water bottles from FRED Flask.  Look for a full review of them soon. 

The Teeling you've probably seen reviewed here before.  It is by far my favorite everyday Irish Whiskey and for good reason.  The sweetness it gains from its time in Caribbean rum casks truly set it apart.

Barterhouse is an extremely limited edition, bottled by hand from "Orphaned Barrels" 

The Barterhouse Orphan Barrel release is something that you don't find every day, and I am telling you right now, you better start looking.  Several barrels were found in the back corner of an old rickhouse outside of Tullahoma, KY after sitting forgotten for almost twenty years.  What begins on the nose as honey and biscuits along side faint hints of buttercream opens up into bold roasted grain, mellow toasted tobacco and marshmallow to compliment the subtle smoke from the barrel and finishes with hints of nutmeg and brown sugar.  Never have I tasted a bourbon that was at once as complex and as smooth, especially after twenty some years in the barrel.  I'm going to have to hunt some more down, because I don't want ever reach for this and find the bottle empty.

So, that was another day in Fat Boy Heaven.  Sorry if it started a little bit too personal and uncomfortable.  I've decided that the only way I can write is to actually engage my mind, that means sometimes the truth as I know it might hit your screen. 

My love, prayers, condolences, and thanks go out to the Eichsteadt/Mitcheltree clan.  We all shared in the joy and happiness Patrick brought into our lives, thank you again for allowing us to join you in saying goodbye.

Ve con Dios old friend. 

The Makers Muse: Margie Samuels

From an email I recieved today from Rob Samuels, Ambassador in Chief at Makers Mark:

"You know the story of Maker’s Mark®, but maybe not the whole story. While my grandfather can take full credit for crafting the soft, full-flavored, distinctive taste of Maker’s Mark®, it was my grandmother, Margie Samuels, who named all of the children and the family whisky.

I am honored to announce that after nearly 60 years, my grandmother is getting some well-deserved credit. Margie Samuels has been selected as this year’s only inductee into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame, established by the Kentucky Distillers’ Association, in recognition of her role as a pioneer in the industry. Margie’s eye for design was truly visionary, although she’d never use words like that to describe her idea.

Aside from relinquishing her kitchen for use as my grandfather’s test lab, Margie was the one who came up with the distinctive design of the Maker’s Mark package – from the unique bottle shape to the name. Inspired by a pewterer’s mark, Margie suggested Maker’s Mark. She even came up with the original design for the label. She liked things simple and chose black hand-lettering on cream-colored paper, putting her calligraphy skills to good use.

Margie crafted the “maker’s mark,” beginning with Star Hill Farm, the family property, and then adding the S for Samuels and the IV that symbolizes the generations of our family’s distillers. She also insisted the trademarked symbol be molded into the glass of each bottle of Maker’s Mark. Inspired by her collection of 19th-century bottles of cognac, she got out the family deep fryer, filled it with wax and dipped the first bottles right in the kitchen. The family deep fryer would never be the same!

Margie will officially be inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame on Wednesday, September 17, and, in celebration, we will host complimentary distillery tours that day for all visitors who wear red shirts and mention Margie’s name. We raise our glass to her as we celebrate National Bourbon Heritage Month."

We at Fat Boy Heaven also raise our glasses to Margie and all the other women who have made Bourbon America's official spirit.

Fat Boy Whiskey Review: Wiser's Legacy Blended Canadian Rye

The folks at Caskers.com sent me a couple of bottles of Wiser's Legacy in my box of Whiskey Love today, so I wanted to give it a try for you.

The nose is all rich vanilla and honey, but it has the rye spice and bite at the front before giving way to light orange and heavy oak and vanilla notes that linger at the back of your palate with a vague hint of a charcoal grill.  Would be a great mixer, but not my favorite rye neat or on the rocks.  Save this for the soda or ginger beer when you want to impress someone who doesnt know any better.

Fat Boy Whiskey Review: Duke - Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

From John Wayne's son Ethan and the folks at Monument Valley Distillers comes the bourbon The Duke always intended to make during his lifetime but never had the chance to.

Nose has a light citrus note before a solid caramel and vanilla overtake your senses.  A slight burn at the front of the pallete gives way rapidly to caramels and honey, fading into oak and leather. 

A Small Batch bourbon bottled at 88 Proof this is a nice everyday sipper if you can find it.  Thanks to the folks at Caskers.com for another great whiskey.

Drink of the Week: Kentucky Mule

The Moscow Mule, served in copper mugs has been making a loud revival at bars nationwide.  A blend of Vodka and Ginger Ale over muddled lime and mint leaves, it is a tasty beverage.  Since I hate vodka, I decided to create the Kentucky Mule.  Essentially the same drink, but with bourbon rather than vodka.  Super simple and amazingly flavorful, this will be a go to drink for quite a while.

Kentucky Mule

1/8 Lime

3 mint leaves

2 oz Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Ginger Beer

Ice

Instructions:

1. Place lime slice and mint leaves in glass and muddle
2. Add ice
3. Add bourbon
4. Fill glass with ginger beer and enjoy.

Thrillist Strikes Again: Portland's 8 Best Whisky Bars

Thrillist today posted their choices for the eight best whiskey bars in Portland, and they took the easy way out in a town known for great food and drink by naming their favorites in eight categories instead of ranking the top eight.

From the article:  

PDX's 8 best whiskey bars

You can drink whiskey pretty much anywhere... except in your car, or at work, or in public, or at the library (unless it's Multnomah Whiskey Library!), but literally almost ANYWHERE else. Portland's best places though, are right here...

Whisky Review: Johnny Drum Private Stock

Johnny Drum is one of those elusive bourbons that we hear about on the west coast but never have a chance to taste, so when I came across this bottle I had to pick it up.

The green label is far more common even on the east coast, this Private Stock bottle I had to get directly from the distillery when we visited the folks at Willett in April of last year.  Now that I've taken the time to taste it I only wish I had brought back a case instead of a single bottle.  This bourbon won double gold at the 2010 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, besting the field with good reason. 

Here are my tasting notes: 

Breaking News: Japanese Suntory buys Beam Global

Just two weeks before the Bourbon Classic, the whisky world caught fire this morning when Beam Global announced that they were being acquired by Suntory Group of Japan, creating the third largest spirits company in the world.  While many in the American whisky market are shocked by the news, it really is just the continuation of a globalization that has been ongoing in the spirits market for quite a while.  
Beam Global had already branched out, and as of the time of this announcement included Jim Beam Bourbon, Maker's Mark Bourbon, Sauza Tequila, Pinnacle Vodka, Canadian Club Whisky, Courvoisier Cognac, Teacher's Scotch Whisky, Skinnygirl Cocktails, Cruzan Rum, Hornitos Tequila, Knob Creek Bourbon, Laphroaig Scotch Whisky, Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey, Larios Gin, Whisky DYC and DeKuyper Cordials.  In recent years we have seen other high-end spirits mergers with acquisitions of Pernod and Diageo bringing other American whiskey brands into their portfolios that had already included premium scotch and blended Canadian whiskey products.
he deal agreed to by both boards in this case gives Beam Global stock holders a 25% premium over last Friday's closing stock price, and comes in at around $16 Billion, making it the second largest single spirits acquisition to the Pernod deal in 2005 that came in at around $17.8 Billion.
While only time will tell what this merger will do to the brands included, the fact that there is almost no overlap between market footprints of the two companies means we should see little change according to market insiders.  Just as Beam's acquisition in 2011 of Maker's Mark did not change the way that great bourbon was produced, the overall impact should simply be one of increasing distribution and marketing reach of great traditional brands.  The greatest fear of most American whisky insiders is that this increased marketing will make already scarce premium Bourbons in even shorter supply domestically, which in the short term is a definite reality.
 

Here is the official Release

Whiskey Tonight: Cornelius Pass Roadhouse White Owl Whiskey

We went out to celebrate our nieces birthday and I had a chance to try this new whiskey distiller on site. It was so raw and bright i was sure it was a dry gin and not a whiskey. It was nice for something that new, but won't be added to my regular order rotation.

Whiskey Tasting: Dark Corner Distillery's Lewis Redmond Carolina Hand Mash Bourbon

Dark Corner Distillery in Greenville, SC is new to the whiskey world.  An Artisanal micro distillery focused on hand-spirited small batches of whiskey and other libations, Dark Corner started in 2010.  That recent start hasn't stopped them from some rapid expansion, however.  They have quite a wide range of offerings, but as of November 16th they can say something no one else in South Carolina can say: they now make bourbon.

Dark Corner had a big party to comemorate their first bottling, and I got ahold of two bottles from their first batch.  First, you need to understand that whiskey mellows the longer it is in the barrel.  Distilled the 3rd quarter of 2010 and barrelled on halloween night 2011, Lewis Redmond Carolina Hand Mash Bourbon was aged for 14 months on charred new american oak 5 gallon barrels.  This means it is going to be a bit more raw than some longer running brands, but that doesn't mean it isn't a great bourbon.  For new-make bourbon this is as smooth as it comes.  They replace a lot of the rye normally used in bourbon with red wheat, giving it a sweeter top note, quickly resolving to carmel and vanilla.  Its young age leaves a nice sour apple finish that is crisp and refreshing. 

They currently barrel 30 gallons of bourbon per month, and are now using 15 gallon barrels. This years barreling won't be tapped until late next year at the earliest.  I'm hoping to some day see how well this bourbon holds up to 6-12 years in a barrel, if their first batch is any indication it will quickly become a classic.   It will likely be a while before many of my readers get a chance to taste this whiskey, but if you run across it you owe it to yourself to give it a try.

Dinner Time: Slow Cooker Pumpkin Maple Pulled Pork

I was looking through recipes last night, and thought this one seemed an awesome way to blend summer BBQ with the flavors of fall.  It really has amazing depth of flavor, and hits spice notes you don't usually think of as being a part of BBQ.  The cloves and allspice from the pumpkin pie spice blend with the maple and pumpkin to smell like thanksgiving came to your backyard BBQ.  Add to the thanksgiving feel the creamy richness of slow-cooked pork and you end up with an amazing and EASY dinner.  I served this with onion hamburger buns, but you can use any bun you prefer.  Next time I think I'll use a corn-muffin style bun to bring in the cornbread stuffing element.  Enjoy another little piece of Fat Boy Heaven right here:

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Maple Pulled Pork

If you like pulled pork, you're going to love this beautiful recipe for slow cooker pulled pork. Rich & salty, with just enough sweet to make you crave it nightly, you're gonna love this recipe twist!

YIELD 8 servings

ACTIVE TIME 5 minutes

TOTAL TIME 4 hours

INGREDIENTS

3 pound pork roast

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon maple extract

2 tablespoons bourbon

hamburger buns

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Place pork roast in a slow cooker. Add the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, salt, Worcestershire sauce, bourbon, and maple extract. Use a spatula to mix together the pumpkin mixture over the top of the pork. Cover and set slow cooker to high. Cook for 4-6 hours, or until pork is tender.

2.  Using two forks, pull the pork apart until well shredded. Stir well into the pumpkin mixture. Cover and allow to cook for another hour, until the sauce thickens.

3.  Spoon mixture onto hamburger buns. Serve and enjoy!