Words On Wednesday

I picked up some pineapple bourbon during a recent Costco run, but I was left with more questions than answers once I tried it. Name: Jim Beam Pineapple Source: Jim Beam Style: Pineapple Liqueur infused with Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey ABV: 32.5% Price: $8.99 (normally $16.99) Volume: 750ml Price per oz: $0.35 (normally $0.67) Every time I visit the Costco liquor store, I make a pass around to see the new wares even if I'm there for a specific item. It's how I stumbled across the Bottled-In-Bond and Small Batch Bourbon. Sometimes it's a way to find a new favorite, and other times it's a product I know and love for cheaper than I can find it elsewhere. In either case, it pays to window shop. I stopped by in early June and I discovered an absurd discount on Jim Beam Pineapple. I like Jim Beam, and pineapple goes in a lot of things. At $8.99 for a fifth, that was cheaper than basically anything else in the store. I figured I had to pick some up. I got home a...

If there is a drink better associated with late April and early May than the Mint Julep, I couldn't find one. Whether you watch the Kentucky Derby or not, this time of year is dominated by the event, and the Mint Julep is the official drink. When planning out posts for the year, not only had I never watched the Kentucky Derby, I had never tried a Mint Julep. Some time around then, I picked up a mint plant to grow in my bathroom windowsill. It was mostly intended to make a Mojito, but hey, mint is mint. Plus, the Mint Julep is classic enough, I felt obligated to try one. Recipe ( Original ) Ingredients 2 oz. Woodford Reserve® 1/2 oz. Simple Syrup 3 Fresh Mint Leaves Crushed Ice Preparation Express the essential oils in the mint and rub them inside the glass.  To the same glass, add simple syrup, bourbon and crushed ice.  Stir. Garnish with more ice and fresh mint. Easy enough. Other recipes I read suggested muddling the mint directly into the glass, which is the route ...

The cocktail series continues! This month, I wanted to go heavy on the fall-into-winter flavors that are frequently associated with Thanksgiving. Google Gemini's suggestion for this month wasn't surprising: Theme 1: Thanksgiving & Harvest.  Feature autumnal flavors like cranberry, pear, or maple syrup. A Cranberry Bourbon Sour or a Maple Pecan Old Fashioned. Theme 2: Comfort & Spice.  Use warming spices like nutmeg, clove, and allspice. A Spiced Pear Cocktail or a Mulled Wine. I don't love pear, so that's off the table. Cranberry is alright, but a vodka-cran seemed a little low effort. Maple, though? I love some maple syrup. On pancakes, in a latte, maple syrup and maple flavor in general is a welcome addition anywhere. Hence, the maple pecan old fashioned: Recipe 2.5oz pecan/cinnamon infused bourbon 0.25oz pure maple syrup 3 dashes pecan bitters When Gemini suggested a maple pecan old fashioned, I was intrigued. It seemed like a logical, if somewhat niche, riff...

I needed to restock on bourbon recently and I found a surprisingly decent bottle for surprisingly cheap. Name: Kentucky Gentleman Source:           Barton Distilling Company Style: Bourbon ABV: 40% Price: $8.95 Volume:           750ml Price per oz: $0.35 There’s a time for good bourbon , and there’s a time for cheap bourbon . There is no time for bad bourbon . Friends don’t let friends drink bad bourbon. What I wanted was cheap bourbon. Specifically, I wanted a handle of Evan Williams black label from Costco, but I didn’t feel like driving that far and I wouldn’t be driving back into the office for probably a few more weeks at least. I needed something to tide me over until I could restock the bourbon I actually wanted. The liquor store in the town over with the nice old man who doesn’t drink would have to do. I didn’t want to spend good bourbon money, but I also didn’t want to risk buying a bottle of bad...

A nearby liquor store had a sale on Bird Dog Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. I’m a sucker for trying new things and this brand had apparently won some awards. Seems like as good a reason as any to pick up a bottle (or two) and try it. Name: Bird Dog Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Source: Bird Dog Style: Bourbon ABV: 42% Price: $20 (for two) Volume: 750ml Price per oz: $0.35 I was running low on distilled spirits, so I ran by the liquor store to pick up at least a bottle of something. Originally, I grabbed a fifth of   Jim Beam Black because they had a sale that brought the price down to $11.99 for a fifth. I grabbed a bottle, but I continued to peruse for a minute just to see if anything else caught my eye. Sure enough, as I was meandering up the bourbon aisle, I noticed a big sticker on the Bird Dog box that read “2 for $20” as opposed to the standard price of $14.99 per bottle. I had never heard of Bird Dog, but that was cheap when it comes to bourbon. Specifically, it was...

I am a firm believer in having a bottle of “the good stuff” for special occasions. Be it a wedding, a new job, a funeral, or any other noteworthy moment, I like to have a particular spirit to commemorate the circumstance. Normally, this demands a premium price. Somehow, this Costco branded bourbon manages to bring the “good stuff” quality at what I would call a steal of a price. Name: Kirkland Signature Bottled-In-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Source: Barton 1792 Distillery Style: Bourbon ABV: 50% Price: $24.99 Volume: 1 Liter Price per oz: $0.74 This one almost slipped by me. I was looking for what to write about for the next Thirsty Thursday Eve, and I couldn’t find anything interesting. I almost skipped over this bottle because I thought I had already written about it. Fortunately, I checked and noticed the glaring omission. You all really need to hear about this one. As bourbons go, this is one of the better ones that I’ve had. I can’t definitively say that it’s the best, ...

You know what’s hilarious? Seeing a bunch of kids barely out of high school cowering in fear at “brown liquor” after they’ve been shotgunning cheap beer like champs for hours. Really puts things in perspective. But Evan Williams is good for a lot more than just that. Name: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Source: Evan Williams Style: Bourbon ABV: 43% Price: $19.99 Volume: 1.75L Price per oz: $0.34 I’m a fan of bourbon. I won’t say that it’s my favorite spirit with any certainty, but it’s often the liquor that I reach for to sip on straight. I’ll mix vodka or rum with almost anything, especially for buzz maintenance, but I’m not just pouring up shots or highball glasses of vodka. Bourbon, though? I’ll hit a glass with 2 or 3 fingers and just sip, because it’s gosh dang delicious. Previously, Jim Beam was my bourbon of choice . It’s cheap, it’s accessible, and it’s pretty good. My local liquor store still has a deal on 2 fifths for $20, and really, it’s hard to get cheaper for anything ...

Summer vacation is a time when you go commando in cargo shorts and drink cheap spirits and beer while the kids play on a bouncy house. At least that's what it means for me. Except it's not summer, and this isn't vacation. I'm working from home, because of the coronavirus. With the risk of transmission of COVID-19, my employer has strongly suggested we work from home if at all possible. Because I don't have to commute to work or take a shower before I clock in (or get dressed for that matter), I can party pretty late into the evening and still get started with work on time. Plus, it's definitely hot enough to feel like summer. Hence, this is the working man's summer vacation. Recently, I picked up some Jim Beam on sale from my local Eagles. I've always got my eyes peeled for a good price on a distilled spirit I enjoy. Since I've gotten away from bourbon lately, a good deal on a cheap bourbon was just what I wanted to get my taste buds acclimated ...

During a recent vacation to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, I learned about the woeful unavailability of distilled spirits, and discovered a new brand of bourbon. At the beginning our trip, I decided that we could pick up some alcohol after we arrived and unloaded all our luggage. I understand that liquor laws vary widely between states, but SC tends to have some of the more strict laws than other nearby states. Hence, I tend to assume that I can typically pick up spirits during the same conditions as what I would be able to back home. When visiting an area that I’m unfamiliar with, I often rely on the expertise of local employees for information. Waitresses, store clerks, and other such workers almost always live nearby, and because of that, they usually know where the best options are for a variety of goods. In my case, I asked a waitress at our new favorite wing restaurant in the area  if she knew of any good liquor stores around. She asked if I’d seen the cross up in the midd...

I’m considering a new blog segment about all things alcohol. The name: Thirsty Thursday Eve. You know, because it’s a Wednesday thing, and Thirsty Thursday is when people drink? Whatever, I thought it was good. This is a culmination of a few different ideas I’ve had over the years. A while back, I thought of doing something for “the economic alcoholic” or how to be frugal with your drinks. Recently, I considered that I should start recording and reviewing various beers that I try, since the selection at Ingles swaps around so much that I rarely remember what all I’ve had. In short, Thirsty Thursday Eve would be an umbrella that all of these topics fall under. Plus, it would post on the day before Thursday, so people can take my advice into consideration for their weekly ethanol-related rituals. At present, this would consist of a number of different things. Reviews on various drinks, including beers, spirits, and mixed beverages. For new concoctions that I discover or create on my ...