(Topic ID: 171391)

Pinball and Bourbon

By Whysnow

7 years ago


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  • Latest reply 3 years ago by Jodester
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    #63 7 years ago

    Great thread. I got into Bourbon a few years ago when I had to make several trips to Kentucky for work. My favorites are Blanton's and the Willett pot still reserve. The Willett is still the nicest looking bottle out there:

    Willett (resized).jpgWillett (resized).jpg

    But, if you are looking for something a little less costly but still great quality, then I agree that Elija Craig is great. I typically drink it with just one small ice cube to open it up a bit.

    #65 7 years ago
    Quoted from Tuna_Delight:

    Cool bottle! The bourbon gets good reviews too.
    I'm going to keep this one in mind. Thanks!

    It's really good, but the Willett does need to sit for a minute. I recommend an ice cube or a few drops of water, and then let it sit for 15 minutes before you enjoy it.

    #72 7 years ago
    Quoted from Whysnow:

    I have not tried the willit pot reserve yet. There is a local bottle for $70. worth it?

    Wow! That's high! Here, I find it selling for about $40. Try shopping around or ask the store why it is so much. Maybe it is mislabeled.

    4 months later
    #85 7 years ago
    Quoted from Tuna_Delight:

    My favorite game to sip bourbon while playing. Also shown is the latest new bourbon I've tried - Elijah Craig. Very smooth and tasty!

    My favorite bourbon of the moment (barring Blantons and Willet).

    2 months later
    #120 6 years ago
    Quoted from Tuna_Delight:

    Picked up a bottle of Willett Pot Still recently and it is VERY smooth and tasty indeed - my thanks to nokoro for the recommendation earlier in this thread!
    And one of the most distinctive bourbon bottles that you'll find that also happens to make the COOLEST pouring sound!

    Nice! Glad you like it.

    1 month later
    #125 6 years ago
    Quoted from spiroagnew:

    Blantons is hard to come by here in Canada. Far and away my favorite bourbon. I hope at least one bottle will survive 'til Christmas...

    I love Blantons. Make sure you check those horse toppers for the letters to spell BLANTONS. I've heard the S is rare.

    5 months later
    #150 6 years ago

    Christmas gifts from my wife!

    A23E8F3A-8623-4D5B-A643-27AC0AA23424 (resized).jpegA23E8F3A-8623-4D5B-A643-27AC0AA23424 (resized).jpeg

    1 month later
    #161 6 years ago

    Need a recommendation for a premium bourbon. Something a step above Blanton's, but not crazy like Pappy. Something in the $70-80 range that you actually have a chance of finding somewhere. Thanks!

    #165 6 years ago

    Thanks for the recommendations! I realize it is a weird price category. There are a lot of scotches in that range which I’ve tried, but I’m looking for a higher range bourbon right now. I know the local place has Bookers. How does it compare? Is it worth the extra money?

    #170 6 years ago

    My go to is Elijah Craig. Very smooth. Great taste for the money.

    #172 6 years ago
    Quoted from vaevictis:

    Try and find some Elijah Craig Barrel Proof! The extra proof is worth it!

    Ok, thanks. Good tip.

    1 month later
    13
    #179 6 years ago

    I hosted a whiskey and bacon night in my gameroom last night. Whiskey was drunk -- some bourbon, some scotch, some rye, some Irish. Bacon dishes were consumed. Pinball was played.

    005 (resized).JPG005 (resized).JPG

    4 months later
    #205 5 years ago
    Quoted from SilverBallKid:

    OK, I'll bite here.
    First off, let me say that I have been a professional brewer for 20 years. My career had been good to me and I have had a wonderful time in the beer business. It does tend to make me very obsessive about beer and spirits so I apologize for the length of this post and any vibe of "lecturing" that comes off it. I just love booze. Booze pays my bills. Booze also buys me coil sleeves, solder and playfield rubber, haha.
    Before I was hooked on beer, though, I was hooked on bourbon. My Dad is a true bourbon guy and we always had it around our house. White Label Beam has always been his go to (and mine as well) but the years have found him regularly acquiring a bottle of this or that which has led to some great tasting moments. In my family - including my very large Polish side (Dad's side) - births, deaths, marriages, sports championships and just about any other occasion you can think of have been marked by rounds of shots.
    Anyway, bourbon...
    First off, I always suggest to people to ease up on the "more expensive is better" idea. While you will generally find smoother and more complex bourbons as you climb the price ladder, you can always find great bourbon at a decent price. I remember when I had Pappy Van Winkle for the first time. Mostly, I was glad that I wasn't the one who had paid for the bottle. Is it great? Yes, I suppose. Is it worth the price? Not in my book it's not. No way. I can list many bourbons that I have had for $25 - $60 that I have enjoyed as much and most often more than Pappy. If you like it and you buy it, that's fine. I don't think you're wrong or stupid or whatever. I just don't think the liquor stands up to the mystique. For my money, it is better to pay attention to proof, ageing time and whether the place you are buying your sauce from is involved in the entire production process. Many houses simply buy young white liquor from someone else (often a very well known place in Indiana) and then just barrel age it and put their name on it. Many fine bourbons are made this way, but I tend to prefer houses that select grist, mash, ferment, distill and age all on their own.
    I usually have at least a dozen bourbons on hand at any given time. On pinball nights with the fellas, I like to pour out 4-6 of them in glencairn glasses and then we sample around them and debate merits. Some like them spicy, some hot, some mellow, some sweeter. I love that. There is no right or wrong, just personal taste. I also love setting up "blind" flights with numbers corresponding to the different sample glasses. That way, price point and distillery are removed from the tasters' minds and they often surprise themselves by what they actually like the most. Want to prove to yourself that price is only part of the process? Let someone else pour out 4 to 6 of your bourbons from your coillection and NOT tell you what they are. Sample away "blind " and see what happens!
    Some of my personal faves in no particular order:
    Willett, for my money, makes some great bourbons. I absolutely LOVE the Pot Still Reserve. Try this one: buy a bottle and do not drink it quickly. Make sure it takes at least one year to finish. You will LOVE the changes it goes through and if you can get past the one year mark with any left, you will be amazed by how smooth, deep and even it gets. If you like Willett, make sure you try both Noah's Mill and Rowan's Creek. Both of these bottles are go to's for me and I love them. Under the radar and under rated in my estimation, and both produced by Willett.
    https://www.kentuckybourbonwhiskey.com/
    Boone County Eighteen 33 from Independence, Kentucky. What a gorgeous bourbon. Bought some in Florence, Kentucky at the Party Town store there. That place is like an amusement park for me. Anyway, the sales guy and I were shooting the shit as I wandered the bourbon aisles (yes, plural!) and he recommended the Boone County to me. WOW! Amazing stuff. I am now desperately trying to get my hands on a bottle of Boone County's White Hall Bourbon Cream, which is supposed to be amazing over ice cream or in coffee. Someone down there please send me a fifth or two!!! I also really want to try their cask strength single barrel version of BC1833! I'm almost out of Boone County so I suppose it's time for that 5 hour drive down I-75 to stock up...
    https://www.boonedistilling.com/
    Eagle Rare is so solid and well priced. A little darker and fuller, but I drink it a lot. A sweeter bourbon that I use a lot to get non-bourbon people on the hook. Made by the famed Buffalo Trace distillery. Their entire family of whiskeys is solid.
    https://www.buffalotracedistillery.com/
    Another bourbon that I use for "training wheel" sampling with newbies is Corner Creek. It is very bright on the palate and overall, almost citrusy, and an even handed bottle. Great stuff.
    https://www.cornercreekbourbon.com/
    I used to really like Black Maple Hill but the new offering from Oregon - not Kentucky - doesn't stand up as well to my taste.
    I could go on forever, so I'll stop. LOVE ME SOME BOURBON.
    Happy Sipping!
    Tim in Motown

    Nice write up! Totally agree about Willet. Even when you pour a glass of the pot still reserve, the taste transforms from the first sip to the last, becoming smoother and more full bodied. It is a great bourbon. And I also agree about the Eagle Rare. One of the best buys out there for the price. I’ll have to search for the Boone County. I don’t believe I’ve ever tried it.

    #208 5 years ago

    Just picked up something new. Amador Double Barrel. Very tasty. Sweet and smooth.

    3 months later
    #266 5 years ago
    Quoted from shock_me:

    Just found this here last week. Not easy to find in this neck of the woods, but stoked that my liquor store finally brought it in. What do you bourbon guys think of it?
    [quoted image]

    Definitely one of my favorites. The letters on the horse statue spell Blantons if you collect them all.

    #275 5 years ago
    Quoted from djreddog:

    Looking to dive into the bourbon world a little deeper. Currently I know very little about all things bourbon. I used to drink a lot of Jim Beam years ago. Then 4-5 years I switched to Crown. Finally last year I switched to Bulleit. However I always mix it. Usually with Mountain Dew or Pepsi (I know, don’t kill me!).
    I’m ready to try some on the rocks, and maybe even try it neat. Without spending a fortune, what would be a good bourbon to dive in to? I’ve had a few people recommend McKenna to me.
    Thoughts/advice?

    Elija Craig is the best for the money. Very smooth and tasty. Much better than Makers IMO.

    #278 5 years ago
    Quoted from djreddog:

    On December 18th, I have the opportunity to attend a bourbon pairing dinner which includes the following. Worth it?
    The Dinner will include:
    Limited seating for 12 guests
    4 Course dinner with welcome cocktail and appetizer
    3 Exclusive Bourbon selections from our private stash to pair with your meal
    Bourbon selections will include Pappy VanWinkle, Bookers “Noe Secret”, Barterhouse and more
    $165 per ticket.

    Depends upon how good the food is.

    Actually sounds like a lot of fun and you get to sample the Pappy!

    #284 5 years ago
    Quoted from MikeO:

    My wife stumbled across this bottle dressing and got festive with it and decorated our handle of Willet Pot Still. [quoted image]

    Another tasty one, and one of my favorites. Just picked up a fresh bottle today in fact.

    3 weeks later
    #391 5 years ago

    I made some clear ice cubes to enjoy my bourbon with. Why? Because clear ice cubes are better than cloudy ones!

    Happy New Year, y'all!!!

    IMG_0363 (resized).JPGIMG_0363 (resized).JPG

    #395 5 years ago
    Quoted from Kkuoppamaki:

    How do you get them to stay clear, what’s the secret? I’ve tried, but failed miserably. Clear cubes definitely are the way to go

    There’s a few videos on YouTube. I used a small insulated cooler, took the top off, filled it with water and put it in the freezer for 24 hours. It will then freeze from the top down and not trap any air in the ice. You then remove the ice block — about half the size of the cooler at that point — let it sit for an hour and then cut it into cubes. To cut it, you use a serrated knife to score lines that you then hit with a hammer. I’ll see if I can find the exact video I watched later today.

    #397 5 years ago
    Quoted from Nokoro:

    There’s a few videos on YouTube. I used a small insulated cooler, took the top off, filled it with water and put it in the freezer for 24 hours. It will then freeze from the top down and not trap any air in the ice. You then remove the ice block — about half the size of the cooler at that point — let it sit for an hour and then cut it into cubes. To cut it, you use a serrated knife to score lines that you then hit with a hammer. I’ll see if I can find the exact video I watched later today.

    I believe this is the video I watched.

    1 week later
    #408 5 years ago
    Quoted from fuseholder:

    Starting off the morning.
    [quoted image]

    Interesting. How is it?

    1 week later
    #426 5 years ago

    Me pour.

    I mean, me four.

    #429 5 years ago

    My favorite non-bourbon whiskey at the moment is Connemara, a lightly peated Irish whiskey.

    6 months later
    #1642 4 years ago
    Quoted from Reality_Studio:

    Ok so it's not the barrel proof, but wanted to give the 94 proof a try after the chatter here. Got it for $25 at my local grocery store and it's pretty good! Admittedly now it makes me wanna try the cask strength version. I feel like I need to do a taste test of whiskeys in this price rage, maybe put this against Woodford Reserve, Larceny, and others in the $25 range.
    [quoted image]

    I think the regular EC is excellent. Great bourbon for the price range. The fact that you got it for $25 is even better. It is $38 at all my local stores.

    4 months later
    #2993 4 years ago
    Quoted from Whysnow:

    Time for a tasting.
    Yum and well worth the price of entry.[quoted image]

    Great book too!

    2 weeks later
    #3125 4 years ago
    Quoted from swillie:

    Thought I would post pictures comparing the two...here is the two iceball makers out the freezer...notice the difference in clarity and form...[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]

    Where did you get that black mold?

    I have been making clear ice for a while in a cooler in the freezer, but I then cut it into cubes. I don't have a good way for easily making clear spheres, but I would like one.

    #3127 4 years ago
    Quoted from swillie:

    Amazon. Here is a link to the best price I see on it currently...
    amazon.com link »

    Thanks! Ordered.

    #3128 4 years ago

    And for those interested in making clear cubes, see this post:

    https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/pinball-and-bourbon/page/8#post-4768387

    It only takes an $11 cooler, some water, and 24 hours.

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