I don't drink anything stronger than caffienated Earl Gray tea and decaf coffee. I occasionally have an espresso. (and I don't wear a beret when I drink espresso, either) I'm starting to sound too European, aren't I?

Back to America. I love the above story because it shows Yankee know-how at work. Too much corn? Let's make bourbon. And I'll bet the bourbon made more profits than the corn. I had lots of friends in the service who drank their fair share (or more) (maybe a lot more) of bourbon. And being half Irish you'd think I was at least half-way acquainted with a good bottle of Bushmills. Sorry to disappoint.

I may not drink but I'll never begrudge anyone their personal taste of Heaven. Mine just happens to be a weaker brew.

What's the difference between bourbon and sour mash?

To: Spinner,

I wrote a comment after your entry yesterday about the Marshall Plan. If you get a chance you're welcome to read it.

Damn, I stopped drinking a year and a half ago. Seemed like a good idea at the time, but sometimes I ask myself why. Rum for me, Pussers was my favorite (a long standing sailing tradition). My occupation requires me to buy and sell a large amount of spirits. I deal with spirits and spirit consumers everyday, yet I abstain. Strange huh?

Careful, ExPat. If a Kentuckyan hears you call him a "Yankee", he's likely to sock you in the mouth. The term "Yank" for any American is used liberally in your native land but here, it is quite specifically north of the Mason Dixon Line.

People always talk about what a dangerous place New York City is. But the only time -- at least in my adult life -- anyone ever laid his hand on me in violence was a severely intoxicated cowboy in Fort Worth, TX. He called me "Yankee" (with a few other expletives thrown in) and proceeded to shove his fist into my chest and rip my black J. Peterman Otavalo Mountain shirt from the collar to the hem (I keep meaning to replace it). I've been very sensitive about that word ever since.

DPR: I would bet that cowboy was drinking bourbon.

Bourbon is my drink of choice while singing... it's a trade secret (ssshhhh).

Everyone on this blog already knows I am a true Kentuckian from my previous posts, so here is a short explanation to Ex Pat's question reference what is the difference between bourbon and sour mash? According to my bourbon drinking Daddy: sour mash is a process not a flavor as some people think. It's a mixture of fermented grain and water. It is akin to the "Mother" process for sourdough bread. If this is incorrect please let me know. I did say my Daddy was drinking when he gave me this information. I don't drink bourbon but I do make some rather potent and delicious Bourban Balls for Derby Day. They come with a warning: Eat two...don't drive! By the way, being from Woodford County. I, of course, choose to use Woodford Reserve.

Cheers everyone.

Our family are northerners who moved to the Piedmont about 100 years ago. My grandfather told us that Bourbon was a drink you could trust and that if a man ordered anything other than Bourbon and branch, we should keep an eye on him...he couldn't be from around these parts.

We are up drinking pretty early this morning, or has this party been going on all night!?!?!? (HaHa)

I'm not sure about Burbon ~ I know I've done shots of JD but I don't think I ever have really sipped a bourbon as a drink.

I did find out last summer that I am NOT really a Scotch person....... Trying Bourbon may be a worthwhile project for this weekend though.

I always am amazed when I watch old films the drinks that are ordred by the characters like Rita ordering a Double Brandy in the Film Pal Joey ~ I alwasy wonder if I order that today what I would get & what would my friends say? (probably not much they arleady know I'm a little CRAZY)

I think I like the idea of though of ordering a Bourbon to sip sounds very sophicated & inviting. I guess I always imagine that Bourbon is the drink that Phyllis & most of the other wodnerful classic Film Noir Ladies would choose to drink as a way to hold their own with the men & to prove they maybe just as Dangerous as the men.

Have a great weekend everyone I am off to the Nrothwoods retreat until Tuesday ~ and also Good Luck to Big Brown this weekend in his bid for the elusive Triple Crown at Belmont.

To: DreadPirateRoberts,

Point well taken about "Yankees". My Grandfather used to call us "Damn Yanks" (that's the printable version) My existing relatives in the U.K. just think I've "gone Yank" on them. Here in Southern Califonia I take the easy way: I'm a "gringo", that's anyone north of the Rio Grande.

To: Capt Neptune,

That was my father's favorite - Pusser's - he was a British navy officer in WW2 and an avid civilian sailor. There was always a bottle of rum somewhere.

To: MACKDADDY1,

Thanks for the difference. I suspect "bourbon balls" are like "rum balls". Whe i was in Vietnam, my mother mad rum balls and sent them to me in a "care package'. I disrtibuted them to my squad and everyone was quite drunk and hung over the next day. It seems the rum balls during their journey to Vietnam and their short stay in the tropical jungles had become extremely fermented above and beyond the normal level.

Of course, everbody asked for more. My mother made a lot of rum balls that year.

And Capt Neptune would appreciate the fact that she made the rum balls with Pusser's

Sam Adams or Blue Moon. Two American beers. I can't take whiskey yet, but the Irish in me would love to learn it. I like rum in mixed drinks, but it does not like me.

Ex Pat: rum balls huh... I drank rum and coke as a young adult. I think I wore myself out on it. I bet your Mom wasn't feeling much pain after making all of those rum balls. I get a little tipsy when I make the bourbon balls just from sampling and smelling it. A few worthwhile sites to check out are Taste of Kentucky, Woodford Reserve, and Makers Mark.com. They each have great gift shops, recipes and more fun and intreresting facts.

Maybe I'll make a batch of bourbon balls for the Belmont. It's not the Derby but...who cares.

Being brought up on such nostalgia, when I'm finally old enough to drink I'm not going to stay in to get "hammered" with my friends on a six pack of the closest drink with the lowest [highest?] money-to-alcohol ratio, I'm going to go out with the sophisicates I hardly know and sample my way through everything I've been missing out on.

[I'm new to this community, by the way.]

Although I’ve been told that a lot of the things I truly enjoy eating and drinking are typically “acquired tastes”, I don’t recall ever making an effort to actually acquire a taste for anything I that didn’t make my taste buds do the happy dance. So for me, when I did imbibe in spirits, my spirit of choice, well actually it’s somewhat of a collection of spirits, was a well made “Long Island Iced Tea”. Why? Simple because it tasted so good the first time.

Now I’m just a coffee, espresso and bone-dry cappuccino drinker; no flavoring added thank you.

I do however, think I can appreciate the ambiance, and romance of sipping a fine bourbon as well as the patience and dedication of those who make it. It does have an atmosphere of civility about it.

Be well and enjoy

Welcome, Lovey!

Yes indeed, welcome to you Lovey!

to La Donna,
Beautiful flower photo!

To: SSJ,
Thank You!

Yes, welcome Lovey. Anyone we can mildly corrupt and influence warms
my heart.

I'm about to toast your entry with a Maker's and a splash of branch.

I am the D.D. in the family so I have no personal preferences to add. Since my husband is an archaeologist, he has always prefered Acient Age or Early Times. However, Early Times is no longer a bourbon as they re-use their barrels. It is now only designated a whisky. Thus this leaves only Acient Age. That is unless he gets ahold of a bottle of Woodford Reserve. By the way, for you all outside of the cultural center of Kentucky, if you haven't seen a bottle of W.R., there is a small pewter horse sitting on the top. Speaking of the bottles and tops, Maker's Mark did put out a limited edition of bottles that instead of the red wax dripping from the top, used UofK blue when UofK won the NCAA basketball championship in the 90's. Also, Beam Distilleries does fancy decorator bottles for their Jim Beam that have quite a collector's following. A new one every year.

My mother-in-law made bourbon balls every Christmas and my husband carries on the tradition. They are a bit different as they are not chocolate coated but are basically, crushed vanilla wafers, cocoa, nuts and bourbon. Apparently they are good as they are avidly consumed by friends and neighbors.

To Lovely:
Your introduction is rather interesting as we are discussing an interesting cultural phenomenon today rather than something more philosophical. So please know that there does exist in this group, a morals and standards committee that tries to keep a tight rein on things (me). Things often get way out of hand, but I try. Lord knows, I try. Right, La Donna and ExPat? South-Side John tries to help occasionally, but he is often off watching the pole dancing and can't be bothered.

ExPat:
What was the name of yesterday's topic? I can't find it in the archives.

Hello, Lovey. Welcome aboard. It is very interesting and encouraging to observe that one so young already has an interest in Peterman (and nostalgia for that matter). Really good style sense is traditionally reserved for the over 50 set. But I developed my interest in good clothes at a very young age and I'm glad to see the tradition alive and well.

But what's all this about "when I'm finally old enough to drink"? I was drinking wine LONG before it was legal to do so. What ever happened to good, old-fashioned teen rebellion?

Ex Pat: Look under Anthologies-Dates in History-To the Victor

Have a nice weekend everyone!

Could I have been experiencing a blonde moment or perhaps those bourbon balls have actually gotten to me with my last entry? I should have responded to Spinner not Ex Pat. Was that an inside joke or were you really asking for an answer. My inability to stay within an adult conversation can sometimes rear it's bitter head for all to witness. Beg my pardon if I rudely interjected the answer. It's time to go home!

Everyone: Thanks for making me feel so welcomed. [perhaps the overuse of the word had something to do with it]

DreadPirateRoberts: Let's call me mature and leave it at that.
And are you encouraging underage drinking? I thought this place would be more high class than myspace.
I'm content with the occasional sip from my uncle's glass at the fourth of july.
As for rebellion, purposely torn fishnets [still waiting for a Peterman Owner's Manual featuring something punk], skulls on everything and that noise I call music tends to be as far as I go.

To: Spinner,

...To the Victor

To: Lovey,

Welcome to out group. My oldest son was a "punk" musician for a few years. He had the Mohawk hair style and still has lots of tatoos. He made one album that sold in england and australia. I went to siome of his concerts. very loud music, interesting people, strange hair and tatoos........ He is now an executive with one of the top four music companies.

Spinner is the morals committee. La Donna and I have are own "twitter" room.

You'll enjoy this site, make friends, and learn much, and enjoy yourself. That's a promise.

I have broad tastes in bourbon. Blanton's has always been a favorite. A nice spicy, citrus quality. I've also been known to drink Booker's, Basil Hayden's or Bakers, finding myself wondering why names with a "B" are so common in bourbons.

But in the end, I'm still a single malt man, and Aberlour is the jewel in the crown.

Mmmm. Bourbon balls. Mackdaddy, I feel a recipe share is necessary at this point :) Spinner, would love to see your husband's recipe too!
SSJ:  The java running through my veins trilled when I saw bone dry cappucino in your post.  Is there any other way to get that supreme expresso to shoot through the foam in a snapshot of perfection? One of my favorite places to get a perfect cappuccino in the U.S.?  Batdorf & Bronson.  A  lot of it is fair trade too!
 Rings90: Are you sure you are not a Scotch whiskey person?  I used to think that until I did a single cask tasting at the Prestonfield House (pre-renovation) in Edinburgh . . . mmm, the Islay variety is truly fine sippin'  Try Bruichladdich and of course, Laphroaig.
I also thought I wasn't a tequila person, until a friend told me that true Tequila is a sipping tequila, not a shot.  I have been enjoying some Gran Centenario. Sip slowly :)
Agent666:  I am not a big beer drinker, but I did get to do a tasting at Anchor Brewing and I LOVED their Anchor Steam.  You ought to try it!
And last, but certainly not least, welcome Lovey! I am new here myself and am thoroughly enjoying it. Stick around, we can always use a new perspective! 
 
 

ExPat: That's interesting about your son. It always hits a depressing note with me to see a true punk "straighten out".

girlinthemoon: Thanks. I think I'm beginning to like it here.

To: Lovey,

What makes you think he "straightened out"?

He doesn't have the Mohawk, but he's still writing songs and doing some recording sessions when he can. He still surprises me with different hair color from time to time.

So don't get too depressed.

I encouraged all my children to follow their version of the American Dream. Now, the big shock for me was when he became a "punk". One day he was depressed over Kurt Cobain's suicide and the next day he threw away the grunge look and transformed himself into a punk. The "fad" became a lifestyle and the rest is history as they say.

girlinthemoon,

Thanks you for the java recommendation. I enjoy trying out different roasters and experiencing all the subtle flavor differences. I'm ordering some "Dancing Goat" and "Vesuvio" blends.