Rant/Rave: Bourbon

[AWvsCBsteeeerike3]

What exactly makes something "handmade" anyway?

In distilling it's actually an important distinction to make because some people will make buying decisions based on that.

When the distillation is happening there are three stages: heads, hearts, tails. The heads is the first part of the distillation and it's undrinkable. Very high proof. The tails come at the end and are very low proof. In between is the hearts, the good/best part of the distillate. A distiller making a spirit by hand is making "cuts"--the point where he decides the distillation has gone from heads to hearts, then from hearts to tails, and he's cutting the heads and tails out to only bring us the hearts. That's important, his palate and where he makes those cuts is huge in what's in the bottle. In an automated system it's on a timer. Handmade, the hearts are probably a smaller percent of the total distillation, with the distiller monitoring closely and tasting as he goes to get to exactly the right cut points.

If we go back to the traditions of good Cognac and Armagnac in France, that stuff you see distilleries where it's like 4th, 5th, 9th generation making the stuff. It's a family craft and art and tradition passed down. You can't make a brandy that approaches that stuff on an automated system. The relationship of the distiller to the still (probably the same one great X5 granddad used) and their understanding of the taste and what they're going for is why people drink it.

You learn something new every day.

[sighyoung]

Great point, 33. As the bourbon boom continues, there's more and more economic pressure for automated processes of distillation, as well as other ways to make the product available. Right now is a good time to buy bourbon, because the quality will likely decrease in the years ahead. For instance: http://wfpl.org/post/less-potent-makers ... y-kentucky

[thrill]

A lot of this bourbon boom is down to foreign interests as well. Mostly China but also Western Europe, which is weird to me. Bourbon has been delicious for hundreds of years, people. Get on board. China I get. Emerging monied classes wanting great products of all kinds.

[jim]

All kinds of products is right - don't they eat the soup with the de-brained octupus still flopping around in it?

Basically I think they will eat or drink anything. They probably pour the bourbon over the damn thing.

[Radbird]

Screw 98% of doucher people talking about Gluten allergies. You know how many times I heard a customer ask for no breading due to a gluten allergy 10 years ago? Zero. Celiac disease sucks. It exists, and it makes people poop really badly sometimes, and in really rare cases it can can lead to worse stuff. The vast majority of American fuuuuuuuging idiots are just jumping on this absurd bandwagon that they can't eat bread or rye whiskey, but all this frozen sodium-packed, MSG-filled, processed crap they eat all the time is totally okay. But it's not gluten, right?!

Hey Gluten Allergy people - screw you. Go back to 2002, when you were totally fine. Jerks.

Radbird, if your daughter has been diagnosed with Cialac Disease, my apologies. I didn't mean to offend. It's a very difficult situation for our industry.

That's ok, mac. Yes she has Celiac. So having the certified GF label is important to her. Rice is naturally GF, but if Rice Krispies share packaging equipment with let's say Wheaties she could get very sick - it only takes the tiniest amount. Not just stomach issues, but bloating/inflamation, skin rashes etc. And it can last for days. She stays away from processed foods as much as possible because of that potential - and it helps keep her healthier because she doesn't eat all the crap you mentioned. It's tough for her to eat out but she's found places that are safe. Since she can't have beer or bourbon, her drinks of choice are hard cider or wine.

And for the record, people choosing GF as a "lifestyle choice" piss me off too. Seeing what she's had to go through and the restrictions she has to live with, I can't imagine anyone doing this voluntarily. But I have to admit she has benefited from the craze because there are more choices for her as a result.

[jim]

We had gluten free pasta that my daughter in law cooked and I couldn't really tell the difference. Granted I had it smothered in some sauce but the entire pasta based meal was gluten free and it tasted pretty good. But then I had a piece of pizza once and gagged.

I will say that I can probably handle GF stuff better than stuff that is supposed to have meat in it and puts soybeans instead. My nephew doesn't eat meat, and makes this chilli at my brothers annual chilli fest at his house. You don't want to make the mistake of getting the wrong stuff because one is really good and the other will make you puke.

[Radbird]

GF pasta has gotten much better. GF pizza crust, bread and rolls - not so much.

[jim]

My wife made a GF snack (I can't spell or durve) on some GF bread. The taste was ok, mainly because the spread that went on it was really strong flavored. But you needed a drink to get it down. A Little dry. Just a little dry.

[lukethedrifter]

I'm sad the bourbon thread has gone gluten free.

[jim]

I'm going out in the hot tub for a soak. Bourbon is a better hot tub drink in the winter than beer.