Favorite widely available bourbon or whiskey

[noboundaries]

So, as I've said in this thread I'm generally not a bourbon guy, but I found one I love. It is only retailed in Nevada and California, but can be ordered online. I found it at Total Wine for $37.99, but got a $5 discount.

Frey Ranch Bourbon, a 4-grain mashbill.The farm is in Fallon, NV where they grow their own corn, wheat, rye, and barley. They malt the barley themselves, then distill, age, and bottle on-site. The bottle and cork is friggin' impressive. (My wife just yelled from the kitchen as I was typing this, "That is a cool bottle.")

Less sweet, very complex, and a long, pleasant finish. I once spent a lot of time flying out of Fallon, and when I read about Frey Ranch Bourbon, I had to try it. Glad I did.

 

[mneeley490]

Looks interesting. Seems I can get it shipped to WA state, but only at about double what you paid.

 

[fltsfshr]

I like my Whisky with out the e. I think Cutty Sark is the best blended Scotch Whisky ever made and it's reasonable. I don't like peat Whiskys. Tennessee Whisky my favorite is George Dickel. One sister was the Master Distiller at Dickel, the other was at Jack Daniels. I have a 1962 bottle of 20 year old Dickel. You may remember it from Star Trek they fought a space war over Saurian Brandy. My favorite Bourbon is Basil Hayden.

 

[mneeley490]

Lol, two of my dad's old hunting buddies would have Cutty Sark and caramels for breakfast, before going out on the hunt. Amazingly, they usually bagged a deer every year.

 

[G8trwood]

That Frey Ranch is tasty.

 

[Plinsc]

+1 on the Basil Hayden!

 

[LoydB]

Gotta be this for me.

 

[thirdeye]

I have some cookin' whisky, yeah for cookin'....

 

[PulledPorkSandwich]

Gotta be this for me.


View attachment 644534

Old Overholt comes in a bonded version too. I generally go for the bonded if it's available.

 

[bill1]

...I generally go for the bonded if it's available.

At least it's 100 proof that way. I suppose you Folks with class will consider me crass but the higher the proof, the better it is.
My Grandpa said that, and I think I agree with him 100%, or perhaps I should say 200 proof.

 

[fltsfshr]

Ever make Red Eye? Burn some sugar in a cast iron fry pan. Let it cool and add Everclear. Serve it in a shot glass at weddings and slug it.
Got to love Cowboys and wedding receptions.

 

[PulledPorkSandwich]

At least it's 100 proof that way. I suppose you Folks with class will consider me crass but the higher the proof, the better it is.
My Grandpa said that, and I think I agree with him 100%, or perhaps I should say 200 proof.

Who said anything about class?

Here is a discussion of bottled in bond (or "bonded") whiskey. In particular, Bonded whiskey, or Bottled-in-Bond whiskey, must be:

-made at a single distillery
-produced within a single distilling season
-aged for a minimum of four years
-bottled at 50% ABV

I've noticed that bonded rye whiskey is 100 percent rye grain. I like the flavor of rye, so that's the biggest reason why I buy it.

 

[PulledPorkSandwich]

My Grandpa said that, and I think I agree with him 100%, or perhaps I should say 200 proof.

I had a friend who was a chemical engineer who also enjoyed a drink from time to time. He told me it was impossible to have 200 proof grain alcohol without the addition of benzene, which is a known carcinogen. I don't know if that's true or not, but I will say that, even in my younger days, I didn't try drinking Everclear. I tried to buy some to sanitize my hands during the pandemic, but never could find any for sale.

 

[fltsfshr]

Here's a recipe compliments of NDSU. IMO they put too much water in their recipe. Don't add the water and don't shoot more than one at a time. Everclear is 180 proof. Slides down easily and kicks like a mule. Now it's time to dance.

Red Eye (Wedding Schnapps)

2 cups of sugar
8 cups of boiled water
1 big bottle of Everclear
Melt sugar in heavy pan until there is caramel color
Stir constantly
Slowly add some hot water [add rest of water later]
Divide and mix 1/3 liquor (booze) to 2/3 carmel wate

 

[JckDanls 07]

Here's a recipe compliments of NDSU. IMO they put too much water in their recipe. Don't add the water and don't shoot more than one at a time. Everclear is 180 proof. Slides down easily and kicks like a mule. Now it's time to dance.

Red Eye (Wedding Schnapps)

2 cups of sugar
8 cups of boiled water
1 big bottle of Everclear
Melt sugar in heavy pan until there is caramel color
Stir constantly
Slowly add some hot water [add rest of water later]
Divide and mix 1/3 liquor (booze) to 2/3 carmel wate

Thinking we need to try some of this at the S. Fl. Gathering

 

[bill1]

...impossible to have 200 proof grain alcohol without the addition of benzene, which is a known carcinogen...

Simple distillation gets you to 191 proof. That's the standard for pure grain alcohols and makes a fine punch or to fortify a weaker brandy...it's silly to want higher than that for personal consumption.
I think your friend is referring to the fact that water and ethanol are azeotropes at 191 proof--the mix behaves like pure alcohol at that point. Benzene used to be one of several separation agents to break the azeotrope to get to higher purity for science or industrial sake. Now days you can use molecular sieves or pressure gradients to jump the azeotrope. It's all part of the field of azeotropic distillation.

 

[PulledPorkSandwich]

Simple distillation gets you to 191 proof. That's the standard for pure grain alcohols and makes a fine punch or to fortify a weaker brandy...it's silly to want higher than that for personal consumption.
I think your friend is referring to the fact that water and ethanol are azeotropes at 191 proof--the mix behaves like pure alcohol at that point. Benzene used to be one of several separation agents to break the azeotrope to get to higher purity for science or industrial sake. Now days you can use molecular sieves or pressure gradients to jump the azeotrope. It's all part of the field of azeotropic distillation.

You're miles ahead of my understanding. My friend and I talked about this almost 40 years ago; I'm sure things have changed since then.

I misread your previous post, where I thought you were saying your grandpa favored 200 proof hooch. I was reacting to that. I just went back and read your post again; that's not what you were saying. Never mind...

 

[JIMSMOKES]

Did somebody say 190? Lets go back in the way back when I was young. We use to get 3 gal fruit punch/hawaiian punch, 1 gal of orange and a 1/2 gal of pineapple juice, along with a large can of fruit cocktail. Mix a 1/2 gal of eveclear 190, a fifth of 151 rum, and a pint of vodka. Soak fruit overnight in mix. Next mornin mix all ingredients with one bag of ice in cooler. Then head to whatever sight you wanted to have a party at. LoL

 

[SaintClarence27]

Greetings everyone,
I've recently started a small bourbon/whiskey/scotch collection and am shooting to add to it. So, what's your favorite bourbon/whiskey etc. under ~$50. Bonus points if it's widely available. This is my current meager collection:
View attachment 522066

I like Achentoshan 12 (Single malt scotch).

 

[JckDanls 07]

Did somebody say 190? Lets go back in the way back when I was young. We use to get 3 gal fruit punch/hawaiian punch, 1 gal of orange and a 1/2 gal of pineapple juice, along with a large can of fruit cocktail. Mix a 1/2 gal of eveclear 190, a fifth of 151 rum, and a pint of vodka. Soak fruit overnight in mix. Next mornin mix all ingredients with one bag of ice in cooler. Then head to whatever sight you wanted to have a party at. LoL

We called it ''RED GOD DEMMITT'' ... cuz the next day was never good... clothes all stained red... biggest head ya ever had... amongst other things