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Some like it cold

Unread postPosted: Sat Oct 16, 2004 9:06 pm
by britan
I like my bourbon very cold, in fact I usually keep some in the freezer. I find this really brings out more ofthe bourbon's subtle flavors.

Anyone else do this?

BTW, at the end of the Buffalo Trace they give two samples...one at room temp, the other chilled.

Unread postPosted: Sun Oct 17, 2004 11:30 am
by britan
Guess I'm alone on this one :lol:

Unread postPosted: Sun Oct 17, 2004 12:01 pm
by Mark
Damn, I meant to reply to this Brian but got too damned busy. :oops:

In the summer I tend to like my bourbon chilled but in the winter it is straight right out of the bottle. When I do drink it chilled in the summertime though, I usually add a few chips of ice; I've never tried the freezer. I've meant to just never have.

Unread postPosted: Sun Oct 17, 2004 12:10 pm
by bunghole
Brian,

When I'm just drinking to be drinking I'm an on the rocks guy. Serious tasting requires room temp. & neat in specialized glassware.

ima

Unread postPosted: Sun Oct 17, 2004 3:15 pm
by tlsmothers
Never done that. On my way to the freezer now. Hmmm...which bottle is the lucky ice chamber candidate?

Unread postPosted: Sun Oct 17, 2004 8:15 pm
by angelshare
I also consider bourbon on the rocks my default pouring style, but I have never tried the freezer. Do you find that certain brands are better "frozen?" If I were going to put a bourbon in the freezer, which should I try there first?

Unread postPosted: Sun Oct 17, 2004 8:35 pm
by bourbonv
Legend has it that the reason Wild Turkey was so good on that first turkey hunt was because it was very cold and the whiskey got very cold before they drank it. I have heard Elmer T. Lee say that he has put bourbon in the freezer before as well. I don't like it that cold myself and I drink it neat.

Mike Veach

Unread postPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2004 8:19 am
by OneCubeOnly
I've never tried the freezer trick with anything but vodka. I prefer bourbon either straight (for serious tasting) or with a tiny bit of ice for casual quaffing (could you have guessed!?)

Unread postPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2004 8:52 am
by Brewer
bourbonv wrote: I don't like it that cold myself and I drink it neat.

Mike Veach


I agree with you Mike. I think excessive cold diminishes the flavors, not only with bourbon, but also with beer. I either drink bourbon neat, or with a bit of water (which is generally my preferred option). Regardless though of our individual preferences, we should all enjoy the way we enjoy it! :salute: :drink:

Bob

Unread postPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2004 11:38 am
by bourbonv
I generally drink it neat but do believe some bourbons demand a little water - Booker's and Stagg in particularly. With that said high proof is not always the determining factor. Some bourbon will have a taste I don't care for and I have to add water to bring about some better flavors. Elijah Craig (12 and 18 yo) is an example of that. They have a tannic bitterness I do not like so I water it down to make it drinkable.
Mike Veach

Unread postPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2004 2:37 pm
by tlsmothers
Well, I just went to the freezer to get out my stash of Van Winkle 10 year 90 and got so excited about this experiment that I dropped it. :( Nice perfume I'm wearing today, but I ain't gonna suck the cold stuff out of my shirt just to see if the freezer made it good. Back to the freezer...

Unread postPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2004 3:21 pm
by TrueBarrel
bunghole wrote: [snip] Serious tasting requires room temp. & neat in specialized glassware.

ima


I agree. I generally drink neat, even with barrel-strength bourbons. Rather than add water to barrel-strength bourbons, I hold the bottom of the glass in my hand and swirl the bourbon around for ten minutes or so to let it warm up and breath. One of the factors I think makes, for instance, Stagg such a standout is that even at high proof it is very drinkable neat.

Unread postPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2004 11:22 pm
by tlsmothers
Put my whiskey back in the freezer. Hours later I go back to begin my experiment. Uh-Oh It was really yummy with those frozen Reese's cups I found in there, as well. :oops: I just got distracted from my whiskey tasting and ate way too much candy. More serious notes to follow later on my experiment sans chocolate peanut butter cups.

Unread postPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2004 11:48 am
by White Lightning
When you say you put it in the freezer - is it safe to assume that you mean the entire bottle goes in the freezer and not servings (like it sounds like others may have intepreted?

Personally I prefer or I should say enjoy - bourbon more in the fall / winter. So in a way I do prefer mine at cooler tempuratures, as I often take a double outside in the winter to enjoy with a fine cigar. I've never employed the freezer technique (yet)

Unread postPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2004 5:14 pm
by The Whiskey Viking
TrueBarrel wrote:I hold the bottom of the glass in my hand and swirl the bourbon around for ten minutes or so to let it warm up and breath. One of the factors I think makes, for instance, Stagg such a standout is that even at high proof it is very drinkable neat.


You're so right. I once attended a tasting with JM. The one thing I remember from that event, was his emphasis on “heating” your whiskey. His rule of thumb was, that you should heat the whiskey for as many minutes as it is years old. Now this tasting was manly scotch, so I don’t know if you should double the time when drinking bourbon. I have found that doing this will make even high proof bottlings drinkable straight.
One thing is sure though, if god ever feels in a good mood and gives me a pour of Pappy 23 I wont wait ¾ of an hour before having a sip. I know self control is a virtue, but… :twisted:

Thomas