#bourbon county brand

[auraeseer]

Cut the grass first . . .

[thedaily-beer]

A pour of Goose Island's 2012 Bourbon County Brand Stout on tap at Miller's Pub in Chicago. A 4 of 4. At 12 years old, this is honestly better than any other BCBS I've had over the years, I think. Super well-integrated, and tons of smoke, roast, oak, and bourbon throughout. A heavy-hitter at 15%, but sips easily and while complex, the flavors work perfectly together. Convinced me to seek out more older Goose Island if given the opportunity.

[byroniuspunk]

Goose Island Bourbon County Stout 2023 x Eagle Rare

[bourbontrend]

Dive into the world of bourbon with Garrard County Distilling Co.: A New Bourbon Era! 🥃 Led by the visionary Master Distiller, Lisa Wicker, discover how this distillery blends tradition with cutting-edge innovation to create whiskey that captivates and delights. Witness a revolution in the bourbon industry and be part of the journey. #BourbonTrend #GarrardCountyDistillingCo

[reasoningdaily]

16 Black Innovators Who Changed Food Forever

Macaroni and cheese. Ice cream. French fries. Jack Daniel's whisky. Frozen foods in general.

We wouldn't have any of the above foods, plus many others, were it not for Black food innovators and figureheads that have made significant contributions and altered the way we eat and make food today.

Below are just some of the stories of these incredibly talented and inspiring individuals. Some of these names came from research via the New York Times and Food and Wine, but we've also included historical sourcing and context for each person as well. You can click on their names to view those original pieces.

Nathan "Nearest" Green

Known as "Uncle Nearest," Nathan Green was a skilled distiller who mastered the "Lincoln County" process. This method of distilling is thought by food historians and whiskey experts alike to have been brought in by slaves, and uses charcoal to filter and purify foods. The "Lincoln County" process, in particular, uses sugar maple charcoal to filter bourbon.

Green trained hired hand Jasper Newton Daniel (known to the world as "Jack Daniel") while working on a priest's distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee. Daniel eventually made him the first master distiller of Jack Daniel's, the famous Tennessee whisky many people drink today.

While Jack Daniel's shares the story of Green on their website, an all minority-led whisky brand named "Uncle Nearest" continues to build upon his legacy with spirits that use the same distilling technique, but feature Green's name on the bottle.

While Thomas Jefferson is sometimes credited with bringing foods like mac & cheese and ice cream to the United States, Hemings was the one who actually learned to make them. A slave in the ownership of Jefferson prior to his presidency, Hemings traveled with him to France in 1784 specifically to learn the art of French cuisine.

Hemings became the first American trained as a French chef in history as a result, bringing back several dishes to the United States. French fries, ice cream, macaroni and cheese, creme brulee, French meringues, and French whipped cream are just a few examples. These dishes and others would be incorporated in Hemings' signature half-French, half-Virginian style of cooking he became renowned for.

Hemings would later also cook one of the most famous dinners in American history: the one between Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton that settled who would pay for the Revolutionary War and established Washington, D.C. as the United States' capital. He eventually was freed by Jefferson in 1796.

Zephyr Wright

Zephyr Wright was the personal chef for President Lyndon B. Johnson and his family for over twenty years. It was her cooking that made the Johnson household a popular one for D.C. dinner parties.

Wright would follow Johnson to the White House during his tenure, and was in charge of the home cooking in the White House kitchen. She would also temporarily cook all meals, including VIP ones, in between the tenures of two White House Executive Chefs.

Wright is thought to have heavily influenced Johnson's support for the Civil Rights Act of 1964,. Wright was known to have spoken up to the President during his time in Congress about the injustices she faced road tripping between Texas and D.C. during congressional recesses, saying that she was not allowed to use the bathroom in areas she was driving through, and couldn't stop off and eat at restaurants. President Johnson reportedly used some of her stories to convince Congress to sign the bill. He would also give her a White House pen when the act was signed into law.

Leah Chase

The Queen of Creole Cuisine, Leah Chase was the heart and soul of Dooky Chase's restaurant in New Orleans across seven decades. Known for her fried chicken, red beans and rice, gumbo, and other classics, Chase started out in the 1940s when she got a job as a server at a restaurant. She eventually took over the helm and made it a safe haven for anyone to come and eat at.

Dooky Chase's was known as one of the few places that it was publicly okay for races to mix at, since the cops wouldn't bother activists inside the restaurant. Thus, leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, including local leaders and national ones like Martin Luther King Jr., would often strategize while eating there.

Chase would go on to serve presidents like Barack Obama and George W. Bush, along with Associate Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and other influential figures. Disney has even made a movie with a character inspired by her: Princess Tiana of Princess and the Frog.

Abby Fisher

Around the early 1880s, Abby Fisher was known for her award-winning pickles and the Mrs. Abby Fisher Pickle Company in San Francisco. She had at least 35 years of cooking experience, some estimates had it, and the awards she won for her food reflected that.

However, Fisher is probably best known for publishing one of the first cookbooks ever authored by an African-American woman. The book, called What Mrs. Fisher Knows About Old Southern Cooking, contains over 160 recipes and uses the dictated words of Fisher herself.

The cookbook surged in popularity in the late 20th century when a publisher began reprinting it in 1995. Today, it offers a window into these early recipes that places like museums try to recreate for guests to sample.

Edna Lewis

Edna Lewis became a legend while she cooked at Cafe Nicholson in Midtown Manhattan starting in 1949. Her fame and Southern recipes led to guests like Marlon Brando, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Salvador Dali showing up for dinner. After stepping away from the chef's role (as an active partner) in 1952, she would lecture at the American Museum of Natural History while working as a chef and private caterer.

Lewis would later become inspired to write her first cookbook as demand for them grew in 1972. She was one of the first African-American women from the South that would publish a cookbook that did not hide her name, gender, or race. She would go on to publish more in the future, eventually becoming known as the Grand Dame and Grand Doyenne of Southern cooking.

Larry James and Jereline Bethune

The Bethune family, to this day, runs Brenda's Bar-Be-Que Pit in Montgomery, Alabama. Open since 1942, the restaurant would become an important hub for those in the Civil Rights Movement.

After Rosa Parks infamously refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus, Larry James and Jereline Bethune were instrumental in using their restaurant to organize bus boycott efforts around the city. As the movement continued and literacy test laws (meant to curtail the Black vote) were introduced, Jereline would also quietly hold lessons teaching other African-Americans how to read. They were then able to pass these literacy tests and go out and vote.

Alfred L. Cralle

Ice cream today would not be the same without the work of Alfred Cralle. Born just after the Civil War, he had an affinity for mechanics as a young age, and would go study at Wayland Seminary, a school set up after the Civil War to educate newly freed African-Americans.

Cralle would go on to work as a porter at a drugstore and a hotel in Philadelphia, and developed the idea of the ice cream scoop while watching people struggle using two different spoons to get the ice cream into cones. Cralle's mechanical inventional, which is the basis of how ice cream scoops work to this day, was invented in 1897.

Cralle would also become a successful promoter of businesses in Philly, and was the assistant manager of the Afro-American Financial, Accumulating, Merchandise, and Business Association in Pittsburgh.

Ever heard the story of how potato chips were invented to spite a customer at a restaurant? George Crum was the chef at said restaurant, the Moon Lake Lodge resort in Saratoga Springs. A customer came in around the summer of 1853 wanting extra-thin French Fries, frustrating Crum to the point he sliced them as thin as possible, fried them in grease, and sent them out.

The chips became a big hit, eventually becoming known as "Saratoga Chips." While Crum never patented the dish, he did open his own restaurant, "Crumbs House," that served a basket of them at every table.

Chips wouldn't become a grocery product until 1895, and the concept of bagged chips didn't show up until 1926.

Joseph Lee was one of the most influential people when it came to industrializing the way we make bread.

Having worked in a bakery from a young age, Lee eventually became the owner of two restaurants in Boston, as well as a hotel and a catering company. Looking to find a way to minimize bread waste, he eventually invented a machine that would convert day-old bread into breadcrumbs. Patented in 1895, he later sold the rights and the breadcrumb maker would spread across the world.

That wasn't Lee's only invention, however. He would later patent the idea for an automatic bread maker that mixed and kneaded the dough, the basis to the same devices (think, stand mixers) that we still use in our kitchens today.

Lloyd Hall is considered to be one of the pioneers in the world of food chemistry. A pharmaceutical chemist for Griffith Laboratories in Chicago who completed graduate school, Hall would be awarded over 100 patents and received multiple honorary doctorate degrees for his work.

Hall's main area of work came around the development of techniques to preserve food. Some of his most revolutionary patents included using  "flash-dried" salt crystals that revolutionized meatpacking. He also introduced the use of antioxidants to prevent the spoilage of fats and oils in baked goods, and developed a process known as "Ethylene Oxide Vacugas," which could control the growth of bacteria and molds in food.

John Standard was an inventor instrumental in modernizing two pieces of kitchen equipment that virtually every household has today: stoves and refrigerators.

Refrigeration was a concept that was being researched as early as the 1830s, but mainly focused on using some sort of power. Standard's improvement to the fridge, patented in 1891, was an unpowered design that used a manually filled ice chamber as the central cooling unit.

Standard also made significant upgrades to the oil-powered stove, patenting one with a space-saving design in 1889 that could be used in applications like buffet-style meals on trains.

If you've worked in the food industry or any commercial transportation that required keeping stuff cold, you've likely seen the Thermo King brand somewhere in your lifetime. Frederick McKinley Jones was the founder of that company, and inventor of the first automated refrigerated system for trucks.

A skilled and gifted electrician and mechanic, Jones had patents for sixty different inventions across a wide variety of fields, including the portable X-ray machine, motion picture devices, and even medical storage units.

He's most known for the Thermo King, the refrigerated system he invented, because it allowed for fresh goods from around the world to be transported and sold in stores. Jones is essentially responsible for not just all refrigerated transport globally, but also the entire frozen food industry.

Known as the "Oyster King of New York," Downing was most known for his 19th-century restaurant, Thomas Downing's Oyster House. His oyster hall was legendary, with prominent figures like Queen Victoria and Charles Dickens having dined there.

Downing was born a free man, as his parents were freed by plantation owner John Downing. He grew up and was educated on Chincoteague Island in Virginia, and eventually made his way up to New York following the war of 1812. Like many other African-Americans in New York, Downing eventually went into the oyster business, opening his own oyster cellar in the 1820s.

Oyster cellars were the universal food of New York at the time (similar to hot dogs today), but many establishments weren't as trusted as Downing's. That's because he specifically catering it towards the fine dining clientele, with a large dining area, carpet, and chandeliers gracing the hall. Elaborate dishes like oyster-stuffed turkeys and a pan roast made with wine and chili graced the menu.

This, at the time, meant that African-Americans couldn't eat Downing's restaurant, but few were aware of the double life he led. Downing's basement was a key stop in the Underground Railroad, and as an abolitionist, he helped many that were escaping the South in search of freedom. He also led political efforts, funding schools for African-American children and leading the fight in desegregating New York's trolley system.

Downing was so regarded in New York that when he passed away in 1866, the New York City Chamber of Commerce closed so that its members could attend his funeral.

The sugar industry in the United States has Norbert Rillieux to thank for allowing them to become so powerful. Were it not for his inventions, making sugar would still be a time-consuming and dangerous process.

Originally, the sugar refinement process, known as "The Jamaica Train," was dangerous and expensive. Laborers (usually slaves) would transfer ladles of scalding hot sugar case juice between open boiling kettles, often resulting in scalding and terrible burns (anyone who's worked with sugar knows how painful it can be). The result was a dark syrup that was molded into cones and dried before being sold.

From  1834-1843, Rillieux developed a system for refining and crystallizing sugar using a much safer and controlled method, allowing the United States to eventually dominate the sugar market. His process is still used today for freeze-drying food, pigments, and other food products.

Many people know George Washington Carver for the myriad of products he invented that utilized peanuts or sweet potatoes. As an agricultural scientist working in the South, he was also a man responsible for helping revitalize much of the economy in that region.

Working out of the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, Carver was a teacher and a researcher from the late 1890s until his passing in 1943. An early pioneer of crop rotation, he encouraged farmers to plant peanuts in the soil after harvest to replenish lost nutrients, helping farmers improve not just their livelihoods, but their diets as well.

Carver's research and work focused on revitalizing soil and maximizing plant production while keeping costs to a minimum. Outside of agriculture, he was a massive promoter of racial equality, and massive advocate of peanut oil as a potential treatment for polio. While never proven, the claim was widely circulated in media, and eventually turned into a "Peanuts for Polio" fundraising effort that helped raise money for medical care and benefits for children affected with the disease.

Following Carver's passing, then-Senator Harry S. Truman sponsored legislation that would lead to the construction of the George Washington Carver National Monument. It was the first-ever national memorial to an African-American.

[trivialbob]

Today I did some shopping that, despite today being Saturday, qualified for Black Friday deals. Whew! You just never know when retail stores are going to have another sale.

One of my favorite stores in Minneapolis is Nokomis Shoes. It occupies three small storefronts in a quiet South Minneapolis neighborhood. Beside a huge selection of top quality shoes, it has some nice clothes, bags, socks, gifts, etc. All are nicer brands. I bought this winter hat I'm currently wearing.

A Pendleton sweater begged to go home with me, but I wasn't sure I really needed it. Maybe tomorrow I'll go back, since the store is not far from the airport dog park. The young people who work at Nokomis Shoes could easily face off with the Chick-fil-A youngsters in the championship of picking the nicest, most helpful without being annoying, pleasant employees.

I had not been to the range in a while, so later I took time to punch 150 holes in sheets of paper. Two young men in the lane next to me had rented some hand cannon. Its noise was jarring. Just as I was going to go add foam ear plugs under my over-the-ear protection they switched to a small caliber pistol. I think they didn't want to spend a lot of money on expensive ammunition and only went through 50 of the big ones.

This evening we're getting a light dusting of snow. The yard is still greenish, but the driveway is white. It's seems extra quiet outside. This puts me in a mellow mood.

I've got a small steak cooking in the sous vide. With it I'm having this Bourbon County Stout stout from Chicago's Goose Island Brewery. The label says this is the O.G. of bourbon barrel aged stouts.

The label instructs to enjoy in a snifter. Being a rule follower, I will use the correct glassware. It's not a big bottle (and I only bought one), so my small snifter will make me think I'm having two servings instead of one.

Gosh, I am still wearing this hat inside the house. It's super warm.

[rabbitcruiser]

National Bourbon Day 

Nobody really needs a good excuse to enjoy the odd tipple, but National Bourbon Day gives anyone the perfect reason to dust off a bottle of this fine whiskey and have a glass or two!

Those who are less steeped in the culture of alcoholic beverages may not know the difference between bourbon and whiskey, which is certainly okay! This is the perfect day to learn. National Bourbon Day has been set aside as a day to learn about and appreciate this fine liquor which some people refer to as the “Spirit of America”.

It’s time to celebrate this American ‘Native Spirit’!

History of National Bourbon Day

Legend has it that the date on which National Bourbon Day is celebrated is the anniversary of the very first time this famous drink was distilled, way back in the late 1700s. It may only be a legend but, whatever the truth of this is, National Bourbon Day is surely a day worth celebrating.

Bourbon is a specific category of American whiskey, which is made from a mash that is primarily corn based–at least 51% must be corn in order for it to be classified as bourbon. Other grains in the mash typically include malted barley, rye or wheat.

The mash is then distilled, then aged for at least two years in barrels that are new charred oak barrels, in order to be “straight bourbon whiskey”. Many bourbons are aged longer than 2 years. In fact, one labelling rule states that any bourbon aged for less than 4 years must state as much on the label.

This is a very strong liquor. The corn mash to make the bourbon starts out at 80% alcohol and, through the aging process as well as filtering and bottling processes, the final product can be no less than 40% alcohol by volume.

Bourbon definitely originated in the US state of Kentucky, sometime in the 1700s, before it even had acquired its official name. The name seems to be a nod to the French Bourbon Dynasty, and possibly was in honor of Bourbon County, an area of Kentucky that was known for its corn growing.

While some people think that bourbon must be made in Kentucky (like cognac must be made in a certain region of France) that’s not actually true. It simply needs to be distilled and aged in the state in order to be given the special name, “Kentucky Bourbon”.

Even so, most of this drink is still made in Kentucky and folks from that area would claim that it’s definitely the place where the best bourbon comes from. Some Kentuckians even claim that the limestone in the springwater from the area offers this bourbon a flavor distinguished from the rest.

In 1964, the US Congress recognized bourbon as a “distinctive product of the United States”. In fact, many trade agreements require that, to be called bourbon, a whiskey must be made in the USA.

As bourbon whiskey began to grow in popularity, the tourism around this drink began to increase in Kentucky. At one point, to keep up with demand, some companies were planning to reduce the alcohol content of their products, but backlash from customers forced them to reverse their decision. Some companies have limited their supplies overseas to keep up with demands in the US. That means that Kentucky still probably is the best place to get bourbon!

While it is true that all bourbons are whiskey, not all whiskeys are bourbon. And National Bourbon Day is certainly the best day to find out more about this tasty beverage and enjoy a glass as well.

How to Celebrate National Bourbon Day

Celebrating National Bourbon Day is filled with fun, enjoyment and, of course, access to different bourbons of the world! Try these celebratory ideas for enjoying the day:

Try a Different Kind of Bourbon

Those who are new on the scene, welcome! It’s time to try bourbon of any variety. For those who are enthusiasts and aficionados, National Bourbon Day is the perfect time to try a new brand, flavor or vintage of this special whiskey.

Knob’s Creek. Whether choosing the 9-year, or the more sought-after 15-year, this brand is well known for its small batch varieties that everyone seems to love.

Evan Williams Black Label. A great taste for a newcomer, this affordable brand brings 86 proof whiskey that is aged more than 5 years.

Jim Beam’s Old Grandad. Mid-range price and 114 proof is super spicy and appreciated by those who want to avoid the “hype” of fancier brands.

Join a National Bourbon Day Event

There are plenty of events and options for whiskey lovers and their friends (even those who don’t know much about whiskey) to get in the swing of things and enjoy this special day. Hotels and restaurants often enter into the spirit of the occasion by organizing a dinner in honor of Bourbon.

Hop on the National Bourbon Day website for more information and events.

Visit the Bourbon Capital of the World

Bardstown, Kentucky has been hailed by some to be the “Bourbon Capital of the World”. Because of this, it may just be the perfect place to visit for a National Bourbon Day celebration. With at least 10 different distilleries in the area, Bardstown offers an eclectic array of bourbon options, including: Bardstown Bourbon Company, Maker’s Mark Distillery, Jim Beam American Stillhouse ahd Heaven Hill Distillery.

National Bourbon Day events typically last over two or three days, hosting tastings, demonstrations, and expert discussions. While in town, don’t forget to stop by the Oscar Getz Museum of Whisky History, which is a special place for bourbon enthusiasts.

Those who can’t make it to Kentucky but want to join in from home can access the National Bourbon Day video library for recorded and virtual events.

Try Some New Bourbon Cocktail Recipes

A great idea for celebrating the day is to entertain family and friends by trying out some old or new Bourbon cocktail recipes.

Bourbon Old Fashioned. A classic, of course, but always amazing. This drink includes bourbon, bitters, water, sugar, and a garnish of orange peel.

Bourbon Mint Julep. Another Kentucky favorite known for its attachment to the horse race, the Kentucky Derby, this refreshing drink simply calls for simple syrup, mint sprigs, bourbon and crushed ice.

Bourbon Manhattan. Named after the city that never sleeps, this iconic American drink just begs to make with America’s Native Spirit! Mix bourbon whiskey, sweet vermouth and bitters. Garnish with a maraschino cherry and orange peel.

Bourbon Sidecar. Normally made with cognac, this American-ized version of the drink is just as tasty. Shake together bourbon, triple sec and lemon juice with ice. Garnish with an orange twist.

No matter what the plans are for the day, it’s easy to add a little splash of whiskey to an evening meal to make National Bourbon Day a night to remember!

Source

[pulsdmedia]

The Week Ahead 1/21-1/28

It's cold, but nothing is hotter than this week in the city! There's sensational soirées, new adventures, delectable drinks, drool-worthy food, and so much more. It's all waiting for...YOU!

We Can't Get Enough Of Drunk Shakespeare

If you are looking for a cozy night out full of laughs, you just cannot beat these $29 tickets to Drunk Shakespeare. Head to The Ruby Theatre, where a cast of 5 actors present scenes from Shakespeare’s plays with an improv flair. The catch: one of the actors will do five shots before they perform! Yup, you know what comes next...

Portrait Workshop with Daniel J Vasquez

Portraits in Diverse Environments is an immersive workshop designed to elevate portrait photography skills using Samsung devices. Hosted at Samsung 837 and led by Daniel J Vasquez, this session will explore the art of capturing compelling portraits within varied scenes and settings!

$19 Top Shelf Distillery Tour With A Whiskey Tasting

Nothing warms you up from within like whiskey! The oldest whiskey distillery in New York City since prohibition, The New York Times-praised Kings County Distillery invites you to an exclusive 75 minute experience for their Top Shelf Tour, all so you can sip, savor, and indulge, treating your senses to something spectacular! The experience includes an exclusive, intimate tour of this iconic location, plus a Tasting of 4 Whiskeys - we're talking the Moonshine, Straight Bourbon, Peated Bourbon, and another surprise whiskey you'll surely adore. Sip your way to bliss...

Networking Night for Entrepreneurs

Give a little, get a lot. That's the idea behind referral marketing - so it's no surprise that it's a rising force for brand promotion. Find out what's hot for customer referral marketing in 2024, and how you can apply these trends to your brand. You'll learn how to get ahead of the game by unlocking the hottest 2024 trends!

$59 Rooftop Moroccan Nights Experience For 2 + Food & Drinks

Let your senses by transported to a Moroccan paradise in the sky at Elsie Rooftop! Treat yourself to their heated & enclosed Rooftop Moroccan Nights Immersive Experience that includes Appetizers, Mains, and Spiked Teapots filled with tea-infused cocktails. Belly dancers will transfix with their hips while singers swoon with their songs, so get lost in the enchantment and let your woes drift away in the stars...

Book Swap with McNally Jackson

Kickstart your reading goals with an in-person Book Swap cohosted by McNally Jackson. Bring your gently used books and exchange them for new reads or donate your books for all ages in one of the donation bins. Grab a drink, connect with fellow bookworms, and expand your literary horizons.

[bike2hops]

12/10/2023 (NBS): Goose Island Beer Company (Chicago, IL ) "2023 Bourbon County Brand Bananas Foster Stout" aged in Bourbon barrels with bananas, almonds, and cassia bark (13.9%)

[brandonsdrunkagain]

All cans, one bottle! Juice Equals Juice collab from Great Notion Brewing and Equilibrium Brewing, Day Donkey Pale Ale, Zongo Double IPA and 21 Hopsilo Series IPA from Tampa Bay Brewing Company, Extra Sauce Lemonade Shandy from Pariah Brewing, Biscotti 2022 Bourbon County Brand Stout from Goose Island, Island Beats Tropical IPA from Lagunitas, Mandarin and Mango Crush IPA from Dogfish Head, Banger Double IPA from Saint Arnold Brewing and finally a 19.2 oz Dales Pale Ale from Oskar Blues!

[rhinokck]

Day 24 of round 2 of my beer advent calendars. Started with the Celtic Style Wheat Ale from State of Brewing. I had never had a Celtic Style Wheat Ale but it was pretty good. Secondly was the Bourbon County Brand Stout. This was very tasty but very boozy with a heavy bourbon flavor. The hot sauce of the day was Smoked Jalapeño Hot Sauce.

[auraeseer]

. . . on the county seat.

[nwbeerguide]

A collaboration between Paso Roble's Calwise Spirits and Firestone Walker Brewing Company is finally out! Introducing Axe Hole Single Malt Whiskey.

Press Release

Paso Robles, CA: Calwise Spirits is excited to unveil its latest neighborhood collaboration with Firestone Walker Brewing Company—a special-edition “Axe Hole” Single Malt Whiskey, distilled from a mash of traditional brewing grains and aged for three years in American oak barrels.  

Only 100 cases of Axe Hole Single Malt Whiskey ($75) were produced from a total of three barrels. It is available at the Calwise Spirits tasting room in Paso Robles as well as online at CalwiseSpirits.com. 

The Axe Hole Single Malt Whiskey comes from an all-barley sour mash fermented by Firestone Walker and distilled by Master Distiller Aaron Bergh at Calwise Spirits, which is located just a mile from the brewery in Paso Robles. In keeping with the requirements of American single malt whiskey, it was aged in all-new American oak barrels prior to blending and bottling. Bergh also held some additional barrels back for a second bottling to come in 2025. 

“A lot of people associate single malts with the peaty character of traditional Scotch, but ours is closer to a bourbon with these vanilla and caramel notes that you get from the charred American oak,” Bergh said. “I love how smooth and unique it turned out, with these beautiful fruit and cola notes that can only come from the sour barley mash provided by Firestone Walker.”

Bergh added, “The brew side often gets overlooked when it comes to distilling, but it’s foundational. It was fun to get out of the way and let the masters of brewing handle that side of things, and it’s why this whiskey tastes so good.”

This is the second collaborative spirit created by Calwise Spirits and Firestone Walker, following the limited release of “Old Tom” gin in 2022. 

“These collaborations are another way for us to deepen our artisanal roots and share what we do with a friend and neighbor,” said Nick Firestone. “We’ve been working with spirits barrels for nearly 20 years to create our barrel-aged strong ales, and we see this as an extension of that tradition.”

# # #

 Master distiller Aaron Bergh was destined for this adventure. During Prohibition, the Feds shut down his family’s moonshining operation—but not for very long. A century later, the law came knocking again, because the college authorities didn’t appreciate Aaron making hooch in his dorm. Calwise Spirits is Aaron’s ode to this renegade heritage, and a nod to his homeland of coastal California. Now established as one of the youngest master distillers in the world, he has created a line of premium spirits that embody the essence of the Golden State, infusing them with native ingredients that provide a pure taste of liquid California. Visit CalwiseSpirits.com.

Founded in 1996 by brothers-in-law Adam Firestone and David Walker, Firestone Walker is a second-generation, family-led brewery based on California’s Central Coast. Helmed by highly decorated Brewmaster Matt Brynildson, Firestone Walker's main brewery in Paso Robles produces a diverse portfolio including 805, California's #1 craft beer brand; Mind Haze, a top 5 national hazy IPA; and Cali Squeeze, one of the nation's fastest-growing beer brands. The Firestone brand family also includes iconic beers such as DBA, Union Jack, and Pivo Pils, as well as the storied Vintage Series of barrel-aged strong ales led by Parabola. As a California beer company, Firestone Walker also has two additional locations: the Barrelworks wild ale cellar in Santa Barbara County and the Propagator R&D brewhouse in Venice. Firestone Walker was recently named “Best American Brewery of the Decade” by Paste Magazine. More at 805beer.com and FirestoneWalker.com

[thehungrykat1]

Sue Bee Pure Honey Relaunches With New Look and New Logo

Sue Bee Pure Honey, America's leading honey brand since 1921, recently unveiled the new look for its products during its Grand Relaunch held at the Grand Hyatt Manila in Bonifacio Global City. The delightful event captured the essence of a traditional American county fair which included games, cocktails, and indulgent dishes prepared using Sue Bee Honey.

The exclusive launch event was held last July 5, 2024 at the Grand Ballroom of Grand Hyatt Manila. Global Strategic Partners Distribution Inc. (GSPDI), the exclusive distributor of Sue Bee Honey in the Philippines since 2000, also presented the new look of Sue Bee Pure Honey, a look that is fresh, exciting, and designed to captivate a new generation of consumers and honey lovers.

The Sue Bee County Fair was hosted by Rovilson Fernandez, who also enlightened us with the history of the company. Sue Bee Honey's story began in 1921 in Sioux City, Iowa, when five beekeepers pooled their resources to form the Sioux Honey Association. Their collaboration has since grown into a cooperative of 200 beekeepers across the United States, many of whom have passed down their craft through generations. Today, the Sioux Honey Association is renowned for producing pure, high-quality 100% USA honey that customers around the world trust and love. GSPDI distributes various Sue Bee Honey variants, including Premium Pure Honey, Orange Blossom Pure Honey, and Aunt Sue’s Raw & Unfiltered Wildflower Honey.

The festive County Fair atmosphere was enhanced by lively music, traditional county fair games, and captivating entertainment, creating an unforgettable experience reminiscent of a classic American town festival.

I got to participate in some of the county fair games like the Crazy Ball Toss, the Bean Bag Toss, and even Tic-Tac-Toe. I also won prizes for winning some of the games.

Guests were treated to free-flowing beverages and cocktails infused with Sue Bee Honey. There was Honey Lemon Iced Tea and Honey Lemonade for the non-alcoholic drinkers as well as mocktails like Sunset in the City with honey, pineapple, lemon, and grenadine.

The cocktail selection included Bee's Knees with its combination of gin, honey, lemon, and martini. There was also the Air Mail which had rum, honey, lemon, and Prosecco, plus the Sue Green with its healthier combination of honey, green apple, cucumber, ginger ale in a highball glass.

Joining us at the table were our friends from the media including Anton Diaz of Our Awesome Planet, Gerry San Miguel aka Dude For Food, Philip Cu-unjieng from Manila Bulletin, and our host Sunny Ku of Mastermind Asia Communications Inc.

The launch featured an array of food stations serving traditional American dishes, each thoughtfully crafted to showcase the versatility and rich flavors of Sue Bee Honey. The Pizza station featured its Pepperoni Pizza and Quattro Formaggi Pizza slices which were perfectly topped with Sue Bee Pure Honey.

There were also plenty of Char-Grilled Beef Burgers made with Swiss cheese, caramelized onions, pickled gherkins and honey relish smothered between freshly baked brioche buns. You can also get the Chicken Burger instead if you prefer chicken patties.

I loved these Crispy Fish Fingers served together with French Fries. It really felt like an American town party with all the delicious American food.

My favorite dish at the Sue Bee Country Fair was the 78 Hours Slow Cooked Beef Brisket with bourbon honey barbecue sauce. These were smokey and juicy, just the way I like my barbecues. They were served with Char-Grilled Corn on the Cob with spiced cream cheese.

Another popular item was the Southern Style Honey Barbecue Char-Grilled Chicken in Skewers. It's so easy to grab and eat these skewers so I did go back for seconds.

Then there's the Mango Wood-Smoked Barbecue Pork Ribs in Cajun honey glaze which was the centerpiece of the buffet stations. These humungous ribs are doused in a very yummy Sue Bee honey glaze that is just perfect for them.

For desserts, guests were able to try several sweet treats like the Sue Bee Honey Yogurt Tart and the Sue Bee Honey Dalandan Cake.

Other desserts on the table included the Sue Bee Honey and Orange Cake and the Sue Bee Honey Florentine Cake. All these items were made using Sue Bee Pure Honey so they really tasted awesome.

Aside from all the food stations displayed at the County Fair, there were also some fun games played on stage for eager participants. There was an eating challenge where the fastest to finish their ribs and burger plate wins. A raffle was also held with several prizes awarded to lucky winners.

The highlight of the event was the unveiling of Sue Bee's new product logo, marking an exciting milestone for the brand. The redesigned packaging is modern and vibrant, reflecting the dynamic lifestyle of today's consumers. It aims to stand out on the shelves and appeal to both long-time fans and new customers. The new look is a testament to Sue Bee Pure Honey's ability to evolve with the times while preserving the authentic taste and trusted purity that has made it a household favorite for nearly a century.

Sue Bee Pure Honey continues to offer the same pure, high-quality goodness that families have loved and trusted for generations. The commitment to quality remains unwavering, with every jar containing 100% USA honey made by dedicated beekeepers who uphold a tradition of excellence. With this exciting launch, Filipino consumers can now enjoy the rich, pure flavors of Sue Bee Pure Honey, a brand with a storied history and a commitment to quality that spans over a century.

In addition, Sue Bee Pure Honey is thrilled to announce its raffle promo entitled "Discover Sweet Sensations." To join, customers can purchase any Sue Bee Pure Honey variant at their favorite supermarket or grocer, snap a photo of their purchase and receipt, and send it to the Sue Bee Pure Honey Facebook page along with their complete name, mailing address, email address, and contact number. Participants will then have the chance to win an exciting, all-expense paid getaway for two persons with three days and two nights to one of the Philippines' most sought-after paradise destinations. Make sure to look for the new redesigned Sue Bee Pure Honey bottles at your favorite groceries and supermarkets and join this exciting raffle promotion. Congratulations Sue Bee Pure Honey on your successful relaunch!

Sue Bee Pure Honey

Facebook: @SueBeeHoneyph

Instagram: @SueBeeHoneyph

[cksmart-world]

SMART BOMB

The Completely Unnecessary News Analysis

By Christopher Smart

April 23, 2024

THONG BIKINIS — CHEEKS AHOY, RIO COMES TO ZION

Remember the “Girl from Ipanema?” In Brazil they've been wearing thong bikinis for quite a while now. You've seen the pictures, all those tanned butts up and down the beach. That's what you expect in Rio de Janeiro. Well Wilson, it's hard to believe but thong bikinis have come to the states — and even right here in Utah you see bare butts all over the place. Rio comes to Zion. Luckily the “Word of Wisdom” has nothing to say about thong bikinis. And we're not talkin' one here and there. Go to the park and take a gander at the young women sunning themselves. It's butts up. No Wilson, we don't know if there is a special butt-tanning lotion, but there could be a good business opportunity there. You could call it Cheeks Ahoy. Makes you wonder what young kids are going to think around the pool come summer. Hey mom, why is that lady's butt hanging out? Look away, Bobby. But mom, why does she have that thing in her butt crack? Bobby here's some money go get a candy bar and don't hurry. Butt-crack bikinis can be attractive — or not. Beautiful butts are in the eyes of the beholder. Speaking of which, there's trouble on the horizon. Hold on to your California baggies, soon men will be wearing thong bikinis. Yecht. You're right, Wilson, that's just wrong.

TIME TO KILL OFF THE HOMELESS

There are too many homeless people and it's high time we get rid of them. They're camping everywhere and using parks for restrooms and they drive real estate down. The U.S. Supreme Court soon will consider making homelessness illegal. The idea would be to ticket them and fine them and even jail them. HUD estimates there are some 650,000 homeless but the reality is closer to 1 million. Luckily there are some good ideas out there. One is to drive them like cattle to Canada. Another is to hire the Israelis and force them into the sea, kinda like Gaza. Or we could just send them all to Phoenix, Ariz. where they would soon burn up. But right now homelessness is legal following a ruling from the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals: “[T]he Cruel and Unusual Punishments Clause of the Eighth Amendment precludes the enforcement of a statute prohibiting sleeping outside against homeless individuals with no access to alternative shelter.” If the Supreme Court lets that ruling stand the whole country could look like San Francisco or New Delhi. Of course, about the time Ronald Reagan moved into the White House homeless people were hard to find. But what's the sense in talking about what causes homelessness when we can just outlaw it and send them to the Galapagos.

DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH

Salt Lake City's Rio Grande district is a miracle waiting to happen... and waiting and waiting and waiting. Walt Disney took a barren chunk of land in Souther California and turned it into a magic wonderland. Well image the magic makeover the mayor and city could could do for the Rio Grande district — once home to the homeless and an open-air drug market. You may be pleased to know there are brand new plans for the area just west of the historic Rio Grande Depot. It's going to be swell — even more sweller than the last plan that wasn't implemented. It'll be something like Bourbon Street in New Orleans sans the Bourbon and the beads. With a cost $5 billion it will be so cool as to be unbelievable. Many of the details are under wraps, but sources who wished to remain anonymous tell Smart Bomb that plans include coordinating transportation systems with a wild mouse connecting Front Runner to the light rail — people could jump off at Festival Street. OK, what is Festival Street? Much like Main Street U.S.A. at Disneyland, it will feature fun stuff for the whole family, like Mr. Toads bridal gowns, Bear County lingerie and Frontierland Gun Shop. But like it has been for decades, plans remain in flux. For updates check back in 2028. It's going to be so cooooool. Just wait.

Lost script — Alright that's going to do it for another fun-filled week here at Smart Bomb where we keep track of the room temperature at Trump's “hush-money” porn star trial so you don't have to. Fact is, it's just damn cold in there. But even with the AC on blast the former president keeps dozing off. His defense team is working feverishly to come up with ways to keep him awake, including putting chili powder in his Gucci loafers and Bengay in his Jockeys. Something burning? Here's an item from our “New Celebs”-file. “The Devil Wears Prada” and so does Caitlin Clark. At the presser where she announced signing with the Indiana Fever, the b-ball scoring phenom who was No. 1 in the WNBA draft, was outfitted by — you guessed it — Prada. She cut a stylish figure sporting a double white satin shirt and skirt with an embroidered rhinestone mesh top — the first basketball player to be dressed by the luxury label for draft night. Prada isn't paying her, but Nike is. Clark has reportedly signed a eight-year, 28 million dollar deal with the shoemaker. That should help make up for her $76,000 WNBA salary. Just imagine, five years ago she was a kid trying out for the Iowa women's basketball team. You're right Wilson, that's one heck of an education.

Well Wilson, swimsuit season is upon us. Soon there will be a lot of flesh on display. At the pool and the park young folks will be working on tans and the side-effect called skin cancer. Utah has the highest skin cancer rate in the nation. For real. But forget that for a minute and get the band to play a little something for our soon-to-be thong-wearing friends:

Tall and tan and young and lovely The girl from Ipanema goes walking And when she passes Each one she passes goes - ah When she walks, she's like a samba That swings so cool and sways so gentle That when she passes Each one she passes goes - ooh But I watch her so sadly How can I tell her I love her Yes I would give my heart gladly But each day, when she walks to the sea She looks straight ahead, not at me Tall and tan and young and lovely The girl from Ipanema goes walking And when she passes, I smile But she doesn't see She just doesn't see, she never sees me...

(Girl From Ipanema — Lyrics written in Portuguese by Vinicius de Moraes, 1962, with music by Antonio Carlos Jobin. English lyrics written by Norman Gimbel, 1963.)

[jaxbeerguy]

A Rich Legacy: Bourbon County Brand Stout

In the world of craft beer, certain names resonate with an air of reverence and anticipation, capturing the hearts and palates of enthusiasts across the globe. One such name that has become synonymous with innovation, quality, and a captivating history is Bourbon County Brand Stout (BCBS). From its inception to its present-day iterations, BCBS stands as a testament to the artistry of brewing and…