September is National Bourbon Heritage Month, and it’s always interesting to brush up on the history of this American classic. The first thing you need to know is that for whiskey to be considered bourbon, it has to meet certain qualifications.
The main requirements are that it must be made from a grain mixture that contains at least 51% corn, be distilled to no more than 160 proof, be aged in charred, new American oak barrels, and be made in the USA.
We love ginger - it adds complexity to any drink: warming and a little sweet with a good bite. Lucky for us, our friends atChimes Gourmet sent us some of their delicious ginger chews to try out in a variety of tasty flavors. We particularly enjoyed the Cayenne Lemon, described as: Cayenne Lemon goes to 11! Other ginger chews can't get over over the cliff, but cayenne is your jam! When you need a kick, that little extra spice from Cayenne in our ginger chew candy is the answer."
“A challenging course with a mellow feel,” was how my wife described Dunegrass. This was an especially poignant observation, as my wife had never played a day of golf in her life. She has recently become more likely to be my travel partner, photographer, destination selector, chef, and mixologist on these trips than a hardcore competitor. However, while I misread greens, confused doglegs, and got us lost in our pursuit of the tenth tee, she was googling reviews and chatting up locals and members. She is developing a love of the game and its culture, and that is so very good for me. At one delightful point during my round my sweet wife delightfully input my score of six remarking, “not bad honey, your last one was an eight!”
Old Orchard Beach, Maine is often associated with carnival vibes. However, its incongruent restrictions on open containers on its beaches make it an ideal location for field testing Highcamp Flask’s Firelight 750. From most angles within ten or so blocks of the pier, passersby can see the spinning Ferris Wheel and the whirling, twisting lights of another such ride that draws crowds of sticky-fingered children herded by red Solo cup adults. This is not my scene, but I begrudge those who seek it out not at all. Give me the quiet cove of sand behind the family sun tents and castle-crushing waves where I recline unnoticed while taking it all in.
And the winner of our Tequila Time Summer Cocktail Contest is... drumroll please... the Huckleberry Mountain Smash. The creator also shared his inspiration for this tasty drink:
Bitters have been called the ‘salt and pepper’ of the cocktail world, offering added punch and balance to elevate the experience of the beverage. Their acid phosphate is used as acidifying agent in cocktails were lemon or lime is not desired, due to expense, cloudiness, or flavor profile.
Whether it's after laps on the track, or for just making it through the work week - if you need the perfect drink to celebrate, this delicious Go Fast Bourbon Smash recipe we made is always a good choice. We've used ourPappy & Co Bourbon Maple SyrupandHIRSCH Whiskey to make it extra tasty, and you can win all the ingredients in ourGo Fast Father's Day Giveaway, along with all of these awesome prizes:
Rye Recipes - We are proud to be partnering with Caltrout for their23rd Annual Trout Camp Galathis year. As a part of the event, we have mixed up some tasty drinks to sip on while you show your support of California's rivers and fish. These are also great recipes to pack in our Firelight750or375for your next fishing trip and enjoy riverside in between casts.
Bourbon Recipes - We are proud to be partnering with Caltrout for their23rd Annual Trout Camp Galathis year. As a part of the event, we have mixed up some tasty drinks to sip on while you show your support of California's rivers and fish. These are also great recipes to pack in our Firelight750or375for your next fishing trip and enjoy riverside in between casts.
Our friends at Nosotros Tequila shared this simple but delicious "Caliente con Nosotros" recipe with us to celebrate Cinco De Mayo. While we never need an excuse to enjoy some good tequila, this holiday plus the nice kick from this spicy twist on a margarita is good enough for us to say por que no? Salud!
Graduating into the world of sipping fine spirits is a right of passage that often takes place right around the time that the cap and gown come off. I began crafting my palate for whiskey as my college housemates and I decided to work our way through the Spaghetti Western movies during our senior year of college. For the first time we were sipping bourbon instead of shooting it, and it felt, well, adult. It also burned a little, but we got used to it.
