Bourbon and spicy food

I'm not suggesting a new culinary pairing with the title. I was just thinking that, for me, my love of spicy food and my love for bourbon have always seemed to be extremely similar. In the privacy of my own head, they're practically the same thing. A natural gravitation towards strong flavors, heat, pain and pleasure at the same time. It's not something you simply consume while focused on other things; both have of way of grabbing you by the throat, making you focus for a brief moment on something intense and divine.

I wonder what percentage of people on SB.com find themselves in similar shoes. Just because they're similar to me doesn't mean everybody else thinks the same. Anyone?

I love spicy food and bourbon, though not simultaneously, as I find the food usually overpowers any subtlety the bourbon might have. While I can see the connection, I don't typically experience pain when drinking bourbon, unless you count the draining of my wallet when I drink the good stuff.

-Kevin

I like bourbon and spicy food.
I find that the lingering burn of capsiacin accentuates the sweetness in some spirits and amplifies the alcohol burn.

It can make a tame bourbon bite.

Adds a rye-like character to wheaters.

Kind of fun to mess with my tastebuds. Kind of like looking through tinted glasses. It throws everything off, but you see things in a different way.

Yes, I've always equated the two myself. They both often have a good kick to them and they're not for everyone. (Then again, what is...) I often consume the two side by side but I have to wait for the heat to die down from the food before I take a sip because if I don't then all I can taste, or rather feel, is the alcohol burn and the burn from the food with little or no flavor from either.

I rarely drink bourbon or any other spirit with meals. I prefer bourbon before or after a meal. I usually drink wine, beer or water with meals.

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Originally Posted by Martian

I rarely drink bourbon or any other spirit with meals.

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That's an entirely different ballgame for me. Were I to have a spicy dish as a meal bourbon or rye would be the last thing I reach for. When I eat spicy food and drink bourbon I'm usually snacking on some pretty spicy jerky.

It really depends on the food. There's some spicy foods that seem to multiply their heat with bourbon, overwhelming the flavors of both. Sometimes they just clash. But when it works, it's wonderful. I have especially fond memories of moderately spicy BBQ lamb and VWFR Rye.

I have had bourbon and branch (Turkey and water) with hot wings. Not a bad combo. But for the most part I'm a big sissy when it comes to spicy food.

I have tried spicy dishes (spicier than I would normally eat) with bourbon neat because someone, I believe someone on this board, had advised that the alcohol would cut the capsiacin, as it is more soluble in alcohol than water. I didn't enjoy it.

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Originally Posted by ILLfarmboy

I have had bourbon and branch (Turkey and water) with hot wings. Not a bad combo. But for the most part I'm a big sissy when it comes to spicy food.

I have tried spicy dishes (spicier than I would normally eat) with bourbon neat because someone, I believe someone on this board, had advised that the alcohol would cut the capsiacin, as it is more soluble in alcohol than water. I didn't enjoy it.

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But I would bet than you'd have enjoyed it even less, without the WT.