I Drink Bourbon At Work

[TexasPride]

OK.

Hi to all. I am impressed greatly with this site and its constituants.

I have already stolen one of your moderator's sigs for my posting on another message board (University of Texas).

So... I pour my first bourbon and soda around 7:00 AM. I work in a small office and I am in straight commission sales. I find that it takes the edge off of the pressure of the job, and lets my personality come out in its fullest (I am almost 100% onthe phone).

Anyway, I go through a lot of Bourbon at work (though not by many of your standards I am sure). I finish off a 1.75 liter bottle every 3-5 days.

I was wondering what you folks would suggest as the best of the cheap bourbons. I need to go cheap because I: a)Mix it with soda, b)Don't really have the ability to appreciate it here at work, and c)Need it to take the place of dinking straight soda to actually quench thirst.

SO- what are your suggestions?

In most humble anticipation, I wait for comments.

[TexasPride]

BTW, My employer is fully aware of my current personality improvement plan. He drinks Canadian whiskey. At work. Every day. He will occasionally ask me if I need more as he is running errands.

It's a good job.

Unfortunately, we are not hiring right now.

[Paradox]

For the price and the availability of 1.75's (its hard to find many bourbons that are 'good' in 1.75's) I would go with Buffalo Trace (I think it was around $32 for a 1.75 last time I saw it in KY) and many people like Elijah Craig 12 year. (Somewhere about $28 for a 1.75 I think) I'm not too crazy for the Elijah Craig but many love it, even my dad, which amazed me. So there's just 2 choices for you to look for...

[cowdery]

First, I want your job.

Second, nothing with alcohol is good for hydration so bourbon won't really quench your thirst unless that was just a euphemism.

Third, I always find Old Fitzgerald a good value choice, especially the bottled-in-bond. Likewise I think Very Old Barton (VOB) is available in Texas, which is a very high quality value-priced bourbon, also preferable in the bottled-in-bond expression. I guess you don't say you're in Texas, but if you're anywhere in the South, VOB should be available. If it's not, you might try Hiram Walker's Ten High, which is VOB's little brother. Not quite as good, but a good value for the money. Evan Williams is another good value choice. You might also tell us what is available in your area and price range in the 1.75 and let us pick our recommendations from that list.

[TexasPride]

Thanks for the help, I will give 'em a shot, so to speak.

[Barrel_Proof]

Hats off to you for the funniest pair of postings made here in quite some time--especially the second one about the boss. I had a real good laugh.

As for 1.75s, you are in luck, because Spec's in Houston has one of the best selections of jugs in the country. I agree with Chuck that Old Fitz and the Evan Williams 90 are fine bargains at less that $20, but give some thought to some of the other jugs that Spec's has available, including Old Charter 10yo at $26 and Weller 12yo at $31. Spec's even gives you a 5% break for paying by cash or check. Here's the link to their bourbon listings Spec's bourbons, and this group does not include what they call "boutique" bourbons Spec's boutique bourbons.

Enjoy! And thanks for the hilarious posts.

[CL]

Being the southern gentleman that I am, I will refrain from yelling , but I find this post hard to believe. Anyone who puts down that much liquor in 3 - 5 days is not one to be envied. If they don't have health problems now, they will get them in the future.

Besides, if the post is honest, what does it matter how good the bourbon tastes if it is mixed with soda, is not really appreciated (his words), and is needed only to let his personality come through? Heck, for those reasons, any bourbon will do. Even grain would suffice.

My apologies if I have offended anyone, including you, TexasPride, but I just thought a contrary opinion was needed here.

Ok, I will now get off my

[cowdery]

You're entitled to your cultural bias, as that's what it is, and I don't intend to offend you, but I respectfully submit that consumption of 350 ml to 583 ml per day, especially spread out over many hours, does not per se strain credulity. I have known many people who consume at similar levels and in similar manner without serious problems. Diluted with water, buffered with food and spread over many hours, an adult male should be able to process that volume of alcohol with little difficulty. Alcoholism is seldom definitively indicated or caused by a particular volume of consumption. Texaspride's habit probably doesn't represent the healthiest of dietary choices, but by no means is it automatically indicitive of a drinking problem.

I also disagree with your conclusion that bourbon "mixed with soda, is not really appreciated." Unless by "soda" he means a sweetened and flavored soft drink, as it does in some parts of the country, plain soda water, like still water, merely dilutes. It doesn't mask flavor.

In pioneer times, what TexasPride describes was quite common. In fact, daily consumption of 1 L and more was not uncommon. The liquor was drunk throughout the day, typically diluted or chased with water, and many in that era claimed that the hard labor characteristic of their lives would have been unbearable without it.

Consider to the history of drink in the military. Before the 17th century, the ration in the British Navy was one gallon of beer or wine a day. Because beer and wine took up too much space, Admiral Blake introduced brandy instead of beer in about 1650. Rum replaced brandy in 1687 following the conquest of Jamaica. The ration then was half a pint of rum twice daily. One British Pint equals 568 ml. In 1785, the U.S. Congress authorized a daily spirits ration for all troops of one gill (about 4 ounces) per day. A few years later it was cut to 1/2 gill, then subsequently increased back to 1 gill. It went back and forth like that a few times. By Act of March 2,1819, "an extra gill of whiskey or spirits" per day was allowed to "noncommissioned officers, musicians and privates" engaged in "work on fortifica*tions, in surveys, in cutting roads, and other constant labor, of not less than ten days." The daily spirits ration in the U.S. Army was eliminated in 1832.

Few Americans today drink during a normal workday, but I can remember when that wasn't the case. Remember the "three martini lunch"? It wasn't a myth and the people who did it weren't all alcoholics.

Obviously, I don't know if there was an element of fiction in TexasPride's story, but as he correctly stated, from accounts in this forum, many members here consume 350 ml to 583 ml every night in front of the television.

[koji]

Hi guys,
As a bourbon bar owner here in Japan I drink and work for 7 or more hours everynight.The best part about it is that the customers buy the drink they pay I drink,part of the job!
Most of the time its Elijah or Turkey,Roses,name it we got it.Sometimes when they get there bonus at work the Virgin 21 comes around.

I'll say it again its part of my job!He He!
Do you think I enjoy this all.

Koji

[CL]

Ok, I'll admit I was a bit cranky last night.

As for your post, thanks for the history. I didn't know how common it was to drink all day.

As for the amount of bourbon, I didn't do the math on the 1.75L every 3 - 5 days, but seeing your numbers, it doesn't seem as bad as I originally thought. Still, it seems to me that there would be a negative effect. I know that in the past when I have put down a 750ml over a week's time, I do feel a negative cumulative effect. But, that's me and my metabolism may be different. (BTW, I am 5'11" and 205 lb.)

As far as soda goes, I was referring to soft drinks (Cokes, etc.) that would mask flavor. I hadn't thought of soda water which would not mask flavor as you mentioned.

As far as "appreciating", I was just referring back to what TexasPride said "a)Mix it with soda, b)Don't really have the ability to appreciate it here at work". I wasn't referring to anyone mixing soda with bourbon. Heck, I have no qualms how folks drink their bourbon.