Pappy's Moonshine Madness

[HighTower]

I got a pack of 3 Barbeque sauces as a gift, and one of them is called "Pappy's Moonshine Madness". Hot barbeque sauce with Kentucky Bourbon. Made by the Kentucky Cookout Company. www.BourbonQ.com
I tried this tonight, and although it isn't tame, the quote "so friggin' hot, you'll go blind" need not apply


I was wondering, with the name, what bourbon is added....do they put Pappy 20 in this stuff?? Julian?

Scott

[camduncan]

A true favourite with the "Chilli Heads" at work.... of which, I must say, I am one. We probably use this sauce on just about everything - Fried Rice, Meat Pies, Hot Dogs... you name it, the lads at work have added this to it. Now, if you start using Blairs MegaDeath Sauce as your every day dippin' chilli, that'd get their attention.
As for what bourbon is used in the sauce, I can't answer that. But I do know the folks that run the company were real friendly and quick to reply when I emailed the 'contact us' section of their web site asking about ingredients (and addatives that I'm allergic to). Perhaps they can supply an answer?

[cowdery]

They obviously have done a good business with Australians, as they specifically mention "Aussies" on the front page of their web site.

Interesting. Got me thinking about how this is done, legally. First of all, any food that contains bourbon (or any spirit) has to contain a very minimal amount, at least in terms of alcohol content. It's also possible the alcohol is all or mostly cooked off in the processing. I feel confident that they have to start with actual bourbon if they say that on the label, and not just some "bourbon essence" flavoring.

I recall seeing a TV show about a bakery that makes a cake saturated in Jack Daniel's and they were pouring the whiskey from the bottles, suggesting that food processors who use whiskey as an ingredient may have to buy "finished" product, probably at wholesale but possibly even at retail. As opposed to them buying a barrel directly from a distillery, for example.

I know even during Prohibition there was an exception for bakers, who were allowed to buy and use a certain amount of spirits, specifically rum, for confections.

The three tier system in the USA is pretty rigid, so I doubt food producers can buy directly from a distillery. That's why I suspect they have to buy bottled product from a wholesaler. Obviously, if there is branding involved, they have to have a licensing arrangement with the producer.

I'm sort of having a conversation with myself here, but this got me thinking about how this might work. There is a lot of this sort of thing, some of it generic and some of it branded. Both Van Winkle and Maker's have licensed cigars soaked in their product. Van Winkle had a deal going with a fish smoker in Louisville. Heaven Hill's gift shop is full of products that contain a little bit of Evan Williams or Elijah Craig. There is a beef jerky on the market that's soaked in Jim Beam. Beam, Maker's and Daniel's have a ton of licensed products, although some (oddly) contain no whiskey. The Jack Daniel's mustard, for example. The label describes the quality of JD and says the mustard's makers "bring this same standard of excellence to our Tennessee Honey Dijon Mustard recipe," which, it so happens, is made in North Carolina.

I can say this with some confidence, that if the label just says "bourbon" they aren't using Pappy Van, or anything else in that price range. It's more like Evan Williams Black Label or something even lower shelf than that.

[barturtle]

Interesting. Got me thinking about how this is done, legally. First of all, any food that contains bourbon (or any spirit) has to contain a very minimal amount, at least in terms of alcohol content. It's also possible the alcohol is all or mostly cooked off in the processing. I feel confident that they have to start with actual bourbon if they say that on the label, and not just some "bourbon essence" flavoring.

The label claims "less than 3% the max the Feds allow"

[HighTower]

On the ingredients section on the back it has listed Kentucky Bourbon 0.45%

Scott

[cowdery]

At that level, can you taste anything you would describe as tasting like bourbon?

[camduncan]

At that level, can you taste anything you would describe as tasting like bourbon?

Chuck, I can not recall ever tasting anything like bourbon in the sauce. Of course, I wasn't really looking for it as I purchased a bottle due to it's possible chilli content.

Last week I found a few bottles of their BourbonQ sauce on the shelf at a local retailer, so I'll try that with some steak tonight and reply back on how it tastes.

[HighTower]

Chuck, I had some last night, and I definitely didn't taste any bourbon in it. It is quite a strong flavored sauce, I have had hotter but the spice in it I think would kill any bourbon flavor.

Scott

[Pastor Bourbon]

Then again, why not just make your own and control the ammount of chilli and Bourbon, and have a sauce the really kkicks as a result of fresh ingredients???

[Pastor Bourbon]

Woo Hoo ... I'm an Apprentice