Balcones Baby Blue

[wadewood]

Randy (doubleblank) & I went out for a drink last night at one of our favorite watering holes, Poison Girl. The owner has a fantastic bourbon selection and we always ask what is new. The bartender mentions Balcones Baby Blue Corn Whiskey. We examine the bottle and see this is distilled in Waco, TX. 100% Hopi blue corn and aged in new oak barrels; so this could also be called bourbon?

Randy had a pour and I had a sip. This did not see much time in that barrel, very young and smelled of white dog. Still, I love to see this craft distilling effort and hope aging will improve this whiskey.

http://balconesdistilling.com/babyblue

They also had the latest BTEC, the course and fine grains which we sampled as well.

[cowdery]

Interesting. On their web site, they say "by legal definitions it could be labeled as a bourbon." This cannot be true, since the two terms are mutually exclusive. Because it is labeled as corn whiskey, it must have been aged in either used or uncharred new barrels, so it can not be called bourbon.

Could you taste anything that suggested the blue corn is providing a unique flavor?

[wadewood]

Chuck - I think I saw on the bottle that it said new oak barrels. I don't know think it mentioned anything about char.

If have blue and yellow corn tortillas and if blindfolded I would have not been able to tell the difference. So, no I did not pick up anything to me that make me think blue corn. Better ask the the other 2 time BTOY his opinion.

[CajunKY]

Wouldn't it have to be aged at least two years as well to be called bourbon? How long does this see a barrel?

[wadewood]

Wouldn't it have to be aged at least two years as well to be called bourbon? How long does this see a barrel?

Actually, it has to be aged 2 years to be Straight Bourbon. To be called Bourbon is could spend just 1 seconds in barrel and be dumped. Nobody does this because of the cost of the barrels and the taste.

[CajunKY]

Actually, it has to be aged 2 years to be Straight Bourbon. To be called Bourbon is could spend just 1 seconds in barrel and be dumped. Nobody does this because of the cost of the barrels and the taste.

I stand corrected.

[cowdery]

The barrels, if new, may have been toasted but they were not charred.

[doubleblank]

At the risk of buying into any marketing hype I may have read on the bottle, I'd say this one has a softer, more balanced flavor than other corn whiskeys I have had. Not as sweet as others I've tasted too. But is that attributable to the blue corn, or the 30 seconds it spent in the barrel, I don't know. As Wade said, it is a pretty good white dog. I'm hopeful they have held some in reserve to release as "Pubescent" Blue.

Randy

[theDon]

Stopped in a couple of stores in Waco on Tuesday hoping to try a bottle of this. Found it no cheaper than $39.99 a bottle. For some CORN WHISKEY, in a fancy bottle. In WACO where it is made no less. Screw that. I will make the trip to Oklahoma and get some more Mellow Corn for $7.99 a bottle.

[rbialaska]

I live in Waco. I do not claim to be a connoisseur of whisky or bourbon. Forty years ago I drank the cheap Canadian stuff, switched to Old Charter because it was free and since have been a loyal fan of Makers Mark, Black Jack, Wild Turkey, and Woodfords. Black Jack being my favorite until I bought this Baby Blue just because I was curious and because it is made in Texas. Its all of want now and all I buy (one observation made by me and several friends - this stuff is the color of horse pi...)!!! My 93 year old father in law says it tastes like the moonshine he bought in North Louisiana as a young man. It reminds me of the shine I've drank from Mississippi. I thought I'd save money if I bought some of the cheap corn whisky in pint jars in my local liquor store. Not even close. Gave it to my nephew. Now I'm stuck buying $39.00 corn whisky. Anyone recommend a cheaper alternative with a similar flavor? I still can't believe I prefer this over Black Jack.

[funknik]

Interesting. On their web site, they say "by legal definitions it could be labeled as a bourbon." This cannot be true, since the two terms are mutually exclusive. Because it is labeled as corn whiskey, it must have been aged in either used or uncharred new barrels, so it can not be called bourbon.

I thought anything with 80% or more corn in the mash was automatically labeled as "Corn Whiskey". Is that just standard practice, or is it a dictated law?

[barturtle]

I thought anything with 80% or more corn in the mash was automatically labeled as "Corn Whiskey". Is that just standard practice, or is it a dictated law?

The law requires for corn whiskey both 80% or more and either a used or new uncharred barrel, bourbon requires 51% or more corn, it could be 100% corn, and a new charred barrel.

[funknik]

The law requires for corn whiskey both 80% or more and either a used or new uncharred barrel, bourbon requires 51% or more corn, it could be 100% corn, and a new charred barrel.

So, there is a possibility of an overlap situation if a whiskey with 81% corn in the mash was aged for the appropriate amount of time in a new charred white oak barrel . . . thanks for the clarification, Timothy.

[barturtle]

So, there is a possibility of an overlap situation if a whiskey with 81% corn in the mash was aged for the appropriate amount of time in a new charred white oak barrel . . . thanks for the clarification, Timothy.

No, there isn't...if it was aged in a new charred oak barrel, it's bourbon.

[theDon]

I live in Waco. I do not claim to be a connoisseur of whisky or bourbon. Forty years ago I drank the cheap Canadian stuff, switched to Old Charter because it was free and since have been a loyal fan of Makers Mark, Black Jack, Wild Turkey, and Woodfords. Black Jack being my favorite until I bought this Baby Blue just because I was curious and because it is made in Texas. Its all of want now and all I buy (one observation made by me and several friends - this stuff is the color of horse pi...)!!! My 93 year old father in law says it tastes like the moonshine he bought in North Louisiana as a young man. It reminds me of the shine I've drank from Mississippi. I thought I'd save money if I bought some of the cheap corn whisky in pint jars in my local liquor store. Not even close. Gave it to my nephew. Now I'm stuck buying $39.00 corn whisky. Anyone recommend a cheaper alternative with a similar flavor? I still can't believe I prefer this over Black Jack.

Like I said, Mellow Corn. It's is $7.99 a 750ml. You can make a run for the Oklahoma border or have you local store order it. It's a Heaven Hill product. There is no reason the Balcones Blue should be $39.99, not if the company wants to stay in business. I would buy it at about $15.99. That is the max for corn whiskey and that is just because it's Texas made. There is tons of bourbon that costs $15.99 that is better than damn corn whiskey.

[barturtle]

Like I said, Mellow Corn. It's is $7.99 a 750ml. You can make a run for the Oklahoma border or have you local store order it. It's a Heaven Hill product. There is no reason the Balcones Blue should be $39.99, not if the company wants to stay in business. I would buy it at about $15.99. That is the max for corn whiskey and that is just because it's Texas made. There is tons of bourbon that costs $15.99 that is better than damn corn whiskey.

I like corn whiskey, I have no issues with some of them being pricey...I know of several very expensive bourbons that I like a lot less than some very un-pricey corns. I let flavor be the deciding factor, not the price.

[wadewood]

interesting - here in Houston this is going for $24.99 at several retailers.

[theDon]

interesting - here in Houston this is going for $24.99 at several retailers.

[cowdery]

I'm not sure what they're charging for it but Glen Thunder Corn Whiskey, out of Finger Lakes, is very good, better than the Heaven Hill corns.

[theDon]

Hopefully when the distillery becomes more established the prices will come down. I do my best to support the Texas distilleries, but all the vodka and rum I buy out of Austin is $15. I wouldn't think the little bit of aging and blue corn they use would justify the $39.99 price tag. Unless I'm way off? I've made a few batches of corn squeezins at home and it cost a couple bucks a liter.

[cas]

It's featured at the Bourbon House in New Orleans in a couple weeks. Here's snippet from the announcement I got:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Baby Blue Whiskey Dinner with

Master Distiller Chip Tate

Wednesday, January 26th · 6:30PM

Bourbon House · $75 inclusive

For reservations, call 504-274-1829 or

email nobs@bourbonhouse.com

Join us for dinner on Wednesday, January 26th as NOBS hosts a four course dinner paired with Baby Blue Whiskey. The first Texas whiskey on the market since Prohibition, Baby Blue is the only blue corn whiskey made in the world, providing a new and innovative twist on whiskey making.

Master Distiller Chip Tate from Balcones Distillery will join us to lead a tasting and give behind the scenes insight on Baby Blue and three other spirits from the distillery's portfolio. All will be paired with a delicious menu created by Executive Chef Darin Nesbit, beginning with Texas-inspired passed hors d'oeuvres and a specialty cocktail, and followed by four courses paired with straight pours.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They have these dinners regularly, but I only get to New Orleans sporadically. Long haul from MI.

Craig

[wadewood]

Balcones recently came out with a product called True Blue. It's a barrel proof version, around ? 127 proof. It's also a darker, so I think has more age. I tried this at Poison Girl and like it - plan on buying a bottle. I think it is about $55 at Specs.