Bookers - pretty tasty

[ILLfarmboy]

Probably the best thing that can be done for Bookers is already ageing in Beam's wharehouses. Some time ago Chuck informed us that Beam started distilling to brand and that the distilate that will become Bookers is coming off at 125. If I recal the time frame correctly, we've got another six and a half to seven years to wait.

A double digit age statement? Why over-age a whiskey that isn't particularly high in cogeners and fusil oils.

Maybe I'm prejudice. I'd rather not see NAS bottling on the one end and over-aged over oaked whiskeys on the other, with fewer and fewer median age (6-8 year olds) to choose from.

Oscar, you're welcome to some ice cream, if you don't have any hang-ups about raw eggs and unpasteurized dairy. I picked up 10 gallons of milk this morning.....they're in the fridge, I'm .....Just waitin' for the cream to rise. It should be good and ready by late morning tomorrow. (I need a small cream centrifuge) I even have several vanilla bean pods that I'll split and scrape down adding all of those flavorful specks. I'm quite proud of my home made ice cream. Everyone who tries it, loves it.

[Bourbon Boiler]

Booker's is probably to Beam what the Corvette is to Chevrolet.

Very good point and analogy.

[OscarV]

Oscar, you're welcome to some ice cream, if you don't have any hang-ups about raw eggs and unpasteurized dairy. I picked up 10 gallons of milk this morning.....they're in the fridge, I'm .....Just waitin' for the cream to rise. It should be good and ready by late morning tomorrow. (I need a small cream centrifuge) I even have several vanilla bean pods that I'll split and scrape down adding all of those flavorful specks. I'm quite proud of my home made ice cream. Everyone who tries it, loves it.

My recipe calls for raw eggs also and condensed milk, whipping cream, vanilla, sugar, fruit(mashed bananas are my favoriye, 2nd is strawberries) and top off the measure with whole milk.

The only draw back is that it doesn't keep well, it seems to spoil in the freezer as soon as the next day, so ya gotta eat it all up the day it's made. But that's not a problem.

[cigarnv]

I would gather that Booker's may possibly outsell all the other barrel proofs combined...... if that is the case and I was Beam I wouldn't change anything....

[rocky480]

Booker's is probably to Beam what the Corvette is to Chevrolet.

I think that is a great analogy for Booker's. My experience with it is that I thought it was the best of the best before I got a little real education on bourbon. Ironically, I never really enjoyed it because it always came off as way too hot for me, even when I cut it with water. The bottle I currently have open (about one pour left in it) is pretty flat and unimpressive, and I might bring myself to finish it off tonight to clear out the space. I'll give it a shot again, but it's not something I'll be in a hurry to get.

As far as Beam is concerned, as others have posted, I'd guess they're pretty happy with Booker's as it is. A bourbon enthusiast would know better, but the average consumer probably thinks (like I used to) that it is one of the best bourbons around. For example, a good friend of mine got married three years ago, and he had to have a bottle of Booker's on the bar for his guests. There were more than a few at the wedding that thought it was the best bourbon you could buy and probably still think that way. After all, Booker's is a barrel proof product, it comes from Beam, it carries a high, but not too high price tag, everybody knows Beam makes the top selling bourbon in the world, so it must be the best bourbon around. None of this is meant to be a knock on Beam. I just wish they would do more for the market that reads and posts on this board than they currently do. I also think they get some credit for introducing people to something other than Maker's and Beam white label. I doubt that I'd be a member here today if it weren't for products like Knob Creek and Booker's.

Mike

[cigarnv]

I find Bookers does vary from lot to lot with some being very good and others so-so. I am currently drinking on a lot I found some years back and bunkered up on that to my palate is very good.... it was also about $32 back then if I recall properly.

B95-C31 7 years 9 months 126.7 Proof

[gblick]

Booker's is probably to Beam what the Corvette is to Chevrolet.

Where does that put OGD114?

[OscarV]

Booker's is probably to Beam what the Corvette is to Chevrolet.

Where does that put OGD114?

I would say the Impala SS.

Like OGD 114 the Impala SS has some kick and is good enough to keep you level.

[OscarV]

I agree Oscar. I haven’t had it for years ether for the same reasons as you and I have never bought a whole bottle, but it seem high time to give it a new chance.

Leif

You know, I have not considered it until now that you mentioned it, I just might pick one up one of these days.

[OscarV]

My recipe calls for raw eggs also and condensed milk, EDIT->half-n-half<-EDIT, vanilla, sugar, fruit(mashed bananas are my favoriye, 2nd is strawberries) and top off the measure with whole milk.

The only draw back is that it doesn't keep well, it seems to spoil in the freezer as soon as the next day, so ya gotta eat it all up the day it's made. But that's not a problem.

Half-n-Half?

WTF was I thinking, that should be Whipping Cream, whip it up with the eggs.

Is there a proof reader button to click on?

[camduncan]

Half-n-Half?

WTF was I thinking, that should be Whipping Cream, whip it up with the eggs.

Is there a proof reader button to click on?

Consider it changed Oscar :grin:

[squire]

Bookers was the favorite of a late friend of mine so I kept a bottle available for when he came by to visit. We shared Bookers for years and my impression never changed from the first sip, which is to say the Beam profile only more so. I once dubbed it Beam with a college education.

[imbibehour]

My personal feeling is that it is too much for what it offers. I'd spend my money elsewhere but that's just me. I like the coffin it sits in :drinking: