Mixing whiskey

[ddoekim]

Do SB drinkers ever mix their bourbon/whiskey with a beverage/soda? Or is it a sin to waste good glass of whiskey and drink that way?

I have a friend that always wants to pour his whiskey with a can of soda, never drinks it neat

If you do mix what is a good whiskey to mix with cola?

[DonutsNBourbon]

blasphemy! but honestly, it's your bourbon, drink it however you want. however, if you were to mix bourbon, I'd probably not use anything over a lower shelf bourbon, but that's just me.

[Coop776]

I occasionally mix bottom shelf stuff with either Ginger Ale or diet coke. EW BiB is a good mixer and its $12 a 750 here. It's also good neat, obviously, so it's a great dual purpose bottle.

[Paddy]

The only thing I mix bourbon with... is more bourbon (or sometimes a little rye whiskey:grin:).

To each their own, but at this point in my life I'm too far gone to be messing with perfection.

[jsrudd]

I don't like mixing with sodas, but bourbon and cranberry is very good (especially if you use a wheater). Cranberry juice is hard to find or very expensive in Tokyo, so I don't drink them much anymore, but they do make a good cold weather drink.

Edited June 12, 2015 by jsrudd

[Richnimrod]

Don't let anybody... "experts" here, included... tell you how your own Bourbon (or any other spirit) is to be enjoyed.

This site is peopled by Bourbon aficionados for sure, and many think (privately, I trust) that mixing a decent Bourbon with soda is sacrilegious. That is just an opinion.

No such "rule" exists. The guideline is, and always should be; "Drink YOUR Bourbon any way that gives you pleasure". Personally I wouldn't mix soda with any really good Bourbon because it tastes so darned great by itself, I wouldn't want to mask that goodness. Now, to say I never drink Bourbon mixed with soda just ain't true. I've occasionally mixed EWB with ginger ale and find it a refreshing summer cooler. Have FUN with your Bourbon; that's my advice.

[kjbeggs]

There are days when it's just too hot, so I'll have have a glass of Lemonade or Ginger Ale with some bourbon.

I don't think of it as adding a mixer to my whiskey, but adding a little kick to my lemonade!

I'll use Larceny (which is also just fine on it's own), or something similar.

Then there's the occasional bottle I just don't like, which ends up being a mixer (usually for guests )

[ddoekim]

I see two EW posts.

Will have to get purchase

Thanks!

Don't let anybody... "experts" here, included... tell you how your own Bourbon (or any other spirit) is to be enjoyed.

This site is peopled by Bourbon aficionados for sure, and many think (privately, I trust) that mixing a decent Bourbon with soda is sacrilegious. That is just an opinion.

No such "rule" exists. The guideline is, and always should be; "Drink YOUR Bourbon any way that gives you pleasure". Personally I wouldn't mix soda with any really good Bourbon because it tastes so darned great by itself, I wouldn't want to mask that goodness. Now, to say I never drink Bourbon mixed with soda just ain't true. I've occasionally mixed EWB with ginger ale and find it a refreshing summer cooler. Have FUN with your Bourbon; that's my advice.

I occasionally mix bottom shelf stuff with either Ginger Ale or diet coke. EW BiB is a good mixer and its $12 a 750 here. It's also good neat, obviously, so it's a great dual purpose bottle.

[dboland]

Every bottle I don't like neat becomes a mixer, usually with coke zero and some grenadine or with ginger ale.

[smokinjoe]

It has been written many times that Elmer T. Lee often drank his bourbon with 7-Up. I believe I have also read that was his preference, actually.

So my thinking is that if you want to mix your whiskey with soda, you are in good company.

[VAGentleman]

In talking with Fred Noe he told a story about his Dad Booker. A lady asked him if it was OK to drink good bourbon with Coke. Fred thought his Dad would go off on her telling her it was sacrilegious. Instead he told her if you mix the best bourbon in the world with Coke, you'll have the best bourbon and coke in the world. Drink it how YOU like it.

[dcbt]

Personally, the only thing i ever mix with is a little water to dilute some caskers down a bit. But similar to what others have said, it's your whiskey, drink it however you like it best.

[Flyfish]

Every bottle I don't like neat becomes a mixer, usually with coke zero and some grenadine or with ginger ale.

Are there intermediary steps such as trying it with a splash and then a cube or do you go straight to mixing it? Bottles I don't like get a second chance. And a third. I try not to reach a conclusion until I am half way through a bottle because my palate tends to adjust itself. This has happened so many times over the years that I have learned to be patient. Stuff that disappoints on Tues. may be wonderful by Thurs.

[jonhalter]

As has been said many times, if you like to mix, go right ahead. Living in FL its HOT. I have a mixed drink probably twice a week. Its fantastic after mowing the lawn or relaxing by the pool. My usual mixer is EW Black, or bottles I have tried to like, and just dont. I just finished a family size VOB BIB and I mixed 70% of it. 4RsmB also makes a great mixed drink. Now, I still prefer my bourbon with an ice cube most days, but on those other days, it just wont do. Drink what you like, how you like it.

[meadeweber]

I drink all my bourbon mixed. I don't know how you guys can drink it neat. My go to's are EHT Cured Oak and Coke and Pappy 15 and Grape Crush.

[tanstaafl2]

It has been written many times that Elmer T. Lee often drank his bourbon with 7-Up. I believe I have also read that was his preference, actually.

So my thinking is that if you want to mix your whiskey with soda, you are in good company.

Nah!!! It was Sprite! :cool:

Actually don't know if it was 7-Up or Sprite or that it would even matter between the two. Just always heard Sprite when that story was told. In any case I agree it is how you prefer it. I make a lot of bourbon based cocktails and have been know to use Sprite with bourbon and ginger beer with rye on occasion.

But usually it is neat or with a few drops of water as needed.

[dboland]

Are there intermediary steps such as trying it with a splash and then a cube or do you go straight to mixing it? Bottles I don't like get a second chance. And a third. I try not to reach a conclusion until I am half way through a bottle because my palate tends to adjust itself. This has happened so many times over the years that I have learned to be patient. Stuff that disappoints on Tues. may be wonderful by Thurs.

[Thig]

I drink all my bourbon mixed. I don't know how you guys can drink it neat. My go to's are EHT Cured Oak and Coke and Pappy 15 and Grape Crush.

[smokinjoe]

Nah!!! It was Sprite! :cool:

Actually don't know if it was 7-Up or Sprite or that it would even matter between the two. Just always heard Sprite when that story was told. In any case I agree it is how you prefer it. I make a lot of bourbon based cocktails and have been know to use Sprite with bourbon and ginger beer with rye on occasion.

But usually it is neat or with a few drops of water as needed.

[BourbonGuy]

It was mentioned above, its 90 degrees, your hot and sweating. Do you really want to be sipping bourbon "neat"? Having said that, I did sip it neat wiht a glass of cold water. I sometimes use Evans Williams Black at $13 a liter to mix. Not a Coke fan. I prefer Ginger Ale.

[TunnelTiger]

Well it also helps if you store a bottle in the freezer so as not to melt the ice cubes too fast.

[Tony Santana]

I almost NEVER mix it, rarely use a cube, often use a little water. But I often/usually have a big glass of cold water to drink while I have my bourbon neat. As others have said, drink it how you like it. As the weather heats up, I may try mixing some of my lower shelfers with some ginger ale.

[KyleCBreese]

I saw somewhere that someone had made ice cubes/spheres out of ginger ale and used them in their bourbon. I am going to try that this weekend or the next.

[squire]

I don't know how you guys can drink it neat. My go to's are EHT Cured Oak and Coke and Pappy 15 and Grape Crush.

Can't say I would go that far, the nuances of Pappy 15 could be overshadowed with full horsepower soda. Now diet Grape Crush, that's a different story.

[Thig]

It was mentioned above, its 90 degrees, your hot and sweating. Do you really want to be sipping bourbon "neat"? Having said that, I did sip it neat wiht a glass of cold water. I sometimes use Evans Williams Black at $13 a liter to mix. Not a Coke fan. I prefer Ginger Ale.

If its 90 and I am hot and sweating I usually grab an ice cold beer, but if its 90 and I am kicked back in my recliner with the AC blasting, yeah a bourbon neat sounds pretty good. It's been said already but in the end, drink what you like.