Ice...Ice...Baby?

[mross]

I will sometimes use a single small cube in high proof bourbons. The cold does change the flavor profile and the slow melt changes it again. So I find I can very easily extend my enjoyment of a pour by going through these flavors. I start with out it then add it as I go. Works for me.

[The Black Tot]

8 hours ago, flahute said:

Elmer fucking T. Lee liked his bourbon with Sprite. Is anyone here going to tell him he was wrong?

Love the man's life's work. Nuthin' but respect for him and his contribution.

 

Doesn't mean it's mandatory to agree with how he liked to drink it.

 

It's OK to disagree.

 

So yeah, he was wrong   And also, it doesn't really matter.

[beasled]

9 hours ago, flahute said:

Ketchup on corn flakes is wrong. Ice in a Stagg is not.

Elmer fucking T. Lee liked his bourbon with Sprite. Is anyone here going to tell him he was wrong?

People take bourbon way too seriously.  

 

Amen. The opposite of the cube in the Stagg is when bottom shelf toilet cleaners get reviewed in Glencairns, instead of drowned in coke or on the rocks like the makers probably intended...

[FasterHorses]

Neat, room temp. Sometimes water. Very rarely ice but cant imagine doing that to a gts. Last time i used ice  and i liked it i think was with B517 ECBP. 

[Bob_Loblaw]

To play devil's advocate on this topic.  There have been discussions in other threads about those who never drink over ice and whether they would allow a guest to take a premium pour over ice that they themselves always drink neat.  What about the opposite?

 

Say you are at the home of the GTS ice drinker and he offers you a pour of his beloved GTS.  You ask for it neat and he says "oh no, this one has to be drank over ice, or not at all"   Thoughts?  Is this any different then insisting that a pour be served neat?  

[The Black Tot]

To be fair, whether I think it's wrong or right - I don't insist.

 

Putting ice in GTS WOULD dramatically affect the selection process of the next bottle that comes out of the bunker, though.

Edited December 6, 2019 by The Black Tot

[flahute]

7 hours ago, The Black Tot said:

Love the man's life's work. Nuthin' but respect for him and his contribution.

 

Doesn't mean it's mandatory to agree with how he liked to drink it.

 

It's OK to disagree.

 

So yeah, he was wrong   And also, it doesn't really matter.

LOL!

The point I'm trying to make and am obviously failing at is that I'm wary of the culture of "it must always be this way and if it's not it's wrong". This is the path to elitism. After some time people forget why they even think such things and rules are there just because that's how it's always been done. Elmer liked his bourbon with Sprite. Does that mean he never drank bourbon neat? No. Does that mean he thinks everyone should drink their bourbon with Sprite? No. He found enjoyment in that combination and that's what it's supposed to be about.

Do I put ice in my Stagg? At home, no. Out at a bar, maybe a small cube after a few sips neat since I'm not enough of a nerd to carry my water dropper out in public.

Back to the subject of the OP - if it's a gateway for the guy with the big cube in his Stagg to learn how to enjoy it at a more nuanced level, great. If it's just how he likes it, fine. If he's the kind of guy who uses a big cube to water it down too much so he can power through it without really enjoying, well now that's disappointing and I'm with you that it limits what gets pulled out next.

[The Black Tot]

1 minute ago, flahute said:

LOL!

The point I'm trying to make and am obviously failing at is that I'm wary of the culture of "it must always be this way and if it's not it's wrong". This is the path to elitism.

You're not failing at anything. I'm just messin' with ya 'cuz I'm wired on bad coffee and cheap chocolate!

 

I enjoy the odd stroll on the path to elitism. But I'll always be a burgers and rock and roll guy no matter what road I'm walkin'

[flahute]

1 hour ago, The Black Tot said:

You're not failing at anything. I'm just messin' with ya 'cuz I'm wired on bad coffee and cheap chocolate!

 

I enjoy the odd stroll on the path to elitism. But I'll always be a burgers and rock and roll guy no matter what road I'm walkin'

We have to get you off that ship!

[EarthQuake]

9 hours ago, The Black Tot said:

To be fair, whether I think it's wrong or right - I don't insist.

 

Putting ice in GTS WOULD dramatically affect the selection process of the next bottle that comes out of the bunker, though.

While I have strong opinions on ice or soda in whiskey, and don't personally tend to do either, I have never insisted that others do the same. I will share these thoughts with others if they seem interested, but I will always offer water, ice, or to make a cocktail for anyone who is having a drink at my home if I'm unsure of their level of experience with spirits and/or am serving them a higher proof bottle.

 

Where the "you should drink it however you like it!" proponents lose is me is when they act like I'm going to break into someone's house, slap the glass of bourbon and ice out of their hand, and steal their freezer on the way out. This isn't a thing that people do, so no, I don't have to agree with someone else's preference or even accept that it is valid or reasonable, because my opinion about their opinion does not infringe on their right to hold that opinion in any way, shape, or form. If Elmer T Lee or anyone else thinks the best way to enjoy bourbon is on the rocks with sprite, they're wrong, but they're more than welcome to go on continuing to be wrong, especially if they enjoy their wrongness. Similarly, if you think the best tool to frame a house is a tack hammer, you're wrong, but you're more than welcome to do it. Insert something about ignorance and bliss here. 

 

Personally, I think that soda and bourbon is a crime: bourbon and coke together is worse than its individual components. But if that's what you want I'll still pour it for you. I'll probably make fun of you if you come over to my house and will accept nothing but GTS and coke, and I would certainly recommend that you use something else as a mixer. Luckily, this has never happened to me as most of my guests tend to be fairly well educated on spirits, or are on the opposite side of the spectrum and just want me to make them a cocktail, so it's never gotten to the point that I had to consider insisting someone drink in a certain way.

Edited December 7, 2019 by EarthQuake

[The Black Tot]

12 hours ago, flahute said:

We have to get you off that ship!

Not until 2020, I'm afraid

[HoustonNit]

Not until 2020, I'm afraid [emoji20]

Wow that stinks.

[DCFan]

1 minute ago, HoustonNit said:

Wow that stinks.

It's just 3 more weeks and I'm sure he'll have enough set aside to buy another guitar and a case each of bourbon and rum.  

[The Black Tot]

4 hours ago, DCFan said:

It's just 3 more weeks and I'm sure he'll have enough set aside to buy another guitar and a case each of bourbon and rum.  

 

And now I feel a bit predictable! 1 stratocaster, two experimental necks, 50 bottles of rum, and about 11 bottles of bourbon SO FAR... Probably another guitar neck today, dammit!

 

Edit: But it will be closer to 5 more weeks.

Edited December 7, 2019 by The Black Tot

[Harry in WashDC]

13 hours ago, EarthQuake said:

[Snipped a bunch to take one comment out of context.  I'm allowed.  I'm old. heheheh.] 

 

Personally, I think that soda and bourbon is a crime: bourbon and coke together is worse than its individual components. . . . 

I agree with that first part.  But on the rare occasion when I see it happen, I cringe just like I do when my HS friend of 55 years drinks his scotch and diet Coke (OP wanted us to mention feelings so I did.)  RE: the second part - I have to say something -- Old Crow and Coke is DEFINITELY better than Old Crow by itself although I have to admit that Coca Cola by itself is preferable to Old Crow even with Coke.  So, I guess I agree with that part, too.  BUT, while I'll drink JB and Coke, I won't drink Old Crow unless I am paid or dared to do so.

[EarthQuake]

3 hours ago, Harry in WashDC said:

I agree with that first part.  But on the rare occasion when I see it happen, I cringe just like I do when my HS friend of 55 years drinks his scotch and diet Coke (OP wanted us to mention feelings so I did.)  RE: the second part - I have to say something -- Old Crow and Coke is DEFINITELY better than Old Crow by itself although I have to admit that Coca Cola by itself is preferable to Old Crow even with Coke.  So, I guess I agree with that part, too.  BUT, while I'll drink JB and Coke, I won't drink Old Crow unless I am paid or dared to do so.

Yes, exactly! There are certainly bourbons that are improved by the addition of coke, but coke tends to not be improved by the addition of said bourbons. Life is too short for bourbon that needs coke to be palatable. 

[Harry in WashDC]

11 minutes ago, EarthQuake said:

Yes, exactly! There are certainly bourbons that are improved by the addition of coke, but coke tends to not be improved by the addition of said bourbons. Life is too short for bourbon that needs coke to be palatable. 

"Out of the mouth of babes  . . ."  THAT is what I should have typed.

 

EDIT - What YOU typed is what I meant.  I didn't mean I should have typed "Out of . . ."  Uh, do you think I started drinking a little early AND a little to heavily too early?  Don't answer that - How I going to stay awake through dinner?

 

No response necessary.  Is nap time.

Edited December 7, 2019 by Harry in WashDC
TO CLARIFY --

[DCFan]

5 hours ago, The Black Tot said:

 

And now I feel a bit predictable! 

If I told you where I just retired from you’d go, aha, that explains how he knows everything. 

 

Ps - here’s a freebie, there will never be a glut.  

[The Black Tot]

1 hour ago, DCFan said:

Ps - here’s a freebie, there will never be a glut.  

 

Now there's some advice that is easily worth the price paid

[yobber76]

As I am new to Bourbon as a hobby I have spent months collecting different bourbons and rye that are new to me. To try to narrow the field to my favorites, I initially  sample all of them neat with a Glencairn glass. After that, some of them I prefer to drink with a little ice, some I use to make old fashions or manhattans, and some I will continue to drink neat. Experimenting is part of the fun for me.

[HoustonNit]

Even when I drank mixed drinks I didn’t like bourbon and Coke and would prefer ginger ale and bourbon. That being said these posts in here have me craving Coke and Bourbon. I’ll think I’ll get some Coke this afternoon.

[yobber76]

On ‎12‎/‎6‎/‎2019 at 1:15 AM, flahute said:

Elmer fucking T. Lee liked his bourbon with Sprite. Is anyone here going to tell him he was wrong?

Elmer, and everyone else can drink their bourbon anyway they choose. I myself have not mixed soda pop like coke or sprite with any booze since I was in college 40 plus years ago. Ice, and/or a splash of water in most of my drinks, except cocktails, like martinis, Old Fashions, and Manhattans. Any of those drinks are still primarily the base booze with minor additions for flavor adjustment.

[The Black Tot]

I do love some bourbon in my egg nog. Not GTS. But bourbon.

[Richnimrod]

3 hours ago, The Black Tot said:

I do love some bourbon in my egg nog. Not GTS. But bourbon.

GTS makes any eggnog better... and you don't need very much of it to do the trick.   

I speak from experience here, having added about a half ounce of Haz-Mat GTS to around 3-ounces of eggnog once several years ago.   Best Ever!

I've used 'lesser' Bourbons on many occasions; but, that one effort stands out!

[The Black Tot]

Just now, Richnimrod said:

GTS makes any eggnog better... and you don't need very much of it to do the trick.   

I speak from experience here, having added about a half ounce of Haz-Mat GTS to around 3-ounces of eggnog once several years ago.   Best Ever!

I've used 'lesser' Bourbons on many occasions; but, that one effort stands out!

 

I don't want to know that kind of stuff, Rich!!!