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How much bourbon do you drink (on a percentage basis)?


BigSkyDrams
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Title gives the gist of this topic.  If you're on this forum, you obviously have an interest in bourbon, and presumably, that means drinking it.  However, I suspect that despite all of us being bourbon-enthusiasts to some degree or another, our overall alcohol consumption habits probably vary significantly.  I'm curious to know how wide a spectrum there is among us with regard to how much of the alcohol we consume being in the form of our beloved bourbon.  I know from other threads plenty of folks vary up their beverage-of-choice to suit the function, mood, or occasion, but I wouldn't be surprised to learn that others here drink almost nothing other than bourbon.  NOTE: I am not interested, necessarily, in total units of alcohol consumed on any periodic basis, but rather, how you would estimate the percentage breakdown of bourbon vs. other types of alcohol.  Have the percentages shifted significantly over the years, or have you been pretty consistent in your habits for some time?  Do you consider yourself an enthusiast with other types of alcohol/spirits, or only bourbon?  

 

Feel free to draw up your own categories as you answer, but here's what I'll start us off with:

 

~50% of my total alcohol consumption, on a per unit basis, is in the form of bourbon which is typically consumed with a big chunk of ice or neat.  I would include in that percentage also the occasional rye or other american whiskey approximating bourbon in profile.  Rarely do I have a cocktail with brown spirits, but on occasion I'll take an old fashioned or manhattan if someone else is tending bar.

 

~30% is red wine, most frequently cabernet sauvignon, followed by pinot noir, though I try (and typically enjoy) lots of different varietals.  This is the category that is growing the most at present, and I would foresee this percentage increasing in the coming years (but damn if the good stuff isn't expensive).  

 

~15% comes from gin, either via G&T or dry martini.  

 

With the remaining ~5% as beer, sparkling wines, Scotch, Irish, or Japanese whisk(e)y.  This is kind of my catch-all category, and I rarely keep any of these beverages stocked at my home, but instead, leave it for restaurants, bars, parties, etc.   

 

Going back in time 6 or 7 years, beer would have been much closer to 75% of the total consumption (and the total consumption itself a fair bit higher) but I've largely stopped drinking it.  In the time since, bourbon has steadily increased to the current status, as has wine, with the beer-drinking steadily decreasing in proportion.  I wouldn't consider myself an enthusiast with any other type of alcohol than bourbon at this point, but wine would be the next closest thing.  Someday, I'd like to branch out into the Cognac/Armagnac/brandy world, as I've really enjoyed the few I've sampled, but I suspect that is some years off if it happens at all. 

 

So what say 'ye?  Are you willing to share your breakdown, or are all the %s too much of a math test? ? 

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Hmmmm...

 

~80% is bourbon, rye, and other American whiskey. On a seldom occasion I may have a pour of Irish whisky or Scotch. 

 

~10% is beer. This number used to be closer to 80%, as I was a big craft beer drinker from 2001 through 2015. Then I caught the bourbon bug. I had cellared some good bottles that I should probably open before they turn (maybe they already have). 

 

~10% is wine. I havent done enough wine tastings to know much about it. 

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I won’t say 100% of my alcohol intake is bourbon, but it’s pretty darned close. I’ll have a beer every once in a while. On occasion, I’ll have a Canadian or rye whiskey. Even rarer would be a pour of JD. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it. ?

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44% Single Malt Scotch Whisky + Single Grain Scotch Whisky

8% Blended Scotch Whisky

22% Rum + Rhum Agricole

18% North American Whisk(e)y

6% Liqueur (this used to be a much higher percentage)

2% 5-Hour Energy

 

No wine, beer or cocktails (other than 50/50 spirit mixes)-- and no ice. However, proofs are typically taken down to the 45% - 55% range with water and/or lower proof similar spirit.

All spirits are gassed with "Private Preserve," of which I burn through 4 to 5 cans monthly.

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In the summer, 75% bourbon, 20% beer, 5% other.

In the fall, winter, spring, 90% bourbon, 10% other.

Come on fall, we are ready for you!

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40 minutes ago, Marekv8 said:

44% Single Malt Scotch Whisky + Single Grain Scotch Whisky

8% Blended Scotch Whisky

22% Rum + Rhum Agricole

18% North American Whisk(e)y

6% Liqueur (this used to be a much higher percentage)

2% 5-Hour Energy

 

 

I predict this will get the award for most precision in the percentage estimate!  

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22 minutes ago, River Hills said:

Come on fall, we are ready for you!

Amen to that (and not JUST due to the LE bourbon releases ?)!

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44 minutes ago, Marekv8 said:

44% Single Malt Scotch Whisky + Single Grain Scotch Whisky

8% Blended Scotch Whisky

22% Rum + Rhum Agricole

18% North American Whisk(e)y

6% Liqueur (this used to be a much higher percentage)

2% 5-Hour Energy

 

No wine, beer or cocktails (other than 50/50 spirit mixes)-- and no ice. However, proofs are typically taken down to the 45% - 55% range with water and/or lower proof similar spirit.

All spirits are gassed with "Private Preserve," of which I burn through 4 to 5 cans monthly.

I call bullshit. ?

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1 minute ago, BigSkyDrams said:

I predict this will get the award for most precision in the percentage estimate!  

Heehee!  I’ll second that.  ?

 

I really like your post BSD, as I find myself having to really think about this.  I hope to come back soon.  

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Within the past 5 years it has been about:

65% bourbon - mostly neat, on rare occasion in a cocktail 

25% beer - I do like a good beer, and keep some dank ones in the fridge always

10% wine - usually have a glass with dinner, and I like to try different kinds depending on what I'm cooking, but surely not a connoisseur

 

In the past I definitely went through a gin phase, and a tequila phase, and a rum phase, but bourbon has remained a tried and true interest that never gets boring.

 

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2 hours ago, JCwhammie said:

 

~10% is beer. This number used to be closer to 80%, as I was a big craft beer drinker from 2001 through 2015. Then I caught the bourbon bug. 

My history is similar. I expect that may be something of a theme. 
 

I still enjoy going to brewery taprooms and getting flights and trying new beers, or at least I did before March. Recency bias may be skewing my beer % a bit low as a result of the pandemic and social distancing measures. 

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For me, it is 25% beer,25% gin ( mostly The Botanist), 10% Rum ( mostly Bayou products or Mt. Gay), the remainder is bourbon with the occasional Irish or Canadian,.

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13 minutes ago, Radioyada said:

45% Bourbon

45% Rye

20% Tequila

Sounds like you give 110% effort! ?

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21 minutes ago, StarSurfer55 said:

For me, it is 25% beer,25% gin ( mostly The Botanist), 10% Rum ( mostly Bayou products or Mt. Gay), the remainder is bourbon with the occasional Irish or Canadian,.

Unlike whiskey, I typically only have one gin at a time. It happens to be The Botanist right now. I’m a big fan!

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24 minutes ago, BigSkyDrams said:

Sounds like you give 110% effort! ?

I always give 110% in things I like and want to do. 

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Boy, I gotta think about this. It varies by season but I'll say that normalized over the course of a year (by volume, not dollars):

 

• 50% wine (I'm including Campari & Aperol spritz in here but probably 10-15% of this) - a lot of white and Prosecco in summer, reds when cooler.

• 30% bourbon/rye (and once in a while some Scotch)

• 15% amaro/grappa/armagnac/calvados

• 4% other spirits

• 1% beer

 

Maybe the bourbon is a little higher and wine a little lower. I should build a spreadsheet to track...

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About the only beer I've had over the past five years, other than the occasional, "What's THIS one taste like?", is Devil's Backbone Vienna Lager, and that's lately been five or so sixpacks a year, almost all of which is Summer consumption when working outside.  I spent years consuming craft beers but decided to stop chasing stuff when hemp protein, 8% ABV, 162 IBUs, with Cascade hops from East of Yakima got "hot".  Wife stopped drinking beer when she graduated from college.

 

Wine?  Wife and I have about four ounces each every night with dinner.  Hence, we know what we like and don't scrimp on buying it.  (THX, Boss. J gets featured a lot.)

 

Cocktails?  1970s-size before dinner most nights - but only one.

 

SO!!  Bourbon (and sometimes rye)?  Until I fall asleep.

 

Percentages?  I'm too old to focus, especially since I ignore ABV vs. proof vs. proof/gallon, etc.

 

Uh, this is all personal consumption.  When friends and relatives and relevants show up, numbers go all screwy.   Lack of self-control is one of my BEST features.

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98% whiskey, mainly bourbon,  rye and scotch.

Other spirits, and the occasional beer, make up the other 2%

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Cool topic. I’d say I am currently about 85% bourbon in some form or another. 10% beer. And 5% field (dark n stormys, bloody Mary’s, other cocktails) I rarely drink wine. If I do it is usually a food pairing issue as a glass of red does go well with steak and/or some type of cheese.


As recently as 3-4 months ago it would have been 55% whiskey, 35% beer and 5% field.  I’ve lost interest in the beer as of late though both from a cost and volume perspective. 

 

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1 hour ago, BigSkyDrams said:

Unlike whiskey, I typically only have one gin at a time. It happens to be The Botanist right now. I’m a big fan!

For G&Ts, I use The Botanist or Bombay Sapphire. For cucumber gimlets, I use Hendricks. 

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