When I think of the South, drinking seems a pretty fair part of the culture. We created Jack Daniels and mint juleps. One of the tastiest drinks I've had, hailing from SC, is sweet tea with Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka. And bourbon is actually a kind of whiskey named for the county in Kentucky that it was originally made in. Even the US government knows what sort of legacy we have on our hands, and bourbon was declared a "distinctive product of the United States" in 1964. The Federal Standards of Identity says that for an alcohol to be considered 'bourbon,' it has to meet these requirements:
- Bourbon must be made of a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn.[1]
- Bourbon must be distilled to no more than 160 (U.S.) proof (80% alcohol by volume).
- Bourbon must contain no caramel coloring (E-150)
- Bourbon must be aged in new, charred oak aging barrels. [1]
- Bourbon may not be entered into the barrel at higher than 125 proof (62.5% alcohol by volume).
- Bourbon, like other whiskeys, may not be bottled at less than 80 proof (40% alcohol by volume.)
- Bourbon which meets the above requirements and has been aged for a minimum of two years, may (but is not required to) be called Straight Bourbon.[2]
- Bourbon aged for a period less than four years must be labeled with the duration of its aging.
- If an age is stated on the label, it must be the age of the youngest whiskey in the bottle.
So how did City Bakery's Bourbon Hot Chocolate hold up?
It didn't really have much bourbon flavor per se, but when I took a larger gulp of it, I could feel a slight burning sensation in my sinuses like I just took a particularly harsh shot. It was kind of nice on a cold winter day! There was a slight aftertaste of bourbon as well, but nothing as clear as the Moulin Rouge flavor.
Stay tuned for: Love Potion!
No comments:
Post a Comment