Coopers' Craft and Ale-8 Bourbon Cocktail

Spring is here and it's time for refreshing cocktails.  Coopers' Craft reached out to me to try their bourbon cocktail made with Ale-8-One, and I'm so glad they did! It's like a crisp mix between a mint julep, a Kentucky Mule, and bourbon and ginger ale! 

Coopers' Craft is the newest bourbon from Brown-Forman; only the third bourbon in their lineup! It's a low (82.2) proof and is great for mixing. The brand name pays homage to the Brown-Forman cooperage, the only cooperage owned by an American whiskey company, which allows for precision in selecting the woods selected for the barrels.

Of course, Ale-8-One is a Kentucky original as well. The unique ginger ale-type soft drink has been bottled in Winchester since 1926, and is something of a cult classic for Central Kentuckians. It pairs nicely with the soft, baked apple notes in the Cooper's Craft for a fresh, crisp cocktail.

Just mix two parts Coopers' Craft bourbon to four parts Ale-8 and serve over ice. Garnish with a lime wedge and a mint sprig for springtime in a cup!

Whiskey Wednesday: Big Changes at Maker's Mark and a Big Announcement from HerKentucky!

Kiptoo Tarus carving at Maker's Mark.

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit a press event at Maker's Mark distillery, where Maker's COO Rob Samuels unveiled the new WhiskeyCellar, a 14,000 square foot limestone structure developed to age the Maker's 46 expression. 

My visit to Loretto was made even better because my friends Jon Carloftis and Dale Fisher, of Jon Carloftis Fine Gardens, were in attendance as well. Walking through the Distillery with Jon and Dale was such a treat, as they told me so many little facts about the changes and upgrades they'd made to the distillery campus in recent years. They told me about the plants they'd selected for the cellar roof, which will eventually cascade down the facade of the structure. And they described how the old visitors' parking lot had been taken up in favor of a lot that allowed for better drainage and soil preservation. They even told me that the Maker's Mark structure shown in the photo at the top of this post was created by a Lexington artist, Kiptoo Tarus, out of one of the oak trees that was removed to make the new parking area. It made for a fascinating "eco-tour" within the press event!

Jon Carloftis and Rob Samuels 

The tasting room is such an exciting addition to the Maker's Mark Distillery experience, but there are so many other great new changes coming to the distillery this year! We also had the opportunity to sample Star Hill Provisions, the Chef Newman Miller-led restaurant which will soon open at the old Distiller's House.  The lunch we were served combined traditional Kentucky fare with gourmet flourishes, and I can't wait to try dinner on-site!

Rob Samuels pours Maker's 46 samples for the press.

We also had the opportunity to see the Private Tasting Room, which features a stunning glass display by Brook White of Flame Run glassworks. This was just one of those moments that reminded me why Kentucky truly is the best place on earth -- where else can you find art devoted to bourbon whisky??

Now, telling y'all about this tour also gives me the opportunity to tell HerKentucky readers about a big project that I'm working on in 2017. I'm writing a book! Even better: it's a book about Kentucky bourbon and the women who shape its culture!

I say that the Maker's Mark tour is the perfect introduction to my forthcoming work, because, in a lot of ways, my 2015 tour of the Maker's Distillery is where the first seeds for the book were planted. Maker's Mark has always taken care to give appropriate credit to Mrs. Margie Samuels, the wife of label founder Bill Samuels Sr., and the creative force behind the whisky's name and packaging. The Maker's Mark distillery tour includes a replica of Mrs. Samuels' original list of potential names for her husband's new bourbon and discusses her ideas to dip the bottle in wax and pay homage to her beloved collection of English pewter, the best pieces of which bore the mark of the artisan -- a maker's mark.

When I toured Maker's in 2015, I was really struck by how much Mrs. Samuels impacted the entire future of whisky marketing and tourism. It was, after all, her idea to fashion the family's distillery in a decorative, Victorian style. A lot of thinking, a book proposal, and more research than I care to replicate later, and I'm writing The Women of Kentucky Bourbon.

Please excuse the less frequent posting you may see on HerKentucky over the next few months. The site isn't going anywhere, but the bourbon manuscript is top priority right now. I'll be posting as my writing schedule allows, and will check in on Instagram and Facebook several times a week. And I hope that y'all get down to Loretto soon to see all the exciting changes at Maker's!

Coopers' Craft Kentucky Bourbon Pecan Pie

Pecan pie always conjures up holiday memories for me. My mom always makes three or four pecan pies for every holiday gathering. Now, I don't have the patience for baking on that scale, but I LOVE this new Kentucky Bourbon Pecan Pie mix from Coopers' Craft.

In case you haven't heard of Coopers' Craft, it's the first new bourbon that Brown-Forman has introduced in the past 20 years. Coopers' Craft takes its name from the Brown-Forman cooperage. Brown-Forman is the only spirits brand to have its own cooperage (that's where they make whiskey barrels!), and the new Coopers' Craft bourbon is finished with a curated mix of beech and birch charcoal for a smooth finish. 

The folks at Brown-Forman were kind enough to send me a bottle of Coopers' Craft, a container of their Kentucky Bourbon Pecan Pie Mix, and a Louisville Stoneware pie plate to sample. I've got to say, this is a delicious pie! It combines the rich warmth of pecan pies like my mom makes with a delightful vanilla bourbon note. It is so seriously easy -- you just add eggs and butter, mix well, and add the mixture to your pie shell! You can order your own Kentucky Bourbon Pecan Pie in a Jar gift set from Louisville Stoneware! It makes a perfect holiday gift!

For a great variant on this recipe, if "First Saturday in May" Pie is your thing, you can add a half cup or so of chocolate chips to the mix.

Thanks to Brown-Forman and Louisville Stoneware for this fantastic holiday recipe!

Pappy & Co Holiday Gift Sets

How's your holiday shopping coming along? If you're like me, you're still trying to find the perfect gift for several folks on the list. I had the opportunity to visit the ladies of Pappy and Co this week, where I got some great holiday gift ideas that I think y'all will love, too!

Pappy and Company is a merchandise and lifestyle brand was founded by the great-grandaughters of the famous distiller "Pappy" Van Winkle. I love the way that Pappy & Co products combine the quality and reputation of the Pappy bourbon brand with a fun and unique line of products. I think y'all will love the bourbon-themed holiday gift sets that Pappy & Co has just released!

I couldn't resist getting the Christmas Morning gift bag for our house. It includes a Louisville Stoneware coffee mug, Weisenberger Mills pancake mix, and Pappy & Co maple syrup that's been aged 6 months in a Pappy barrel!

What a great way to add a Kentucky flare to your holiday mornings!

There's also a Sweet & Spicy Gift Box, which includes the maple syrup as well as a box of delicious Pappy Van Winkle bourbon balls and a bottle of Pappy hot pepper sauce, and a Pappy Hour Gift Tote, with crystal rocks glasses, bourbon balls, a Smathers & Branson key fob, and more!

Here's to gifts that put a little extra Kentucky flair in your stocking! 

Whiskey Wednesday: Date for Your Bourbon Type by Bianca Spriggs

My friend Bianca Spriggs has a guest essay for us that is, well, perfect for anyone who's dating a Kentuckian. Then again, I've never read anything that Bianca has written that isn't pretty great.

Here's her official bio: Bianca Lynne Spriggs is an award-winning poet and multidisciplinary artist from Lexington, Kentucky. She is the author of four collections of poetry, most recently, Call Her By Her Name (Northwestern University Press, 2016) and The Galaxy Is a Dance Floor (Argos Books, 2016). You can find out more about her work at: www.biancaspriggs.com. What she's left out is that on top of being tremendously talented, Bianca is funny, inspiring, and nurturing of her tribe. I'll let her essay tell you the rest of the story.

---

I like my men like I like my bourbon: Top shelf. Neat. Smooth. Complex. Hard to find. In other words, I don’t risk a heart hangover for just anyone.

View fullsize

Recently, I was speaking with a girlfriend about a couple of fellas she was dating.  With the first guy, given what I knew about him (dubious living circumstances, place of work—we’re actually still not sure where that is—and all the personality of steel wool), I blurted out, “No! Way! You’re like a Pappy Van Winkle! He’s Rebel Yell! What do you look like running around with some Rebel Yell?” We both started laughing because being Kentucky-bred women, bourbon is the quintessential metaphor to contrast her qualities with his. No more needed to be said. The next of her prospects was a sight better—this guy wasn’t too hard on the eyes, kept a decent job, paid his rent on time. But I surmised he was more like a Maker’s. And in Kentucky, that’s like saying he’s the Coca Cola of bourbon. Basically? He’s basic. She could go to any bar in America and find the same guy. 

Any hipster bourbon bar, anywhere.

One of the issues I’ve noticed with a lot of women is that they tend to be much too modest about assessing their own profile! The problem therein, is that if a person doesn’t value their own traits, they’re going to end up attracting riff-raff. Some of my girlfriends tend to make compromises (because, let’s be honest, the pickings are pretty slim in a state that notoriously contains more bourbon barrels than people) so inevitably some well-dwellers are going to end up on the wrong shelf. But after you date so many bottom-shelf people, you can forget you’re a total catch. Thus, I developed this handy-dandy bourbon classification system because there’s quite the difference between a Basil Hayden’s and an Old Crow. All we need now is a Buzzfeed quiz to establish what bourbon type we are and what might correspond in a partner! 

But perhaps, deep down, most of us would probably already be able to say what shelf we’d belong on if we were a bourbon. That means some of us might have to admit: ‘You know what? I’m Wild Turkey right now. If I don’t want to date Wild Turkeys (heh), then maybe I should spend some more time in the barrel.’ I don’t claim to be a bourbon expert, but everyone knows that the longer bourbon sits in its barrel letting the right combination of ingredients do its thing, the better quality the bourbon. In people terms, spending more time in the barrel might translate to getting one’s career or finances or health on track. But the longer we hold out in the barrel ourselves means the more likely we are to attract someone who can not only appreciate the finer qualities of what we have to offer, but will match them.

Now, before hurt feelings start amassing (particularly from the folks who are inevitably going to get that friend-zone text: “I need a Blanton’s in my life, not a Very Old Barton”), hear me out! This doesn’t mean there is going to be an increase of lonely nights ahead for everyone. The system actually works in terms of whatever you’re looking for in a partner at any point in your life! So, say you are feeling a little reckless. It happens! By all means, go for the Kentucky Gentleman. That person just might help you forget your cares for a night or two even if they burn like the devil going down. If the hangover from that little experiment is worth it, more power to you. 

Maybe you’re not even be looking for tip-top shelf. You could be totally cool with someone who is consistent. A Knob Creek or Four Roses. Someone you can count on to meet your needs whether it’s just you two hanging out or you’re in a Derby-sized crowd.   

Now. If you’ve reached a certain point where you think you’re ready for someone more seasoned, someone with all the right ingredients who has taken extra time to mature, this might mean you go out on fewer dates, but let’s be honest. Anyone who’s ever tasted Pappy Van Winkle 23-Year, can tell you just how worth it is for the wait. 

Is it hard being single as a Kentucky woman? Sure. This state is brimming with women who pair off straight out of college and busy themselves with getting hitched, procreating, and so on. To each their own. And I get it. The older and more solo you become, the more people start y’know…wondering. I get that the pressure mounts to find the right person. Your person. But my point is, baby-girl, understand that this is less about getting that dreamy forever boo or nabbing someone that will do in the meantime to keep up with your friends. This is more about learning how to value yourself. Learn to recognize what you are bringing to the shelf first, so you will more readily recognize those qualities in someone else. 

My suggestion if you’re serious about settling down? Don’t date ‘em if they’re further than one shelf down. The closer to the bottom-shelf, the more time they could use in the barrel. And if you find yourself indulging from that shelf a little too often, maybe so could you. 

(Bourbon photos: Heather C. Watson)

Whiskey Wednesday: Buffalo Trace Sundae Funday!

When we visited Buffalo Trace earlier this summer, I picked up a bottle of Buffalo Trace Bourbon Cream. This liqueur is absolutely delicious, a melding of bourbon with cream and vanilla. Take it to the next level by pouring it over a couple of scoops of vanilla ice cream and, if you're feeling festive, serve it up in a julep cup! (This Louisville Stoneware julep cup is from the Buffalo Trace gift shop!)

Cheers, y'all!

Bourbon Chocolate Chunk Cookies

View fullsize

It's National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day, y'all. 

Now, that may or may not be a real thing, but the fact that chocolate is amazing is definitely real. In fact, did you know that ihe Aztecs believed that cacao seeds were the gift of Quetzalcoatl, the God of wisdom, and the seeds had so much value they were used as a form of currency?

National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day seemed like a good excuse to make a batch of chocolate chunk cookies. I used the basic Nestle Toll House recipe, and added a Kentucky kick with a few teaspoons of Maker's Mark.

View fullsize

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons bourbon
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups chocolate chunks
• 1 cup chopped pecans

PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. 

BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. 

For more HerKentucky chocolate recipes, check out:

• Dark Chocolate Truffles
• Bourbon Hot Chocolate
• Double Chocolate Cookies with Maker's Mark and Sea Salt
• Cocoa Brownies with Maker's Mark and Pink Sea Salt