Hey, Ya'll,
Been a bit of a while since our last IRC drink club chat. Here's my gracious attempt at revival. For this edition the theme will be rye whiskey (or for all you Canadian Hubskiers rye whisky). It's among my favorite whiskey variations, and has a long history in America. So I'm told, once upon a time in the time of our Founders all the way to the days just before prohibition, rye was the most common form of American whiskey. Sadly, it became a tragic casualty of the 18th Amendment, that most shameful of laws to disgrace our Constitution since the end of slavery.
According to my novice knowledge of rye, to properly be called an American Rye, the whiskey must contain at least 51% rye mash, although many contain much more. No such law exists is Canada. Canada makes very good rye, but buyer beware: You have to read the label to ensure you're not getting corn whiskey with a touch of rye for flavor. There is also a variety known as malted rye, the biggest American brand being Old Potrero (big thanks to cliffelam for pointing it out to me long, long ago right here on our humble site). I shall be drinking that as well as a more traditional rye, perhaps the Canadian 1910, which is delicious, or maybe Redemption, which has encouraged some of us Hubskiers to do unspeakable things on occasion.
If you would like to mix it up (pun egregiously intended), try a Manhattan, Old Fashioned, or Whiskey Sour, all of which were originally, and should properly still be, made with rye. Obviously this is a matter of taste, but rye has a spicy flavor and lacks the at times overpowering sweetness of bourbon, making it a perfect cocktail mixer. A Manhattan is among my personal favorite cocktails, which I usually make with 2:1 whiskey:sweet vermouth, with just a drop or two of angostura bitters. The vermouth has been denigrated by many bartenders in recent years, but I really love the character it gives the whiskey. Buy a small bottle if you can find one, because vermouth doesn't keep like stronger alcohol. Or alternatively, drink fast and often.
Rye is a wonderful spirit, and many are reasonably priced, too! But, as always, all are welcome to join to the chat, independent of one's having or not having a theme bottle. The crew has been light for the last couple of drink clubs, so please join! They're actually a lot of fun for not actually being present with friends. And you don't have to drunk drive home. Click here to joins us!
_refugee_, mk, greatscott, insomniasexx, flagamuffin, theadvancedapes, humanodon, cW, wasoxygen, zebra2, ijustcantanymore, ecib, Meriadoc, lil, sounds_sound, cgod, kleinbl00, elizabeth, pseydtonne, istara, steve, OftenBen, coffeesp00ns, BrainBurner, codingvagrant, kevinf311, ButterflyEffect, forwardslash, backslash, givello, briandmyers, thenewgreen, shitizen, beezneez, uh_oh
One cannot mention rye in a conversation full of bartenders without mentioning the Sazerac.
Finally! Yay! I'm probably going to try something new (and regret it). I currently have half a bottle of both redemption and bulliet rye at my place and they're both amazing. :-X Looking forward to this.maybe Redemption, which has encouraged some of us Hubskiers to do unspeakable things on occasion.
Several of us first encountered it at the bar that night in DC. Ironically, I believe the place was called Bourbon, if I'm not mistaken. Poor insomniasexx was down right shitfaced after a few Redemption Manhattans. Rough walking around The Mall the next day in the cold November DC air.
It's wasn't just the Redemptions. It was the 10 Old Fashions I had. I've never had an Old Fashion that good - or 10 Old Fashions that good. Surprisingly, I was far more hungover after the Detroit meetup that I was for DC. I think that was because I drank 5 different types of hard alcohol and beer in Detroit while I stick to Old Fashions and Redemption in DC. Regardless, both nights were me being a hot mess. Both nights were also amazing. I know you agree. :)
I didn't even remember going to two bars and probably a month later someone mentioned "the second bar" and I was dumbfounded. No recollection. Gonzo. :/
I will take the Manhattans, and I'll surprise you with a stupid (not surpising) romantic short tale(a blurb, really, not even a vignette) of Real Life to explain why. Last summer I fell rather hard for a very inexplicable person - inexplicable in that I could, and cannot, define what it is that is so attractive about him to me. The mystery may even be part of it at this point. It was a wildly undefined summer thing but I was crazy about him; neither of us were really good to each other. He messed up in a Bad Way that I found out about, and made me very sad but it was the impetus to kick him out, which needed to happen. I was hung up over him all winter and still think about him now. I know that chapter is closed but oh, did I really like him. And I think - and I've written poems about how I think - he liked me a lot too. [1] The meat of this in comparision I'm afraid is very brief, but in the beginning, when it was good, I remember one night when he got unexpectedly ripped on Manhattans (they were stronger than he realized) and I drank rum-and-diets and shots of whiskey and we staggered out of the bar together into the summer night. It would've been warm and humid; we walked down a back path he showed me to his house under stars and dim lamps and lightning bugs. [2] Mosquitoes, cicadas, and frogs beneath the traffic and we went back to his house where we had a no-pants in bed rule and fought between watching X-Men (my choice), Avatar or Futurama (his choices). (The animated series on all counts, guys.) I want to drink Manhattans. For sentiment. And I've never had one and rye whisky may be too tough for me to drink no matter what, anyway. An adventure, I'm committed. [1] Factual Emily here: It's nice to think he did, but it doesn't really matter, because how he treated me is what matters. I'll never understand what's in his head or know how he feels and it's better I not try. I know. [2] Hoping this isn't too saccharine. I'm remembering how good it was, I'm sure I'm romanticizing. But it felt this way.
I'll be there but probably won't be drinking. It's going to be my second night home so I probably shouldn't kick things off by grabbing a bottle of rye :P I think I'll be in the irc tonight too if anyone wants to hang out there.
wouldn't mind dropping by. how do I get to the IRC?
But this is the link we used last time : http://client00.chat.mibbit.com/?server=irc.mountai.net&channel=%23hubski Edit: oops, didn't see that the link got fixed!
My Canadian Brethren (and.. sisteren?), I highly recommend 40 Creek as a great option for this test - One of the best easily acquired Canadian whiskys. Rye really shines as a mixer, IMO. Manhattans with Rye are ballin
It was down for me too Ryan, we will figure something out by the 30th. I know some people were kicking around IRC ideas yesterday. minimum_wage? b_b, great introduction to Rye, thanks for that. I'm excited about this one because insomniasexx gave me a bottle of Bulleit Rye for my birthday and I have just enough left to get me through the drink club. That said, I think I'll get another bottle of the Redemption too: