A few highlights of BourbonBlog.com’s NYC Bourbon coverage in this preview video including our discovery of Buffalo Trace’s White Dog Mash #1, Blue Smoke BBQ and a stop at Kessler Liquors for Bourbon along the way. Be watching for Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival, Brandy Library and Char #4 and more New York episodes coming here on BourbonBlog.com.

Special thanks to Greg Nivens and the Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival and photographer Jake Bilinksi.

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I review four beers in the video below that haven’t been bastardized at all, they simply share a similar name including Founders Dirty Bastard, Founders Backwoods Bastard, Stone Brewing Company’s Double Bastard Ale and Arrogant Bastard Ale.

Bastard Review Notes

Founders Dirty Bastard Scotch Style Ale (8.3% ABV) – Dark roasty color, nose of creaminess and bitter. Lovely syrupy sticking to the tongue feel, delicious. Even though it brewed in Michigan, it is true to the Scottish characteristics of this ale.

Founders Backwoods Bastard (10.2% ABV)- Aged in a Bourbon barrel. While the Bourbon Barrel has wrapped her love around this beer, the nose has nits of a single malt scotch. The flavor goes from smokey to a mellow dark cherry. Finish of a pineapple upside cake.

Arrogant Bastard Ale by Stone Brewing Company (7.2% ABV). Grapefruit on the nos. Deep rich tan color. Soapy hops, light and refreshing. Between bitter and sweet. Clean finish.

Double Bastard Ale by Stone Brewing Company (abv 10.5%) – Cloudy amber color. Nice head, malt and bitter nose. Lots of fruit, very complex. Citrus meets caramel and pine with a touch of chocolate. Relaxing sipper, it feels like a liquid massage.

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(L to R) Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival Director & Founder Greg Nivens, Art of the Drink's Anthony Caporale, Thrilllist.com's Hayden Lynch, BourbonBlog's Tom Fischer AND photographer/filmmaker Jake Bilinski

As you might imagine, the title tells it all. The Beer, Bourbon, and BBQ Festival was basically Heaven for one Day with over 5,000 people in attendance a la.venue in Manhattan!!  We joined Art of the Drink’s Anthony Caporale Thrilllist.com’s Hayden Lynch for The Bourbon Bloggers Panel Discussion that was moderated by Festival Director and Founder Greg Nivens. This is where introduced BourbonBlog.com’ Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Cocktail to the world..and so far, the world likes it! This room also was a lucky bunch to sample some of the Rittenhouse Rye 23 Year Old that we picked up in Chelsea on our way in for a little treat along with a few who got a taste of Buffalo Trace’s White Dog MASH #1 which was just released.

Today we also partied, interviewed tons of festival goers along with Maker’s Mark Master Distiller Kevin Smith who told us about the forthcoming “new expression of Maker’s Mark,” we saw Buffalo Trace Master Distiller Harlan Wheatley do a session, awesome!…and then we partied, filmed more and got our hands on more tasty to the power of mmm BBQ. We didn’t want to leave, but ended the night at Bourbon Bar Char #4 in Brooklhn. Video of all of this is coming soon!

BourbonBlog's Tom Fischer learns about the "new" forthcoming expression of Maker's Mark from Maker's Mark Master Distiller Kevin Smith

Special thanks to Festival Director Greg Nivens for inviting us, BourbonBlog.com New York Correspondent Matt Capucilli for joining us along with Adam Levy of the NY Spirits Awards for his support, and Stephen Dennison for his continued support and help both the new cocktail and BourbonBlog.com.  My thanks to BourbonBlog photographer Jake Bilinksi who is editing the videos as I type this.

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It’s 10:50 am on Saturday morning, we are fixing to head to the Festival and I  wish we had the time to post some video up of what we covered last night as we arrived in Manhattan. Be watching for it, but here is a quick update…

We started off last night in the famous Blue Smoke, which was responsible for changing the way that New York looks at BBQ (and still is), bringing New Yorkers what they always needed. We got a real Southern welcome from Executive Chef and Partner Kenny Callaghan as he greeted us with a Bourbon tasting that including a Pappy Van Winkle 23 and the 141.1 proof uncut George T. Stagg.  This man knows his BBQ and Bourbon!  Dinner was a paradise of the South in your mouth (see photo left).   Be watching for our video episode so you can see why this is one of the greatest slices of Americana that you’ll get in the Big Apple. We took in some jazz in the basement of Blue Smoke in their club called Jazz Standard and then headed to the Brandy Library in Tribeca.

Beverage Director Ethan Kelley greeted us with tour and sampling of some of the finest American whiskies.   This man impressed the Kentucky Blue Blood outta us as he knows his Bourbons and whiskey!   I enjoyed a High West Whiskey from Utah and BourbonBlog.com photographer Jake Bilinkski tried a McKenzie Rye Whiskey.

We are headed to the Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival now and we have to pick up some Bourbon on the way along with a few ingredients needed to make our Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Cocktail by BourbonBlog.com  More soon!

BourbonBlog.com Host Tom Fischer and BourbonBlog Photographer and Filmmaker Jake Bilinksi on the streets of Manhattan

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Click above to stream our podcast interview with Oregon distiller Mike Sherwood, a Renaissance man that was inspired to bring the first ever spirit with toasted cumin, coriander and natural saffron to the market in his Saffron Vodka. Both the Indian/Moroccan themed Saffron Vodka and his Tarragon Vodka are catching the attention of taste buds of those who desire something beyond unique with his company Sub Rosa Spirits.  As we spotlight American craft distillers

Saffron Vodka Cocktails:

Bollywood Hills
2 oz. Saffron vodka
1/2 oz. orgeat syrup
3/5 oz. lime juice
5 or 6 dashes of St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram (a barspoon)

Shaken in a mixing tin with crushed ice.  Strain through a fine strainer. Serve straight up in a martini glass.   Garnish with pickled mango slices or simply a lime peel.
Dosa restaurant – San Francisco, CA

Kashmir
2 oz. Sub Rosa Saffron vodka
3 oz. Apricot nectar
3 grinds Black pepper
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
1/2 oz. simple syrup; ginger syrup or Domaine Canton ginger liqueur

Chill over ice, shake vigorously, serve up. Alternatively, build and serve on the rocks. We’ve also used a curry / sugar rim with this cocktail before.
Lance Mayhew – Beaker & Flask – Portland, Oregon

Bharat Mary
2 oz. Sub Rosa Saffron vodka
3 dashes Worcestershire
1 dash Peychauds bitters
3 dashes hot sauce (or more)
Tomato juice (to fill) [Lance specified tomato water or celery juice if you have time to make it]
Celery salt (to taste)

Make a ’short’ Bloody Mary in a small Rocks or Old Fashion glass. Garnish with Indian pickled carrots and peppers. Minus the horseradish.
Adapted from Lance Mayhew – Beaker & Flask – Portland, Oregon

TarragonVodka Cocktails:

Tarragon “Martini”
1 1/2 Sub Rosa Tarragon vodka
1/2 oz. Limoncello
Lemon peel

Put ingredients, including lemon peel in shaker.  Shake and strain into martini glass.  Garnish with an additional long lemon peel.   If you have some lemon sorbet, a large melon ball scoop or small ice cream scoop floating in the middle is visually striking. Linda Lausmann – Sub Rosa

Tarkhun Cocktail (the Russian word for Tarragon)
2 oz. Sub Rosa Tarragon vodka
2 oz. fresh lemon juice
1 oz. simple syrup
2 oz. 7up

Build over ice in an Old Fashion glass. Garnish with fresh tarragon if you have some. Lance Mayhew – 50 Plates – Portland, Oregon

Hot Summer Night [Tarragon Smash / Mojito]
1 1/2 oz Sub Rosa Tarragon Vodka
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz simple syrup
Fresh mint leaves.
Fresh tarragon leaves
Squirt
Lemon twist and mint sprig garnish

Muddle a pinch of mint leaves with the lemon juice, simple syrup in bottom of rocks glass. Fill the glass with ice, pour in the vodka, and fill with Squirt. Garnish with a lemon peel twist and or a mint sprig. Mike Sherwood – Sub Rosa.

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We would answer that question, “it is priceless.” The Kentucky Distillers’ Association tells BourbonBlog.com that Kentucky’s signature Bourbon and distilled spirits industry pours hundreds of millions into the Bluegrass economy and is a statewide leader in job creation, according to a new study just released.

The study was conducted by University of Louisville Economist Dr. Paul Coomes.  It found that distillers help create about 10,000 jobs with an annual payroll of $442 million, generate $125 million a year in taxes and have helped Kentucky weather the recession through growth.

“Bourbon and other distilling is truly a signature Kentucky industry,” Coomes said. “We produce 95 percent of the world’s Bourbon. Moreover, the market for Bourbon is growing and Kentucky distillers have been adding jobs this decade even as manufacturing employment overall is down.”

That growth has helped mitigate the economic and fiscal impact of the global recession on Kentucky, Coomes said, noting that distilling employment increased by 6 percent this decade while the manufacturing industry shed nearly 20 percent of its jobs.

“The distilling industry is much more stable than manufacturing as a whole,” Coomes said. “When the Commonwealth looks for industries to invest, distilling is a homegrown business that generates a significant return.”

Coomes is a professor of economics at the University of Louisville’s College of Business and Public Administration. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Texas. He unveiled the study  at the second meeting of the legislature’s Kentucky Bourbon Trail® Caucus this past week.

Other major findings include:

- Kentucky hosts nearly half – 43 percent – of all distilling jobs in the United States.

- With a high job multiplier of 3.29, distilling creates more spin-off jobs than other signature industries such as tobacco farming (1.267), horse farms (1.181) and coal mining (2.142)

- Distilling ranks 4th out of 244 Kentucky manufacturing industries in total employment and job multiplier behind automobiles, meatpacking and light trucks/utility vehicles.

- Kentucky dominates Bourbon production with 95 percent of the world’s supply.

- Kentucky Bourbon is the largest export category of all U.S. spirits, shipping 25 million proof gallons to 126 countries in 2008

- State and local governments receive $125 million in taxes every year from spirits production and consumption.

- Kentucky taxes distilled spirits higher than any other open market state except Alaska.

-Local communities benefit greatly from distillery operations that generate $9 million each year in taxes on aging barrels and property, creating essential funding for schools, libraries, fire departments and more.

Coomes also reviewed the potential tourism impact of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association’s Kentucky Bourbon Trail®, one of the state’s most famous tourism attractions. “We are only beginning to see the economic and tourism impact of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail,” he said.

Distilleries have seen more than 1.5 million visits in the last five years alone, according to Eric Gregory, president of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association that owns, manages and operates the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®.

And, more than 3,000 people completed the KDA’s Kentucky Bourbon Trail® in 2009 – a 400 percent increase over 2008. That’s significant, Dr. Coomes reported, because of the increased revenue to nearby communities and local hospitality groups that will benefit from the tourists.

“Over time, regular interstate travelers may choose to stay overnight in Kentucky rather than Tennessee, Ohio or Indiana because of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail,” Coomes said. “And it can only be found in Kentucky.”

Chris Morris, chairman of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association Board of Directors, said, “Bourbon has long enhanced Kentucky’s image around the world. This in-depth study clear shows that the Bourbon industry also enhances the economic health of the Commonwealth.”

Morris is Master Distiller at Brown-Forman’s Woodford Reserve Distillery.

KDA President Gregory said the report is solid proof of Bourbon’s essential role in Kentucky’s economy and as a key global export. “Jobs, tourism, tax revenue – Bourbon ranks high in all these categories that benefit Kentucky’s citizens,” he said.

“But just as important, Bourbon is a proud symbol of Kentucky craftsmanship and tradition that’s hailed around the world. Our legendary distillers do a fantastic job of producing the world’s finest spirits, representing the Commonwealth and promoting responsible consumption.

“We appreciate their commitment to Kentucky and applaud Dr. Coomes for his outstanding research and report.”

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I’m sitting here with my friend Brad Kerrick co-publisher of The Bourbon Review Magazine and we are enjoying Shuckman’s Fish Co. & Smokery’s Bourbon Smoked Salmon Spread made with Old Rip Van Winkle 10 year old Bourbon, 107 proof. This amazing Bourbon brings the creamy, delicate fish flavor out of the ocean and into Kentucky goodness.

Yet another example of how Bourbon brings more flavor to your life.  You can order this Bourbon Smoked Salmon Spread by visiting their website on www.kysmokedfish.com.

And if you’re interested in to learn more about how Bourbon brings food to life, check out our recipe collection on BourbonBlog.com.

Shuckman’s Fish Co. & Smokery, Inc. is based in Louisville, Kentucky

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