Have we got a treat for you! We scored the opportunity to talk with Chris Payne, the proprietor of Burger + Grain in Nashville. This eatery is not an ordinary burger joint as the name might suggest, but features carefully curated seasonal menus meant to be paired with one of it’s OVER 350 whiskeys and bourbons. So come learn a lit bit and get some ideas for your next party drink!
Image Credit: Cuss Kitchen.
Time for the ‘Talk’
Bourbon Whiskey & Beer
Q: Bourbon seems to be really popular right now – a lot of my women friends are now drinking it. Why do you think it’s so much more popular than other types of whiskey?
You see this a lot in the South but it’s growing in popularity nationwide. Bourbon has more vanilla, toffee, and caramel notes. Ryes are spicy – cinnamon and pepper. Scotch whiskeys are more peaty or smokey depending on where they come from (Highlands v Islay).
Image Credit: Cuss Kitchen.
Q: Do you have a ‘Go to’ mixed drink recipe for new bourbon / whiskey drinkers?
The Old Fashioned – Lets the bourbon be the star and shine thru but is tempered with sweetness and bitters (cinnamon)
Espresso Martini. Most people think of Martinis with vodka or Gin but it’s a wonderful warm surprise when you use bourbon. Freezer recipe – 2 parts bourbon, 1 part cold brew, 1 part sweet (simple syrup) put it in the freezer and it will last FOREVER (*not at my house!)
At Burger + Grain we use Demerara as our syrup.
Whiskey Sour – 2 parts bourbon, 1 part citrus , 1 part sweet syrup. You can also make a summery peach mash as your sweetener instead of simple syrup by adding a 1 cup peaches (peeling and processed) with a 1 cup sugar, fridge 24 hrs. Typical prep also includes egg whites.
Image Credit: Jag_cz / iStock.
Q: What is one thing about bourbon you wish everyone knew?
Kentucky isn’t the only place to get bourbon. To be called bourbon, it needs to made in the USA, mostly with corn, and in a new oak barrel (*fun fact: some of the best highland scotches are aged in used bourbon barrels). Kentucky does have their water naturally filtered via limestone. (*This Texas girl wonders if our Texas bourbons might compete – limestone, baby, lots and lots of limestone)
There are bourbons all over the country and like wine, taste depends on the climate and distillation methods.
Burger + Grain has bourbons & whiskey’s from the west coat to the east coast, north and south. Some of the most popular are names like Buffalo Trace or Jim Beam, it’s High West (Utah) , Whistle Pig (Vermont) , 13 Colony (Georgia).
Image Credit: Cuss Kitchen.
Q: What is an opinion about bourbon that changed as you got more experience with it?
They don’t have be Neat / or over a gentleman’s cube. Chilling opens up the whisky’s flavor profile, which makes it perfect for a mixed drink. No wrong way to drink it.
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
Q: When pairing bourbon with food, what are some easy rules to go by?
Pair bourbon with fatty foods or sweets, not spicy – competes with the natural spiciness of the whiskey and neither will taste good.
Image Credit: Cuss Kitchen.
Q: What other things that you would like to tell me about Burger + Grain?
It’s a great place to taste bourbons and whiskeys for both the new “brown water” drinker to the collector. Bourbons and whiskeys are curated from all of the USA and paired with our seasonal menus. We host tastings every Wednesday night!
Image Credit: barmalini / istockphoto.
Q: Another Lesson – What the heck is Demerara?
Demerara is a syrup built with a focus on aged spirits. A sweet and spicy combination of traditional baking spices, toasted peppercorns, wild cherry bark, and orange peel, it’s perfect for an Old Fashioned, Sazerac, Bardstown Buck, and beyond.
Try it with your favorite barrel aged spirits like whisky, bourbon, rye, rum, or añejo tequila.
Flavor profile:
- Raw sugar
- Sichuan peppercorns for tingling spiciness
- White peppercorns
- Allspice
- Coriander
- Cassia bark
- Wild cherry bark
- Orange peel
Image Credit: MaximFesenko / iStock.
Cuss Kitchen Bourbon Recipes
Just say ‘Bottom’s Up’ and ‘Cheers’ to this Bourbon-infused Pineapple Upside-down cake- This new twist on a retro favorite is deliciously moist and luscious with caramelized pineapple and cranberries. The Buttery juices and Bourbon literally seep into the cake for a deeper flavor profile- easy enough for every day- but gorgeous for the Holidays!
Image Credit: Cuss Kitchen.
Mother Fudger
Enjoy the soul of Bourbon in this creamy Fudge with Toffee and Caramel… so Fudging Good! This Boozy Adult-only treat will be a favorite- and it is RIDICULOUSLY EASY to make. MICROWAVE in minutes. Satisfy your sweet tooth in record time with this easy and decadent Chocolatey goodness. Where has this recipe been all your life?
This article originally appeared on Cocktails & Appetizers and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
Image Credit: Cuss Kitchen.
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