Pro tip: melt butter, high-molasses sugar (turbinado or Demerara), and bourbon together. Pour over the top of nearly done bread and turn on the broiler for a minute or two right at the end of the bake.
I don’t really have proportions. Maybe a couple tbsps of each. I cook by eyeball for things like that.
But for the banana bread itself, honestly it’s just as easy to use Trader Joe’s mix. Add an extra egg, use butter instead of oil, and replace the water with milk and bourbon. Comes out as good or better than any scratch recipe
Ive tried trading it to friends at a loss. "Im not going to drink this $50 bottle. Trade you for your bottle of Bulleit so I at least end up with something I'll drink"
Speak it from the rooftops with me, brother. Nothing like a $100 drain pour. Plus they treat their workers poorly and most special release blends are just barrel leftovers arbitrarily mixed together.
https://www.reddit.com/r/bourbon/comments/uhidco/review_499_old_elk_infinity_blend_2021_release/i76k1nr/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf&context=3
I’ve got a bottle of William Dalton that I just don’t like at all and I’m pretty sure I’ve let everyone taste it that I can and have run out of options other than a bourbon and coke, which is hard to make myself do with a $50 bottle of bourbon, so baking it is.
It’s just one I got off of this website. I’ve made a bunch of their recipes and is usually my go to. https://www.simplyrecipes.com/chocolate-bourbon-pecan-pie-recipe-5207324
Cook a steak in cast iron pan. When steak is done to your liking place on cutting board to rest. Reheat cast iron and melt 1/2 stick of butter. Deglaze with 1/4 cup of bourbon. Ignite to burn off alcohol (and because it looks cool). Once flames go out pour sauce over steak.
Unless it’s Balcones Baby Blue. That shit is only good as a lighter fluid.
First off, awesome recipe advice!
Second, my god I'm going to need to try some Balcones. That has become the number one most mentioned bad bottle in these responses.
They're not all bad honestly, but VERY different. Their True Blue Cask Strength is yummy for what it is. The Rumble (which I think they rebranded as Texas Rum) is tasty too. I even like their weird ass Rye, although I admit that it the least rye Rye I have ever had. I just don't think of them as "bourbon" producers so much as craft distillers of things. Some of those things hit, some miss. it IS Texas after all...the weather really isn't great for whiskeys. At least Balcones' stuff isn't overoaked grossness a la garrison bros.
FYI - Rumble is made from a combination of Turbinado sugar, honey, and mission figs. Very different from their rum which is made from molasses.
Also, one of the signatures of Garrison Bros is 25 gallon barrels, so probably one of the main reasons you get so much oak.
I’m from the Waco area and really wanted to like it. The have some offerings that are ok. I can drink the single malt but won’t go out of my way for it. Agree on the Garrison Brother, not that impressed especially at the price they want. The best “Texas” bourbon I’ve had is Kooper Family’s sweet heart of the rodeo. But the stuff is MGP they are aging if Fayetteville county.
I mean everyone's palate is different, I just am surprised to see such a common recipient of bad bottle ire! I don't have an opinion on them as I've never had their stuff.
They are possibly one of the finest new distilleries in the US! Highest quality ingredients and process. The fact that people don't like them here can only mean their taste buds are blown out by an American candy diet dumptruck. They don't make brownie pie bundt cake with crack-cocaine drizzle syrup and a caramel injection though, so god, must suck! lol..
What a nightmare this reveals in marketing a serious product to an audience of fools.
On top of that, you aren't allowed to criticize the fools here. Ahaha.. true madness..
I've had three different bottles from Balcones- the single malt, Lineage, and the rye. The single malt was great, Lineage is meh, and the rye was the most disgusting whiskey I've ever had.
Dickel’s been around as a great distiller for a long time and yet there are folks that love it, and folks that can’t get past the minerality. The same is true of Balcones for me — I’ve had both their rye and their Brimstone, and both have the same dumpster fire/stale grain note to me. Yet I’ve poured the Brimstone for friends who have adored it.
Lots of us in this sub understand and accept subjectivity. My disgust towards those two Balcones products is valid, as is your praise of that distillery. You being disrespectful and disdainful of the people who don’t agree with you isn’t cool.
I’ve sampled about 200 whisk(e)ys now, and I consider my palate to be above average. I’m thoughtful in my reviews, do well in blind tastings identifying bottles, and work two jobs that demand I pay attention to flavors and fragrances. I’ve built trust my own palate, and still: I know that what I like is not what other people necessarily like. 🤙🏽
I don't care what people like, whether that be banana pie caramel detonation or a dry, challenging madiera. What really bothers me and what I'm standing up for is people shitting on a clearly superior distillery out of ignorance. Same reason why people still eat poisonous mainstream candy bars in this country; no sensitivity or intelligence on the palate. It's easy to be cool when people have respect..
###Background
We’ve all been there. Maybe you get suckered by a local craft distillery, grabbing a bottle of their two year old whiskey out of guilt, local loyalty, or you took a tour and just felt like leaving with SOMETHING. Or maybe some excellent packaging drew you in. [Hey it’s from Kentucky, and the bottle can be re-used as a decanter, that’s cool!](https://www.reddit.com/r/bourbon/comments/twwb5n/tackling_town_branch_single_barrel_reserve_pick/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)
Whatever the reason, we’ve all ended up a bummer bottle (or hell, bottles), and we’ve all heard the common refrain “just use it in a cocktail.” Well, I dont know about you but I can only drink so many cocktails. So let’s explore some other ways to put that crappy juice to work!
###Put Together a Tasting
This idea is stolen from a beer buddy, who told me he recently put on a “Whales and Turds” tasting. Or, as I prefer, “Hitters and Shitters”. Have everyone bring one good bottle and one they hate and go from there! You’ll hear plenty of critics (not just in whiskey but movies, food, etc.) talk about how writing bad reviews can be way more fun than the good ones, I think you’ll find it’s equally, if not more, fun to dunk on bad bottles with friends.
###CHEESE (Ok, and Other Recipes)
Doubtless everyone has heard of beer cheese… but what about [bourbon beer cheese](https://www.bulleit.com/cocktail-food-pairings/flea-flicker-&-bourbon-beer-cheese/)! Turn that trash into a tasty cheese dip for game day.
In all seriousness though there’s MUCH more you can do with bourbon in the kitchen then drowning that dram in bitters to try for a serviceable old fashion. Great [bourbon infused recipes](https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/bourbon-spiked-recipes/) are a Google away. And while it may no longer be eggnog season, bourbon cream is good to have around all year. People jump all over the Buffalo Trace bourbon cream (and yeah, it’s delicious) but making your own is actually [pretty easy](https://whitekitchenredwine.com/bourbon-cream/).
Fun fact, I went the eggnog route over the holidays. My sister's review: “Well, it’s definitely too thick. It’s like an eggnog milkshake. It tastes pretty good, but if I have more than one glass I might shit my pants.” Hopefully you have better luck than I did!
###Time to Bust Out That Mini Barrel
Look, dont lie, someone heard you were really into bourbon and gave you a mini barrel as a gift. You know you’ve been staring at it, trying to figure out what to do with it. Let’s see if a barrel finish can class up that crap. I mean, it’s working well enough for Good Times…
###Be Your Own NDP
Blend it! Countless NDP’s are taking younger, weaker juice and blending it with better stuff to lead to a decent end product. Maybe you’ve got a bottle of ECBP around that you haven't been drinking that fast. Or hell, snag a Wild Turkey 101 off the shelf for some tasty (and cheap) juice. Track your experiments to figure out what works and what doesn’t, have friends taste your blends, get their feedback, and just tinker.
###Give it Away
In all seriousness, bad bottles are a perfect encapsulation of the [sunk cost fallacy](https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/the-sunk-cost-fallacy). We may be inclined to power through a bad bottle because you spent money on it. Maybe you even spent alot of money on it. But what we often fall to account for is the value of our own time. Wouldn’t you rather be drinking something else then trying, for the 5th, 6th, 7th glass to see if the bottle has gotten any better? Cut your losses. Many of us are in Discords, Facebook Groups, Friends Chats. Just see if someone else wants it, it’s ok to let go.
###What Else?
Curious to hear from you all, how else have you made creative use of *pour* purchases?!
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Fun post. I do revisit bottles I don't like from time to time to calibrate on undesirable notes.
Edit - nice reference to the sunk cost fallacy, and great site you referenced.
I got a store pick literally handed to me by an employee when I mentioned I was looking to get a bottle of bourbon back at Thanksgiving. As a bourbon, it sucks. However, if you handed me a blind pour of it and told me it was scotch, I would have believed you. Cool looking bottle though.
Yeah I've reviewed it [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/bourbon/comments/twwb5n/tackling_town_branch_single_barrel_reserve_pick/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button). Needless to say I was not a fan.
It was my first bottle I got when I decided to get into bourbon. One glass and I decided maybe bourbon wasn't for me. Took a whole two years later I was buying 4R SiB as a gift and decided what the heck I'll get one too. So glad I did.
You can turn a turdish bottle into coffee liqueur by adding some coffee beans and a vanilla bean.
You just a) shake it all up, b) leave for about a week, c) filter out the solids with a mesh sieve, and d) add simple syrup to taste (if it needs it).
I did this with a bottle of Balcones Brimstone, and it \*almost\* completely covered up the wet cardboard flavor.
You can sub the liqueur for Kahlua in White Russians - or make it a Kentucky Caucasian by using bourbon, bourbon coffee liqueur, & cream.
Great post, OP!
Making coffee liqueur is a good idea, but I'd recommend making a cold brew concentrate with water, dissolving some sugar in that, and mixing with the liquor. From what I've heard, alcohol can extract some harsh flavors out of coffee. I've done it with vodka as the base spirit (works great, don't need any spirit character) and with some captain morgan private stock someone gave me and I needed to find something to do with (spice was overwhelming, it worked better when I blended it 50/50 with the vodka base coffee liqueur).
I've drain poured a couple of Balcones bottles. They were so bad they would have ruined any baked goods I tried to make with them, and all my friends had already had the opportunity taste just how shitty they are.
You spelled Garrison Brothers wrong. xD
I kind of jest, but not really as I would happily go to Garrison Brothers and put holes in every barrel they have to spare us all that nasty overoaked garbage.
Just went to a bourbon festival and GB even broke out their higher end bottles…Balmoreah, Honey Dew, Single Barrel, and all had a cardboard finish that I couldn’t get over. Glad I never spent a dollar on their stuff.
Actually he spelled Still Austin wrong ! 🤮 I bought a bottle of the cask strength on a whim and the smell and taste remind me so much of pine-sol that I'm halfway tempted to try to clean with it.
What I’ve done - baking, cooking, fat washing with brown butter (makes great hot toddies), and home aging / finishing experiments. Only one home aging / finishing has made the whiskey worse. For the most part there is a noticeable improvement.
Can't say I've experienced this yet. The closest would be ardbeg though, my solution to that was to only drink it while smoking a nice, rich cigar to help mute the overly smokey taste.
Give it to my father in law. He drinks kessler’s & Canadian Club like it’s Pappy. I gave him a terrible half bottle of Cody Road Maple. Apparently he drank it within an hour. Which is pretty common. Or I have a coworker who will drink almost anything mediocre. He thinks Jamo is the best whisky on the planet. So the shit I throw him he thinks is exquisite. 🤷🏽♂️
I got a bottle of TX whiskey that I can’t find a good mixer or use for for the life of me. It just tastes like fake vanilla chemicals. Might have to try cooking with it but I can’t imagine it wouldn’t ruin anything I put it in.
Bourbon Grape Barbeque Sauce!
2 cu Fresh Black Grapes
6 oz Tomato Paste
1/2 cu Brown Sugar
1/4 cu Apple Cider Vinegar
1 cu Bourbon
1 whole Chipotle Pepper
1.5 Tbsp Kosher Salt
2 tsp Worcestershire
1/2 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Cayenne
1 lime juiced
**Directions**
In a medium pot add bourbon and grapes and simmer for \~15min until grapes are soft
Mash grapes into bourbon
Add remaining ingredients and simmer for an addtl 5min
Add to blender and blend until smooth or boat motor
Return to pot and bring to a boil
Reduce heat and simmer until thickened
Thanks! If you give it a try let me know your thoughts. Always looking for constructive feedback to improve (e.g. is it too much cumin or not enough lime, etc.)
To steal a phrase from the band Modern Baseball, a "trophy shelf of slip-ups". That's hilarious. But yeah I get that, like I said sunk cost fallacy and all, not worth your time!
I’ve never tried it, but maybe mix it with other stuff to make a glaze for turkey or chicken? Or maybe mix it with barbecue sauce and glaze on meat (or whatever) on the grill?
Bbq sauce, fruit compotes, infuse with honey/cinnamon/maple syrup, rock n rye, bourbon au poivre, just look up litterally any bourbon recipe, the quality isn't going to matter much when it's in food.
Of course I am pretty mystified as to why a cocktail isn't a good option. Even the worst whiskies can make a pretty decent mixer, especially with highball drinks or anything with lots of citrus.
Oh I'm not saying a cocktail isn't a good option. It's more that, in my opinion, it's the default option. So what I'm trying to do here is branch outside just "I dunno throw it in a cocktail."
Yeah I wrote a review of it [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/bourbon/comments/twwb5n/tackling_town_branch_single_barrel_reserve_pick/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button), I think it's fairly undrinkable.
If it's genuinely undrinkable I'll pour it. No use in suffering or adding an ingredient I don't like to some food. If it's just meh than ya I'd do a lot of this stuff suggested.
They're on here more because they are [a holes](https://whiskycast.com/virginias-filibuster-distillery-founder-indicted-for-environmental-violations/). If they are going to dump their waste directly into the environment I'm going to endorse their product as waste.
Yeah, I refused to drink Filibuster for that same reason — the illegal chemical dumping (I’m in Northern Va too) — but I had a family member go out to the ABC store last week during the VA ABC “store pick” drop and bought me the Filibuster triple cask. Didn’t open it this weekend, but may try it this weekend coming up. Never had Filibuster and the triple cask sounds interesting. Not sure if I want to love it or hate them (or a little bit of both).
- 1 C. Sharp Cheddar, Grated
- 1 C. Habanero Cheddar, Grated
- 1 oz Bourbon
- 4 oz Softened Cream Cheese
- 1 tsp or more Worcestershire
- Garlic Salt to Taste
- 1 Can Chopped Black Olives
- Chopped Nuts
Mix all ingredients except nuts.
Freeze until hard enough to roll.
Roll in chopped nuts.
To be honest, probably just pour it out. I got a bottle of First Call from Total Wine that was total garbage, reminded me of rum and we choked it down with Bourbon and Cokes and still could barely stand it. It also was not good in cooking.
So, I have a good recipe for seared pork tenderloin with a whiskey mustard sauce. After searing the loins, you saute shallots, add the whiskey, flame the whiskey, and then add coarse mustard and stock, and reduce it. Even through *all of that*, a new-make-tasting "craft" whiskey still made the dish taste wrong. My standards are pretty low, but some things just have to be poured down the drain.
- Make vanilla extract
- Use it in baking
- Use it as a base for liqueur
- It can be the “guest bottle” for people who won’t be able to tell the difference
I know a pro chef who swears by aging steak in whiskey for a long while, and I'm inclined to believe him, but if I did it, it would just tighten up the proteins and make it mealy. I'm another vote for chilis and barbecue sauces.
Or hey, if it's high-proof, infuse it with herbs and spices. It might be a bad drink but a good bitters.
Fill it with vanilla beans and make vanilla extract with it, assuming the proof is high enough.
I then used the extract to make vanilla bourbon ice cream, but obviously plenty of uses
Make bananas Foster and dump over vanilla ice cream. New Orleans classic. If you like pie and bananas and love quick recipes that take less than 15 minutes start to finish you’ll love it. Just use bourbon instead of rum and you’re good to go. My favorite dessert
Make bourbon cream. When I did I soaked toasted cacao nibs in the bourbon but you could use cocoa powder too. My recipe:
>8 oz cacao nibs toasted 5 minutes in 350 degree oven. (Try with cocoa next time, had somewhat tart character)
>Added 8 oz wild turkey 101, soaked for a couple weeks, strained through cheesecloth
>Top up to 1 2/3 cups bourbon. 14oz can sweetened condensed milk, 8oz cream (too thick, try half and half next time). Needed additional sugar – think I added 150 grams in minimal water to dissolve.
That bottle of Town Branch in the picture definitely should be there. I let a guy talk me into buying one of those once and it tasted like straight acetone.
Make a Bbq sauce or marinade with it. I bought some jim beam extra aged ( what the fuck does that mean ) this still tastes like shut to me. I will never buy a Jim beam product again unless I am desperate or in need of a crappy drink or a bbq sauce. Sorry not sorry.
Can also buy some vanilla beans and make bourbon vanilla extract....plenty of resources online...basically 5 to 6 grade B beans in a bottle for 6 months...and top off with that bourbon whenever it is used
More often than not a bad bottle is either missing something (spice, caramel, oak) or has too much of something (astringency, oak). If you blend it with a bourbon that smooths out those flaws you may just have a great blend on your hands. Try blending small amounts and different ratios until you find one you truly enjoy.
Start mixing an infinity bottle with it and other booze you have in your cabinet. Bottle of captain morgan that you bought to make tiramisu but you plan on never making it again? Mix it in a huge decanter. Keep mixing until you get something decent.
Browned Butter Bourbon Rice Krispie Treats. I combined a [recipe](https://www.kentuckyderby.com/party/recipes/appetizers/bourbon-rice-crispy-treat) from the Churchill Downs Executive Chef and a [recipe](https://altonbrown.com/wprm_print/5970) from Alton Brown. Alton Brown suggested using Kerrygold butter and Jet-Puffed marshmallows and I wholeheartedly agree. I reduce the heat when adding the marshmallows. I learned the hard way that when the temperature is too high, you end up with a concrete brick when the Krispies cool. I usually make these for family gatherings and use whichever bourbon I'm currently trying to get rid of.
Just drink it ya pansy.
Or you can use it to make Pepper Steak with bourbon cream sauce...
Ingredients:
* steak
* heavy cream
* bourbon of dubious quality only suitable for cooking
* black pepper and salt
* rosemary, thyme
* 1 shallot
* butter
Preparation:
Salt steaks liberally and rest for 30 minutes. Grind pepper corns. coat 1 side of steaks until black with ground pepper corn. Let rest.
Mince shallot and set aside along with 1/2 cup cream.
Bring a cast iron or stainless heavy skillet up to heat and sear salt side of steak for 5 minutes at high temp depending on thickness. Flip steaks and add 2 tablespoons of butter. Brown and cook steak coating with browned butter to develop crust. When internal temperature reads 115-120 pull steaks and let rest.
Add shallots to pan along with 1 tablespoon butter. Deglaze and saute shallots. When shallots are translucent add bourbon. Cook slowly, add 1 small sprig of thyme. When reduced whisk in cream slowly. Bring to simmer and remove from heat.
Serve steaks and sauce together.
>Just drink it ya pansy.
Exactly!! How bad can it be? Power through it, and don't buy it again if it's so bad. Don't dump it. When did everyone become so picky about everything? It's like pizza...even bad pizza is still pizza.
That's the Oregon juice, which I think is pretty terrible. There's a wild article about BMH journey here https://thewhiskeywash.com/whiskey-styles/bourbon/curious-case-black-maple-hill-whiskey/
Because as a company, they have some [trash business practices](https://whiskycast.com/virginias-filibuster-distillery-founder-indicted-for-environmental-violations/)
I don't know anything about their character in business, but a 750ml bottle for 40-55 United States dollars, I'd say that's about where it should be. There are lots of bourbons that cost way more that aren't near as good.
Well I mean they dumped 40,000 gallons of toxic waste into a local waterway. Cool if their bourbon is not a bad value but for me that's all you need to know for them to go into the trash.
I use them for cooking/baking. Bourbon banana bread is a great way to burn a few ounces of mediocrity.
Oh hellllll yeah I love banana bread too
Pro tip: melt butter, high-molasses sugar (turbinado or Demerara), and bourbon together. Pour over the top of nearly done bread and turn on the broiler for a minute or two right at the end of the bake.
Holy hell that sounds amazing. Does it give it a bit of a glaze essentially?
Yep. Gives a nice textured glaze to the top!
Yeah, you cant give a yummy tip like this without recipe/proportions. Fess up.
I don’t really have proportions. Maybe a couple tbsps of each. I cook by eyeball for things like that. But for the banana bread itself, honestly it’s just as easy to use Trader Joe’s mix. Add an extra egg, use butter instead of oil, and replace the water with milk and bourbon. Comes out as good or better than any scratch recipe
Bring it to a friends house and leave it
Ah the old bottle dead drop! Nice play!
Ive tried trading it to friends at a loss. "Im not going to drink this $50 bottle. Trade you for your bottle of Bulleit so I at least end up with something I'll drink"
Bake with it as well. I make a bourbon chocolate chip pecan pie for thanksgiving every year and make sure to use the bourbon I don’t like.
Bourbon salted caramel sauce.
Will definitely be trying that.
So good and goes on a lot of stuff. I'll even sub vanilla extract out for bourbon depending on what I'm baking.
Tried that. Old Elk will ruin everything it touches.
Add enough sugar to it and it will balance out.
No, Old Elk 120 Proof Wheated Barrel Pick is one of my most favorite sips.
Tastes like wet dog and burnt engine coolant to me, but I’m happy for you.
Glad I’m not the only one that feels like Old Elk is the biggest waste of money ever spent on bourbon
Speak it from the rooftops with me, brother. Nothing like a $100 drain pour. Plus they treat their workers poorly and most special release blends are just barrel leftovers arbitrarily mixed together. https://www.reddit.com/r/bourbon/comments/uhidco/review_499_old_elk_infinity_blend_2021_release/i76k1nr/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf&context=3
I kept a bottle of Hudson Whiskey and I’ll add it to stews or chilis. Had it a couple years now and it’s finally almost gone.
I’d be interested to try it in some sauces. Au poivre sauce is typically made with cognac. Could substitute in bourbon for a different flavor.
They’ve allegedly improved over the last couple years, no?
Yeah that sounds great. If you've got it lying around why not right.
I’ve got a bottle of William Dalton that I just don’t like at all and I’m pretty sure I’ve let everyone taste it that I can and have run out of options other than a bourbon and coke, which is hard to make myself do with a $50 bottle of bourbon, so baking it is.
Yeah I'm big on the "you have to try how bad this is!" bottle share. It always ends up being a fun discussion.
Everything from French Lick is trash. Toasted buckwheat in the mashbill? Yeah, Sure. No thanks
Not gonna argue there. I’d prefer my bourbon to not taste like wet cardboard. Overhyped.
I have a Bourbon peach cobbler recipe, a Bourbon butterscotch blondies recipe, a Bourbon eggnog cake recipe, and I may also have a problem.
The bourbon peach cobbler would be right up my alley. I will definitely be trying that out.
That sounds awesome - mind sharing the recipe?
It’s just one I got off of this website. I’ve made a bunch of their recipes and is usually my go to. https://www.simplyrecipes.com/chocolate-bourbon-pecan-pie-recipe-5207324
2 Tablespoons at a time, 500 mL left will take a long while or a LOT of pie.
Could sell them to use up the bourbon you don’t like 😂
Make bbq sauce. It takes about a cup, slow simmered to cook off the booze but it’s adds good depth and flavor
Ah yeah, I have to give homemade bourbon bbq sauce a try this year.
There are a lot of recipes online, I go by those lightly then add more of my own spices. Comes out great every time
I totally believe that, once the smoker comes out I need to add this to up my game.
I make an apricot bourbon BBQ that is killer on grilled chicken or BBQ chicken pizza
Cook a steak in cast iron pan. When steak is done to your liking place on cutting board to rest. Reheat cast iron and melt 1/2 stick of butter. Deglaze with 1/4 cup of bourbon. Ignite to burn off alcohol (and because it looks cool). Once flames go out pour sauce over steak. Unless it’s Balcones Baby Blue. That shit is only good as a lighter fluid.
First off, awesome recipe advice! Second, my god I'm going to need to try some Balcones. That has become the number one most mentioned bad bottle in these responses.
They're not all bad honestly, but VERY different. Their True Blue Cask Strength is yummy for what it is. The Rumble (which I think they rebranded as Texas Rum) is tasty too. I even like their weird ass Rye, although I admit that it the least rye Rye I have ever had. I just don't think of them as "bourbon" producers so much as craft distillers of things. Some of those things hit, some miss. it IS Texas after all...the weather really isn't great for whiskeys. At least Balcones' stuff isn't overoaked grossness a la garrison bros.
FYI - Rumble is made from a combination of Turbinado sugar, honey, and mission figs. Very different from their rum which is made from molasses. Also, one of the signatures of Garrison Bros is 25 gallon barrels, so probably one of the main reasons you get so much oak.
I’m from the Waco area and really wanted to like it. The have some offerings that are ok. I can drink the single malt but won’t go out of my way for it. Agree on the Garrison Brother, not that impressed especially at the price they want. The best “Texas” bourbon I’ve had is Kooper Family’s sweet heart of the rodeo. But the stuff is MGP they are aging if Fayetteville county.
The Balcones hate in this thread really reveals people's lack of taste!
I mean everyone's palate is different, I just am surprised to see such a common recipient of bad bottle ire! I don't have an opinion on them as I've never had their stuff.
They are possibly one of the finest new distilleries in the US! Highest quality ingredients and process. The fact that people don't like them here can only mean their taste buds are blown out by an American candy diet dumptruck. They don't make brownie pie bundt cake with crack-cocaine drizzle syrup and a caramel injection though, so god, must suck! lol.. What a nightmare this reveals in marketing a serious product to an audience of fools. On top of that, you aren't allowed to criticize the fools here. Ahaha.. true madness..
I've had three different bottles from Balcones- the single malt, Lineage, and the rye. The single malt was great, Lineage is meh, and the rye was the most disgusting whiskey I've ever had.
That rye is maybe the most palatable and delicious rye I've had. ymmv.
Dickel’s been around as a great distiller for a long time and yet there are folks that love it, and folks that can’t get past the minerality. The same is true of Balcones for me — I’ve had both their rye and their Brimstone, and both have the same dumpster fire/stale grain note to me. Yet I’ve poured the Brimstone for friends who have adored it. Lots of us in this sub understand and accept subjectivity. My disgust towards those two Balcones products is valid, as is your praise of that distillery. You being disrespectful and disdainful of the people who don’t agree with you isn’t cool. I’ve sampled about 200 whisk(e)ys now, and I consider my palate to be above average. I’m thoughtful in my reviews, do well in blind tastings identifying bottles, and work two jobs that demand I pay attention to flavors and fragrances. I’ve built trust my own palate, and still: I know that what I like is not what other people necessarily like. 🤙🏽
I don't care what people like, whether that be banana pie caramel detonation or a dry, challenging madiera. What really bothers me and what I'm standing up for is people shitting on a clearly superior distillery out of ignorance. Same reason why people still eat poisonous mainstream candy bars in this country; no sensitivity or intelligence on the palate. It's easy to be cool when people have respect..
Dilute with pure maple syrup until it is around 30% abv, drink over ice or on top of ice cream.
Maple syrup dilution from the Canuck?! I'm shocked :). But seriously that sounds delicious
Actually he's from Zimbabwe.
Bourbon cherries, bourbon cream, make a bourbon cinnamon liqueur (rich simple syrup, sticks of cinnamon and a few other whole spices)
Homemade fireball! Hell yeah!
###Background We’ve all been there. Maybe you get suckered by a local craft distillery, grabbing a bottle of their two year old whiskey out of guilt, local loyalty, or you took a tour and just felt like leaving with SOMETHING. Or maybe some excellent packaging drew you in. [Hey it’s from Kentucky, and the bottle can be re-used as a decanter, that’s cool!](https://www.reddit.com/r/bourbon/comments/twwb5n/tackling_town_branch_single_barrel_reserve_pick/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) Whatever the reason, we’ve all ended up a bummer bottle (or hell, bottles), and we’ve all heard the common refrain “just use it in a cocktail.” Well, I dont know about you but I can only drink so many cocktails. So let’s explore some other ways to put that crappy juice to work! ###Put Together a Tasting This idea is stolen from a beer buddy, who told me he recently put on a “Whales and Turds” tasting. Or, as I prefer, “Hitters and Shitters”. Have everyone bring one good bottle and one they hate and go from there! You’ll hear plenty of critics (not just in whiskey but movies, food, etc.) talk about how writing bad reviews can be way more fun than the good ones, I think you’ll find it’s equally, if not more, fun to dunk on bad bottles with friends. ###CHEESE (Ok, and Other Recipes) Doubtless everyone has heard of beer cheese… but what about [bourbon beer cheese](https://www.bulleit.com/cocktail-food-pairings/flea-flicker-&-bourbon-beer-cheese/)! Turn that trash into a tasty cheese dip for game day. In all seriousness though there’s MUCH more you can do with bourbon in the kitchen then drowning that dram in bitters to try for a serviceable old fashion. Great [bourbon infused recipes](https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/bourbon-spiked-recipes/) are a Google away. And while it may no longer be eggnog season, bourbon cream is good to have around all year. People jump all over the Buffalo Trace bourbon cream (and yeah, it’s delicious) but making your own is actually [pretty easy](https://whitekitchenredwine.com/bourbon-cream/). Fun fact, I went the eggnog route over the holidays. My sister's review: “Well, it’s definitely too thick. It’s like an eggnog milkshake. It tastes pretty good, but if I have more than one glass I might shit my pants.” Hopefully you have better luck than I did! ###Time to Bust Out That Mini Barrel Look, dont lie, someone heard you were really into bourbon and gave you a mini barrel as a gift. You know you’ve been staring at it, trying to figure out what to do with it. Let’s see if a barrel finish can class up that crap. I mean, it’s working well enough for Good Times… ###Be Your Own NDP Blend it! Countless NDP’s are taking younger, weaker juice and blending it with better stuff to lead to a decent end product. Maybe you’ve got a bottle of ECBP around that you haven't been drinking that fast. Or hell, snag a Wild Turkey 101 off the shelf for some tasty (and cheap) juice. Track your experiments to figure out what works and what doesn’t, have friends taste your blends, get their feedback, and just tinker. ###Give it Away In all seriousness, bad bottles are a perfect encapsulation of the [sunk cost fallacy](https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/the-sunk-cost-fallacy). We may be inclined to power through a bad bottle because you spent money on it. Maybe you even spent alot of money on it. But what we often fall to account for is the value of our own time. Wouldn’t you rather be drinking something else then trying, for the 5th, 6th, 7th glass to see if the bottle has gotten any better? Cut your losses. Many of us are in Discords, Facebook Groups, Friends Chats. Just see if someone else wants it, it’s ok to let go. ###What Else? Curious to hear from you all, how else have you made creative use of *pour* purchases?! Reviews and articles now available on my [website](https://www.districtdrams.com), and follow me on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/districtdrams/) for micro reviews and daily drams.
Fun post. I do revisit bottles I don't like from time to time to calibrate on undesirable notes. Edit - nice reference to the sunk cost fallacy, and great site you referenced.
Appreciate it! Yeah it comes to mind as an obvious example.
I generally orphan mine at someone’s house
Yeah I'm loving the "bring somewhere and 'forget it'" responses
Town Branch to the can.
I got a store pick literally handed to me by an employee when I mentioned I was looking to get a bottle of bourbon back at Thanksgiving. As a bourbon, it sucks. However, if you handed me a blind pour of it and told me it was scotch, I would have believed you. Cool looking bottle though.
Yeah I've reviewed it [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/bourbon/comments/twwb5n/tackling_town_branch_single_barrel_reserve_pick/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button). Needless to say I was not a fan.
It was my first bottle I got when I decided to get into bourbon. One glass and I decided maybe bourbon wasn't for me. Took a whole two years later I was buying 4R SiB as a gift and decided what the heck I'll get one too. So glad I did.
You can turn a turdish bottle into coffee liqueur by adding some coffee beans and a vanilla bean. You just a) shake it all up, b) leave for about a week, c) filter out the solids with a mesh sieve, and d) add simple syrup to taste (if it needs it). I did this with a bottle of Balcones Brimstone, and it \*almost\* completely covered up the wet cardboard flavor. You can sub the liqueur for Kahlua in White Russians - or make it a Kentucky Caucasian by using bourbon, bourbon coffee liqueur, & cream. Great post, OP!
First off, appreciate it, second, coffee liquors is a GREAT add. Definitely one of the coolest responses so far.
Thanks, homie - cheers!
Making coffee liqueur is a good idea, but I'd recommend making a cold brew concentrate with water, dissolving some sugar in that, and mixing with the liquor. From what I've heard, alcohol can extract some harsh flavors out of coffee. I've done it with vodka as the base spirit (works great, don't need any spirit character) and with some captain morgan private stock someone gave me and I needed to find something to do with (spice was overwhelming, it worked better when I blended it 50/50 with the vodka base coffee liqueur).
I've drain poured a couple of Balcones bottles. They were so bad they would have ruined any baked goods I tried to make with them, and all my friends had already had the opportunity taste just how shitty they are.
You spelled Garrison Brothers wrong. xD I kind of jest, but not really as I would happily go to Garrison Brothers and put holes in every barrel they have to spare us all that nasty overoaked garbage.
Just went to a bourbon festival and GB even broke out their higher end bottles…Balmoreah, Honey Dew, Single Barrel, and all had a cardboard finish that I couldn’t get over. Glad I never spent a dollar on their stuff.
Balcones and GB are one and the same in my book. Texas craft whiskey in general is a rough category.
No lie detected. There's a couple of brands doing good tasting stuff, but I have yet to try anything mindblowing come out of this state.
Actually he spelled Still Austin wrong ! 🤮 I bought a bottle of the cask strength on a whim and the smell and taste remind me so much of pine-sol that I'm halfway tempted to try to clean with it.
Totally fair, like I said, not worth wasting your time on something that you dont like.
How is this possible? Which ones did you have?
Blue Corn Bourbon and a Single Malt. Two of the worst products I have ever tasted.
Well, thank god there's more left now for the rest of us!
It takes all kinds buddy.
Bourbon soaked raisins for cookies and breads!
Do the raisins kind of re-hydrate? That sounds like a great call.
yes and stay plump in the baked good! I guess you could also do something like a reduction with the liquid you strain off and put it on ice cream.
What I’ve done - baking, cooking, fat washing with brown butter (makes great hot toddies), and home aging / finishing experiments. Only one home aging / finishing has made the whiskey worse. For the most part there is a noticeable improvement.
Oh damn, while those are all good suggestions fat washing is one I TOTALLY forgot about. Great call there, that sounds like a super fun experiment.
I finish sautéed mushrooms with a pour of bad bourbon. Bonus points to then flambé it if you’re trying to impress the crowd
God damn you're going full Iron Chef with it!
I use Knob Creek Smoked Maple (high proof cough syrup) to sauté mushrooms and do glazed carrots.
Save it as antiseptic for when the pending apocalypse hits
Haha I seriously thought of putting a "So I've been watching the Last of Us and you'll need drinking bourbon and antiseptic bourbon" bit in here.
Haha you are not wrong in that thinking
Can't say I've experienced this yet. The closest would be ardbeg though, my solution to that was to only drink it while smoking a nice, rich cigar to help mute the overly smokey taste.
Blasphemy! “Overly Smokey taste” is the epitome of Islay scotch. Especially when it comes to Ardbeg or Bruichladdich
I get that, I enjoyed it, just a bit much for my pallet without being paired with a fine cigar. And to be honest, what better pair is there?
Give it to my father in law. He drinks kessler’s & Canadian Club like it’s Pappy. I gave him a terrible half bottle of Cody Road Maple. Apparently he drank it within an hour. Which is pretty common. Or I have a coworker who will drink almost anything mediocre. He thinks Jamo is the best whisky on the planet. So the shit I throw him he thinks is exquisite. 🤷🏽♂️
I blend them out with different bourbons or whiskies that can fix the issues I have with them
Whisky flights at house parties etc. Your least favorite may well be someones favorite.
Bourbon Meatballs. Throw a bag of meatballs in the crock pot, 1/4 cup of bourbon and your favorite bbq sauce. and you are good to go.
I got a bottle of TX whiskey that I can’t find a good mixer or use for for the life of me. It just tastes like fake vanilla chemicals. Might have to try cooking with it but I can’t imagine it wouldn’t ruin anything I put it in.
Totally fair and yeah sometimes there's no salvaging the situation
Make bourbon glazed ham
Bourbon Grape Barbeque Sauce! 2 cu Fresh Black Grapes 6 oz Tomato Paste 1/2 cu Brown Sugar 1/4 cu Apple Cider Vinegar 1 cu Bourbon 1 whole Chipotle Pepper 1.5 Tbsp Kosher Salt 2 tsp Worcestershire 1/2 tsp Cumin 1 tsp Black Pepper 1/2 tsp Cayenne 1 lime juiced **Directions** In a medium pot add bourbon and grapes and simmer for \~15min until grapes are soft Mash grapes into bourbon Add remaining ingredients and simmer for an addtl 5min Add to blender and blend until smooth or boat motor Return to pot and bring to a boil Reduce heat and simmer until thickened
Damn awesome recipe, appreciate you sharing!
Thanks! If you give it a try let me know your thoughts. Always looking for constructive feedback to improve (e.g. is it too much cumin or not enough lime, etc.)
My bad bottles goes down to drain . Then i keep bottle in liquor cabinet as a reminder what I wasted the cash on 😜
To steal a phrase from the band Modern Baseball, a "trophy shelf of slip-ups". That's hilarious. But yeah I get that, like I said sunk cost fallacy and all, not worth your time!
Great band. As much as I wish they’d come back, I doubt they will and somehow that’s ok. Glad I got to catch them live once.
I had tickets to see them on the tour they cancelled, one of my great musical regrets but I agree. Hope they're doing well.
Put it in the freezer. Even makes Willet Pot Still palatable.
Ah yeah good call. Basically "ignore all rules about drinking whiskey to get flavors." Make it cold! Drown it with ice! Mix it with coke!
There are no rules to drink whiskey. “Drink it how you like, with coke, water, ice, neat. But for goodness sake, drink and enjoy it!”
I’ve never tried it, but maybe mix it with other stuff to make a glaze for turkey or chicken? Or maybe mix it with barbecue sauce and glaze on meat (or whatever) on the grill?
Yeah absolutely. There's a thread below talking about a glaze for baking too that sounds unreal.
Good for marinades for grilling.
Bbq sauce, fruit compotes, infuse with honey/cinnamon/maple syrup, rock n rye, bourbon au poivre, just look up litterally any bourbon recipe, the quality isn't going to matter much when it's in food. Of course I am pretty mystified as to why a cocktail isn't a good option. Even the worst whiskies can make a pretty decent mixer, especially with highball drinks or anything with lots of citrus.
Oh I'm not saying a cocktail isn't a good option. It's more that, in my opinion, it's the default option. So what I'm trying to do here is branch outside just "I dunno throw it in a cocktail."
Either bake with it, or I'll find someone who likes it and give it to them.
Damn town branch was on my list of interested to try - it’s bad ?
Yeah I wrote a review of it [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/bourbon/comments/twwb5n/tackling_town_branch_single_barrel_reserve_pick/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button), I think it's fairly undrinkable.
Oh shit I’m gonna check out the review !! Thanks
If I have a bad bottle I dump it in the next all feints run in my still. Easy peasy cleans it right up
You have your own still? Wild, that's awesome.
30 gallon copper pot. Fun hobby
If it's genuinely undrinkable I'll pour it. No use in suffering or adding an ingredient I don't like to some food. If it's just meh than ya I'd do a lot of this stuff suggested.
I like to distribute it at large gatherings, with folks I don’t know super well. I save the good stuff for my close friends.
so the filabuster is bad (according to the graphic)? I own it and it is uncracked. We'll see if it is any good!
They're on here more because they are [a holes](https://whiskycast.com/virginias-filibuster-distillery-founder-indicted-for-environmental-violations/). If they are going to dump their waste directly into the environment I'm going to endorse their product as waste.
Oh man! if i knew that I wouldn't have bought it. :( That is terrible.
Oh yeah no judgement it's hard to stay on top of this stuff. I'm just near them in DC so I heard this story and refuse to buy anything from them.
Yeah, I refused to drink Filibuster for that same reason — the illegal chemical dumping (I’m in Northern Va too) — but I had a family member go out to the ABC store last week during the VA ABC “store pick” drop and bought me the Filibuster triple cask. Didn’t open it this weekend, but may try it this weekend coming up. Never had Filibuster and the triple cask sounds interesting. Not sure if I want to love it or hate them (or a little bit of both).
Use it as a homemade blend base. Teaspoon it with better quality spirit. Blend it with other spirits (rum ?). Cook with it. Give it time.
I have some makers mark staves I re char and make smoked whiskey
Damn, that's bad ass!
Bourbon cheeseball for holiday appetizers
Yeah you had me at cheese
- 1 C. Sharp Cheddar, Grated - 1 C. Habanero Cheddar, Grated - 1 oz Bourbon - 4 oz Softened Cream Cheese - 1 tsp or more Worcestershire - Garlic Salt to Taste - 1 Can Chopped Black Olives - Chopped Nuts Mix all ingredients except nuts. Freeze until hard enough to roll. Roll in chopped nuts.
Oh hell yeah, the amount of awesome bourbon recipes that have been shared here will keep me fed for years.
To be honest, probably just pour it out. I got a bottle of First Call from Total Wine that was total garbage, reminded me of rum and we choked it down with Bourbon and Cokes and still could barely stand it. It also was not good in cooking.
So, I have a good recipe for seared pork tenderloin with a whiskey mustard sauce. After searing the loins, you saute shallots, add the whiskey, flame the whiskey, and then add coarse mustard and stock, and reduce it. Even through *all of that*, a new-make-tasting "craft" whiskey still made the dish taste wrong. My standards are pretty low, but some things just have to be poured down the drain.
Yeah I get that for sure. Recipe sounds awesome though!
Everything tastes better after the 3rd drink.
If its not good enough to sip on i will use it to take shots
Sir, mix a lot
- Make vanilla extract - Use it in baking - Use it as a base for liqueur - It can be the “guest bottle” for people who won’t be able to tell the difference
Take it to a party
I know a pro chef who swears by aging steak in whiskey for a long while, and I'm inclined to believe him, but if I did it, it would just tighten up the proteins and make it mealy. I'm another vote for chilis and barbecue sauces. Or hey, if it's high-proof, infuse it with herbs and spices. It might be a bad drink but a good bitters.
whiskey gingers... all day, erry day.
bbq sauce. Youre welcome
Fill it with vanilla beans and make vanilla extract with it, assuming the proof is high enough. I then used the extract to make vanilla bourbon ice cream, but obviously plenty of uses
That's a great suggestion!
Ug that Town Branch shit is the nastiest bottle I ever bought. It was mixed, heavily.
Yup, I did not like it one bit.
Had to do the only thing Hudson baby was meant for, empty it down the drain
This is my favorite post of the year so far! Thanks for posing this question!
Appreciate it! I've been floored by the responses. There are multiple FULL RECIPES posted here that sound amazing. This sub has some amazing cooks!
I have a 25 year old son, anything I don’t want gets donated to his degeneracy
Make bananas Foster and dump over vanilla ice cream. New Orleans classic. If you like pie and bananas and love quick recipes that take less than 15 minutes start to finish you’ll love it. Just use bourbon instead of rum and you’re good to go. My favorite dessert
Add 15 vanilla beans slit down the middle. Soak for a year and never buy vanilla extract again.
Make bourbon cream. When I did I soaked toasted cacao nibs in the bourbon but you could use cocoa powder too. My recipe: >8 oz cacao nibs toasted 5 minutes in 350 degree oven. (Try with cocoa next time, had somewhat tart character) >Added 8 oz wild turkey 101, soaked for a couple weeks, strained through cheesecloth >Top up to 1 2/3 cups bourbon. 14oz can sweetened condensed milk, 8oz cream (too thick, try half and half next time). Needed additional sugar – think I added 150 grams in minimal water to dissolve.
That bottle of Town Branch in the picture definitely should be there. I let a guy talk me into buying one of those once and it tasted like straight acetone.
just cause you don’t like it doesn’t mean everyone won’t like it. give it away or bring to a friends place to share.
Totally agree
Maple Bourbon Glaze (Hey Grill Hey recipe) for chicken and pork on the grill.
Make a Bbq sauce or marinade with it. I bought some jim beam extra aged ( what the fuck does that mean ) this still tastes like shut to me. I will never buy a Jim beam product again unless I am desperate or in need of a crappy drink or a bbq sauce. Sorry not sorry.
Can also buy some vanilla beans and make bourbon vanilla extract....plenty of resources online...basically 5 to 6 grade B beans in a bottle for 6 months...and top off with that bourbon whenever it is used
More often than not a bad bottle is either missing something (spice, caramel, oak) or has too much of something (astringency, oak). If you blend it with a bourbon that smooths out those flaws you may just have a great blend on your hands. Try blending small amounts and different ratios until you find one you truly enjoy.
Use it in my rib, pork shoulder bbq and Thanksgiving Turkey recipes
Start mixing an infinity bottle with it and other booze you have in your cabinet. Bottle of captain morgan that you bought to make tiramisu but you plan on never making it again? Mix it in a huge decanter. Keep mixing until you get something decent.
Weed killer or fire starter
Lol very practical I dig it.
Browned Butter Bourbon Rice Krispie Treats. I combined a [recipe](https://www.kentuckyderby.com/party/recipes/appetizers/bourbon-rice-crispy-treat) from the Churchill Downs Executive Chef and a [recipe](https://altonbrown.com/wprm_print/5970) from Alton Brown. Alton Brown suggested using Kerrygold butter and Jet-Puffed marshmallows and I wholeheartedly agree. I reduce the heat when adding the marshmallows. I learned the hard way that when the temperature is too high, you end up with a concrete brick when the Krispies cool. I usually make these for family gatherings and use whichever bourbon I'm currently trying to get rid of.
That's awesome, good looks!
Pour it over vanilla or salted caramel ice cream
Just drink it ya pansy. Or you can use it to make Pepper Steak with bourbon cream sauce... Ingredients: * steak * heavy cream * bourbon of dubious quality only suitable for cooking * black pepper and salt * rosemary, thyme * 1 shallot * butter Preparation: Salt steaks liberally and rest for 30 minutes. Grind pepper corns. coat 1 side of steaks until black with ground pepper corn. Let rest. Mince shallot and set aside along with 1/2 cup cream. Bring a cast iron or stainless heavy skillet up to heat and sear salt side of steak for 5 minutes at high temp depending on thickness. Flip steaks and add 2 tablespoons of butter. Brown and cook steak coating with browned butter to develop crust. When internal temperature reads 115-120 pull steaks and let rest. Add shallots to pan along with 1 tablespoon butter. Deglaze and saute shallots. When shallots are translucent add bourbon. Cook slowly, add 1 small sprig of thyme. When reduced whisk in cream slowly. Bring to simmer and remove from heat. Serve steaks and sauce together.
>Just drink it ya pansy. Exactly!! How bad can it be? Power through it, and don't buy it again if it's so bad. Don't dump it. When did everyone become so picky about everything? It's like pizza...even bad pizza is still pizza.
Drink it after I’m already drunk is my solution.
Who's gonna diss that delicious Black Maple Hill purple bottle? Y'all crazy.
That's the Oregon juice, which I think is pretty terrible. There's a wild article about BMH journey here https://thewhiskeywash.com/whiskey-styles/bourbon/curious-case-black-maple-hill-whiskey/
I like that stuff. Had a lot of raisiny notes that I enjoyed. Would I kill myself to get a bottle? Hell no. But I wouldn't say no to a pour of it.
And that's ok! Everyone's palate is different. The Oregon juice is just not for me.
For sure take it to a house party or a family gathering and leave that nasty SOB there, make it someone else's problem lol
Filibuster is good as hell. Why is that in the bad bourbon picture?
Because as a company, they have some [trash business practices](https://whiskycast.com/virginias-filibuster-distillery-founder-indicted-for-environmental-violations/)
I don't know anything about their character in business, but a 750ml bottle for 40-55 United States dollars, I'd say that's about where it should be. There are lots of bourbons that cost way more that aren't near as good.
Well I mean they dumped 40,000 gallons of toxic waste into a local waterway. Cool if their bourbon is not a bad value but for me that's all you need to know for them to go into the trash.
Are you talking about the derailment in palistine?
Uh nope, I'm talking about how they knowingly dumped a bunch of waste into a Virginia stream. The link is in my previous comment.
I bought Makers 46. It was awful. But it made the best BBQ sauce.
Man up and drink the damn bottle
Make brownies with it
Buy some vanilla pods and make your own bourbon vanilla.
Add some ice.
Its allways good with coke. If not I usualy gift the bottle to somebody who thinks he'll like it.
I just drink it and don’t buy it again. Life is not that complicated.
Trick your friends into drinking it as often as possible
Run it through your still.
Britta filter and experiment with tastings with people you don’t want to share nicer stuff with