tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15819860075071623492024-02-20T09:38:00.934-06:00Rye Whiskey Is For PatriotsThe premier internet resource for rye whiskeyA rye-drinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09660491822606149879noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581986007507162349.post-25146656007633308202010-01-19T18:14:00.006-06:002010-01-19T18:36:32.641-06:00Classic Rye Cocktails, #13: The BlinkerA new (classic) drink for a new year.<br /><br />This one was revived in the early 2000s by Ted Haigh in his famous <span style="font-style: italic;">Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails</span> (2004), now newly revised and reissued (2009). Originally featured in Patrick Duffy's <span style="font-style: italic;">The Official Mixer's Manual</span> (1934), the drink takes advantage of a dry, tart citrus taste and the rich sweetness of a fruit-based syrup, all balanced by the spicy rye. It's origins are otherwise murky, but one can guess it emerged either toward the end of Prohibition or with the first bloom of joy that met Prohibition's repeal.<br /><br />The other crucial thing about this drink is its simplicity. Rye, something dry (grapefruit juice), and something sweet (grenadine, like the original--or, even better, a homemade or store-bought raspberry syrup). Simple proportions, simple ingredients. No sugared rims, no obscure ingredients, no bartender contortions. And yet one taste suggests real complexity. In many ways, this drink embodies the genius of American cocktail culture. A little really does add up to a lot.<br /><br />When one considers the ingredients--rye, grapefruit juice, and grenadine (or raspberry syrup), it seems too much. Too sweet. Too juvenile. Not patriotic. But instead, it's clean, fresh, and bracing--just like the January air here in the Upper Midwest. Because it's winter time, I strongly encourage you to take advantage of fresh grapefruit juice here. You won't be sorry.<br /><br />2 0z rye whiskey (Old Overholt or other 80-proof rye preferred)<br />1 oz grapefruit juice (fresh-squeezed preferred, store bought not-from-concentrate works fine)<br />2 dashes of grenadine or, 1.5 teaspoons of raspberry syrup (try Smuckers if you're fresh out of raspberries and sugar)<br /><br />Mix ingredients in a shaker, add ice, shake, strain into small martini glass. Garnish with a lemon twist (though this is completely optional with this drink).<br /><br />Even people who don't care for grapefruit juice will like this one.A rye-drinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09660491822606149879noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581986007507162349.post-72370048337199582192009-12-30T13:09:00.007-06:002009-12-30T13:32:18.276-06:00Tasting Notes #4: Rittenhouse, Bottled in Bond, 100-proof<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE-kJZZSCHgB4oyf6ylNJZZaWEsTzj2hC_7L8SDSrR0MQQAmYn7PQ1FJ8SDrQPOWkRFxrrP4yLdI-eBCMnL9mrrnMWU8ZvI8ibMbQDPWx7pNYM51SFzZvg9p1NUGlfxI7BRl9NGS_FHA/s1600-h/IMG_6712.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE-kJZZSCHgB4oyf6ylNJZZaWEsTzj2hC_7L8SDSrR0MQQAmYn7PQ1FJ8SDrQPOWkRFxrrP4yLdI-eBCMnL9mrrnMWU8ZvI8ibMbQDPWx7pNYM51SFzZvg9p1NUGlfxI7BRl9NGS_FHA/s320/IMG_6712.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421111521877748034" border="0" /></a><br />Already one of my favorite whiskeys (and one that's getting harder to find every month), I decided to put Rittenhouse to the test. Unlike the lesser, 80-proof version or the newly released 21-year old premium version, this economical 100-proof rye spirit has kept cocktail and whiskey enthusiasts excited for years. The high-proof stuff works especially well in a variety of pre-Prohibition cocktails, which often drew on bonded whiskeys because of their assured higher quality (Old Granddad 100-proof bonded bourbon, for instance, offers a similar timeless quality in that category).<br /><br />Rittenhouse is an old Pennsylvania label that emerged after Prohibition ended in 1933. Now, like almost all American rye whiskey's, it's made in Kentucky (by Heaven Hill). It came to the attention of many in the spirits world when it won the "North American Whiskey of the Year" prize at the 2006 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. It's been hard to find ever since, largely because it's usually less than $20 a bottle, and in a few corners of this great country, sometimes found for less than $15 a bottle (I'm talking about you, Boise, ID).<br /><br />The thing I like best about this whiskey is that it not only livens up the best cocktails, but also serves as a entry-level sipping whiskey. While it can't compete with high-end ryes, it certainly offers rye lovers a pleasant drinking experience neat, with just a little water, or even with ice.<br /><br />Appearance: At the first swirl of the glass, one sees uneven beading--some of the legs are thin and fast, while other seem thick, slowly moving down the sides of the glass, if at all. The color is dark, from the center all the way to the edge.<br /><br />Smell: A not-unpleasant charcoal overtone mixed with an astringent note that is decidedly thick.<br /><br />Taste: Sweetness to start, a big, wide taste that lingers. Vanilla grows out of the sweetness and then black pepper pops out. A little ginger-like burn follows the pepper, especially on the back of the tongue, slowly fading out. Thoroughly complex and delightful.<br /><br />Finish: Sharp, but not brittle.<br /><br />Overall, this is an excellent whiskey and an even more excellent value. Even if the price for this spirit has recently gone up in your area, it's a must-have. When you find some at your local liquor store, stock up. It may be gone the next time you need a bottle. And by then, you won't be able to live without it.<br /><br />The flexibility it provides--perfect for heavyweight rye drinks such as the <a href="http://ryepatriotism.blogspot.com/2009/06/official-rye-whiskey-cocktail-of-summer.html">Whiskey Smash</a> or the <a href="http://ryepatriotism.blogspot.com/2009/02/classic-rye-cocktails-10-suburban.html">Suburban</a>, but suitable for sipping neat--makes it especially useful for the value-conscious rye drinker in these difficult economic times. No wonder it's the darling of cocktail aficionados and rye drinkers alike. Simply put, Rittenhouse 100-proof bonded rye is an especially democratic spirit.A rye-drinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09660491822606149879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581986007507162349.post-57021103200137040422009-10-30T09:36:00.009-05:002009-10-30T10:23:21.140-05:00Tasting Notes #3: High West Rendezvous Rye<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY35OIPWQtoI3KSz4ZTworeTfo-j2V46gKmReExKFKMi-iHzqmSYrxrrfJTRmY94epEHt2-pgPHxRhMgXCz76NP1FbMKj3oUEg_IPy_bbt82MbljGt_M-jOYHNKRmkoXkp6vU8bFOO7Q/s1600-h/IMG_6717.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY35OIPWQtoI3KSz4ZTworeTfo-j2V46gKmReExKFKMi-iHzqmSYrxrrfJTRmY94epEHt2-pgPHxRhMgXCz76NP1FbMKj3oUEg_IPy_bbt82MbljGt_M-jOYHNKRmkoXkp6vU8bFOO7Q/s320/IMG_6717.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398402809898079314" border="0" /></a><br />The third in an occasional series.<br /><br />Utah and whiskey are two words that do not seem to fit together. After all, as a 150-year old outpost of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints (better known as the Mormons), the state holds a powerful reputation for being dry.<br /><br />Yet in the nineteenth century, many Mormons enjoyed wine and beer and Salt Lake City sported a number of liquor purveyors. Not until church authorities began emphasizing what the faithful call "The Word of Wisdom" in the early 1900s did Utah-made distillates become a thing of the past.<br /><br />In the twenty-first century, homemade alcohol returned to Utah. In the 1980s and 1990s, brewpubs made a triumphant return in Salt Lake City, Park City, and Moab. And in the late 1990s and early 2000s, a few scattered vineyards and High West Distilling popped up, taking advantage of the statewide trend toward craft brewing, craft fermenting, and craft distilling.<br /><br />High West, however, has yet to sell any of their own product. The first production runs of rye whiskey produced in their Utah-based still remain in the barrel. Nonetheless, they wisely decided to build up their market share by connecting a product (procured from other distillers, likely in Kentucky) with their label on it to the long history of rye whiskey consumption in the West.<br /><br />The name of this rye--rendezvous--is meant to conjure up the supposedly halycon days of the 1820s to 1840s, when American fur trappers wintered in the Rocky Mountains and gathered once a year to sell their pelts to various companies (which in turn transported them to major cities for processing) and gather supplies for the coming year. Most often held in Utah's Cache Valley or along the Green River in what is now southwestern Wyoming, these meetings often turned into raucous, even violent, frolics fueled by cheap whiskey.<br /><br />Thankfully, this spirit is neither cheap nor frolic-inducing. In fact, it took home a double gold medal in the 2008 San Francisco Spirits Competition. <br /><br />A mixture of two different whiskeys--a six year old straight rye and a sixteen year old straight rye, mixed with Utah water to bring the concoction to 92 proof--produces a distinct sipping experience. Again, High West did not distill either spirit, instead purchasing from existing stocks while they built their distillery in Park City. Salting away their current distillates for future sales, in the meantime they offer us this unique blended American rye.<br /><br />Here's how it tastes:<br /><br />Appearance: The dark, heavy, viscous body of this substantial whiskey becomes clear the second you hold your glass up to any light.<br /><br />Smell: The first aroma contains mint and licorice, and if you linger over the glass, one feels a cooling sensation through the nose.<br /><br />Taste: Thin on the front, with a sharp and peppery palate. The whiskey grows much more complex after a few seconds on the tongue, and finishes sweet, with notes of caramel.<br /><br />Finish: Some burn, with a little bitterness that is actually quite pleasant.<br /><br />Overall, this is a whiskey worth enjoying straight or on the rocks. It stands out as one of the more distinctive blended ryes on the market. But unless one is independently wealthy, I'd avoid using it in cocktails, where it's distinctiveness will wash out in the face of other flavorful ingredients. And if you don't live in Utah, you can find it at a number of major online retailers.<br /><br />In the meantime, rye patriots will anxiously await the Utah-made version, coming soon.A rye-drinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09660491822606149879noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581986007507162349.post-29001056630666310392009-10-02T20:09:00.001-05:002009-11-21T15:21:49.572-06:00Classic Rye Cocktails, #12: The ScofflawIf, like me, you've been drinking whiskey smashes all summer, you may be wondering what the arrival of autumn portends. Across much of the northern United States, backyard mint plants will not provide their copious bounty during the long, cold, winter.<br /><br />It's time for another drink. One that reminds the rye patriot of summer, but looks forward to changing leaves and the fresh, crisp air of fall.<br /><br />That drink is the Scofflaw. The cocktail renaissance has brought this drink back in a big way. Ironically, it belongs to the temperance movement. That's right. Anti-saloon forces gave birth to this drink back in the early 1920s. Apparently, it wasn't enough to outlaw the manufacture, sale, and transportation of liquors. Temperance leaders, seeing that the consumption of alcohol continued unabated--in some quarters, at least--decided that drinkers needed to be defined more sharply as lawbreakers.<br /><br />In late 1923, a leading prohibitionist announced a contest to create, according to the January 16, 1924 <span style="font-style: italic;">New York Times</span>, "the best word to stigmatize those who scoff at the prohibition law." The requirements? The new word need to start start with an "s," be no more than two syllables, focus on the lawbreaker--not the drinking, apply to all those who broke the law, and finally, fulfill Warren G. Harding's sentiment that "lawless drinking is a menace to the Republic itself." The winner? Kate L. Butler's (of Dorchester, MA) suggestion of "scofflaw." She won $200 for her trouble.<br /><br />Alone among Americans, the "wets" had a sense of humor. And they proved it by immediately coming up with this concoction. Thanks to the efforts of rye-drinking expats at Harry's Bar in Paris, within three days, this term for an illegal drinker soon became a moniker for a tasty cocktail.<br /><br />This one balances sweet, sour, and spicy sharpness. It's a winner.<br /><br />1 oz rye whiskey (100 proof Rittenhouse works best)<br />1 oz dry vermouth<br />3/4 oz grenadine (Stirring's brand preferred) or, alternately, green Chartreuse<br />3/4 oz lemon juice<br />2-3 dashes orange bitters<br /><br />For the sake of historical accuracy, it's important to note that the original recipe called for grenadine instead of green Chartreuse, but <span style="font-style: italic;">Washington Post</span> spirits columnists Jason Wilson adeptly suggests the replacement. One likes to think that in the absence of good whiskey (the stocks of rye in Paris surely must have been depleted four years after passage of the Volstead Act), the turn to grenadine by our Prohibition-era foremothers and forefathers was one of necessity, not joy. Nonetheless, if you're in the mood for something sweeter, be my guest.A rye-drinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09660491822606149879noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581986007507162349.post-37948471747064273742009-08-28T08:00:00.002-05:002009-08-28T08:04:59.315-05:00Historic craft distilling...Readers of this blog may remember that there was much celebration surrounding the announcement that the stills at Mount Vernon--where George Washington became one of the largest rye whiskey makers of his time in the late 1790s--were not only reconstructed but also producing <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">distillates</span> again.<br /><br />Well, it turns out that when they fired up the still back in February 2009, the good people at Mount Vernon created a <a href="http://makinggeorgewashingtonswhiskey.blogspot.com/">blog</a> to chronicle the event. It's a fascinating look at the reclamation of a historic rye recipe and distilling process. Check it out.A rye-drinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09660491822606149879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581986007507162349.post-65812649209035657182009-08-22T08:56:00.002-05:002009-08-22T08:58:00.219-05:00Not just craft distilling, but home distilling...Here's an <a href="http://gardenandgun.com/article/moonshine">article</a> (brand new) on an important variant of craft distilling.A rye-drinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09660491822606149879noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581986007507162349.post-56206566148572778112009-08-17T16:38:00.004-05:002009-08-17T16:38:00.568-05:00Craft distilling...One of the best outcomes of the renewed interest in rye whiskey (and for that matter, boutique spirits of every sort) is the advent of craft distilling. New companies are cropping up all over the country and starting to make rye (along with brandy, vodka, and gin). The return of local liquor production in America is a welcome one, given the long history of distillates made democratically, by Americans, for Americans, before Prohibition.<br /><br />To learn more, check out this <a href="http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1699866,00.html">article from Time Magazine</a> (January 2008) as well as this<a href="http://www.copperfox.biz/press/Malt_Advocate_Q1_2009_Craft_Distillers.pdf"> <span style="font-style: italic;">Malt Advocate</span> essay</a> (February 2009) on some of the most important small craft distillers in the country.A rye-drinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09660491822606149879noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581986007507162349.post-32181071558058383582009-08-13T21:34:00.000-05:002009-08-13T21:34:00.778-05:00A video on rye-making...Here's an excellent <a href="http://videos.syracuse.com/post-standard/2009/04/finger_lakes_distilling.html">video</a> from the good people at Finger Lakes Distilling (Burdett, NY) on the process they use to make rye whiskey in small batches. I can't wait until we get to try their rye (which is currently aging in the barrel).A rye-drinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09660491822606149879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581986007507162349.post-35627161017329328792009-08-09T18:16:00.026-05:002009-08-12T21:54:19.722-05:00Rye whiskey in song...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKpsbnBc3NURE21ZJPmwEXFo11VrRR08oKSAzZIVXaxomyRGVkiIfT_GdvybN9eaBIPTq79KZhDMQQvIy6m_S8haefKmSl2zFuMInaIC6E_Xxt73CQAIf3miY7SnBerHQR2yybwA5I1Q/s1600-h/61GChqAIIXL._SL500_AA280_.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 280px; height: 280px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKpsbnBc3NURE21ZJPmwEXFo11VrRR08oKSAzZIVXaxomyRGVkiIfT_GdvybN9eaBIPTq79KZhDMQQvIy6m_S8haefKmSl2zFuMInaIC6E_Xxt73CQAIf3miY7SnBerHQR2yybwA5I1Q/s320/61GChqAIIXL._SL500_AA280_.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368167889313095186" border="0" /></a><br />Some of you might have noticed that the recent 90<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span> birthday concert in Madison Square Garden for Pete <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Seeger</span> featured Dave Matthews <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/episodes/pete-seegers-90th-birthday-celebration-from-madison-square-garden/dave-matthews-performs-rye-whiskey/818/">singing the classic American folk tune</a> "Rye Whiskey" (PBS stations around the country are now showing the concert on <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/">"Great Performances"</a>--check your local listings). Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds also recently released a version of this song on the CD "B-Sides and Rarities." For some reason, there seems to be renewed interest in this American folk classic. A quick check of the i-Tunes store shows over 40 different versions recorded by various artists over the years.<br /><br />The song, with it's murky origins sometime in the early nineteenth-century, illustrates the pervasiveness of rye whiskey in American life. It was first recorded by Tex <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Ritter</span> in 1933 for Columbia Records. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Ritter</span> recorded it again for Capitol Records in 1948. You can hear <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Ritter</span> discuss this song <a href="http://www.archive.org/details/TexRitter-RyeWhisky1933">here</a>. The tune was also recorded at mid-century by famous folksingers such as Woody Guthrie (1940) and Pete <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Seeger</span> (1954).<br /><br />The lyrics in each of the recordings differs slightly. John <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Lomax</span>, Jr., the famed musicologist, sang "Rye Whiskey" on his seminal "John <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Lomax</span>, Jr. sings American Folk Songs" album (released by Smithsonian Folkways in 1952). In the liner notes, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Lomax</span> claimed that the song, "(sometimes called JACK OF DIAMONDS) is a well known western folk song of many verses and many versions." Indeed.<br /><br />Before the days of commercial recorded music (roughly beginning in the late 1910s) amateur musicians fulfilled a community's need for song. Like whiskey, music was produced locally. That meant that lyrical variations, sometimes regional, sometimes peculiar to particular performers, emerged and spread. Not until technologies made it possible for songs to be heard from a machine was music taken from the people, standardized, and turned into a business.<br /><br />The same was true in the world of liquor. By 1919, the local (even household) production of whiskey (with endless variations) had been banned as part of national prohibition. And when prohibition was finally lifted by Franklin Delano Roosevelt's administration in 1933, new federal laws nonetheless made it illegal to distill your own spirits without a license--which was hard to get. Only distilleries could make spirits. By then, corporations had taken hold of American popular music as well.<br /><br />Importantly, the song "Rye Whiskey" provides significant clues about nineteenth-century American culture and it's view of rye. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Lomax's</span> (and his son's) seminal published work on American folk music--<a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=Dn0cSe2ecuoC&dq=american+ballads+and+folksongs&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=i4lgSvQnvu&sig=PeGVTphFd8gdxfMHsCOakI2CL4g&hl=en&ei=cn1_SpLOCpWQNoLD9eEC&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3#v=onepage&q=&f=false"><span style="font-style: italic;">American Ballads and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Folksongs</span></span></a> (1941) included the song in the seventh chapter, which focused on folk songs with "cocaine and whisky" as subjects. Apparently the use of both was widespread in nineteenth-century America, which accounted for the many variations as well as the many sentiments the song expressed. The vaguely standard version of "Rye Whiskey" variously celebrates manly independence, the joys of life without a wife, the ruinous love/hate relationship an alcoholic has with their spirit of choice, class differences making romance difficult, the dangers of card playing, the desire for steak for the hungry, money for the poor, and religion at one's death, and finally, whiskey's uncanny ability to ease loneliness.<br /><br />Among the most interesting variations, however, are two found in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Lomax's</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">American Ballads (</span>and, interestingly, almost always absent in recorded versions of the song<span style="font-style: italic;">)</span>. The first is a verse attributed to African Americans, in the awkward and demeaning pidgin so often ascribed to enslaved peoples in the American South:<br /><br />In my little log cabin<br />Ever since I been born<br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Dere</span> ain't been no <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">nothin</span>'<br />'<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Cept</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">dat</span> hard salt, parched corn<br /><br />But I know <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">whar's</span> a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">henhouse</span>,<br />De turkey he <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">charve</span><br />An' if <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">ol</span>' <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Mas'er</span> don' kill me<br />I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">cain't</span> never starve.<br /><br />That this lyric has little to do with whiskey and much to do with the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">resilience</span> and resistance of enslaved peoples is fascinating. But a question arises: was it a minstrel variation? Unlikely. Perhaps this was a verse that African Americans added to this well known song to express their dignity in the face of the dehumanizing and brutal terror of chattel slavery? No one knows for sure.<br /><br />Equally important, the famous "duck" lyric found in the song seems to have come from African American folk traditions. Here's the lyric:<br /><br />If the ocean was whiskey<br />And I were a duck<br />I'd dive to the bottom<br />And never come up<br /><br />According to Newman White's book <span style="font-style: italic;">American Negro Folk Song</span> (1928), a group of African American workers in Alabama in 1915 sang a song with this verse:<br /><br />Oh! if the blues was whiskey<br />I'd stay drunk all the time<br />'Er if the river was booze<br />And I was a mallow duck<br />I'd dive to the bottom and<br />I'd never come up<br /><br />Variations on this verse could be found in a number of songs recorded by white and black artists in the 1930s including "Divin' Duck Blues" and "If the River Was Whiskey" as well as Muddy Waters' 1950 hit "Rollin' and Tumblin'."<br /><br />Another variation found in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Lomax's</span> book was a modified version of the typical chorus:<br /><br />Rye whiskey, rye whiskey,<br />Rye whiskey, I cry<br />If I don't get rye whiskey,<br />I surely will die.<br /><br />Interestingly, the variant proved to be much darker and less tongue-in-cheek:<br /><br />Rye whiskey, rye whiskey<br />You're no friend to me<br />You killed my poor daddy<br />Goddamn you, try me.<br /><div class="paragraph" style="padding: 0pt 179.64pt 0pt 123.96pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 13.44pt;"><span class="font0" style="line-height: 14.28pt;"><br /></span></div>As this version of the chorus suggests, alcoholism was pervasive in nineteenth-century America--one reason the temperance movement became so powerful. People knew that dependence on liquor could destroy one's life. And they weren't afraid to sing about it.<br /><br />That neither variant is sung anymore shows that the song continues to evolve--in this case, for the worse. Perhaps it would be more meaningful for Dave Matthews (and everyone else interested in reviving American folk music) to explore the darker, more complex side of these "people's songs" just as we rye aficionados appreciate darker, more complex whiskeys--the "people's spirit."A rye-drinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09660491822606149879noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581986007507162349.post-67172622289959086372009-06-16T14:56:00.005-05:002009-06-16T15:34:21.363-05:00Tasting Notes #2: Michter's U.S. *1 Single Barrel Straight Rye<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFjf_N_lmvqwYeSm-WGIzT7SSMLd5wYDdTjX9b_VnzZSL7XV3TN_zenyE9puI1XpuBgArULUlHYuBLm8_7r3xAliHT0lJTU7huC02keqKs6gxOI47Dq3NjPzv63dPaxdxdOcxFV6I-OA/s1600-h/IMG_6711.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFjf_N_lmvqwYeSm-WGIzT7SSMLd5wYDdTjX9b_VnzZSL7XV3TN_zenyE9puI1XpuBgArULUlHYuBLm8_7r3xAliHT0lJTU7huC02keqKs6gxOI47Dq3NjPzv63dPaxdxdOcxFV6I-OA/s320/IMG_6711.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348026499690576370" border="0" /></a><br />The second in an <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">occasional</span> series.<br /><br />The name Michter's and whiskey share a long history. Kind of.<br /><br />With its roots in eighteenth-century family-based whiskey production, a distillery in Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania became a major commercial player in the 1850s. The Bomburger family took over whiskey-making in the years immediately before the Civil War and ran the distillery until the dark night of Prohibition fell over the land in 1919.<br /><br />By the early 1950s, the distillery had been permanently reopened under the leadership of Louis Forman. Forman installed an old-fashioned pot-style still, which most other competitors had abandoned as being too small and inefficient. In 1956, Michter's Pot-Still Whiskey (a bourbon) hit the market though it never gained a reputation as an exceptional product. In 1979, the entire distillery was renamed after Michter's--their top brand.<br /><br />According to John and Linda Lippman, the reputation began to grown then. After A. H. Hirsch purchased the remaining stock as the distillery went out of business in 1988, and released them many years later as greatly aged whiskeys, the Michter's name took on mythic proportions among some bourbon afficianados. In 1996, Gene Wilson bought the remaining assets of the crumbling and abandoned distillery and sold the most intact item--the name. <a href="http://www.chathamimports.com/">Chatham Imports</a> now bottles four different boutique whiskeys under the Michter's brand, including this one.<br /><br />Like nearly every other modern rye, this whiskey was made in Kentucky. After thirty-six months in the barrel, it is filtered and then returned to the barrel.<br /><br />Here's how it tastes:<br /><br />Appearance: A medium brown color typical of rye whiskey. Thick legs on the inside of the glass after just one swirl.<br /><br />Smell: A muted alcohol burn, with sweet but peppery overtones.<br /><br />Taste: Decidedly mellow. Sweet on one side, spicy on the other, but not much depth. The second sip brought out a slightly soured corn syrup taste, with the spiciness clearly coming out on the back of the tongue.<br /><br />Finish: Very straightforward, with little to no bitterness.<br /><br />Little about this rye makes it distinctive, and that makes it seemingly overpriced. It ranges from $25 to $35 a bottle in most markets where it can be found. Clearly it would work just fine in a wide range of cocktails, if only because it features the most basic characteristics of rye whiskey. One could also freely share this distillate as a sipping whiskey with good friends. But paying this much for this little means this may not be your best option when you start exploring more expensive ryes.<br /><br />Cheers!A rye-drinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09660491822606149879noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581986007507162349.post-3831251604104379892009-06-12T20:07:00.007-05:002009-09-09T17:27:35.285-05:00Classic Rye Cocktails, #11: The Whiskey SmashThe official cocktail of summer 2009...is the Whiskey Smash. Among America's most ancient of mixed drinks, the Whiskey Smash offers up the democratic refreshment our foremothers and forefathers yearned for in the days before air-conditioning.<br /><br />Back in the 40s, 50s, 60s--and here I mean the 1840s, 1850s, and 1860s--the Smash, according to David Wondrich in <span style="font-style: italic;">Imbibe</span>, was one of the most popular concoctions in the land. And like so many antebellum drinks (including the Sazerac), the Smash (or Smasher or even Smash-Up) was first made with brandy. Later on, rye was more often joined to the refreshing combination of mint and lemon wedges for this summertime pick-me-up. The whiskey variant--according to <span style="font-style: italic;">A New Dictionary of Americanisms; being a glossary of words supposed to be peculiar to the United States and the Dominion of Canada</span> (1875)--was known in some circles as a "whiskey skin" (though this more often referred to a warm version of this drink made with Scotch or Irish whiskey, there was some overlap).<br /><br />How common was this drink (and its many variants) in the nineteenth century? As late as 1900, a fixture at New York City's horse race tracks was named "Brandy Smash." <br /><br />Given our full-blown cocktail renaissance, this drink is regaining its popularity quickly as bartenders restore the full glory of our American heritage to the bar-going public. You might be able to find this at an upscale establishment with an excellent bartender near you (such as New York City's Pegu Club, Chicago's Violet Hour, or Boston's Drink). But, just in case, here's how to make your own, in a short glass:<br /><br />1 oz simple syrup (sugar water)<br />1 oz lemon juice (fresh-squeezed preferred)<br />2 mint sprigs<br />2 to 2.5 oz rye whiskey (Rittenhouse or Wild Turkey preferred because the higher proof liquor cuts through the sweet citrus flavors more effectively).<br /><br />Muddle the lemon juice, simple syrup, and one of the mint sprigs. Add the whiskey and fill the glass with crushed ice. Place the remaining sprig at the top of the glass in order to enjoy the aroma, which adds considerable depth to this drink.<br /><br />Then sit back (preferably outside) in a lounge chair and enjoy.A rye-drinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09660491822606149879noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581986007507162349.post-46205881785856528212009-04-30T14:45:00.007-05:002009-04-30T15:23:19.778-05:00Breaking News: Rye Whiskey soon to be sold at Mount Vernon...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNH6I-rXvaQbLw9PTC5oJW32KGJ5fb3SSQO1b-Jqo_cPedBxguLqcxBngrlBBLiPNYEaecio-lOQ-0lwfTfzRtNs4cxiXpHwKc-3VDWK4x50qBYk0giNU2XQfPyVMvAOF5W6p-RDZEgA/s1600-h/Drink75A_R1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNH6I-rXvaQbLw9PTC5oJW32KGJ5fb3SSQO1b-Jqo_cPedBxguLqcxBngrlBBLiPNYEaecio-lOQ-0lwfTfzRtNs4cxiXpHwKc-3VDWK4x50qBYk0giNU2XQfPyVMvAOF5W6p-RDZEgA/s320/Drink75A_R1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330579688721125426" border="0" /></a><br />For the first time since 1808, the working distillery (recently reconstructed with the financial support of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States--it burned down in 1814) at George Washington's Virginia estate, Mount Vernon, will be selling whiskey made on-site, starting in June 2009. The story is <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/AroundTheWorld/Story?id=7335636&page=1">here</a>.<br /><br />Back in 1797, Washington invested in a distillery on his plantation and within a year his distiller was producing 11,000 gallons of rye whiskey annually. Most of it was sold locally for a hefty profit. After Washington's death in 1799, production tailed off.<br /><br />The spirit will be rye (60% rye, 35% corn, 5% barley)--of course--and young. Most spirits made during the period were aged only briefly, if at all. Washington's rye, apparently, was especially appreciated for it's quality--which means it did spend some time, however limited, in the barrel.<br /><br />Mount Vernon has been selling a limited edition American whiskey since August 2008, but this is a blend of leading American whiskeys aged on-site--not produced on site. The new stuff will be the real thing.<br /><br />The grains used in this revived version were milled on-site, making this the only eighteenth-century style whiskey made in an eighteenth-century style setting using eighteenth-century techniques and technologies. It may be the most authentic rye of all. Many thanks to Virginia State Senator Linda Puller for ensuring that the distillery--operated by the Mount Vernon Ladies Association--could get the appropriate state licensing to sell distilled spirits.<br /><br />Rye patriots, gather at this shrine come June to drink the nectar of our country!A rye-drinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09660491822606149879noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581986007507162349.post-77262014204200210492009-04-27T16:00:00.005-05:002009-06-16T15:01:03.539-05:00Tasting Notes #1: Old Overholt<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk4OnQA3G_rhDzAbE4slxK-w2BGAmGcJbXGVnXRtjyx_pQLSc2pk8l0tdH_O7WJPMNRJq1oqMMjMSa7xwqRXoO_yZX_j_RpANh0JCUzwjcA1vi2xaWQ6hXTsQ0C4Ql4VfAmNiGktdjJQ/s1600-h/IMG_6722.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk4OnQA3G_rhDzAbE4slxK-w2BGAmGcJbXGVnXRtjyx_pQLSc2pk8l0tdH_O7WJPMNRJq1oqMMjMSa7xwqRXoO_yZX_j_RpANh0JCUzwjcA1vi2xaWQ6hXTsQ0C4Ql4VfAmNiGktdjJQ/s320/IMG_6722.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348017915652200178" border="0" /></a><br />The first in an occasional series.<br /><br />Old Overholt, among America's oldest whiskey labels, is not what it used to be. Around 1810, Abraham Overholt (grandfather of Henry Clay Frick) began distilling rye on his farm in western Pennsylvania. When he started a commercial operation, he named the whiskey Old Farm. In 1859, his son built a new distillery to continue production of Old Farm as well as a new spirit named for the Overholt family.<br /><br />Now made by Jim Beam, this whiskey tastes rather different than the pre-Prohibition version.<br /><br />Often, Old Overholt is the only rye whiskey one can easily find. I've lost count of the number of times that I asked a bartender if they had rye--and they responded by offering me this. In those situations, it can be a life saver.<br /><br />Wide availability often means that this is the first rye anyone ever tries. And one could do worse. Most aficionados describe Old Overholt as light and palatable. They see it as something for mixing rather than for sipping. I quite agree. It makes a fine Manhattan for one's first rye cocktail.<br /><br />Recently, I decided to put this venerable four-year old spirit to the test. Here goes:<br /><br />Appearance: Pale, even yellow-brown. Thin legs on the inside of the glass after a swirl or two.<br /><br />Smell: This is important. Much of what we "taste" is actually smelled. Sweet, with an almost licorice smell. Undercurrents of maple syrup and candy and smoke.<br /><br />Taste: This whiskey hits the palate with a shot of honey, then nougat. Definite warmth and vanilla in the middle, fading into spice. Then a little char.<br /><br />Finish: An aftertaste that's a bit cloying and then sharply astringent. There doesn't seem to be much body.<br /><br />In the end, there's not a lot of oak or complexity in this whiskey, and it seems light at nearly every stage on the palate.<br /><br />That said, for around $13 a bottle, it's not bad (the price seems to vary widely--I've heard that it goes for more than $17 in some markets, and less than $10 in others). It's not my first choice for sipping whiskey. But it does make a mean cocktail (especially in one of the classic rye whiskey drinks). And as an introduction to the world of rye whiskey, it's perfectly appropriate--accessable and cheap, something different than bourbon, but not too far afield.<br /><br />Cheers!A rye-drinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09660491822606149879noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581986007507162349.post-7650172641444598152009-04-19T14:34:00.003-05:002009-04-19T14:35:37.880-05:00More changes...Dear friends, thanks for your patience. More changes are coming. New classic rye cocktails. A new set of rye whiskey tasting posts. A new set of posts about whiskey books. <br /><br />Hang one for one more week.A rye-drinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09660491822606149879noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581986007507162349.post-69459243874582265572009-03-30T19:41:00.003-05:002009-03-30T20:29:20.385-05:00Spring cleaning...It's that time of year. Spring is a great season, one that renews our focus on the important things in life. With that in mind, this blog is taking a turn towards a more focused approach--cataloging the many pleasures of rye whiskey, offering up the best of the cocktail renaissance, and examining the intersection of American history and alcohol. Over the next few days you'll see some changes around here. Talk of politics will go away, while more resources for rye drinkers emerge.<br /><br />Consider them patriotic improvements.A rye-drinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09660491822606149879noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581986007507162349.post-6826510320559185512009-02-25T17:51:00.003-06:002009-02-25T19:50:35.732-06:00Classic Rye Cocktails, #10: The SuburbanThis little-known cocktail deserves a much wider audience.<br /><br />No, it's not a large sport-utility vehicle built by Chevrolet. No, it's not a reference to decentralized, automobile-dependent, sprawling built landscapes encountered across North America. No, it's not a reference to the 1950s. It's a drink. A damn good one. I've been drinking them for about a month now, and telling everyone I know that they've got to try one.<br /><br />Various sources suggest that this cocktail was first made in New York City in the 1880s. Named after the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suburban_Handicap">Suburban Handicap thoroughbred horse race</a> (the last of the three races that together comprise the New York Handicap Triple) which began in 1884 in Long Island, it apparently reflects the influence of an upscale saloon culture of New York City in the late 19th century.<br /><br />Saloons were known as male spaces, where the only women present fit into un"lady"-like categories. Working-class men, in particular, depended on saloons for sociability and sport. Because temperance advocates imagined (in some cases, correctly) that the many vices destroying American society stemmed from the saloons, middle and upper-class men turned to hotel restaurants and private clubs and enjoyed consuming alcohol in the esteemed circumstances of socially exclusive venues. Avoiding saloons, they also turned away from beer, cider, and straight liquors and supported a burgeoning (and more respectable) cocktail culture. <br /><br />Bartenders at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in Manhattan (built in 1893) included this drink in their recipe book, repeating the story that it was created in honor of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_R._Keene">James R. Keene</a>. As a famous horse owner, horse racer, and Gilded Age bigshot, Keene apparently gained enough noteriety to have this drink invented by some unknown bartender for him.<br /><br />It's dry, much more than you'd think. The evil tendency of rum--sickly sweetness--is mitigated by the rye. Port mingles the flavors of the two New World liquors. The bitters bring complexity to the richness of the drink, making it more than merely palatable.<br /><br />To be sure, it's chock full of alcohol. David Wondrich, the drinks columnist at Esquire, calls this a winter drink. And he's right. Thank god winter will last a few more weeks here in the Upper Midwest:<br /><br />3 oz rye whiskey<br />1 oz port wine<br />1 0z dark rum<br />3 dashes orange bitters<br />3 dashes Angostura bitters<br /><br />Pour the ingredients into a shaker, add ice, and shake vigorously. Pour into a martini glass.<br /><br />NOTE: Be careful. This one sneaks up on you.A rye-drinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09660491822606149879noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581986007507162349.post-4994405018516251592009-02-12T17:40:00.005-06:002009-02-13T12:12:45.910-06:00Lincoln and liquor<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjax2a15Dg6NBWwQRPcsw5pcmI1GmeD7jqXnrx4hJXv3uOxcXwwCzltFN754xayO6Aq0xCmRK5dIew8yNAV5thYu4higTZlB0kR0CE-xMEsf-QIbnwDDpk9iYXTsCrLbT9V5VR0_SPXFw/s1600-h/3253742804_03429b937b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 195px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjax2a15Dg6NBWwQRPcsw5pcmI1GmeD7jqXnrx4hJXv3uOxcXwwCzltFN754xayO6Aq0xCmRK5dIew8yNAV5thYu4higTZlB0kR0CE-xMEsf-QIbnwDDpk9iYXTsCrLbT9V5VR0_SPXFw/s400/3253742804_03429b937b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302061253191610786" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br />There's lots of talk today--online as well as in the real world--about Abraham Lincoln. Given that today is the bicentennial of his birth (and that <a href="http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/the-abraham-lincoln-analogy/?hp">our current president seems almost unhealthily obsessed with Lincoln and his legacy</a>), this makes sense.<br /><br />One of the best pieces on Lincoln and his relationship to the current political scene that I've seen so far can be found <a href="http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2009/02/12/lincoln_bicentennial/">here</a>. Taking a figure out of one temporal context and putting them into another is always problematic (at least for historians). But because so many contemporary Americans remain convinced that Lincoln stands for something close to them (one reason he is always near the top of the list of the greatest presidents), it's a worthwhile exercise.<br /><br />All this Lincoln-talk got me thinking. Where did Lincoln stand on the question of drinking rye?<br /><br />Well, he had fast friends in the world of activists fighting for temperance. In mid-19th century America, the temperance movement greeted naysayers with passionate critiques of the dissolute activities resulting from drink. <a href="http://lincoln.lib.niu.edu/digitalreform.html">Many white, middle-class women found their voice in this movement.</a> Rooted in Protestant visions of the world, the push to make America dry took on sacred overtones.<br /><br />In rural, mostly Protestant, Illinois, the young Lincoln cocked his eye towards the political future--which meant taking a clear stand on alcohol and its consumption. As the son of a former seasonal distillery worker (on Knob Creek in bourbon-making Kentucky--yes, <span style="font-style: italic;">that</span> Knob Creek) and a former tavern owner himself (in New Salem, IL), he possessed a complicated understanding of the issue.<br /><br />Nonetheless, a <a href="http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/temperance.htm">famous 1842 speech</a> in front of the Springfield, IL Washington Temperance Society (apparently, the organizers conveniently forgot that George Washington became one of the largest producers of rye whiskey in the last years of the eighteenth century) made it clear that Lincoln did not support the indulgent use of drink.<br /><br />But neither did he damn those who drank. Instead, he noted that "they know they are not demons, nor even the worst of men. They know that generally, they are kind, generous, and charitable, even beyond the example of their more staid and sober neighbors. They are practical philanthropists; and they glow with a generous and brotherly zeal, that mere theorizers are incapable of feeling. Benevolence and charity possess their hearts entirely; and out of the abundance of their hearts, their tongues give utterance." Furthermore, in years past, alcohol was "a respectable article of manufacture and merchandise. The making of it was regarded as an honorable livelihood; and he who could make most, was the most enterprising and respectable."<br /><br />Though he himself did not show much interest in liquor or cider, Lincoln did not show interest in a anti-alcohol law to blanket the land. Historian Lucas E. Morel, in a <a href="http://www.historycooperative.org/journals/jala/20.1/morel.html">1999 article</a> in the <span style="font-style: italic;">Journal of the Abraham Lincoln Association</span>, suggests:<br /><br />"Albert Beveridge relates a telling exchange on the subject between Lincoln and Stephen Douglas. At a reception hosting Douglas during the congressional campaigns of 1854, Lincoln declined a drink, whereupon Douglas exclaimed, "Why! are you a member of the Temperance Society?" Lincoln replied, "No! I am not a member of any Temperance Society ... but I am temperate in this, that I don't drink anything."<br /><br />Clearly, Lincoln believed that instead of fiery denunciations, moderation, reason and patience would win out. So raise your glass high tonight to remember the teetotaler who chose not to drink--but refused to stand in the way of his fellow Americans and their whiskey-drenched patriotism.<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span></span>A rye-drinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09660491822606149879noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581986007507162349.post-33615156108191904032009-01-30T14:48:00.004-06:002009-01-30T14:53:27.820-06:00Rye and the Founders...From time to time, this rye drinker gets questions about exactly why rye whiskey is for patriots. You can read my screed on the matter over on the right. Then, watch this <a href="http://link.history.com/services/link/bcpid1681694255/bclid1716449968/bctid1551056918">video</a>,<span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span> which tells all. It's a little hokey, but nonetheless a great introduction to rye, how it's made, and some of the early national context in which it should be enjoyed.A rye-drinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09660491822606149879noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581986007507162349.post-2437839407078752952009-01-29T17:10:00.000-06:002009-01-29T17:10:00.705-06:00Classic Rye Cocktails #9: The BrainstormIt's been a long time. Too long.<br /><br />The 1950s were a time when giants roamed the earth. The three-martini lunch (gin martinis, of course--vodka is an abomination and back then many people knew that) defined the businessman's day. The amount of alcohol consumed on the job (at least in middle-class, middle-management corporate workplaces) would shock today's cubicle-prone worker bees who live at the gym and drink mineral water from small Pacific islands.<br /><br />The rye fire, first lit by patriots in the 1790s, was damaged by Prohibition but not yet done in. Clearly, the emergence of a cocktail-besotted culture in the 1950s kept some classics alive. Even the cocktail guru David Wondrich admits that the origins of this drink are obscure. But that it was included in <span style="font-style: italic;">Esquire: Handbook for Hosts</span>, first published by the men's magazine in 1949, tells us enough. The drink is straightforward, direct, and tasty. The simplicity suggests pre-Prohibition origins.<br /><br />As a potent mix of dry vermouth, Benedictine liqueur, and rye, it has few equals. You might raise an eyebrow at the inclusion of France's oldest continuously made liqueur (since 1510), but remember that the first patriots called on the French <a href="http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/fr1788-2.asp">in a time of great need</a>--and they delivered. The least we can do is again mix the traditions of two great powers and forces for liberty in the world, if only in honor of Lafayette, Rochambeau, deGrasse, and those<a href="http://www.johnfishersr.net/images_fia/fia1991oct.jpg"> forgotten French soldiers who died on American soil</a>.<br /><br />Here's what it takes to honor America's first foreign friend:<br /><br />1/2 oz dry vermouth<br />1/2 oz Benedictine liqueur<br />2 oz rye whiskey<br /><br />Mix ingredients, shake well over ice, serve in a martini glass. Add an orange peel garnish (if you wish).<br /><br />Though there are lots of variants out there--including versions made with Scotch (how dare they bring Great Britain into this), bourbon (not ideal, but will do in a pinch), and even Irish whiskey (does green food coloring come with that?)--don't get this wrong. Use rye. Before you sip, be sure to raise the glass to the brave patriot and French armies that defeated the royal menace at Yorktown, VA, in 1781.A rye-drinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09660491822606149879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581986007507162349.post-48766388419870007472009-01-15T15:47:00.006-06:002009-01-16T09:37:41.816-06:00Why I often need a glass of rye at the end of the day.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiUgwYb9nUF4PR9rjYP7UD5RPWxou1is6CYMRMouIXnJo3E-0b-wi3CW-ajrb5TrvZognY4Nn7pEpr5y9MCAM0V7hQGUS9G0q4Mamq0RLdm5eB6173v89soNQSMzRwXIH7Kn24fefx0w/s1600-h/102827155x.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 380px; height: 380px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiUgwYb9nUF4PR9rjYP7UD5RPWxou1is6CYMRMouIXnJo3E-0b-wi3CW-ajrb5TrvZognY4Nn7pEpr5y9MCAM0V7hQGUS9G0q4Mamq0RLdm5eB6173v89soNQSMzRwXIH7Kn24fefx0w/s400/102827155x.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291641835838919826" border="0" /></a>We all have our reasons, right? Well, here's one of mine.<br /><br />On a recent airline flight (an occasional luxury), I paged through the "Early Spring 2009" Sky Mall catalog.<br /><br />Ah, Sky Mall. Thanks, Sky Mall, for focusing on the bright side--"Early Spring 2009" and not the more accurate "Midst of Unending and Brutal Winter 2009"--of things.<br /><br />Now I don't normally look at the Sky Mall catalog (except as it pokes out of the seat pocket in front of me, of course). It's the ultimate example of the consumer-oriented society that we, in the United States, live in. The consumer-oriented world that is destroying the real physical world, real relationships between real (and not virtual) people, and any sense of reality. Sky Mall is the ultimate end of that long road late 19th-century Americans began walking down when they received the Sears catalog through the mail. A form of shopping that provided liberation (and basic goods) to middling farmers in rural areas far from stores in town now peddles absolutely useless crap to upper middle class travelers with homes already stuffed full of absolutely useless crap. The whole enterprise assaults the sensibilities of any right-thinking rye drinker.<br /><br />Despite my jaded take on Sky Mall, I admit to finding myself transfixed by the item for sale on the cover. Did I say transfixed? I meant sickened.<br /><br />In the midst of an economic crisis unlike any since the 1930s, battles on the streets in Gaza , Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Afghanistan, and Somalia (to name just a few), destructive changes to the planet's climate, and intensifying inequity in global populations (about half the planet struggling daily to find enough food or water to survive), I can soothe myself with "the limited-edition Star Trek Captain's Chair life-size replica!"<br /><br />Wow! I've always wanted to spend $2,717 on a chair! But you say it's not just any chair?<br /><br />"This officially licensed replica features a working swivel design, light-up controls and sound effects from the legendary Star Trek series. Constructed using expert measurements and the highest quality durable materials, don't miss your chance to command your own Starfleet vessel from the safety of your home!"<br /><br />Highest quality durable materials? Expert measurements? Light-up controls? My own Starfleet vessel? Yes!<br /><br />We are so screwed. I know it’s a little early, but I need to go make myself a Manhattan.A rye-drinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09660491822606149879noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581986007507162349.post-4423669052961640482009-01-14T14:51:00.002-06:002009-01-14T14:55:35.986-06:00Something to nibble on with your rye...Rye drinkers everywhere should take a close look at <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/29/dining/29pair.html">this</a>. The author offers up a recipe for a great snack to enjoy the next time you pour straight rye, neat or on the rocks.A rye-drinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09660491822606149879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581986007507162349.post-11964904349737275762008-12-04T09:18:00.007-06:002008-12-04T15:40:35.544-06:00What histories should Obama be reading as he prepares to become President?A sociologist friend and colleague writes with a great question: "I've noticed Obama has been photographed carrying around a biography of Lincoln (or a history of Lincoln's administration). I've also heard him reference what he's been reading as he makes appointment decisions. If you were given the chance to influence Obama's reading, what historical works would you hope he should be consulting?"<br /><br />Well, first of all, the much ballyhooed "team of rivals" discourse currently pervading stories about Obama's cabinet selections stems from Doris Kearns Goodwin's book <span style="font-style: italic;">Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln </span>(2005). In it, she suggests that Lincoln's selection of political opponents or challengers to work with him in his cabinet was a stroke of managerial genius. William Seward, Edwin Stanton, Edward Bates, and Salmon Chase couldn't get along with each other, let alone Lincoln. Nonetheless, according to Goodwin, the president skillfully transcended partisanship and personalities, which allowed him to tap into the ideas of the best and brightest in a time of national crisis.<br /><br />It's a problematic thesis, to say the least. Historian James Oakes rightly <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/opinion/20oakes.html">demolished it</a> in a brief op-ed for the <span style="font-style: italic;">New York Times</span> a couple of weeks ago. But the "team of rivals" story lives on.<br /><br />What histories should Obama be reading instead of Goodwin's? A few come to mind.<br /><br />The first would be <span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/HistoryAmerican/19001945/%7E%7E/dmlldz11c2EmY2k9OTc4MDE5NTAzODM0Nw==">Freedom From Fear: The American People in Depression and War, 1929-1945</a> </span>(1999), by David Kennedy (which I'm finishing right now). As an accessible overview of the Hoover-Roosevelt years, it is simply stunning. The number of parallels between the early 1930s and right now are striking. History doesn't repeat itself (only historians do), but there is still much to be learned from that moment in U.S. history.<br /><br />Given the nation's energy problems, Alfred Crosby's <a href="http://www.wwnorton.com/catalog/fall05/005935.htm"><span style="font-style: italic;">Children of the Sun: A History of Humanity's Unappeasable Appetite for Energy</span></a> (2005) would be another good choice. It's a quick, but important, read that places the energy question in a deep context.<br /><br />Shane Hamilton's new book, <a href="http://press.princeton.edu/titles/8740.html"><span style="font-style: italic;">Trucking Country: The Road to America's Wal-Mart Economy</span></a> (2008) offers an innovative interpretation of the decline of New Deal liberalism through the examination of agriculture, food, and transportation in relation to political economies.<br /><br />Given the complicated relationship between leftist and liberal politics in Obama's candidacy, Doug Rossinow's <a href="http://www.upenn.edu/pennpress/book/14388.html"><span style="font-style: italic;">Visions of Progress: The Left-Liberal Tradition in America</span></a> (2007) seems appropriate. He lays out the tensions between the left and liberalism since the 1880s with a keen eye. This is the political history Obama needs to negotiate the fragile coalition he seems to have cobbled together.<br /><br />Finally, since many wonder how Obama will translate his grassroots organizing into institutionalized national politics, I would suggest Barbara Ransby's <a href="http://uncpress.unc.edu/browse/book_detail?title_id=270"><span style="font-style: italic;">Ella Baker and the Black Freedom Movement: A Radical Democratic Vision</span></a> (2003) for insights on the possibilities and limitations of such an intersection.<br /><br />But what do YOU think, fellow rye drinkers? Which histories should Obama be reading?A rye-drinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09660491822606149879noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581986007507162349.post-52250018171938493502008-12-03T18:46:00.000-06:002008-12-03T18:47:33.420-06:00Classic Rye Cocktails #8: McKinley's Delight<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvkKSoyghE4IjWoOOvcbjZ8q5CTWx7B6wubj_nf24hp5Ex-RtBMBiXHW8qoJ65zurS9dpgrH0Qcy6aug5xsGoRYfIGa1cOAN1yOD3KIhCy1WcWintg3voo07tqG8iDXN8xw57aiZE4SQ/s1600-h/000000fd.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 245px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvkKSoyghE4IjWoOOvcbjZ8q5CTWx7B6wubj_nf24hp5Ex-RtBMBiXHW8qoJ65zurS9dpgrH0Qcy6aug5xsGoRYfIGa1cOAN1yOD3KIhCy1WcWintg3voo07tqG8iDXN8xw57aiZE4SQ/s320/000000fd.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5275729957834452770" border="0" /></a>This one's not just for politicians.<br /><br />As a clear reference to William McKinley, this drink was supposedly created in 1896, when the Ohioan was nominated by the Republican Party to take on William Jennings Bryan, the Democratic and Populist candidate for the presidency. Bryan, too, had a drink associated with his platform--the Free Silver Fizz (gin, lime juice, and carbonated water, over ice).<br /><br />The connection between cocktails and politics was well established. In fact, the first reference we have to the term "cocktail" comes from 1806, in a newspaper article describing how a Federalist defeated a Democratic-Republican candidate in New York's Hudson River Valley despite the latter's attempt to secure votes by handing out almost 300 mixed drinks.<br /><br />Some early references to this cocktail suggest a rather different composition than what you see below. The <span style="font-style: italic;">Nebraska Pioneer Cookbook</span>, for instance, a 1974 compilation of late nineteenth-century recipes, suggests that a McKinley's Delight consisted of three dashes of gum syrup, two dashes of Maraschino, lemon juice, two dashes of Angostura bitters, and a jigger of gin--all stirred over iced and strained into a sugar-encrusted glass. This drink simply boggles the mind. No rye drinker would be caught dead with such a weak, syrupy concoction in hand. No wonder Jim Crow and imperial ambition dominated daily life.<br /><br />While most rye drinkers (especially rural westerners) likely voted for Bryan, McKinley, of course, won the election. He catapulted the nation into a thinly-veiled war for empire, abandoned any pretense of the Republican Party's historic role as a party for progressive politics (especially on race), and cemented the power of large corporations in American life. Sound familiar?<br /><br />Anyways...<br /><br />Though it retains a moniker that many might shy from, after World War II the drink was transformed into something palatable and patriotic. The <span style="font-style: italic;">Esquire Handbook for Hosts</span>, first published in 1949, lists the drink in its cocktails section, suggesting it could be made with either bourbon or rye. Predictably, the latter makes for better quaffing. Much of the sweetness was gone in this incarnation, with only sweet vermouth and cherry liquor in place to balance the whiskey.<br /><br />Interestingly, at least <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2008/07/remember-the-maine-cocktail-recipe.html">one source</a> suggests that as early as 1939, this same drink was known as a "Remember the Maine."<br /><br />What can we say? Some things will always remain a mystery. What's important is that rye transformed this cocktail from slops into a classic. And that's good enough for me.<br /><br />Here's the recipe:<br /><br />2 oz rye whiskey<br />1 oz sweet vermouth<br />2 dashes cherry brandy<br />1 dash absinthe (or absinthe substitute)<br /><br />Mix in a shaker, over ice. Strain into either a lowball glass or a martini glass. There's no garnish.<br /><br />At the end of the day, this is essentially a variation on a Manhattan (though one with less rye than the recommended dosage for that drink). Nonetheless, it's a good variation, one worth keeping in your repertoire for those evenings when something snazzier than a Manhattan is required.A rye-drinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09660491822606149879noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581986007507162349.post-32950646885919131852008-12-02T16:18:00.005-06:002008-12-02T16:47:48.360-06:00"PROHIBITION IS DEAD - THE MORMONS KILLED IT..."Not exactly what you would expect to read--but that was the headline in the <span style="font-style: italic;">London Evening News</span> 75 years ago this week. In November 1933, Utah was the last state needed (the 36th) to approve the 21st Amendment, repealing Prohibition. <br /><br />Needless to say, the state with the largest number of LDS voters--all taught to avoid alcohol in any form--became unlikely heroes to "wets" (drinkers) across the nation. According to a recent <a href="http://www.sltrib.com/ci_11115941">story</a> in the <span style="font-style: italic;">Salt Lake Tribune</span>, as voters went to the polls to vote on local races as well as the amendment, LDS Church President Heber Grant even told Mormons: "<span id="slt_site"><span id="slt_article">I am not asking any man to vote against his conscience, but I am urging that before he votes for repeal he gets down on his knees and asks God if he is doing right."<br /><br /></span></span>Nonetheless, the long, misguided, national nightmare came to an end in Zion. Why? Economics were one big factor. There was money to be made in distillation and fermentation, as the longstanding beer and liquor industry in Utah suggested. That profits increased during Prohibition caught the attention of many. In the midst of the Great Depression, the state would profit from moving the underground liquor economy to a legal, taxable one. <br /><br />Furthermore, many Utahns were not Mormon. White ethnics in the mines south of Salt Lake City, as well as Gentiles in the railroad and industrial town of Ogden were just two non-LDS populations with a sizable voice (and interest in regaining access to legal booze). Finally, Mormons themselves were only a generation removed from socially-acceptable drinking. Thomas Alexander, the current dean of LDS historians, argues in his book <span style="font-style: italic;">Mormonism in Transition</span> (1986) that the Word of Wisdom, which banned alcoholic drink among true believers, was evenly enforced within the LDS church only in the early 1900s. Even then, some of the faithful were known to bend the rules if the good stuff was within reach.<br /><br />For a little taste of this history, pour yourself some rye tonight. If you're really feeling historic, make it a <a href="http://ryepatriotism.blogspot.com/2008/09/classic-rye-cocktails-3-rye-and-ginger.html">rye and ginger</a>. Regardless, raise your glass to the clear-eyed, dyed-in-the-wool patriotic voters of Utah (circa 1933) that delivered us all from darkness and brought us back into the light. Take a long, satisfying sip. And then take a look at <a href="http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,929576,00.html">this</a>.A rye-drinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09660491822606149879noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581986007507162349.post-49961464941007446972008-11-12T18:44:00.001-06:002009-03-16T16:11:21.080-05:00Classic Rye Cocktails #7: AlgonquinThe murky origins of this drink leave us patriots with nothing but questions. Named for the Algonquin Hotel in New York City--where the hotel bar shut down two years before Prohibition became the law of the land--the date of its invention remains unclear.<br /><br />It's got cache, though. Literary lights hung out at the Algonquin in later (and, I might add, wetter) years, including the poet and short story writer Dorothy Parker, <span style="font-style: italic;">The New Yorker</span> founder Harold Ross, playwright George S. Kaufman, and Broadway critic Alexander <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Woollcott</span>. They, of course, became famous for quaffing gin martinis (a cocktail, which, as a significant contribution of the United States to the world--alongside rye whiskey--damns no souls).<br /><br />With a handful of others, they made up the so-called Algonquin Round Table. In the 1920s, it garnered international fame and came to embody erudition as the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">preeminent</span> cultural symbol of a flowering in American letters. The Round Table attracted celebrities such as <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Harpo</span> Marx and Tallulah <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Bankhead</span> to it's lunch-time meetings and night-time poker games. <span style="font-style: italic;">The New Yorker</span> was founded on the second floor of the hotel. George S. Kaufman would go on to win the Pulitzer Prize.<br /><br />As a historian, however, I'm sorry to report that our best guessing points towards this cocktail emerging after World War II. But it has the feel of a classic, it's named for a classic place, and it conjures up memories of a classic moment when intellectuals reigned as celebrities.<br /><br />2 oz rye whiskey<br />1 oz dry vermouth (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Noilly</span> Prat is preferred)<br />1 oz pineapple juice<br /><br />Shake with ice, and strain into a glass.<br /><br />Spicy, clean, and dry, not too sweet. Just the way a cocktail should be.<br /><br />Maybe if they had the chance to do it over again, the various members of the Round Table would order this one up on a daily basis. This patriot likes to think so.A rye-drinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09660491822606149879noreply@blogger.com5