Green River goes Full Proof

June 4, 2024The Bar Belle Leave a comment

I’ve been quite impressed with Green River Distilling Co. since it relaunched in 2022. Based in Owensboro, Ky., the distillery is one of the oldest in the state (with a DSP of No. 10), but after Prohibition it never really came back to full steam, having changed hands numerous times and producing various brands throughout the years.

Now, Green River is owned by Bardstown Bourbon Company (which is run by PPC, Pritzker Private Capital), and things seem to be running quite smoothly over there. How do I know? Because the whiskey they’re producing is top-notch for the price point they’re asking. Also, I drink bourbon and I know things.

Green River Full Proof bottle — The first batch is 117.3 proof. | Courtesy

Not to bury the lede here, but another shining example of Green River’s frisky whiskey-makin’ abilities comes out today with the release of Green River Full Proof, a blend of bourbons aged 5-7 years and bottled at barrel strength (117.3 proof) and non-chill filtered. And the price is a mere $49.99.

The bourbon is the same mash bill as their flagship bourbon: 70% corn, 21% rye and 9% malted barley, but according to a news release, the barrels chosen for the Full Proof expression are selected differently

“Full Proof bottlings are custom blends of barrels selected from our favorite parts of the rickhouses and hand selected for their quality,” says Dan Callaway, VP of Product Development for Green River. “What I love about full proof expressions is that you are in control of the proof — taste at full-bodied strength and adjust to your preferences.”

How’s it taste?

I was fortunate to receive a media sample of the Green River Full Proof, and I can say the high-rye bourbon is definitely worth adding to your home bar. I wouldn’t make cocktails with it, but I would sip on it slowly after one of those long days at the office — even if your office is in the basement.

On the nose I get roasted pecans and caramel, and on the palate I get a nice warm mouthfeel of black pepper and apricot, with a little vanilla, cinnamon, baked cherry and Werther’s Original candy.

It’s the perfect bourbon to sip neat, but if you have to add a rock or two, I won’t judge.

In other news …

I’m so behind on my bourbon news it’s not even funny after three pours of this stuff. Things I still need to get to include: Jeptha Creed Wheated Bourbon, Bardstown Bourbon Co.’s Amrut Finish, the new Old Fitz Bottled in Bond, the new Elijah Craig, 15 Stars, Michter’s 10 Year Rye, and the list goes on and on.

I’ll include some of it in my next roundup for Alcohol Professor, so stay tuned. And speaking of that, my list of best Finished Whiskeys just came out there, so go check it out. I might need an assistant!

It’s almost Tailspin time! Behold the best beer fest in Louisville

February 9, 2024The Bar Belle Leave a comment

Sure, you can coup us up for two months while Old Man Winter hides the sun and takes away all the fun, but as soon as the calendar flips from February to March, you better believe we Louisvillians are ready to bum rush the outdoors. And the first sign that spring is near is the beloved Tailspin Ale Fest, which draws thousands of thirsty people to Bowman Field each year to celebrate beer, friendship, beer and aviation.

This year’s Tailspin, which is now in its 11th year, will be held Saturday, March 2, from 3-7 p.m. VIP tickets are already sold out, but there are still some GA tickets available. (But be sure to get them ASAP, because this event will sell out.)

What’s New?

So what’s new this year? Well, of course there is more beer than ever, with over 250 American craft beers served by the sample. IPAs, pale ales, sours, stouts, ciders — you name it, it’s there. And for those who like a stiffer pour, Green River Distilling will be on hand again offering up samples of bourbon — but more on that later.

This year there will also be VIP bathrooms courtesy of Tom Drexler, and you can actually purchase a special potty pass on the Tailspin website for $30. One of the only downsides of a big beer festival like this one here is encountering long lines at the Port-o-Pots, so this pass could be a great way to circumvent that bladder ache. The pass will allow you access to 17 indoor restrooms that are located in a private area.

Now, if you’re bougie and want your own private bathroom, that can happen as well for a fee of $200. And I will be your friend for the day, too!

Scene at Tailspin Ale Fest — Who’s ready for some beer? | Courtesy

While you’re not drinking beer, you can hit up local food trucks, dance funny at the silent disco, sing karaoke, smoke cigars and/or listen to the cool tunes of Tony & The Tan Lines.

And, as always, a portion of the proceeds benefits a local charity. This year the funds are going to Pints for Parkinson’s | TKO. There will also be a live boxing demonstration that highlights “the importance of exercise and movement in combating the challenges of Parkinson’s disease,” according to the news release. “The demonstration pays tribute to Louisville’s own legend, Muhammad Ali, whose battle with the incurable disease underscored the significant role that boxing and commitment to life played in extending his earthly existence beyond expectations.”

What About That Bourbon?

A Green River Single Barrel will be available at Tailspin. | Courtesy

Let’s get back to the bourbon. Tailspin has teamed up with Green River for a special single barrel pick that will be for sale starting Feb. 29 at the Evergreen Liquors in NuLu (4-7 p.m.).

Any bottles left after this event and another one at Against the Grain will be sold at Tailspin. All I know is the bourbon is 119 proof, so you better believe I’ll be lining up for a sample!

Several of the breweries that have bourbon barrel-aged brews at the festival were given freshly dumped Green River barrels, so it’s like a tasty circle of life between beer, bourbon and my belly.

So let’s just all survive the next few weeks — we got the Super Bowl and the upcoming Bourbon Classic (Feb. 23-24) — and I’ll see your fine faces at Tailspin!

Bardstown Bourbon Co. Founders Collaboration

Alcohol Professor: 7 of the Best Whiskey Releases of Spring 2022

April 13, 2022The Bar Belle Leave a comment

Here’s my most recent piece for Alcohol Professor on some of the newest bourbon and whiskey releases this spring.

Spring has certainly sprung in the whiskey world, with new releases pushing up through the soil quicker than I can remove winter’s gook. There once was one big release period in the fall, but it seems nobody’s holding back their bourbon-soaked bounty for that anymore. So let’s take a look at some of the latest crop looking for a little sunshine and sippin’.

Angel’s Envy Rye Whiskey Finished In Ice Cider Casks

107 Proof | $249.99

In 2013, Angel’s Envy came out with rye whiskey finished in Caribbean rum casks that was — and still is — phenomenal. There truly is nothing at all like it in the marketplace today, so it’s no surprise they didn’t mess with it for nine years. Until now. As part of the Cellar Collection, this release finishes the Angel’s Envy rye (sans the Caribbean rum) in ice cider casks from Vermont-based Eden Specialty Ciders for 364 days.

The rye whiskey is 7 years old, so it’s solid even without the cider finish. You definitely get that hint of apple on the nose, and then once you sink your teeth in — er, I mean sip — it’s like Grandma’s apple pie. Straight up baked apple with drizzles of caramel, sprinkles of cinnamon and even some roasted cashews thrown into the mix. The price tag is a bit steep on this one, but if you’re a rye and cider fan, this is your golden goose.

Uncle Nearest

118.4 proof | $149

Uncle Nearest Tennessee Whiskey first came onto the scene in 2017, and as founders Fawn Weaver and company conceptualized the welcoming distillery in Shelbyville, Tenn., they were smart to lay down some of their own distillate before ground was ever broken.

Now, that whiskey is about 5 years old, and the company will be switching over to that juice, which is 100-percent distilled, aged and bottled by Uncle Nearest. They’ll also be adding to their lineup of offerings, including some rye whiskeys, but first they celebrated the milestone with the release of the Uncle Nearest Master Blend Edition, which is only available at the distillery.

There’s a reason Uncle Nearest is the most awarded American whiskey company for the last few years, and once you pop the top on this bottle, you’ll know why. The whiskey titillates with butter pecan, dark fruit and toffee notes — and that’s just in the aroma. The flavors are very impressive for a 5-year-old whiskey, and the notes I just mentioned are all heightened in that first sip, along with hints of butterscotch and caramel corn. The whiskey is thick and leaves you thirsty for more.

Bardstown Bourbon Co. Collaborative Series: KBS Stout

110 proof | $159.99

The latest in Bardstown Bourbon Company’s Collaborative Series has them teaming up with the beloved Michigan beer company Founders Brewing. The finished whiskey began as a 10-year-old Tennessee bourbon and then was put into Founders Brewing KBS Stout Barrels for 15 months. As with most of these collaborations, the results are phenomenal.

This is one that reveals new flavors with each sip. On the nose you get wonderful notes of coffee, cocoa and orange peel, most likely from the stout finish. And then that first sip explodes with black cherry, dark chocolate and even more coffee. It may sound complex, but the bourbon and the stout have intermingled well, making it a fun experiment and treat for both beer and bourbon lovers. I’m thinking about adding this to my coffee to see if those mocha notes come out even more.

15 Stars Timeless Reserve

103 proof | $279

This is the newest bourbon to hit store shelves (in Kentucky only, sorry folks), and yet it’s the oldest one at 14 years old. 15 Stars is a new brand named in honor of America’s 15th state — you guessed it, Kentucky!

The father and son team of Rick and Ricky Johnson sourced barrels for this blend, called Timeless Reserve, and they recently revealed the website, which also highlights many historical artifacts from 1795. Although Kentucky was founded in 1792, it took three more years for a 15-star flag to debut.

The Johnsons will continue to put out sourced blends as well as some of their own bourbons and whiskeys they’ve distilled with the help of Bardstown Bourbon Co. using various types of heirloom corn.

At a perfect and deliberate 103 proof, this Kentucky bourbon truly is timeless, reminding you just how delicate and nuanced whiskey can be as it ages on past a decade. You get a little of that oak on the nose, along with a nice maple and butterscotch. And after that first sip, it’s a spring bouquet of fresh flavors bursting in your mouth. It’s got that viscous mouthfeel from its time in the oak, plus a few dark chocolate and roasted almond notes, along with hints of sweet vanilla and warm caramel. It’s a high price point, but it’s 14 years old!

FOR THE FULL ARTICLE, CLICK HERE.

The revival of Green River Bourbon

February 10, 2022The Bar Belle Leave a comment

Green River Distilling is in Owensboro, Ky. | Courtesy

I’m going to admit something that I’m extremely embarrassed about. I have never visited Owensboro, Ky., and I’ve lived in the bluegrass state going on 23 years. I have no excuse, but now, I have a really good reason to head west. Green River Distilling Co. in the ‘Boro has revived a long-lost bourbon brand called Green River Bourbon.

Before Prohibition, Owensboro was actually bustling with bourbon production, and there were more than 20 distilleries in the city. In fact, the Green River Distilling Co. is the 10th oldest distillery in the state.

And while it changed names and owners several times throughout the past century — O.Z. Tyler, Old Medley, etc. — the current owners of the distillery quickly restored its original name once they learned of the site’s rich past.

The original Green River Distilling was founded in 1885 by John W. McCulloch. According to a news release, he was a traveling man who loved to tout his bourbon wherever his path took him.

Green River Bourbon was known as one of the finest Kentucky bourbons in the world, and it even won several international awards, including a gold medal and “best of show” at the Paris Exposition in 1900, and later a grand prize at the 1905 Liege Exposition in Belgium.

Green River also was known as “The Whiskey Without Regrets.”

Unfortunately the distillery eventually shut down during Prohibition, and some of the original structures were lost to a fire. The distillery sat dormant for years until 2016, and now it’s once again producing bourbon by the barrel — about 94,000 of them in 2021.

“I’m proud of our team’s great work bringing Green River back to life in Owensboro after years of dormancy — not only because of what it means to our company, but what it means for this wonderful city,” said Simon Burch, CEO of Green River Distilling, in a news release. “In its heyday, Green River’s success was intrinsically linked to Owensboro’s proud whiskey making heritage. The revival of the brand will make this true once again, and we plan to sell it far and wide, just like the original Green River.”

I met with Green River Master Distiller Jacob Call and CEO Simon Burch on Tuesday at Neat Bourbon Bar as they chatted with some local media here in Louisville. They were excited to showcase the revived Green River Bourbon, and I could tell they genuinely were thrilled to be bringing back a piece of bourbon history.

The bourbon is about 5 years old and is bottled at 90 proof. And the actual bottle is super cool, rounded to match the horseshoe on the bottom. Apparently the design took cues from the brand’s past, including key icons like horseshoes, rivets and the original Green River colors.

Best of all, the bourbon is refreshingly affordable at a suggested price of $34.99! Call said he wants his bourbon to be consumed, not collecting dust on shelves. I shared a taste of the bourbon with Call and Burch, and I will definitely be adding it to my bar as a daily drinker.

With a mash bill of 70% corn, 21% rye and 9% malted barley, the bourbon has a nice spice from the rye and packs some rich flavors of caramel, nutmeg and apricot for being 5 years old.

They’re having the official Green River Launch Party tonight at the distillery, and you should start to see this on shelves around Kentucky very soon. Or you can join me in making a pilgrimage to the distillery to check it out in person!

The Bar Belle

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