Boozin’ Blog

Have you noticed a change in the look of Jim Beam’s bottles? Well, if you haven’t yet you will soon.

I usually have a bottle of Jim Beam somewhere in the house. I like bourbon and, while JB isn’t my favorite, it’s certainly affordable and very decently palatable. It’s my ‘every day’ whiskey.

For about a month - from Memorial Day to the Fourth of July - Jim Beam bottles will feature the Operation Homefront logo. Now, there was nothing in the email I received about this that mentioned any sort of “proceeds from the sales” sort of situation. Nevertheless, this isn’t some crass bid at patriotism on JB’s part. Besides raising awareness of Operation Homefront with these bottles, JB is also a big contributor. They rank with top contributors according to OH’s website and, according to JB contributed a quarter of a million last year and are on course to contribute even more this year.

If you don’t know what Operation Homefront is take a moment and check out their website.

Share This

Jim Beam Gear at BoozinGear.com

A seventh distiller’s portrait has been added to the Jim Beam label.

Last Wednesday, Fred Noe, the latest of the Beam line to helm the distillery, saw his portrait added alongside those of his predecessors. Fred took over as distiller when long-time master distiller Booker Noe died in 2004.

Fred’s portrait will appear alongside the images of Founder Jacob Beam, David Beam, David M. Beam, Col. James B. Beam, T. Jeremiah Beam, and Booker Noe on Jim Beam, Jim Beam Black, Jim Beam Rye and Jim Beam Choice labels.

Share This

The Mojito may be the chic minty cocktail of the moment but at least one day a year it has to step aside for that beautiful southern belle, the Mint Julep. That day, the day of Kentucky Derby, is just around the corner; May 5, to be exact. The pairing of this sporting event and cocktail is perhaps the closest relationship in the wide world of sports and booze. Baseball has beer; cricket has tea (which MUST to be cut with generous amounts of whiskey otherwise how can anyone sit through it?); and curling has, well, I don’t know what though I’m sure it has something. But all of these sports can exist without their particular drink and vice-versa.

The Kentucky Derby and the Mint Julep are a holy pair and cannot exist separately. The idea of a Derby held without copiously amounts of Julep is inconceivable and, honestly, who even thinks about Mint Juleps the other 364 days of the year?

So, if you’re not going to make it to the Derby itself this year, you must at least have a few Juleps. In fact, invite a bunch of friends, don you most outlandish hats, gather around the TV, and pass around a few of these:

Ingredients:

• 4-6 mint leaves
• 2 sugar cubes
• 4 oz bourbon
• mint sprig for garnish

Preparation:
Add the first three ingredients to your cocktail shaker. Crush, or muddle, the mint leaves and sugar against the bottom of the shaker. Do this until the sugar is dissolve and the mint aroma is evident.

Add a few ice cubes to the shaker then shake well. Strain into a julep cup with ice or, if you don’t happen to have one lying around a Collins glass will do.

Garnish with the mint sprig.

That’s it. After you’ve knocked back two or three of these you can probably leave out the mint sprig. But don’t let us hear that you’ve been using anything besides proper bourbon. No Scotch or Irish whiskey will do for this distinctly Southern drink. Here at Boozin’ Gear we prefer Maker’s Mark or Jim Beam but any bourbon will do.

Cheers!

Share This