THE BOURBON LADY

As infrequently as I use the term “Y’all,” it’s hard to not let it roll off my tongue when ringing in the new (much needed) season.

MY KINDA CHAI

3 dashes Spiced Cherry Bitters 1.5 oz Old Forester Bourbon 0.5 oz Benedictine liqueur 0.5 oz Chai Syrup

There are some people who say they “can’t drink bourbon during the summer.” “Can’t” is a word I try to avoid in my vocabulary; and unless that person is a recovering alcoholic, I usually laugh (no filter).

Bourbon is enjoyable year-round so here’s a fresh and juicy “summer” bourbon drank. I am pretty flexible with the bourbon brand, but I have mad love for everything Buffalo Trace (Sazerac Company) does so I used Buffalo Trace Bourbon.

1.5 oz Buffalo Trace 0.5 oz Ginger syrup 0.5 Agave syrup 0.5 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice

Stir ingredient over ice and strain into you glass. Add ice and splash of water to taste.

Garnish with a lemon wheel or wedge and enjoy.

3 dashes Fee Brothers Chocolate bitters 2 dashes Bittermens orange cream bitters 2 ounces bourbon (I used Four Roses Small Batch…something with a higher proof will avoid creating a cocktail that is too sweet) 1 ounce Cointreau 0.5 simple syrup

Shake, serve over ice, orange twist.

I cannot remember the last time I was confined in a house for so long with my very energetic 3-year-old.  Don't get me wrong, I love him to death, but around hour 60 I could feel myself slowly drifting off into mental instability.  

I am a full-time business student and work 4-5 days a week.  I'm used to being busy and constantly moving.  So when I had my day off sunday and that evening the wrath of the ice satan opened up on Kentuckiana I felt this shiver on my spine.  My son's daycare was subsequently closed Monday, Tuesday, and today.  Work closed early on Monday so I didn't have to brave the elements and then was "gifted" Tuesday and tonight off. My school also closed during this shitstorm.  Words can't describe how amazing it was to grab a last minute sitter for an hour today so I could grab lunch with one of my good friends. 

His life has been a musical for the last 30 minutes straight.

We are now on hour 87.

There are a lot of things I do right now that I'm almost positive I won't be doing forever.  Right now, it's mixology.  While bourbon neat or with a few cubes is just dandy, sometimes it is nice to add a little craft to you cocktail.  I recently entered the 12th annual Rose Julep Competition which is a mint julep competition hosted by Four Roses Bourbon.  I found out today that I am one of five local "mixologists" chosen to compete.

My unique mint julep features Four Roses Single Barrel, DOM Benedictine, Fee Brothers Peach Bitters, Bourbon Barrel Foods mint julep sugar, and fresh mint.  The main difference? I choose to highlight my cocktail with an ice sphere versus traditional crushed ice.

With registration for my second to last semester as a marketing/management student around the corner I'm holding on to the hobbies I have now as a college student as long as I can.  I won't be a bartender and manager at a kick-ass brewery/aspiring cocktail bar forever so I'll ride this wave while it lasts.