Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/783993
94 | M A C O N M A G A Z I N E F E B R U A R Y / M A R C H 2 0 1 7 In the spirit BY THE BOOKER BOOKER'S BOURBON was one of the first small-batch bourbons ever marketed as such. Booker Noe was a sixth-generation master distiller for Jim Beam and released this product to the public in 1992. Before that Booker only gave this whiskey to his close friends and colleagues. This bourbon is bottled uncut and unfiltered, so it is usually in the 120- 130 proof range when it is bottled. This high proof could scare off many people from drinking it, but it is a very good bourbon to sip on. Many years ago, I read an article about why he didn't cut the whiskey and lower the proof. He said all it needed was an ice cube to taste perfect. This bourbon is released a few different times each year, so the ages depend on the specific barrel that is selected. Most of the time, they average from six to eight years. In the last few years, they've started naming each different batch, good marketing in my mind, but many collectors rave about different ones that they have tried. On to the tasting notes: This is a high-octane whiskey that is cask strength, so there will be a little bit of heat. The color is a nice deep rich amber. On the nose, you get some alcohol, but then nice hints of caramel and vanilla. There are also hints of smoke, oak and a little bit of a nutty aroma. You also get the sweetness of vanilla and raisins that are very tasty. You also get some hints of tobacco and aged wood. This whiskey will warm you up, but it doesn't overwhelm you with too much of a burn. The finish is a nice lingering slight heat with vanilla as the main ingredient you taste. Overall, I really think this is a very good product produced by the Beam family. A little side note, a lot of other people have taken note of this as well, because there will be a big price increase, so get it now. Richie Jones is the owner at Downtown Grill. Find your Second Self IS WINTER FINALLY HERE? You never know in Georgia where it's 75 degrees one day and 45 the next. Today I took advantage of the cooler temps to sit down and warm up with a nice robust porter. I selected a can of Molé Porter by Second Self Beer Company (www.secondselfbeer.com). This young brewery, located in northeast Atlanta, is doing a great job of pushing the boundaries on typical beer styles, and the Molé Porter is no exception. According to their website, Molé Porter is an "award winning chocolate porter with extra spices reminiscent of the Oaxacan molé sauce. We combine California, Pasella and Chipotle chilis with cinnamon, cloves and cocoa nibs to create this robust porter, packed with flavor to warm you up this winter." The cool thing about this beer is that it is based on co-founder Jason Santamaria's traditional family recipe of the Oaxacan Christmas mole recipe. So, let's crack open the can and get down to business. The beer pours a very dark brown with ruby highlights. There is a very thick, billowy head tan in color that persists throughout the drinking experience. The nose of the beer is immediate spice, particularly clove and cinnamon. There are also slight background notes of chocolate and roasted coffee. The complex aroma is just begging you to take a drink. The first sip of the beer showcases the base style. Roasted malt, producing coffee-like flavors, is the backbone of all well made porters, and this beer nails it. The roastiness quickly fades, giving way to flavors of cocoa, cinnamon and cloves. It's like a fiesta in your mouth. The spices play very nicely together and do not overpower the base beer, as is so often the case in spiced beers. My only real knock on this beer is that the chili pepper flavors are not overly present. They only show up slightly as the beer warms. The hop bitterness is very low, and there is virtually no hop flavor(s) to speak of. The beer has a medium-full body as should be expected in a robust porter. Overall I really enjoy this beer. For me the bottom line is that it is a well- made base beer that has just the right amount of spice to make it unique. This seasonal offering is definitely worth trying before it disappears until next year. Pick some up soon. Kick back, crack one open and give your taste buds some love. Cheers! Brian Whitley is the co-owner and head brewer at Piedmont Brewery & Kitchen located at 450 Third St. in downtown Macon. He is a craft beer lover and a BJCP-certified beer judge, which pretty much just makes him a beer nerd.