Bourbon Vs. Rye Tasting - The Sugar House

Photo from The Sugar House facebook page

On August 6th, my husband and I attended The Sugar House's Bourbon vs. Rye tasting. The point was not to showcase the most expensive bourbons and ryes out there, but to learn the differences in taste between the two.

First I have to clarify, I am not much of a straight liquor drinker. I am more of rum and sour mix drinker, if I drink something other than wine. I have even been known to enjoy the Corktown Sours from Sugar House, which are a mix of Jameson and sour, but this summer my favorite hands down has been the Havana Sour.

So when I signed Billy and I up for this tasting, it was with trepidation on my part, but I was still curious and really did want to know the differences, and to learn about it from the people who know it best.

When we arrived about 20 minutes before it was scheduled to start, we found our seats along the end of the bar, which had been sectioned off for the tasting. We were surrounded by people who worked in the industry, which was cool because we learned a lot more by talking to them in between sips.  Our host for the event set handouts out in front of each of us, one a fact sheet about bourbon and rye and what makes them bourbon and rye, and another with four circles, big enough for a shot glass, with the name of a particular bourbon or rye next to a circle. We then received four one.five ounces of those specific liquors, and were instructed to sip, not shoot, the liquid inside.

The four we were tasting were Temptation Bourbon, Redemption High Rye Bourbon, Old Overholt Rye, and Redemption Rye, in that order. We started off with the Temptation, which is a mash of 75% corn, 25% rye, and 5% malted barley. This is important because a difference between bourbon and rye, which I should have guessed, is that bourbon is mainly corn, while rye is mainly, well, rye. The flavor notes that were suggested for this one were caramel, sweet and sour corn, with a nose of honeysuckle, and citrus. 

Next down the list was Redemption High Rye Bourbon which is a mash of 60% corn, 38.2% rye, and 1.8% malted barley. It has notes of caramel, soft floral and nuttiness, while the taste is said to be more woody with a slightly sweet finish. Let the record show I was not able to get past the alcohol of these drinks to get these nuances, but Billy did say this one was nutty. 

After having tasted the two bourbons, we moved on to the ryes.  We began with the Old Overholt Rye, whose mash bill is 53% rye, 32% corn, and 15% malted barley. I believe they also told us that this particular rye has been around a long time. The nose was listed as pine with residual sweet corn, mint, citrus, and pepper, while the taste was listed as wood spices,, menthol with a dry finish.  Neither of us cared for this one at all. Billy did not like the menthol taste, which he said he could clearly pick up. 

The last on our list was the Redemption Rye. The mash bill is 95% rye, and 5% malted barley. The nose was listed with such things as grapefruit and buttered popcorn, with the taste being spice and pine, with a dash of nuttiness. I have to admit, I could see what they meant about the buttered popcorn! This was my second favorite of the night.

I didn't finish my glasses. Mine looked like they were barely drunk at all, but I tried! My favorites were the Temptation Bourbon and the Redemption Rye, the two most different of the night. Billy really liked the Redemption High Rye Bourbon.  We both felt it was worth the $20 each we paid for the lesson and the tasting, in fact, it was one of our least expensive nights there! 

Everyone we spoke to was happy to share their knowledge. We even got off subject and started talking about Scottish whisky. We learned that there is one out there called Ocotomore that is extremely expensive, so of course Billy wants to try it. It is $67 for one shot at the Sugar House, and they have fair pricing for what you are getting and for their extensive knowledge of what they do. I can actually go to bars in other areas and order lesser drinks which are the same price as what I would get for a much better drink at the Sugar House, so they are not fair and not overpriced, in my opinion.

I am definitely going to be watching their schedule of events now that we have attended one and loved it. I wonder if they will ever do a rum night? 

Sugar House ~ Corktown

We spent last night at the Sugar House.

One of our favorite places to imbibe right now, we headed down there after watching The Great Gatsby. Cocktails were definitely called for.

The ambiance at the Sugar House is low key, all dark wood and taxidermied animals, bringing to mind Teddy Roosevelt or an English lord's trophy room. Perhaps the room of a big game safari hunter. Music streams out in hushed tones, and in the late spring and summer the room is hot.  I feel transported to New Orleans almost, but this is Detroit. Detroit at its finest, with craft cocktails and local ingredients when possible. I could while away hours there every weekend, if I could afford it every weekend. The drinks however are well worth their price tag, and sometimes I even feel like I am not paying enough.

We had a super nice bartender named Nick. (please excuse my iPhone pics, it was all I had with me) He was imbued with knowledge about the large array of options and ingredients, and could perfectly describe  a flavor and recommend a drink.

I started off with a Moscow Mule. (terrible photo I know)

After my first sip, I pronounced this drink to be breathtaking.  Jill and Chrissy found this amusing until they too, tasted it and said it was the perfect description. And they actually still thought it was funny. A Moscow Mule has a few different ingredients, one of them being ginger. Yum.

Next, I moved on to the Vieux Carre.

There is a reason you shouldn't pick something based on the name alone.   I chose this because I love New Orleans and the actual Vieux Carre - however, this drink was a bit too manly for me. Nick said that this drink is a commitment, and it was a commitment I wasn't ready for. I passed this drink on to Billy, and ordered a new one.

Nick then suggested a Havana Sour. I had told him I am a fan of Whiskey Sours, and the Corktown Sour, so I took his advice.

 

Always listen to the experts!  This drink was amazing. Perfect for me in every way. I adored it. Tart and pink, I liked it so much I ordered a second. The Havana Sour is a definite winner.

Chrissy and Jill enjoyed their drinks - they both found two new drinks they fancied as well. Chrissy would not let go of her Whiskey Smash, and Jill found the Aviation to be fabulous.

Going to the Sugar House is an experience - one that allows you to appreciate all that goes into the making of a drink, the quality of the ingredients, the knowledge not only of how to make them, but sometimes how that drink came to exist in the first place.

 It is a place for savoring. To not just guzzle down your cocktail, to throw it back like you would a shot, but to truly enjoy it. They proclaim themselves to be a place for the discerning drunk, and while I am not that well informed about what they do, I certainly see the value, and I learn a little something every time.