Every month, a huge amount of booze moves through the Gear Patrol offices — beer, wine and a whole lot of whiskey. Here are a few of our favorites.
Weller Sinlge Barrel Bourbon
“Late in May, Buffalo Trace Distillery announced the latest expansion of its covetable line of Weller bourbons. A mid-proof, annual release bourbon with the company’s famed wheated bourbon mashbill, Weller Single Barrel is already my favorite of the lineup (except for the Antique Collection’s William Larue Weller bottle). Its 97 proof is high enough to keep a fatty mouthfeel and deliver big flavor, but not so high as to drown out the whiskey’s lighter cherry and floral notes, like Full Proof. There’s more barrel influence in the finish than something like Antique 107 or Special Reserve, too. Because it’s Buffalo Trace and because it’s Weller, it will be more expensive than its listed $40 asking price but, for me at least, it may just be worth it.” — Will Price, Assistant Editor
New Belgium The Purist Clean Lager
“Drinking a light lager in the coming summer months is ingrained in all American beer drinkers. But this new clean lager from New Belgium is in a category of its own when it comes to light lagers: it’s USDA Certified Organic and clocks in at only 3.8 percent ABV, 95 calories and 3 grams of carbs. It’s snappy, bright, offers very little head retention and has the mouthfeel of sparkling water/beer hybrid. It looks and smells a bit like white wine, and even carries a little bit of that musty white wine aftertaste. But don’t let that confuse you: this is a delightful and satisfying beer we’ll be drinking plenty of this summer.” — Ryan Brower, Commerce Editor
Daviess County French Oak Finished Bourbon
“Daviess County (that is how to spell it) is the latest project from Lux Row, an independent bottler of some of the best value whiskeys you can buy (Old Ezra and Rebel Yell in particular). The new line launched with three expressions, each a blend of wheated and rye bourbon mashbills. Each is solid, but the pair of cask finished whiskeys stand out, and the French Oak-finished spirit even more. The combination of mashbills lends an unfamiliar sweet and spicy flavor, then the tannin-heavy French wood hits and everything pulls together is a fatty, dry, warm and syrupy finish. It is atypical, but it is delicious. Bottles should be on shelves for around $40 or $50.” — Will Price, Assistant Editor
Threes Brewing Eternal Return – Apricot
“The Eternal Return Saison running series from Threes Brewing is a favorite among NYC beer lovers, and the Apricot variant is in the top three of the rotation. It’s a Brettanomyces beer aged in stainless steel, which is not typically how good Saisons age but Threes does it right. It also uses German Pilsner malt that adds a bit of snapiness to balance out the sweetness of the apricots. Simply put, it’s like someone made a sophisticated Saison out of gummi peach rings.” — Ryan Brower, Commerce Editor
