Wakey Whiskey: St. Augustine Single Barrel Select Florida Bourbon

By Eric Ducote

Good morning everyone and welcome to 2019!  As if the dawn of a new year wouldn't be enough reason for a wakey whiskey, it's also LSU Gameday!  There are a few firsts going on in the game... it will be LSU's first ever Fiesta Bowl appearance, as well as the first ever meeting between LSU and UCF.  Going into this season, I'd have been thrilled with a Fiesta Bowl appearance, so this is the most excited I've been about a bowl game in several seasons.  

Back at Thanksgiving I was in Florida, obviously before anyone knew that it was going to be an LSU/UCF matchup, but I picked up a bottle of St. Augustine Distillery's Single Barrel Select Florida Straight Bourbon Whiskey from the Total Wine & More in Sarasota, Florida.  This is a 96 proof straight bourbon (aged at least two years) blended and bottled exclusively for Total Wine & More.  According to the employees I talked to, St. Augustine Distillery is the only distillery in the state that distills, ages, and bottles their own bourbon.  I saw a few other sourced options from the state, but ultimately settled on this barrel pick.  

St. Augustine Single Barrel Select Bourbon

Although this bourbon doesn't have a distinct age labeling, it must be at least 2 years old to be labeled as straight, and the darker color makes me think that it's mostly older.  It could also be aged in smaller oak barrels which increases the surface area to volume ratio which accelerates the maturation process.  The result is a darker deep caramel colored bourbon that has an incredible oakey aroma with hints of vanilla and molasses.  The flavor is well developed, with strong oak flavors, a pleasant backing of sweetness, and a clean finish.  This drinks like an older mature bourbon, which is a fantastic compliment.  I had never heard of St. Augustine Distillery before, but if you find yourself in Florida and see some, don't hesitate to make a purchase.

Cheers, and GEAUX TIGERS! 

30a is Feeling the Louisiana Spirit

Donner-Peltier Distillery in Thibideaux can now be found in cocktails up and down the Florida Panhandle! Boasting a line of three different Rouxgarou Rums, Oryza Gin and Vodka and LA1 Whiskey, DPD now has boots on the ground on 30a.

VP of Sales, Johnny Culpepper formed a strong collaboration with Havana Beach Bar & Grill's Corey Jernigan to create a cocktail made for sipping with your toes in the sand: Summer on 30a. When Corey isn't working his magic as Head Bartender in The Pearl Hotel's eatery in Rosemary Beach, FL, he's preaching the gospel of sweet Louisiana sugarcane.

Check out the recipe and let us know if this beach worthy cocktail has your vote:



Ingredients:

· 2 oz. Oryza Gin, or Oryza Vodka

· 1 oz. Fresh-squeezed lemon juice

· .75 oz. Basil infused cane syrup

· .25 oz. Giffard's Vanille du Madagascar

· .25 oz. Elderflower liqueur

· 2-3 Small watermelon cubes

· 2-3 Slices of seedless English cucumber

Preparation:

Combine everything except the spirits, and gently muddle ingredients. Next, add spirits and shake vigorously. Double strain over crushed ice, garnish with a sliced watermelon rind.

Donner Peltier is a locally-sourced, micro-distiller. Located in the heart of Louisiana’s sugar cane country, where it is the only distiller in the world to make vodka from long-grain rice; and rum from Louisiana sugarcane.

Their brands of Rougaroux® rums, Oryza® vodka and gin, and their latest addition, LA1® Whiskey, are handcrafted in small batches using grains and sugar cane harvested from local farms. Remarkably, in the few short years Donner Peltier has been in existence, their spirits have won numerous awards and genuine admiration throughout the region; and enjoy ever-increasing demand.

To learn more about Donner-Peltier Distillers (DPD) & Rougaroux Rum, Oryza Vodka, Oryza Gin, & LA1 Whiskey. Please visit: www.dpdspirits.com

Month of Salads: Barefoot's at the Hilton Sandestin

Blackened Grouper Salad at Barefoot's

by Jay D. Ducote

Sometimes I just need to eat a salad, and thus, two years ago I created the Month of Salads on Bite and Booze. The idea is two-fold: first, I need to eat more salads and this seemed like a good way to trick myself into feasting like a rabbit. Secondly, salads CAN be good, and we here at Bite and Booze need to focus a little more on them. So now every August on the blog that's what we do.

Recently on a trip to Destin for the Beer Industry League of Louisiana's annual convention, I enjoyed several meals with beach views at Barefoot's, a poolside bar and grill at the Hilton Sandestin. For one of those meals, as the Month of Salads is designed to encourage me to do, I ordered a salad.

I went with a blackened grouper salad, served with an adequately spiced fish over a bed of organic mixed greens with spiced pecans, roma tomatoes, carrot strings, and a citrus vinaigrette. The tartness from the lemon added a nice balance to the blackening spices on the fish. The rest of the salad did its job as the pecans added a delightful textural balance. And the other good news: I felt pretty light and chipper for the rest of my day at the beach!