Rye

Any other rye drinkers out there? Itwas once much more popular, and conjures up cinema images, like Humphrey Bogart offering it to dorothy malone in The Big Sleep, or Robert taylor drinking rye and water in Valley Of The kings. Have you tried Pikesville? Mostly available in the Maryland area,interesting taste and good value

I've been hooked on jim Beam rye, it's available just about everywhere.

Beam is good. Pikesville has an almost spicy taste, BTW,I started this thread, subscribed when I did, and am not getting posts. Same thing happened 3 days ago, I e-mailed, it got fixed, briefly, then kicked in again tonight. Can I get some help?

Can't drink Rye. Ever since I got terribly drunk one time drinking it at a very young (16) age. I'm 69 now and can still remember how sick I was afterward.

Sorry Twinwillow, come to think of it, I had an aunt who had a similar experience with some Old overholt that my father had saved during the war years and then broke out to celebrate my birth. On reflection, she and I never had a great time together, with the exception of one time when she bought me the Classics comics edition of The Deerslayer.
but, I digress..
Now that you mention it, rye might have been the culprit

In today's economy, I encourage fellow Road fooders to experiment in this area. Old Overholt and Jim Beam ryes are in the $10-!2 range in the Delmarva area, and Pikesville is even cheaper. All are worth a try, and worthy of attention, as well as being good value. If you like the taste profile, you can move up to the small bottlings, which are emerging.
Btw, for those who cling to Bourbon, don't forget Evan Williams.
And, before you ask, I have no fiduciary interests here. I work in public sector mental health,and have generally only made eye contact with the top shelf, hence the search for value.

Years ago we had a birthday for a softball team member who was turning 30, and since rye has a reputation as being an "old man" whiskey we gave him a bottle of Jim Beam that he graciously shared. I wasn't doing so hot the next morning.

Evan Williams dropped the octane level a few years back; it used to be 90 proof and it's now 80 IIRC. Is it bourbon or is it Tennessee whiskey? I can't remember.

Brad

Evan Williams is a bourbon

The rye we grew up with (1940s -50s) was brands like Three Feathers, Imperial, Philadelphia, etc. were of pretty distressing quality - but we didn't know any better at the time. We also drank Canadian ryes that were clearly a step up in quality I liked a brand called Harwood's. Today i don't drink much rye but I agree with several of folks above who like Jim Beam - I find it a good sipping whiskey - now and then I pour a a bit for after dinner instead of my favorites like Calvados and Armagnac and a nice Bourbon.

Cheers, John

What was often referred to as rye in the 50s was just a blend, generally an inferior one,which often had very little rye in it.

As to the blends, I think I remember learning that the "ryes" like a lot of beers, were brewed and distilled from whatever grain was cheapest on the commodity market at any given time and that the "flavor" was a proprietary mix of chemicals designed to provide a consistent taste. It seems to me that rice was frequently the dominant grain in use. I am told that this is true of most of the Vodkas available today.

Cheers, John

That is my impression as well

Wilson's. That's all.

Haven't encoutered Wilson's yet. What is it like?

I'd totally forgotten Wilson's, in fact i don't think I ever tasted the stuff, but I do remember the "Thats All" catch phrase.

I just remembered another popular rye, Three ( or was it Four?) Roses, I think it was a cut above the average rye.

Cheers, John

John,
Four Roses is now making Bourbon at it's distillery near Bardstown, KY. I never paid any attention to it earlier in life...My step-father drank it many years ago. I believe it was a Blend at that time. I don't know if a Blended Whiskey can be labeled as Bourbon or Rye or any specific 'type'??? Answer Please!

Back in the day- CC & Ginger- that translates to Canadian Club and ginger ale. I myself was a single malt fan but my mother drank rye whiskey- usually neat with water back.....her at home bottle was Philadelphia....but when she went out it was CC. Matter of fact, I have a bottle of CC dated 1985 in my closet now and it hasn't been touched in years!
Now, in the interest of fairness....I drink wine- not much for the hard stuff, but will have an occassional vodka rocks if it has been a really "stressful" week!

Al, I can't claim any expertise in this area, but I can voice an opinion. Unless the label says "straight" it must be a blend. Most ryes are blends and the label says so, but the better ryes like the above mentioned Jim Beam are labeled "straight". That implies to me that "straight"whiskeys cannot contain any portion of grain neutral spirits - the major constituent of many blended ryes.

I've never seen the Four Roses bourbon on the shelf locally, but I did see Four roses rye yesterday in a local store - failed to examine the label or the price, but I'll do that when I go back in a few days.

Cheers, John

john, here's the answer:

Whiskies conforming to the standards prescribed in paragraphs (b)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section, which have been stored in the type of oak containers prescribed, for a period of 2 years or more shall be further designated as ``straight''; for example, ``straight bourbon whisky'', ``straight corn whisky'', and whisky conforming to the standards prescribed in paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section, except that it was produced from a fermented mash of less than 51 percent of any one type of grain, and stored for a period of 2 years or more in charred new oak containers shall be designated merely as ``straight whisky''. No other whiskies may be designated ``straight''. ``Straight whisky'' includes mixtures of straight whiskies of the same type produced in the same State.

here's the labeling laws for spirits in the US.

http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2003/aprqtr/27cfr5.22.htm

or the whole chapter, if you wish:
http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/27cfr5_03.html

or for those that want an education on Alcohol, tobacco and firearms, may I present parts 1-199 of 27 CFR:
http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/27cfrv1_03.html

that should keep you busy...or put you to sleep.

Wild Turkey makes a couple of reasonably priced ryes..101 and Russell's Reserve.

I prefer Van Winkle's Family Reserve, but it's climbing up in price, albeit not as much as Rittenhouse 23 year old or a small batch rye like Black Maple Hill, might as well buy a 50 year old armangac for the prices they charge.

I usually rotate between single malt scotch, small batch bourbon, irish whiskey, and rye, buying on the high end because these are my sipping whiskeys not my mixing whiskeys and a 5th or so last me close ot a year.

I love a good rye whiskey.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaOld Overholt
Old Overholt is distilled by A. Overholt & Co, a subsidiary of Beam Global Spirits, at the Jim Beam distillery in Clermont, Kentucky, but originally in Broad Ford, Pennsylvania. It is one of the few straight rye whiskies available at most liquor stores in the United States. The company claims to have been established in 1810, and the bottle states that at 80 proof (40% alcohol), this is a four year aged whiskey. The whiskey is named for Abraham Overholt, a distiller and grandfather of Henry Clay Frick.

While rye whiskey in general is not as easy to find as the more common Scotch or bourbon whiskies, Old Overholt is one of the three brands of rye likely to appear on American liquor store shelves (the others being Jim Beam yellow label and Wild Turkey green label), and while usually less expensive than these or other whiskeys (such as bourbon or Jack Daniel's), it is often regarded as of comparable or superior quality to these competitors. It has a richer flavor than Jim Beam rye, and a tinge of sweetness which contrasts with the heat of the Wild Turkey rye.

I agree with Wikipedia's assessment. Old Overholt is good taste balanced by good value. i usually have a bottle in the cabinet. It makes a nice contrast with Pikesville, which I also keep around.Pikesville mixes well and makes a great Old Fashioned or Julep.

And, lest I forget, there is a bottle of rock and rye on the shelf, for medicinal purposes. Anyone else remember using it that way?

Years ago, in the 60's When one spoke about rye, for most part they meant a blended whisky. Straight ryes such as Old Overholt were few and still are.

Popular were items like Seagrams 7, Schenley, Imperial, Corby's, Old Thompson, Carstairs, Wilson, Kinsey Silver, Philadelphia, 4 Roses, Bartons Reserve, Fleischmann's, 4 Roses to name a few.

The cream of the crop in those days was Lord Calvert

The difference between most of these was not only in the aging but also the ratio of blended whiskeys to grain neutral spirits (plain alcohol).
Cheaper whiskey's like Wilson contained only 27 1/2% straight whiskeys while 4 Roses contained 40%

Likewise while Seagrams and Schenley's were exactly the same price, Seagrams was a blend of 4, 5, and 6 year old whiskeys while the entire Schenley product was aged 8 years. So you see, even in those years you had to read the labels.
That information I think no longer exists.

At the same time, you could also determine who made what as the distillery nubers used to appear in the glass on the bottom of the bottle.
If I remember correctly, Seagrams was D-126 and Schenley was D-90.

In regards to the comment about rice being used for whiskey or vodka.
You can distill alcohol from beets, barley, rye, corn, potatoes, you name it.
Traditionally, Vodka in Europe was distilled from potatoes but not because it was best, because it was plentiful.

Now Vodka is the fu fu drink that has to be consumed in a martini glass with your pinke raised.
You can spend 30-40 a bottle for Chopin, Belvedere, Stoli or Grey goose if you wish but one of the vodkas that is among the least expensive which is Smirnoff always seems to be in the top 3 in every taste test.

I really laugh at those that spend big dollars on an expensive vodka only to have it ruined by adding a mixer.
In Europe, chill it, put it in a vodka cup and drink it like a man.

Mixing good vodka with cranberry juice and the like is like using Chateau Margaux as a cooking wine

A bartender in a little joint next to where I worked would buy me a shot of roc and rye now and then. It would be closing time and that was his drink of choice and wanted me to have one with hi. I only had a few and really dont remember it, I think it was rye whiskey with rock caandy in it
britt

quote:

Originally posted by Al-The Mayor-Bowen


John,
Four Roses is now making Bourbon at it's distillery near Bardstown, KY. I never paid any attention to it earlier in life...My step-father drank it many years ago. I believe it was a Blend at that time. I don't know if a Blended Whiskey can be labeled as Bourbon or Rye or any specific 'type'??? Answer Please!

Blends are not permitted to be labelled "Bourbon", e.g., Early Times, a blend, calls itself "Kentucky Whisky".

quote:

Originally posted by Brad_Olson

Evan Williams dropped the octane level a few years back; it used to be 90 proof and it's now 80 IIRC. Is it bourbon or is it Tennessee whiskey? I can't remember.

Brad

Its best selling brand - the one with the black label - is an 86 proof true Bourbon.

Anybody tried the new Rittenhouse bottling? It's much better than the previous version

brittneal


A bartender in a little joint next to where I worked would buy me a shot of roc and rye now and then. It would be closing time and that was his drink of choice and wanted me to have one with hi. I only had a few and really dont remember it, I think it was rye whiskey with rock caandy in it
britt

The only rock n' rye I've seen has a lemon wedge in the bottle, wonder if that's standard or just that particular brand?

Anybody find any interesting new bottlings?

Phildelmar


Any other rye drinkers out there? Itwas once much more popular, and conjures up cinema images, like Humphrey Bogart offering it to dorothy malone in The Big Sleep, or Robert taylor drinking rye and water in Valley Of The kings. Have you tried Pikesville? Mostly available in the Maryland area,interesting taste and good value

Pikesville is my regular rye, and I always have a bottle in my stockpile.
 
While still a pretty good value at $14 or so, It was an excellent value a few years ago when it could often be had for $7.99 a bottle.  Not sure if it's just inflation, or the word got out and popularity soared.  Maybe a bit of both. 

I bought a jug of Jim Beams rye yesterday for about $18.00.  I read the reviews and before I cracked the seal, I took it back to my retailer and swapped it for a jug of Bulleit.  I have not tried it but it got much better reviews. it is 95% rye and 5% barley.
 
I have always bought some type of Canadian which contains a small amount of rye so I thought I would try something much better.  It was somewhat pricier at about $27.00.  I will let you know later on when the occasion arises to sample.
http://www.bulleitbourbon.com/Legend.aspx
 
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Have tried their bourbon. The rye does not seem to be available in my area

I cracked the Bulleit last evening and poured a small dram.  I wish I was a connoisseur of these types of drinks but I am not  I took a small taste and it sorta reminded me of a nice brandy.  It certainly tasted better than any Canadian I had tried before.  Very strange because it had all sorts of taste.  Some strong and some mild.  I had neveer had a true rye before so I had nothing to compare it against.
 
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Will try to get hold of a bottle to make comparisons. rye is certainly more complex than Canadian, and most Bourbons as well

Phildelmar


Will try to get hold of a bottle to make comparisons. rye is certainly more complex than Canadian, and most Bourbons as well

 
It sounds like you know much more about rye than me.   I will be interested in your thoughts.  I may have another small taste tonight along with a nice cigar that I bought in Panama.  It is a nice fat Cuban.  I will have to have it out on the deck as I do not wish to perfume my house with the smoke.  it may be a bit cool out on the deck but the full moon reflecting on the Tennessee River makes a nice presentation.
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

I recently have sorta taken a liking to good spirits and for some reason rye struck me as a liquor I might enjoy.  I found that good rye was difficult to obtain.  The attached article might explain why.
 
 http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/04/travel/04iht-rye.3767486.html
 
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Sundancer, you paint the most beautiful pictures - must be nice to have such a great view from your deck! I just checked my bottle of Jim Beam Rye and decided a drink would be appropriate. I'll skip the cigar though! I seem to remember that the Manhattans I loved when going out to dinner in the 60's were made with rye. Don't taste the same any more. Think I'll try to make one with my rye when I get some fresh bitters. Does anyone know how long bitters keep in the fridge? Mine must be at least 15 years old.

My understanding is that the decline in rye production was a consequence of prohibition. With the major distilleries closed, other, imported, spirits captured market share. Smuggled scotch, rum and Canadian  changed the nation's tastes. When it ended, there were no blending stocks to draw on, and then, the onset of the war caused a re-alignment in distilling resources for war purposes. The only survivor was Old Overholt, along with some cheaper varieties, mostly in the Maryland region. Pikesville was the best of the lot, with Philadelphia and the old version of Rittenhouse being strictly for mixing. That being said, I was not disparaging mixing. In fact, I find that any cocktail mixed with bourbon tastes  better with rye. But, that's a matter of personal taste.

Phildelmar


Anybody tried the new Rittenhouse bottling? It's much better than the previous version

I went shopping for my occasional bottle of bourbon in prep for a spring Kentucky Bourbon Trail Tour but came across this bottle of Rittenhouse straight Rye. It was the only bottle of rye on the shelf so I bought it. Well, that and the fact that I remembered this thread.

Davydd:  let us know how you rated the rye that you bought.
 
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Interested in getting your take on it

Rye to me is another good sipping whiskey but I rate it less interesting than a single malt or bourbon. In fact at the same time I bought that bottle of rye I bought this interesting bottle of Willett's Straight Kentucky Bourbon, bottle 214 of 272. The proprietor of Excelsior Vintage said he had the only bottles in Minnesota. It's pretty good but no where could I find how long it was aged.

Rye has  a spicy, peppey quality that I find unique.

Last month I did a partial Bourbon Trail Tour in that I visited the distilleries near Bardstown. They were Jim Beam, Heaven Hill and Maker's Mark. I think between Jim Beam and Heaven Hill you would be surprised how many of the brands they cover.
 
What I didn't get a chance to try were the Rye's. I did learn that Bulleit makes a bourbon with a very high rye content of I think about 28%. A bourbon has to be at least 51% corn. Barley malt is the other. Wheat is the hallmark of Maker's Mark. I hope compare the Bulleit bourbon with one of my favorites, Maker's Mark and my other favorite right now, Knob Creek (a Jim Beam product, BTW). Last year Bulleit, a Diageo company now, started distilling a rye consisting of 95% rye and 5% barley malt.

I really like a Rye distilled very close to my house...Copper Fox distillery in Sperryville Va makes a wondeful Rye. Makes a perfect Old Fashion or even better a ice cold Mint Julip. I like a Mint julip made with Rye rather than Bourbon.
 
http://www.copperfox.biz/

 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_gCY1qhUoE
And a more modern version with today's "Wild Women"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTuD-sdC5-s&feature=related

I have found an excellent Rye Whiskey. Templeton Rye Whiskey is distilled in Indiana and placed in Oak barrels in Iowa where the recipe originated. They claim that it was a Prohibition era spirit that was Al Capone's drink of choice. It is expensive ($32-$40 a fifth) but well worth it. It is currently only available in Iowa, Illinois, San Francisco, and New York City. It is so popular that the State of Iowa which runs the liquor distribution itself, limits each liquor store to one case (6 bottles) per month. Most sell out within 4 hours of receiving their delivery. I'm just lucky that I found a store in an area where the locals have not discovered it yet. I make a call, they put aside a bottle or two, and I make a short trip up I35 to Iowa.
 
CNW

rebeltruce


I really like a Rye distilled very close to my house...Copper Fox distillery in Sperryville Va makes a wondeful Rye. Makes a perfect Old Fashion or even better a ice cold Mint Julip. I like a Mint julip made with Rye rather than Bourbon.

http://www.copperfox.biz/

I will have to look for this Rye rebeltruce, though all the products sound good.
 
I was intrigued by the aging kit:
 
http://www.copperfox.biz/images/cp-wasmunds-barrel-kit-product-sheet-2012.pdf
 
Sounds like a good project for the future. 

NY Distilling Company is currently working on their American Rye that will be ready (after aging) in 3 years...

http://nydistilling.com/

Worth waiting for

eruby

rebeltruce


I really like a Rye distilled very close to my house...Copper Fox distillery in Sperryville Va makes a wondeful Rye. Makes a perfect Old Fashion or even better a ice cold Mint Julip. I like a Mint julip made with Rye rather than Bourbon.

http://www.copperfox.biz/

I will have to look for this Rye rebeltruce, though all the products sound good.

I was intrigued by the aging kit:

http://www.copperfox.biz/images/cp-wasmunds-barrel-kit-product-sheet-2012.pdf

Sounds like a good project for the future. 

I have two 6L barrels...and have done both the Rye Spirit and the Whisky....Of course you need the secret amounts of charred cherry and apple woods to add..........I let both go for almost 10 months and then bottle them both at cask strength.... Both turned our fantastic....I need to head back to pick up enough of both spirits to make a second batch....
 
Take the tour if you have a chance.......the folks there are some of the nicest you'll meet.

Recently tried the Rittenhouse 100. Good stuff but better on the rocks or with soda

When "our barrel" of Maker's Mark reached the bottling stage we bought  "some of it"... but...you register, then wait 9 years to get a plaque (Copper-etched  very nicely done).. and the opportunity to buy either one or more bottles, that you show up and dip in the red-wax yourself,  or the contents of the entire barrel (but not the barrel itself) That would be 50+ gallons for $4300.  I think getting the barrel itself, full, with a fancy beer-tap on it would be a real discussion provoker in my kitchen !!

Rye whiskey is one of my favorite spirits, next to gin. I usually keep a bottle of Old Overholt around as my "standard" rye, mainly because it mixes pretty well and is fairly tasty for its affordable price.
 
Rye One is my favorite, though. It's a premium rye produced by Beam Global Spirits, although they don't really advertise it as one of their products, which I find a bit strange, given its quality. It has a more subtle and slightly sweeter taste while retaining the unique bite of rye whiskey, which is a combination that lends itself well to enjoying the spirit straight. It's a bit on the expensive side (about $50 for a 750mL bottle), but it's definitely worth the money, at least once. Also, the graphic on the bottle is one of the most clever labels that I've ever seen. I'm a bit of a language fiend, so it caught my attention immediately.
 
 

Tried it. As you said, worth the money, but only as an occasional indulgence.

We had an RV social last month and honored one of our friends who had recently passed away. His favorite rye was Templeton Rye so we all had a toast in his remembrance. Has anyone tried this one? I thought it was excellent.

I have tried it and I agree

My Dad always had a bottle of rock and rye in the kitchen ready for colds and the like. I was given a small sip some times.
Mom was not convinced of it's healing powers and called the doctor for her " really bad cold ". When the doctor finished examing
her my Dad offered him a drink of the rock and rye. This was back in the 1940's in Camden NJ

Any further feedback on the Rittenhouse?