Milwaukee, Downtown, Part 2

Last time we started you on a recap of our last Milwaukee adventure, drinking at the old 1938 cocktail lounge, Bryant’s, and ending at Happy Hour at Walker Point’s Sabbatic. Now after having a double whiskey and a shot of tequila, any more liquor and driving a car would be out of the question (mainly because the next drink was going to be another double and our lonely friend at the bar was likely to buy more and more shots as the night went on). So we had to say goodbye to the naked half-mannequins and the violated nun lithographs of the Sabbatic and head back downtown to drop off the car at our hotel.

Woodford Four Grain

Eating was now a necessity, so we sauntered on to Louise’s, an Italian restaurant a friend  recommended. Mission? Pasta, because the night was still young. So I ordered a fine slab of lasagna and a Chilean Malbec to suit (Since I ordered a Tamari, another Malbec, which they were out of, I can’t remember the name of the Chilean, so I won’t offer much in the way of drinking notes here). We ate up and moved on to Distil, Milwaukee’s Artisan Bourbon Bar. 

Distil was packed with bluehairs and well-worn business types, but still hopping for the age of the crowd. I did what you should do at a bourbon bar - ordered bourbon. I would normally drink a cocktail like one of Distil’s craft cocktails or their old fashioned, but they had still had Woodford’s Master’s Collection available - the Four Grain - so I thought I had better partake before it is even more expensive than it is now. I ordered two ounces and received a small glencairn of gold awesomeness. The four grains used that make this bourbon unique are corn (of which there is the requisite 51%), rye, wheat, and malted barley. The other draw of this bourbon is that it is the only one at Woodford that comes 100% from the copper stills. Therefore there is a fair amount of metal and spiciness upfront. I don’t think this bourbon loses its Woodfordness as much as others claim, but the copper does take over in its finish which was decently long. If you think that this sounds like something you’d not like to have in your bourbon, I’d steer clear from this costly tipple. 

Since Woodford Four Grain is about $350 a bottle right now, maybe we should make you a Distil cocktail for you instead. So drink up, our conclusion to our Milwaukee trip will be posted soon!

Old Fashioned Old Fashioned
Drinking Notes Series 
2 ounces Woodford bourbon
1/4 ounces demerara syrup
dash Bittercube cherry bark vanilla bitters
dash Bittercube Bolivar bitters
dash Bittercube orange bitters

In an old fashioned glass, place an orange peel in the bottom. Add bitters and syrup. Press down on the peel to express oils. Add ice to the glass. Add bourbon. Stir gently. Drink.