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You may be familiar with this distinction, seeing it on spirits labels in the liquor stores or on cocktail menus around your town or city. But what does it mean? And what does it say about the product inside?
In the late 1800's, the question of where one's booze originated either wasn't important or folks just didn't give much thought to it. Or if their whiskey was even whiskey at all. Generally, alcohol was bought by wholesalers in barrels rather than bottles making it all too easy to tweak or mask the product with additives and artificial flavorings to stretch the product for more profit, frequently using questionable ingredients to do so.
A traditional whiskey distiller from Kentucky, for example, could be easily undercut by another distillery using a neutral spirit like vodka which is much less expensive and requires much less skill to make and add to their vodka such ingredients as caramel coloring, wood chips and even formaldehyde to alter it enough to pawn it off as something that vaguely resembled a traditionally made whiskey.
After experiencing this con for some time, whiskey distillers and consumers alike got fed up. With the help of the federal government, they set up a standardized designation known as the Bottled In Bond Act. This was one of first examples of a consumer protection law in the US.
The Bottled in Bond or "BIB" designation is one that holds a spirit to a fairly high standard. The Bottled in Bond or Bonded spirits standards are as follows:
Because of these standards, what you get is essentially a "craft" spirit. A unique expression of that distillery's terroir/climate/water etc.
As a bartender and cocktail creator, using a BIB spirit will ensure you of a couple of things. Because of the four-year aging minimum and a 50% ABV, you know your spirit is going to have a strong flavor profile and alcohol content to give it the backbone to stand up to all other ingredients. Especially for more savory or less sweet style cocktails.
The takeaway for me in understanding more about BIB spirits is that a BIB designation of a spirit does not necessarily guarantee a higher quality. That is still a very subjective realm. But it does speak to the authenticity of the product. It's the truest expression of that distiller's "art" in their craft. And that speaks volumes to me.
Come sit down at the bar at The Establishment and let's explore some of these BIB whiskeys. We have several on the menu, and now that they have grabbed our attention, you can rest assured you will see many more offerings a little sooner than later.
Cheers to all!
Ryan Wise
Bar Manager
The Establishment
Some of The Establishment's Bottled in Bond whiskeys.
Let’s give a *hand* to Mike Crimmins, lead server at The Establishment 🙌 Hailing from MA, Mike worked as a bartender and GM for an Italian restaurant before moving to Charleston and joining Al Di La. Which explains his deep passion for Italian wine and being affectionately known as a hand talker. 🍷 We’ve been lucky to have him part of the team for 3 years now. Favorite part of The Establishment? “The people, there are people here that I genuinely consider family .” 🖤 Favorite dish? “The Whole Fish, hands down.” (we’re starting to notice a pattern here…). “Second, any type of #crudo Chef puts on the menu.” Advice to any new patrons at The Establishment? “The intent of dining with us is to have an experience. Our guests have a passion for food and trying dishes outside of the box. And try the wine. Our wine list gives you the opportunity to try something that not a lot of places around here have.“
Taste our refined take on #sustainableseafood #broadstreet #charlestoneats #charlestonrestaurants #chs #chseats #lowcountry #explorecharleston
The flavors of spring have sprung at The Establishment. Come try the culinary creations blooming from Chef Elliott Howells this weekend at 28 Broad! #broadstreet #charlestonrestaurants #charlestonsc #chseats #charlestonfoodie #sustainableseafood #food #charlestonfood #chstoday #28broad
{Golden Tilefish} fava beans, asparagus, trumpet mushrooms, sweet onions, sauce blanquette. Slow clap for this new favorite. #sustainableseafood #charlestonseafood #charlestonrestaurants #broadstreet #chseats #charlestonfoodie #eatdrinkchs
{Asparagus} soft egg, truffle vinaigrette, a snowfall of pecorino sardo, topped with smoked trout roe #chseats #charlestonfoodie #charlestonrestaurants #eatlocal #lowcountrylocal #explorecharleston #localproduce #charlestonfarms
{Butter Poached Grouper} sunchokes, carrots, braised radish, preserved lemon gremolata, delicious bliss #chseats #charlestonfoodie #eatlocal #charlestonlocal #chs #sustainableseafood
Set the scene for a romantic evening at our bar, with hand-crafted cocktails, mouthwatering cuisine, and intimate conversation. 🖤 #theestablishment #charlestoneats #chseats #charlestonfood #charlestonfinedining #explorecharleston #chsfoodies
As fresh as you can get! Tonight’s Wahoo Sashimi featuring our Sous Chef Andrew ✨Daikon, shisho, and ponzu bring out spring flavors with this local catch from @crosbysseafood
Tomorrow is National Beer Day and baseball season is in full swing! Three cheers for our starting lineup of local brews for New Beers’ Eve 🍻⚾️🍻 #drinklocal #explorecharleston #newbeerseve #nationalbeerday