As The Spirit Moves Me

  Nose: Vanilla, corn, orange starburst candies, candle wax, acetone Palate: Vanilla, tangelo, mandarin orange, sweet corn, cream corn, fresh grass Finish: Short. Vanilla, cake frosting, orange skittles, orange pith Final Thoughts:  'Like shitty commercial moonshine and orange starburst vodka had a love child' Would I buy this: I would not. Would I order this in a bar: I can't imagine anywhere but Still Austin would serve this. But people order Fireball all over the world, so who knows. Would I drink this if someone gave me a glass: Negatory good buddy. Verdict: Please no. Thumbs down.

  Nose: Sweet wheat, vanilla, baking spices, oak, caramel. A little popcorn.  Palate: Sweetness balanced with dry tannic oak. Spicy and a little herbal. Vanilla and slightly over baked molasses cookies. Finish: Long and dry. Woody. A little clove. The finish is a big letdown. Not terrible, but not great. I'd much rather have Wild Turkey 101, and this costs more than twice that. The nose was the best part, the finish the worst, and the palate was middle of the road, leaning downwards.  Would I buy this: I would not. Would I order this in a bar: Can I see the menu again? Would I drink this if someone gave me a glass: I would, so we could discuss how sad it makes us. Verdict: Thumbs down.

This was a collaboration between Old Sugar Distillery and Capital Brewery and Bier Garten in Middleton, WI. They used the same mash bill as their Schwarzbier, called Fishin' in the Dark. Nose: Vanilla, sour wood, under ripe pear, musty, sour cherries. Tiny touches of something smoky, and a little floral. Palate: Thin, lightly sweet. Apples, plums, a moment of wildflower honey spread on malted toast. Finish: Honey and a little sour. The honey is gone in moments, the touch of tannic sourness remains. Verdict: Overall, not great. I've sure had worse, but this is thin and lightly sweet and not much else. There's a tiny moment in the nose that hints at the black malt, otherwise I'm not getting it. Would I buy this: I would not. Would I order this in a bar: Negative. Would I drink this if someone gave me a glass: Yes. But I'd take my time at it. It's not great, but it's not the worst thing. Rating: ★