When it comes to bourbon whiskey, there are a lot of terms out there that can confuse drinkers as they start drinking. A few that come to mind right away are: allocated, bottled-in-bond, barrel proof, and single barrel bourbon. If you don’t know the basic definitions of these terms, you might feel overwhelmed and confused when standing in a bourbon aisle at your local liquor store. So let’s answer the question: What is single barrel bourbon and what makes it different than other bourbons?

What Is Single Barrel Bourbon?

In short, a single barrel bourbon is just how it sounds. It is a bourbon that is taken directly from one barrel and is not blended with other barrels.

Easy right?

If you are new to the world of bourbon, you might need a little more information than that. Let me expand just a bit.

Blended Bourbon

Most bourbon that you see on a store shelf is blended. This means a distillery takes a bunch of barrels and mixes them together to provide a consistent taste. It’s how you know a bottle of Maker’s Mark is going to taste the same if you buy it in Indiana or if you buy a bottle in Florida. The blending of bourbon is essentially an art that is performed by master distillers at each distillery.

If you are wondering why bourbon needs to be blended, think about this. The whole world of distilling is science at its core, but when it enters the real world, there are outside variables that can impact the flavor of a barrel of bourbon.

Let me give you an example:

Say I’m working at Buffalo Trace and I am making hundreds or thousands barrels a day. All of these barrels have the exact same white dog (aka distillate) with the exact same mash bill in a barrel with the exact same specifications. Shouldn’t everything taste the same? In theory, yes, but that’s not actually the case.

Once the barrel enters the warehouse, it is introduced to the most variable of variables out there. Mother nature.

Once you add mother nature into the mix, all bets are off in terms of consistency. If we have a hot summer and a really cold winter, some barrels might taste different than others. And depending on their location in the rick house, the taste can dramatically change. A barrel on the outside of the top floor has a higher average temperature than a barrel on the bottom floor in the middle of the warehouse. Location, time, and mother nature create the differences between each and every barrel.

The guys and gals in the business started to realize there were some barrels that were hands down better than other barrels. And they saw an opportunity to make some additional money by selling these under a different marketing tactic.

Side note: If I was a master distiller and I noticed there were some amazing barrels, I would have said nothing and just kept them for myself. Don’t get me wrong, I love to make money, but I wouldn’t give up an amazing barrel. Just my two cents.

Single Barrel Bourbon

With that, I introduce single barrel bourbon. Like I mentioned before, it’s a pretty simple definition. Bourbon taken from a single barrel and sold. It’s a once in a lifetime experience you will get that truly shows you the skill of the distiller (ok – that sounded really marketing lingo-y, but I really wanted to write it).

I have to imagine the process looks something like this:

The master distiller start the day by sampling 4 different barrels of bourbon. The 1st barrel tastes good, but it could use a little more spice. The 2nd barrel is a bit sweet, but close to what the distiller is looking for. The 3rd barrel – oh my. This might be the best barrel I’ve tasted this week. Send this one off to be bottled by itself. The 4th barrel sucks compared to that 3rd barrel.

I’m sure there is a more “official” process than this, but you get the idea.

In general, single barrel bourbons tend to be at a higher price point, but bring a large depth of flavor to each bottle. They are generally hand-selected and have the barrel number located on the bottle. Most people would argue that single barrel bourbons are more rich and robust in flavor. And since the average barrel only holds 180-220 bottles of bourbon, it’s likely that you will be one of just a handful of people to ever get to try that exact bourbon. Ever. In the history of the world.

Single Barrel Select

If you ever see the phrase “single barrel select” or “store pick,” you might want to know the difference between a single barrel and a barrel select bourbon.

As mentioned before, a single barrel bourbon is selected by a distiller and comes from one barrel of bourbon. A single barrel select is essentially the same thing, but someone other than the master distiller ends up picking the exact barrel.

Liquor stores, clubs, restaurants, etc sometimes coordinate with distilleries to purchase an entire barrel of bourbon (that they can choose). They usually send a group of people (or a really good individual) down and they get to sample selected barrels. Once a barrel is picked, it is labeled and bottled specifically for that customer.

These bottles can be some of the best bottles you’ll ever have (if you find a great team that is picking the barrel). I hope to some day do this with my online community (and I’d love for you to be a part of it)!

Is Single Barrel Bourbon Better?

In theory, yes. A single barrel bourbon should be better than a standard bourbon from a company.

I like to think of it this way: If I have an amazing barrel and I can sell it at a premium, why would I mix that with any other barrel?

I said in theory because it all comes down to the person doing the tasting and selecting the barrel. If you have someone with an amazing palate that lines up with yours, you might think the single barrel bourbon is the best thing since sliced bread. If you have someone with a completely different palate, you might think this was a waste of your time and money.

That’s why it’s important to do your research instead of just picking up a bottle and hoping for the best. I always try to look for tasting notes from people I trust, try to understand the barrel selection process from a given distillery, and focus on barrel selects from local liquor stores.

Conclusion

In conclusion, single barrel bourbon is a unique and highly sought-after type of whiskey that is known for its distinct flavor and depth of character. It is made from a single barrel of aged bourbon, which allows each bottle to offer a one-of-a-kind taste experience. While it may be more expensive than other types of bourbon, its unique qualities make it well worth the investment for many whiskey lovers. Whether enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or in a classic cocktail, single barrel bourbon is sure to impress with its rich and complex flavor profile. Plus you might never drink the same bottle again, which adds to the lore of great barrels and great bourbons.

I think the best bourbon bar in Muncie, Indiana is Trust Your Butcher Steakhouse. And let me explain why I think that is the case.

When you think of Muncie, Indiana, you most likely think of David Letterman and the lovely Ball State University (also known as the Harvard of Muncie). Some of you might wonder where the heck is Muncie in the first place. Other might think of the lovely trains and pot holes that make the city feel like home.

When I think of Muncie, Indiana, I think of my favorite places to go for dinner and a drink. Growing up in the New Castle area, Muncie was (and still is) our big town. Having gone to college at Ball State, I have grown to love the city of Muncie and the restaurants and bars that make it feel like home. I’ve been going to Savage’s Ale House since I turned 21 years old. I’m probably the biggest cheerleader for The Guardian Brewing Company (keep it up Bill and Jason). And I’ll soon have my name on the bar of the Heorot, one of the best craft beer bars in the world.

When it comes to bourbon, Muncie isn’t the most exciting city for those who don’t know where to look. As a quasi-local, I have tried about every place in town and I know where you need to go to get some good food and have a pretty awesome bourbon selection.

My all-time favorite place to grab a bourbon was at the Neely House until it closed out of the blue about a year ago. Cam (the mixologist) was curating an amazing bourbon list and always had new things for me to try. Once the Neely House closed, I had to take my bourbon hunting somewhere else. And it led me to my local butcher shop…

You read that right. My hunt for the best bourbon bar in Muncie has its origins in a meat market. Lahody’s Meats to be exact. I’ve been getting my steaks, smoked pork chops, and everything else from Lahody’s since 2011. I’ve masted the art of grilling the perfect medium rare filet and I know you always ask for the dry aged cuts (the ones that look brown) when you get to choose your own steak. The white paper signs with red marker will never leave my mind and my wife still sends me to pick up meat at least once a week.

When Ron Lahody decided he was going to open a steakhouse, I had some mixed feelings. I was excited because it was going to be another place to go to dinner. I was worried because I know exactly where he is getting his steaks and I knew I could buy them myself and grill them at home (and pay half the price).

After a few months of protest (my own personal cheapness coming out), I finally took my wife for dinner. And I was blown away by something I wasn’t expecting. Don’t get me wrong, the steak was tasty and the salad was too large for a family of four to eat, but the real surprise was the bourbon selection.

I guess I didn’t know Ron Lahody was a bourbon guy. I remember reading his emails from the meat market and him talking about martinis and other drinks like that. I don’t remember a lot about a crazy love for bourbon.

Once you walk into Trust Your Butcher Steakhouse, you’ll see that you have landed at a great place to get a pour of bourbon. The list has a ton of different selections and they aren’t priced as high as you would find in Indianapolis (still high for the Muncie area though). If you set the price aside, you’ll find that you are in the best bourbon bar in Muncie. I don’t think there is a lot of competition, but it still makes Muncie no longer a bourbon desert.

Outside of Trust Your Butcher, you might be able to find some bourbon at the Clubhouse @ Accutech, Vera Mae’s, 1925 Pub House, and Elm Street Brewing. I don’t know of many other places with a large bourbon selection. One of my hidden gem picks is the Heorot Bar as they sometimes have some killer deals on bourbon and scotch (check out the menu here).

So the next time you are in Muncie and looking for a pour of bourbon, you might want to check out Trust Your Butcher Steakhouse. It’s the best selection of bourbon that Muncie has to offer. I recommend going on a Thursday and picking up their $5 burger special). Once you are done there, make sure to drive out to the Friendly Package in Yorktown to find a few good barrel picks. And if you want to grab a drink, reach out to me and I’ll make it happen!

I’m going to tell you something that might surprise no one:

I’m cheap

If there is a deal to be had, I will find it. I have sat down at a restaurant, found a gift card promo online, and bought it to save a few bucks (or to get a free appetizer). I have a way to always find a deal (and my parents call it “pulling a Chris”).

That being said, I was sitting at my local Elks lodge last night and the bartender mentioned that I should try the new bourbon they got today. She said it was Four Roses Small Batch Select. A good friend next to me actually bought my drink I enjoyed a delightful pour. I asked the bartender for the bottle to take a picture and I chuckled just a bit.

What would you imagine the price to be of a pour of Four Roses Small Batch Select at a restaurant?

If I was in the Indy area, I would guess I would $10-$12 for an 1oz pour.

If I was in Chicago, it might be $15-$20 for a pour.

In lovely old New Castle, Indiana – It was $4 for a pour. Don’t believe me? Look at the very classy post-it note that was attached to the bottle.

That’s why I’m here to argue that there is a secret to finding cheap drinks (specifically bourbon) if you know where to look. And it’s not going to be at that weird liquor store in the middle of nowhere.

Where To Find Cheap Bourbon Pours

The answer is: Fraternal Organizations

Social clubs such as the Elks, Eagles, Masons, Moose, Knights of Columbus, etc are some of the best (and cheapest) places to get a drink.

Most people assume that fraternal organizations are typically reserved for older folks. I imagine your grandpa or great grandpa might have been a member of at least one of these organizations if you grew up in the midwest. And most people have no idea what these fraternal organizations even do. They just know they sponsor their kid’s baseball teams and possibly run a bingo hall or golf course.

What people don’t know is that these clubs often have some of the best deals on food, drinks, and events around.

How Can Their Prices Be That Low?

I think it really comes down to a few different things:

1. Membership fees – These are social clubs and all of these places have yearly dues. These dues go to the operation of the facilities and to help the community. As a member of an organization, you get special perks like access to the facilities and event, specific nights where dinner is for members only, access to other lodges across the nation, etc. These fees help to offset the cost of operating a bar or a kitchen.
2. Lower markups – When you have a little bit of wiggle room in your operating expenses from the membership dollars, you don’t have to charge a 3 times markup on everything to break even and make a profit. Heck, these are non-profit organizations who are going to give any profit away to causes in their community. So you can take a $55 bottle of bourbon and charge $4 a pour for it. When you do the math, the lodge is still making money (roughly $30-$40) on selling 1oz pours. Money is being made, but not as much as a restaurant needs to make.
3. Repeat business – If you walk into any fraternal organization, my guess is you will see a group of people that know everyone there. The bartender knows exactly the drink they are going to order and they might even have a typical “spot” at the bar. You might also find a daily and a weekly drawing somewhere if you look hard enough. The fact that these people are in the bar each day bring a steady stream of revenue into the fraternal organization. Most restaurants have regulars who stop 1 time a week. These bars have people who stop by 5-6 days a week. You make more on the volume of drinks sold instead of the mark-up.

What Do They Usually Have?

This all depends on the lodge, club, and the members. These types of organizations tend to carry what the regulars enjoy to drink (since they are their main customer base). At our Elks Lodge in New Castle, I’m one of a few people that help make suggestions on what to carry when it comes to craft beer or bourbon.

For example: I went to Moon Drops Distillery and did a tasting. I enjoyed the tasting, so I asked for a card to take back to my local Elks Lodge. The nice lady wrote down the information and I took the card back to the lady who does the liquor purchasing and asked if they could grab a bottle of bourbon, a bottle of lemon drop moonshine, and a bottle of apple pie moonshine. Less than a week later, these three items were sitting at the bar. The Four Roses Small Batch was a request by another regular. If you ask for it and will drink it, they’ll carry it.

On my trips to other Lodges and states, I have noticed this same thing holds true. If I head to the Muncie Elks Lodge, I’ll be able to find Blade and Bow on the shelf for a $5.50 pour. If you head down to the Franklin Elks, you’ll find some great bourbons for no more than $6 a pour. If you head to the Greenfield Elks, you’ll be delightfully surprised by their selection and their prices as well. I’ve had Jefferson’s Ocean at a K of C in Ohio for $6 a pour. An Eagles Lodge close by has Woodford Double Oaked for $5.50. It holds true in Wisconsin and other states as well. If there is a bourbon drinker, odds are there is a good priced pour waiting for you.

How Can I Get In?

This is a great question – Some of these organizations have special cards, fobs, or other methods to allow their members in. Guest are a little more difficult. Sometimes there are “open to the public” nights, sometimes you can walk in and ask for an application to get a look around, and sometimes you can find a member and have them take you as a guest.

Regardless – If you are wanting to make this your new favorite bar, you are going to need to get a membership. Memberships run between $30-$100+ depending on the organization, the location, and the amenities. This is typically charged on an annual basis.

Once you are a member of one lodge or spot, you can take that membership with you across the nation. I have a Moose membership in a town I’m not even in so I can stop at the Green Bay Moose for breakfast before a game (cheapest and most delicious in town). I use my Elks membership to visit Lodge in Florida so I can avoid paying tourist prices. I use these membership for more than just my weekly dinners. I use it as a special “low price” club I can visit anywhere and everywhere I go!

Conclusion

As I sat there last night at my local Elks Lodge, I was wondering if I would have had more fun taking a trip to Indy to grab a drink and dinner. Most likely, the answer would have been no and it would have cost about 3 times more than my night last night. I had fun playing pool, talking with familiar faces, and drinking cheap drinks for the entire evening. And I’ll be back up there in just a few days to do it all over again. The cheap pours of bourbon are just one of the many perks.