The Makings of A Damn Good Time
A mix of good food, great music and the most refreshing highball you’ll have ever had – now that’s what we call a damn good time. Below you’ll find our curated list of foods, playlists and cocktails for various occasions.
What's the Occasion?
Get the Gang Together
Your favorite people and highball. What more do you need?
The Main Event
Ingredients:
30ml Jim Beam White
20ml fresh passionfruit juice
120ml premium soda water
Preparation:
Build over ice in a highball mug and stir gently.
Ingredients:
30ml Jim Beam® White
1 squeeze half a lime
1 sprig of mint
120ml premium soda water
Preparation:
Build over ice in a highball mug and stir gently. Gently slap mint sprig and throw in.
Ingredients:
30ml Jim Beam White
20ml yuzu syrup
(or 1 teaspoon yuzu jam)
120ml premium soda water
Preparation:
Build over ice in a highball mug and stir gently.
WITH A SIDE OF
Pulled Pork Tacos
A shoulder cut is traditionally used for pulled pork but braising pork belly slowly in liquor creates sublime results because the meat just falls apart into the rich cooking stock. This dish tastes even better made ahead and served the next day. Simply reheat it gently in a saucepan with a little water.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red onion, coarsely cut into wedges
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons Jim Beam® Bourbon
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 ½ cups water, plus extra as required
- 2 ¾ lb. pork belly, skin removed, cut into 8 pieces as bones allow (reserve the bones)
- 12 soft or hard taco shells
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Heat a small Dutch oven over medium heat, add the cumin seeds, and toast for just 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the oil and onion and cook for 5 minutes until the onion is soft.
- Switch off the heat, add the soy sauce, bourbon, maple syrup, and measured water and stir to combine. Now add the pork belly pieces, ensuring they are submerged in the liquid. Cover the Dutch oven with the lid. You need a tight fit here to really lock the flavors into the pot.
- Transfer to the oven and cook for 4 hours, checking every hour or so and adding a little more water if necessary. Remove from the oven and let rest, covered, for 30 minutes.
- Discard any liquid fat from the surface and remove all bones and any large chunks of fat. Using 2 forks, pull the meat into the remaining sauce and add a splash of water to loosen.
- Serve the warm meat inside the tacos, topped with salsa.
Slow-cooked Whiskey Brisket
Homely and comforting, this dish is ideal for feeding a crowd. It’s definitely worth letting the brisket rest for about 30 minutes once it’s out of the oven, to ensure the meat retains the delicious juices.
Ingredients:
- 2 ¾ lb. piece of beef brisket, bones, rolled, and tied
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 4 shallots, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- ¾ lb. carrots, quartered lengthwise, then diced
- 2 celery stalks, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced
- 1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup Jim Beam® Bourbon, plus extra to taste
- 2 cups beef stock
- ½ to 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- 1 ¾ cups water
- Sea salt flakes and pepper
Preparation:
- Remove the brisket from the refrigerator and let rest for 1 hour to bring it to room temperature. Pat the meat dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Set a medium-size Dutch oven over high heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the brisket and brown it on all sides for about 15 minutes, then remove it from the Dutch oven and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add the shallots and garlic with a tiny pinch of salt and fry for 3 minutes, until they begin to soften. Now add the carrots and celery and cook for 3 minutes, then mix in the flour and cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in the bourbon, increase the heat to medium, bring the mixture to a boil, and boil for 2 minutes. Add the stock, soy sauce to taste, fresh herbs, and half the measured water and bring to a simmer.
- Place the brisket back into the Dutch oven and cover tightly with the lid. Transfer to the oven and let cook for 4 ½ hours, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the Dutch oven, lift out the meat, and transfer it to a board. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest.
- Slice the brisket. Serve on warmed plates.
Bourbon Grilled Peaches
Nothing brings to life Southern summer flavors like Georgia peaches glazed with a sweet Kentucky bourbon butter.
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup Jim Beam® Bourbon
- 1 stick softened butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 lemon juiced
- ½ cup water
- 4 ripe peaches, cut in half, pits removed
- Vanilla ice cream or lemon sherbert to top
- Mint sprig for garnish
- Chopped, toasted pecans for garnish
Preparation:
- Set the outdoor gas grill on low heat. Chop and toast pecans in a toaster oven, watching carefully not to burn them. Set aside.
- In a saucepan, add the bourbon, butter, brown sugar, lemon juice and water. Stir and let it boil softly on the stovetop for about a minute, until the sugar is dissolved and the alcohol has burned off. Turn the heat to simmer and let it softly buble for about 5 minutes. Place the halves in a baking dish and pour the syrup over them, using a pastry brush to paint the glaze on evenly. Let them sit covered in the glaze at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Using tongs, place the peach halves on the grill, cut side down, and cook them for five minutes or until they caramelize but don’t burn. Flip them over and cook the reverse side for five minutes, or until they soften and brown. Serve each person two halves on a scoop of ice cream and sprinkle on toasted pecans.
Some Mood Music
Anyone Up
For a Game?
You don’t really know a person until you play a Highball game with them. The rules are simple. Everyone just needs to be up for some fun.
