BSB Patio Friday: NABC's Willet Bourbon Barrel Chocolate Stout, Willett bourbon, Bourbon Society and J. Shepherd Cigars.

On Friday evening (February 11), we’re turning over the heated Bank Street Brewhouse patio to the Bourbon Society for an evening of Willett bourbon, NABC's Willet Bourbon Barrel Chocolate Stout, and cigars from J. Shepherd (kindly note that the dining area inside is entirely separated from the patio).

Fear not: The public is invited. Before I explain further, our good friend Timothy answers the question, “Who?”

The official name is "The Bourbon Society," a non-profit organization devoted to the celebration of bourbon and its history. The organization puts on bourbon related events, does private barrel selections, and tours distilleries and whiskey related sites.

Here’s the “What?”

Last year, NABC's Jared Williamson brewed a Chocolate Stout with chocolate three ways (malt, nibs and cocoa; formulated by Jesse Williams) and some raisins to round it out. A portion of the batch was aged for six months in a freshly dumped wooden barrel from Willett bourbon (aka, Kentucky Bourbon Distillers), and it will be ready for drinking on Friday as Willet Bourbon Barrel Chocolate Stout. A keg of the non-barrel aged Stout will also be on hand for the sake of comparison.

The Bourbon Society plans to have a representative (Drew and/or Hunter) from Willett/KBD on hand to promote the distillery and their whiskeys, as well as J. Shepherd Cigars. The story of Willett/KBD is fascinating; the distillery opened after Prohibition but ceased producing bourbon in the 1970’s (blending and vending continued); it was among the first to ship bourbon to the emerging Asian markets; and recently, a new generation of family members has stepped forward to inaugurate a whole new bourbon-making era for the venerable and adaptive distiller.

It’s a great story, and I hope to hear more on Friday. If Chef Josh has tasty cuts of beef on hand Friday night, it pretty much completes the scene, and my knees already are shaking.

All of it takes place at the heated Bank Street Brewhouse patio, and it begins at 6:00 p.m. and lasts until closing.

And remember: You’re invited.