i’ve been on a big rye whiskey kick recently. it’s become fairly popular over the last few years. liquor store shelves are now loaded with small batch options in atlanta. i’m by no means a connoisseur, but i do enjoy drinking some rye on the rocks with a little lime, and i also appreciate a well designed bottle for the full experience.

the first rye i remember trying was from bulleit, which is actually still one of my go-to brands. i was working at a food & wine festival and bulleit had a booth giving away samples of their new rye. they were promoting that it was made from 95% rye-mash, which was the highest on the market at the time. i was told to picture rye bread while drinking it and then to picture corn bread while sampling their bourbon. i was definitely able to taste the spicy versus sweet distinction.

to some, bulleit rye is not aged long enough and lacks some bite, but i really enjoy it. it’s very smooth (90 proof), comes in a classy bottle, but most importantly, it’s also affordable. you can find it for $24.99 at green’s beverage in atlanta, which makes it an easy bottle to restock.

in general, american whiskeys are classified by the type of grain being distilled. rye is distilled from at least 51% rye grain, while bourbon is distilled from at least 51% corn. check out my post from a few years ago for more information on bourbons.

– ryan

time for some green beer!

– ryan & gub

click and drag the image to scroll through the various photos from our instagram feed!

– ryan & gub

great panel discussion on MENTORING at The Hudgens last night.

– gub

hudgens center for the arts

6400 sugarloaf parkway #300
duluth, ga 30097
770-623-6002

click and drag the image to scroll through the various photos from our instagram feed!

– ryan & gub

click and drag the image to scroll through the various photos from our instagram feed!

– ryan & gub

we recently tried the new atlanta bbq restaurant called smoke ring in castleberry hills. i have to say it was very impressive and might give community q a run for it’s money as the best bbq inside the perimeter.

the atmosphere was great, which is a huge part of the bbq experience in my opinion. it was rustic, yet modern and clean. there was reclaimed wood everywhere, vintage chairs & bar stools, drinks in mason jars, and old chandeliers made with edison bulbs and vintage baskets. it also featured a huge open floor plan with plenty of seating, unlike fat matt’s and community q. in the middle was a very inviting gazebo-type booth, we’ll have to sit there next time. there was also outdoor seating with great views of downtown atlanta.

now on to the food. we tried the spare ribs, beef brisket and crispy brussel sprouts, which were amazing! the ribs weren’t quite as good as community q, however they were still great. they featured a dry rub and were smoky, but not too overwhelming. the sliced brisket was top notch! i even liked it more than fox bros brisket, which is saying a lot. their cajun boiled peanuts and homemade pork rinds were also very tasty and highly recommended. as far as sauce goes, they had a tangy red, sweet red, grainy mustard (made with sweetwater 420) and a white sauce, so all of your bases were covered.

another perk of smoke ring was the full liquor bar. they had a good looking selection of bourbon, draft beers, moonshine and craft cocktails, including a boiled peanut martini, which sounded interesting!

check out the full menu as well as more information on chef jordan wakefield and his goal of creating a unique georgia-style bbq.

we will definitely be heading back to smoke ring!

– ryan

smoke ring

309 nelson street sw
atlanta, ga 30313
404-228-6377

from our instagram feed!

– ryan

clem was preparing her stick in the backyard this afternoon!

– gub

the weather is so nice, we are excited to be on a walk!!!.

– gub