Bartenders, Bourbon and Billy Reid, But No Bud Lite, The Bar at HUSK

It’s no secret that I love HUSK and everything it represents. I consider myself fortunate to frequent there when I am  in Charleston.  I still owe a post on my dining adventures there, but I must admit, my creative writing abilities won’t do it justice.

The Great Wall of Bourbon

Late Monday evening, I walked into HUSK for dinner.  I was told that since I was alone, I could get a seat in 30 minutes.  With 30 minutes to spare, I went over to the bar for bourbon on a cube of ice.  HUSK’s bourbon list is vast and unique. Over 50 plus bourbons are listed, and broken down by the city of the distillery. Most restaurants have 3-5 bourbons listed, never mind broken down by city.  A good number of the bourbons are small batch and ones I’ve never heard of.  On this evening, I enjoyed a Ridgemont Reserve 1792, a very smooth, slightly smokey bourbon and one I’d never enjoyed before.  



Not only is the food and drink at HUSK local, but so are the glasses for which they serve their bourbon in. The glasses are based out of Atlanta’s Uncorked Glass, which according to their website:

“The Uncorked Glass Company handcrafts, unique, eco-friendly glassware from recycled wine bottles, donated from local restaurants and bars in Atlanta, GA. Our tumblers are handcrafted from 100% post-consumer materials in our effort to honor our “green” commitment.”

In addition to bourbon, the Bar at Husk offers a selection of beers from around the Southeast, which brings me to the story from the night. As I was sitting there enjoying my Ridgemont Reserve,  I overheard the bartender state, “Bud Lite, you can go over to the bar next door at 82 Queen, they've got Bud Lite there."  Apparently, a couple who doesn’t appreciate a place that takes pride in using regional ingredients, drinks included, stopped into the wrong bar. After being told "no Bud Lite", they immediately left. We all got a chuckle at that.

Even if you can't snag a reservation at HUSK, I highly recommend stopping in at the bar next door. The bar staff,  stylishly decked out in South's own Billy Reid, is very knowledgeable and have  created some amazing locally inspired cocktails.  



Bartenders in Billy Reid attire, pouring Bourbon, but no Bud Lite!



Support Your Local Brewery and/or Distillery!

I like to support local and regional businesses. I applaud anyone that goes out on their own to create a business, especially in the ultra-competitive food and beverage industry. It takes guts to risk it all on an idea that you think is worth sharing.  In the Carolinas, we are fortunate enough to have some quality breweries / distilleries.  When traveling in foreign countries, I always drink the beer/wine/whiskey of that respective country. That also goes for the state or city that I'm in as well.

Lately, I've been trying more of the Carolina's best beers and now moonshine and I must say, we are very fortunate to have some guys that put their heart and passion in providing some quality beverages. I want to highlight some of the notable ones that I've tried recently.

The latest creation is, Dark Corner Distillery, here in Greenville, SC. Joe Fenten and Richard Wenger pursued a dream and created South Carolina's first legal Moonshine, thanks to some new laws here in South Carolina. They have put a lot of heart and history in Dark Corner. Though it's only a few months old, they are starting to have some distribution within the Upstate of South Carolina. I look forward to seeing what all they create in the coming months/years. I certainly hope to see it in the bar at HUSK in Charleston very soon.

If you are ever in Greenville, stop in and visit the Distillery and Gift Shop in the heart of downtown Greenville. 241-B North Main Street, Greenville, SC. Hours of operation: Tuesday - Saturay, 10am-6pm.

Another Greenville business worth mentioning is Thomas Creek Brewery. They've come a long way, since their beginnings in 1998. I'll admit,  I didn't become a true beer drinker until about 4 years ago. Before that, I was a Bud Lite kind of person. Sad I know.  I've become a fan of Thomas Creek, especially their River Falls Red Ale. If you're a fan of IPA beers, I recommend the "Up the Creek" Extreme IPA (pictured above), which I had last night for the first time.

Other South Carolina breweries worth noting include: R. J. Rockers out of Spartanburg and  the new Westbrook Brewing out of Mt. Pleasant, SC.

Some fellow foodies were married back in October and had beers from North Carolina and Georgia during their reception. One of the beers was, The Duck-Rabbit, Milk Stout. I'd never had it before, but of course had to try it. I'm not a fan of dark stout beers, but this one is excellent with beef. The Duck-Rabbit is based out of Farmville, NC, call themselves the Dark Beer Specialist. They sold their first beer back in 2004 and have  since established a strong following within the Carolinas. If you are a fan of Guiness, branch out and try and support an even better Regional Brew.

As I continue to try other brews from the Carolina's I will definitely continue to post them in the coming months.