Why Bourbon Makes An Excellent Substitute For Brandy

For all their differences — distillate base, ABV, ideal glassware — bourbon and brandy also have enough in common that you can occasionally use them interchangeably. Their similar amber hue would allow you to use either in a community theater setting, though then you'd risk intoxicating a cast of inexperienced actors. In more practical, and likely scenarios, you can successfully swap bourbon and brandy in some cocktails, baked goods, and other confections without penalty, if you play to their strengths.

Golden glow aside, your typical brandy and standard bourbons do taste different all on their own. A basic bourbon, which is made from corn, will be rich with oaky, caramelly notes and a smooth finish that sizzles a little. Like wine, brandy is often made from fermented grapes, though sometimes cherries, apples, and pears can enter the mix. Ergo, most sippers will find brandy to be fruitier. That quality makes brandy suitable for use in something like bourbon's usual province, an old fashioned. Mix brandy with the traditional sugar, bitters, water, and add an orange garnish, and it all becomes just a bit more botanical. Likewise, swap the expected brandy in a cherries jubilee with bourbon, and the dessert will develop a lovely, subtle element that registers like smoky spice.

Like all of cooking, baking, and even seemingly simple things like sandwich making, balance is key for the best results. There are plenty of different bourbon and brandy varieties on the market with their own unique finishes, but consider, first, their most basic central characteristics. Conceptualize how the bourbon's warmth or the brandy's almost candied traits will enhance, or erode other ingredients. Forgiving flavors like chocolate cake or vanilla ice cream would be wonderful with either spirit, imparting a bit of that oakiness here, that fruitiness there.

In general, any recipe that can be improved by either bourbon or brandy's particularities will take to either. If the booze that brings your bacon jam to the next level has always been the latter, for example, brandy will add a passing, just-picked element, instead. And bourbon can walk back some of the sweetness in preparations that call for brandy as a matter of course. Once you're comfortable with these switcheroos, you can dive into the differences between bourbon and whiskey, next.