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Comment by candyman | Hacker News Reader

I also like the "forever bottle" that is common with bourbon lovers like me. You take one of your nicer bottles and when another one is close to empty you don't finish it but instead dump it into a "forever bottle" that keeps evolving with the different leftover bourbons you pour into it.

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I call this an "infinity bottle." I mix both bourbon and scotch, too. Typically the last ounce or 2 of a bottle. Sometimes it ends up pretty meh, but other times it's fantastic. If I don't like the flavor, I'll come back to it in a month and see if it has mellowed out at all. I also keep list of what's in there taped to the bottle.

Just a note that I've found infinity bottles of Scotch don't work nearly as well as American whiskeys do; Scotches don't all play nice with each other (and I don't drink a lot of phenolic Islay stuff; I'm saying, like, a bottle full of random Speysides gets funky quickly.)

It will definitely depend on the scotch. I mixed an Ardbeg Uigeadail into the bottle and it changed it considerably, but not in a terribly bad way especially after it sat for a couple weeks. But I think that's part of the journey. Right now, it's pretty heavy on the Islay (peated) scotch so it is definitely a bit weird at times, but it'll change over time with my palette, and I like that.

For example, right now I'm really into blended whiskies like Wolves [0], and as such the infinity bottle is starting to change from that characteristic Islay peat/smoke flavor profile to a more American whiskey profile.

I've found that writing tasting notes help me enjoy a weird whiskey a bit more, which includes the infinity bottle.

(But I will admit -- I have wanted to dump the bottle before! In that case, I just topped with bourbon and considered it a soft restart.)

[0]: https://wolveswhiskeyca.com

You've now given me an idea to try - Islay with an American honey bourbon

You could call this your solera. Most famously, sherry, port wine, madeira, and some vinegars are made with a similar system used to blend ages.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solera

Soleras are not perpetual. They just diminish volume over time and so are put into smaller casks until they are bottled.

“No container is ever completely drained, so some of the earlier product always remains in each container.”

https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Solera

Tangentially related would be Navy coffee, which sailors say is made in pots that are never cleaned and develop a "varnish" of sorts.

People say the same about Bialetti-style "moka pot" coffee makers. The reality is that any "varnish" is just old rancid coffee oil.

I think a pretty big component of it is protein? Mine only comes off with the special cleaner, or powdered detergent (not the liquid kind which is missing some anti enzyme cleaners) (or lots of scrubbing)

Polymerized oil seems more likely, similar to the impossible-to-clean gunk that forms on kitchen surfaces from cooking fats.

If it gets hot enough to polymerize, then it's probably essentially the same as a seasoned cast iron pan.

Given that 1) the coffee stays on top, away from the heat, 2) you boil water in them, which restricts the maximum temperature, and 3) they have rubber seals: unless you're disassembling them and popping them into the oven frequently, I very much expect the answer is no. Just rancid.

I will caveat this with "I am not a fan of moka pot coffee" though. I think it's usually awful. Better than, like, diner coffee, but still.

Indeed, for me moka pot is just one tiny step above percolator coffee.

I agree. People: clean your moka pots! If you believe the patina improves your coffee, test your theory: Brew a batch with just water, and give it a taste.

I used to believe in the "don't clean your Bialetti", but then one day I realised it's the same gunk that's in the bottom of by coffee machine drip tray. Yuck!

Navy cooks will bust the bubble promptly. They clean the pots religiously, the difference is that each cook treats the brew differently. If a cook left a vessel or had a mate make the coffee, sailors'll notice the change in treatment.

Also, you have to keep in mind, Navy coffee is a mythic thing. Taking on a spiritual character from being a source of constancy and solace in an otherwise stressful/hostile environment. It's a morale thing.

Makes me wonder if the coffee subplot in The Expanse was just a coincidence or someone had experience with Navy coffee, directly or by reputation. Holden just about cries when he has his first cup of Real Coffee from their salvaged Martian Navy frigate.

Sorry, leftover bourbon?

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