I’m going to start out by stating the obvious—it’s probably not kosher to use the word “crack” to describe something indulged in during the sacred holiday season. But I’m going to do it anyway. Such is the overwhelming allure of bourbon balls, tiny yet incredibly tasty and addictive treats my wife has churned out, like beautiful hymns from a church choir, every year at Christmas time since we met.
Like most of life’s greatest pleasures, bourbon balls are simple. All one really needs is a yen (which is never a problem for yours truly), some very basic ingredients and a little time for them to set up. That last part, per Tom Petty, is most certainly the hardest part. Which is good, because the last thing anybody needs during this traditionally busy time of year is something time-consuming and labor intensive.
At this point, you’re asking yourself why you are reading about bourbon balls in a publication devoted to celebrating San Diego County’s rich craft brewing culture. It’s a good question that, unlike the internal query, “Have I been good enough this year to merit that 750-mil of Barrel-Aged Speedway Stout I asked for?” is easy to answer.
I am a fan of bourbon. So much, that this recipe originally called for rum, but the missus and I changed it to fit our family’s taste. But here’s the thing. These petite bites of pure heaven burst with sugary cocoa sweetness, and the vanilla from crushed Nilla wafer melds with the nuances of vanilla brought on by the oak the whiskey rested in (provided one uses a quality spirit versus something bearing the moniker of a grocery store chain on its label), but even with all that dessert-like goodness, these treats pack a wallop.
Because bourbon balls are never cooked, every bit of alcoholic strength from that 80-proof liquor distributes through those dense spheres. So, when a holiday reveler bites into one, all that sweetness is instantly cut by a firewater spike that brings the heat both on the palate and in its wake. I’ve found they really help to sedate an irate elderly family member after a long day of gift-wrapping (read, Godsend).
As much as I advocate for shots of good tidings throughout the month of December, and as much as I adore these things, I’ll be the first to say that they might actually benefit from a base beverage with less octane. Also, as I’ve done a pretty good job of documenting over the past several years, I’m a craft beer guy. So, last year, it occurred to me that I might be able to lower the alcohol-by-volume on these holiday tidbits while incorporating one of my favorite things.
Enter the barley wine ball—an updated take on one of my holiday faves that gets the beverage at its core down by 20-to-30 percent. Doing so allows the flavors of the wafers and cocoa powder to come through less impeded, and also adds in the inherent flavors of the beer. And thanks to the fact that increased visibility of craft beer in the marketplace means a variety of barley wines are now more easily available, the spectrum of those flavors is broader and completely up to the individual rolling out the yuletide goodness.
In my experience, it’s best to keep away from barley wines that have above-average hop presence. The vegetal, citrus and pine flavors that hops introduce simply don’t marry up with the recipe’s other straightforward confectionary ingredients. (Yes, I hear you, hop fanatic who claims everything goes with hops…do what you like, but remember, these are supposed to be shared, so it isn’t about you or your crusade to prove lupulin’s lofty place in all things consumable.)
This is one of those rarer cases where you’re looking for the quintessential malt bomb, something with plenty of caramel character and a breadiness that’s almost chewy. Nuttiness is another plus, flavor-wise. And if you like that sugar plum thing come December, a more English-style barley wine exhibiting plenty of prune and fig flavor will be ideal. Local barley wines I’ve had success with include Coronado Brewing Company’s, which is almost chocolaty in its roasted malt character, and The Lost Abbey’s Angel’s Share and Ballast Point’s Three Sheets, both of which exhibit great layered depth and lack flavors that compete with the rest of the dessert’s ingredients.
Of course, barley wine isn’t the only type of beer that will work. You can also go with an imperial stout (those infused with coffee add their own depth, though not necessarily flavors readily associated with the holidays) and even some Belgian quadrupels if you are looking for an even more intense dried fruit flavor. In both cases, the higher the ABV, the better. No matter which route you go, enjoy this joyous time of year with enough friends to help you polish off as many barley wine balls as you can roll.
Barley Wine Balls
Yield: 50 to 65 pieces
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
½ tsp allspice, ground
1½ cups confectioner’s sugar
½ cup barley wine-style beer
2 Tbsp light corn syrup
2½ cups Nilla wafers, pulverized
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
Sift the cocoa powder, allspice and 1 cup of the sugar into a large bowl. Stir in the barley wine and corn syrup until everything is completely incorporated. Stir in the wafers and nuts, then place the ingredient in the refrigerator, covered, for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Place the remaining sugar in a shallow bowl. Remove the mixture from the refrigerator and scoop out 1 tablespoon portions, one at a time, using your hands to roll into balls. Place the balls in the sugar and coat evenly on all sides. Transfer the balls to a baking sheet. Once the sheet is full, place a piece of parchment paper on top of the first layer and form a second layer. Cover the top layer with parchment paper, wrap the baking sheet with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
Serve at room temperature. If properly refrigerated, the balls will be good for up to 2 weeks.
—Recipe courtesy Brandon Hernández
Editor’s note: Brandon will be hosting a pseudo-“signing” for his new e-brewery guide Tuesday, December 10 at Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens in Escondido. Admission is free with proof of purchase. Beer industry attendees include Peter Zien (AleSmith), Cy Henley (Amplified Ale Works), Colby Chandler (Ballast Point), Chuck Silva (Green Flash), Kevin Buckley (Latitude 33), Dan Love (Mother Earth), Paul Sangster (Rip Current), Douglas Constantiner (Societe), Greg Koch (Stone) and more. The beer list is pretty epic, too: 2011 Lost Abbey Angel’s Share, Ballast Point Victory At Sea w/Coconut, Dried Habaneros & Fresh Ghost Peppers, Stone Enjoy By 12.13.13 IPA, Green Flash Palate Wrecker, Latitude 33 Murder By Death Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout, Amplified Ale Works Pig Nose Pale Ale, Green Flash Palate Wrecker, AleSmith Barrel-Aged Speedway Stout, Mother Earth Sin Tax Peanut Butter Stout, and Rip Current Caught In A Rip Triple IPA.