Werewhiskey
While Bastion is a game that gives us many reasons to rave about it, today I would like to focus on the one most under-abused by the fanbase; the distillery.
This wonderful gem in the game gives us powers in terms the average, non-super, person can understand. Which is to say, the believable powers of spirits. I was interested in giving this specific drink a corporeal form because the combination of werewhiskey + leechade allowed me to laugh at the face of the Calamity more times than should be allowed. And while leechade has its own drink, werewhiskey sadly does not.
To properly honor my favoritest booze in the destroyed world of Bastion I decided to best capture the in game "flavor" of the drink as much as possible, if a drink was created that did not have the feel of the "GRROAR" soundbite, it was thrown out. (And that soundbite was played on repeat for a while there, much to my girlfriend's chagrin)
After a weekend of experimentation a concoction was created:
2 shots Fireball(R) Cinnamon Whisky
1 shot Ginger ale/beer (I had best results with Outrageous Ginger Ale)
1 Splash of lemon Juice
1 very healthy dose of powdered ginger (I used the generic stuff you can find with cooking spices)
Due to primary liquid ingredients used, the drink starts off surprisingly sweet, but after a couple sips you realize the drink had fangs all along, and gives you wonderful burn. I like how this drink plays with the game mechanics behind this power-up; at full life (the start of the sip, if ya ken) you are not getting much back, but the aftertaste (end of the sip's "life") gives you the desired ferocity one would expect from werewhiskey. And yes, I realize the game describes the drink as "a peppered bootheel" but after playing with black pepper I realized that you can't get that taste no matter how hard you try, and the Kid has no patience for that sort of goofy cocktailing.
However, all of this science did lead to some other variations. The primary one to note is:
The Fang-less Werewhiskey
If you want a drink that everyone can tolerate, and still can be vaguely related to the awesome power of werewhiskey:
2 shots Jack Daniels Honey Whiskey
3 shots Ginger ale
This is a delightfully light and pleasant drink that was enjoyed immensely all involved, and is recommended if you are looking for an easy to make whiskey ginger variant.
There is one final werewhiskey variant that must be mentioned...
The 10-God Pantheon Werewhiskey:
1 shot Fireball Whiskey
1 shot lemon juice
For those who want to be reminded that the gods ain't gonna help you, and wish to be sorry for what you've done, this is the drink for you. While it doesn't have the alcoholic punch other shots have, it still feels like getting headbutted in the stomach by Pyth himself. Only for the brave of heart, and strong of stomach.
I have enjoyed Bastion more than I can properly express, and I hope others find that this drink has done the game proper justice. Should you ever be facing more scumbags then you can handle, this werewhiskey will remind you who exactly is in charge of your situation. You.