Bourbon Burger

Carl’s Jr. and Hardees are known for innovation, edgy advertisements (like the one above and below), and often a nontraditional approach. Now, take bite of the “Kentucky Bourbon Burger.” While Hardees and Carl’s Jr are both owned by CKE Restaurants and feature many of the same products, we only have Hardee’s in Kentucky. Hardee’s doesn’t have the bourbon yet.

Today we spoke with Carl’s Jr. Public Relations Manager Beth Mansfield to learn more about this creation. Mansfield tells BourbonBlog.com that the bourbon is in the glaze on the meat. The alcohol has been denatured and the whole burger is zero proof but maximum flavor. The burger also includes Pepperjack cheese, garlic-pepper onion straws, and bacon mmm. Later this month, Carl’s Jr. will partner with celebrity mixologist Erica Lancellotti to create a new signature bourbon cocktail that will compliment the burger. There will be alcohol in the cocktail apparently.

No particular bourbon brand is being mentioned at the moment with regard to the cocktail and Mansfield would not comment on which bourbon is used in the glaze.

“We do a restaurant quality burger” Mansfield tells BourbonBlog.com. “We don’t go after the 99 cent and gut sales.” The burger was released last Wednesday, and here is a map we found of the breakdown of Carl’s Jr. and Hardees across the country. If Carl’s Jr. is near you and you taste it, please send us a written or video review to [email protected] and we might post it. Save $1 on the burger by clicking here for a coupon. Mansfield tells us that Hardees might feature it.

Thanks to Angela Weisser for sharing these adverts with us, that inspired this posting!