No spoilers — just the right years, the right bottles, and the right vibe. The Season 5 finale, “The Right Side Up,” has dropped..So at BourbonBlog.com, we built this as a pour-along guide for the final stretch. Yes, for the ST fans and for anyone who loves whiskey.
Stranger Things lives in small-town Indiana, not a big-city cocktail scene. Hawkins isn’t a real place, but the drinking culture at that time in Indiana absolutely is: fewer show-off bottles, more everyday labels, more highballs, more “whatever’s in the cabinet,” and the occasional surprise bottle someone’s quietly proud of.
So here are drink ideas you can pour while you watch — a bourbon-and-whiskey time-travel set from 1983 through the final-season setting in Fall 1987, plus a few era-correct curveballs.
And yes: by now, almost the entire core cast is 21+ in real life (the big exception is Priah Ferguson, who’s still under 21 as of the end of 2025).
QUESTION: Do you have a favorite vintage bourbon or American whiskey from the 1980s? If you’ve ever had a dusty pour that surprised you, tell us what it was (brand, year if you know it) and what it tasted like. POST IN COMMENTS BELOW ON THIS LINK.
Season One Era: Early ’80s (1983) — The “Keep It Simple” Shelf
In 1983, bourbon wasn’t the cultural trophy it is today. The most believable Hawkins pour isn’t rare or trendy — it’s practical. The bottles people actually kept around were straightforward, affordable, and familiar.
What you would’ve seen in Hawkins / Southern Indiana cabinets and bars:
- Jim Beam White Label (the dependable “house bourbon” energy)
- Old Grand-Dad (classic, punchy, and common)
- Early Times (everyday whiskey that shows up everywhere)
- Old Crow (cheap, known, poured without ceremony)
- Ancient Age (value bourbon that fits the era)
- Evan Williams (budget-friendly and believable)
- Walker’s DeLuxe (the kind of older-label bottle an uncle might still have in an Indiana cabinet)
Blanton’s bourbon note (because this is where people get tripped up):
If your scene is 1983, Blanton’s is too early. Blanton’s starts in 1984, so it becomes plausible in the 1984 slice of this era—but it would read like a “nice bottle” someone shows off, not a default cabinet pour.
Pictured below is the original Blanton’s neck tag line, “Why this may be the finest bottle of whiskey ever produced.”
This 1984 bottle sold for $3,800, according to Unicorn Auctions (auctioned Sept. 7, 2025)
We also take readers inside a one-of-a-kind tour of Warehouse H, exploring the full Blanton’s story—from the barrels to the lineup of releases. Video and article here.
Seasons Two & Three: Mid-’80s (1984–1985) — Highballs, Game Nights, and Bar Pours
By 1985–1986, you’re in peak mid-’80s social drinking territory: things get a little more “mixable,” a little more casual-party friendly, and a little more bar-driven. People still drink bourbon, but they’re just as likely to order something easy and fizzy.
What you’d realistically see more of
- Wild Turkey 101 (bolder, bar-friendly, still realistic)
- Maker’s Mark (a recognizable “step-up” bottle someone brings over)
- Seagram’s 7 Crown (huge for highballs and simple mixed drinks)
- Canadian Club (easy, common, and very believable)
- Kessler (not fancy, but it absolutely fits Midwest shelf reality)
Character logic that works
- Hopper: reads like a straight pour or a simple mixed drink guy. Nothing delicate. Nothing fussy.
- Murray: if anyone in this world is a vodka drinker, it’s him. And he showed us in Stranger Things. Oops, we said no spoilers. Vodka fits the decade’s “lighter spirits” swing, and it fits Murray’s jittery, analytical, always-on-edge vibe—especially as the broader storyline edges toward the Russia angle later on. Ok, maybe we can bring him to the dark spirits side.
Cocktail that’s basically a time capsule: The 7 & 7
- 2 oz Seagram’s 7 Crown
- 4–6 oz lemon-lime soda
- Ice, quick stir
If you want “Midwestern bar in one glass,” this is it.
QUESTION: What are you pouring while you watch the Stranger Things —straight bourbon, a highball, something retro like a Stone Sour, or a totally modern twist? Drop your watch-night drink below on this link on comments (bonus points if you share your simple recipe).
Whiskey Hunting 1980’s Bottles? Here’s What a Tax Stamp Means
A tax stamp (often called a “strip stamp”) is the paper seal that runs over a bottle’s cap/neck. It served two main purposes: it showed the required spirits taxes had been accounted for, and it acted as a tamper-evident seal—once the bottle is opened, the stamp breaks.
For collectors, it can also help with dating because the stamp’s wording, design, and agency markings can narrow a bottle to a specific time window and sometimes hint at where it was meant to be sold.
For U.S. bottles, the “classic” federal strip-stamp era most people are referring to is the post-Prohibition period that ran from 1934 through June 30, 1985, with the federal requirement ending July 1, 1985. After that, you may still see strip-style seals, but they’re often decorative brand seals (meant to look traditional) or, in some cases, state-level stamps that continued longer in certain places.
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Season Four and Beyond: The Late-’80s Pivot (Fall 1987) — Where Premium Bourbon Starts Peeking Through”
The final season is set in Fall 1987, and that matters. This is where you can keep the shelves realistic and hint at the early sparks of the premium bourbon world.
The “new premium” bottle that can exist here: Blanton’s (1984)
By this time, Blanton’s can plausibly appear — but it should feel like a special bottle:
- a gift bottle,
- a bottle someone saved,
- the nicest thing in a small-town bar’s back shelf,
- or the “one bottle” a whiskey guy won’t stop talking about.
The Beam Small Batch story (with the timeline kept honest)
You asked to include the full Beam Small Batch lineup — Knob Creek, Booker’s, Baker’s, Basil Hayden — and here’s the clean way to do it without messing up 1987:
- Booker’s is the late-’80s breakthrough. It’s widely associated with 1987, with many references describing 1988 as the point it became “introduced to the public” in a broader, more visible way.
Best accurate phrasing for an article: “Booker’s emerges in the late ’80s—right around ’87–’88—as a bolder, high-proof statement bourbon.” - Knob Creek, Baker’s, and Basil Hayden arrive as part of the recognizable Beam Small Batch Collection era in the early ’90s (commonly tied to 1992).
How this plays in a Fall 1987 Hawkins scene
- A bottle like Booker’s can be your “this is changing” signal.
- The full Small Batch Collection lineup (Knob, Baker’s, Basil alongside Booker’s) is better framed as the next chapter that arrives a few years later.
Indiana-specific shelf flavor: Walker’s DeLuxe and other “dusty bottles”
Indiana-specific shelf flavor: Walker’s DeLuxe and other “dusty bottles”If you want the kind of label that feels like it’s been sitting around for years—something your uncle or a small-town bartender might still have—Walker’s DeLuxe is a great deep-cut name. It reads like a real Midwest holdover bottle: not trendy, not bragged about, just… there.
Other believable “still around in the late ’80s” shelves:
- Old Crow / Early Times type bottles (the never-glamorous constants)
- Beam as the default
- Seagram’s 7 and Canadian whisky staples for easy mixing
A One-Pour Time Machine: Hogsworth Batch 1 vs. Batch 2
Want a modern pour that literally spans decades? Hogsworth does it. Batch 1 (Blend #9) included an early-’80s Armagnac component (1982) layered into the blend, while Batch 2 (Blend #9) keeps the concept but shifts the balance to 60% bourbon / 40% Armagnac at 93.8 proof.
Find Batch 2 more easily on shelves or via Hogsworth’s site where available; Batch 1 is scarcer, so ask retailers by name (“Batch 01 / Blend #9”) or look for it at whiskey-focused shops and bars. Also visit https://www.hogsworth.com/.
By the way, we poured this one at our Kentucky Derby event with Cohiba at Bourbons Bistro in 2025.
Where to Taste Vintage Bourbons from the 1980s
We’re lucky that vintage bourbon isn’t just something you read about—you can still taste it, legally, in places that treat old pours like living history. In Kentucky, that can mean a true “dusty” pour at Neat in the Louisville area, a vintage-heavy lineup at Justin’s House of Bourbon in Louisville or Lexington, or a surprise gem at Evergreen Liquors’ tasting bar in Louisville.
For deeper cuts, Revival Vintage Spirits (pictured below) in Covington (Northern Kentucky, across the river from Cincinnati) is another strong stop. Outside Kentucky, Jack Rose Dining Saloon in Washington, D.C., keeps the flame alive with a whiskey-library vibe.
This culture goes international too, with destinations like JW Steakhouse at JW Marriott Grosvenor House London showcasing serious bourbon programs that prove America’s native spirit travels well. And if you want that same “then vs. now” storytelling brought to your audience, it’s exactly what Bourbon expert Tom Fischer delivers through BourbonBlog.com tastings.
Cocktails to drink while you watch (more interesting, still 80s-plausible)
1) Elmo Cola (Indiana nod — modern Indy classic)
What it is: The signature drink tied to St. Elmo Steak House (Indianapolis) — basically an adult cherry-vanilla bourbon cola.
Where you’d see it: Not the 80s; this is your Indiana shout-out for today.
- 2 oz cherry-vanilla bourbon (or bourbon + a tiny splash of cherry/vanilla)
- Cola to top
- 2 good cherries (garnish)
2) Bourbon + Cola, upgraded (the “Hawkins highball”)
Where you’d see it in the 80s: bowling alleys, VFW/Elks clubs, living rooms, basement card tables.
Make it better without breaking the era:
- 2 oz bourbon
- Cola to top
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters (optional but makes it pop)
- Orange peel (optional)
3) Bourbon Amaretto Sour (the 80s sour that actually tastes good)
Where you’d see it in the 80s: chain restaurants, hotel lounges, “date night” bars — very 80s.
(Also: this one scratches the era without tasting like neon syrup.)
- 1.5 oz bourbon
- 0.5 oz amaretto
- 1 oz lemon juice
- 0.5–0.75 oz simple syrup (to taste)
Shake with ice, strain over fresh ice.
4) Stone Sour (bourbon + citrus, peak mid-80s energy)
Where you’d see it in the 80s: bar menus everywhere, especially if they leaned into sweet-and-tart drinks.
- 2 oz bourbon
- 1 oz orange juice
- 0.75 oz lemon juice
- 0.5 oz simple syrup
Shake, strain over ice. Orange slice if you want the full throwback.
5) Whiskey Ginger with a lime (simple…but feels “out”)
Where you’d see it in the 80s: anywhere people wanted a clean, easy drink that wasn’t straight liquor.
- 2 oz bourbon
- Ginger ale (or ginger beer if you want it sharper)
- Squeeze of lime
6) Manhattan (the “grown-up” order in a small town)
Where you’d see it in the 80s: nicer restaurants, supper clubs, the kind of place with dim lights and steak on the menu. Perhaps made with I.W. Harper in this establishment? Yes.
- 2 oz bourbon (or rye)
- 1 oz sweet vermouth
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
Stir with ice, strain, cherry garnish.
7) Old Fashioned (classic that never really disappeared)
Where you’d see it in the 80s: supper clubs, home bars, older relatives’ go-to.
- 2 oz bourbon
- 0.25 oz simple syrup (or 1 sugar cube)
- 2–3 dashes bitters
Stir over ice, orange peel.
8) “Murray Move” Vodka Highball (for contrast)
Where you’d see it in the 80s: basically everywhere — vodka was the era’s loudest spirit.
- 2 oz vodka
- Soda or tonic to top
- Lemon peel or wedge of any fruit closeby. Good morning. Yes, you found one.
The takeaway: What belongs in 1987 Hawkins, Indiana?
If you want the most believable Stranger Things whiskey world:
- Keep the shelf mostly common (Beam, old standards, blended/Canadian options).
- Let one bottle feel special (Blanton’s fits after 1984).
- Use Booker’s as your late-’80s “premium is waking up” signal (best framed as ’87–’88).
- Name the Beam Small Batch family (Knob Creek, Booker’s, Baker’s, Basil Hayden) as the wave that becomes fully defined a few years later.
And that’s the sweet spot: accurate timeline, real Midwestern shelf logic, and a few bottles that quietly foreshadow bourbon’s future—without turning Hawkins into a modern collector’s bunker.
*Stranger Things and its logos are trademarks/copyrights of their respective owner(s). All brand names, bottle images, and vintage advertisements referenced or shown remain the property of their respective owner(s). This article is an independent, educational piece and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Netflix or any spirits brand.
Also, we researched this. Any corrections, comment below, or just keep watching and sipping. We only encourage legal drinking by those of legal drinking age in their country or region. Stay safe and legal.
The post Raising a Glass to Stranger Things: A Bourbon Time Travel from 1983 to the Season 5 Finale (Hawkins, Indiana Edition) first appeared on BourbonBlog.
