Fred Minnick, a U.S. National Guard veteran who served in Iraq in 2004, has developed a method of using bourbon tasting as a form of mindfulness meditation to manage his PTSD.
After returning from deployment in 2005, Minnick experienced anger and hypervigilance. With the support of his wife Jaclyn, he sought therapy at the VA, where a therapist introduced him to mindfulness practices.
Initially skeptical, he began with tactile exercises, such as feeling the ridges of a coin, then progressed to taste mindfulness with a barbecue potato chip. This led him to apply the technique to bourbon, discovering an ability to identify complex flavors.
Minnick has since authored eight books on spirits, including "Bottom Shelf," which details his personal recovery. He conducts tasting events to share his approach.
Minnick reports that his method has resonated with other veterans; at a recent book signing, a Navy officer gave him a challenge coin in appreciation.
Minnick emphasizes that his therapist did not recommend alcohol as treatment and that he has not experienced alcohol abuse.