Good bourbon information.

[Rocky_Creek]

This Derby season, if you’re very lucky, you may be
at a party where the host or hostess takes you quietly by the arm.

“Come in here,” they’ll whisper, leading you into a
room away from all the chatter and clinking glasses.

“This is where I keep the good stuff. It’s much too fine
to pour into those juleps. “Here,” they will say, “have
a sip of real Kentucky bourbon.”

If this happens, if you finally arrive at the end of that
amber rainbow, will you really know what you’re tasting?

Will you be able to smile knowingly and savor, as the
experts do, the characteristic flavors of vanilla, caramel, toffee, chocolate, nuts, dried fruits and spices?

Well, now you will. Welcome to Bourbon 101.

A drink with a definition Although bourbon is whiskey, not all whiskeys are bourbon. The so-called brown spirits include Scotch whisky, Irish whisky, Tennessee whiskey and rye, as well as bourbon. All are distilled from fermented grain — but which grains and in what proportion make all the
difference.

Bourbon (almost all of which is made in Kentucky) must, by federal law, be made from at least 51percent corn. The other grains used, in varying proportions depending upon the brand, are malted barley and rye or wheat.

During the distillation process, the law holds, the proportion of alcohol cannot go higher than 160
proof (80 percent alcohol) and, when put in the barrel for aging, the maximum proof allowed is 125.
True bourbon must be aged a minimum of two years (most are aged at least four) and can be aged
in barrels made only from white oak (Quercus alba) that have been charred on the inside.

(Scotch makers, cognac makers and even brewers who like to impart a bit of bourbon flavor to their
beers often employ used bourbon barrels for aging their own products. Tennessee whiskey, such as
Jack Daniels, is filtered through maple charcoal before being put in a barrel for aging.)

When the bourbon comes out of the warehouse after aging, the proof is lowered by adding distilled or spring water as it is bottled. (Unless it is bottled as “barrel proof,” which tends to be high in alcohol by volume.) Combinations of all these factors — grains, proof, aging, water — and the yeasts used in fermentation, result in the more than 130 different bourbons found on shelves today.

Judging a bourbon Michael Veach is an archivist of special collections at the Filson Historical Society in Louisville — and a bourbon historian and collector, as well. He frequently leads tastings
in the area. And people always seem to be asking him which bourbon he likes best.

“I don’t have a favorite,” is his standard reply. “Bourbons have a wide variety of tastes, and there are different bourbons perfect for different occasions or uses.”

But Veach does have some criteria concerning what makes a good bourbon. Number one is taste.
“Sounds easy, he said, “ but it is actually a very complex answer.

“Taste is a very subjective sense, and different people like different things. What I consider a prime
bourbon might be dishwater to someone else — and vice versa. Each person needs to define their
personal taste to define what is great bourbon to them.

“For example, I have a friend who loves Elijah Craig 18-year-old and dislikes Very Old Barton. I rather like Very Old Barton and despise the sour aftertaste of Elijah Craig 18-year-old.

“Neither of us is wrong, just different.” Those differences can be summed up by six factors. This is
the way that Veach explains it: The water: Is the water processed city water or from a deep well? Well water is going to have more minerals.

It is also important that the water be free of iron. Iron turns the distillate black and gives it a foul taste.

The recipe: Using more rye in the mash will produce a spicier bourbon, but also release more floral
scents. Wheated bourbon (using wheat instead of rye) will produce a nuttier flavor and allow the barrel tones to come through stronger.

The fermentation: What type of yeast was used to make the distiller’s beer (the liquid from the fermented grain mash) and how long was it allowed to ferment? This is important because the yeast converts sugars to ethanol alcohol but also makes other chemicals and alcohols as well. These will add flavors to the product.

The distillation: When you distill the beer, the higher the proof of distillation, the less flavor the finished product will have from the grains. The lower the barrel proof, the more flavor the finished product is going to have.

The maturation: All of bourbon’s color comes from aging in brand-new, charred, white oak barrels.
These barrels vary — meaning that bourbon distilled the same day and put into two different barrels and stored next to each other in the warehouse can produce two different tastes.

One barrel might leak slightly, or have barrel staves made of trees from different parts of the country
that have different sugar content in their “red layer.” Barrels are different from each other, and that is why you find “honey barrels” of bourbon that are simply better tasting than the rest of the barrels.

Where the barrels are stored also makes a big difference. Is the warehouse brick or stone — or is it
an iron-clad warehouse? Brick and stone warehouses are often heated with steam in the winter and don’t reach the extreme temperatures that ironclad houses do in summer and winter.

The floor on which the barrel is stored in the warehouse is also an important factor. Heat rises, so the top floors are going to get hotter in the summer. The rising heat also creates a chimney effect, pulling cooler air in at the bottom and keeping the ground floor cooler.

How long the whiskey is aged is another factor. If the bourbon is less than four years old, then it must be indicated on the label. The longer the whiskey stays in the barrel, the more barrel characteristics it is going to retain. The longer it is in the barrel, the more evaporation occurs,
known as “the angels’ share.” Bourbon actually increases in proof as it ages.

The bottling: The proof that is put into the bottle has a big effect on a finished bourbon’s taste. The lower the proof, the more the distillers have diluted the barrel-proof whiskey, lessening the flavor with neutral-flavored distilled water.

Also, the more they lower the proof, the more they have to filter the product to prevent “flocking.”
(Flocking describes the chilly haze formed in unfiltered bourbon when it is exposed to low temperatures. It is mostly vegetable oils from the corn solidifying and forming a white, silky, thread-like suspension in the bottle. It does not taste bad nor is it harmful. It simply looks bad to the uninformed.)

Another impact of bottling is whether it is a single barrel or a small batch (from a few barrels) or a
normal bottling of the brand (from a great number of barrels). Singlebarrel products are going to be
slightly different from barrel to barrel, whereas small-batch and normal bottlings are going to be closer to their flavor profile.

The very best Because Veach likes his bourbons on the robust side, he’s always looking for older bottles, which usually turn up in places like estate sales rather than on store shelves.

Older bottles tended to be put in barrels for aging at lower proof and so not as much water was needed to be added at bottling. (Of course, the more water that can be added to a barrel after aging, the more whiskey that can be made and sold from that barrel.)

“The bourbon that I consider the best I ever drank,” said Veach, “was a 15-year-old Bottled in Bond Very Very Extra Old Fitzgerald made in 1968 and bottled in 1983.

“This product was rich in barrel flavors with caramel toffee, chocolate and vanilla from the barrel with a hazelnut from the wheat in perfect balance. The finish was a slightly tannic oak finish with layers of sweet toffee.

“This product cannot be found today, but Julian Van Winkle bottles several that come close. The
15-year-old Pappy Van Winkle Reserve is very close and I often wondered, if the proof was reduced to 100 from 107, if it would be the same.”

Three categories Veach says that another useful, though not quite complete, way to think about bourbon styles is the trio of categories devised by Louisville distilling giant Brown-Forman: “Light and Smooth” bourbons include brands such as Old Fitzgerald Prime, Virginia Gentleman “The Fox,” W.L. Weller Special Reserve, Tom Moore, Maker’s Mark and Four Roses Yellow Label. Veach says these are often used in what he calls “lollipop drinks,” such as bourbon and Coke, because
their sweetness blends with the mixer and makes the whiskey taste less alcoholic. But they don’t have to be so treated.

“These are bourbons that I like to drink on a hot summer evening, maybe with a cube of ice,” said
Veach, who usually drinks his bourbon neat (without ice or water). “Full Bodied and Flavorful”
are bourbons that Veach says can be drunk neat or “mixed into a cocktail with lots of bourbon flavor, such as the Old Fashioned or the Manhattan.” He also says they are good for cooking, because their flavors will be apparent in the finished dish.

Examples are Old Fitzgerald 1849 or Bottled in Bond, Weller Antique 107 proof, Old Forester 100
proof, Old Grand Dad Bottled in Bond, Very Old Barton, Ancient Ancient Age, Wild Turkey 101, Old Charter 10-year-old, Buffalo Trace, Jim Beam Black Label, Evan Williams Single Barrel and Heaven Hill 10-year-old Bottled in Bond.

“Extra Aged and Robust” are snifter-worthy bourbons, and Veach recommends enjoying them
“neat or with a cube or two of ice in a fine tasting glass … while reading book or watching a movie.” As these bourbons blossom in the glass, they reveal a multitude of flavor layers.

Veach lists among such bourbons (which can cost $30 to more than $100 a bottle) Weller Centennial, Very Special Old Fitzgerald, Woodford Reserve, Wild Turkey Russell’s Reserve, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel, Kentucky Spirit, Elmer T. Lee, Knob Creek, Bookers, Four Roses Single Barrel, Ridgemont Reserve 1792, Wild Turkey Rare Breed, George T. Stagg, all the Van Winkle bourbons and Wathen’s.

[possum]

had some of that 9 year old knob creek, very nice...full flavor.

[junkyard dawg]

love the knob creek... woodford reserve is a favorite, and Basil Hayden... The're all good.

[madscientist]

I only live about 1.5 hrs from all of theses distilleries and feel guilty for not visiting all of them.

I had a 2nd visit job interview scheduled, 3 months after I finished college, and 2 days after the date the Wild Turkey aging house burnt. Needless to say they called me the next day and told me that they didn't need that GC chemist position for about 3 years now.

Any way good artile.

This is my first real post but I lurk about ecery day and find out all kinds of new stuff.

I am running a brewhaus high capacity column on a stainless keg w/ sugar washes and I am the toast off all my buddies (get it). Anyhow on a self distilled tagent really enjoying the forum and all of you guys.

I enjoy the transfer of info that occurs here. I have learened enough to try to make my own bourbon this spring.

You bourbon guys are going to be SO jealous of what I getting ready to tell ya. My uncel died a while back and left me the family still made by my great grandfather in 1912. Did I mention that he spent a year in prison for running on another still.

Anhow more to come when I get the project rolling....


Later,

Madscientist

[junkyard dawg]

thats a pretty cool hand me down...

[madscientist]

Yep,
Got a little loaded and posted yesterday (sorry for all of the typos).
Anyhow I am really looking forward to trying my own hand at bourbon making this spring when the weather gets warm enough to mash for a whole week.

Thanks for all of the help.

Madscientist