Hey Bartender

IF YOU ARE a sports fan, then you are familiar with the phrase in someone or something's wheelhouse. In today's post, we are, without a doubt, in America's wheelhouse. Bourbon is as American as jazz, baseball, and skateboarding. Bourbon is America's Champagne in that the style can be reproduced anywhere, but unless it's made in North America, it cannot be called Bourbon. On May 4, 1962, the United States Congress recognized Bourbon Whiskey as a distinctively American product. The scope of that proclamation has since been expanded to include all of North America.

So, what is Bourbon? Bourbon's name was gleaned from Bourbon County, Kentucky and it's been produced since the eighteenth century. There are other American-made whiskeys such as Rye whiskey, which is made from a mash that is at least 51% rye while corn whiskey is made from a mash made from at least 80% corn. Straight whiskey is derived from a mash that is less than 51% of any one grain.

Believe it or not, there are federal standards of identity for distilled spirits in America. In order to be called Bourbon, several requirements must be met. We know that Bourbon must be made from a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn. It must also be distilled to no more than 160 proof. That's 80% alcohol by volume. It cannot contain E-150. That's caramel coloring for the E-150 impaired. That means that Bourbon's color must come from the barrels in which it is aged. Speaking of which, Bourbon must be aged in new, charred oak barrels. Bourbon cannot be higher than 125 proof when placed in the barrel and it may not be bottled at less than 80 proof. If it meets these requirements and is aged for at least two years, it may be called Straight Bourbon. Bourbon aged for a period of less than four years must be labeled with the duration of its aging. Any age listed on the label must be the age of the youngest whiskey in the bottle. This refers to the fact that whiskeys from different vintages are sometimes blended in order to retain the consistency of flavor from year to year. When this is done, the age listed on the label must be the age of the youngest vintage used in blending. So, even if there is 150 year old Bourbon in the mix, a much younger Bourbon will determine the age listed on the bottle.

Typically, Bourbon is made by combining a grain mixture made primarily of corn. Other grains include such things as wheat, rye, and malted barley. This mixture is referred to as a mash. The mash goes through a biological process in which the sugars present in the mash are converted into alcohol. Most of us refer to this process as fermentation. Sometimes, Bourbon is fermented by employing a process known as sour mash fermentation. This entails adding mash from a previous distillation to ensure a consistent pH across batches. After fermentation, the mash is distilled. The resulting product is between 65% and 80% alcohol. What may surprise you is that the resulting product is a clear spirit. It is then placed in a new, charred oak barrel for aging. During the aging process, the Bourbon acquires its color and flavor from the barrel. The longer the spirit is aged, the darker and more flavorful it becomes. After aging, the Bourbon is removed from the barrel and diluted with water to bring the alcohol level down to at least 80 proof before being bottled.

These days, it is estimated that about 95% of the world's Bourbon is distilled and aged in Kentucky. However, Tennessee whiskey also gets quite a bit of exposure. We are all familiar with Jack Daniel's. It is identical to Bourbon in almost every conceivable way -- including the sour mash fermentation process. There are at least two major differences. First, Jack Daniels is charcoal filtered before it is barrel aged. It is literally filtered through sugar maple charcoal, which gives it a unique aroma and flavor. Second, Tennessee distillers reuse their barrels. This practice is not allowed when making Bourbon. Tennessee whiskey has been officially recognized by the United States since 1941 as a separate style, but there is no official regulation defining it.

Bourbon was once considered a low end, low quality drink. This is due, in part, to the fact that when Prohibition was repealed, Scottish and Canadian distillers had quite a bit of aged, good-tasting whiskey on hand. Bourbon distillers had to, quite literally, start from scratch. Economics forced Bourbon distillers to rush their product to market. These low quality products led to Bourbon being thought of as low end with respect to their Scottish and Canadian counterparts. This has gradually changed. Today, there are plenty of Bourbons listed as Single Barrel Bourbon, Small Batch Bourbon, and Small Scale Bourbon. These are very high quality and, to some, very comparable to Scottish and Canadian whiskeys. Single barrel Bourbon is Bourbon bottled from a single barrel. Each barrel is slightly different, which means that the whiskey inside will have a slightly different flavor. In order to keep flavors consistent, barrels are blended so that each bottle always tastes the same. When a barrel shows exceptional character, it is monitored until it reaches its full potential. It is then bottled without blending. Hence the term single barrel. The first single barrel Bourbon was Blanton's which first appeared in 1984. Since each barrel is unique, bottles from that barrel will taste the same, while bottles from different barrels will not. With this in mind, single barrel Bourbons are numbered so that you can identify bottles from individual barrels. So, if you find a barrel that you like, you can buy more of it by keeping track of the identification numbers.

Small Batch Bourbon takes the single barrel concept to the next level. Instead of bottling the individual barrels, the barrels deemed to be the cream of the crop are combined to make a small batch. Each small batch is then bottled. Jim Beam produces four distinct small batch Bourbons: Basil Hayden, Knob Creek, Baker's and Booker's. Each batch is unique, so you will need to keep track of the batch by using its batch number if you find a batch that you really enjoy.

Small Scale Bourbon refers to Bourbon produced by making sure that all of the Bourbon from any given barrel is of the highest quality. This is difficult to do on a grand scale, but it is the philosophy practiced at Maker's Mark, which produces about 54 barrels of Bourbon per day, making it the smallest legal Bourbon distillery in operation. Maker's Mark is also unique in that they use wheat rather than rye to make their Bourbon. This is said to produce a much softer Bourbon.

So, there you have it -- Bourbon unmashed. We've all heard the names: Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, Wild Turkey, Woodford Reserve, Blanton's, Hancock's Reserve, Knob Creek, Basil Hayden, Old Crow, Very Old Barton.... Uniquely American and distinctly delicious. Whether drinking them neat, on the rocks, or as an ingredient in your favorite cocktail, please drink responsibly. Until next time...prosit!!!

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