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Bourbon bottle, 19th century.
Bourbon bottle, 19th century.

Bourbon is an American whiskey, a type of distilled spirit, made primarily from corn and named for Bourbon County, Kentucky. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Whisky (uisge-beatha or whiskey (uisce beatha or fuisce) refers to a broad category of Alcoholic beverages that are distilled from fermented Maize (ˈmeɪz ( Zea mays L. ssp mays) known as corn in some countries is a cereal grain domesticated in Mesoamerica Bourbon County is a County located in the US state of Kentucky. It has been produced since the 18th century.

Contents

Legal requirements

On 4 May 1964, the U. S. Congress recognized Bourbon Whiskey as a “distinctive product of the United States," creating the Federal Standards of Identity for Bourbon. Federal regulations now stipulate that Bourbon must meet these requirements:

In practice, almost all bourbons marketed today are made from more than two-thirds corn, have been aged at least four years, and do qualify as "straight bourbon"—with or without the "straight bourbon" label. Maize (ˈmeɪz ( Zea mays L. ssp mays) known as corn in some countries is a cereal grain domesticated in Mesoamerica The exceptions are inexpensive commodity brands of bourbon aged only three years and pre-mixed cocktails made with bourbon aged the minimum two years.

Production Process

The typical grain mixture for bourbon is 70% corn — with the remainder being wheat and/or rye, and malted barley. Wheat ( Triticum spp is a worldwide cultivated grass from the Levant area of the Middle East. Rye ( Secale cereale) is a grass grown extensively as a grain and forage crop Malting is a process applied to Cereal grains in which the grains are made to Germinate by soaking in water and are then quickly halted from germinating further Barley ( Hordeum vulgare) is an annual Cereal Grain, which serves as a major animal Feed crop, with smaller amounts used for This mixture, called the mash, is fermented through a process called sour mash fermentation in which yeast from previous fermentations is added to induce the new batch to maintain a consistent flavor and quality. Sour mash is the name for a process in the distilling industry that uses material from an older batch of mash to start fermentation in the batch currently being made similar The result is then distilled to produce a clear spirit. Distillation is a method of separating Mixtures based on differences in their volatilities in a boiling liquid mixture

This spirit is then placed in charred oak barrels for aging, which is what imparts color onto bourbon. The term oak can be used as part of the common name of any of about 400 species of Trees and Shrubs in the Genus Quercus (from Latin Consequently, bourbons that have been aged longer are generally darker in color.

After aging, bourbon is diluted with water and bottled. Bottling proof for whiskey must be at least 80 proof (40% abv)[3] and most whiskey is sold at 80 proof. Other common proofs are 86, 90, 94, 100 and 107, and whiskeys of up to 144 proof have been sold. Some higher proof bottlings are "barrel proof," meaning that they have not been diluted after removal from the barrels.

Geographic Origin

Bourbon may be produced anywhere in the United States where it is legal to distill spirits. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Currently most brands are produced in Kentucky, where Bourbon has a strong association. Other states producing bourbon include Tennessee, Virginia, Ohio, Missouri, Kansas, Indiana, New Jersey, and New York. Tennessee ( is a state located in the Southern United States. The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state Ohio ( is a Midwestern state of the United States. As part of the Great Lakes region, Ohio has long been a cultural and geographical crossroads Missouri ( or) is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee Kansas ( is a Midwestern state in the central region of the United States of America, an area often referred to as the American " The State of Indiana ( was the 19th US state admitted into the union New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous [4] In the past, bourbon has also been made in Illinois and Pennsylvania. The State of Illinois ( roughly ill-i-NOY is a state of the United States of America, the 21st to be admitted to the Union. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern

Bardstown, Kentucky, is called the Bourbon Capital of the World and is home to the annual Bourbon Festival in the fall. Bardstown is a city in Nelson County, Kentucky, United States.

History

Oak casks, shown stacked in ricks, used to store and age bourbon. Bourbon that escapes naturally from the wooden casks, as seen by the stains along the sides of the barrels, is known to distillers as the "angel's share"
Oak casks, shown stacked in ricks, used to store and age bourbon. The term oak can be used as part of the common name of any of about 400 species of Trees and Shrubs in the Genus Quercus (from Latin A barrel or cask is a hollow cylindrical container traditionally made of Wood Staves and bound with Iron Hoops The Bourbon that escapes naturally from the wooden casks, as seen by the stains along the sides of the barrels, is known to distillers as the "angel's share"

Lore suggests bourbon was invented by Baptist minister and distiller Elijah Craig. An aging barrel is a barrel used to age Wine or distilled spirits such as Whiskey, Brandy, or Rum. Baptist is a term describing individuals belonging to a Baptist church or a Baptist denomination. Elijah Craig (1738 &ndash May 18, 1808) was an entrepreneur and Baptist preacher in the state of Kentucky. As with most innovations, there may have been no single "inventor" of bourbon, which evolved into its present form only in the late 19th century. [5]

One of the earliest records of distillation in the region goes back to Fort Harrod (modern Harrodsburg, Kentucky), established in 1774, when Theodore J. Old Fort Harrod State Park is a park located in Harrodsburg Kentucky. Harrodsburg is a city in and the County seat of Mercer County, Kentucky, United States. Queenan planted corn. Maize (ˈmeɪz ( Zea mays L. ssp mays) known as corn in some countries is a cereal grain domesticated in Mesoamerica Within a few years, when his harvests exceeded what he and his livestock could eat, Theodore began to convert the rest into whiskey, because it didn't spoil and could be transported more readily than the grain itself. Whisky (uisge-beatha or whiskey (uisce beatha or fuisce) refers to a broad category of Alcoholic beverages that are distilled from fermented

“When American pioneers pushed west of the Allegheny Mountains following the American Revolution, the first counties they founded covered vast regions. The Allegheny Mountain Range (also spelled Alleghany and Allegany) &mdash informally the Alleghenies &mdash is part of the vast Appalachian In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" One of these original, huge counties was Bourbon, established in 1785 and named after the French royal family. The House of Bourbon is an important European Royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty. While this vast county was being carved into many smaller ones, early in the 19th century, many people continued to call the region Old Bourbon. Located within Old Bourbon was the principal Ohio River port from which whiskey and other products were shipped. The Ohio River is the largest Tributary by volume of the Mississippi River. "Old Bourbon" was stencilled on the barrels to indicate their port of origin. Old Bourbon whiskey was different because it was the first corn whiskey most people had ever tasted. In time, bourbon became the name for any corn-based whiskey. [6]”

A refinement variously credited to either Dr. James C. Crow or Dr. Doctor James C Crow was the Scottish creator of the Sour mash process for creating Bourbon Whiskey. Jason S. Amburgey[7] was the sour mash process, by which each new fermentation is conditioned with some amount of spent mash (previously fermented mash that has been separated from its alcohol). Sour mash is the name for a process in the distilling industry that uses material from an older batch of mash to start fermentation in the batch currently being made similar Fermentation in Food processing typically refers to the conversion of Sugar to Alcohol using Yeast under Anaerobic conditions (Spent mash is also known as distillers' spent grain, stillage, and slop or feed mash, so named because it is used as animal feed. ) The acid introduced by using the sour mash controls the growth of bacteria that could taint the whiskey and creates a proper pH balance for the yeast to work. In Computer science, ACID ( Atomicity Consistency Isolation Durability) is a set of properties that guarantee that Database transactions are The Bacteria ( singular: bacterium) are a large group of unicellular Microorganisms Typically a few Micrometres in length bacteria have pH is the measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a Solution.

As of 2005, all straight bourbons use a sour mash process. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Dr. Crow or Dr. Amburgey developed this refinement while working at the Old Oscar Pepper Distillery (now the Woodford Reserve Distillery) in Woodford County, Kentucky. Woodford Reserve is a brand of premium Small batch Bourbon whiskey made in the distillery formerly known as the Labrot & Graham Distillery As of today, there are no running distilleries within the current boundaries of Bourbon County due to new counties being formed from Bourbon County over time. Bourbon County is a County located in the US state of Kentucky.

A resolution of the U.S. Congress in 1964 declared bourbon to be a "distinctive product of the United States. The United States Congress is the bicameral Legislature of the federal government of the United States of America, consisting of two houses "[8][9] That resolution asked "the appropriate agencies of the United States Government . . . [to] take appropriate action to prohibit importation into the United States of whiskey designated as 'Bourbon Whiskey. '"[8] Federal regulation now defines "bourbon whiskey" to only include "bourbon" produced in the United States. [10]

National Bourbon Heritage Month

On 2 August 2007, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution sponsored by Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY) officially declaring September 2007 “National Bourbon Heritage Month,” marking the history of bourbon whiskey. The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives James Paul David "Jim" Bunning (born October 23, 1931) is an American politician and former Pitcher in Major League Baseball National Bourbon Heritage Month is an observance in the United States that calls for celebration of bourbon as America's "Native Spirit" [11] Notably, the resolution claims that Congress declared bourbon to be "America's Native Spirit" in its 1964 resolution. [11] The 1964 resolution, however, does not contain such a statement per se; it only declares that bourbon is a distinctive product identifiable with the United States in the same way that Scotch is identifiable with Scotland. [8]

Present Day

Since 2003, high-end bourbons have seen revenue grow from $450 million to over $500 million (₤231 million to over ₤257 million or €308 million to over €343 million), some 2. 2 million cases, in the United States. High-end bourbon sales accounted for eight percent of total spirits growth in 2006. Most high-end bourbons are aged for six years or longer. [12]

In 2007, United States spirits exports, virtually all of which are American whiskey, exceeded $1 billion for the first time. This represent a 15 percent increase over 2006. American whiskey is now sold in more than 100 different countries. The leading markets are the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Australia, and Japan. Key emerging markets for American whiskey are China, Vietnam, Brazil, Chile, Romania, and Bulgaria. [13]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b 27 C.F.R. sec 5.22(b)(1)(i)
  2. ^ 27 C.F.R. sec 5.22(b)(1)(iii)
  3. ^ 27 C.F.R. sec 5.22(b)
  4. ^ Whisky Regions. See also Whisky American Whiskey/Bourbon Brands American Single Malt Whiskeys See also Cocktail CategoryCocktails|Beer cocktail|Cocktail garnish|Drinkware|Flaming beverage|Non-alcoholic mixed drinkA Cocktail is a style of mixed drink See also Whisky American Whiskey/Bourbon Brands American Single Malt Whiskeys Corn whiskey is an American Whiskey made from a Mash made up of at least 80 percent corn ( Maize) Rye whiskey describes two types of Whiskeys theoretically distilled from Rye. Production Uses Usually large scale distillation is practiced for the purpose of making ethanol for drinking, yet it may also practiced for creating Biofuel Tennessee whiskey is a Bourbon whiskey that undergoes a filtering stage called the Lincoln County Process, in which the whiskey is filtered through a thick layer of The American Whiskey Trail is a cultural heritage and tourism initiative of the Distilled Spirits Council in cooperation with historic Mount Vernon. Bottled in bond refers to American-made Whiskey that has been aged and bottled according to a set of legal stipulations contained in the United States government's Standards Single barrel bourbon is a term that describes a premium class of bourbon Whiskey in which each bottle comes from an individual charred oak barrel instead of being Small batch is a term usually referring to bourbon Whiskey, and denotes liquor blended from selected barrels Retrieved on 2008-04-21. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 753 BC - Romulus and Remus found Rome ( traditional date)
  5. ^ Cowdery, Charles K. , "Who Invented Bourbon?" Malt Advocate Magazine (4th Quarter 2002), pp. 72-75
  6. ^ Cowdery, Charles K. , Bourbon, Straight: The Uncut and Unfiltered Story of American Whiskey, p. 25
  7. ^ What is Sour Mash?
  8. ^ a b c 78 Stat. 1208 (1964).
  9. ^ Defining “Bourbon. ” The State (Columbia, SC), 5-1-02, p. D1.
  10. ^ 27 C.F.R. sec 5.22(b)(2)
  11. ^ a b S. Res. No. 110-294 (2007).
  12. ^ Celebrate "National Bourbon Heritage Month" With the Classic Bourbon Cocktails. Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (2007-08-31). Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1056 - Byzantine Empress Theodora becomes ill dying suddenly a few days later without children to succeed the Throne Retrieved on 2008-01-12. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 475 - Basiliscus becomes Byzantine Emperor, with a coronation ceremony in the Hebdomon palace in Constantinople
  13. ^ Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, January, 2008.

Further reading

External links

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