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Bourbon
Bourbon is an American whiskey with some strict laws behind its manufacture.
It is made from grain, water and yeast. A minimum of 51 % of the grain used must be corn (it's often higher, 65 to 75 %). Other grains used are barley, and (usually) rye. Different makes often vary the corn, rye and barley ratio. Sometimes wheat is used instead of rye.
The grain is fermented in water for 3 to 4 days, then distilled (usually twice) and barrelled. The whole process takes about 5 days. No flavour, colour or sweetness additives are allowed.
Bourbon is aged in new, white oak barrels that have been charred (barrels cannot be re-used). It is aged for a minimum of two years. After 6 years of aging, about 1/3 of the whiskey will be lost to absorption into the wood and to evaporation through the wood; brewers call this "the angel's third". Not many bourbons are aged for much more than 12 years, because after that the oak taste can become overpowering.
Just as for Single Malt Scotches, no Straight Bourbon is ever blended.
The name comes from Bourbon County, Kentucky, where Bourbon was first made. Now, Bourbon can be made anywhere in America, but to be labelled as a Kentucky Straight Bourbon, it must be made in Kentucky.
Blended Bourbon
51% bourbon mixed with less-expensive, neutral tasting grain spirit.
Jack Daniel's
Jack Daniel's isn't actually a Bourbon. In the middle of the process, before barrelling, the whiskey is charcoal-filtered. For this reason, they can't call themselves Bourbon, and so call themselves "Tennessee Whiskey".
Single-Barrel Bourbon
Bourbon taken and bottled from one single barrel. Aged for between 6 and 12 years.
Small-batch Bourbon
A batch of 20 or fewer selected barrels are mixed to form a "mingle", which is then bottled. (Normally, the "mingle" will be made from 200 or more barrels.) Aged for between 6 and 12 years.
Sourmash Bourbon
Bourbon reserved from a previous batch (this is called the "backset") is added to the grains and water before fermentation. The idea is similar to sourdough, with a portion of the previous batch being used as starter for the next batch. Today, all straight bourbons are made using the sour-mash method.
Straight Bourbon
Any bourbon that is unblended.
History
The process of charring the barrels started in the 1700s, and was essentially the origin of Bourbon. The story, for what it's worth, is that a distiller named "Elijah Craig" was barrelling some clear corn whiskey that he'd made in Bourbon County, Kentucky. The barrels were charred -- either Craig charred them on purpose as an experiment, or the barrels were in an accidental fire, and Craig decided to use them anyway. The whiskey was transported by river all the way down to New Orleans. By the time it reached there, it had absorbed some of the carmelized sugars from the burnt wood, and taken on an amber colour. People really liked it.
The yeast used by The Maker's Mark bourbon company dates back to 1842. To keep the yeast alive during Prohibition, they stored it at a bakery.
Bourbon isn't actually made in Bourbon County anymore. Most is now made in Clermont County, Kentucky.
Other entries for Whiskey
Bourbon, Rye Whiskey
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Related Recipes
Bourbon Pecan Pie, Butterscotch & Bourbon Sauce, Sweet 'n' Sour Bourbon Barbeque Sauce, Sweet 'n' Sour Bourbon Barbeque Sauce
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