But wait! Don’t throw up your hands in frustration just yet. The process for making a whiskey in Tennessee is basically identical to making bourbon in Kentucky. Tennessee whiskey has often been classified as “Tennesse bourbon whiskey” throughout history, and with good reason. Though, according to estimates, at least 95 percent of all bourbon is produced in Kentucky. As long as it meets the above requirements, it doesn’t really matter whether or not it’s made in Kentucky. ![]() Lastly, and maybe most confusingly, bourbon can be produced anywhere in the United States (or world) technically. But to be called “Straight bourbon” it needs to rest for a minimum of two years in a barrel. ![]() A whiskey can still be called bourbon as long as it’s aged for any amount of time. That’s not as strict a requirement as you may think. And, most bourbons have to have been aged for a minimum of two years. Straight bourbon means that there are no other additives in that whiskey. Simply, the booze is distilled to a point no higher than 80 percent ABV, goes into the aging barrel at 62.5 percent ABV, and is bottled at 40 percent (or slightly higher) ABV. These are the numbers you need to know: 80 percent, 62.5 percent, and 40 percent. Lastly, to be called bourbon, the spirit has to meet specific alcohol by volume (ABV) requirements. If the distillate is aged in anything besides new American oak, it cannot be called bourbon. Bourbon needs to be aged in a new American oak barrel that’s been freshly charred. So, corn is a crucial element, but not too much corn. When the mash bill hits the 80 percent mark with corn, it’s no longer bourbon. Now, that doesn’t mean it can all be corn. That means the mash bill (the recipe for the cereals and grains used for the initial fermentation) has to be majority corn. First, to be called bourbon, the distillate has to be at least 51 percent maize (corn) mash. And what was born was alcohol that’s has a specific set of factors that make it “bourbon” (according to loose trade laws). It may not.Įither way, what we now know as “ Kentucky bourbon” was born through those settlers around the late 1700s in Kentucky. The stories of Elijah Craig and Jacob Spears being the first distillers to age a corn-fueled spirit in charred oak may be true. It’s way more likely that many of those living in Kentucky in the early 1700s were all tinkering with corn and grain distillate to varying degrees until some order shook out in the 1800s. It should be noted that there’s probably no single “inventor” of Kentucky bourbon. What is Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey? Via Instagram So, what makes Tennessee whiskey different from Kentucky bourbon? We’re here to break that down for you in detail so that next time you’re standing in the whiskey aisle at the liquor store you’ll be more informed. These are just different drinks that have rabid and divergent fan bases. Yet, Tennessee whiskey and bourbon are very different beasts. Tennessee whiskey and Kentucky bourbon whiskey feel like very similar commodities. We’ve parsed what makes Irish whiskey great so, now, let’s dive into American whiskeys. Single malts, blends, single casks, bourbons, ryes, corn, white dog … the list goes on. Then there’s a long list of variables within those regional constraints. ![]() Then there’s “whiskey” from Ireland and America. First, there’s “whisky” from Scotland, Canada, Australia, mainland Europe, India, and Japan. And the first obstacle to finding the whiskey you love is understanding the regional differences that make each whiskey (or whisky) unique. Picking the best whiskey is never an easy task.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |