Finally, bourbon must be distilled to a maximum of 160 proof (80% ABV) and must go into the barrels at 125 proof (62.5% ABV).Īll Bourbon is Whiskey but not all Whiskey is Bourbon Additionally, there is no age requirement to age bourbon and while many people think that it is exclusively made in Kentucky, it could realistically be made in a backyard in Hicksville, USA, and still be called bourbon. American white oak gives the best results. Note that while it is not a legal requirement to age in wooden barrels although this is the most common practice. It must also be made in the United States, be distilled to at least 80 proof, and aged in new charred oak. It must be made from a mash bill - or a cooked and fermented mix of grains such as corn, rye or wheat, and malted barley and for it to be called bourbon, this must be at least 51 percent corn. Like Irish and Scotch whiskey (or whisky), the production of bourbon is governed by a set of strict rules. The drink is by far the most popular variety of whiskey in the United States and even though we haven’t been so quick to adopt it across the pond, it still remains one of the only true American spirits. Whiskey - what’s the difference?īourbon drinkers are a special breed of whiskey lovers. If whiskey drinkers are Winston Churchill, bourbon drinkers are John Wayne.īourbon vs. Bourbon drinkers are hardcore, they live outside the law, frankly, my dear, they don’t give a damn. And bourbon drinkers - well, they are the gun slingin’ renegades of the whiskey world. Irish whiskey drinkers like the finer things in life. Scotch drinkers are interesting, swarthy characters. However, if you’re making a Mint Julep, then you’d best honor the tradition with a true Kentucky bourbon.There is a great hierarchal myth among whiskey drinkers. While many are made in Kentucky, you can find excellent bourbon from Texas, Colorado, New York and beyond. No, bourbon can be made in any of the 50 states. These flavors are what make bourbon so delicious in drinks with complementary ingredients, like maple syrup in a Maple Whiskey Sour or apple cider in an Apple Cider Cocktail. Charring the oak caramelizes those compounds so you’ll often find hints of toffee, honey or brown sugar. New oak barrels used for aging give bourbon its signature vanilla notes. Thanks to the abundance of corn in the mash bill, bourbon has a sweeter profile than its whiskey cousins (such as rye, which has a spicy bite). Yes, it does taste different from other whiskeys and that’s why you want to specify bourbon if that’s your spirit of choice. Does bourbon taste different from other whiskeys? Heck, shoot it with a pickle brine chaser - you do you! Just like the Wild West saloons where bourbon was a staple, it’s no holds barred when it comes to this all-American spirit. You can drink it neat (without ice), on the rocks, or in classic cocktails like an Old-Fashioned or Manhattan. Luckily, there are no rules for how to enjoy bourbon. Why the discrepancy? Producers will often dilute the barrel-proof bourbon with water to make it more palatable straight out of the bottle. When the bourbon goes in the barrel, it must be no more than 125 proof (62.5% alcohol by volume or ABV) then bottled at a minimum of 80 proof (40% ABV). It also must be aged in new, charred oak barrels, according to the Department of the Treasury Alcohol & Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau. and contain at least 51 percent corn in the mash bill (that’s distiller lingo for "mix of grains") the rest can be other grains, such as rye, wheat and/or malted barley. What is bourbon exactly?īourbon is a type of whiskey and, as with most spirits, there are rules to how it must be made. If you're a bourbon lover looking for specific bottle recommendations to mix into classic cocktails or drink straight, we’ve got you! Check out our list of 20 best whiskey brands, which includes our favorite affordable bourbons, ryes, Scotches and more. And within the category of bourbon, you have lots of producers to choose from. While all whiskeys are made from a fermented mash of grains, bourbon is predominantly made from corn (more on that later). There are many types of whiskey, and bourbon is just one of them (in other words, all bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon). That’s like ordering fish at a restaurant and expecting salmon every time. If you order whiskey at a bar, thinking you’ll get bourbon, well, maybe you will - but it’s not guaranteed.
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