Took a tour of Maker's Mark distillery today...

[bigbair]

and learned a definitive answer on the bourbon v.s. whiskey debate.

Turns out that all bourbon doesn't have to be made in KY, though 98% of the bourbon made does come from the Bluegrass state. To be bourbon, the good stuff god gave us must meet the following criteria:

1. Must be made from 51% corn or more
2. Cannot be over 160 proof in the distillation process
3. Cannot be barreled at over 125 proof
4. The aging process and taste/color that results must be entirely natural (no addatives or tinkering with the product. Just let it sit in a barrel.

Some companies pour their product over charcoal after taking it from the barrel to add flavor and color. This single step makes the product whiskey and not bourbon.

Overall, the tour was good. I picked up a couple VIP personallized bottles for friends at Christmas. I also got a box of bourbon ball chocolates, which I ate on the ride home.

I'm posting this because I remember a thread some time ago which involved some debate on what separated bourbon and whiskey...not that I expect anyone here to give a shit.

Did I mention I'm bored?

BB

 

[Mr. dB]

Did you get dipped in red wax?

 

[Lestat]

I'm a maker's mark amabassador.. have my own barrel and everything.

 

[bigbair]

Been an ambassador for years. In April they have a party for their ambassadors, including food, tastings, and other stuff. The distillery is about 45 min. from my house.

 

[bigbair]

Did you get dipped in red wax?

No..but I did think about dipping my balls in it. Thought that might be kinda cool. For a little while at least.

 

[swole]

now i want some crown

 

[flex229]

good post..ive always wondered the difference...love my whisky and bourbon...dont drink anything but Maker's Mark and Jack Daniels.

 

[GoldenDelicious]

and learned a definitive answer on the bourbon v.s. whiskey debate.

Turns out that all bourbon doesn't have to be made in KY, though 98% of the bourbon made does come from the Bluegrass state. To be bourbon, the good stuff god gave us must meet the following criteria:

1. Must be made from 51% corn or more
2. Cannot be over 160 proof in the distillation process
3. Cannot be barreled at over 125 proof
4. The aging process and taste/color that results must be entirely natural (no addatives or tinkering with the product. Just let it sit in a barrel.

Some companies pour their product over charcoal after taking it from the barrel to add flavor and color. This single step makes the product whiskey and not bourbon.

Overall, the tour was good. I picked up a couple VIP personallized bottles for friends at Christmas. I also got a box of bourbon ball chocolates, which I ate on the ride home.

I'm posting this because I remember a thread some time ago which involved some debate on what separated bourbon and whiskey...not that I expect anyone here to give a shit.

Did I mention I'm bored?

BB

hang on - pouring it through a carbon column doesnt give it flavour or color - rather, it takes it away (particularly some flavours you dont like) and theres a bit of overlap between the bourbons/whiskeys because in the americas, stuff that tastes rather like bourbon (Jack Daniels) is actually a Tennesse whiskey

there were all sorts of weird protectionist (and part consumer protection, of course) stipulations on what had to be done to make something that as 'bourbon' and 'whiskey' that i believe varies by state - even down to particulars such as the actual hieght of the carbon column that is used

also, its interesting that the Jack Daniels company has figured out how to artificially flavour neutral spirit so that its taste fools its professional tasters (ie they worked out the precise proportion of all the different vanillins etc etc that seep out of the charred oak to use in making an entirely artifical essence) which makes me wonder how much spirit is out there that is actually bogus, and has never seen the inside of a barrel

anyway id love to take a look at a commecial bourbon distillery, since all ive seen on a commercial scale is a couple of vodka distilleries and a gin factory...and they just look like the inside of a submarine, with pipes everywhere, usually painted yellow and red. ie very boring. pot stills and real barrels, on the other hand, are actually interesting

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

Maker's Mark is good stuff.

 

[HardHat87]

Yes, very good.

 

[Delinquent]

my friend who likes this stuff prefers knob creek over makers mark any day

 

[PICK3]

Maker's Mark is good stuff.

Never tried it.

Usually it's Crown, Beam, or Turkey.

 

[bigbair]

hang on - pouring it through a carbon column doesnt give it flavour or color - rather, it takes it away (particularly some flavours you dont like) and theres a bit of overlap between the bourbons/whiskeys because in the americas, stuff that tastes rather like bourbon (Jack Daniels) is actually a Tennesse whiskey

there were all sorts of weird protectionist (and part consumer protection, of course) stipulations on what had to be done to make something that as 'bourbon' and 'whiskey' that i believe varies by state - even down to particulars such as the actual hieght of the carbon column that is used

Im just relaying what I was told. I figured if anyone knew, the distillers probably would.

It was a good tour though. The distillery didn't look like the inside of a warehouse, more like a fancy barn. The fermentation process was pretty cool, big barrells bubbling (12' wide and 12' deep) from the yeast turning the starches into surgars or whatever.

Maker's is the best bourbon for the $$$, IMO. For anyone that likes this kinda drink, I also recommend Knob Creek (your buddy's right Delinquent), Woodford Reserve, Eagle Rare, or if your running long on cash, Pappy Van Winkle, 20 yrs old. But the Pappy is about $90 a bottle (and worth it).

If anyone is in the central KY area and has time on their hands, there are a lot of distilleries in the area which are worth their while to see.

BB