As Willie said:

Whiskey River take my mind
Don't let her memory torture me
Whiskey River don't run dry
You're all I've got, take care of me

-Willie Nelson

Well, at LONG (long!) last we can take that River and talk about WhiskEy/Bourbon.. what started out as a story about our quick little tour of our local Tobacco Barn Distillery has snowballed into maybe more than you want to know about our American Bourbon.  Strap In! Before we get specifically into Tobacco Barn perhaps a little background is appropriate (hopefully not TMI!)

Definitions

While Bourbon is an American Whiskey, not all American whiskey is Bourbon.  To be called “Bourbon” the spirit must meet the following criteria according to the US Government:

The Federal Standards of Identity for Distilled Spirits state that Bourbon made for U.S. consumption must be:

Produced in the United States

Made from a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn

Aged in new, charred oak containers

Distilled to no more than 160 (U.S.) proof (80% alcohol by volume (ABV))

Entered into the barrel for aging at no more than 125 proof (62.5% ABV)

Bottled (like other whiskeys) at 80 proof or more (40% ABV)

Bourbon has no minimum specified duration for its aging period. Products aged for as little as three months are sold as bourbon. The exception is “straight” bourbon, which has a minimum aging requirement of two years. In addition, any bourbon aged less than four years must include an age statement on its label.

Bourbon that meets the above requirements, has been aged for a minimum of two years, and does not have added coloring, flavoring, or other spirits may (but is not required to) be called straight bourbon. *

Bourbon that is labeled as straight that has been aged under four years must be labeled with the duration of its aging.

Bourbon that has an age stated on its label must be labeled with the age of the youngest whiskey in the bottle (not counting the age of any added neutral grain spirits in a bourbon that is labeled as blended, as neutral-grain spirits are not considered whiskey under the regulations and are not required to be aged at all).

Bourbon that is labeled blended (or as a blend) may contain added coloring, flavoring, and other spirits (such as un-aged neutral grain spirits); but at least 51% of the product must be straight bourbon.

Bourbon which has been aged for fewer than 3 years cannot legally be referred to as whiskey (or whisky) in the EU.

*Bourbon can be made anywhere in the US. Only whiskey produced in the State of Kentucky can be called labeled Kentucky (Straight) Whiskey for instance.

Okay, so you and Jeb don’t just set up a still in your backyard and create Moonshine (unless you want a visit by the ATF or “revenuers”).

The Process

There are several general steps (all regulated by the “rules” above) in creating the Bourbon:

One:  Determine the “mash bill” grain mix (>50% (usually more) corn for Bourbon, plus rye, wheat, etc.) that is crushed into a flour.

Two:  Add water to begin extracting soluble sugars from starch

Three: Cook the grain extracting the maximum amount of sugar to create the Mash

Four: transfer the Mash to the fermentation tank external adding yeast to convert sugars to alcohol, creating a low alcohol “beer”

Five: Distill the “Beer” by cooking the “wash” to produce and condense the vapors to create the spirits

Six: put spirits into vessels for aging

Seven: Age the spirits.

Eight:  Bottle the product

In Practice

Within each of the steps above, there is science and chemistry.  Temperatures must be closely monitored, progress must be closely watched and measured to assure nothing goes awry (like overheating and killing the yeast!).   Experience, instrumentation, electronics and the watchful eye of the master distiller all play a part. So we circle back to Southern Maryland and the Tobacco Barn distillery and how they actually “Do it!”.

Step One:  The Mash Bill is cooked in this 300 gallon tank

For about 90 Minutes

And then it is transferred to the 900-gallon fermenter, which is temperature controlled to cool the heat generated by the fermentation process.  They use multiple cooling steps that support two distinct starch-to-sugar conversions

The resulting low alcohol “beer” goes back to the 300-gallon stainless tank for the “stripping run”, the initial distillation of the mash which removes the water, yeast, impurities, and sediment, which produces the “white dog” raw whiskey. 

After the “Stripping Run” the raw stuff goes to a 100 gallon spirit still with condenser to further refine the spirits

And is (computer) temperature controlled which provides ½ percent variability in final spirit proof (which by law must be no more than 80% ABV).

It is then transferred to a bonded spirit locker await barreling

where the spirit looks like

And then it goes into the barrels (at less than 62.5% ABV by law), Tobacco Barn generally barrel around 55%, (which they think produces a richer bourbon at bottling) for a long rest in the warehouse

Remember the barrels must be charred new oak providing the rich color of the finished Bourbon.  we did some “barrel tasting” showing what happens to the clear liquid that went in years ago

It is then bottled at more than greater than 40% ABV, or 80 proof.  

While there is a lot of experience and love used, there is also modern technology to help monitor things!

Their product is usually bottled around 90 proof. 

Besides Bourbon, they also produce a (Constellation) Rum a whole other story, a Moll Dyer Cinnamon whiskey, a honey Bourbon, and a “First Landing Bourbon and Rye Whisky.  You can visit their web site for more details.

After the education during the "tour" we adjourned to the Manor House for that lovely shrimp and remoulade (recipe in earlier posting).

Kudos to the Dawsons, who developed the distillery in St. Mary’s County a new venture the county, and provided a wonderful afternoon for FOJTE and wife, and friends.  They are a true county treasure!  

So there you have my (lengthy) bourbon treatise, I hope there aren’t egregious errors.  And now, as cocktail hour again approaches, the standard reminder to

Drink Local! and

DFD

And fight for NMMJ