Thursday, August 18, 2011

History Of Bourbon

By Beth Willis


It is a well-rounded argument that the Scottish has the market sewn up as far as making the best whiskey on the planet; however there are a few studs in other stables worth a mention. Long been associated with Kentucky is Bourbon and for good reason since it is the state where the craft of making Bourbon was first developed.

In the late 18th century in Georgetown Kentucky, a Baptist minister named Elijah Craig unveiled to farmers and townsfolk alike the first Bourbon whiskey where the trend just took off. It is said that even the father of the great Abraham Lincoln got into the action.

European settlers brought this trade secret with them to North America and in turn shared it with their new neighbors. It then became a huge production in the end. In Pennsylvania in the year 1791, the whiskey rebellion took place and during this time, the government elected to impose tax on whiskey and whiskey sales.

The distillers made their way to the Kentucky Mountains in order to avoid tax collectors because this did not sit well with them. Eighty percent of all Bourbon today is distilled in the state of Kentucky. A royal family of French descent carried the name that now brandishes the bottles of this Kentucky gold. In 1758, the name Bourbon was introduced.

The French gave support to the new land because of the attempt to gain American independence from British rule. New land developments in America were given French names as the independence grew as a tribute to their aid. In the year 1785, Kentucky was known as the Kentucky district of Virginia and not a separate state.

Through some of the river ports in Kentucky the whiskeys were shipped down the Ohio River to New Orleans. To forge Mason county Virginia, the Northeastern Bourbon county and Limestone county are combined in 1789.

Bourbon may be less restricted than Scotch but still, it's production is being governed by some regulations. State regulation on Bourbon distilling requires the brew to be made from 51% corn; barley wheat and rye may be used for blending purposes. It must be between 80-160% proof.

Coming from the corn itself is the sweet taste and the soft texture. After it is distilled in a continual still, it is then filled into casks made of oak for maturing for a much regulated minimum of no less than two years. Because of these regulations, Bourbon is now known to be a very popular whiskey and even rivals the Scotch whiskey.




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