What makes bourbon bourbon? What is it made from? And what makes it taste so good?
Bourbon is an American whiskey, made from corn, that is aged in new charred oak barrels. To be called bourbon the spirit must contain at least 51% corn. Straight bourdon is aged for at least 2 years and has no added color, flavor or other spirits. On the other hand, blended bourbon still contains 51% corn, but can have added color, flavor or other spirits.
Bourbon is made much like other high-proof spirits: first malting the corn, and then distilling the corn beer, which is the product, in order to obtain a higher alcohol content. The bourbon then must be stored in new oak barrels that have been charred, in order to obtain that signature smoky flavor.
Fun Fact: Kentucky produces 90% of the world’s bourbon, due to the abundance of limestone deposits, where spring water flows from. This unique feature made Kentucky the perfect birthplace for bourbon, because the natural temperature of the spring water was perfect for the cooling and condensation process; the pH level of the limestone prevented iron molecules from tainting the flavor; and the increased levels of calcium, magnesium and phosphate promoted growth of the bacteria that are crucial to fermentation.
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