Corn Processing: The Making of Bourbon

Bourbon is the best known and probably the most popular whiskey produced in the United States.

Bourbon whiskey takes it name from the old Bourbon County of Kentucky to the west of Virginia.

Bourbon has a distinctive taste, and to substitute another whiskey when the recipe calls for bourbon is a little like saying any old spice will do when preparing a meal.

Bourbon whiskey must be produced and matured in the USA, according to the following restrictions:
*The grain must contain at least 51% corn
*Maximum distillation strength must be not more than 80% ABV
*New make whiskey must enter the casks at no more than 62.5% ABV
*Maturation must be carried out in newly charred American white oak casks for a minimum of two years.
*Bottled at a minimum of 40% alcohol

The corn is milled to a specified particle size, mixed with local limestone water and then steamed in a large cereal cooker.

The basic sweetness of the sprit comes from corn, the predominant grain ingredient used in bourbon.

After cooling, milled malted barley and rye are added to provide enzymes for hydrolysis of the starch to fermentable sugars.

Enzymes in the barley assist in the conversion of the starch on the mash into simple sugars that will become alcohol during the fermentation process.

Spent mash from previous distillation is added at this stage or just before the pitching of yeast. The mash then cooled and fermentation proceed for several days.

During the fermentation. Organic compounds called esters or fruity flavor substances are created that add flavoring qualities to the fermented mash.

The routine aging of bourbon began in the mid 19th century. Aging improves the taste of the bourbon significantly, enriching, mellowing, and polishing it.

Bourbon are often charcoal filtered whiskeys that are aged in new oak barrels.

Straight bourbon must be aged for at least two years. It usually is aged for four to six years and may be aged for 20 years or more.

During aging, the bourbon evaporates through barrel, the portion lost is known in the industry as the “angle’s share.” As a result, the alcohol content rises.

Most bourbons are released from the barrel and then diluted to make a minimum of 40% ABV but some are ‘barrel proof’ and bottled straight from the barrel.
Corn Processing: The Making of Bourbon