Michter's US*1 Sour Mash

Product Information

The nose is light and floral with notes of green apple, caramel, and subtle cinnamon. The palate is sweet and full of vanilla, honey, red apples, and the same subtle cinnamon undertone from the aroma. The finish is short and bursting with oak and spice with slight heat. 3. Belle Meade Sour Mash Straight Bourbon Whiskey These are exciting, fascinating times in the world of American single malt whiskey. In the wake of the category receiving its first genuine definition and outline from the TTB, we’re seeing new distilleries queue up to enter this particular niche, and some building their entire portfolios around it. At the same time, though, there are quite a few major distilleries out there that have been exploring the world of American malt whiskey for a long time, whether their experiments had resulted in commercial products–that is, after all, how we ended up with American single malt as an official category, by essentially codifying what people had already been doing for several decades. Now, however, we’re starting to see distilleries truly pushing this category in advanced directions (maturing and premiumizing) as a result of years of investment, and the newly released New Riff Sour Mash Single Malt Whiskey is a perfect example. This is a product that only exists following nearly a decade of labor. Cereal grains contain fermentable sugars which are released by mixing and agitating them with hot water. These sugars are then consumed by the yeast, slowly fermenting them into alcohol over a period ranging between 2 to 7 days. Beer production during this period often took place in Christian monasteries and abbeys. In addition to being fully-functional communities — complete with grain silage and bakeries — they also contained a talent pool of educated scholars who could devote their talents to quality ferments and artisans who could craft custom equipment needed for production. During fermentation, yeast is introduced to the wort, which will feed on the starches, break it down into sugars, and finally consume the sugars, producing the wash. The by-product produced by the yeast is alcohol.

Generally speaking, when you see a whiskey labeled as “blended whiskey” or just “bourbon” (instead of “straight bourbon”), it’s a blend of whiskey with neutral grain spirits to help keep costs down and profits high. This expression is labeled as “Unblended,” specifically because it’s made with whiskey only (no grain spirits added). The whiskey in these bottles was aged in barrels that are “whiskey-soaked.” Once the whiskey is just right, it’s then blended and small-batch bottled. Incredible Food-Inspired Homemade Soaps You Gotta See To Believe! 2. Old Elk Sour Mash Reserve Straight Bourbon Whiskey Tennessee Whiskey" redirects here. For the David Allan Coe album, see Tennessee Whiskey (album). For the song by David Allan Coe made famous by George Jones, see Tennessee Whiskey (song). Sour mash is a term thrown around in the whiskey world more often than a football gets thrown by Tom Brady. Siphoning is the best method because it allows you to pull the beer off the top of your lees, leaving them undisturbed. You do not want suspended solids in your still and this method works quite well in keeping the lees at the bottom of your fermenter.

Sour Mash

Adding the sour mash during the production process can vary depending on the distillery. Some choose to include the mash at the cooker stage. Others prefer to add the sour mash to the fermenters. Where Did Sour Mash Bourbon Originate? This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.

James C. Crow is credited with developing the sour mashing process in the early 1800s. He discovered that he could easily control the fermentation process by using a portion of mash from the last batch of spirit. The sour mash refers to the process where the previously fermented mash is used for new batches, just like the starter in sourdough bread.

And pretty much all major bourbon and Tennessee whiskey distilleries use the sour mash process even if they aren’t labeled a “sour mash whiskey”. What Is Bourbon? This method is the most inexpensive I have found for producing Corn Whiskey. It is perfect for beginners because it does not rely on skill for mashing and does not require any cooking which greatly reduces the hassles and expenses. Fermentation times can vary, based on the distillery’s desired flavour profile for their whiskey. This period also depends on variables such as the amount of yeast used, temperature and the water-to-grain ratio. Ultimately, the duration of fermentation affects the taste of the resultant beer and final whiskey. Elijah Craig is a popular brand of sour mash whiskey that is known for its smooth, rich flavor. This brand is named after the man who is credited with inventing bourbon, and it is made using a traditional recipe that has been passed down for generations. Old Elk Small Batch While everything he produced was top-notch, his whiskey was particularly popular and it sold fast. It became so popular that he shut down the grocery store side of things and opened a distillery instead. Today, the business is still run by Nelson’s great-great-great grandsons.

Palate: That fruit becomes more dried and almost salted on the palate while bourbon vanilla and mild caramel sweetness mingle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Their Sour Mash Reserve Bourbon uses a mash bill that’s 51% corn, 34% malted barley, and 15% rye. It’s aged in barrels for six years using a proprietary yeast blend. Old Elk’s Master Distiller says that the magic happens during fermentation and the New York location plays a role in flavor development, as well. Many will agree it was worth the wait, though, as this is no doubt a top-notch expression. It’s carefully filtered through sugar maple charcoal and then aged for two to five years in charred oak barrels – a process that set the standard for many Tennessee whiskies to come. Bourbon is made with grain mash. The mixture of grain mash typically combines barley, rye, corn, and wheat. During the mashing process, the grains are crushed together and opened. Once the crushing is complete, they add hot water to bring out the sugars. When this happens, the pH levels rise. This is where we get into the weeds. There are a few ways to create the conditions for a sour mash process during the fermentation phase of whiskey production. Below, you’ll see a short glossary of terms that might help you keep your sanity should you compare techniques from throughout the whiskey-making world. These terms help describe how to make sour mash in several different ways — and give you the context to take your knowledge of the subject another layer deeper. Terminal Beer or WashBourbon whiskey comes from grain mash, typically corn, rye, and barley. It is aged in new charred oak barrels for at least two years (straight bourbon), but it can be aged for much longer. In fact, there is no aging requirement for a whiskey to be called bourbon [ 1]. Simply that distillers used part of the fermented “mash” (a mixture of grain, yeast, and water) from the previous batch to create the new batch. Sour mash is a process that’s commonly used in the production of American whiskey, particularly bourbon. It involves using a portion of previously fermented mash, which contains live yeast, to start the fermentation process for a new batch of whiskey. This process helps to regulate bacterial growth and ensure consistency in flavor and quality from batch to batch.