OT: Kentucky Bourbons vs Tennessee Sour Mash and American History

[Guest guest]

Hi y'all,

 

Taking another break from packing I am .. and whilst sipping coffee

and relaxing I figured I've give y'all a short course on distilled

products that interest some folks .. but not all. The following is

really a short introduction to American History 101.

 

Having been born in Nashville, TN .. and at age 8 moving northward to

Guthrie, KY, (a town of 1,250 that straddles the KY-TN line) and now

about to become a Tennessean again .. I view the below information as

an important part of Suthran history .. and a VERY important part of

American history. U.S. Government attempts to control production of

Whiskey established much precedent for future legitimate government

actions and the relationship of the U.S. Government to the citizens of

the United States of America!

 

Rum and other spirits were being produced in America as early as 1657,

but its our British cousins who get credit for the initial production

of American Whiskeys. When the British blockade prevented importation

of molasses and sugar .. the Colonies were forced to find other means

of producing Spirits. Because corn and other grains were easy to grow

but very difficult to transport (via horse or wagon) over mountainous

terrain .. almost every farmer turned his excess corn and grain into a

liquid that was easier to transport and market.

 

Whiskey soon became a medium of exchange. This caused some problems

for the new (and later) American governments .. and it is Whiskey that

the American Government first sought to control. The U.S. Congress

placed a tax on Whiskey and President George Washington signed it into

law in 1789 .. this led to the first challenge of Federal power .. the

Whiskey Rebellion .. in 1794. This was an interesting period in the

history of the new country. Tax collectors (Revenuers) were harassed

and even killed in some states. Even after the government gained

control it was not unusual (even in my Grandfather's time) to hear of

this happening.

 

It took a militia force of 13,000 men (roughly the number the Colonies

had during the American Revolution against the Crown) to put it down.

This force was under the personal command of General (President)

George Washington. This event is significant in that it was the first

time the new U.S. Government had used force to exert authority over

American citizens. It was also one of the only two times that a

sitting American President personally commanded the military in the

field .. the second being the command of President James Madison when

the British occupied Washington, D.C. during the War of 1812.

 

Use of military forces to suppress the Whiskey Rebellion set a

precedent that U.S. citizens who wished to change the law had to do so

through Constitutional means .. or the U.S. Government would step in

with force.

 

This action also had many unintended consequences. One was a change

in loyalties from one political party to another .. but more important

for the purpose of this discussion is .. rebellious by nature, many

farmers in frontier areas .. like Kentucky & Tennessee, found that

they could make a good product using corn .. Bourbon was born .. in

Bourbon County, KY .. in 1789. This ultimately resulted in the

Whiskey Tax (which had been difficult to enforce except in populated

Western Pennsylvania .. and even there with little success) being

repealed in 1803.

 

Another bit of interesting American trivia is that .. after leaving

the Presidency, George Washington became the largest producer of

Whiskey in the United States.

 

On 30 March 2007, his distillery, which had been closed for over 200

years .. was put back into action. George Washington's original 1797

distillery is now operating on the Potomac River outside Mount Vernon,

VA. This distillery is intended to become the " Gateway " to the

American Whiskey Trail, which includes some working distilleries that

are open to the public, like Jim Beam and Wild Turkey in Kentucky,

Jack Daniel's in Tennessee .. and many others. The Mount Vernon

distillery will become the equivalent of a " National Distillery

Museum, " says Frank Coleman, spokesman for the Distilled Spirits

Council, which paid for the reconstruction.

 

ALL history is interesting .. unfortunately, teachers are forced by

the education systems to make it a very boring subject and as a

result, most Americans grow up knowing little about the history of the

world .. or their own history .. this is a problem that leads to far

more problems. Turks know their national history .. Russians know

theirs .. most kids in most countries know theirs .. we Americans fall

short in this area.

 

Just as attempts by " Progressives " to suppress the Battle Flag of the

Confederacy suppresses instruction on the " real " reasons for the Civil

War, attempts by " Tee Totalers " in various religious groups to

suppress information on alcoholic beverages suppresses the significant

role of Whiskey in the creation of a relationship between the U.S.

Government and the American citizens they govern!

 

We should NOT exempt ANY pertinent facts when teaching history .. we

did not get where we are today because of various battles .. those

battles were the culmination of events that are significant .. events

that are usually downplayed or totally overlooked. For purposes of

Political Correctness, and to avoid the possibility of wounding the

souls of some thin skinned, narrow minded people who would like to

rewrite history, many of these events are dismissed or camouflaged and

our children are forced to learn and regurgitate sterile dates that

cause the events they represent to become boring details even to those

of us who like history.

 

I'm gonna get off this one in a minute because its a subject that I

can become very emotional over. One of the only two times I ever

challenged the military system was a strong disagreement with my boss

on the lesson plans of a course I had to teach on the Vietnam War ..

and I won. The alternative to me winning (had I not been able to

convince the Brass that I was right and change was needed) would have

been being labeled as an officer who should remain in present grade

until retirement. ;-)

 

My Masters is in Education Administration .. with two undergraduates,

one in Psychology (which I consider to be a very " soft " science) and

on in Sociology (which I consider to be an important tool for teaching

history). And I would love to be able to teach history to kids .. to

make them truly understand why we are where we are today .. but I know

I can't do this because there are no education systems that would give

me total control of my instruction .. but I can and will teach my son

and do my best to do it in a manner that will make him like this

subject. I challenge other parents to do the same thing.

 

I will now get down from my soap box. ;-)

 

The differences in production of various brands of Whiskey (Tennessee

and Kentucky) are sometimes minor .. but some are legal differences.

 

Historically, Bourbon was made only in Kentucky .. named for Bourbon

County, KY .. the place Bourbon was first produced in 1789. This is

not a legal requirement .. " Bastard Bourbons " can be found .. but most

true Bourbon drinkers and most Kentuckians won't touch them.

 

Legally, for a whiskey to be called Bourbon .. it must be distilled at

no higher than 160 proof (80% alcohol) .. from a minimum of 51% corn

(though most bourbons are up to 70%) with the remainder being wheat

and/or rye and malted barley .. and it must then be aged in " NEW "

Charred Oak barrels. Tennessee Sour Mash usually reuses barrels.

 

In practice .. and by Tradition .. the first year of storage must be

inside Kentucky. Those who live in the South know that tradition is

often observed where laws that are not respected are overlooked.

 

There are TWO Bourbons .. Straight Bourbon and Bourbon. Bourbon has

no legally mandated maturation time .. but for a Bourbon to be called

a Straight Bourbon .. it must mature for a minimum of 2 years (almost

all Bourbons are aged longer .. up to 12 years).

 

Barley, Wheat, Rye and Corn are used in most Bourbons but use of at

least 51% Corn is one of the legal and technical standards for the

production of Bourbon .. and it will distinguish a Tennessee Sour Mash

from a Kentucky Bourbon. As I mentioned previously, Tradition demands

that Kentucky Bourbon must be produced in Kentucky.

 

The minor differences between various popular brands of Whiskeys are

seen by the experts as being distinct differences. I can agree with

most of the experts .. but the real proof is in the sipping.

 

Both a Kentucky Bourbon and a Tennessee Sour Mash can be Sour Mash

Whiskeys. Many Tennessee Whiskeys are not .. but ALMOST ALL Kentucky

Bourbons are Sour Mash Whiskeys. The Sour Mash process requires that

a small amount of the previous batch of mash to be left behind to help

activate the work of the yeast in the new batch .. same as with making

sourdough bread.

 

Of all the Tennessee Sour Mash and Kentucky Bourbon Whiskeys, I join

the experts in agreeing that Jack Daniel's is the finest Tennessee

Sour Mash Whiskey .. and Wild Turkey (which qualifies as a Straight

Bourbon) and Maker's Mark (which does not since it is bottled and sold

when expert " tasters " determine it is ready .. which could be less

than two years) are the finest Kentucky Bourbon Whiskeys. Wild Turkey

Kentucky Straight Bourbon is the most costly and it has the highest

proof .. up to 101 (50.5% alcohol) .. but Maker's Mark has a cult

following and sometimes during the Christmas period its difficult to

find it even in a Kentucky Liquor store because its a common gift for

the " landed gentry. "

 

There are a few " Bastard Bourbons " around that are not made in

Kentucky but claim to be Kentucky Bourbon .. they speak with forked

tongue .. and they are avoided by those who appreciate fine Kentucky

Bourbon Whiskey.

 

Its time for me to get back to the boring job of sorting and packing.

I believe some of y'all have enjoyed this (relatively) short

introduction to American History 101 .. its relatively short because

there are many significant facts that I didn't include. For those who

did not enjoy it I ask .. did you read it? You must have read it if

you have made a determination that you didn't like it. ;-)

 

Y'all have a gud'un .. and keep sipping .. errr .. smiling. :-)

[Guest guest]

Don't know abut others, but I enjoyed it. Knew about the whiskey rebellion,

but not the REASON why.

As always, an education when you get a mind to<G>!

Anita

On Behalf Of Butch Owen

Tuesday, May 15, 2007 3:14 AM

OT: Kentucky Bourbons vs Tennessee Sour Mash and

American History

 

 

Hi y'all,

 

Taking another break from packing I am .. and whilst sipping coffee

and relaxing I figured I've give y'all a short course on distilled

products that interest some folks .. but not all. The following is

really a short introduction to American History 101.

 

Having been born in Nashville, TN .. and at age 8 moving northward to

Guthrie, KY, (a town of 1,250 that straddles the KY-TN line) and now

about to become a Tennessean again .. I view the below information as

an important part of Suthran history .. and a VERY important part of

American history. U.S. Government attempts to control production of

Whiskey established much precedent for future legitimate government

actions and the relationship of the U.S. Government to the citizens of

the United States of America!

 

Rum and other spirits were being produced in America as early as 1657,

but its our British cousins who get credit for the initial production

of American Whiskeys. When the British blockade prevented importation

of molasses and sugar .. the Colonies were forced to find other means

of producing Spirits. Because corn and other grains were easy to grow

but very difficult to transport (via horse or wagon) over mountainous

terrain .. almost every farmer turned his excess corn and grain into a

liquid that was easier to transport and market.

 

Whiskey soon became a medium of exchange. This caused some problems

for the new (and later) American governments .. and it is Whiskey that

the American Government first sought to control. The U.S. Congress

placed a tax on Whiskey and President George Washington signed it into

law in 1789 .. this led to the first challenge of Federal power .. the

Whiskey Rebellion .. in 1794. This was an interesting period in the

history of the new country. Tax collectors (Revenuers) were harassed

and even killed in some states. Even after the government gained

control it was not unusual (even in my Grandfather's time) to hear of

this happening.

 

It took a militia force of 13,000 men (roughly the number the Colonies

had during the American Revolution against the Crown) to put it down.

This force was under the personal command of General (President)

George Washington. This event is significant in that it was the first

time the new U.S. Government had used force to exert authority over

American citizens. It was also one of the only two times that a

sitting American President personally commanded the military in the

field .. the second being the command of President James Madison when

the British occupied Washington, D.C. during the War of 1812.

 

Use of military forces to suppress the Whiskey Rebellion set a

precedent that U.S. citizens who wished to change the law had to do so

through Constitutional means .. or the U.S. Government would step in

with force.

 

This action also had many unintended consequences. One was a change

in loyalties from one political party to another .. but more important

for the purpose of this discussion is .. rebellious by nature, many

farmers in frontier areas .. like Kentucky & Tennessee, found that

they could make a good product using corn .. Bourbon was born .. in

Bourbon County, KY .. in 1789. This ultimately resulted in the

Whiskey Tax (which had been difficult to enforce except in populated

Western Pennsylvania .. and even there with little success) being

repealed in 1803.

 

Another bit of interesting American trivia is that .. after leaving

the Presidency, George Washington became the largest producer of

Whiskey in the United States.

 

On 30 March 2007, his distillery, which had been closed for over 200

years .. was put back into action. George Washington's original 1797

distillery is now operating on the Potomac River outside Mount Vernon,

VA. This distillery is intended to become the " Gateway " to the

American Whiskey Trail, which includes some working distilleries that

are open to the public, like Jim Beam and Wild Turkey in Kentucky,

Jack Daniel's in Tennessee .. and many others. The Mount Vernon

distillery will become the equivalent of a " National Distillery

Museum, " says Frank Coleman, spokesman for the Distilled Spirits

Council, which paid for the reconstruction.

 

ALL history is interesting .. unfortunately, teachers are forced by

the education systems to make it a very boring subject and as a

result, most Americans grow up knowing little about the history of the

world .. or their own history .. this is a problem that leads to far

more problems. Turks know their national history .. Russians know

theirs .. most kids in most countries know theirs .. we Americans fall

short in this area.

 

Just as attempts by " Progressives " to suppress the Battle Flag of the

Confederacy suppresses instruction on the " real " reasons for the Civil

War, attempts by " Tee Totalers " in various religious groups to

suppress information on alcoholic beverages suppresses the significant

role of Whiskey in the creation of a relationship between the U.S.

Government and the American citizens they govern!

 

We should NOT exempt ANY pertinent facts when teaching history .. we

did not get where we are today because of various battles .. those

battles were the culmination of events that are significant .. events

that are usually downplayed or totally overlooked. For purposes of

Political Correctness, and to avoid the possibility of wounding the

souls of some thin skinned, narrow minded people who would like to

rewrite history, many of these events are dismissed or camouflaged and

our children are forced to learn and regurgitate sterile dates that

cause the events they represent to become boring details even to those

of us who like history.

 

I'm gonna get off this one in a minute because its a subject that I

can become very emotional over. One of the only two times I ever

challenged the military system was a strong disagreement with my boss

on the lesson plans of a course I had to teach on the Vietnam War ..

and I won. The alternative to me winning (had I not been able to

convince the Brass that I was right and change was needed) would have

been being labeled as an officer who should remain in present grade

until retirement. ;-)

 

My Masters is in Education Administration .. with two undergraduates,

one in Psychology (which I consider to be a very " soft " science) and

on in Sociology (which I consider to be an important tool for teaching

history). And I would love to be able to teach history to kids .. to

make them truly understand why we are where we are today .. but I know

I can't do this because there are no education systems that would give

me total control of my instruction .. but I can and will teach my son

and do my best to do it in a manner that will make him like this

subject. I challenge other parents to do the same thing.

 

I will now get down from my soap box. ;-)

 

The differences in production of various brands of Whiskey (Tennessee

and Kentucky) are sometimes minor .. but some are legal differences.

 

Historically, Bourbon was made only in Kentucky .. named for Bourbon

County, KY .. the place Bourbon was first produced in 1789. This is

not a legal requirement .. " Bastard Bourbons " can be found .. but most

true Bourbon drinkers and most Kentuckians won't touch them.

 

Legally, for a whiskey to be called Bourbon .. it must be distilled at

no higher than 160 proof (80% alcohol) .. from a minimum of 51% corn

(though most bourbons are up to 70%) with the remainder being wheat

and/or rye and malted barley .. and it must then be aged in " NEW "

Charred Oak barrels. Tennessee Sour Mash usually reuses barrels.

 

In practice .. and by Tradition .. the first year of storage must be

inside Kentucky. Those who live in the South know that tradition is

often observed where laws that are not respected are overlooked.

 

There are TWO Bourbons .. Straight Bourbon and Bourbon. Bourbon has

no legally mandated maturation time .. but for a Bourbon to be called

a Straight Bourbon .. it must mature for a minimum of 2 years (almost

all Bourbons are aged longer .. up to 12 years).

 

Barley, Wheat, Rye and Corn are used in most Bourbons but use of at

least 51% Corn is one of the legal and technical standards for the

production of Bourbon .. and it will distinguish a Tennessee Sour Mash

from a Kentucky Bourbon. As I mentioned previously, Tradition demands

that Kentucky Bourbon must be produced in Kentucky.

 

The minor differences between various popular brands of Whiskeys are

seen by the experts as being distinct differences. I can agree with

most of the experts .. but the real proof is in the sipping.

 

Both a Kentucky Bourbon and a Tennessee Sour Mash can be Sour Mash

Whiskeys. Many Tennessee Whiskeys are not .. but ALMOST ALL Kentucky

Bourbons are Sour Mash Whiskeys. The Sour Mash process requires that

a small amount of the previous batch of mash to be left behind to help

activate the work of the yeast in the new batch .. same as with making

sourdough bread.

 

Of all the Tennessee Sour Mash and Kentucky Bourbon Whiskeys, I join

the experts in agreeing that Jack Daniel's is the finest Tennessee

Sour Mash Whiskey .. and Wild Turkey (which qualifies as a Straight

Bourbon) and Maker's Mark (which does not since it is bottled and sold

when expert " tasters " determine it is ready .. which could be less

than two years) are the finest Kentucky Bourbon Whiskeys. Wild Turkey

Kentucky Straight Bourbon is the most costly and it has the highest

proof .. up to 101 (50.5% alcohol) .. but Maker's Mark has a cult

following and sometimes during the Christmas period its difficult to

find it even in a Kentucky Liquor store because its a common gift for

the " landed gentry. "

 

There are a few " Bastard Bourbons " around that are not made in

Kentucky but claim to be Kentucky Bourbon .. they speak with forked

tongue .. and they are avoided by those who appreciate fine Kentucky

Bourbon Whiskey.

 

Its time for me to get back to the boring job of sorting and packing.

I believe some of y'all have enjoyed this (relatively) short

introduction to American History 101 .. its relatively short because

there are many significant facts that I didn't include. For those who

did not enjoy it I ask .. did you read it? You must have read it if

you have made a determination that you didn't like it. ;-)

 

Y'all have a gud'un .. and keep sipping .. errr .. smiling. :-)