THEARTOFDISTILLING

WHISKEY

ANDOTHERSPIRITS

ANENTHUSIASTrsquoSGUIDETOTHEARTISANDISTILLING

OFPOTENTPOTABLES

EDITEDBYBILLOWENS

ANDALANDIKTY

FOREWORDBYFRITZMAYTAG

DEDICATION

InfondmemoryofourfriendMichaelJacksonwhoiswehavenodoubt

nowenjoyinghiswell-deservedangelrsquosshareoftheworldrsquosbarrelsofmaturingwhiskey

CONTENTS

FOREWORDBYFRITZMAYTAG

INTRODUCTIONBYBILLOWENS

CHAPTERONE

ABRIEFHISTORYOFDISTILLING

CHAPTERTWO

THEDISTILLINGPROCESS

CHAPTERTHREE

WHISKEY

CHAPTERFOUR

VODKA

CHAPTERFIVE

GIN

CHAPTERSIX

BRANDYANDEAUDEVIE

CHAPTERSEVEN

RUMTEQUILALIQUERSANDMORE

CHAPTEREIGHT

AGALLERYOFARTISANDISTILLERS

CHAPTERNINE

DISTILLINGRESOURCES

THEDISTILLERrsquoSLIBRARY

THEDISTILLERrsquoSGLOSSARY

DIRECTORYOFDISTILLERIES

INDEX

ABOUTTHECONTRIBUTORS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

ABOUTTHEAUTHORS

FOREWORD

THESECONDWhiskeyRebellionishappeningintheUnitedStatesandit

isalreadyspreadingaroundtheworldInthismarvelousbookBillOwensAlanDiktyandtheircontributorsmdashlikeintrepidwarcorrespondentsmdashtakeyoutothefront lines You will find here an up-to-the-minute report on the excitementcreativityandbrashenthusiasmoftheUnitedStatesrsquocraftdistillers

DetailofthefermentingprocessofmakingbourbonWoodfordReserveDistillery

I have known Bill Owens since his early involvement in the USrsquosmicrobrewing renaissance He was one of the movementrsquos most ferventinnovatorsHisownachievementsaremanyandhisenthusiasmfor thewholewild explosionofbrewingcreativity is evidenced inhisobvious enjoymentofthesuccessesofhisbrewingcolleaguesThe craft-brewing renaissance of course began in the 1960s By the early

rsquo90s it was inevitable that it would evolve into a craft-distilling renaissanceAnd so Bill and his cohorts are at it again now celebrating a small-distilleryrevolutionandthevarietyandcreativitythatisspringingupeverywhereYeswenow have ldquocraftrdquo whiskey distillers experimenting with all facets of graindistillingAndaswiththebrewingrevolutiontheconsumerreapstherewardsWe are entering a golden age for the spirits lover and The Art of DistillingWhiskey andOther Spirits An Enthusiastrsquos Guide to the ArtisanDistilling ofPotentPotablesisanindispensableguidebooktoitsbeginnings

CharringoakbarrelsatBluegrassCooperage

Where did the craft-distilling phenomenon originate You could say that itcamedownfromthemountainswherepot-distilledwhiskeysmadebyhandmdashinsecretfoldsmdashhaveneverentirelydisappearedOryoucouldsaythatitcameupfrom the vineyards and orchardswhere formany years there has been a tinycraft-distilling segment of superb hand-crafted fruit brandies and eaux-de-vieJustknowthatasecondWhiskeyRebellionisuponusandthatit ishappeningright now in a little building near you And if you have picked up this bookalready knowing about the great food awakening and hoping for a guide todistillingyouhavefounditWhat particularly fascinates me about the distillation of alcohol is the

enduringmysterysurroundingitsoriginsDistillationitselfisaphysicalartwitha longmdashand colorfulmdashhistory And the distilling of all sorts of materials formyriadpurposesisanancientprocessButwhendidtheproductionofdistilledspirits as a beverage beginYou arewelcome to your opinion and good luckfindinganyonetoagreewithyouNomatterwhatyouthinkIencourageyoutosavor the eternal enigma that is embodied in a distilled spirit It is a form ofmagic to take fruit or grain ferment it put it in a pot heat it and make itdisappearentirelyandthenwatchitreappeardropbydropasaclearvolatilealmostetherealliquidAnditisadangerousliquidmdashdonotkidyourselfItcancatchfireitcanexplodeandabusingitcanruinlivesItispowerfulmysteriousstuff surely one reason that it captures the imagination of the producers andconsumersswirlingandswillingaroundthecurrentawakeningSo drink deep of Bill and Alanrsquos guide get on the road with them go

exploring and learning and enjoybeing an earlyparticipant in themovementAnd takemyword for it as a distiller of whiskey since the secondWhiskeyRebellionrsquosfirstshotldquoHeadswewintailswewinrdquo

FritzMaytagAnchorDistilling

SanFranciscoApril2009

INTRODUCTION

ASAYOUNGMANinthe1970sIhadlonghairaVolkswagenBeetlea

hip wife and a career as a newspaper photographer I also published fourphotographymonographsincludingtheclassicSUBURBIA(stillinprint)andIreceived a Guggenheim Fellowship in photography and three NationalEndowment for theArtsgrantsMydreamwas towork forLIFEmagazineorNationalGeographic and I ended up stringing for the Associated Press andcoveredtheHellrsquosAngelsbeatingpeoplewithpoolcuesatAltamontWhileallthiswashappeningIwashomebrewinginthegarageBy the1980swhen I reachedmiddleage Ihada flattop sold theVWand

camerasand lostawonderfulwife In1982Iopened thefirstbrewpubin theUnited States Buffalo Billrsquos Brewery in Hayward California The beer wasgood My pumpkin ale is still being brewed by many breweries My publicimagewasldquocolorfulrdquoandthenewsmedialovedmeIstartedbelievingmyownpressclipsIopenedtwomorebrewpubsandlaunchedapublicstockofferingtofundthebuildingofalarge-scaleproductionbreweryItallseemedlikeagoodidea at the time It was after all ldquoMorning in Americardquo Reagan was in the

WhiteHouseandtheoperativephraseforthetimeswasldquoGreedisgoodrdquoIwantedsuccessmoneyIhadthreebrewpubsIgrossedamilliondollarsthat

yearbutIhadtopaysixtyemployeesandendedupwithnoprofitThingsdonrsquotalwaysworkoutasyoudreamThestockofferingnevergotoffthegroundandonebyonethebrewpubsweresoldoffwithBuffaloBillrsquosbeingthelasttogoButIrsquollalwayshaveAlimonyAle(ldquoThebitterestbeerinAmericardquo)By the 1990s I had gray hair and a new wife and I was publishing two

magazinesAmericanBrewerandBEERTheMagazineOnceagainmytimingwasgoodandtheAmericanBrewer rodethefirstgreatwaveofcraftbrewingThingswere lookinggreatbut financially the twomagazines turnedout tobenot such a great idea I soon stopped publishing BEER and sold AmericanBrewerSoonafter theAARPmailingsstartedshowingupand Iopenedanantique

store That venture lasted six months Then my agent sold some SUBURBIAphotographstoEltonJohngivingmeenoughmoneyfora(used)Lexusandthecash fora three-month tripacrossAmerica so I ranawayfromhomeOn thistrip I decided to visit some craft distilleries Iwas intrigued and the creativejuices started to flow again When I returned to California I founded theAmerican Distilling Institute (ADI) In 2003 I held the first ADI distillingconferenceatStGeorgeHangarOneDistilleryandsomeeightypeopleshowedupIn2007 Idecided tomakeanother tripacrossAmericaAgain the tripwas

fundedby sellingphotographs tomuseums anassortmentof art galleries andfriendsintheUnitedStatesandinEuropeThissecondtrip(21000miles)tookfourmonthsandfromfifty-threeDVDsofimagesweselectedahundredorsoforthisbookBy2009theADIdatabasecontained1246namesofwhich205aremembersandofthose165arecraftdistillersThefuturefortheindustryisbrightMoreandmorepeoplewanttolearntheartofcraftdistillingTheywantto learn how to run small businesses selling their handcrafted products to thepublicMyrecentldquohow-tordquobookCraftWhiskeyDistillinghassold300copiesinthreemonthsThecraftdistillingindustryisreallyaboutlifestylePeopletakegreatpridein

producingtheirproductsThisbookisalookatcraftdistillersandtherestofthewhiskeyrumvodkaandginindustryIstillhaveafootinbothcampsphotographyanddistillationButifIhadto

chooseitrsquodbedistillingbecauseitrsquosawayoflifeSpecial thanks toAlanDikty the editor of this book and a personal friend

AlanhasbeenwithmeasafriendandwriterforsomethirtyyearsAlanknowsspiritsAbigthank-youalsotoAndrewFaulknerphotographerandphotoeditorforthisbook

BillOwensHaywardCalifornia

March2009

AUTHORrsquoSNOTEONSPELLING

For reasons that have yet to be adequately explained American and Irishdistillers spell the word whiskey with an e while their Scotch CanadianJapaneseandNewZealandpeersspellwhiskywithoutit

CHAPTERONE

ABRIEFHISTORYOFDISTILLING

SINCEtheearliestknownuseofdistillationabout5000yearsagopractice

ofthearthasgrownandspreadaroundtheworldinseveralwavesthespeedandextent of each being dictated by geography trade routes and cultural andreligious influences Each successive wave gave rise to significant technicaladvances in distillation making it less expensive more efficient and morecontrollable

VeryFineWhiskeybottlecircathe1920sThisvintagebottlewasacquiredatafleamarketthenfilledwithOldForrester

PossiblytheearliestwrittenrecordofdistillationisintheEpicofGilgameshwhich describes a formof essential oil distillation practiced inBabylon as farback as 3000 BCE Herbs were placed in a large heated cauldron of boilingwater and the cauldronrsquos opening was covered with a sheepskin fleece sidedownPeriodically thesheepskinwaschangedandthecondensatesoakingthefleecewaswrungoutintoasmalljarEssentialoilsfloatedtothesurfaceofthewatercollected in the jarandwereskimmedoffMedieval textsandwoodcutsshowthesameprinciplebeingusedtoconcentratealcoholicvaporsfromboilingwine(IncidentallythisissimilarinprincipletoamethodthatthePhoeniciansusedforconsumingcannabis)

DISTILLINGMIGRATESEASTANDWEST

By 500BCE alcohol distillationwas an established industry in the ancientIndian area known as Taxila (in modern northwest Pakistan) wherearcheologistsdiscoveredaperfectlypreservedterra-cottadistillationsystemInthisprocess steam rising fromapotofboilingwaterpassed throughabedoffermented grains picking up alcohol and flavors from the grains The vaporsthen struck the bottom of a second pot filled with cold water where theycondensedanddrippedintoacollectiontubeFromTaxila knowledge spread to theEast and theWest andby350BCE

knowledgeofthedistillingprocessappearedinthewritingofAristotleinGreeceand Sinedrius in Libya The first arrival of distillation technology inChina ismisty but by 25CE bronze stills of similar designwere being produced andusedthereBytheendofthefirstmillenniumCEthepracticeofdistillationhadspread

throughout northern Africa and the Middle East The process had advancedsignificantlyoverthisthousand-yearperiodandthematerialbeingdistilledwasnowboileddirectlyinalargesealedpotwhichhadalongtubeleadingfromitsapextoasmallcollectionjarWhentheMoorsinvadedSpaintheybroughtthistechnologywiththemandsoonthegenie(orspirit)wasoutof thebottleThetechnologyspreadfromSpaintoItalyin1100CEandwasrecordedinIrelandby 1200 Germany by 1250 and France by 1300 England Scotland PolandRussiaandSwedenjoinedtheclubby1400

DISTILLINGTECHNOLOGYEVOLVES

EuropeanexplorationandconquestspreadrapidlyaroundtheworldcarryingthetechnologyofdistillationwithitThefirststillsintheAmericasappearednotlong after the conquistadores and the Portuguese brought the technology toJapanby1500This technologywas largely controlled by alchemists andmonasterieswho

continuouslyexperimentedandimprovedontheequipmentBythemid-1600sseveraltextshadbeenpublishedonthesubjectofdistillationasampleofwhichincludedthewoodcutsonthisspreadfromTheArtofDistillationbyJonathanFrench(1651)AsthisinformationspreadbeyondclericalandscientificcircleswealthyindividualsbegantoestablishstillhousesontheirestatesAs knowledge blossomed throughout theRenaissance distillation continued

to develop rapidly Distillation was removed from the exclusive province ofscientists monks and professionals and became a common household artRecipebooksabounded

ThesewoodcutsfromTheArtofDistillationbyJonathanFrench(1651)showasmallpartofthewidevarietyofformsdistillingequipmenthadtakenbytheseventeenthcenturyTwokeyimprovementsareshownmultipledistillationsinonesetup(onestillfeedingintothenext)topofpageandanimprovedvaporcondenser(acoiloftubingknownasaldquowormrdquoinabarrelofcoldwater)belowandoppositepage

ldquoThere is more refreshment and stimulation in a nap even of thebriefestthaninallthealcoholeverdistilledrdquo

mdashOvid(ancientRomanclassicalpoetandnotoriouswetblanketatbacchanals43ndash17BCE)Bythe1700sthecomplexityandsophisticationofcommercial-scaledistilling

equipmentadvancedrapidlyAdvancesintheunderstandingofhowdistillationactuallyworked led to new still designs that couldmake better quality spiritsmoreeasilyandfasterthaninthepastDistillingbecamemoreaccessibletothemasses and the monopoly held by the church and the elite classes wasthreatenedThesecentersofpower soonenacted restrictions at first toprotectthatmonopolyandlaterpurelyforrevenue

GEORGEWASHINGTONANDGERRYMANDERING

ItiswellknownthatGeorgeWashingtonwasadistillerWhatislesswellknownisthatthelawshecraftedsetthedistinctionbetweentheheavilytaxedsmalldistillersandthelightlytaxedlargedistillersthelinebeingdrawnjustbelowthesizeofhisdistilleryPoliticsworkedinmuchthesamewaythenasitdoestoday

TheGeorgeWashingtonstillrecreationattheMountVernonDistilleryinMountVernonVirginia

REGULATIONANDREBELLION

Since1700theregulationandcontrolofdistillationhasbeenmostlyastoryoflostfreedomsandrightsAfewraysofsunshinehavesincepokedthroughthecloudsTheelite andgovernmentsofEurope tried repeatedly to exploit andcontrol

distillationInEnglandforexamplethefirsttaxationofcommercialdistillationappearedin1690topayforawarwithFrancePrivatedistillationwasexemptedfrom this tax and it remained free from interference as taxes and regulationswere raised lowered abolished and resurrectedover thenext centuryPrivatedistillation in England flourished and grew significantly during this time (andperhapsnota littleof thisproduct found itsway intocommercialchannelsviathe back door) until it was outlawed in 1781 to enhance the collection ofrevenueThemassiveGinCrazeofearlyeighteenth-centuryGreatBritainhaditsrootsinpartinthisunfetteredspreadofdistillation

BlueprintofaSimpleStill

a)SteamjacketHeatsthepotandthewashb)PotHoldsthewashc)SwanNeckAllowsforseparationofthecomponentsofthemixtured)TubeinShellCondenserCondensesthealcoholvaporsinspiritse)SpigotThevaporsarecollectedfromaspigotatthebottomofthecondenser

ThreestrippingstillsandaspiritstillmadefromstainlesssteeldrumsattheNewDealDistillery

TheUnitedStatesgovernmentrsquosfirstattempttotaxdistillationresultedintheWhiskey Rebellion of 1791 which was put down by federal troops led byGeorgeWashington(whowasbroughtoutofretirementfortheconflict)FederalexcisetaxeswereabolishedaftertheendoftheWarof1812onlyto

beimposedduringtheCivilWarinthe1860s(andcontinuetothisday)Napoleon introduced regulation in France The laws variedwidely over the

nextcenturybutstabilizedin1914whentherightwasgrantedtoanyonewithavineyard or orchard to distill up to 20 liters of spirits from their fruit if theyagreedtopayataxThisrightwasoriginallyinheritablebutthatwasrevokedinthe 1950s This system led to the development of traveling stills known asbouilleurs de cru which were once very common sights in the FrenchcountrysideBecausethenumberofpermittedindividualshasshrunkwitheverypassingyearveryfewofthesemobiledistilleriesremainAustralians lost their right to distill their ownbeverages in the aftermathof

WorldWarIagainasarevenuemeasureMany African Latin American and southern European nations have

continuedtoallowprivatedistillationunderawidevarietyofrulesrangingfromnone through inspection of stills to onerous regulations and high taxation Ingeneral traditional alcoholic beverages are made in most farmhouses usingtraditional equipment (mostlypot stills ofvarious forms)without anyadverseeffectsonsocietyThemostrecentandhopefulchangeintheglobalregulationofdistillationwas

the legalization of private noncommercial distilling byNewZealand in 1996TheNewZealandgovernment found that the expenseof enforcing thebanonprivatedistillationfaroutweighedtherevenuecomingfromfinessothelawwasabolishedThischangeledtowidespreadadoptionofsmall-scaledistillingasahobby and as hobbyists always will they experimented with equipment andtechniques continuously Many significant innovations have been developedmaking small-scale distilling equipment more available much less expensiveandverymucheasiertocontrolthananythingthatcamebefore

FUTURETRENDS

Just as the appearance of microbreweries followed the renaissance ofhomebrewing increasing thechoicesand levelofquality for allbeerdrinkersmicrodistilleries are starting to thrive around theworld someusing traditionalequipmentbutmanyusingnewequipmentmethodsandtechniquesdevelopedbythenewly liberatedhomedistillersManyof thesemodernsmalldistilleriesareexperimentingwithnew typesandcategoriesof spirits creatingnovel andsometimesuniquelylocalspirits

MOONSHINE

As surely as thunder follows lightning whiskey follows beer and in the1980sthescentofwhiskeychargedtheairlikeanapproachingstorm

THEPROSPECTofmakingwhiskeyginryebrandyandotherflavorsomespirits at home is enough tomake somemodern cocktail enthusiasts and craftbrewersgrowglint-eyedEversoquietlythemoreadventuresomeofthemhavebegun tending home-sized stills to make the smallest-batch American spiritssince the Prohibition days of stove-top alky cookers Unlike unscrupulousproducers whomade rotgut that could blind cripple and occasionally kill itsdrinkersmanyoftodayrsquoshomedistillershaveadoptedhigh-techequipmentandacodeofhonorthatostracizesthosewhotrytoselltheirmakingsBecausethesedistillers are running the very best they can for their immediate friends andfamiliestheresultscanbespectacularlygood

AtombstonethatwasusedduringProhibitionforstashingmoonshinenearMorgantownWestVirginia

Theability to createpersonal stocksof liquor fromscratch falls squarely inthe modern mixologistrsquos pursuit of making what canrsquot easily be hadmdashrealgrenadinefromactualpomegranatesginger-spikedfalernumJamaicarsquospimentodramasuckerpunchofallspiceandrumandpotentaromatichousebittersmdashbutall tunedto theirpersonal tastesWhenitcomestomakingthebasespiritsforthosebittersitcouldnrsquotbeeasiermdashorcheaper

Moonshinestilldismantled

BUTISITLEGAL

Making bitters and falernum from pre-distilled spirits is entirely legalHoweverunlicenseddistillersoperatingunregistered stillsviolateanumberoffederal state and local laws but a lack of permits hasnrsquot stopped would-bedistillers from buying and building personal stills in increasing numbers sincethemid-1990sSomeofthemarecontentwithverysmoothvodkawhileothersembrace the entire concept of artisanal production and are creating fantasticsmall-batchspiritsusingthebestingredientstheycanaffordRunningthesetinybatcheswith yields of just a few liters is a practice some have callednano-distilling

DIRTTRACKDISTILLING

Students of American popular culture know that moonshine whiskey andNASCARgotogetherlikeactorBurtReynoldsandmusclecarsStartingin1973with the movie White Lightning Reynolds made a career of portrayingSoutherngoodolrsquoboysdeliveringmoonshineinfastcarswhileoutrunningthelocalsheriffThereal-lifeinspirationforsuchcinemacharacterswasRobertGlenJohnson

Jr (born in 1931 in Wilkes County North Carolina) better known as JuniorJohnsonJohnsonwasamoonshinerintheruralSouthwhobecameoneoftheearlysuper-starsofNASCARinthe1950sandrsquo60sJohnson grew up on a farm and developed his driving skills running

moonshineas a youngmanHe consistently outranandoutwitted local policeand federal agents in auto chases and he was never caught while deliveringmoonshine to customers Johnson became something of a legend in the ruralSouthwherehisdrivingexpertiseandldquooutlawrdquoimageweremuchadmiredJohnson is credited with inventing the ldquobootleg turnrdquo in which a driver

escapesapursuerbysharplyputtinghisspeedingcarintoa180-degreeturnonthehighway thenspeedingoff in theoppositedirectionbeforehispursuercanturn around Johnson was also known to use police lights and sirens to foolpoliceroadblocksintothinkingthathewasafellowpolicemanuponhearinghisapproachthepolicewouldquicklyremovetheroadblocksallowingJohnsontoescapewithhismoonshineIn 1955 Johnson decided to give up delivering moonshine for the more

lucrative(andlegal)careerofbeingaNASCARdriverUnfortunately the ldquoRevenuesrdquo had not forgotten Junior In 1956 federal

agentsfoundJohnsonworkingathisfatherrsquosmoonshinestillandarrestedhimJohnsonwasconvictedofmoonshiningandwassenttofederalprisonwhereheservedelevenmonthsofatwo-yearsentenceHereturnedtotheNASCARscenein1958andpickedupwhereheleftoffHewentontowinfiftyNASCARracesinhiscareerbeforeretiringin1966In 1965 writer Tom Wolfe wrote an article about Johnson in Esquire

magazine The article originally titled ldquoGreat Balls of Firerdquo turned JohnsonintoanationalcelebrityandledtofamebeyondhiscircleofNASCARfansInturn the articlewasmade into a 1973movie based on Johnsonrsquos career as adriverandmoonshiner titledTheLastAmericanHeroJeffBridges starredas

the somewhat fictionalized version of Johnson and Johnson himself served astechnicaladvisorforthefilm

APOScardadvertisingJuniorJohnsonrsquosMidnightMoonbyPiedmontDistillers

MorerecentlyJohnsonrsquosfamilyhaslicensedtheJuniorJohnsonnameforusein promoting a legal distilled product Junior JohnsonrsquosMidnightMoon fromPiedmontDistillersinMadisonNorthCarolina

LabelforMountainMoonshinebyMysticMountainDistillery

ApostcardfromTempletonRyeldquoProhibitionEraWhiskeyrdquo

DONrsquoTTRYTHISATHOME

(NudgeNudgeWinkWinkSayNoMore)

SoonafternationalProhibitionbeganinthe1920sapersoncouldwalkintovirtuallyanygrocerystoreintheUnitedStatesandfindforsalebrick-sizeblocksof compressed raisinsbound togetherwithcondensedgrape juiceAttached tothe block was a small container of dried yeast The wrapping contained thefollowingtext

WARNING

Donotdissolve thisfruitbrick inwarmwaterandthenaddthecontentsof theyeastpacket as this will result in fermentation and the creation of alcohol the production ofwhichisillegal

NeedlesstosaythelocalAampPsoldalotoffruitbrickswhileProhibitionwas

inforceTraditionalmoonshinestartsoutwiththeproductionandfermentationofwhat

isbasicallyasimplebeerTraditionalistswouldcreateamashofgroundcornhotwaterandenoughmaltedbarleytoprovidesufficientenzymestoconvertthestarch in the grains into simple sugars Once the starch conversion wascompleteyeastwasaddedtothemashwiththeresultingfermentationturningthesugarsintoalcoholThefermentedmashwouldthenbeboiledinthepotstilltodistilloffthealcoholAlas times and moonshine are not what they used to be Modern

moonshiners tend toskip thegrainmashingandgodirectly to fermentationbydissolvingregularsugarinwarmwaterfermentingthesugarwaterwithbakerrsquosyeast and then distilling off the resulting alcohol The results are spiritmuchinferior to a distilled grain spirit and ultimately an arrestedmoonshiner TheAlcoholandTobaccoTaxandTradeBureau (TTBalsoknownasldquotheFedsrdquo)keeps track of the sale of large quantities of bulk sugar particularly in ruralareaswithapasthistoryofmoonshiningYouhavebeenwarned

Whiskeyiswhatbeerwantstobewhenitgrowsup

VirginiaLightningCornWhiskeybyBelmontFarm

Despiteanuptickinamateurdistillingandagreaterwillingnessamongsometotalkmoreopenlyaboutthecraftthelonghistoryofsecretiveandsometimesviolentmoonshiningmeansthatuntilrecentlyreliableinformationwasscarceand difficult to verify That situation is rapidly changing and distillers fromcuriousnovices toaccomplishedhomeartisansare far fromisolatedanymoreIn less than a generation theyrsquove learned to talk to each other pool theirknowledgeandaskevermorenuancedquestionsaboutbuildingandoperatingarangeofstills

MODERNldquoMOONSHINERSrdquo

Thecurrentinterestamonghobbyistdistillersincreatingfirst-rateliquorsandthe general wholesome quality of their products tracks primarily to threeconvergenttrends

1)Craftbrewers2)NewZealand3)TheInternet

CRAFTBREWERS

Craftbrewersarenotsimplythefirstonestostudyhowtomakeoutstandingsmall-batchspiritstheyarealsogoingtoshapethefaceofmicro-andpersonaldistillingBrewers have alreadymastered three key skills how to collaboratehowtoorganizeandhowtodrivelegislationThe current interest in distilling among brewers is so widespread that it is

virtuallyimpossibletotalktocraftbrewerswhoarenrsquotalreadydistillingonthesly or working on permits or know someone who is One erstwhile brewerframed his transition from beer to liquorwith this aphorismWhiskey iswhatbeerwantstobewhenitgrowsup

ChuckMillerstandsinfrontofhispotstillatBelmontFarmDistilleryoneofadozendistilleriesintheUnitedStatedproducingalegalmoonshineproduct

DistillerBenFrisstandsnexttoacus-tom-builtone-of-a-kindpotstillatNewHollandBrewingandDistilling

Makingbeerathomehasbeengoingonformostofthetwentiethcenturybutitrsquosonlybeenlegalonafederallevelsince1978Foradecadeorsoafteritwaspermittedhomebrewers(intheUnitedStates)exploredallkindsofbeerandalestyles they could not purchase through their local stores They perfected theirtechniques competed against each other in regional and national contestspublishedtheirpersonalrecipesgaveoutawardstotheirpeersandlaterputthatknowledgetousebyopeningbrewpubsandmicrobrewerieseverywhereHomebrew supply shops everywhere were selling hops malts specialty

grainscarboysesotericscientificequipmentandlab-culturedyeaststotensofthousandsofhomebrewers tryinggood-naturedly tobesteachother in roundsofMyBeerIsBetterThanYoursBy the1990s somebrewerswerepushing the limitsof theirequipmentand

ingredientsbecomingessentiallynovicedistillersTheirhomemaderigslookedpretty much the same as brewing equipment The ingredients were the sameTheywere learning on pot stills because for hundreds of years variations onthat model had been the choice of folk distilling Most of what a casualresearcher found in popular culture referenceswere the big copper pumpkin-shaped boilers of a style that would have been familiar to eighteenth-centuryfarmersAs brewers they already knew about grains malt yeast enzymes ideal

fermentationtemperaturesfiltrationsystemsandthewaterprofilesthatleadtogreat-tastingbeveragesSomehadcometobelievethattheonlythingstoppingthem from havingwhiskeywas toomuchwater Because they had developedwidespread networks for sharing information alreadymdashbooks magazinescontests clubs festivals newsletters and rudimentary online newsgroupsmdashquestionsbegantocirculateabouthowbesttoremovethatexcesswaterSharing critiquing and judgingwere an entrenched part of the culture that

wasstartingtotakeupwhathadlongbeenasecretpracticeAnonymousonlineforums were ideal tools for vetting home-distilling questions Unlike the oldAppalachian moonshiners modern distillers with homebrewing backgroundswerealreadyusedtotalkingtoeachotheronlineandinperson

NEWZEALAND

Because few of the twentieth-century books on moonshining held muchpractical information on techniques for building and operating stills amateurdistillers without a family history in such matters learned by trial and errorThen in 1996NewZealand lawmakers scrapped legislation forbidding homedistillation InAustralasiaanexplosionof interestand innovation specificallyaround design for home-size stills that veered off from traditional stylesreverberatedwidely

AcopperstillfromCopperMoonshineStillscom(asseeninthemovieTheDukesofHazzard)

Local distilling enthusiasts were studying the physics of stills attachingprobes andmeters tomeasure exactlywhatwas goingonwhen they firedupTheylearnedhowtallandwidehome-sizestillsshouldbeTheyaffixedcolumnsto theirpotsand looselyfilled themwithceramicandcopperpackingmaterialfor maximum efficiency Those stills started looking like something out of arefinery churning out high-proof alcohol on single runs rather than themultistageprocessthattraditionalpotstillscalledfor

THEINTERNET

These innovative distillers went online and because their hobbywas legalstarted talking to each other openly Brewerswhowere getting into distillingwith theiralreadyestablishednetworksandcultureofopennessnoticedTheyseized on a wealth of new verifiable information coming out of the SouthernHemisphereandaddedtheirownexperiencesespeciallyinonlineforumsSince thenas reliable informationhasbeenvettedonlineabouthowbest to

buildandoperatesmall-scalestillshomecolumnorrefluxstillshaveevolvedbecoming more compact and efficient and able to put out as close to purealcohol as is possible outside a laboratory (in short very clean stuff) Mostrecently a specific style of distilling has evolved thatrsquos all about purityefficiency and making lots of neutral spirits in very compact column stillsEasilybuiltandeasilyoperated theyaremoreefficientandlessworkthanpotstills

MOONSHINEDEFINED

AbroaddefinitionofmoonshineisanyliquormadefromunregisteredstillsbyunlicenseddistillersThisdefinitioncoversaKentuckyfarmermakingtheliquorhis father did aNewYork imbiberwresting 10 ounces of gin from a case ofBudweiseraswellasaSanFranciscocheftweakinghergrandmotherrsquoskuumlmmeltocarryonthetraditionTodayrsquosnano-distillersdonrsquot sell their products In fact profit seemsalmost

anathema One of the quickest ways to really anger others is for unlicenseddistillers tostartselling theirmakingsSomeembrace themoonshiner identityothersavoidthetermbecauseofitsassociationwithlawlessnessRegardless of what distillers call themselves they fall into three loose

categoriesmdasheconomictechnicalandartisanalproducersEconomicdistillers

ECONOMICDISTILLERS

Economic distillers make liquor because homemade is cheaper than store-boughtAny type of stillmight be used from an inherited copper pot still tomodernrefluxmodelsorevenanaquariumheaterinaplasticbucketTheyareapt to distill sugar spirits but also grains and fruits when they may be hadinexpensivelyAlthough theirproductsareprone tobeofquestionablequalitythey are not necessarily bad liquormdashthink of marc and grappa made frompomacethatmightotherwisebethrownaway

TECHNICALDISTILLERS

Technical distillers are armchair (or even professional) engineers andchemistsgear-headswhostrivetomakethemostefficientdistillerysetuptheycan forever tweaking and adjusting their rigs creating technologicalwondersTheyrunandrerunabatchofspiritstocreatethepurestspirittheycantakingmeticulous notes of every temperature fluctuation proof variation and yieldTechnicaldistillerstendtohaveaninordinateamountofvodkaonhandbecausethe end result of their frequent experiments is often a high-proof nearly purespirit theycan supplementwithextractsandessences for theexact flavor theywant

FigADiagramofaColumnDistiller

IllustrationfromWhiskeyTechnologyProductionandMarketingEditedbyIngeRussellAcademicPress2003FigAThisflowchartillustrateshowthewashistransformedintospiritsThebottomofthestillstripsoutthewaterwhiletherectifyingsection(topofthestill)distillstheliquorstoincreasetheirspirituosity

FigBDimensionsofaTypicalSpiritsStill

FigBApotiswiderthantallallowingvaporstoescapefromthewashAtallswanneckallowsforseparationofthecomponentsofthemixtureTheshapeofthestillaffectstheflavorcomponentsofthespiritsEverypotstillisuniqueasdistillerswantdistinctiveflavorprofilesintheirfinishedspirits

ASPIRINGANDACCOMPLISHEDARTISANS

Aspiringandaccomplishedartisanscomprisethethirdgroupwhosegoalistomake authentic and great-tasting spirits While technical distillers considerunwanted chemical compounds obstacles to pure liquor artisans rightfullyregardtasteandaromaasthebackbonethatdefinestheirownpersonalstyleofdistilling They tend to use less-efficient old-school pot stillsmdashthey mightimmediately recognize thekind that a farmerused in 1740Someuse columnstillsbutwithoutthecolumnsatmaximumefficiencythuspreservingtasteandaromabynotdistillingtothehighestproofpossibleFinallytheytendtofermentgrainsandfruitsratherthansugarandnottocarewhatitcostsmdashbecauseitrsquosforthemnotforsellinrsquo

FigCAnatomyofaPotStill

FigCAsillustratedhereawhiskeystillhasfourpartspotswannecklynearmandcondenserTheshapeofeachaffectsrectificationandtheflavorofthespiritPotThepotcanbyanyshaperoundonionorconicalTheshapeofthepotaffectshowthewashisheated(alwaysto172degF[78degC])ItcanbeheatedbydirectfiresteamgasorwoodMostpotshaveasightglasssothedistillercancheckforfoamingduringthedistillationprocessSwanneckTheswannecksitsontopofthepotItcanbetallshortstraightortaperedOftentheswanneckisconnectedtothepotviaanogeeabubble-shapedchamberTheogeeallowsthedistillatetoexpandcondenseandfallbackintothepotduringdistillationMostpotstillshaveataperedswanneckallowingforbetterseparationandbetterenrichingofthespiritsduringdistillingLynearmThelynearmsitsontopoftheswanneckItcanbetiltedupordownanditcanbetaperedorstraightOftenpotstillsarefittedwithadephlegmatororapurifierItsmainpurposeistheenrichmentofspiritsbeforetheyrsquoresentontothecondenserInternalsteamcoilTheinternalsteamcoilheatsthewashto173degF(78degC)wherethealcoholseparatesfromthewashCondenserThecondenserorwormisusedforcoolingthespiritsandprovidingasmallstreamtoacollectiontankorpail

ECONOMICALINGREDIENTSFORDISTILLING

Consideraglutofplums forbackyard slivovitzora skidof dried fruit atbargain pricing that can be turned into Arabian siddiqui However ersatzwhiskeysmadefrombreakfastcerealsarenotunheardofsocaveatemptoristherule

AfruiteaudeviefermentationatStringerrsquosOrchardWildPlumWineryampDistillery

CHAPTERTWO

THEDISTILLINGPROCESS

INTHEMOSTliteralsenseoftheworddistillationmeanstheconcentration

oftheessenceofasubstancebyseparatingitfromanyothersubstancesthatitismixed with In the case of distilling alcohol this means boiling a fermentedliquidinastilltoseparatetheethanolfromthesolidswaterandotherchemicalcompoundsinthefermentedsolutionButjustasthedevilisinthedetailstheartofdistillingisinhowthedistillerachievesthatseparationandhowprecisethatseparationis

ThecondensercoolsthevaporsintoliquidspiritwhichiscollectedandbottledatAnchorDistilling

Thewide rangeof stillsdescribed in this chapter eachoriginally evolved tomeettherequirementsofproducingaparticulartypeofspiritDependingonthetype of spirit beingmade precision is not necessarily the goal of the distillerThousandsofchemicalcompoundsarecreatedbyfermentationanddistillationall of which can have for better or worse an effect on the ultimate taste orcharacterofadistilledspiritThedistillerrsquosprimaryjobis toretain thedesiredflavorelementswhilediscarding those thatarenotThis isnotassimpleas itsoundsAnddespiteallofthehigh-techcontrolsinamoderndistillerythestillmasterneverthelesshasthefinalcall

ldquoGlassofbrandyandwaterThatisthecurrentbutnottheappropriatenameaskforaglassofliquidfireanddistilleddamnationrdquo

mdashRobertHallnineteenth-centurytemperancecrusaderwhowasneverthelifeoftheparty

HOWDISTILLATIONWORKS

Distillationisaphysicalprocessinwhichcompoundsareseparatedbyvirtueof their different boiling points Two compounds with the same boiling pointoccurring together would not be separable by distillation Fortunately suchoccurrenceswiththeingredientsinliquorandspiritsarerareTheseparationindistillationoccurswhenamixtureofcompoundsinthestill

is brought to a boil Compounds with lower boiling points vaporize at lowertemperatures than compoundswith higher boiling points Thismeans that thevapororsteamrisingofftheboilingmixtureisricherinthelower-boiling-pointcompounds than in the higher-boiling-point onesNext this vapor is collectedand cooled to condense it back into a liquid The resulting liquid called thedistillate contains a considerably higher concentration of the lower-boiling-pointcompoundsthanofthehigher-boiling-pointonesInasimplifiedexample letrsquosconsideramixtureof90percentwaterand10

percentethanolWaterhasaboilingpointof212degF(100degC)andethanolhasaboilingpointof1731degF(784degC)Theethanolwillboilandvaporizewellbeforethewatersowhenthevaporsarecollectedandcondensedtheresultingdistillatewill have a high concentration of ethanol and comparatively little water ThedistillatewillnotbepureethanolbecausesomewaterwillvaporizeattheboilingpointofethanolevenifthewateritselfisnotatitsboilingpointTails (see page 36) start at 203degF (95degC) and contain a high percentage of

fuseloilsknowntodistillersaswetdogbouquetAlittlebitisactuallyneededinsometypesofwhiskeybutonlyalittlebitThinkIslayScotchWhiskyBecauseallthecompoundsinastillwillvaporizetoagreaterorlesserextent

during boiling the separation of the compounds will not be perfect so moreelaborate stills have been developed to intensify the separation of the vaporsonce theyhave left theboiler Inmodernhigh-separationstills this isdonebyemployingarefluxcolumntomanagethevaporsaftertheyleavetheboilerandbeforetheyarecondensedanddrawnfromthestill

ASTILLrsquoSBLUEPRINT

ThewhiskeystillhasfourpartspotswannecklynearmandcondenserTheshape of each section affects rectification (redistillation) and the taste of thespiritsThereisnoperfectdesigneachmanufacturersaysitspotstillmakesthebest-tastingwhiskeyAtthispointdistillingisanldquoartrdquoTomakegoodwhiskeyyouneedtohave

good ingredients (clean wash) and a good palate (nose and tongue) and youneedtoknowwhentostartandstop(makingheadandtailcuts)Whenitcomestowhiskeydistillingtheprocessiscontrolledbyadistillernotacomputeroramanual

WHATADIFFERENCEADEGREEMAKES

Between174deg(788degC)and175degF(794degC)averitablewitchrsquosbrewofnastychemical compounds (known collectively as heads) are cut and removed byproper distilling These include acetone aldehydes and methanol Lazymoonshiners tend to leave them in resulting in rotgut and a serious head-bangingheadachethenextmorningasyoulieinbedandprayfortheAngelofDeathtocomeandfinishthejob

Thepot can be any shape round onion or conical The shape of the potaffectshow thewash isheated (to172degF [778degC]) It canbeheatedbydirectfiresteamgasorwoodAllsystemshaveadvantagesanddisadvantagesThereis no right way to heat washMostmanufacturers however prefer a double-jacketedsteam-watersystemthatprovidesagentleheattothewashMainlyyoudonrsquotwant to burn thewashMost pots have a sight glass so thedistiller cancheckforfoamingduringthedistillationprocess

THECHEMISTRYOFPURESPIRITS

Even a modern high-separation still cannot produce pure ethanol This isbecausewaterformsanazeotropewithethanolAnazeotropeisamixtureoftwoliquidcompoundswhosemoleculesbecomelooselybondedsuchthattheyhaveacommonboiling point that is different from either constituentrsquos In the case ofethanolandwatertheazeotropeoccursatamixtureof965percentethanoland35 percent water and it has a boiling point of 17267degF (7815degC) This is045degF(017degC)lowerthanthe17312degF(784degC)boilingpointofpureethanolIn distillation this azeotrope is a single compound with a boiling point of17267degF (7815degC) and the still proceeds to separate it on that basis Theethanol that is purified by a fractionating column is not therefore pure 100percent ethanolbutpure965percent ethanolwith theldquoimpurityrdquobeingpurewater No amount of redistillation under the conditions discussed here willinfluence this percentage 965 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) is thetheoreticalmaximumpuritythatcanbederivedbytheaboveprocessThe temperatures stated above are at standard atmospheric pressure In a

columnstillduetoincreasedpressureatthebottomresultingfromthepressuredropover theplates the temperatureswouldbequiteabithigher thanstatedForexamplethespentwashwhichwouldhaveaboilingpointofabout212degF(100degC) at standard pressure would have a boiling point of about 220degF(1044degC)duetotheincreasedpressure

TheswannecksitsontopofthepotItcanbetallshortstraightortaperedOften the swan neck is connected to the pot via an ogee a bubble-shapedchamberTheogeeallowsthedistillatetoexpandcondenseandfallbackintothepotduringdistillationMostpotstillshaveataperedswanneckallowingforbetterseparationandbetterenrichingofthespiritsduringdistillingThelynearmsitsontopoftheswanneckItcanbetiltedupordownandit

canbetaperedorstraightMostarmsaretapereddownOftenpotstillsarefittedwithadephlegmatororwhatScottishdistillerscallapurifierThedephlegmatorisfittedwithbafflesthatusewaterplatesortubestocoolthedistillatesending90 percent of it back into the pot Its main purpose is the enrichment of thespiritsbeforetheyrsquoresentontothecondenserThecondenserorwormisusedforcoolingthespiritsandprovidingasmall

streamtoacollectiontankorpail

AsmallpotstillsimilartomanymoonshinestillsisinoperationfortouriststoseeattheGlenmorangieDistilleryScotland

WHISKEYSTILLSINDETAIL

There are severaldifferentdesignsof stillsused formakingwhiskeyThese

includethemoonshinestillgooseneckstillcontinuous-runcolumnstillFrenchCharentaisalambicstillandartisanpotstill(ThetraditionalEnglishspellingofthisFrenchwordisalembic)

FigAFlat-topMoonshineStill

FigAInthebasicmoonshinestillvaporsfromtheheatedwashriseintothecapAfterhittingtheflattopofthestillvaporsexitviathelynearmintothecondenserwheretheycondenseandbecomespirits

MOONSHINESTILL

ThemostbasicandrudimentarydesignisacrudepotstillormoonshinestillwhichisaclosedpotlikeapressurecookerwithapipeleadingfromthelidintoacondensercoilThecondensercoil caneitherbe longenough toair-cool thevaporsoritcanbeshorterandimmersedinawaterjacketSuchastillaffordsminimum separation of the vapors because there is almost no separation oncetheyleavetheboilerAlthoughthisdesignofstill isnotsuitableforproducingbeveragealcoholbymodernstandardsitwillstillconcentratean8or10percentABVwashto60percentinafairlyfastrunTherearemanyhomedistillersandillicitcommercialmoonshinersusingthis

typeofstill todayAndbecausethistypeofstill is typicallyheatedonastovetoporonagasburner it isnecessary to removeallsuspendedsolids fromthewash before placing it in the boiling pot To do otherwisewould risk burningsolidsonthebottomofthepot

FigBCross-sectionofaStillrsquoBubbleCap

FigBThebubblecapssitontrayovervaporstubesinthecolumnThecapsprovidecontactbetweentherisingvaporsanddescendingrefluxcreatingadistillingcycleandenrichingthealcoholArrowsindicatevaporsrisingfromthewashandhittingthebubblecapsApercentageofpurevaporscontinuetoriseandtheldquolesspurerdquofallbackintothestillforre-distillation

AnatomyofaCraftWhiskeyStill

GOOSENECKSTILL

Thegooseneckpot still is themost commondesignof still used toproduceScottish malt whisky Some Irish whiskies and a number of American andCanadianwhiskiesarealsodistilledinthistypeofstillThisstyleofpotstillhasbeeninuseforcenturiesforcommercialwhiskeyproductionanditisevenmorepopulartodayinmodernwhiskeydistilleriesthaneverThegooseneckstillhasalargeroundboilerandisfunctionallyverysimilarto

the crudepot still except it has a long broadneck rising from theboiler thatallows enough separation to hold back most of the fusel alcohols from thedistillatewhileretainingthedesiredflavorsinthefinishedspiritTheneckbendsatthetopandconnectstoapipecalledalynearmthatleadstoacondensercoilimmersed inwaterThe lynearmusuallyanglesdownwardslightly toward thecondenserbutinsomedistilleriesittiltsupward

AgooseneckstillclearlyshowingthelynearmatWoodfordReserveDistillery

The levelofseparation inagooseneckpotstill isaffectedby theamountofcondensation that takesplace in theneckand lynearm that fallsback into theboiler This condensation is called reflux and themore reflux the higher thelevelofseparation If the lynearm isangleddownward thenanyvapor in thelynearmthatcondenseswillfallforwardtowardthecondenserandbecomepartof the distillate passing to the receiver However if the lyne arm is angledupward condensation fallsback to theboiler andwill createadditional refluxandthereforeadditionalseparation

ModelofagooseneckForsythswhiskystill

BEVERAGESPRODUCEDINGOOSENECKSTILLS

Becausethelongbroadneckprovidesalargesurfaceareawhichresultsinalarger proportion of reflux than crude pot stills gooseneck stills are moresuitable for distilling beverage alcohol The gooseneck stills are suited to theproductionofwhiskeybrandyrumschnappsandothernon-neutralspiritsforwhichtheyarewidelyusedcommerciallyHowevertheyarenotsuitablefortheproduction of vodka gin or other spirits derived from neutral alcoholwhichrequiresahigh-separationstillcapableofproducingpureazeotropeethanolThe wash distilled in gooseneck stills is typically separated from the

suspended solids much like the malt washes used for making Scottish maltwhiskySomegooseneckstillsareheatedbyanopenfireundertheboilerwhichwould result in the burning of suspended solids if they were in the washHowever most contemporary stills are heated with steam jackets ThiscombinedwitharummagercanenablethesestillstoboilfullmasheswithallthegrainintheboilerwithoutburningthesolidsonthebottomofthepotArummagerisanagitatingdevicethatslowlyturnsaroundinsidethestillpot

dragginganetofcopperchainsalongthebottomoftheboilertopreventsolidsfromcakingupandburningduringdistilling

THECONTINUOUS-RUNDESIGNFLAW

ThereisaninherentflawinthisdesignofstillBecausethecontinuous-runstillhasaconstantflowofnewwashcomingintoitatalltimestherearealwaysheadsandtailspresentinthecolumnThisisunlikeabatchstillwhichisanyofthenoncontinuousstillsdiscussedinthistextwheretheheadsaredrawnoffatthebeginningoftherunandthentheyaregoneInacontinuous-runoperationallphasesareconstantlybeingintroducedtothecolumnbytheincomingwashThisposesnoproblemwiththetailsbecauseatthetrayswheretheheartsaredrawnoffthetailsarelowerinthecolumnandarethereforenotpresenttobedrawnoffwiththeheartsHoweverheadsarestillpresentatthesetrayssonomatterhowwellacontinuous-runstillisequilibratedtherersquollalwaysbeasmallamountofheadsintheheartsphaseHaving said this the continuous-run column is a high-separation still that

makesverypreciseseparationofthecompoundsinitscolumnThereisalwaysgoingtobeatraceamountofheadsintheheartsandthisamountisstillwithintheallowablelimitsforpotablespiritsInmostcasesitislessthantheresidualheadsfoundintheheartsfromcommercialbatchstills

CONTINUOUS-RUNCOLUMNSTILL

This type of still is used for producing enormous volumes of spirit in acontinuousoperationthatrunsconstantlyforuptoelevenmonthsstraightbeforeit is shut down for cleaning and overhauling They commonly have afractionatingcolumnthatstandsabout100feet(305m)high(similartothatofanoilrefinery)andaseriesofbubble-captraysspacedeverycoupleoffeetupthecolumnThe traysare fartherapartnear thebottomandgetcloser togethertowardthetopIthasnopotorboilerperseanditisheatedbyblastingsteamupwardfromthebottomofthecolumnwhilethewashiscontinuouslyfedintoatrayatthemiddleofthecolumnAsthewashrunsdownthroughthetraysofthecolumnitencountersthehot

steam which vaporizes the compounds in the wash and carries them up thecolumnThelower-boilingcompoundscontinuetoriseupthecolumnwhilethehigher-boilingonescondenseandarecarrieddownthecolumnThecolumnhasanexitvalveateverytraywherevaporcanbedrawnoffand

ledtoacondenserThisenablestheoperatorstoconfigurethesystemsocertaintraysleadtoacondenserthatgoestotheheadsreceiveranothersetoftrayscanbe sent to the hearts receiver andother trays canbe sent to the tails receiverWhatflowstothebottomofthecolumnisresiduethatissenttothedrainApossibleconfigurationforbourbonwouldhavethetoptwotraysconfigured

forheadsthenthenextfourconfiguredforheartsthenextfivefortailsandtherest of the trayswould refluxwith no draw off andwhat reached the bottomwouldbediscardedasresidueThe draw off rateswould be set up tomaintain a hearts phasewith say a

constant 65 percentABVBourbon thatrsquos distilled in a continuous-run columnstillisusuallydoneintwodistillationsbothwiththeheartsdrawnoffatabout65percentABVBecauseacontinuous-runstillrunsformanymonthsatatimethewashmust

befairlyclearwithaminimumofsolidsotherwisethebuildupofresidueinthesystemwouldbecomeuntenableandthesystemwouldneedtobeshutdowntobecleanedSothereisnoprocesswithacontinuous-runstillwherebytheentiremash is distilled The mash must always be strained or filtered before beingplacedinthereservoirsupplyingthestillThedistillerymusthaveabatteryoffermentersthatareinconstantoperation

ateachstageofthefermentationprocesstokeepupwiththecontinuousdemand

forwashforthestills

Thisalambicstillwascustom-builtbyDynamicAlambicbyreconfiguringaGrundigbeertank

FRENCHCHARENTAISALAMBICSTILL

This type of still is used almost exclusively for making brandy includingcognacArmagnacCalvadosandotherfamousFrenchbrandiesIt isdesignedespecially to leave a lot of the aromatics and flavor in the distillate and istherefore one of the lower-separation beverage-alcohol stills Because of thisqualityspiritsareusuallydistilledtwiceinaFrenchCharentaisalambicstillWhiskeycanalsobemadeinthisdesignofstillItisfunctionallyquitesimilar

tothegooseneckstillbutitcreatesalowerlevelofseparationmakingaricherandcreamier-tastingwhiskeybutwithalittlemorefuselalcoholTheFrenchCharentais alambic still has threemajor components theboiler

withhelmetthepreheaterandthecondenserThehelmetisthechamberjustabove the boiler and it serves as an expansion chamberwhichworkswell toholdback a lot of theheavier compounds such as fusel alcohols and furfurolswhile allowing the desirable aromatics and flavors to be carried over in thedistillateThe preheater as the name implies preheats the next batch of wine to be

distilled It is also used as a reservoir to enable a near-continuous distillationprocessSomebrandydistillerssimplyincludethemaspartofthehearts(nottheheads) In this way continuously feeding wine into the boiler is possibleBecause there is no workable way to drain the boiler during operation thecontinuous feeding of winemust stopwhen the boiler is too full to take anymorePriortoadistillationrunthepreheaterisfilledwithwinetobeheatedforthe

next distillation The preheater has the vapor tube from the boiler passingthroughitonitswaytothecondenserThistransfersheatfromthevaportothewinebeforethevaporentersthecondenserThisheatsthewineinthepreheatertonearboilingduringthedistillationrunandreducestheamountofheatthatthecondenserhastodissipatetherebymakingefficientuseofheatandreducingtheamountofcoolingwaterused

AlambicstillatJepsonVineyardsinUkiahCalifornia

AlambicstillinstallationinFrance

Thepre-heaterhasapipewithavalve leadingfromit to theboilerWhenadistillationrunisfinishedandtheboilerhasbeendrainedtheoperatorcanopenthe valve and fill the boiler with another charge of wine from the pre-heaterthatrsquosalreadyatnear-boiling temperatureThismakesefficientuseofheatandsignificantlyreducestheamountoftimetobringthenextbatchofwinetoaboil

AholehadtobecutintheceilingtoaccomodatethecolumnofthispotstillatTuthilltownSpirits

ThecondenserinaFrenchCharentaisalambicstillasinmosttypesofstillsconsistsofthecoppercoilimmersedinawaterjacketwithcoldwatercirculatingaroundit

BEVERAGESPRODUCEDINALAMBICSTILLS

These stills are invariably used to distill wine or in the case of whiskeydistillerrsquos beer They are not generally used to distill fullmasheswith all thesolids left in However design-wise the Charentais could be used to distillmasheswithsolidsbecauseitsboileristhesameasthatofthestandardalambicwhichiswidelyusedtomakegrappaandmarcfromgrapepomaceTodothisasievetraymustbeinsertedintotheboilertoserveasafalsebottomtoholdthesolidsabovethebottomofthepotandpreventburning

ARTISANPOTSTILL

ThistypeofstillisthemostversatileofallthestillsEachartisanpotstillisnearly made to order based on a distillerrsquos needs and preferences Itscomponentsincludeaspherical-shapedboileracondenserandwidevarietyofoptional components such as a steam jacket or a direct fire an agitator ahelmet one or two columns of bubble-cap trays a dephlegmator and acatalyzerThespherical-shapedboilerevenlyheatsthesubstrateparticularlyifthereis

anagitatorAndanartisanstill thatrsquos steamheatedandhasanagitatorcanbeused to distill anywash Evenwashes full of fruit pulp or grainmash can beheatedinthisconfigurationofboilerwithoutanyriskofburningonthebottomofthepotAlsobyconstantlyagitatingthewashthroughoutthedistillationrunthe distillery can save about 20 percent on the heat required to perform thedistillationTheabilitytodistilltheentirewashincludingallthesolidspurportedlygives

asuperiorflavortothespiritproducedApparentlythefruitmashesformakingschnappsyieldarichermorecomplexflavoriftheycanbedistilledwithallthefruitpulpintheboilerManywhiskeydistillerscontendthesametobetruefordistilling grain mashes and a number of the premium brands of AmericanwhiskeyaredistilledwiththegrainmashinthestillThehelmetcomponent(optional)istechnicallyanexpansionchamberandit

isusuallyanearlysphericaldomethatsitsdirectlyontopoftheboilerAsvaporrisesfromtheboileritpassesthroughacomparativelynarrowpassagewayintothelargervolumeofthehelmetThisresultsinasuddenreductioninpressurewhich helps hold back higher-boiling compounds while allowing desirablearomaticsandflavorstocontinueupthecolumnSomedistillerssaythishelmetiskeytoproducingatrulyexcellentspirit

Artisanpotstilltheshapeofthehelmetldquoheadrdquoofthestillinfluencestheflavorofthedistillate

From the helmet the vapor rises into the column In some artisan pot stillconfigurationsthecolumnismounteddirectlyontopofthehelmetWhenthereis no helmet the column is mounted directly on top of the boiler In otherconfigurationssuchastwocolumnsthecolumnispositionedbesidetheboilerThe reason for this is the still would stand too high for most facilities if thecolumnwerestackedontopofthehelmetorevenontopoftheboilerWithin thecolumnarebubble-cap traysThevapor risesup the tubesunder

the bubble caps and bubbles out fromunder the cap and through the standingliquidoneachtrayThestandingliquidoverflowsatacertaindepthtothenexttraybelowCompoundseparation takesplaceby theredistillation thatoccurswhentheheatfromthevaportransferstothestandingliquidThiscauseshigher-boilingcompoundsinthevaportocondenseandlower-boilingcompoundsintheliquid toevaporateTheoveralleffect is todrive the lower-boilingcompoundsup the column in vapor state and the higher-boiling compounds down thecolumninliquidstate

Twincolumnsofbubble-captrays

OPTIONALSTILLCOMPONENTS

Modernartisanpotstillshaveaninterestingfeaturethatallowstheoperatortobypass anyof the trays to vary the separation level for the columnThere arelevers on the side of the column connected to each tray and the operator canposition the lever to cause the tray to turn sideways and allow thevapors andliquidtopassbyOrtheoperatorcanpositionthelevertheotherwaytoputthetrayinplacesothatitisfullyengagedinprocessingrefluxThedephlegmatorresidesabovethetopbubble-captrayItisachamberatthe

topofthecolumnwithnumerousverticaltubesforthevaportotravelthroughonitswaytothecondenserThereisawaterjacketaroundtheverticaltubesthattheoperator can flood with cooling water to increase the amount of reflux ThewaterlevelinthedephlegmatorcanbeadjustedtogivegranularcontrolovertheamountofrefluxHaving the capability to dial up or down the reflux creates a great deal of

control over the compoundmix in the finished spirit For example if a givenspirit had an excellent aroma and flavor profile but a rough finish due to anexcessof fuselalcohol the refluxcouldbedialedupslightly toholdback thefusel

TheMoorrsquoscaponthisalambicstillhasadistinctivelookandgivesauniqueflavorprofiletothedistillates

The catalyzer is positioned above the dephlegmator and has an array ofsacrificialcopperCopperisanimportantmaterialinastillbecausethenoxioussulfides in thevapor instantlyreactoutuponcontactwithcopperHoweverasthisoccursovertimethecoppermaterialofthestillbecomescompromisedandexpensivestillcomponentsrequirereplacingTheideaofthecatalyzeristohaveachamberwithcopper in thevaporpath specificallydesigned to reactout thesulfidesfromthevaporOvertimethiscoppererodesfromthereactionwiththesulfidesbutitcanbecheaplyreplacedIneffectthecopperinthecatalyzerisbeingsacrificedtosavethecoppermaterialofthestill

Artisanpotstill

In summary artisan pot stills can be superb stills and are well known formaking quality spirits Unfortunately their throughput is comparatively slowanddistilleriesareoftenputinthepositionofhavingtooptforlargerthroughputstillssuchasthecontinuous-runcolumntomeetthedemandsoftheirmarkets

COLUMNCONFIGURATION

Thenumber of bubble-cap trays in the column depends on the intendeduseoftheartisanpotstillanditisthereforeoptionalSomeartisanpotstillsare used to make vodka and have two tall columns with a total of twentybubble-cap trays An excellent configuration for making whiskey howeverwouldbeastillwithahelmetacolumnwithfourtraysadephlegmatorandacatalyzer

THEBATCH-STILLPROCESSOFDISTILLATION

THE DISTILLATION process is operationally the same for all four-batch

stills discussedpreviously themoonshine still thegooseneck still theFrenchCharentais and the artisan pot still The continuous-run column still has adifferentregimenanditisdescribedinthesectionthatfollows

TheProcessofDistillationAnOverview

Atleftthemajorstepsfrombarleytobarrel1MashTunUsedtoconvertbarleygrainstarchestosugars2Fermentationofthewash3Strippingofthewashtoremovewater4Collectionofldquolowwinerdquospirits5Redistillingthespiritstoproducefinalspiritsforbarreling6Barrelingoragingofspirits

HEADSHEARTSTAILS

Indistillingparlancethecompoundsinthewashthatarenotethanolorwaterare called congeners Some congeners such as acetaldehyde methanol andcertain esters and aldehydes have lower boiling points than ethanol certainotherestersthehigheralcohols(fuselalcohols)andwaterhavehigherboilingpoints than ethanolThismeans the lower-boiling congeners comeout inhighconcentrationatthebeginningofabatchdistillationrunandthehigher-boilingones come out in high concentration toward the end of the run leaving theethanol and the most desirable compounds as the most abundant componentsduringthemiddleoftherunWhendistillation takesplace in a batch still thedistillate that comesout is

dividedintothreephasescalledheadsheartsandtails

bullTheheadscontaintheunwantedlower-boilingcongenersthatcomeoutatthebeginningoftherun

bullThetailscontaintheunwantedhigher-boilingcongenersthatcomeoutattheendoftherun

bullTheheartsarethedesiredspiritinthemiddle

Becausewhiskeyisnotdistilledatahigh-separationlevelitmeansthateachphase bleeds into the adjacent phase That is to say there is a considerableamountofethanolintheheadsphaseandtherearelate-headscongenersatthebeginningof theheartsphaseSimilarly there isasignificantamountofearly-tails congeners at the endof thehearts and there is a considerable amount ofethanolinthetailsphaseThewhiskeycomprisedmostlyofethanolandwaterhasadelicatebalanceof late-headsandearly-tailscongeners thatmakeup theflavorprofileofthewhiskeyThere are literally thousands of these congeners or chemical flavor

compoundscreatedduringthedistillingprocessallofwhichhavethepotentialofaddingorsubtractingtothedesiredfinalflavorprofileofthedistilledspiritPart of the art (asopposed to the science)of distilling is knowingwhen thesecongeners are created and when to add or remove them In flavor-specificspirits such as brandy and whiskey it is desirable to carry over selectedcongeners into the finished spirit However in flavor-neutral spirits such asvodka the goal is to remove asmany congeners as possible to end upwith a

spiritthathasacleannonspecificpalateBecause both the heads and the tails contain a lot of ethanol and residual

desirable flavor they are mixed together and saved for future recovery Theheads and tails whenmixed together are called feints Feints can be distilledseparatelytoproduceanotherwhiskeyrunortheycanbemixedinwithafuturespirit runwhere their ethanol and flavors are recovered as a part of that runHowevereachsubsequentdistillationproducesitsownsetofheadsheartsandtailsandthefeintsfromthoserunsarealsosavedforfuturerecovery

TWO-RUNDISTILLATION

When whiskey is made it is usually done in two distillation runs a beer-strippingrunandaspiritrun

bullThebeer-strippingrunisgenerallydoneinalargerhigh-volumepotstillcalledabeerstripperThebeerstripperisusedtodistillthefermentedwashandconcentratetheethanolandalltheimpuritiesintoadistillateofabout25percentethanolcalledlowwine

bullThespiritrunisdoneinasmallerwhiskeystillsuchasagooseneckoranartisanrefluxstillcalledaspiritstillThespiritstillisusedtodistillthelowwineandrefineitintothefinishedspiritTherearethetwooutputsretainedfromthespiritrunthefinishedspiritandthefeints

For a beer-stripping run the fermented wash which is typically about 8percentABVisloadedintothebeerstripperandthecontentsarebroughttoaboilBecausethisrunisjustaprimarydistillationtheheadsheartsandtailsarenotseparatedoutTheentireoutputfromthisruniscollectedinasinglelotandthe run is continueduntil the aggregate percent alcohol is down to 25percentABVThisdistillateisthelowwinewhichistheinputtothespiritrunTo produce the finishedwhiskey the spirit still is filledwith the lowwine

from thebeer-stripping run andoftenameasureof feints fromprevious spiritrunsThespiritstillisthenbroughttoaboilIt iswith the spirit run that thedistilleradjusts theboil-up rate toachievea

gentleslowflowofdistillateandcarefullyseparatesouttheheadsheartsandtails

SINGLE-RUNDISTILLATION

SomewhiskeydistilleriesproducetheirwhiskeyinasingledistillationTheydo a spirit run directly from the wash The artisan reflux stills discussedpreviously are well suited to this type of whiskey distillation but it is labor-intensiveand thedistillermustpaya lotofattention tonumeroussmaller runsratherthanonelargerrunSomepeoplefind thewhiskeyfromasingle-distillationrun tobericherand

haveamorenaturalflavorwhileothersfindittobeharshandunrefinedInthefollowingtextthemorecommondouble-distillationmethodisused

MAKINGTHECUTS

ProbablythemostelusivepartofthedistillingprocessformakingwhiskeyismakingthecutsfromheadstoheartsandthentotailsMakingacutfromonephasetothenextisthepointwherethedistillerswitchestheoutputsothatitiscollectedinadifferentreceiverthanthepreviousphaseAttheendofthespiritrun theheadswillbe inonecontainer thehearts inanotherand the tails inathirdoneThequestioniswhendoyouswitchfromonephasetothenextExperienced distillers do this by taste Even though there are measurable

parameters such as still-head temperature and percent alcohol of the incomingspirit that can be used to judge when to make the cuts taste and smell stillremainthemostreliablemethodsfordeterminingthem

ThreepotstillsatStoutridgeVineyard

Herearetheempiricalparametersforjudgingthecuts

bullThepercentalcoholof the spirit that is flowingout of the still (ie theincomingspirit)

bullThestill-headtemperature

Thesevaryfromonestilltothenextandtheyvarybasedonthepropertiesofthe low wine (eg percent alcohol and quantity) It is possible to develop aconsistentprocessusingthesamestillandthesamequantityandformulationoflowwinesuchthattheparametersremainthesameforeachrunForexampleinaspiritruninanartisanrefluxstillwithlowwinethatis25

percentABVBegin-cut(iethecutfromheadstohearts)isusuallydonewhentheevolvingdistillateisatabout80percentandwhenthestill-headtemperatureisabout180degF(82degC)End-cut(iethecutfromheartstotails)isoftendoneatabout65percentand

whenthestill-headtemperatureisabout201degF(94degC)Howeveraspiritdistilledfromastraightmaltwashcanoftenbeend-cutas

low as 60 percent Also a gooseneck still distilling the very samewashmaybegin-cut at 72 percent and end-cut at 59 percent Therefore it is because ofthesenuances that smell and taste become theonly truly reliable indicators ofwhentomakethecuts

BEGIN-CUT

When making the begin-cut the taste characteristics that the distiller islookingforareasfollowsWhenaspiritruncomestoboilandthefirstdistillatestartsflowingfromthestillthisisthebeginningoftheheadsphaseThedistillercancollectasmallsampleofthedistillateonaspoonorinawineglassandsmellitAtthisstagethedistillatewillhavethesickeningsmellofsolvents(suchasnail-polish remover or paint-brush cleaner)However before long this solventsmell diminishes and evenwhen a sample is tasted these compoundswill beveryfaintAsthesolventcharacterdisappearscompletelythedistillatewillstartto take on a hint of whiskey This flavor will increase until it becomes verypronouncedandhighlyconcentratedItiswhenthisflavorisclearlyevidentbutisstillincreasinginintensitythatthedistillercutstotheheartsphase

END-CUT

Tomake the end-cut thedistiller needs tomonitor the flavor of changes intasteAt thebeginningof theheartsphase the intensityof thewhiskey flavorwillstillbeincreasinganditwillcontinuetodosountilitbecomesverystrongHowever as the hearts continue the intense whiskey flavor will fade into asmoothsweetpleasantflavorthatwillpersistformostoftheheartsTheflavorwillchangeslightlyastheheartsprogressbutitwillremainsweetandpleasantTowardtheendoftheheartstheflavorwillstartlosingitssweetnessandatraceofharshbitternesswillbegintoappearintheflavorThisharshbitterflavoristheonsetofthetailsAlthoughasmallamountofthisbitternessisconsideredtocontribute to theldquobiterdquocharacterof thewhiskey thedistiller shouldcut to thetailsreceiverbeforemuchofitisallowedtoentertheheartsThe tails can be collected until the evolving distillate is down to about 10

percentandthestill-headtemperatureisabout206degFor208degF(97degCor98degC)Thereasonfordoing this is to renderall the residualalcohol that is left in thestillattheendoftheheartsphaseThisalcoholcanthenberecoveredinafuturespiritrunThetailsphasestartsoutbitterandthebitternessbecomesmoreintenseasthe

tailscontinuebutasthetailsprogressthebitternesssubsidesandgiveswaytoasweet-tastingwaterThissweetwateriscalledbackins

THECONTINUOUS-RUNPROCESSOFDISTILLATION

IN a continuous-run distillation process wash is constantly entering the

columnsoallthreephases(headsheartsandtails)arepresentinthecolumnatalltimesThismeanstherecanrsquotbeadiscretecutwheretheheadsaredrawnoffandtheheartsbeginorthattheheartsendandthetailsbeginAllthreephasesmustbedrawnoffatthesametimeAcontinuous-runcolumnisahigh-separationfractionatingstillthatseparates

thecompoundsverywellsooncethestillisequilibratedandfunctioninginitssteady state of operation the distillers can determine which families ofcompounds are at each tray For example they might determine that thecompounds coming out of the top two trays are heads compounds and routethose two trays to the heads receiver Similarly they might observe that thecompoundscomingoutofthenextfourtraysdownareheartsThentheymightdeterminethatthefivetraysbelowtheheartstraysareproducingtailsandroutethemtothetailsreceiverBelowthetailstraysjustwaterwouldbecomingoutandthevalveswouldbeclosedsoitwouldbelefttoflowtothebottomofthecolumnandthentoadrainBecausethistypeofstillisnotintermittentinitsoperationitmustbesetup

to constantly draw the three phases of distillate at all times Although this isdifficulttosetupitcanproduceverylargequantitiesofspirittwenty-fourhoursadayforalongtime

ContinuousrunstillatFourRosesDistillery

CHAPTERTHREE

WHISKEY

ldquoAlways carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite andfurthermorealwayscarryasmallsnakerdquo

mdashWCFieldsAmericanactorandworld-classdrinker

THIS chapter introduces the process of distilling a worldrsquos worth ofwhiskiesincludingNorthAmericanstylesofbourbonTennesseeryeblendedAmericancornandCanadianandontoScotchandIrishwhiskiesfromEuropeOfallofthebasiccategoriesofspiritswhiskeyhasspreadthemostacrossthe

world achieving ageographic and stylistic diversity that is unmatchedby anyothertypeofdistilledspiritFromthebasicgrain-baseddistilledspiritsofninth-centuryIrelandScotlandandnorthernEuropehaveevolvedtheclassicwhiskiesofScotlandandIrelandThesespiritsinturnservedasthemodelsfordistillersin thenewlysettledNorthAmericancolonies toproducewhatcametobefirstmodern rye whiskey and then in rapid succession corn bourbon blendedAmericanandCanadianwhiskiesAllofthesenowclassicstylesofwhiskeyhaveinrecentdecadesservedas

the stylistic inspiration for myriad new whiskies throughout the world fromGermany toAustralia andNepal inbetweenSomeof thesenewwhiskiesarebasedonexistingstylesJapanesewhiskydistillersforexamplehavegenerallytaken their inspiration (and malt and sometimes even their water) fromScotlandOthersareboldlygoingforthinnewdirectionsparticularlyamongthenewgenerationofAmericancraftdistillers

StranahanrsquosColoradoWhiskey

THEHISTORYOFBOURBONWHISKEY

IN the early 1700s a combination of bad economic times and religious

unrestagainsttheAnglicanChurchinGreatBritainsetoffawaveofemigrationfrom Scotland and Ireland These Scots Irish and so-called ldquoScotch-Irishrdquo(ProtestantsfromthenorthernIrishcountyofUlster)broughttoNorthAmericatheir religion their distrust of government control and their skill at distillingwhiskeyThis rush augmented by German immigrants of a similar religious and

culturalpersuasionpassedthroughtheseaboardcoloniesandsettledinitiallyinPennsylvania Maryland and western Virginia Mostly small farmers theyquickly adapted to growing rye because of its hardiness and in the westerncountiesNativeAmericancornbecauseofitshighyieldsGrainwasawkwardtoshiptoEastCoastmarketsbecauseofthepoorroadssomanyfarmersturnedtodistillingtheircropsintowhiskeyInPennsylvaniathesewereprimarilyryewhiskiesfarthertothewestandsouthcornwhiskiespredominatedBytheendoftheAmericanWarofIndependencein1784thefirstcommercialdistillerieshadbeenestablishedinwhatwasthenthewesternVirginiacountyofKentuckyFromthestarttheyproducedcorn-basedwhiskies

Whiskeybarrelsondisplay

NOT-SO-TRIVIALPURSUIT

ThefirstwavesofBritishsettlersinNorthAmericawereathirstylotItisrecordedthatthePilgrimschosetomakefinallandfallinMassachusettseventhough their original destination was Virginia primarily because they werealmostoutofbeer

The first locallymade alcoholic beveragewas beer although the limitedsupplyofbarleymaltwasfrequentlysupplementedbyeverythingfromsprucetipstopumpkinDistilledspiritssoonfollowedwithrummadefromimportedCaribbeanmolassesdominatinginthenortherncoloniesandanassortmentoffruitbrandiesintheSouth

In1794thecash-strappedfederalgovernmentimposedthefirstfederalexcisetax on distillers The farmer-distillers of western Pennsylvania respondedviolentlyFederaltaxagentswereassaultedandkilledbyangrymobsOrderwasfinally restored when the federal government sent in an army of 15000militiamenledbyGeorgeWashingtontoputdowntherevoltTheringleaderswere convicted and sentenced to be hanged But cooler heads prevailed andafterjailtimetheywerepardonedandreleased

LabelforHudsonBabyBourbonbyTuthilltownSpirits

ThissituationdidprovokeanewmigrationofsettlersthroughtheCumberlandGap and into the then-western frontier lands of Kentucky and Tennessee Inthese new states farmers found ideal corn-growing country and smoothlimestone-filteredwatertwoofthebasicingredientsofbourbonwhiskeyThenamebourboncomesfromacounty ineasternKentuckywhich in turn

wasnamedfortheBourbonkingsofFrancewhohadaidedtheAmericanrebelsintheRevolutionaryWarBourbonCountywasintheearlynineteenthcenturyacenterofwhiskeyproductionandtransshipping(Ironicallyatthepresenttimeitisaldquodryrdquocounty)Thelocalwhiskeymadeprimarilyfromcornsoongainedareputation for being particularly smooth because the local distillers aged theirproductsincharredoakcasksTheadoptionoftheldquosourmashrdquograinconversiontechniquefurtherdistinguishedbourbonfromotherwhiskeystyles

BenjaminPrichardrsquosDoubleBarreledBourbonfromPrichardsrsquoDistillery

REVIVALOFTHEFITTEST

ItmayseemoddbutScotchwhiskymaybebourbonrsquosinspirationforlong-termrevivalThesteadygrowthinsalesofsinglemaltandhigh-qualityScotchwhiskies has not gone unnoticed in bourbon country All of theKentucky andTennessee whiskey distilleries are nowmarketing high-end ldquosingle caskrdquo andldquosmallbatchrdquowhiskiesthathavefoundgreatsuccessamongupscaleconsumersMore than thirty craft whiskey distilleries have opened in the past few yearsacross the United States to cater to this increasing demand for quality overquantity The United States may yet in the words of one commentator ldquoturnawayfromforeignpotionsandreturntoitsnativespiritrdquo

LabelforPappyVanWinklersquosFamilyReserveKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskey

By the 1840s bourbon was recognized and marketed as a distinctiveAmericanstyleofwhiskeyalthoughnotasaregionallyspecificspiritBourboncametobeproducedinKentuckyTennesseeIndianaIllinoisOhioMissouriPennsylvaniaNorthCarolinaandGeorgiaalthoughtheonlylegalrequirementfor calling a whiskey ldquobourbonrdquo is that it be produced in the United StatesNowadaysbourbonproductionisslowlyexpandingtootherstatesasnewcraftwhiskeydistillerscomeonline Initiallybourbonwasmade inpotstillsbutasthe century progressed the new column still technology was increasinglyadoptedThelastold-linepotstillplantclosedinPennsylvaniain1992butthetechniquewasrevivedinKentuckyin1995whenthehistoricLabrotampGrahamDistillerywas renovatedand reopenedwitha setofnewScottish-built copperpotstillsMorerecentlymostof thenewgenerationofcraftwhiskeydistillersusepotstillsThelatenineteenthcenturysawtheriseofthetemperancemovementasocial

phenomenondrivenbyapotentcombinationofreligiousandwomenrsquosgroupsTemperancesocietiessuchastheWomenrsquosChristianTemperanceUnionandtheAnti-SaloonLeagueoperatednationallybuttheywereparticularlyactiveintheSouthernstatesThenotionoftemperancesoongavewaytoastateddesireforoutright prohibition and throughout the rest of the century an assortment ofstatesandcountiesadoptedprohibitionforvaryinglengthsoftimeanddegreesof severity This muddle of legal restrictions played havoc in the bourbonindustry because it interfered with the production and aging of stocks ofwhiskey

LabelforBlantonrsquosSingleBarrelKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskeybyBuffaloTraceDistillery

National Prohibition in 1919 had effects on the bourbon industry beyondshuttingdownmostofthedistilleriesDrinkingdidnotstopofcourseandtheUnitedStateswassoonawashinillegalalcoholmuchofitofdubiousqualityWhat did change was the American taste in whiskey Illicit moonshine andimportedCanadianwhiskeyswere lighter in taste and body than bourbon andrye The corresponding increase in popularity ofwhite spirits such as gin andvodkafurtheralteredthemarketplaceWhenRepealcamein1933anumberofthe old distilleries didnrsquot reopen and the industry began a slow consolidationthatlastedintotheearly1990satwhichtimetherewereonlytendistilleriesinKentuckyandtwoinTennessee

SouvenirbottleofEvanWilliamsKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskeybyHeavenHillDistilleries

BottleofFourRosesDistilleryrsquosSingleBarrelKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskey

ElijahCraig18-year-oldKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskeybyHeavenHillDistilleries

BuffaloTraceDistilleryrsquosKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskey

TENNESSEEWHISKEY

Tennessee whiskey is a first cousin of bourbon with virtually an identicalhistoryThesamesortofpeopleusedthesamesortofgrainsandthesamesortofproduction techniques to produce a style of whiskey that remarkably isnoticeablydifferentTheearlywhiskeydistillers inTennessee for reasons thatarelosttohistoryaddedafinalsteptotheirproductionprocesswhentheybeganfilteringtheirwhiskeythroughthickbedsofsugar-maplecharcoalThisfiltrationremoves some of the congeners (flavor elements) in the spirit and creates asmooth mellow palate The two remaining whiskey distillers in the statecontinue this tradition which a distiller at the Jack Danielrsquos Distillery oncedescribedasbeingldquosamechurchdifferentpewrdquo

HudsonManhattanRyeWhiskeybyTuthilltownSpirits

RYEWHISKEY

The Scotch-Irish immigrant distillers had some exposure to using rye inwhiskeyproductionbutfortheirGermanimmigrantneighborsryehadbeentheprimary grain used in the production of schnapps and vodka back in northernEuropeTheycontinuedthisdistillingpracticeparticularlyinPennsylvaniaandMaryland where rye whiskey with its distinctive hard-edged grainy palateremainedthedominantwhiskeytypewellintothetwentiethcentury

AbottleofTempletonProhibitionEraRecipeSmallBatchRyeWhiskeyfromTempletonRye

Thehand-blownbottleofRendezvousRyeWhiskeycastsawavyambershadowonagiftbox

Rye whiskey was more adversely affected by National Prohibition thanbourbonwasAgenerationofconsumersweanedonlight-bodiedandrelativelydelicate white spirits turned away from the pungent full-bodied straight ryewhiskies Production of rye whiskies had vanished altogether from the Mid-Atlantic states by the 1980s A handful ofmodern rye whiskies are currentlybeingmadebybourbondistilleriesinKentuckyandIndianaTheUnitedStatesrsquosfirstindigenouswhiskeystyleistodayonlybarelysurvivinginthemarketplaceIts primary use is for blending to give other whiskies more character andbackbonealthoughasmallbutvocalgroupofryewhiskyenthusiastscontinueto champion it and a number of new craft distillers are again producing theirinterpretationsofthisclassicAmericanwhiskeystyle

LabelforRyeWhiskeyfromtheIsaiahMorganDistillery

OldPotrero18thCenturyStyleRyeWhiskeybyAnchorDistilling

BLENDEDAMERICANWHISKEY

Blendedwhiskiesdate fromtheearlynineteenthcenturywhen the inventionof the column still made possible the production of neutral spirits Distillersblended one or more straight whiskies (bourbon and rye) with these neutralspirits invaryingproportions tocreate theirownbrandedblendThe tasteandqualityof thesewhiskies thenasnowvariesaccording to the ratioofstraightwhiskey to neutral grain spirit Early blends were frequently flavored witheverything from sherry to plug tobacco Compared to straight whiskies theywere inexpensiveandblandModernblendsutilizedozensofdifferent straightwhiskiestoensureaconsistentflavorprofileBlendedAmericanwhiskieshadagreat sales boost during and just afterWorldWar IIwhendistillers promotedthem as away of stretching their limited supply of straightwhiskeyBlendedwhiskeys were considered to be too bland by bourbon and rye drinkers andconsumerswithatasteforlighterspiritssoonmigratedovertovodkaandgin

AbottleofMellowCornKentuckyStraightCornWhiskeybyMedleyCompany

CORNWHISKEY

Cornwhiskeyanunagedclearspiritwas the first trulyAmericanwhiskeyandtheprecursortobourbonScotch-Irishfarmersproduceditintheirstillsforfamilyconsumptionor to trade for storegoodsWhen state and federal excisetaxeswerepermanentlyintroducedduringtheCivilWarmostoftheproductionofcornwhiskeywentundergroundtobecomemoonshinewhereithasremainedeversinceAmodestamountofcommercialcornwhiskeyisstillproducedandconsumedintheSouthwhileanincreasingnumberofcraftwhiskeydistilleriesarenowexperimentingwiththismoreinterestingalternativetovodka

AbottleofPlatteValleyStraightCornWhiskeybyMcCormickDistillingCo

CANADIANWHISKY

Canadianwhiskies aswith theirAmerican cousins originated on the farmTheseearlywhiskiesweremadeprimarilyfromryethoughovertimeCanadiandistillersturnedtocornwheatandothergrainsCanadianscontinuetorefertotheirwhiskyasldquoryerdquoeventhoughthemashbillisnowpredominantlyamixofcorn wheat and barley Several of the new generation of Canadian craftdistillersarehowevermarketingbothall-maltandldquotruerdquoryewhiskies

FortyCreekSmallBatchReserveWhisky(Canadian)byKittlingRidgeEstateWinesampSpirits

AbottleofSnakeRiverStampedeBlendedCanadianWhisky

THEBASISOFNORTHAMERICANWHISKIES

NORTHAmericanwhiskiesareall-grainspiritsthathavebeenproducedfrom

amashbillthatusuallymixestogethercornryewheatbarleyandothergrainsin different proportions and then is aged for an extended period of time inwoodenbarrelsThesebarrelsmaybeneworusedandcharredoruncharredontheinsidedependingonthetypeofwhiskeybeingmade

Whiskeybarrelsondisplayonanantiquetruck

Most non-craft North American whiskies are made in column stills TheUnitedStatesgovernmentrequiresthatallwhiskies

bullBedistilledat90percentABVorlessbullBereducedtonomorethan625percentABV(125degproof)beforebeingagedinoakbarrels(exceptforcornwhiskeywhichdoesnothavetobeagedinwood)

bullHavethearomatasteandcharacteristicsthataregenerallyattributedtowhiskey

bullBebottledatnolessthat40percentABV(80degproof)

Acoopershootsairintoacharringbarreltostoketheflames

Acooperformsabarrelbeforeattachinghoopsaroundtheoutside

CLASSIFICATIONSOFNORTHAMERICANWHISKIES

NORTHAMERICANwhiskiesareessentiallyclassifiedbythetypeorvarietyof

grains in the mash bill the percentage or proof of alcohol at which they aredistilledandthedurationandmanneroftheiraging

Astirringpaddlesitsoveramoonshinewash

BarleygrowinginafieldinWashingtonState

PeregrineRockSingleMaltWhiskeybyStJamesSpirits

NORTHAMERICANWHISKEYREGIONS

North Americarsquos variations of whiskey are as nuanced and distinct as thecontinentrsquos regionsMost are aged innewwoodbarrels butbeyond that therehasbeenmuchexperimentinginrecentyears

UNITEDSTATES

Kentucky produces all types of North American whiskies except forTennessee andCanadian It currently has the largest concentration ofwhiskeydistilleries on the continent but may soon cede that claim to MichiganColoradooroneofthePacificNorthweststatesasnewcraftdistilleriescontinuetoopen

BarrelsofbourbonagingattheWoodfordReserveDistillery

MostWantedKansasWhiskeybyHighPlainsInc

Tennessee started out as bourbon country but today its two remainingwhiskeydistilleriesspecializeinthedistinctiveTennesseestyleofwhiskeyOther statesmdashprimarily Indiana IllinoisVirginia andMissourimdashhave large

distilleries that produce straight whiskeys although some of these plants arecurrentlymothballed

CANADA

Ontario has the largest concentration of whisky distilleries in Canada withthreeAlbertahastwoandManitobaQuebecandNovaScotiaeachhaveoneWiththeexceptionofGlenorainNovaScotiaandKittlingRidgeinOntarioalloftheothercurrentCanadianwhiskydistilleriesproduceonlyblendedCanadianwhisky although a number of new craft whisky distilleries are listed in theindex

REGIONALFLAVORS

Therearenowmorethanthirtycraftdistilleriesinat leastseventeenstatesthatareproducingsuchstandardwhiskeystylesasbourboncornandryeaswell asmany experimental variationsOne example isWasmundrsquos SingleMaltWhiskey from theCopperFoxDistilleryofSperryvilleVirginiaThisdistilleryhasitsownfloormaltingsandsoaks itsagingspirit inapple-woodchipsThissort of production twist which has its roots in craft brewing is increasinglybecomingadistinctivefeatureofAmericancraftdistillingAdditionally there are a number of distilling plants scattered around the

country that rectify (redistill) process and bottle spirits that were originallydistilledelsewhereThesedistilleriesinadditiontosometimesbottlingbourbonthat has been shipped to them in bulk may also create their own blendedwhiskiesThesewhiskiestendtoberelativelyinexpensiveldquowellrdquobrandsthataresoldmainlytotavernsandbarsformakingmixeddrinks

RickWasmundmaltsbarleybyhandattheCopperFoxDistillery

AWHISKEYLEXICON

Bondedwhiskeyisbourbonfromasingledistillerythatwasproducedinasingle ldquoseasonrdquo and then aged for at least four years in a government-supervisedldquobondedrdquowarehouseDistillersoriginallydidthistoavoidhavingtopaytheexcisetaxuntilthewhiskeywasagedandreadyformarketConsumerscameto(erroneously)regardtheldquobottledinbondrdquodesignationasastatementofqualityBondedwhiskies arenotmuchof a factor in todayrsquosmarket althoughtheystillexist

Themash is themix of crushed grain (including somemalt that containsenzymestobreakdowngrainstarchesintosugars)andhotwaterfromwhichthedistillerdrawsaliquidextractcalledwortThewortisfermentedintoasimplebeercalledthewashwhichisthendistilled

Sourmashisthefermentationprocessbywhichapercentageofapreviousfermentation is added to a new batch as a ldquostarterrdquo to get the fermentationgoing andmaintain a level of consistency from batch to batch A sweetmashmeansthatonlyfreshyeastisaddedtoanewbatchtostartfermentation

Straight whiskey is unblended whiskey that contains no neutral spiritBourbonTennesseeryeandcornwhiskiesarestraightwhiskiesThereisalsoaspiritsimplycalledldquostraightwhiskeyrdquo that ismade fromamixtureofgrainsnoneofwhichaccountsfor51percentofthemashbill

InthiswhiskeybarrelstoragebuildingablackmoldandrustthriveontheldquoangelrsquossharerdquoofevaporatedalcoholandtheKentuckyhumidity

Washbeingmadeinthemashtun

Bubblesriseduringagrainfermentation

SCOTCHWHISKYIRISHWHISKEYANDOTHERWHISKIESOFTHEWORLD

WHISKY isdefined in itsmostbasic senseasa spirit that isdistilled from

grainSometimesthegrainhasbeenmaltedsometimesnotWhatdistinguisheswhiskyfromvodkaginaquavitandothergrain-basedspiritsisthatitisagedoftenforlongperiodsoftimeinwoodenbarrels(usuallyoak)Thisbarrelagingsmoothes the rough palate of the raw spirit adding aromatic and flavoringnuancesalongwiththebaseamberhuethatsetswhiskiesapartfromwhitegrainspirits

THEHISTORYOFSCOTCHWHISKY

ThebasisofScotchwhiskyistheheather-flavoredalesmadefrombarleymaltthat thePictsand theirprehistoricancestorsbrewedArcheologistshave foundevidence of such brewing dating back to at least 2000 BCE This ale stillproducedtodaybyatleastoneScottishmicrobrewerwaslowinalcoholandnotverystableStarting in theninthcentury Irishmonksarrived inScotland toChristianize

theirCelticbrethrenTheybroughtalongthefirstprimitivestillswhichtheyhadpickedupduring theirproselytizingvisits tomainlandEuropeduring theDarkAges The local Picts soon found that they could create a stable alcoholicbeveragebydistillingheatheraleSimplestillscametobefoundinmostruralhomesteadsandhomemadewhiskybecameanintegralpartofGaelicculture

ForsythstillsatthePenderynWhiskyDistilleryinWales

Laphroaig10-year-oldSingleMaltScotchWhiskyfromtheIslandofIslay

WHYBLENDEDSCOTCHWHISKYISAGOODTHINGEVENIFYOUPREFERSINGLEMALTS

It isatruismofreligionthatconvertsfrequentlybecomethemostzealousofbelieversAmongfreshlymintedmodern-dayenthusiastsofScotchmaltwhiskiesit is a frequently heard refrain thatmalt whiskies are superior to the blendedarticle and that the latterare just notworthbotheringwithPersonal taste isultimatelysubjectiveofcourseButsinglemaltdrinkersshouldraisetheirhatsin salute whenever a Dewarrsquos or Johnnie Walker delivery truck drives bybecause without these blended brands most of the remaining malt distillerieswouldnotexistBlendedScotchwhiskiesrequireablendofdozensofdifferentmaltwhiskiestobecombinedwiththegrainwhiskytocreatethedesiredblendThe individual percentages of each malt whisky may be small but eachcontributesitsuniquecharactertotheblendAblenderwillthusneedtobuyorproducealargeamountofdifferentmaltwhiskiestomaintaintheconsistencyoftheblendThus foramaltwhiskydistillery thesinglemaltmaygetallof theglorybuttheblendsultimatepaythebills

Talisker18-year-oldSingleMaltScotchWhisky

AslongasScottishkingsruledthecountryfromEdinburghthestatusquoofwhiskyasjustanotherfarmproductwasmoreorlessmaintainedButtheActofUnion in 1707 that combined England Wales and Scotland into the UnitedKingdomalteredtheScotchwhiskysceneforeverTheLondongovernmentsoonleviedexcisetaxesonScottish-madewhisky(whileatthesametimecuttingthetaxesonEnglishgin)Theresultwasapredictableboomin illicitdistilling In1790sEdinburghitwasestimatedthatmorethn400illegalstillscompetedwithjust eight licensed distilleries A number of present-day Scottish distilleriesparticularlyintheHighlandshavetheiroriginsinsuchillicitoperations

HighlandPark12-year-oldSingleMaltScotchWhisky

BarrelsagingatthePenderynWhiskyDistilleryinWales

TheExciseAct of 1823 reduced taxes onScotchwhisky tolerablyThis actcoincided with the dawn of the industrial revolution and entrepreneurs weresoon building new state-of-the-art distilleries The local moonshiners (calledsmugglers) did not go quietly Some of the first licensed distillers in rurallocations were threatened by their illicit peers But in the end productionefficiencies and the rule of law won out The whisky that came from thesedistillerieswasmade exclusively frommalted barley that had been kiln driedoverpeatfiresThesmokefromthesepeatfiresgavethemaltadistinctivetangthatmadetheScottishproductinstantlyidentifiablebywhiskydrinkersallovertheworldThe nineteenth century brought a rush of changes to the Scotch whisky

industryTheintroductionofcolumnstillsearlyinthe1830sledtothecreationofgrainwhiskywhich in turn led toblendedScotchwhisky in the late1860sThe smooth blandness of the grain whisky toned down the assertive smokycharacterofthemaltwhiskiesThe resulting blended whisky was milder and more acceptable to foreign

consumersparticularlytheEnglishwhoturnedtoScotchwhiskyinthe1870swhen a phylloxera infestation (an insect pest that destroys grape vines) in thevineyardsofEuropedisruptedsuppliesofcognacandporttwoofthemainstaysof civilized living Malt whisky distilleries were bought up by blendingcompaniesandtheiroutputwasblendedwithgrainwhiskiestocreatethegreatblended brands that have come to dominate the market The malt whiskydistilleriestookabackseattothesebrandsandsoldmostorinsomecasesalloftheirproductiontotheblendersTherecentpopularrevivalofmaltwhiskieshasledmostofthedistilleriestocomeoutwithbottlingsoftheirownproducts

KeithTenchvisitorcentremanagerposeswithdistillerGillianHowellatthePenderynWhiskyDistilleryinWales

Bythe1970sinternationalliquorcompaniesownedmostofthemaltwhiskydistilleriesasituationthatcontinuestothisday

THEHISTORYOFIRISHWHISKEY

TheScotsmostlikelylearnedaboutdistillingfromtheIrish(thoughtheyareloath to admit it) The Irish in turn learned about it according to the Irish atleastfrommissionarymonkswhoarrivedinIrelandintheseventhcenturyTheactualdetailsareabitsketchyforthenext700yearsorsobutitdoesseemthatmonks in various monasteries were distilling aqua vitae (ldquowater of liferdquo)primarily formakingmedicalcompoundsThese firstdistillateswereprobablygrape or fruit brandy rather than grain spirit Barley-basedwhiskey (thewordderivesfromuiscebeatha theGaelic interpretationofaquavitae) firstappearsin the historical record in the mid-1500s when the Tudor kings began toconsolidateEnglishcontrolinIrelandQueenElizabethIwassaidtobefondofitandhadcasksshippedtoLondonregularlyThe imposition of an excise tax in 1661 had the same effect as it did in

Scotlandwith the immediate commencementof theproductionofpoteen (theIrish version of moonshine) This did not however slow the growth of thedistillingindustryandbytheendoftheeighteenthcenturythereweremorethan2000stillsinoperationUnderBritish rule Irelandwasexportorientedand Irishdistillersproduced

large quantities of pot-distilled whiskey for export into the expanding BritishEmpire (along with grains and assorted foodstuffs) In the late nineteenthcenturymorethan400brandsofIrishwhiskeywerebeingexportedandsoldintheUnitedStates

DistillerLanceWintersleadsagroupofotherdistillersonatourofStGeorgeSpiritsHangarOneVodkaHeretheyaremarvelingatthegleamingcolumnstills

This happy state of affairs lasted into the early twentieth centurywhen themarketbegantochangeTheIrishpotstilluserswereslowtorespondtotheriseof blended Scotch whisky with its column-distilled smooth-grain-whiskycomponent When National Prohibition in the United States closed off theirlargest export market many of the smaller distilleries closed The remainingdistilleries then failed to anticipate the coming of Repeal (unlike the Scotchdistillers) and were caught short when it came The Great Depression tradeembargoes between the newly independent Irish Republic and the UnitedKingdomandWorldWarIIcausedfurtherhavocamongthedistillersIn1966thethreeremainingdistillingcompaniesintheRepublicofIrelandmdash

Powers Jameson and CorkDistilleriesmdashmerged into a single company IrishDistillers Company (IDC) In 1972 Bushmills the last distillery in NorthernIrelandjoinedIDCIn1975IDCopenedanewmammothdistilleryatMidleton

nearCorkandalloftheotherdistilleriesintherepublicwerecloseddownwiththeproductionoftheirbrandsbeingtransferredtoMidletonForafourteen-yearperiod the Midleton plant and Bushmills in Northern Ireland were the onlydistilleriesinIreland

Thissadstateofaffairsendedin1989whenapotato-peelethanolplant inDundalk was converted into a whiskey distillery The new Cooley Distillerybegantoproducemaltandgrainwhiskeyswiththefirstthree-year-oldbottlingsreleasedin1992

YamazakiDistilleryShimamotoOsakaJapan12-year-oldSingleMaltWhisky(Japan)

THEHISTORYOFJAPANESEWHISKY

Themodern Japanesewhisky industry can trace its beginnings back to onemanMasatakaTaketsuraThesonofasakebrewerTaketsurawenttoScotlandin 1918 and spent two years studying chemistry at Glasgow University andworkingataScotchwhiskydistilleryinRothesintheHighlandsHereturnedtoJapanin1920withaScottishbrideandadeterminationtochangetheJapanesedistillingindustryTheJapanesewerethenastheyarenowmajorconsumersofScotchwhisky

Locallyproducedspiritshoweverwere limited to thefierysorghum-orsweet-potato-basedshochuandahandfulofdubiousldquowhiskiesrdquothatwerelittlemorethan neutral spirits colored with caramel Taketsura convinced the owners ofwhatbecametheSuntoryCompanytobeginproductionofbarleymaltandgrainwhiskiesbasedontheScottishmodelThesewhiskiessomeofwhicharemadefrom imported peat-smoked Scottish malt became very successful in theJapanesemarketOtherdistilleriesfollowedSuntoryrsquosleadandthesewhiskiesbased onScotchwhiskymodels (and later bourbonwhiskey) soon dominatedthemarket

KaruizawaNumberOneSingleCaskWhisky(Japan)ThedistilleryislocatedinthefoothillsofMountAsamaanactivevolcano

ModernJapanesedistillers(includingtheNikkaWhiskyDistillerywhichwasfoundedbyTaketsurain1934)havefollowedthistrendandnowadaysproduceandmarketafullrangeofmaltandblendedwhiskies

THEHISTORYOFNEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIANWHISKY

Scottishemigrantsbroughttheirwhisky-makingskillstoNewZealandinthe1840s A thriving whisky industry soon developed and operated until 1875whennewexcessivelyhighexcisetaxesandheavycompetitionfromimportedBritishwhiskies forced the local commercial distilleries to shut downA newalmostcommercial-sizedmoonshinetradequicklyreplacedthemasituationthatcontinuedforalmostacenturyIn 1968 a newwhisky distillery opened inDunedin It produces a range of

maltandgrainwhiskiesbroadlyintheScottishstylefromlocallygrowngrainEventhebarleymaltiskilnedandsmokedusinglocalpeatAustralianwhisky production has experienced a similar varied historywith

assortednineteenth-centuryproducerspoppingup in thevariousstatesonly tobedrivenoutofbusinessbyBritishimportsAbortiveattemptsinthe1990storevivewhiskyproductionhavebeenfollowedmorerecentlybyanewgenerationofmoresuccessfulcraftwhiskydistillersparticularlyontheislandofTasmania

Thousandsofbarrelsstackedoutsideacooperage

THEBASISOFSCOTCHWHISKYIRISHWHISKEYJAPANESEWHISKYAND

NEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIANWHISKY

Allofthesewhiskeystyleswhileverydifferentintasteandstylearebasedonmaltedbarleyasthedominantsourceofflavorandcharacter

SCOTLAND

TherearetwobasiccategoriesofScotchwhiskymaltwhiskywhichismadeexclusivelyfrommaltedbarleythathasbeendriedoversmokingpeatfiresandgrainwhiskywhichismadefromunmaltedwheatorcornThesewhiskiesareaged inusedwoodenbourbonor sherrybarrels for aminimumof threeyearsalthoughfivetotenyearsisthegeneralpractice

IRELAND

TherearetwobasiccategoriesofIrishwhiskeymaltwhiskeywhichismadeexclusivelyfrommaltedbarleythathasbeenkiln-driedbutnotoverpeatfiresandgrainwhiskeywhichismadefromunmaltedwheatorcornThesewhiskeysareagedinusedwoodenbourbonorsherrybarrelsforaminimumofthreeyearsalthoughfivetoeightyearsisthenorm

JAPAN

Japanese whiskies both malt and blended are broadly based on Scotchwhiskieswithsometopbrandsevenbeingmadewith importedScottishwaterandpeat-smokedbarleymaltThepeat-smokecharacterofJapanesewhiskiesisgenerally more subtle and delicate than their Scottish counterparts Japanesewhiskiesmaybeagedinbothnewandused(usuallybourbon)woodenbarrelswhichmaybeeithercharredoruncharred

NEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIA

New Zealand and Australian whiskies both draw on Scottish Irish andAmerican traditions in a cheerfully mixed manner using both peated andunpeated locally-grown barley malt to produce mostly pot-distilled maltwhiskiesthatareagedinusedbourbonandwinebarrelsforatheoreticalifnotalwaysabsoluteminimumofsixyearsformaltwhisky

Detailoffermentingbarleywashformakingwhiskey

THEDISTILLATIONOFSCOTCHWHISKYIRISHWHISKEYJAPANESEWHISKY

ANDNEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIANWHISKY

Double-andeventriple-distillationisthenormforthisfamilyofbarleymaltndashbasedwhiskies

SCOTLAND

All Scotch malt whiskies are double distilled in pot stills whereas Scotchgrainwhiskiesaremadeincolumnstills

IRELAND

Irishwhiskeysbothblendedandmaltareusuallytripledistilledthroughbothcolumnandpotstillsalthoughthereareafewexclusivelypot-distilledbrands

JAPAN

Japanese whiskies follow the Scottish tradition with malt whiskies beingdoubledistilledinpotstillsandgrainwhiskiesincolumnstills

NEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIA

BothNewZealandandAustralianmaltandgrainwhiskiesaredoubledistilledin pot stills with some Tasmanian distilleries reportedly experimenting withtripledistillation

SCOTCHWHISKYIRISHWHISKEYJAPANESEWHISKYANDNEWZEALAND

ANDAUSTRALIANWHISKYREGIONS

SCOTLAND

TheHighlandsconsistoftheportionofScotlandnorthofalinefromDundeeon the North Sea coast in the east to Greenock on the Irish Sea in the westincluding all of the islands off the mainland except for Islay Highland maltwhiskies cover a broad spectrum of styles They are generally consideredaromatic smooth and medium bodied with palates that range from lushcomplexitytofloraldelicacyThesubregionsoftheHighlandsincludeSpeysidetheNorthEastandWestHighlandstheOrkneyIslesandtheWesternIslands(JuraMullandSkye)TheLowlandsencompasstheentireScottishmainlandsouthoftheHighlands

except the Kintyre Peninsula where Campbeltown is located Lowland maltwhiskiesarelightbodiedrelativelysweetanddelicateIslay is an island off the west coast Traditional Islay malt whiskies are

intenselysmokyandpungentincharacterwithadistinctiveiodineormedicinaltangthatissaidtocomefromseasaltpermeatingthelocalpeatthatisusedtodrythebarleymaltCampbeltown is a port located on the tip of the Kintyre Peninsula on the

southwestcoastthathasitsowndistinctivespicyandsalt-tingedmaltwhiskies

IRELAND

Aseriesofcorporateconsolidationsandresultingplantclosureshavelefttheislandwithonly threedistilleries one inCountyAntrimat thenorthern tipofUlsterandtwointheRepublicofIrelandtothesouthSeveralnewandreviveddistilleriesarehowevercurrentlyunderconstruction

JAPAN

The whisky distilleries of Japan are scattered throughout Honshu andHokkaido the two main northern islands of Japan with the malt whiskydistillerieslocatedforthemostpartinmountainousregionswheretherearegoodwatersupplies

NEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIA

NewZealandcurrentlyonlyhasoneoperatingwhiskydistillery inDunedinSouth Island At press time Australia had one operating whisky distillery inwesternAustraliaandthreeinTasmania

WHISKYCOCKTAILS

SAZERACInashortglasscombinebull2ounces(60ml)ryewhiskeybull1teaspoon(5g)sugarStirtoblendthenaddbullDashPeychaudrsquosbittersbullDashAngosturabittersbullfrac12ounce(15ml)Pernodbull2icecubesStirtoblendGarnishwithlemontwist

DEPTHCHARGE

Fill a tall glass three-quarters full of beer Pour 1 12 ounces (45 ml)CanadianwhiskeyintoashotglassDroptheshotglassintotheglassofbeeranddrinkthemtogether

WHISKEYSOURFillashortglasswithiceInashakercombinebull1frac12ounces(45ml)bourbonwhiskeybull1ounce(30ml)lemonjuicebull1tablespoon(15g)sugarbullCrushedice(halffull)Shakeandstrainintotheglass

MANHATTAN

Inashakercombinebull1frac12ounces(45ml)blendedbullfrac34ounce(23ml)sweetvermouthbullIceStirandstrainintoamartini(cocktail)glassorashortglassGarnishwitha

maraschinocherry

RUSTYNAIL

FillashortglasswithicecubesAdd

bull1ounce(30ml)Scotchwhiskybullfrac12ounce(15ml)DrambuieliqueurStirandserve

SazeracRyeWhiskey

LabelforOldGristmillAuthenticAmericanCornWhiskeybyTuthilltownSpirits

ARTISANPROFILEINSIDETHEINDUSTRY

JOHNHENRY

PipeLineBrandAgentsNewYorkNewYork

SUDDENLY it is time to open the doorsYou bought your still got yourlicensebuiltyourdistillerysourcedyourrawproductsdecidedwhattomakeandactuallymadesomeThemostimportantstepisstillaheadmdashyoursquovegottoconvincepeopletobuywhatyoursquoresellingEnterJohnHenryofPipeLineBrandAgentsabrandbuilderandmarketdeveloperThetaskofreachingcustomersisdauntingGiantcorporationscanflybevies

of representatives around the world and ply retailers and restaurants withpromotional wares but the small distiller more often than not finds himselfdrivingaroundinhisowncarwithacaseortwointhetrunkPipeLinersquosteamofbrand agents andmarket ambassadors are ldquodedicated to properly representinghigh-qualityartisanalspiritsrdquo(accordingtotheirwebsite)andtheyworkhardtobuildstrongsupportivemutuallybeneficialrelationshipsldquoI tell the storiesrdquo saidHenry ldquoWhether it is the history of a centuries-old

brewery the soil composition the site and terroir of a sugarcane field orvineyard or a cherished family recipe that goes back fourteen generations Iwanttogetoutonthestreetandtellpeopleaboutitrdquo

HenryunderstandsthatasmalldistillerrsquosproductisaworkofpassionandhewantstoinstillthatpassioninthemarketplaceandforgethesortofloyaltythatcanonlybecommandedbyacraftproductldquoIknowthepersonalitiesthehistoryandthedramaWhatrsquosbetterthanthat

Nocorporate-createdbrandlike10CanehasthishistoryandrootedstoryrdquoHenry cuts a striking figure He is a graduate ofWest Point and a former

Armyintelligenceofficerbutheleftall thatbehindtoridehisbicyclethroughthestreetsofNewYorkbottlesclinkinginhisbackpackldquoThebikeiskingItrsquosastoryuntoitselfItrsquosgreenitrsquosstreetitrsquosartisanalit

movesItrsquosahand-deliveredhand-soldwaytodobusinessandIwouldnrsquothaveit anyotherway I paraphraseOrwell lsquoWhen I see a grownmanon a bike IhavehopeforthefuturersquordquoHenrylikestosaythatheldquofarmsrelationshipsonthestreetmdashorganicallyrdquoIn

doingsothehardestpartofthejobisalsowhatmakesitpossibleldquoWhatrsquosmostdifficultaboutrepresentingthemoreboutiquecraftedbrandsis

that you have to continually tell the story from scratch The bigger brandsbombard the consumerwith imagesmdashthinkVincentGallo forBelvedereWiththesmallerbrandsyouhavetomaketheconnectiononeononeasifyouwerethedistillertellinghisstoryThatrsquoswhatmakesthemstandoutasbrandsandasdistillersIamasmuchabrandstorytellerasIamastreet-basedbrandbuilderIlookatmyjobaspartJohnnyAppleseedandpartJohnnyCarsonrdquo

CHAPTERFOUR

VODKA

ldquoThe relationship between a Russian and a bottle of vodka is almostmysticalrdquo

mdashRichardOwenBritishscientistanddrinkingbuddyofCharlesDarwin

Acolorfularayofcraftvodkasondisplayonicereadytobeenjoyedresponsibly

ASTHESTORYgoesin988theGrandPrinceofKiev(Ukraine)decideditwas time for his people to be converted from their paganways to one of themonotheisticreligionsthatheldswaytothesouthFirstcametheJewishrabbisHe listened to their argumentswas impressed but ultimately sent them awayafternoting that the followersof Judaismdidnotcontrolany landNextcamethe Muslim mullahs Again he was impressed both with their intellectualargumentsandthesuccessofIslamasapoliticalandmilitaryforceButwhenhewas told that Islamproscribed alcohol hewas dismayed and sent themawayFinallycametheChristianpriestswhoinformedhimthatnotonlycouldgoodChristiansdrinkalcoholbutalsothatwinewasrequiredforchurchritualssuchas communion That was good enough for the Grand Prince and on hiscommandhissubjectsconvertedenmassetoChristianity

THEHISTORYOFVODKA

HISTORICALLY the Slavic peoples of the north and their Scandinavian

neighborstookalcoholicdrinksveryseriouslyTheextremecoldtemperaturesofwinter inhibited the shipment of wines and beers because these low-proofbeverages could freeze during transit Until the introduction of distilling intoEastern Europe in the 1400s strong drink was made by fermenting winesmeadsandbeersfreezingthemandthendrawingoffthealcoholicslushfromthefrozenwaterThe earliest distilled spirit in Eastern Europewasmade frommead (honey

wine)orbeerandwascalledperevaraThewordvodka(fromtheRussianwordvoda meaning ldquowaterrdquo) was originally used to describe grain distillates thatwere used for medicinal purposes As distilling techniques improved vodka(wodka in Polish) gradually came to be the accepted term for beverage spiritregardlessofitsorigin

VODKAINRUSSIA

Russians firmly believe that vodka was created in their land Commercialproduction was established by the fourteenth century In 1540 Czar Ivan theTerrible established the first government vodka monopoly Distilling licenseswerehandedout to theboyars(thenobility)allotherdistillerieswerebannedandmoonshiningbecameendemicVodka production became an integral part of Russian society Landowners

operated stills on their estates and produced high-quality vodkas that wereflavored with everything from acorns to horseradish to mint The czarsmaintained test distilleries at their country palaces In 1780 a scientist at onesuchdistilleryinventedcharcoalfiltrationtopurifyvodka

ThreeHolsteinstillsatStGeorgeSpiritsHangarOneVodka

BytheeighteenthandintothenineteenthcenturytheRussianvodkaindustrywasconsideredtechnologicallyadvancedNewstillsandproductiontechniquesfrom Western Europe were eagerly imported and utilized State funding andcontrol of vodka research continued Under a 1902 law ldquoMoscow vodkardquo aclear 40 percent ABV rye vodka without added flavorings and soft ldquolivingrdquo(undistilled)waterwasestablishedasthebenchmarkforRussianvodkaThe Soviet Union continued government control of vodka production All

distilleries became government-owned and while the Communist Partyapparatchiks continued to enjoy high-quality rye vodka the proletariatmasseshadtomakedowithcheapspiritsVodkaproduction in the currentRussianFederationhas returned to thepre-

RevolutionarypatternHigh-qualitybrandsareagainbeingproducedforthenewsocial elite and for export while the popularly priced brands are still beingconsumedwelllikevoda

PuttinglabelsoverthecapsoffreshlyfilledbottlesofPrezydentVodkaatPolmosLodzinLodzPoland

VODKAINPOLAND

The earliest written records of vodka production in Poland date from the1400s thoughsomePolishhistoriansclaim that itwasbeingproducedaroundthe southern city of Krakow at least a century earlier Originally known asokowita(fromtheLatinaquavitaldquowaterofliferdquo) itwasusedforavarietyofpurposes in addition to beverages A 1534medical text defined an aftershavelotion as ldquovodka for washing the chin after shavingrdquo Herbal-infused vodkaswereparticularlypopularaslinimentsfortheachesandpainsoflifeIn 1546King JanOlbracht granted the right to distill and sell in spirits to

everyadultcitizenThePolisharistocracytakingacuefromtheirRussianpeerssoonlobbiedtohavethisprivilegerevokedandreplacedbyaroyaldecreethatreservedtothemtherighttomakevodkaCommercialvodkadistillerieswerewellestablishedbytheeighteenthcentury

By the mid-nineteenth century a thriving export trade had developed withPolish vodkas particularly those infused with small quantities of fruit spiritbeingshippedthroughoutnorthernEuropeandevenintoRussia

SpiritsdanceinthestillattheWeyermannDistilleryinBambergGermany

With the fall of Communism in the late 1980s the vodka distilleries soonreturned to private ownership Nowadays high-quality Polish vodkas areexportedthroughouttheworld

VODKAINSWEDEN

Vodkaproduction inSwedenwhichdates fromthe fifteenthcenturyhas itsorigins in the local gunpowder industry where high-proof spirit (originallycalledbraumlnnvin)wasusedasacomponentofblackpowderformusketsWhendistillerieswere licensed toproducebeveragealcohol (primarilyspice-flavoredaquavitbutalsovodka) itwaswiththeunderstandingthatgunpowdermakershadfirstpriorityoverbeverageconsumersHomedistillingwaslongapartofSwedishsocietyIn1830thereweremore

than 175000 registered stills in a country of fewer than threemillion peopleThistraditioninamuchdiminishedandillegalformstillcontinuestothisdayModernSwedishvodkaisproducedbytheVinampSpritstatemonopoly

VODKAANDTHECLASSSYSTEM

Thesocietalattitudetowardcheapspiritsmeantfortheproletariatcouldbesummed up by the curious fact that mass-produced vodka was sold in literbottles with a non-screw cap Once you opened the bottle it couldnrsquot beresealedYouhadtodrinkitallinonesession

CharcoalfiltrationusedinmakingvodkaatColoradoPureDistilling

VODKAINTHEUNITEDSTATES

Vodka was first imported into the United States in significant quantitiesaroundtheturnofthetwentiethcenturyItsmarketwasimmigrantsfromEasternEuropeAftertherepealofNationalProhibitionin1933theHeubleinCompanyboughttherightstotheSmirnoffbrandofvodkafromitsWhiteRussianeacutemigreacuteowners and relaunched vodka into theUSmarket Sales languished until anenterprisingliquorsalesmaninSouthCarolinastartedpromotingitasldquoSmirnoffWhiteWhiskymdashNotasteNosmellrdquoSalesboomedandAmericanvodkaaftermarking timeduringWorldWar IIwas on itsway tomarketing successThefirst popular vodka-based cocktailwas a combinationof vodka andginger alecalled the Moscow mule It was marketed with its own special copper mugexamples of which can still be found on the back shelves of liquor cabinetsthroughouttheUnitedStatesTodayvodka is thedominantwhitespirit in theUnitedStateshelpedalong

by its versatility as amixer and some very clever advertising campaigns Themost famous of these was the classic double entendre tagline ldquoSmirnoffmdashItleavesyoubreathlessrdquoThemajorityofAmericancraftdistillersarevodkaproducersThey are divided between those who purchase neutral grain spirit (NGS)

fromathirdpartysupplierandthenrectifyitintheirownfacilityandarelativehandful of operations that produce and distill their ownwash tomake vodkaThisisactuallyaseriouschallengeforcraftdistillerswithpotstillsbecauseitisdifficulttoproduceahigh-proofneutralgrainspiritwithoutusingacolumnstillThe best-known and bestselling craft-distilled vodka is Titorsquos Handmade

VodkafromthedistilleryofthesamenameinAustinTexas

THEBASISOFVODKA

ldquoAvodkamartinipleasePolishnotRussianShakennotstirredrdquomdashJamesBondAgent007plungingastakeintotheheartofginsales

VODKAismadebyfermentingandthendistillingthesimplesugarsfroma

mashofpalegrainorvegetalmatterwhichcanbepotatoesmolassesbeetsoravarietyofotherplantsRyeis theclassicgrainforvodkaandmostof thebestRussianandPolishbrandsaremadeexclusivelyfromaryemashSwedishandBalticdistillersarepartialtowheatmashesalthoughwheatisalsousedfarthereastPotatoesarelookeddownonbyRussiandistillersbuttheyareheldinhighesteem by some of their Polish counterparts Molasses is widely used forinexpensive mass-produced brands of vodka American distillers use the fullrangeofbaseingredients

DISTILLATIONOFVODKA

Vodkaisdistilledinthemannerdescribedintheintroductorychapterofthisbook (Seepage24)Thechoiceofpotorcolumnstillsdoeshoweverhaveafundamentaleffectonthefinalcharacterof thevodkaAllvodkacomesoutofthestillasaclearcolorlessspiritButvodkafromapotstill(thesortusedforcognac and Scotch whisky) will contain some of the delicate aromaticscongenersandflavorelementsofthecropfromwhichitwasproducedPotstillsare relatively inefficient and the resulting spirit from the first distillation isusually redistilled (rectified) to increase the proof of the spirit Vodka from amoreefficientcolumnstillisusuallyaneutralcharacterlessspirit

MaineDistilleriesuseslocallysourcedpotatoestomakeitsColdRiverVodka

Except for a fewminor exceptions vodka is not put intowooden casks oraged for anyextensiveperiodof time It canhowever be flavoredor coloredwithawidevarietyoffruitsherbsandspices

CLASSIFICATIONSOFVODKA

Therearenouniformclassificationsofvodka InPolandvodkasaregradedaccordingtotheirdegreeofpuritystandard(zwykly)premium(wyborowy)anddeluxe(luksusowy)InRussiavodkathatislabeledosobaya(special)isusuallyasuperior-qualityproductthatcanbeexportedwhilekrepkaya(strong)denotesanoverproofvodkaofatleast56percentABVIn the United States domestic vodkas are defined by US government

regulation as ldquoneutral spirits so distilled or so treated after distillation withcharcoalorothermaterialsastobewithoutdistinctivecharacteraromatasteorcolorrdquoBecauseAmericanvodkaisbylawneutralintastethereareonlyverysubtledistinctionsbetweenbrandsManydrinkersfeelthattheonlyrealwayofdifferentiatingbetweenthemisbyalcoholcontentandprice

VODKAREGIONS

EASTERNEUROPE

ThisisthehomelandofvodkaproductionEverycountryproducesvodkaandmostalsohavelocalflavoredspecialtiesRussiaUkraineandBelarusproducethefullrangeofvodkatypesandthey

are generally acknowledged to be the leaders in vodka production Only thebetterbrandsallofwhicharedistilledfromryeandwheatareexportedtotheWest

ZubrowkavodkabyPolmosBialystockaisflavoredwithbuffalograssfromtheBialowiezaforestinPolandThevodkahasayellow-greentinge(notshown)fromthegrassinfusion

FLAVOREDVODKA

AsaneutralspiritvodkalendsitselftoblendingwithflavorsandfortifyingotherbeveragesInthenineteenthcenturyhigh-proofldquoRussianspiritrdquowasheldin high esteem by sherry producers in Spain who imported it to fortify theirwines Neutral spirits are still used to fortify port sherry and other types offortified wines although the source of alcohol for such purposes these daystends to be the vast ldquowine lakerdquo that has been created by European UnionagriculturalpracticesFlavoredvodkaswereoriginallyusedtomasktheflavorofthefirstprimitive

vodkas but they were later considered a mark of the distillerrsquos skill TheRussians and Poles in particular still market dozens of flavors Some of thebetter-knowntypesare

Inrecentyearsnumerous flavoredvodkashavebeenlaunchedontheworldmarketThemostsuccessfulofthesehavebeenfruitflavorssuchascurrantandorange

LabelforKoenigrsquosFamousIdahoPotatoVodkabytheKoenigDistilleryandWinery

Polandproducesandexportsbothgrain-andpotato-basedvodkasMostofthehigh-qualitybrandsareproducedinpotstillsThe Baltic States of Estonia Latvia and Lithuania along with Finland

produceprimarilygrain-basedvodkasmostlyfromwheat

WESTERNEUROPE

ThisregionhaslocalbrandsofvodkawherevertherearedistilleriesThebaseforthesevodkascanvaryfromgrainsinnortherncountriessuchastheUnitedKingdomHollandandGermanytograpesandotherfruitsinthewinemakingregions of France and Italy Sweden has in recent decades developed asubstantialexportmarketforitsstraightandflavoredwheat-basedvodkas

NORTHAMERICA

The United States and Canada produce vodkas both from various grains(including corn) and from molasses American vodkas are by law neutralspiritssothedistinctionbetweennonflavoredbrandsismoreamatterofpriceandperceptionthantasteAnumberofflavoredvodkasarealsoproducedbothbythemajordistillersandbyanassortmentofcraftdistillers

OTHERREGIONS

TheCaribbeanproducesasurprisingamountofvodkaallofitfrommolassesMostofitisexportedforblendingandbottlinginothercountriesAustraliaproducesmolasses-basedvodkasbutfewareexportedAsiahasasmatteringoflocalvodkaswiththebestcomingfromJapan

VermontWhiteandGoldVodkabyVermontSpirits

VODKACOCKTAILS

SCREWDRIVER

FillatallglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)vodkabullOrangejuicetofillStirandserve

BLOODYMARY

FillashortglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)vodkabullDashWorcestershiresaucebullDashTabascosaucebullDashlemonorlimejuicebullTomatojuicetofillStirandgarnishwithcelerysaltontop

SEXONTHEBEACH

FillatallglasswithiceAddbull1ounce(30ml)vodkabull1ounce(30ml)peachliqueurbull1frac12ounces(45ml)orangejuicebull1frac12ounces(45ml)cranberryjuiceStirandserve

MazamaInfusedPepperVodkabyBendistillery

ARTISANPROFILEINSIDETHEINDUSTRY

LENELLSMOTHERS

FormerownerofLeNellrsquosBrooklynNewYork

WHENcraftdistillersTuthill-townSpiritsfromUpstateNewYorklaunchedtheir firstbarrel-agedwhiskey theycalled itManhattanRye and they threwapartyattheFourSeasonrsquosRestaurantintheSeagramsBuildingonParkAvenueinManhattanInabigopenroomwithbarsatbothendsandamashofpeoplelaughinganddrinkingtheytoastedtheiraccomplishmentandpouredsamplesoftheir excellentwhiskeys and vodkas (made from 100 percentNewYork Stateapples)WhenitcametimetoclinkglassesandhearannouncementsthecrowdwastreatedtoaraucoustutorialonmixingaManhattanStandingonabalconyabove the crowd like a hillbilly Juliet before a throng of devotees LeNellSmotherscackledandcrackedwiseSheworeabatteredcowboyhatbandannasaroundherwriststightjeansandamileofattitudeShetookthecrowdthroughtherecipejiggerofryeshotofsweetvermouth

dashofbittersshaketwistShetalkedvariationTheperfectManhattanishalfdryandhalfsweetvermouthIftheywantedtodrinkthemontherocksdoitIftheywantedtodrinkthemstraightupgoaheadDowhatyoulikebutdoitwithgoodbooze

Smothersmoved fromAlabama toNewYorkCity in 2000 and spent threeyearstoilinginsaleswhileherdreamtoopenupashopsimmeredHerboutiquewineandspirits shop inRedHookBrooklynopened in2003RedHook isarough hip neighborhood on thewaterfront and her place fits right in SmalleclecticandverymuchdrivenbyherpersonalitySmothersrsquosstoreneverwantedtohaveeverythingForyearshervermouthselectionwaslimitedtoonebrandVya the American vermouth made by Andy Quady of the QuadyWinery inMaderaCaliforniabecauseitwasmadebyasmallproducerSmotherswasacceptedintothebourboncommunitywholeheartedlyandher

selectionofAmericanwhiskeywasbreathtakingWhenJimmyRussellofWildTurkeydidabottlesigninginNewYorkhediditathertinyshopSmothershowevertightshegetswiththebigproducersremainsachampion

of craft distilling ldquoWhen I go Charbay Irsquove got four generations of distillersthere hands on Someplace like Stoli isnrsquot going to have the same qualitycontrolrdquoWheresomepeoplecallmicro-distillingpracticessuchasmaking100percent

barley whiskeys or making whiskey from beer instead of from mash ascontroversial Smothers believes that change and adventure are something tocelebrateldquoWhatistheAmericantraditionanywayAllwedoisourownthingrdquoInearly2009afteratryingstrugglewithherlandlordSmotherslostthelease

tohershopNexttimeshersquosgoingtobuythebuildingshesaysandexpandthewhiskeyselection

CHAPTERFIVE

GIN

ldquoTheproperunionofginandvermouthisagreatandsuddengloryitisoneofthehappiestmarriagesonearthandoneoftheshortestlivedrdquo

mdashBernardDeVotoAmericanessayistanddrinksphilosopher

ThisgooseneckstillatPhiladelphiaDistillingwascustommadebyForsythsofScotland

GIN is a juniper berryndashflavored grain spirit The word is an Englishshorteningofgenever theDutchword for juniperTheoriginsofginareabitmurky In the late 1580s a juniper-flavored spirit of some sort was found inHollandbyBritish troopswhowere fighting against theSpanish in theDutchWarofIndependenceTheygratefullydrankittogivethemwhattheysooncameto call ldquoDutch couragerdquo in battle The Dutch themselves were encouraged bytheirgovernment tofavorsuchgrainspiritsover importedwineandbrandybylackofexcisetaxesonlocaldrinks

THEHISTORYOFGIN

IN the1600s aDrFranciscusde laBoeuml in theuniversity townofLeiden

created a juniper-and spice-flavored medicinal spirit that he promoted as adiuretic Genever soon found favor across the English Channel first as amedicine(SamuelPepyswrotein1660ofcuringacaseofldquocolicrdquowithadoseofldquostrongwatermadewithjuniperrdquo)andthenasabeverageWhen the Dutch ProtestantWilliam of Orange became king of England in

1689 he moved to discourage the importation of brandy from the CatholicwinemakingcountriesbysettinghightariffsAsareplacementhepromotedtheproduction of grain spirits (ldquocorn brandyrdquo as it was known at the time) byabolishingtaxesandlicensingfeesforthemanufactureofsuchlocalproductsasginHistoryhasshownthatprohibitionneverworksbutunfetteredproductionofalcoholhasitsproblemstooBythe1720sitwasestimatedthataquarterofthe houses in London were used for the production or sale of gin Massdrunkenness became a serious problem The cartoonist Hogarthrsquos famousdepictionofsuchbehaviorinGinLaneshowsasignaboveaginshopthatstatesldquoDrunkforapennyDeaddrunkfortwopenceCleanstrawforNothingrdquoPanickyattemptsby thegovernment toprohibitginproduction suchas theGinActof1736 resulted in massive illicit distilling and the cynical marketing ofldquomedicinalrdquo spirits with such fanciful names as Cuckoldrsquos Comfort and MyLadyrsquosEyeWater

FritzMaytagrightatAnchorDistillingWithasmalloverheadcraneAchorDistillingcaninterchangethecolumnsoftheirthreestills

Acombinationofreimposedgovernmentcontrolsthegrowthofhigh-qualitycommercial gin distillers the increasing popularity of imported rum and ageneralfeelingofpublicexhaustiongraduallybroughtthismasshysteriaundercontrol although the problems caused by the combination of cheap gin andextreme poverty extended well into the nineteenth century Faginrsquos irritablecomment toachild in the filmOlivermdashldquoShutupanddrinkyourginrdquomdashhadabasisinhistoricalfact

SonjaKassebaumofNorthShoreDistillerystandsinfrontoftheldquohelmetrdquoofherginstill

Wherever the British Empire went English-style gins followed In Britishcolonies in North America such celebrated Americans as Paul Revere andGeorgeWashingtonwerenotablyfondofginandtheQuakerswerewellknownfortheirhabitofdrinkinggintoddiesafterfuneralsThe mid-nineteenth century ushered in a low-key rehabilitation of ginrsquos

reputationinEnglandTheharshsweetenedldquoOldTomrdquostylesofginoftheearly1700sslowlygavewaytoanewcleanerstylecalleddryginThisstyleofginbecame identified with the city of London to the extent that ldquoLondon dryrdquobecame a generic term for the style regardless of where it was actuallyproduced

BluecoatginleavesthebottlinglineatPhiladelphiaDistilling

Genteel middle-class ladies sipped their sloe gin (gin flavored with sloeberries) while consulting Mrs Beetonrsquos Book of Household Management (awildlypopularVictoriancrossbetweentheJoyofCookingandMarthaStewartlifestyle books) for gin-based mixed drink recipes The British militaryparticularlytheofficercorpsbecameahotbedofginconsumptionHundredsofgin-based mixed drinks were invented and the mastery of their making wasconsidered a part of a young officerrsquos training The best known of thesecocktails the gin and tonic was created as a way for Englishmen in tropicalcolonies to taketheirdailydoseofquinineaverybittermedicine towardoffmalaria(Moderntonicwaterstillcontainsquininethoughasaflavoringratherthanamedicine)

BATHTUBGIN

Gin production in theUnited States dates back to Colonial times but thegreat boost to ginproductionwas theadvent ofNationalProhibition in 1920Moonshiningquicklymovedintofillthegapleftbytheshutdownofcommercialdistilleries But the furtive nature of illicit distilling worked against theproductionof the then-dominantwhiskiesallofwhichrequiredsomeaging inoakcasksBootleggerswerenot inaposition tostoreandage illegalwhiskeyand the caramel-colored prune-juice-dosed grain alcohol substitutes weregenerallyconsideredtobevileGinontheotherhanddidnotrequireanyaginganditwasrelativelyeasyto

makebymixingrawalcoholwithjuniperberryextractandotherflavoringsandspicesinalargecontainersuchasabathtub(thustheoriginofthetermbathtubgin)Theseginsweregenerallyofpoorqualityandtasteafactthatgaverisetothepopularityofcocktailsinwhichthemixersservedtodisguisethetasteofthebase gin Repeal of Prohibition at the end of 1933 ended the production ofbootlegginbutginremainedapartoftheAmericanbeveragesceneItwasthedominantwhitespiritintheUnitedStatesuntiltheriseofvodkainthe1960sItstill remains popular helped along recently by the revived popularity of themartini

THEBASISOFGIN

SpruceGinbyRogueDistilleryandAleHouse

In Holland the production of genever was quickly integrated into the vastDutch trading system Rotterdam became the center of genever distilling asdistilleriesopenedtheretotakeadvantageoftheabundanceofneededspicesthatwerearrivingfromtheDutchcoloniesintheEastIndies(present-dayIndonesia)ManyoftodayrsquosleadingDutchgeneverdistillerscantracetheiroriginsbacktothe sixteenth and seventeenth centuries Examples include such firms as Bols(founded1575)anddeKuyper(1695)Belgiumdevelopeditsownjuniper-flavoredspiritcalledjenever(withaj)in

amannersimilartothatinHolland(whichcontrolledBelgiumforatimeintheearlynineteenthcentury)ThetwoGermaninvasionsofBelgiuminWorldWarsI and II had a particularly hard effect on jenever producers as the occupyingGermans stripped the distilleries of their copper stills andpiping to use in theproduction of shell casings The present-day remaining handful of BelgianjeneverdistillersproduceprimarilyforthelocaldomesticmarketGinmayhaveoriginatedinHollandanddevelopedintoitsmostpopularstyle

inEnglandbut itsmostenthusiasticmodern-dayconsumersare tobefoundinSpainwhichhasthehighestpercapitaconsumptionintheworldProductionofLondondryndashstyleginbeganinthe1930sbutseriousconsumptiondidnotbeginuntilthemixofginandcolabecameinexplicablypopularinthe1960s

GINanditsDutchcousingenever(jeneverinBelgium)arewhitespiritsthatareflavoredwithjuniperberriesandso-calledbotanicals(avariedassortmentofherbsandspices)Thespiritbaseofginisprimarilygrain(usuallywheatorrye)which results in a light-bodied spirit Genever is made primarily from ldquomaltwinerdquo (a mixture of malted barley wheat corn and rye) which produces afuller-bodied spirit similar to malt whisky A small number of genevers inHollandandBelgiumaredistilleddirectlyfromfermentedjuniperberrieswhichproducesaparticularlyintenselyflavoredspirit

BluecoatGinbyPhiladelphiaDistilling

Thechiefflavoringagentinbothginandgeneveristhehighlyaromaticblue-greenberryofthejuniperalow-slungevergreenbush(genusJuniperus)thatiscommercially grown in northern ItalyCroatia theUnitedStates andCanadaAdditional botanicals can include anise angelica root cinnamon orange peelcoriander and cassia barkAll gin and genevermakers have their own secretcombinationofbotanicalsthenumberofwhichcanrangefromasfewasfourtoasmanyasfifteen

THEDISTILLATIONOFGIN

Mostgin is initiallydistilled inefficientcolumnstillsTheresultingspirit ishighprooflight-bodiedandcleanwithaminimalamountofcongeners(flavorcompounds)andflavoringagentsGeneverisdistilledinless-efficientpotstillswhichresultsinalower-proofmoreflavorfulspiritLow-qualityldquocompoundrdquoginsaremadebysimplymixingthebasespiritwith

juniper and botanical extracts Mass-market gins are produced by soakingjuniperberriesandbotanicalsinthebasespiritandthenredistillingthemixtureTop-qualityginsandgeneversareflavoredinauniquemannerAfteroneor

more distillations the base spirit is redistilled one last timeDuring this finaldistillationthealcoholvaporwaftsthroughachamberinwhichthedriedjuniperberries and botanicals are suspended The vapor gently extracts aromatic andflavoringoils andcompounds from theberries and spices as it travels throughthe chamber on its way to the condenser The resulting flavored spirit has anoticeabledegreeofcomplexity

GuyRehorstoftheGreatLakesDistilleryusesawoodendipsticktomeasurethevolumeofspiritinatank

THECOLORFULORIGINSOFOLDTOMGIN

ThenameofOldTomGincomesfromwhatmaybethefirstexampleofabeveragevendingmachineInthe1700ssomepubsinEnglandhadawoodenplaqueshapedlikeablackcat (anldquoOldTomrdquo)mountedontheoutsidewallThirstypassersbywoulddepositapennyinthecatrsquosmouthandplacetheirlipsaroundasmalltubebetweenthecatrsquospawsThebartenderinsidewouldthenpourashotofginthroughthetubeandintothecustomerrsquoswaitingmouth

GINREGIONS

EUROPE

TheUnitedKingdomproducesmostlydryginprimarilyfromcolumnstillsBritish gins tend to be high proof (90deg proof or 45 percentABV) and citrus-accented from the use of dried lemon and Seville orange peels in themix ofbotanicalsBritishginsareusuallycombinedintomixeddrinksHollandandBelgiumproducegenevermostly frompot stillsGenevers are

distilledatlowerprooflevelsthanEnglishginsandaregenerallyfullerinbodyManyoftheseginsareagedforonetothreeyearsinoakcasksSomegeneverproducers now market fruit-flavored genevers the best known being blackcurrantDutchandBelgiangeneversareusuallychilledandservedneatGermanyproducesagenever-stylegincalleddornkaatintheNorthSeacoast

regionofFrisiaThis spirit is lighter inbodyandmoredelicate in flavor thanbothDutchgeneverandEnglishdryginGermanginisusuallyservedstraightupandcoldSpainproducesasubstantialamountofginallof it in theLondondrystyle

fromcolumnstillsMostofitissoldformixingwithcola

LabelforGenevieveGeneverstylegin

GreylockGin

BardenayLondonStyleDryGin

NORTHAMERICA

TheUnitedStatesistheworldrsquoslargestginmarketLondondryginaccountsfor the bulk of domestic gin production withmost of it produced in columnstillsAmericandryginstendtobelowerproof(80degproofor40percentABV)and less flavorful than their English counterparts This rule applies even tobrandssuchasGordonrsquosandGilbeyrsquoswhichoriginatedinEnglandTheUnitedStatesrsquosbest-sellingginSeagramrsquosExtraDryisararecask-ageddryginThreemonths of aging in charred oak barrels gives the gin a pale straw color and asmoothpalateAmericancraftdistillerieshavetakentogininamajorwaywithsuchnoteworthyexamplesasDistillerrsquosGin6fromNorthShoreDistillery inLakeBluffIllinoisandRehorstPremiumMilwaukeeGinfromtheGreatLakesDistilleryinMilwaukeeWisconsin

AviationGinbyHouseSpiritsDistillery

LabelforAmericanDistilledGininfusedwithRareBotanicalsbyMcMenaminsEdgefieldDistilleryClassicMartini

SarticiousGinbySarticiousSpirits

THEMARTINIANDTHEMEANINGOFLIFE

Thebestknownofhundredsofgin-basedmixeddrinksistheginandwhitevermouth combination called the martini As is usually the case with mostpopular mixed drinks the origins of the martini are disputed One school ofthoughtholdsthatitevolvedfromthelate-nineteenth-centurymartinezcocktailarathercloyingmixtureofOldTomndashstyleginandsweetvermouthAdissentingsectholdsthatitwascreatedinthebaroftheKnickerbockerHotelinNewYorkCity in theearly twentiethcenturyThe ratioofgin tovermouth startedout atabout two to one and it has been getting drier ever since The famedBritishstatesmanWinstonChurchillwhodevotedagreatdealof thoughtand time todrinkingwasoftheopinionthatpassingthecorkfromthevermouthbottleovertheglassofginwassufficientGINCOCKTAILS

CLASSICMARTINI

Inashakercombinebull2ounces(60ml)ginbullDashwhitevermouthbullIcetofillShakeand strain and into amartiniglassor a shortglassGarnishwith an

olive

TOMCOLLINS

Inatallglasscombinebull2ounces(60ml)ginbull1ounce(30ml)lemonjuicebull1tablespoon(15g)sugarStirandthenfilltheglasswithiceFillwithclubsoda

GINANDTONIC

FillatallglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)ginbullTonicwatertofillGarnishwithalimeslice

ARTISANPROFILEINSIDETHEINDUSTRY

CHRISWELD

BerkshireMountainDistillersGreatBarringtonMassachusetts

ITishardtoimagineChrisWeldinanemergencyroomwhereheworkedinCalifornia for sixteen years as a physicianrsquos assistantHe seems too young tohave sixteen years of work behind him and on his land in westernMassachusettsheisperfectlyateasewithadogathissidelightinhiseyesandmudonhisbootsHeandhiswifeTylermovedbacktotheEastCoastmdashafterhavingdeveloped

intoseriousfoodiesmdashandboughtanorchardldquoOurwatercomesfromanoldspringhereonthepropertythat thePittsfield

Sunin1901saidhadlsquofewequalsandnonesuperiorrsquordquoThe farm that isnow theBerkshireMountainDistillerywasonce in fact a

springwaterbottlingplant(Oneformerowneruseditasabaseofoperationsforasanitariumintownandithasalsobeenahotel)BuildingtheBerkshireMountainDistillerywasnoteasyWhenWeldarrived

thewould-bestillhousewasabarninshamblesWelddidasmuchoftheworkas he could himself and hired local builders and craftspeople to do the restKeepingthingslocalisimportanttoWeld

ldquoWhenIneedtoexpandIrsquollbuildanotherbarnandIrsquollhirelocalpeopletobuilditrdquoThisimpliesadirectcontrasttowhathappenswhenabiginternationaldistillerexpandsHetalksenthusiasticallyabouttheldquolocalmultiplierrdquoeffectldquoEverydollaryou

spendlocallyisworththreespentinachainstorerdquoWeldisanenthusiasticparticipant in theBerksharesprogram(localmoney

accepted by hundreds of merchants in western Massachusetts includingrestaurants)HehiredalocaldesignertodesignlabelsHesourcedhisglassoutofnearbyLenoxWeld looked further afield for help with his rum and he brought in a

consultantTogethertheyworkedontestbatchesandperfectedtherecipeHersquodhaveworkedformorethanayearhesaidsolvingtheproblemsthatanexpertsolved in a few days and the adjustments to fermentation temperatures andexpertknowledgeofdifferentflavorcompoundswaspricelessWeld describes his rum as more like Armagnac than a typical molasses

distillateHehasfiftybarrelsagingldquoIrsquovegotabigstillrdquohesaysIndeedheboughtan800-gallonstainlesssteel

tanksecondhandfromBrownForeman(Heassuresanyonewhoasksthatalltheother work including the custom columns and the piping was done by localcraftspeople)ldquoIfIhadasmallstillIrsquodbeatcapacityrdquoAsitstandshersquosabletomakebourbonandrumforagingbringoutnewproductssuchasasecondginwithaheavierflavorandmorebotanicalsthanhisfirstandstillsatisfythe400accountshersquosdevelopedinhisfirstyearForWeldhoweveritrsquosstillthecommunitythatrsquosimportantHerecentlymet

intoamanwhohadbroughtsomeofhisGreylockGintoapartyldquoSeeingitatpartieshellipthatrsquosreallyitrdquohesaidglowing

CHAPTERSIX

BRANDYANDEAUDEVIE

ldquoNosirclaretistheliquorforboysportformenbuthewhoaspirestobeaheromustdrinkbrandyrdquo

mdashSamuelJohnsoneighteenth-centuryBritishwriterwholovedbrandyandhatedwhisky

Brandyinaclassicbrandysniftercastsashadowonalinentablecloth

THE word brandy comes from the Dutch word brandewijn (burnt wine)which is how the straightforwardDutch traderswho introduced it to northernEuropeinthesixteenthcenturydescribedwinethathadbeenldquoburntrdquoorboiledtodistillitThe origins of brandy can be traced back to the growing Muslim

Mediterranean states in the seventh and eighth centuries Alchemists in theregion experimentedwith distilling grapes and other fruits tomakemedicinalspiritsTheirknowledgeandtechniquessoonspreadbeyondthebordersof theterritorywithgrapebrandyproductionappearinginSpainandprobablyIreland(viamissionarymonks)bytheendoftheeighthcentury

TYPESOFBRANDY

Abottleofbrandydistilledfrom100percentViognierwinebyGermain-Robin

BRANDYinitsbroadestdefinitionisaspiritmadefromfruitjuiceorfruitpulpandskinMorespecificallyitisbrokendownintothreebasicgroupingsGrapebrandy isbrandydistilledfromfermentedgrapejuiceorcrushedbut

not pressed grape pulp and skin This spirit is aged inwooden casks (usuallyoak)whichcolorsitmellowsoutthepalateandaddsaromasandflavorsPomace brandy (Italian grappa and French marc are the best-known

examples) ismade from the pressed grape pulp skins and stems that remainafter thegrapes are crushed andpressed to extractmost of the juice forwinePomacebrandieswhichareusuallyminimallyagedandseldomseewoodarean acquired taste They often tend to be rather raw although they can offer afresh fruity aroma of the type of grape used a characteristic that is lost inregularoak-agedbrandyFruit brandy is the default term for all brandies that are made from

fermenting fruit other than grapes (It should not be confused with fruit-flavoredbrandywhichisgrapebrandythathasbeenflavoredwiththeextractof another fruit)Fruit brandies except thosemade fromberries aregenerallydistilledfromfruitwinesBerriestendtolackenoughsugartomakeawinewithsufficient alcohol for proper distillation and thus are soaked (macerated) in ahigh-proof spirit toextract their flavorandaromaTheextract is thendistilledonceatalowproofCalvados theapplebrandyfromtheNormandyregionofnorthwesternFranceisprobablythebest-knowntypeoffruitbrandyEaudevie(ldquowaterofliferdquo)isacolorlessfruitbrandyparticularlyfromtheAlsaceregionofFranceandfromCalifornia

Applesonthetreerawmaterialsforbrandy

Grapesenterthestillforthemakingofgrappa

BRANDIESBYREGION

FRANCE

French brandy is the catchall designation for brandy produced from grapesgrowninotherregionsThesebrandiesareusuallydistilledincolumnstillsandagedinoakcasksforvaryingperiodsoftimeTheyarefrequentlyblendedwithwine grape juice oak flavorings and other brandies including cognac tosmoothout the roughedgesCognac-likequalitydesignationssuchasVSOPandNapoleonareoftenused(seepage83)buttheyhavenolegalstanding

COGNAC

Cognacisthebest-knowntypeofbrandyintheworldabenchmarkbywhichmost other brandies are judged The Cognac region is located on the south-centralcoastofFrance justnorthofBordeauxinthedepartmentsofCharenteandCharente-MaritimeTheregionisfurthersubdividedintosixgrowingzonesGrandeChampagnePetiteChampagneBoisOrdinariesBorderiesFinsBoisandBonsBoisThefirsttwooftheseregionsproducethebestcognacandwillfrequentlybesodesignatedonbottlelabelsTheprimarygrapesusedinmakingcognac are the Ugni Blanc Folle Blanche and Colombard The wines madefrom these grapes are thin tart and low in alcohol which are poorcharacteristicsfortablewinesbutperfectformakingbrandy

Pear-in-bottlebrandy

Cognac is double distilled in specially designed pot stills and then aged incasksmadefromLimousinorTroncaisoakAllcognacsstartoutinnewoaktomellowthefieryspiritandgivethemcolorBatcheschosenforlong-termagingareafterafewyearstransferredtousedorldquoseasonedrdquocasksthatimpartlessoftheoakflavornoteswhilethebrandymaturesNearly all cognacs are a blend of brandies from different vintages and

frequently different growing zones Even those from single vineyards ordistillerieshaveamixofbrandiesfromdifferentcasksAswithchampagnetheproductsoflocalvineyardsaresoldtocognachouseseachofwhichstoresandages cognacs from different suppliers The suppliers then employ masterblenders to create and maintain continuity in the house blends drawn fromdisparatesources

BRANDYrsquoSSEASONALNATURE

Brandy like rumand tequila isanagricultural spiritUnlikegrain spiritssuchaswhiskeyvodkaandginwhicharemadethroughouttheyearfromgrainthat can be harvested and stored brandy is dependent on the seasons theripeningofthebasefruitandtheproductionofthewinefromwhichitismadeTypes of brandies originally at least tended to be location-specific (Cognacfor example is a town and region in France that gave its name to the localbrandy) Important brandy-making regions particularly in Europe furtherdifferentiatetheirlocalspiritsbyspecifyingthetypesofgrapesthatcanbeusedand the specific areas (appellation) in which the grapes used formaking thebasewinecanbegrown

Barrelsofbrandystoredforaging

INDUSTRYSTANDARDSFORCOGNAC

Because therearenoage statementsoncognacs the industryhasadoptedsomegenerallyaccepted terms todifferentiatecognacs It is important tonotethat these terms have no legal status and each cognac shipper uses themaccordingtohisorherowncriteriaVSVSPThree Star (VS very superior VSP very superior pale) A

minimumoftwoyearsaginginacaskalthoughtheindustryaverageisfourtofiveyearsVSOP(verysuperioroldpale)Aminimumoffouryearsrsquocaskagingforthe

youngestcognacintheblendwiththeindustryaveragebetweentenandfifteenyearsXONapoleon (XO extra old) A minimum of six yearsrsquo aging for the

youngest cognac in the blend with the average age running twenty years orolderAllcognachousesmaintain inventoriesofoldvintagecognacs touse inblendingthesetop-of-the-linebrandsTheoldestcognacsareremovedfromtheircasks in timeandstoredinglassdemijohns(largejugs) toprevent further lossfromevaporationandtolimitexcessivelywoodyflavornotes

ARMAGNAC

ArmagnacistheoldesttypeofbrandyinFrancewithdocumentedreferencestodistillationdatingbacktotheearlyfifteenthcenturyTheArmagnacregionislocatedintheheartoftheancientprovinceofGasconyinthesouthwestcornerof France Aswith cognac there are regional growing zones Bas-ArmagnacHautArmagnac andTenarezeTheprimarygrapesused inmakingArmagnacare also theUgniBlanc FolleBlanche andColombardBut distillation takesplaceintheuniquealambicarmagnacaisatypeofcolumnstillthatisevenmoreinefficient than a typical cognac pot still The resulting brandy has a rusticassertivecharacterandaromathatrequiresadditionalcaskagingtomellowoutanddistinguishitfromcognacThebestArmagnacisagedincasksmadefromthelocalMonlezunoakInrecentyearsLimousinandTroncaisoakcaskshavebeenaddedtothemixofcasksassuitableMonlezunoakbecomeshardertofind

DetailfromabottleofPierreFerrandReserveCognac

Most Armagnacs are blends but unlike cognac single vintages and singlevineyardbottlingscanbefoundThecategoriesofArmagnacaregenerally thesameas thoseof cognac (VSVSOPXO and soon see sidebaronpage83)BlendedArmagnacsfrequentlyhaveagreaterpercentageofoldervintagesin their mix than comparable cognacs making them a better value for thediscerningbuyer

HAVESTILLWILLTRAVEL

Until the 1970s portable alambic armagnacais mounted on two-wheelcartswerehauledamongsmallvineyards inArmagnacby itinerantdistillerscalledbouilleursdecruThesetravelingstillsalashavemostlygivenwaytolarger fixed-in-place setups operated by farmer cooperatives and individualoperators

ChristianDrouinwhoproducessomeofthefinestCalvadosstandsbesideaportablestillbuiltin1946thatisnowpermanentlystationedinfrontofthepressroomatDomaineCoeurdeLionItisprobablytheonlyportabledoubledistillationinworkingorderItisnormallyusedfromFebruarytoJuneAsecondstillnowoperatesinsidethepressroom

SPAIN

BRANDYDEJEREZ

BrandydeJerezismadebythesherryhousescenteredaroundthecityofJerezdelaFronterainthesouthwestcornerofSpainButvirtuallyallBrandydeJerezis made from wines produced elsewhere in Spain primarily from the Airengrape inLaManchaandExtremadurabecause the local sherrygrapesare toovaluable to divert into brandy productionNowadaysmost of the distilling islikewisedoneelsewhereinSpainincolumnstillsItisthenshippedtoJerezforaginginusedsherrycasksinasolerasystemsimilartothatusedforsherrywineAsolera is a series of large casks (called butts) each holding a slightly olderspirit than thepreviousonebeside itWhenbrandyisdrawnoff (racked)fromthe lastbutt (nomore thana thirdof thevolume is removed) it is replenishedwithbrandydrawnfromthenextbuttallthewaydownthesoleralinetothefirstbuttwherenewlydistilledbrandyisaddedThissystemofrackingthebrandythroughaseriesofcasksblendstogetheravarietyofvintages(somesolerashavemorethanthirtystages)andresultsinaspeedingupofthematurationprocess

Brandybottledetailfromabrandywhoseflavorprofileleansmoretowardsbourbon(HuberStarlightDistillery)

ThesamplebottlesdisplaytheeffectsofdifferenttypesofbarrelsandagingprocessesatGermain-Robin

AGINGTIMELINE

Basic Brandy de Jerez Solera must age for a minimum of six monthsReservaforoneyearandGranReservaforaminimumofthreeyears

Inpractice thebestReservasandGranReservasarefrequentlyagedfortwelvetofifteenyearsThelushslightlysweetandfruitynotestobefoundinBrandydeJerezcomenotonlyfromaginginsherrycasksbutalsofromthejudicioususeoffruit-basedflavorconcentratesandoakessence(boise)

PENEDEgraveSBRANDY

Penedegraves Brandy is from the Penedegraves region of Catalonia in the northeastcornerofSpainnearBarcelonaModeledafterthecognacsofFranceandmadefromamixof localgrapesand theUgniBlancofcognac it isdistilled inpotstillsOneofthetwolocalproducers(Torres)agesinsolerasconsistingofbuttsmade from French Limousin oak whereas the other (Mascaro) ages in thestandardnon-soleramannerbut also inLimousinoakThe resultingbrandy isheartierthancognacbutleaneranddrierthanBrandydeJerez

ITALY

Italy has a long history of brandy production dating back to at least thesixteenth century but unlike Spain or France there are no specific brandy-producing regions Italian brandies are made from regional wine grapes andmost areproduced incolumnstills although therearenowanumberof smallartisanalproducersusingpotstillsTheyareagedinoakforaminimumofonetotwoyearswithsixtoeightyearsbeingtheindustryaverageItalianbrandiestendtobeonthelightanddelicatesidewithatouchofresidualsweetness

GERMANY

GermanmonksweredistillingbrandybythefourteenthcenturyandGermandistillers had organized their ownguild as early as 1588Yet almost from thestart German brandy (calledweinbrand) has been made from imported winerather than the more valuable local varieties Most German brandies areproduced in pot stills andmust be aged for aminimumof sixmonths in oakBrandiesthathavebeenagedinoakforatleastoneyeararecalleduraltoralter(meaningldquoolderrdquo)ThebestGermanbrandiesaresmoothsomewhatlighterthancognacandfinishwithatouchofsweetness

ThetastingroomatadistilleryisapopularstoponthetourRickMoerschattheRoundBarnDistillerypourssomeapricotbrandyatthetastingroominhiswinerybrewerydistillery

UNITEDSTATES

Grape brandy production in the United States which until the advent ofmodern craft distilleries was mostly confined to California dates back to theSpanish missions in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries AsubstantialamountofpeachbrandywasmadebywhiskeydistillersinSouthernstates prior to National Prohibition however and apple brandy distillingcontinuedintomodern timesonamodestscale inNewJerseyandVirginia Inthe years following the Civil War brandy became a major industry with asubstantial export trade to Europe by the end of the nineteenth century For atimeLelandStanford founder ofStanfordUniversitywas theworldrsquos largestbrandy producer Phylloxera and National Prohibition almost shut down theindustryinthe1920s

Analambicstill

RepealstartedthingsupagainbutaswiththebourbonindustrytheadventofWorldWarIIresultedinbrandyproducersfurthermarkingtimeSoonaftertheendofthewartheindustrycommissionedtheUniversityofCaliforniaatDavisDepartment of Viticulture and Oenology to develop a prototype ldquoCalifornia-stylerdquo brandy It had a clean palate was lighter in style than most EuropeanbrandiesandhadaflavorprofilethatmadeitagoodmixerStartinginthelate1940sCaliforniabrandyproducersbegantochangeovertothisnewstyle

LabelforPotStillBrandyfromMcMenaminsEdgefieldDistillery

CONTEMPORARYBRANDIES

Contemporary commercial California grape brandies are made primarily incolumn stills from table grape varieties such as the Thompson Seedless andFlame Tokay California brandies are aged for two to twelve years in usedAmericanoak(bothbrandyandbourboncasks)tolimitwoodinessinthepalatealthough pot distillers also use French oak Several California distillers mostnotably Korbel have utilized the Spanish solera method for maturing theirbrandyCaliforniabrandiesdonotusequalitydesignationssuchasVSOPorstars The more expensive brands will usually contain a percentage of oldervintagesandpot-distilledbrandiesintheblendCraft-distilledbrandies includinggrapepomaceand fruitwere the firstof

the modern generation of craft spirits to enter the US market starting inCalifornia in the late1980swithproducers suchasRMS(aventureofcognacproducer Remy Martin) Jepson Vineyards and the idiosyncratic Santa CruzwinemakerRandallGraham atBonnyDooneVineyards From the start thesegrape brandy producers generally followed a French-themed muse withproducers such asGermaine-Robin inMendocinoCounty andOsocalis in theSantaCruzMountainsgoingsofarastousetheclassicUgniBlancColombardand Folle Blanche grapes to make their base wine They installed specialcognac-style pot stills to distill it and then aged their brandies in casksmadefromimportedLimousinorTroncaisoakTheresultingbrandiesparticularlyaslonger-agedexamplescomeontothemarkethaveinsomecasesshownlevelsof complexity and flavor intensity that put them on par with their Europeancounterparts

PiscoStyleBrandybyLeopoldBros

LATINAMERICAN

MEXICO

InMexicoasurprisingamountofwineismadebutitislittleknownoutsideof the country because most of it is used for brandy production Mexicanbrandies are made from a mix of grapes including the Thompson SeedlessPalomino andUgniBlancBothcolumnandpot stills areused inproductionwhereas the solera system is generally used for aging Brandy now outsellstequilaandruminMexico

SOUTHAMERICA

South American brandies are generally confined to their domestic marketsThebest-known type ispisco a clear rawbrandy fromPeruandChile that ismadefromMuscatgrapesanddoubledistilledinpotstillsTheresultingbrandyhasaperfumedfragranceandservesas thebaseforavarietyofmixeddrinksincludingthefamousPiscoPunch

OTHERREGIONS

Greece produces pot-distilled brandies many of which such as the well-knownMetaxaareflavoredwithMuscatwineaniseorotherspicesWinemakinginIsraelisawell-establishedtraditiondatingbackthousandsof

years But brandy production dates back only to the 1880s when the FrenchJewishphilanthropistBaronEdmonddeRothschildestablishedwhathasbecomethemodernIsraeliwineindustryIsraelibrandyismadeinthemannerofcognacfrom Colombard grapes with distillation in both pot and column stills andmaturationinFrenchLimousinoakcasksIntheCaucasusregionalongtheeasternshoreoftheBlackSeatheancient

nations ofGeorgia andArmenia draw onmonastic traditions to produce richintensely flavored pot still brandies both from local grapes and from suchimportedvarietiesastheMuscadine(fromFrance)andtheSercialandVerdelho(mostfamouslyfromMadeira)SouthAfricahasproducedbrandiessincethearrivalofthefirstDutchsettlers

intheseventeenthcenturybuttheseearlyspiritsfromtheCapeColonyearnedareputation for being harsh firewater (witblitsmdashwhite lightningmdashwas a typicalnickname)The introductionofmodernproduction techniquesandgovernmentregulationsintheearlytwentiethcenturygraduallyledtoanimprovementinthequalityof localbrandiesModernSouthAfricanbrandiesaremade fromUgniBlanc Colombard CheninBlanc and Palomino grapes produced in both potandcolumnstillsandagedforaminimumofthreeyearsinoak

POMACEBRANDIES

PoliBassanodelGrappa(Italy)

ITALY produces a substantial amount of grappa both the raw firewatervarietyandthemoreelegantartisanaleffortsthataremadefromonedesignatedgrape type and packaged in hand-blown bottles Both types of grappa can beunagedoragedforafewyearsinoldcasksthatwilltamethehardedgeofthespiritwithoutimpartingmuchflavororcolorMarcfromFranceisproducedinall of the nationrsquos wine-producing regions but it is mostly consumed locallyMarcdeGewuumlrztraminerfromAlsaceisnoteworthybecauseitretainssomeofthedistinctiveperfumenoseandspicycharacterofthegrape

OrodeMazzettiliqueurgoldsuspendedinagrappabase(Italy)

Craft pomace brandies from the United States from producers such asDomaineCharbayinNapaCountyandMosbyVineyardsinSonomaareintheItalianstyleandtheyareusuallycalledgrappasevenwhentheyaremadefromnon-Italian grape varieties This is also true of the pomace brandies fromCanada

GRAPPANOTYOURGRANDPArsquoSPHLEGMCUTTER

TheUSgovernmentcallsitpomacebrandybuteversinceimmigrantsfromwinemakingcountriesbeganarriving in theUnitedStatesandstarted tomakewine they were soon refermenting the pressed grape skins from theirwinemaking and distilling it tomake a quick and simple type of brandy TheFrench call itmarc but it is the Italian term grappa that has caught onwithdistillersofeveryethnicbackgroundCraftdistillersintheUnitedStateshavetakentothedistillingofgrappafrom

theverystartoftheindustryPioneerbrandydistillerssuchasClearCreekandSt George Spirits have developed specific varietal grappas that are carefullydistilledtocapturethesubtlearomaticnotesofthebasefruitThesearespiritstodelightthenoseasmuchasthetastebuds

GrappabyHuberStarlightDistillery

APPLEANDOTHERFRUITBRANDIES

NORMANDY is one of the few regions in France that does not have a

substantial grapewine industry Instead it is apple countrywith a substantialtradition of hard and sweet ciders that in turn can be distilled into an applebrandyknownasCalvadosThelocalciderappleswhichtendtobesmallandtartarecloserintypetocrabapplesthantomoderntableapplesThisspirithasits own appellationswith the best brands coming fromAppellationControleePaysdrsquoAugeneartheseaportofDeauvilleandtherest intenadjacentregionsthataredesignatedAppellationReglementeeMostPaysdrsquoAugeandsomeofthebetter Appellation Reglementee are produced in pot stills All varieties ofCalvados are aged in oak casks for a minimum of two years Cognac-stylequalityandage termssuchasVSOPandHorsdrsquoAgeare frequentlyusedonlabelsbuthavenolegalmeaning

Applebrandy

BottlesofkirschandframboiseeaudeviefromWestfordHillsDistillers

ExteriorshotofLairdampCompanytheoldestdistilleryintheUnitedStates

Thefruit-growingregionsoftheupperRhineRiveraretheprimeeaudevieproductionareasofEuropeTheBlackForestregionofBavariainGermanyandAlsace in France are known for their cherry brandies (kir in FrancekirschwasserinGermany)raspberrybrandies(framboiseandhimbeergeist)andpearbrandies(poire)SimilareauxdeviearenowbeingproducedintheUnitedStatesinCaliforniaandOregonSomeplumbrandyisalsomadeintheseregions(mirabellefromFranceisanexample)butthebest-knowntypeofplumbrandyisslivovitzwhich ismade from the smallblue sljivaplum throughoutEasternEuropeandtheBalkans

Applebrandylabel

IntheUnitedStatesapplejackasapplebrandyiscalledlocallyisthoughtbymanytobethefirstspiritproducedintheBritishcoloniesThiscolonialtraditionhascontinuedwithLairdrsquosDistilleryestablishedin1780inNewJerseyandtheoldest distilling company in the United States and with distilleries in NewJerseyandVirginiaArtisan fruitbrandydistillingstarted inCaliforniabut in recentyears ithas

spreadacrosstheUnitedStateswithCalvados-styledapplebrandiesfromClearCreekDistilleryinPortlandOregonleadingthewaywhileBlackStarFarmsinSuttons Bay St Julian in Paw Paw and a bevy of other Michigan artisandistillershave releasedawide rangeofdelicatehighlyaromaticcherryplumand other fruit brandies that draw an obvious inspiration from theKirsch andplumbrandiesoftheBlackForestregionofsouthernGermany

BRANDYCOCKTAILS

SIDECARFillashortglasswithiceInashakercombinebull1ounce(30ml)brandybull1ounce(30ml)TripleSecbull1ounce(30ml)lemonjuicebullIcetofillShakeandstrainintotheglass

STINGERFillashortglasswithiceAddbull1ounce(30ml)brandybull1ounce(30ml)whitecregravemedementheStirandserve

BRANDYALEXANDER

Inashakercombinebull1ounce(30ml)brandybull1ounce(30ml)darkcregravemedecacaobull1ounce(30ml)creambullIcetofillShakeandstrainintoalargebrandysnifterDustwithnutmeg

LabelforAcquadiLamponiRaspberryEaudeVie

Apricotbrandy

CHAPTERSEVEN

RUMTEQUILALIQUEURSRUMTEQUILALIQUEURSANDMORE

INCLUDINGSCHNAPPSANISEANDBITTERS

ldquoTherersquos nought no doubt so much the spirit calms as rum and truereligionrdquo

mdashLordByron

Bottlesofrumofdifferentages(youngesttooldestlefttoright)atCelebrationDistillationinNewOrleans

GRAPESANDGRAINmaybethetwomajorrawmaterialsfordistillationbut they are by no means the only ones Sugarcane provides two differentfermentables sugarcane juice and molasses which is a byproduct of sugarrefiningBothareusedasthebasisofrumproductionwhichasaspiritrangesacrossthecolorandtastespectrumfromthealmostvodkalikeBlancosofPuertoRicototheheartydeep-huedDemerarasofGuyanawithsomeverydistinctivevariationsinbetween

RUM

TheagaveplantanativeofCentralAmericaprovidesthefermentablebasis

for a varietyof distilled spirits ofwhich tequila is thebest knownbut bynomeanstheonlyexampleLiquors can refer generically to distilled spirits but they can also be

specifically flavored spirits Add a sweetener and they become liqueursAddcertainherbsandyounowhavebittersAttheendofthedayifsomethingcanbefermentedandthendistilledpeoplewilldrinkit

GROG

TheBritishnavyadoptedadailyrationofahalf-pintof160degproofrumbythe1730sThisrationwassubsequentlymodifiedbymixingitwithanequalamountofwater toproduceadrinkcalledgrogThegrogrationremaineda stapleofBritishnavallifeuntil1969

LabelforHudsonRiverRumbyTuthilltownSpirits

THEHISTORY of rum is the history of sugar Sugar is a sweet crystallinecarbohydrate that occurs naturally in a variety of plants One of those is thesugarcane(Saccharumofficinarum)atallthickgrassthathasitsoriginsintheislands of present-day Indonesia in the East Indies Chinese traders spread itscultivationtoAsiaandontoIndiaArabsinturnbroughtit totheMiddleEastand North Africa where it came to the attention of Europeans during theCrusadesintheeleventhcenturyAstheSpanishandPortuguesebegantoventureoutintotheAtlanticOcean

theyplantedsugarcaneintheCanaryandAzoresIslandsIn1493ChristopherColumbuspickedupcanecuttingsfromtheCanarieswhileonhissecondvoyagetotheAmericasandtransplantedthemtoHispaniolatheCaribbeanislandnowshared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic Portuguese explorers soon didlikewiseinBrazilTheCaribbeanbasinprovedtohaveanidealclimateforgrowingsugarcane

andsugarproductionquicklyspreadaroundtheislandsTheinsatiabledemandin Europe for sugar soon led to the establishment of hundreds of sugarcaneplantations andmills in the variousEnglish Spanish French Portuguese andDutchcoloniesThesemillscrushedtheharvestedcaneandextractedthejuiceBoiling this juice caused chunks of crystallized sugar to form The remainingunsolidifiedjuicewascalledmelazas(fromtheSpanishwordforhoneymiel)inEnglishthisbecamemolasses

BottleofThomasTewRum

Molasses is a sticky syrup that still contains a significant amount of sugarSugarmilloperatorssoonnoticedthatwhenitwasmixedwithwaterandleftoutin the sun it fermented By the 1650s this former waste product was beingdistilled into a spirit In theEnglish colonies itwas calledKillDevil (from itstendencytocauseanastyhangoveroritsperceivedmedicinalpowertakeyourchoice)orrumbullion(originsuncertain)whichwasshortenedovertheyearstoourmodernwordrumTheFrenchrenderthiswordasrhumwhiletheSpanishcallitron

PrichardrsquosCrystalRumfromPrichardsrsquoDistillery

Rumwas used as a cure-all for many of the aches and pains that afflictedthoselivinginthetropicsSugarplantationownerssolditatdiscountedpricestonavalshipsthatwereonstationintheCaribbeaninordertoencouragetheirpresenceinlocalwatersandthusdiscouragetheattentionsofmaraudingpirates

PrichardrsquosFineRumfromPrichardsrsquoDistillery

BobRyanandpartnerDaveWoodatRyanandWoodDistilleriesinGloucesterMassachusetts

This naval-rum connection introduced rum to the outsideworld and by thelate seventeenth century a thriving export tradedevelopedTheBritish islandsshippedrumtoGreatBritain(whereitwasmixedintorumpunchesandreplacedginasthedominantspiritintheeighteenthcentury)andtotheBritishcoloniesinNorth America where it became very popular This export of rum to NorthAmerica in exchange forNewEngland lumber anddried cod (still a culinarystaple in the Caribbean) soon changed over to the export of molasses todistilleries in New England This was done to avoid laws from the Britishparliamentwhich protectedBritish distillers by forbidding the trade in spiritsdirectly between colonies This law was at best honored in the breech andsmugglingsoonbecamerampantThe shipping ofmolasses tomake rum inNewEngland distilleries became

part of the infamous ldquoslavery trianglerdquo The first leg was the shipment ofmolassestoNewEnglandtomakerumThesecondlegwastheshipmentofrumtotheportsofWestAfricatotradeforslavesThefinallegwasthepassageofslaveshipstothesugarplantationsoftheCaribbeanandSouthAmericawheremanyoftheslaveswereputtoworkinthesugarcanefieldsThe disruption of trade caused by theAmericanRevolution and the rise of

whiskey production in North America resulted in the slow decline of rumrsquosdominanceastheAmericannationaltippleRumproductionintheUnitedStatesslowlydeclinedthroughthenineteenthcenturywiththelastNewEnglandrumdistilleries closing at the advent of National Prohibition in 1920 The famedrumrunners of the Prohibition era were smuggling primarily whiskey into theUnitedStates

DarkRumSpruceGinWhiteRumandHazelnutSpiceRumbyRogueDistillery

InEuropetheinventionofsugarextractionfromthesugarbeetlessenedthedemandforCaribbeansugar reducing theamountofmolassesbeingproducedandtheresultingamountofrumbeingdistilledManysmallplantationsandtheirstillswereclosedRumproductionrecededforthemostparttocountrieswheresugarcanewasgrown

ChrisWeldofBerkshireMountainDistillers

Themodernhistoryofrumowesalottothespreadofair-conditioningandthegrowth of tourism In the second half of the twentieth century modern air-conditioningmadeitpossiblefor largenumbersofpeople tomigrate towarm-weather regions where rum remained the dominant spirit Additionally theexplosiveincreaseinthenumberofNorthAmericanandEuropeantouristsintorum-drinking regions led to a steady increase in the popularity of rum-basedmixed drinks Nowadays white rum gives vodka serious competition as themixerofchoiceinanumberofdistinctivelynontropicalmarketsAgedrumsaregainingnewstandingamongconsumersofsinglemaltScotch

whiskiescognacsandsmall-batchbourbonswhoarelearningtoappreciatethesubtle complexities of these rums The pot still rums of Guyana and Jamaicahaveaparticular appeal forScotchwhiskydrinkers (It isnoaccident that theScottishwhiskymerchantandbottlerCadenheadalsoagesandbottlesDemerararum)ThesubtleandcomplexrhumsofMartiniqueandGuadeloupemirrortheflavorprofilesofthetopFrenchbrandiesinCognacandArmagnac

THEBASISOFRUM

Rumanditsfraternaltwincanespiritaremadebydistillingfermentedsugarand water This sugar comes from the sugarcane and is fermented from canejuiceconcentratedcanejuiceormolassesMolassesisthesweetstickyresiduethat remains after sugarcane juice is boiled and the crystallized sugar isextractedMostrumismadefrommolassesMolassesismorethan50percentsugarbut

italsocontainssignificantamountsofmineralsandothertraceelementswhichcancontributetothefinalflavorRumsmadefromcanejuiceprimarilyonHaitiandMartiniquehaveanaturallysmoothpalateDependingontherecipetheldquowashrdquo(thecanejuiceormolassesandwater)is

fermented using either cultured yeast or airborne wild yeasts for a periodrangingfromtwenty-fourhoursforlightrumsuptoseveralweeksforheavyfullvarieties

OldNewOrleansCrystalRumbyCelebrationDistillation

CoasterforRaggedMountainRumbyBerkshireMountainDistillersldquoThinkGloballyDrinkLocallyrdquo

DISTILLATIONOFRUM

RumcanbedistilledineitherpotorcolumnstillsThechoiceofstillshasaprofoundeffectonthefinalcharacteroftherumAllrumscomeoutofthestillasclearcolorlessspiritsBarrelagingandtheuseofaddedcarameldeterminethe final color Because caramel is burnt sugar it is true that only naturalcoloringagentsareusedLighter rums are highly rectified (purified) and are produced in column or

continuousstills thenusuallycharcoal filteredandsometimesaged inoldoakcasksforafewmonthstoaddsmoothnessMostlightrumshaveminimalflavorsandaromaandareverysimilar tovodkaHeavier rumsareusuallydistilled inpot stills similar to those used to produce cognacs and Scotch whiskies Potstills are less efficient than column stills and some congeners (fusel oils andotherflavorelements)arecarriedoverwiththealcoholTheseheavierrumsareusedformakinggoldenanddarkrumsSomebrandsofrumaremadebyblendingpot-andcolumn-distilledrumsina

mannersimilartothatofArmagnacproduction

RUMCOCKTAILS

RUMANDCOKE(CubaLibre)FillatallglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)darkrumbullJuiceofhalfalimebullColatofillStirandgarnishwithalimewedge

DAIQUIRI

FillashortglasswithiceInashakercombinebull1frac12ounces(45ml)whiterumbull1ounce(30ml)limejuicebull1tablespoon(15g)sugarbullIcetofillShakeandstrainintotheglass

PLANTERrsquoSPUNCH

FillatallglasswithiceInashakercombinebull1frac12ounces(45ml)darkrumbullfrac12ounce(15ml)limejuicebullfrac12ounce(15ml)lemonjuicebull3ounces(90ml)orangejuicebull1teaspoon(5g)sugarbullDashgrenadinesyrupbullIcetofillShakeandstrainintotheglass

RUMREGIONS

THECARIBBEAN

TheCaribbeanistheepicenterofworldrumproductionVirtuallyeverymajorislandgroupproducesitsowndistinctrumstyleBarbadosproduceslightsweetishrumsfrombothpotandcolumnstillsRum

distillation began here and the Mount Gay Distillery dating from 1663 isprobablytheoldestoperatingrumproducerintheworldCuba produces light-bodied crisp clean rums from column stills It is

currentlyillegaltoshipCubanrumsintotheUnitedStatesThe Dominican Republic is notable for its full-bodied aged rums from

columnstillsGuyanaisjustlyfamousforitsrichheavyDemerararumsnamedforalocal

riverwhichareproducedfrombothpotandcolumnstillsDemerararumscanbeagedforextendedperiods(twenty-five-year-oldvarietiesareonthemarket)and are frequently used for blending with lighter rums from other regionsNeighboringSurinamandFrenchGuyanaproducesimilarfull-bodiedrumsHaitifollowstheFrenchtraditionofheavierrumsthataredoubledistilledin

potstillsandagedinoakcasksforthreeormoreyearstoproducefull-flavoredexceptionallysmooth-tastingrumsHaitialsostillhasanextensiveundergroundmoonshineindustrythatsuppliesthevoodooreligiousritualtrade

SagatibaPuraCachaccedila(Brazil)

Jamaicaiswellknownforitsricharomaticrumsmostofwhichareproducedin pot stills Jamaica has official classifications of rum ranging from light toveryfull-flavoredJamaicanrumsareusedextensivelyforblendingMartinique is a French island with the largest number of distilleries in the

Eastern Caribbean Both pot and column stills are used As on other Frenchislands such asGuadeloupe both rhum agricole (made from sugarcane juice)and rhum industriel (made from molasses) are produced These rums arefrequently aged in used French brandy casks for a minimum of three yearsRhumvieux(agedrum)isfrequentlycomparedtohigh-qualityFrenchbrandiesPuertoRico is knownprimarily for light verydry rums fromcolumn stills

AllPuertoRicanrumsmustbylawbeagedforaminimumofoneyearTrinidadproducesmainlylightrumsfromcolumnstillsandhasanextensive

exporttrade

THEVIRGINISLANDS

The Virgin Islands which are divided between the United States VirginIslands and the British Virgin Islands both produce light mixing rums fromcolumnstillsTheserumsandthoseofnearbyGrenadaalsoserveasthebaseforbayrumaclassicaftershavelotion

CENTRALAMERICA

CentralAmericahasavarietyofprimarilymedium-bodiedrumsfromcolumnstills that lend themselves well to aging They have recently begun to gaininternationalrecognition

SOUTHAMERICA

South America produces vast quantities of mostly light rums from columnstillswithunagedcanespiritfromBrazilcalledcachaccedilabeingthebest-knownexample Venezuela bucks this general trendwith a number of well-respectedbarrel-agedgoldenanddarkrums

NORTHAMERICA

North America has a handful of traditional rum distilleries in the southernUnited States producing a range of light-and medium-bodied rums that aregenerally marketed with Caribbean-themed names Modern craft distilleriesproducingrumhavesprungupinsomemoreunusuallocationswithparticularlynoteworthy producers including Prichardrsquos Distillery in Kelso Tennessee theRogueDistillery inNewportOregonand theTriple8Distillery inNantucketMassachusetts

CANADA

In Canada the 300-year-old tradition of trading rum for dried codfishcontinuesintheAtlanticMaritimeprovincesofNewfoundlandandNovaScotiawheregoldenrumsfromAntiguaBarbadosandJamaicaareimportedandagedforfiveyearsTheresultingheartyrumisknownlocallyasscreech

DistillerStefanHafenattheWeyermannDistillery(Germany)

EUROPE

Europe is primarily a blender of imported rums Both theUnitedKingdomandFrance import rums from their formercolonies in theCaribbean foragingandbottlingHeavydarkJamaicanrumsareimportedintoGermanyandmixedwithneutralspiritata119ratiotoproducerumverschnittAsimilarproductinAustriaiscalledinlanderrum

RecipecardfromRogueDistillery

AUSTRALIA

Australiaproducesasubstantialamountofwhiteandgoldenrumsinadouble-distillationmethodutilizingbothcolumnandpotstillsRumisthesecondmostpopular alcoholic beverage in the country after beer Light rums are alsoproducedonsomeoftheislandsintheSouthPacificsuchasTahiti

ASIA

InAsia rums tend to follow regional sugarcaneproductionwithwhite andgoldenrumsfromcolumnstillsbeingproducedprimarilyinthePhilippinesandThailand

TEQUILAMEZCALANDOTHERAGAVESPIRITS

ldquoAlltequilaismezcalbutnotallmezcalistequilardquomdashTequilamarketingmantra

TEQUILA its sister spiritmezcalandotheragavespirits trace theirorigins

backatleast2000yearstowhenoneormoreoftheIndiantribesthatinhabitedwhat isnowcentralMexicodiscoveredthat the juiceof theagaveplant if leftexposed to air would ferment and turn into a milky mildly alcoholic drinkNews of this discovery spread throughout agave-growing areas The Aztecscalled this beverage octili poliqhui a name that the Spaniards subsequentlycorruptedintopulque(POOL-kay)

Blueagavetherawmaterialfortequilaandmezcal

InAztecculturepulquedrinkinghadreligioussignificanceConsumptionbythemasseswaslimitedtospecificholidayswhenlargetubsofpulqueweresetup in public squaresThe ruling elitewas not subject to the same restrictionshoweveranddrankpulque throughout theyearmdashaprivilegesharedbycaptivewarriorsjustbeforetheyweresacrificedtothegodsWhentheSpanisharrivedinMexicointheearlysixteenthcenturytheysoon

begantomakeanddrinkpulqueButthelowalcoholcontent(around3percentABV) and earthy vegetal tastemade it less popular among the conquistadorsthan European-style beers and brandies Early attempts to distill pulque wereunsuccessful and the resulting spirit was harsh and acrid It was soondiscoveredhoweverthatcookingtheagavepulpresultedinasweeterjuicethatwhenfermentedbecameknownasmezcalwineThisldquowinerdquowasthendistilledintothespiritthatweknowtodayasmezcalEarly mezcal distilleries in the Spanish colony of Mexico operated in a

mannersimilartomodern-daybrewpubsThedistillingplantwasusuallysmallanditsproductionwasconsumedprimarilyinthedistillerytavern(taberna)Asthecolonygrewthemezcalwineindustryfollowedapaceandsoonbecameanimportant source of tax revenue for the Crown Periodic attempts by Spanishbrandyproducerstoshutdownthemezcalindustrywereaboutasunsuccessfulas similar efforts by English distillers to inhibit rum production in theBritishcoloniesinNorthAmerica

THEEVOLUTIONOFTEQUILA

In 1656 the village of Tequila (named for the local Ticuilas Indians) wasgrantedacharterbythegovernorofNewGaliciaTaxrecordsofthetimeshowthatmezcalwasalreadybeingproducedintheareaThismezcalmadefromthelocalblueagaveestablishedareputationforhavingasuperiortasteandbarrelsof the ldquomezcal wine from Tequilardquo were soon being shipped to nearbyGuadalajaraandmoredistantcitiessuchasthesilver-miningboomtownsofSanLuisPotosiacuteandAguascalientesTheoldestofthestill-existingdistilleriesinTequiladatesbackto1795when

the Spanish Crown granted a distillerrsquos license to Jose Cuervo In 1805 adistillerywas established thatwould ultimately come under the control of theSauzafamilyBythemid-1800sthereweredozensofdistilleriesandmillionsofagaveplantsundercultivationaroundTequila inwhathadbecome thestateofJalisco Gradually the locally produced mezcal came to be known as tequila(justas thegrapebrandyfromtheCognacregion inFrancecametobeknownsimplyascognac)

AjimadorharvestsblueagaveformakingtequilainJaliscoMexico

MexicoachievedindependencefromSpainin1821Butuntilthe1870sitwasapoliticallyunstablecountrythatexperiencedfrequentchangesingovernmentrevolutions and a disastrouswarwith theUnited StatesMarauding bands ofsoldiers and guerillas extracted ldquorevolutionary taxesrdquo and ldquovoluntaryrdquocontributionsinkindfromthetabernasanddistilleriesIn1876ageneralnamedPorfirioDiacuteaz whowas from themezcal-producing state ofOaxaca (oah-HA-kuh) came topower andushered in a thirty-five-yearperiodof relativepeaceandstabilityknownasthePorfiriatoItwasduringthisperiodthat thetequila industrybecamefirmlyestablished

Modest exports of tequila began to the United States and Europe with JoseCuervoshippingthefirst threebarrels toElPasoTexas in1873By1910thenumber of agave distilleries in the state of Jalisco had grown to almost ahundredThe collapse of the Diacuteaz regime in 1910 led to a decade-long period of

revolutionthatinhibitedthetequilaindustryThereturnofpeaceinthe1920sledto the expansion of tequila production in Jalisco beyond the area around thetown of Tequila with growth being particularly noteworthy in the highlandsaround the village of Arandas This period also saw the adoption of modernproduction techniques from the wine industry such as cultivated yeast andmicrobiologicalsanitarypracticesIn the 1930s the practice of adding non-agave sugars to the aguamiel or

ldquohoneywaterrdquowasintroducedandquicklyadoptedbymanytequilaproducersThesemixto(mixed)tequilashadalessintensetastethan100percentblueagavetequilasButthisrelativeblandnessalsomadethemmoreappealingtononnativeconsumersparticularlythoseintheUnitedStates

THEBASISOFTEQUILAANDMEZCAL

TequilaandmezcalaremadebydistillingthefermentedjuiceofagaveplantsinMexico The agave is a spiky-leafedmember of the lily family (it is not acactus) and is related to the century plant ByMexican law the agave spiritcalled tequila can be made only from one particular type of agave the blueagave (Agave tequilana Weber) and it can be produced only in specificallydesignated geographic areas primarily the state of Jalisco in west-centralMexicoMezcalismadefromthefermentedjuiceofotherspeciesofagaveItisproducedthroughoutmostofMexico

FieldsofblueagaveinJaliscoMexico

Both tequila and mezcal are prepared for distillation in similar ways Theagave also know as maguey (pronounced muh-GAY) is cultivated onplantations for eight to ten years depending on the type of agaveWhen theplantreachessexualmaturityitstartstogrowaflowerstalkTheagavefarmerorcampesinocutsoff thestalk justas it is starting togrowThis redirects theplant growth into the central stalk swelling it into a large bulbous shape thatcontainsasweetjuicypulpWhentheswellingiscompletedthecampesinocutstheplantfromitsrootsandremovesthelongsword-shapedleavesusingarazor-sharp pike-like tool called a coa The remaining pintildea (ldquopineapplerdquomdashso-calledbecause the cross-thatched denuded bulb resembles a giant green and whitepineapple)weighsanywherefromtwenty-fivetoonehundredpoundsAt the distillery the pintildeas are cut into quarters For tequila they are then

slowly baked in steam ovens or autoclaves until all of the starch has beenconverted to sugars Formezcal they are baked in underground ovens heatedwithwoodcharcoal (whichgivesmezcal itsdistinctivesmoky taste)Theyarethencrushed(traditionallywithastonewheeldrawnaroundacirculartroughbyamule)andshreddedtoextractthesweetjuicecalledaguamiel(honeywater)

WHATBINGCROSBYANDJIMMYBUFFETTHAVEINCOMMON

Modestamountsof tequilahadbeenexported intoUSborder townssincethelatenineteenthcenturyThefirstmajorboost to tequilasales in theUnitedStates came in the late1940swhen themargarita cocktail ablendof tequilalimejuiceorangeliqueurandicewasinventedItsoriginsareuncertainbutHollywoodactorsandcocktailpartiesinCaliforniaandMexicanresortsseemtobe involved inmost of the genesis stories It is known that crooner and actorBingCrosbywassotakenwithoneparticularbrandoftequilaHerradurathatheteamedupwithfellowactorPhilHarristoimportthebrandintotheUnitedStatesThemargaritaalongwiththetequilasunriseandthetequilasourhavebecomehighlypopularintheUnitedStatesinfactitisclaimedbymanyintheliquor industry that the margarita is the single most popular cocktail in thenation In the 1970swhenballadeer JimmyBuffett sangof ldquowasting away inMargaritavillerdquothesuccessofthesongenticedmillionsmoreAmericanstosipfromthesalt-rimmedmargaritaglass

FERMENTATIONAGAVEORMIXTO

The fermentation stage determines whether the final product will be 100percent agave or mixed (ldquomixtordquo) The highest-quality tequila is made fromfermentingandthendistillingjustagavejuicemixedwithsomewaterMixtoismadeby fermentingand thendistilling amixof agave juice andother sugarsusuallycanesugarwithwaterMixtosmadeandbottledinMexicocancontainupto40percentalcoholmadefromothersugarsMixtosthathavebeenshippedinbulktoothercountriesforbottling(primarilytheUnitedStates)mayhavetheagavecontentfurtherreducedto51percentbytheforeignbottlerByMexicanlaw all 100 percent agave or aged tequilas must be bottled in Mexico If atequilais100percentagaveitwillalwayssaysoonthebottlelabelIfitdoesnrsquotsay100percentitisamixtoalthoughthattermisseldomusedonbottlelabels

Stillsusedforproducingtequila

DISTILLATIONANDAGINGOFTEQUILAANDMEZCAL

Traditionallytequilaandmezcalhavebeendistilledinpotstillsat110degproof(55percentABV)Theresultingspiritisclearbutcontainsasignificantamountof congeners and other flavor elements Some light-colored tequilas are nowbeingrectified(redistilled)incolumnstillstoproduceacleanerblanderspirit

THEBLUEAGAVESTRIKESBACK

From the1930s through the1980s thebulk of the tequila beingproducedwasoftheblendedmixtovarietyTheoriginal100percentagavetequilaswerereducedtoaminorspecialtyproductinthemarketInthelate1980stherisingsuccess of single malt Scotch whiskies and expensive cognacs in theinternationalmarketplacedidnotgounnoticedamong tequilaproducersNewbrandsof100percentblueagave tequilaswere introducedandsalesbeganasteadygrowthcurvethatcontinuestothisday

Color in tequila and mezcal comes mostly from the addition of caramelalthoughbarrelagingisafactorinsomehigh-qualitybrandsAdditionallysomedistillers add small amounts of natural flavorings such as sherry pruneconcentrateandcoconuttomanipulatetheproductrsquosflavorprofileTheseaddedflavors donot standout themselves but instead serve to smoothout theoftenhard-edgedpalateofagavespirit

Barrelssetforagingtequilainaware-housetastingroom

MEZCALANDTHEWORM

TherulesandregulationsthatgoverntheproductionandpackagingoftequiladonotapplytoagavespiritsproducedoutsideofthedesignatedareasinMexicoSome mezcal distilleries are very primitive and very small The best-knownmezcalscomefromthesouthernstateofOaxacaalthoughtheyareproducedina number of other states Eight varieties of agave are approved for mezcalproductionbut thechiefvarietyused is theespadinagave (AgaveangustifoliaHaw)

CLASSIFICATIONSOFTEQUILA

Beyond the two basic designations of tequilamdashagave and mixtomdashthere arefourcategories

ASTHEWORMTURNS

The upgrading and upscaling of tequila has in turn inspired mezcalproducers to undertake similarmeasures In the past few years an increasingnumber of high-end mezcals including some intriguing ldquosingle villagerdquobottlingshavebeenintroducedtothemarketMezcalnowseemstobecomingintoitsownasadistinctivenoteworthyspirit

Thefamousldquowormrdquofound insomebottlesofmezcal (ldquocongusanordquo) is thelarvaofoneoftwomothsthatliveontheagaveplantThereasonforaddingtheworm to thebottleofmezcal is obscureButone storywhich at least has theappealoflogictobackitupisthatthewormservesasproofofhighproofthewormremainsintactinthebottleifthepercentageofalcoholinthespiritishighenoughtopreservethepickledwormConsumingthewormwhichcanbedonewithoutharmhasservedasariteofpassageforgenerationsoffraternityboysTop-qualitymezcalsdonotincludeaworminthebottle

AbottleofAguaAzulablueagaveeaudevie

BrendanMoylanholdsupacoupleofbottlesofJBWagonerrsquos100percentBlueAgaveSpiritsinfrontofhiswell-stockedbar

NON-MEXICANAGAVESPIRITS

Federal excise tax records indicate that tequila-like agave spirits wereproducedinthe1930sinthesouthwesternUnitedStatesMorerecentlymoderncraftdistillershavebeguntoexperimentwiththeirownagavespiritssuchasJBWagonerrsquos Ultra Premium 100 percent Blue Agave Spirits by SkyrocketDistillersinTemuculaCaliforniaAguaAzulbyStGeorgeSpiritsinAlamedaCaliforniaandGoldAgavebyStJamesSpiritsinIrwindaleCalifornia

TEQUILACOCKTAILS

CLASSICMARGARITA

TakeashortglassWettherimwithlimejuicePuttheglassupsidedownincoarsesaltsothatthesaltclingstotherimInacocktailshakercombine

bull1frac12ounces(45ml)silvertequilabullfrac34ounce(23ml)TripleSecbullfrac34ounce(23ml)limejuicebullIcetofillShakeandstrainintothesalt-rimmedglassandgarnishwithalimeslice

FROZENFRUITMARGARITA

TakeashortglassWettherimwithlimejuiceandputtheglassupsidedownin coarse salt so salt clings to the rim (this step is optional) Combine theingredients for the ClassicMargarita in a blender with very ripe fruit (6 to 7ounces[170to200g]freshor4ounces[115g]frozen)Add34cupiceBlenduntilsmoothandpourintotheglass

TEQUILASUNRISEFillatallglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)silvertequilabullOrangejuicealmosttofillSlowlypourfrac12ounce (15ml)grenadine syrupover the top (As it trickles

downitcreatestheldquosunriserdquoeffect)

LIQUEURSSCHNAPPSANISEANDBITTERS

LIQUEURSschnappsaniseandbittersaretermsthatcoverawidevariety

of types of spirits What they all share in common is that they are flavoredspirits

LIQUEURS

Also known as cordials liqueurs are sweet flavor-infused spirits that arecategorized according to the flavoring agent (fruits nuts herbal and spiceblends creams and such)Theword liqueur comes from theLatin liquifacere(ldquotodissolverdquo)andreferstothedissolvingofflavoringsinthespiritsArtificialflavoringsarestrictlyregulatedinmostcountriesandwhereallowedtheymustbeprominentlylabeledassuch

BLENDEDFAMILIES

AllliqueursareblendseventhosewithaprimaryflavorAtouchofvanillais added to cregraveme de cacao to emphasize the chocolate Citrus flavor notessharpen the presentation of anise Herbal liqueurs may contain dozens ofdifferent flavor elements that a master blender manipulates to achieve thedesiredflavorprofile

MasterdistillerTedHuberpoursatHuberStarlightDistillery

Top-qualityliqueursareproducedbydistillationofeitherthefermentedflavormaterials or the spirit in which they have been infused Many liqueurs usefinishedspiritssuchascognacrumorwhiskeyas theirbaseOthersmaceratefruitorotherflavoringsinaneutralspiritCregravemes(cregravemedementhecregravemedecacao etc) are liqueurswith a primary flavor while cream liqueurs combinedairycreamandalcoholinahomogenizedshelf-stableblend

LabelforCoffeeLiqueurbyMcMenaminsEdgefieldDistillery

Liqueurs are not usually aged for any great length of time but they mayundergo resting stages during their production to allow the various flavors toldquomarryrdquointoaharmoniousblendLiqueurscanbehardtoclassifybutregardlessofflavortheycanbebroadly

dividedintotwocategoriesGenericsareliqueursofaparticulartype(cregravemedecacaoorcuraccedilaoforexample)hatcanbemadebyanyproducerProprietariesare liqueurs with trademarked names that are made according to a specificformula Examples of such liqueurs include Kahluacutea Grand Marnier andSouthernComfort

AvanWeesDeOoievaarfruitliqueurfromtheNetherlands

SCHNAPPS

Schnapps is a general term used for an assortment of white and flavoredspiritsthathaveoriginatedinnortherncountriesorregionssuchasGermanyorScandinavia Schnapps can bemade from grain potatoes ormolasses and beflavoredwith virtually anything (watermelon and root beer schnapps from theUnited States being proof of that) The dividing line between schnapps andflavoredvodkaisvagueandismoreculturalthanstylistic

ANISE-FLAVOREDSPIRITS

These spirits can vary widely in style depending on the country of originThey can be dry or very sweet low or high proof distilled from fermentedaniseedormaceratedinneutralspiritInFranceanis(asproducedbyPernod)isproducedbydistillinganiseanda

varietyofotherbotanicalstogetherPastisismaceratedratherthandistilledandcontainsfewerbotanicalsthananisInItalysambucaisdistilledfromaniseandbotanicals but it is thenheavily sweetened tomake it a liqueurOil of fennel(alsoknownasgreenanise)isfrequentlyaddedtoboostthearomaofthespiritGreecehasadriergrappa-likeliqueurcalledouzowhichisstylisticallyclosetopastis

TangerineCelloandSpicyGingerorganicliqueursfromNewDealDistillery

RosolisZiolowyGorzki(stomachbitters)fromtheLancutDistilleryinPoland

BITTERS

The modern-day descendents of medieval medical potions bitters aremarketed as having at least some vaguely therapeutic value (stomach settlershangover cures and so on) They tend to be flavored with herbs roots andbotanicalsandcontainlowerquantitiesoffruitandsugarthanliqueursAlthoughtherearespecialtyliqueurproducersmostbrandsareproducedby

generalditillersaspartofanextendedproductlineAmongthenewgenerationof craft distillers some of the standout liqueur producers include LeopoldBrothersDistilleryofDenverColoradowith theiruniquewhiskey-based fruitliqueurs (the RockyMountain Blackberry is particularly noteworthy) and theFlagHillDistillery inLeeNewHampshirewith theirdelicately tingedSugarMapleLiqueur

LabelforJohnnyZieglerBlackForestStyleAppleAuxPommeSchnapsEaudeViebyWinegardenEstateinNewBrunswickCanada

LabelforBlackberryLiqueurbyClearCreekDistillery

ABSINTHEMAKESTHEHEARTGROWFONDER

AbsintheVertebyStGeorgeSpirits

Modernpastisisthegenteeldescendentofitsmuchmoreraffishnineteenth-century ancestor absinthe a high (sometimes very high) proof anise liquor(technically not a liqueur because no sugar is added) that included extract ofwormwoodinitslistofbotanicalsWormwoodcontainsthechemicalcompoundthujonewhose allegedpsychedelic effectsmadeabsinthe very popular amongtheldquoBohemianrdquocountercultureartistsand intellectualsofFranceandEurope(Vincent vanGogh andOscarWildewere devotees of what was termed ldquoTheGreenFairyrdquo)ConverselysocialconservativesandprohibitionistscampaignedagainstitasthecrackcocaineofthedayandeventuallygotitoutlawedinmostEuropeancountriesandtheUnitedStatesModernscientificanalysishasfoundthujonersquospsychedelicpotencytobeatbestgreatlyexaggerated

LeTourmentVertFrenchAbsinthebyBrunoDelannoyofDistillerieVinetEge

Forbiddenfruitisalwaysappealingandstartinginthe1990sabsinthewhichcontinued to be commercially produced in Eastern Europe slowly started toreturn to the general marketplace initially in ldquothujone-freerdquo versions fromFrance and Switzerland and more recently from an increasing number ofAmerican craft distillers suchasNorthShoreDistilling inLakeBluff Illinoisand St George Distilling in Alameda California One thing that has notchangedaboutabsintheisitshighalcoholcontent

AbsintheVertebyLeopoldBros

ARTISANPROFILEINSIDETHEINDUSTRY

PHILPRICHARD

PrichardrsquosDistilleryKelsoTennessee

PHILPRICHARDwasstillworkingin telecomsales inMemphiswhenhereadtheclassicTheLoreofStillBuildingandstartedteachinghimselftomakerumHis first sale came in March of 2001 (thirty cases for $2929) It was the

product of four years of work His initial plan was to make a product fromTennessee sorghum but he learned that rumhad to come from sugarcaneHewasnrsquot discouraged ldquoThe transition was rather easy By that time I hadresearchedthehistoryofAmericanrumandwejustslidintothenewprofileItfitverywellrdquoSoontractor-trailerloadsofmolasseswerebeingdriveninWhatsets Prichardrsquos apart from other rum is the use of first-grade sweetmolassesrather than blackstrap Using better molasses ldquofocused our attention on theproductionofatraditionalAmericanrumrdquosaidPrichardBlackstrapaswellasbeingusedtomakerumisputoncattleandhorsefeedandPrichardsaidldquoInAfricatheyputitontheroadstokeepthedustdownItrsquos32percentsugarand68percentLordknowswhatrdquoEd Hamiltonmdashnoted scholar author and keeper ofMinistryof Rumcommdash

saidldquoByusingahigh-grademolassesastherawmaterialhereducestheneedto distill to a high proof in order to reduce the sulfur compounds that are thedistillerrsquos banerdquo The results are evident ldquoPhil hasmanaged to dowhatmostmolassesdistillersonlywishtheycoulddordquosaidHamiltonldquodistillagoodwhiterumandmakeitdrinkablewithoutagingitPhilmakesanimpressivelysmoothwhiterumthathasnrsquotbeenagedyetretainsthecoconutandbutterscotchflavorsthatareitssignaturerdquoPrichard takes some of this white rum and barrels itWhile the rest of the

industry saves money aging their product in used fifty-two-gallon whiskeybarrels Prichard ages his rum in new small barrels of fifteen gallons Thisprovidesmoresurfaceareaforthespirittointeractwiththecharredoakanditdevelopsseriousflavorsnot typicallyfoundinarumagedfor just threeyearsHamiltonhadmorepraiseldquoPrichardrsquosFineRumisanothergreatexampleofthesmalldistillerrsquosartTherelativelylowdistillationproofandhighbarrelsurfaceareatovolumeyieldarumthatremindstheimbiberoftheotherspiritsforwhichTennesseeismorewellknownrdquoPrichard is expanding He bought bourbon from Heaven Hill in Kentucky

ageditagaininnewbarrelsandbottleditasDoubleBarrelBourbonFinishingbourbonthiswayisrare(BeamandBuffaloTracehavebothexperimentedwithit) and Double Barrel Bourbon was well received Building a distillery ldquowasdifficult beyond imagination Building a nationwide distribution network hasbeenourgreatestchallengeandthemostcostlyrdquoRegardlessofthechallengesPrichardmoveseverforwardInMarchof2009thedistillerybeganproducingitsownwhiskey

CHAPTEREIGHT

AGALLERYOFARTISANDISTILLERS

ldquoDrinkingyoungwhiskey is something that isdoneonly instillhousesandbarsinItalyLetyourspiritmaturetoaproperdegreeofripenessrdquo

ndashMichaelJacksoncritiquinganearlyexampleofcraftdistilledwhiskey

WhenIowafloodedJeffQuintoftheCedarRidgeDistilleryfilledhisstillwithwatertokeepitfromfloatingawayinthedeluge

THERE is a spirit revolutionhappening in theUnitedStates one thatwillchange theentirespirit industryDistillerswithan intensepassionfor thecraftlay their hearts souls and economic futures on the line for the purpose ofmakingtheidealliquidspiritThesesmallcompaniessometimesrunbyoneortwopeoplecreateavarietyofspiritstoonumeroustomentioninasinglebreathTheircreationsandblendsarenolessvaluableorquality-driventhanbignamebrandssomeevenmoresoThesenichespiritshavetheadvantageofcreativitythat expands the scopeofwhat the liquor industryhas tooffernotonly to theUSbuttotheworldThesemicro-distillerslackthenamerecognitionandthefundingthatbignamecompaniesusetohelpmarkettheirproductsbutsomeofthemwillbecomethehouseholdnamesofthefuturemdashjustasJackDanielsandJohnnyWalkerdistillersfromthepasthavebecomeinourtime

-AdaptedfromCheriLoughlinrsquosIntoxicologistblogwwwintoxicologistwordpresscom

WHISKEY

ANDOTHERSPIRITS

ANENTHUSIASTrsquoSGUIDETOTHEARTISANDISTILLING

OFPOTENTPOTABLES

EDITEDBYBILLOWENS

ANDALANDIKTY

FOREWORDBYFRITZMAYTAG

DEDICATION

InfondmemoryofourfriendMichaelJacksonwhoiswehavenodoubt

nowenjoyinghiswell-deservedangelrsquosshareoftheworldrsquosbarrelsofmaturingwhiskey

CONTENTS

FOREWORDBYFRITZMAYTAG

INTRODUCTIONBYBILLOWENS

CHAPTERONE

ABRIEFHISTORYOFDISTILLING

CHAPTERTWO

THEDISTILLINGPROCESS

CHAPTERTHREE

WHISKEY

CHAPTERFOUR

VODKA

CHAPTERFIVE

GIN

CHAPTERSIX

BRANDYANDEAUDEVIE

CHAPTERSEVEN

RUMTEQUILALIQUERSANDMORE

CHAPTEREIGHT

AGALLERYOFARTISANDISTILLERS

CHAPTERNINE

DISTILLINGRESOURCES

THEDISTILLERrsquoSLIBRARY

THEDISTILLERrsquoSGLOSSARY

DIRECTORYOFDISTILLERIES

INDEX

ABOUTTHECONTRIBUTORS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

ABOUTTHEAUTHORS

FOREWORD

THESECONDWhiskeyRebellionishappeningintheUnitedStatesandit

isalreadyspreadingaroundtheworldInthismarvelousbookBillOwensAlanDiktyandtheircontributorsmdashlikeintrepidwarcorrespondentsmdashtakeyoutothefront lines You will find here an up-to-the-minute report on the excitementcreativityandbrashenthusiasmoftheUnitedStatesrsquocraftdistillers

DetailofthefermentingprocessofmakingbourbonWoodfordReserveDistillery

I have known Bill Owens since his early involvement in the USrsquosmicrobrewing renaissance He was one of the movementrsquos most ferventinnovatorsHisownachievementsaremanyandhisenthusiasmfor thewholewild explosionofbrewingcreativity is evidenced inhisobvious enjoymentofthesuccessesofhisbrewingcolleaguesThe craft-brewing renaissance of course began in the 1960s By the early

rsquo90s it was inevitable that it would evolve into a craft-distilling renaissanceAnd so Bill and his cohorts are at it again now celebrating a small-distilleryrevolutionandthevarietyandcreativitythatisspringingupeverywhereYeswenow have ldquocraftrdquo whiskey distillers experimenting with all facets of graindistillingAndaswiththebrewingrevolutiontheconsumerreapstherewardsWe are entering a golden age for the spirits lover and The Art of DistillingWhiskey andOther Spirits An Enthusiastrsquos Guide to the ArtisanDistilling ofPotentPotablesisanindispensableguidebooktoitsbeginnings

CharringoakbarrelsatBluegrassCooperage

Where did the craft-distilling phenomenon originate You could say that itcamedownfromthemountainswherepot-distilledwhiskeysmadebyhandmdashinsecretfoldsmdashhaveneverentirelydisappearedOryoucouldsaythatitcameupfrom the vineyards and orchardswhere formany years there has been a tinycraft-distilling segment of superb hand-crafted fruit brandies and eaux-de-vieJustknowthatasecondWhiskeyRebellionisuponusandthatit ishappeningright now in a little building near you And if you have picked up this bookalready knowing about the great food awakening and hoping for a guide todistillingyouhavefounditWhat particularly fascinates me about the distillation of alcohol is the

enduringmysterysurroundingitsoriginsDistillationitselfisaphysicalartwitha longmdashand colorfulmdashhistory And the distilling of all sorts of materials formyriadpurposesisanancientprocessButwhendidtheproductionofdistilledspirits as a beverage beginYou arewelcome to your opinion and good luckfindinganyonetoagreewithyouNomatterwhatyouthinkIencourageyoutosavor the eternal enigma that is embodied in a distilled spirit It is a form ofmagic to take fruit or grain ferment it put it in a pot heat it and make itdisappearentirelyandthenwatchitreappeardropbydropasaclearvolatilealmostetherealliquidAnditisadangerousliquidmdashdonotkidyourselfItcancatchfireitcanexplodeandabusingitcanruinlivesItispowerfulmysteriousstuff surely one reason that it captures the imagination of the producers andconsumersswirlingandswillingaroundthecurrentawakeningSo drink deep of Bill and Alanrsquos guide get on the road with them go

exploring and learning and enjoybeing an earlyparticipant in themovementAnd takemyword for it as a distiller of whiskey since the secondWhiskeyRebellionrsquosfirstshotldquoHeadswewintailswewinrdquo

FritzMaytagAnchorDistilling

SanFranciscoApril2009

INTRODUCTION

ASAYOUNGMANinthe1970sIhadlonghairaVolkswagenBeetlea

hip wife and a career as a newspaper photographer I also published fourphotographymonographsincludingtheclassicSUBURBIA(stillinprint)andIreceived a Guggenheim Fellowship in photography and three NationalEndowment for theArtsgrantsMydreamwas towork forLIFEmagazineorNationalGeographic and I ended up stringing for the Associated Press andcoveredtheHellrsquosAngelsbeatingpeoplewithpoolcuesatAltamontWhileallthiswashappeningIwashomebrewinginthegarageBy the1980swhen I reachedmiddleage Ihada flattop sold theVWand

camerasand lostawonderfulwife In1982Iopened thefirstbrewpubin theUnited States Buffalo Billrsquos Brewery in Hayward California The beer wasgood My pumpkin ale is still being brewed by many breweries My publicimagewasldquocolorfulrdquoandthenewsmedialovedmeIstartedbelievingmyownpressclipsIopenedtwomorebrewpubsandlaunchedapublicstockofferingtofundthebuildingofalarge-scaleproductionbreweryItallseemedlikeagoodidea at the time It was after all ldquoMorning in Americardquo Reagan was in the

WhiteHouseandtheoperativephraseforthetimeswasldquoGreedisgoodrdquoIwantedsuccessmoneyIhadthreebrewpubsIgrossedamilliondollarsthat

yearbutIhadtopaysixtyemployeesandendedupwithnoprofitThingsdonrsquotalwaysworkoutasyoudreamThestockofferingnevergotoffthegroundandonebyonethebrewpubsweresoldoffwithBuffaloBillrsquosbeingthelasttogoButIrsquollalwayshaveAlimonyAle(ldquoThebitterestbeerinAmericardquo)By the 1990s I had gray hair and a new wife and I was publishing two

magazinesAmericanBrewerandBEERTheMagazineOnceagainmytimingwasgoodandtheAmericanBrewer rodethefirstgreatwaveofcraftbrewingThingswere lookinggreatbut financially the twomagazines turnedout tobenot such a great idea I soon stopped publishing BEER and sold AmericanBrewerSoonafter theAARPmailingsstartedshowingupand Iopenedanantique

store That venture lasted six months Then my agent sold some SUBURBIAphotographstoEltonJohngivingmeenoughmoneyfora(used)Lexusandthecash fora three-month tripacrossAmerica so I ranawayfromhomeOn thistrip I decided to visit some craft distilleries Iwas intrigued and the creativejuices started to flow again When I returned to California I founded theAmerican Distilling Institute (ADI) In 2003 I held the first ADI distillingconferenceatStGeorgeHangarOneDistilleryandsomeeightypeopleshowedupIn2007 Idecided tomakeanother tripacrossAmericaAgain the tripwas

fundedby sellingphotographs tomuseums anassortmentof art galleries andfriendsintheUnitedStatesandinEuropeThissecondtrip(21000miles)tookfourmonthsandfromfifty-threeDVDsofimagesweselectedahundredorsoforthisbookBy2009theADIdatabasecontained1246namesofwhich205aremembersandofthose165arecraftdistillersThefuturefortheindustryisbrightMoreandmorepeoplewanttolearntheartofcraftdistillingTheywantto learn how to run small businesses selling their handcrafted products to thepublicMyrecentldquohow-tordquobookCraftWhiskeyDistillinghassold300copiesinthreemonthsThecraftdistillingindustryisreallyaboutlifestylePeopletakegreatpridein

producingtheirproductsThisbookisalookatcraftdistillersandtherestofthewhiskeyrumvodkaandginindustryIstillhaveafootinbothcampsphotographyanddistillationButifIhadto

chooseitrsquodbedistillingbecauseitrsquosawayoflifeSpecial thanks toAlanDikty the editor of this book and a personal friend

AlanhasbeenwithmeasafriendandwriterforsomethirtyyearsAlanknowsspiritsAbigthank-youalsotoAndrewFaulknerphotographerandphotoeditorforthisbook

BillOwensHaywardCalifornia

March2009

AUTHORrsquoSNOTEONSPELLING

For reasons that have yet to be adequately explained American and Irishdistillers spell the word whiskey with an e while their Scotch CanadianJapaneseandNewZealandpeersspellwhiskywithoutit

CHAPTERONE

ABRIEFHISTORYOFDISTILLING

SINCEtheearliestknownuseofdistillationabout5000yearsagopractice

ofthearthasgrownandspreadaroundtheworldinseveralwavesthespeedandextent of each being dictated by geography trade routes and cultural andreligious influences Each successive wave gave rise to significant technicaladvances in distillation making it less expensive more efficient and morecontrollable

VeryFineWhiskeybottlecircathe1920sThisvintagebottlewasacquiredatafleamarketthenfilledwithOldForrester

PossiblytheearliestwrittenrecordofdistillationisintheEpicofGilgameshwhich describes a formof essential oil distillation practiced inBabylon as farback as 3000 BCE Herbs were placed in a large heated cauldron of boilingwater and the cauldronrsquos opening was covered with a sheepskin fleece sidedownPeriodically thesheepskinwaschangedandthecondensatesoakingthefleecewaswrungoutintoasmalljarEssentialoilsfloatedtothesurfaceofthewatercollected in the jarandwereskimmedoffMedieval textsandwoodcutsshowthesameprinciplebeingusedtoconcentratealcoholicvaporsfromboilingwine(IncidentallythisissimilarinprincipletoamethodthatthePhoeniciansusedforconsumingcannabis)

DISTILLINGMIGRATESEASTANDWEST

By 500BCE alcohol distillationwas an established industry in the ancientIndian area known as Taxila (in modern northwest Pakistan) wherearcheologistsdiscoveredaperfectlypreservedterra-cottadistillationsystemInthisprocess steam rising fromapotofboilingwaterpassed throughabedoffermented grains picking up alcohol and flavors from the grains The vaporsthen struck the bottom of a second pot filled with cold water where theycondensedanddrippedintoacollectiontubeFromTaxila knowledge spread to theEast and theWest andby350BCE

knowledgeofthedistillingprocessappearedinthewritingofAristotleinGreeceand Sinedrius in Libya The first arrival of distillation technology inChina ismisty but by 25CE bronze stills of similar designwere being produced andusedthereBytheendofthefirstmillenniumCEthepracticeofdistillationhadspread

throughout northern Africa and the Middle East The process had advancedsignificantlyoverthisthousand-yearperiodandthematerialbeingdistilledwasnowboileddirectlyinalargesealedpotwhichhadalongtubeleadingfromitsapextoasmallcollectionjarWhentheMoorsinvadedSpaintheybroughtthistechnologywiththemandsoonthegenie(orspirit)wasoutof thebottleThetechnologyspreadfromSpaintoItalyin1100CEandwasrecordedinIrelandby 1200 Germany by 1250 and France by 1300 England Scotland PolandRussiaandSwedenjoinedtheclubby1400

DISTILLINGTECHNOLOGYEVOLVES

EuropeanexplorationandconquestspreadrapidlyaroundtheworldcarryingthetechnologyofdistillationwithitThefirststillsintheAmericasappearednotlong after the conquistadores and the Portuguese brought the technology toJapanby1500This technologywas largely controlled by alchemists andmonasterieswho

continuouslyexperimentedandimprovedontheequipmentBythemid-1600sseveraltextshadbeenpublishedonthesubjectofdistillationasampleofwhichincludedthewoodcutsonthisspreadfromTheArtofDistillationbyJonathanFrench(1651)AsthisinformationspreadbeyondclericalandscientificcircleswealthyindividualsbegantoestablishstillhousesontheirestatesAs knowledge blossomed throughout theRenaissance distillation continued

to develop rapidly Distillation was removed from the exclusive province ofscientists monks and professionals and became a common household artRecipebooksabounded

ThesewoodcutsfromTheArtofDistillationbyJonathanFrench(1651)showasmallpartofthewidevarietyofformsdistillingequipmenthadtakenbytheseventeenthcenturyTwokeyimprovementsareshownmultipledistillationsinonesetup(onestillfeedingintothenext)topofpageandanimprovedvaporcondenser(acoiloftubingknownasaldquowormrdquoinabarrelofcoldwater)belowandoppositepage

ldquoThere is more refreshment and stimulation in a nap even of thebriefestthaninallthealcoholeverdistilledrdquo

mdashOvid(ancientRomanclassicalpoetandnotoriouswetblanketatbacchanals43ndash17BCE)Bythe1700sthecomplexityandsophisticationofcommercial-scaledistilling

equipmentadvancedrapidlyAdvancesintheunderstandingofhowdistillationactuallyworked led to new still designs that couldmake better quality spiritsmoreeasilyandfasterthaninthepastDistillingbecamemoreaccessibletothemasses and the monopoly held by the church and the elite classes wasthreatenedThesecentersofpower soonenacted restrictions at first toprotectthatmonopolyandlaterpurelyforrevenue

GEORGEWASHINGTONANDGERRYMANDERING

ItiswellknownthatGeorgeWashingtonwasadistillerWhatislesswellknownisthatthelawshecraftedsetthedistinctionbetweentheheavilytaxedsmalldistillersandthelightlytaxedlargedistillersthelinebeingdrawnjustbelowthesizeofhisdistilleryPoliticsworkedinmuchthesamewaythenasitdoestoday

TheGeorgeWashingtonstillrecreationattheMountVernonDistilleryinMountVernonVirginia

REGULATIONANDREBELLION

Since1700theregulationandcontrolofdistillationhasbeenmostlyastoryoflostfreedomsandrightsAfewraysofsunshinehavesincepokedthroughthecloudsTheelite andgovernmentsofEurope tried repeatedly to exploit andcontrol

distillationInEnglandforexamplethefirsttaxationofcommercialdistillationappearedin1690topayforawarwithFrancePrivatedistillationwasexemptedfrom this tax and it remained free from interference as taxes and regulationswere raised lowered abolished and resurrectedover thenext centuryPrivatedistillation in England flourished and grew significantly during this time (andperhapsnota littleof thisproduct found itsway intocommercialchannelsviathe back door) until it was outlawed in 1781 to enhance the collection ofrevenueThemassiveGinCrazeofearlyeighteenth-centuryGreatBritainhaditsrootsinpartinthisunfetteredspreadofdistillation

BlueprintofaSimpleStill

a)SteamjacketHeatsthepotandthewashb)PotHoldsthewashc)SwanNeckAllowsforseparationofthecomponentsofthemixtured)TubeinShellCondenserCondensesthealcoholvaporsinspiritse)SpigotThevaporsarecollectedfromaspigotatthebottomofthecondenser

ThreestrippingstillsandaspiritstillmadefromstainlesssteeldrumsattheNewDealDistillery

TheUnitedStatesgovernmentrsquosfirstattempttotaxdistillationresultedintheWhiskey Rebellion of 1791 which was put down by federal troops led byGeorgeWashington(whowasbroughtoutofretirementfortheconflict)FederalexcisetaxeswereabolishedaftertheendoftheWarof1812onlyto

beimposedduringtheCivilWarinthe1860s(andcontinuetothisday)Napoleon introduced regulation in France The laws variedwidely over the

nextcenturybutstabilizedin1914whentherightwasgrantedtoanyonewithavineyard or orchard to distill up to 20 liters of spirits from their fruit if theyagreedtopayataxThisrightwasoriginallyinheritablebutthatwasrevokedinthe 1950s This system led to the development of traveling stills known asbouilleurs de cru which were once very common sights in the FrenchcountrysideBecausethenumberofpermittedindividualshasshrunkwitheverypassingyearveryfewofthesemobiledistilleriesremainAustralians lost their right to distill their ownbeverages in the aftermathof

WorldWarIagainasarevenuemeasureMany African Latin American and southern European nations have

continuedtoallowprivatedistillationunderawidevarietyofrulesrangingfromnone through inspection of stills to onerous regulations and high taxation Ingeneral traditional alcoholic beverages are made in most farmhouses usingtraditional equipment (mostlypot stills ofvarious forms)without anyadverseeffectsonsocietyThemostrecentandhopefulchangeintheglobalregulationofdistillationwas

the legalization of private noncommercial distilling byNewZealand in 1996TheNewZealandgovernment found that the expenseof enforcing thebanonprivatedistillationfaroutweighedtherevenuecomingfromfinessothelawwasabolishedThischangeledtowidespreadadoptionofsmall-scaledistillingasahobby and as hobbyists always will they experimented with equipment andtechniques continuously Many significant innovations have been developedmaking small-scale distilling equipment more available much less expensiveandverymucheasiertocontrolthananythingthatcamebefore

FUTURETRENDS

Just as the appearance of microbreweries followed the renaissance ofhomebrewing increasing thechoicesand levelofquality for allbeerdrinkersmicrodistilleries are starting to thrive around theworld someusing traditionalequipmentbutmanyusingnewequipmentmethodsandtechniquesdevelopedbythenewly liberatedhomedistillersManyof thesemodernsmalldistilleriesareexperimentingwithnew typesandcategoriesof spirits creatingnovel andsometimesuniquelylocalspirits

MOONSHINE

As surely as thunder follows lightning whiskey follows beer and in the1980sthescentofwhiskeychargedtheairlikeanapproachingstorm

THEPROSPECTofmakingwhiskeyginryebrandyandotherflavorsomespirits at home is enough tomake somemodern cocktail enthusiasts and craftbrewersgrowglint-eyedEversoquietlythemoreadventuresomeofthemhavebegun tending home-sized stills to make the smallest-batch American spiritssince the Prohibition days of stove-top alky cookers Unlike unscrupulousproducers whomade rotgut that could blind cripple and occasionally kill itsdrinkersmanyoftodayrsquoshomedistillershaveadoptedhigh-techequipmentandacodeofhonorthatostracizesthosewhotrytoselltheirmakingsBecausethesedistillers are running the very best they can for their immediate friends andfamiliestheresultscanbespectacularlygood

AtombstonethatwasusedduringProhibitionforstashingmoonshinenearMorgantownWestVirginia

Theability to createpersonal stocksof liquor fromscratch falls squarely inthe modern mixologistrsquos pursuit of making what canrsquot easily be hadmdashrealgrenadinefromactualpomegranatesginger-spikedfalernumJamaicarsquospimentodramasuckerpunchofallspiceandrumandpotentaromatichousebittersmdashbutall tunedto theirpersonal tastesWhenitcomestomakingthebasespiritsforthosebittersitcouldnrsquotbeeasiermdashorcheaper

Moonshinestilldismantled

BUTISITLEGAL

Making bitters and falernum from pre-distilled spirits is entirely legalHoweverunlicenseddistillersoperatingunregistered stillsviolateanumberoffederal state and local laws but a lack of permits hasnrsquot stopped would-bedistillers from buying and building personal stills in increasing numbers sincethemid-1990sSomeofthemarecontentwithverysmoothvodkawhileothersembrace the entire concept of artisanal production and are creating fantasticsmall-batchspiritsusingthebestingredientstheycanaffordRunningthesetinybatcheswith yields of just a few liters is a practice some have callednano-distilling

DIRTTRACKDISTILLING

Students of American popular culture know that moonshine whiskey andNASCARgotogetherlikeactorBurtReynoldsandmusclecarsStartingin1973with the movie White Lightning Reynolds made a career of portrayingSoutherngoodolrsquoboysdeliveringmoonshineinfastcarswhileoutrunningthelocalsheriffThereal-lifeinspirationforsuchcinemacharacterswasRobertGlenJohnson

Jr (born in 1931 in Wilkes County North Carolina) better known as JuniorJohnsonJohnsonwasamoonshinerintheruralSouthwhobecameoneoftheearlysuper-starsofNASCARinthe1950sandrsquo60sJohnson grew up on a farm and developed his driving skills running

moonshineas a youngmanHe consistently outranandoutwitted local policeand federal agents in auto chases and he was never caught while deliveringmoonshine to customers Johnson became something of a legend in the ruralSouthwherehisdrivingexpertiseandldquooutlawrdquoimageweremuchadmiredJohnson is credited with inventing the ldquobootleg turnrdquo in which a driver

escapesapursuerbysharplyputtinghisspeedingcarintoa180-degreeturnonthehighway thenspeedingoff in theoppositedirectionbeforehispursuercanturn around Johnson was also known to use police lights and sirens to foolpoliceroadblocksintothinkingthathewasafellowpolicemanuponhearinghisapproachthepolicewouldquicklyremovetheroadblocksallowingJohnsontoescapewithhismoonshineIn 1955 Johnson decided to give up delivering moonshine for the more

lucrative(andlegal)careerofbeingaNASCARdriverUnfortunately the ldquoRevenuesrdquo had not forgotten Junior In 1956 federal

agentsfoundJohnsonworkingathisfatherrsquosmoonshinestillandarrestedhimJohnsonwasconvictedofmoonshiningandwassenttofederalprisonwhereheservedelevenmonthsofatwo-yearsentenceHereturnedtotheNASCARscenein1958andpickedupwhereheleftoffHewentontowinfiftyNASCARracesinhiscareerbeforeretiringin1966In 1965 writer Tom Wolfe wrote an article about Johnson in Esquire

magazine The article originally titled ldquoGreat Balls of Firerdquo turned JohnsonintoanationalcelebrityandledtofamebeyondhiscircleofNASCARfansInturn the articlewasmade into a 1973movie based on Johnsonrsquos career as adriverandmoonshiner titledTheLastAmericanHeroJeffBridges starredas

the somewhat fictionalized version of Johnson and Johnson himself served astechnicaladvisorforthefilm

APOScardadvertisingJuniorJohnsonrsquosMidnightMoonbyPiedmontDistillers

MorerecentlyJohnsonrsquosfamilyhaslicensedtheJuniorJohnsonnameforusein promoting a legal distilled product Junior JohnsonrsquosMidnightMoon fromPiedmontDistillersinMadisonNorthCarolina

LabelforMountainMoonshinebyMysticMountainDistillery

ApostcardfromTempletonRyeldquoProhibitionEraWhiskeyrdquo

DONrsquoTTRYTHISATHOME

(NudgeNudgeWinkWinkSayNoMore)

SoonafternationalProhibitionbeganinthe1920sapersoncouldwalkintovirtuallyanygrocerystoreintheUnitedStatesandfindforsalebrick-sizeblocksof compressed raisinsbound togetherwithcondensedgrape juiceAttached tothe block was a small container of dried yeast The wrapping contained thefollowingtext

WARNING

Donotdissolve thisfruitbrick inwarmwaterandthenaddthecontentsof theyeastpacket as this will result in fermentation and the creation of alcohol the production ofwhichisillegal

NeedlesstosaythelocalAampPsoldalotoffruitbrickswhileProhibitionwas

inforceTraditionalmoonshinestartsoutwiththeproductionandfermentationofwhat

isbasicallyasimplebeerTraditionalistswouldcreateamashofgroundcornhotwaterandenoughmaltedbarleytoprovidesufficientenzymestoconvertthestarch in the grains into simple sugars Once the starch conversion wascompleteyeastwasaddedtothemashwiththeresultingfermentationturningthesugarsintoalcoholThefermentedmashwouldthenbeboiledinthepotstilltodistilloffthealcoholAlas times and moonshine are not what they used to be Modern

moonshiners tend toskip thegrainmashingandgodirectly to fermentationbydissolvingregularsugarinwarmwaterfermentingthesugarwaterwithbakerrsquosyeast and then distilling off the resulting alcohol The results are spiritmuchinferior to a distilled grain spirit and ultimately an arrestedmoonshiner TheAlcoholandTobaccoTaxandTradeBureau (TTBalsoknownasldquotheFedsrdquo)keeps track of the sale of large quantities of bulk sugar particularly in ruralareaswithapasthistoryofmoonshiningYouhavebeenwarned

Whiskeyiswhatbeerwantstobewhenitgrowsup

VirginiaLightningCornWhiskeybyBelmontFarm

Despiteanuptickinamateurdistillingandagreaterwillingnessamongsometotalkmoreopenlyaboutthecraftthelonghistoryofsecretiveandsometimesviolentmoonshiningmeansthatuntilrecentlyreliableinformationwasscarceand difficult to verify That situation is rapidly changing and distillers fromcuriousnovices toaccomplishedhomeartisansare far fromisolatedanymoreIn less than a generation theyrsquove learned to talk to each other pool theirknowledgeandaskevermorenuancedquestionsaboutbuildingandoperatingarangeofstills

MODERNldquoMOONSHINERSrdquo

Thecurrentinterestamonghobbyistdistillersincreatingfirst-rateliquorsandthe general wholesome quality of their products tracks primarily to threeconvergenttrends

1)Craftbrewers2)NewZealand3)TheInternet

CRAFTBREWERS

Craftbrewersarenotsimplythefirstonestostudyhowtomakeoutstandingsmall-batchspiritstheyarealsogoingtoshapethefaceofmicro-andpersonaldistillingBrewers have alreadymastered three key skills how to collaboratehowtoorganizeandhowtodrivelegislationThe current interest in distilling among brewers is so widespread that it is

virtuallyimpossibletotalktocraftbrewerswhoarenrsquotalreadydistillingonthesly or working on permits or know someone who is One erstwhile brewerframed his transition from beer to liquorwith this aphorismWhiskey iswhatbeerwantstobewhenitgrowsup

ChuckMillerstandsinfrontofhispotstillatBelmontFarmDistilleryoneofadozendistilleriesintheUnitedStatedproducingalegalmoonshineproduct

DistillerBenFrisstandsnexttoacus-tom-builtone-of-a-kindpotstillatNewHollandBrewingandDistilling

Makingbeerathomehasbeengoingonformostofthetwentiethcenturybutitrsquosonlybeenlegalonafederallevelsince1978Foradecadeorsoafteritwaspermittedhomebrewers(intheUnitedStates)exploredallkindsofbeerandalestyles they could not purchase through their local stores They perfected theirtechniques competed against each other in regional and national contestspublishedtheirpersonalrecipesgaveoutawardstotheirpeersandlaterputthatknowledgetousebyopeningbrewpubsandmicrobrewerieseverywhereHomebrew supply shops everywhere were selling hops malts specialty

grainscarboysesotericscientificequipmentandlab-culturedyeaststotensofthousandsofhomebrewers tryinggood-naturedly tobesteachother in roundsofMyBeerIsBetterThanYoursBy the1990s somebrewerswerepushing the limitsof theirequipmentand

ingredientsbecomingessentiallynovicedistillersTheirhomemaderigslookedpretty much the same as brewing equipment The ingredients were the sameTheywere learning on pot stills because for hundreds of years variations onthat model had been the choice of folk distilling Most of what a casualresearcher found in popular culture referenceswere the big copper pumpkin-shaped boilers of a style that would have been familiar to eighteenth-centuryfarmersAs brewers they already knew about grains malt yeast enzymes ideal

fermentationtemperaturesfiltrationsystemsandthewaterprofilesthatleadtogreat-tastingbeveragesSomehadcometobelievethattheonlythingstoppingthem from havingwhiskeywas toomuchwater Because they had developedwidespread networks for sharing information alreadymdashbooks magazinescontests clubs festivals newsletters and rudimentary online newsgroupsmdashquestionsbegantocirculateabouthowbesttoremovethatexcesswaterSharing critiquing and judgingwere an entrenched part of the culture that

wasstartingtotakeupwhathadlongbeenasecretpracticeAnonymousonlineforums were ideal tools for vetting home-distilling questions Unlike the oldAppalachian moonshiners modern distillers with homebrewing backgroundswerealreadyusedtotalkingtoeachotheronlineandinperson

NEWZEALAND

Because few of the twentieth-century books on moonshining held muchpractical information on techniques for building and operating stills amateurdistillers without a family history in such matters learned by trial and errorThen in 1996NewZealand lawmakers scrapped legislation forbidding homedistillation InAustralasiaanexplosionof interestand innovation specificallyaround design for home-size stills that veered off from traditional stylesreverberatedwidely

AcopperstillfromCopperMoonshineStillscom(asseeninthemovieTheDukesofHazzard)

Local distilling enthusiasts were studying the physics of stills attachingprobes andmeters tomeasure exactlywhatwas goingonwhen they firedupTheylearnedhowtallandwidehome-sizestillsshouldbeTheyaffixedcolumnsto theirpotsand looselyfilled themwithceramicandcopperpackingmaterialfor maximum efficiency Those stills started looking like something out of arefinery churning out high-proof alcohol on single runs rather than themultistageprocessthattraditionalpotstillscalledfor

THEINTERNET

These innovative distillers went online and because their hobbywas legalstarted talking to each other openly Brewerswhowere getting into distillingwith theiralreadyestablishednetworksandcultureofopennessnoticedTheyseized on a wealth of new verifiable information coming out of the SouthernHemisphereandaddedtheirownexperiencesespeciallyinonlineforumsSince thenas reliable informationhasbeenvettedonlineabouthowbest to

buildandoperatesmall-scalestillshomecolumnorrefluxstillshaveevolvedbecoming more compact and efficient and able to put out as close to purealcohol as is possible outside a laboratory (in short very clean stuff) Mostrecently a specific style of distilling has evolved thatrsquos all about purityefficiency and making lots of neutral spirits in very compact column stillsEasilybuiltandeasilyoperated theyaremoreefficientandlessworkthanpotstills

MOONSHINEDEFINED

AbroaddefinitionofmoonshineisanyliquormadefromunregisteredstillsbyunlicenseddistillersThisdefinitioncoversaKentuckyfarmermakingtheliquorhis father did aNewYork imbiberwresting 10 ounces of gin from a case ofBudweiseraswellasaSanFranciscocheftweakinghergrandmotherrsquoskuumlmmeltocarryonthetraditionTodayrsquosnano-distillersdonrsquot sell their products In fact profit seemsalmost

anathema One of the quickest ways to really anger others is for unlicenseddistillers tostartselling theirmakingsSomeembrace themoonshiner identityothersavoidthetermbecauseofitsassociationwithlawlessnessRegardless of what distillers call themselves they fall into three loose

categoriesmdasheconomictechnicalandartisanalproducersEconomicdistillers

ECONOMICDISTILLERS

Economic distillers make liquor because homemade is cheaper than store-boughtAny type of stillmight be used from an inherited copper pot still tomodernrefluxmodelsorevenanaquariumheaterinaplasticbucketTheyareapt to distill sugar spirits but also grains and fruits when they may be hadinexpensivelyAlthough theirproductsareprone tobeofquestionablequalitythey are not necessarily bad liquormdashthink of marc and grappa made frompomacethatmightotherwisebethrownaway

TECHNICALDISTILLERS

Technical distillers are armchair (or even professional) engineers andchemistsgear-headswhostrivetomakethemostefficientdistillerysetuptheycan forever tweaking and adjusting their rigs creating technologicalwondersTheyrunandrerunabatchofspiritstocreatethepurestspirittheycantakingmeticulous notes of every temperature fluctuation proof variation and yieldTechnicaldistillerstendtohaveaninordinateamountofvodkaonhandbecausethe end result of their frequent experiments is often a high-proof nearly purespirit theycan supplementwithextractsandessences for theexact flavor theywant

FigADiagramofaColumnDistiller

IllustrationfromWhiskeyTechnologyProductionandMarketingEditedbyIngeRussellAcademicPress2003FigAThisflowchartillustrateshowthewashistransformedintospiritsThebottomofthestillstripsoutthewaterwhiletherectifyingsection(topofthestill)distillstheliquorstoincreasetheirspirituosity

FigBDimensionsofaTypicalSpiritsStill

FigBApotiswiderthantallallowingvaporstoescapefromthewashAtallswanneckallowsforseparationofthecomponentsofthemixtureTheshapeofthestillaffectstheflavorcomponentsofthespiritsEverypotstillisuniqueasdistillerswantdistinctiveflavorprofilesintheirfinishedspirits

ASPIRINGANDACCOMPLISHEDARTISANS

Aspiringandaccomplishedartisanscomprisethethirdgroupwhosegoalistomake authentic and great-tasting spirits While technical distillers considerunwanted chemical compounds obstacles to pure liquor artisans rightfullyregardtasteandaromaasthebackbonethatdefinestheirownpersonalstyleofdistilling They tend to use less-efficient old-school pot stillsmdashthey mightimmediately recognize thekind that a farmerused in 1740Someuse columnstillsbutwithoutthecolumnsatmaximumefficiencythuspreservingtasteandaromabynotdistillingtothehighestproofpossibleFinallytheytendtofermentgrainsandfruitsratherthansugarandnottocarewhatitcostsmdashbecauseitrsquosforthemnotforsellinrsquo

FigCAnatomyofaPotStill

FigCAsillustratedhereawhiskeystillhasfourpartspotswannecklynearmandcondenserTheshapeofeachaffectsrectificationandtheflavorofthespiritPotThepotcanbyanyshaperoundonionorconicalTheshapeofthepotaffectshowthewashisheated(alwaysto172degF[78degC])ItcanbeheatedbydirectfiresteamgasorwoodMostpotshaveasightglasssothedistillercancheckforfoamingduringthedistillationprocessSwanneckTheswannecksitsontopofthepotItcanbetallshortstraightortaperedOftentheswanneckisconnectedtothepotviaanogeeabubble-shapedchamberTheogeeallowsthedistillatetoexpandcondenseandfallbackintothepotduringdistillationMostpotstillshaveataperedswanneckallowingforbetterseparationandbetterenrichingofthespiritsduringdistillingLynearmThelynearmsitsontopoftheswanneckItcanbetiltedupordownanditcanbetaperedorstraightOftenpotstillsarefittedwithadephlegmatororapurifierItsmainpurposeistheenrichmentofspiritsbeforetheyrsquoresentontothecondenserInternalsteamcoilTheinternalsteamcoilheatsthewashto173degF(78degC)wherethealcoholseparatesfromthewashCondenserThecondenserorwormisusedforcoolingthespiritsandprovidingasmallstreamtoacollectiontankorpail

ECONOMICALINGREDIENTSFORDISTILLING

Consideraglutofplums forbackyard slivovitzora skidof dried fruit atbargain pricing that can be turned into Arabian siddiqui However ersatzwhiskeysmadefrombreakfastcerealsarenotunheardofsocaveatemptoristherule

AfruiteaudeviefermentationatStringerrsquosOrchardWildPlumWineryampDistillery

CHAPTERTWO

THEDISTILLINGPROCESS

INTHEMOSTliteralsenseoftheworddistillationmeanstheconcentration

oftheessenceofasubstancebyseparatingitfromanyothersubstancesthatitismixed with In the case of distilling alcohol this means boiling a fermentedliquidinastilltoseparatetheethanolfromthesolidswaterandotherchemicalcompoundsinthefermentedsolutionButjustasthedevilisinthedetailstheartofdistillingisinhowthedistillerachievesthatseparationandhowprecisethatseparationis

ThecondensercoolsthevaporsintoliquidspiritwhichiscollectedandbottledatAnchorDistilling

Thewide rangeof stillsdescribed in this chapter eachoriginally evolved tomeettherequirementsofproducingaparticulartypeofspiritDependingonthetype of spirit beingmade precision is not necessarily the goal of the distillerThousandsofchemicalcompoundsarecreatedbyfermentationanddistillationall of which can have for better or worse an effect on the ultimate taste orcharacterofadistilledspiritThedistillerrsquosprimaryjobis toretain thedesiredflavorelementswhilediscarding those thatarenotThis isnotassimpleas itsoundsAnddespiteallofthehigh-techcontrolsinamoderndistillerythestillmasterneverthelesshasthefinalcall

ldquoGlassofbrandyandwaterThatisthecurrentbutnottheappropriatenameaskforaglassofliquidfireanddistilleddamnationrdquo

mdashRobertHallnineteenth-centurytemperancecrusaderwhowasneverthelifeoftheparty

HOWDISTILLATIONWORKS

Distillationisaphysicalprocessinwhichcompoundsareseparatedbyvirtueof their different boiling points Two compounds with the same boiling pointoccurring together would not be separable by distillation Fortunately suchoccurrenceswiththeingredientsinliquorandspiritsarerareTheseparationindistillationoccurswhenamixtureofcompoundsinthestill

is brought to a boil Compounds with lower boiling points vaporize at lowertemperatures than compoundswith higher boiling points Thismeans that thevapororsteamrisingofftheboilingmixtureisricherinthelower-boiling-pointcompounds than in the higher-boiling-point onesNext this vapor is collectedand cooled to condense it back into a liquid The resulting liquid called thedistillate contains a considerably higher concentration of the lower-boiling-pointcompoundsthanofthehigher-boiling-pointonesInasimplifiedexample letrsquosconsideramixtureof90percentwaterand10

percentethanolWaterhasaboilingpointof212degF(100degC)andethanolhasaboilingpointof1731degF(784degC)Theethanolwillboilandvaporizewellbeforethewatersowhenthevaporsarecollectedandcondensedtheresultingdistillatewill have a high concentration of ethanol and comparatively little water ThedistillatewillnotbepureethanolbecausesomewaterwillvaporizeattheboilingpointofethanolevenifthewateritselfisnotatitsboilingpointTails (see page 36) start at 203degF (95degC) and contain a high percentage of

fuseloilsknowntodistillersaswetdogbouquetAlittlebitisactuallyneededinsometypesofwhiskeybutonlyalittlebitThinkIslayScotchWhiskyBecauseallthecompoundsinastillwillvaporizetoagreaterorlesserextent

during boiling the separation of the compounds will not be perfect so moreelaborate stills have been developed to intensify the separation of the vaporsonce theyhave left theboiler Inmodernhigh-separationstills this isdonebyemployingarefluxcolumntomanagethevaporsaftertheyleavetheboilerandbeforetheyarecondensedanddrawnfromthestill

ASTILLrsquoSBLUEPRINT

ThewhiskeystillhasfourpartspotswannecklynearmandcondenserTheshape of each section affects rectification (redistillation) and the taste of thespiritsThereisnoperfectdesigneachmanufacturersaysitspotstillmakesthebest-tastingwhiskeyAtthispointdistillingisanldquoartrdquoTomakegoodwhiskeyyouneedtohave

good ingredients (clean wash) and a good palate (nose and tongue) and youneedtoknowwhentostartandstop(makingheadandtailcuts)Whenitcomestowhiskeydistillingtheprocessiscontrolledbyadistillernotacomputeroramanual

WHATADIFFERENCEADEGREEMAKES

Between174deg(788degC)and175degF(794degC)averitablewitchrsquosbrewofnastychemical compounds (known collectively as heads) are cut and removed byproper distilling These include acetone aldehydes and methanol Lazymoonshiners tend to leave them in resulting in rotgut and a serious head-bangingheadachethenextmorningasyoulieinbedandprayfortheAngelofDeathtocomeandfinishthejob

Thepot can be any shape round onion or conical The shape of the potaffectshow thewash isheated (to172degF [778degC]) It canbeheatedbydirectfiresteamgasorwoodAllsystemshaveadvantagesanddisadvantagesThereis no right way to heat washMostmanufacturers however prefer a double-jacketedsteam-watersystemthatprovidesagentleheattothewashMainlyyoudonrsquotwant to burn thewashMost pots have a sight glass so thedistiller cancheckforfoamingduringthedistillationprocess

THECHEMISTRYOFPURESPIRITS

Even a modern high-separation still cannot produce pure ethanol This isbecausewaterformsanazeotropewithethanolAnazeotropeisamixtureoftwoliquidcompoundswhosemoleculesbecomelooselybondedsuchthattheyhaveacommonboiling point that is different from either constituentrsquos In the case ofethanolandwatertheazeotropeoccursatamixtureof965percentethanoland35 percent water and it has a boiling point of 17267degF (7815degC) This is045degF(017degC)lowerthanthe17312degF(784degC)boilingpointofpureethanolIn distillation this azeotrope is a single compound with a boiling point of17267degF (7815degC) and the still proceeds to separate it on that basis Theethanol that is purified by a fractionating column is not therefore pure 100percent ethanolbutpure965percent ethanolwith theldquoimpurityrdquobeingpurewater No amount of redistillation under the conditions discussed here willinfluence this percentage 965 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) is thetheoreticalmaximumpuritythatcanbederivedbytheaboveprocessThe temperatures stated above are at standard atmospheric pressure In a

columnstillduetoincreasedpressureatthebottomresultingfromthepressuredropover theplates the temperatureswouldbequiteabithigher thanstatedForexamplethespentwashwhichwouldhaveaboilingpointofabout212degF(100degC) at standard pressure would have a boiling point of about 220degF(1044degC)duetotheincreasedpressure

TheswannecksitsontopofthepotItcanbetallshortstraightortaperedOften the swan neck is connected to the pot via an ogee a bubble-shapedchamberTheogeeallowsthedistillatetoexpandcondenseandfallbackintothepotduringdistillationMostpotstillshaveataperedswanneckallowingforbetterseparationandbetterenrichingofthespiritsduringdistillingThelynearmsitsontopoftheswanneckItcanbetiltedupordownandit

canbetaperedorstraightMostarmsaretapereddownOftenpotstillsarefittedwithadephlegmatororwhatScottishdistillerscallapurifierThedephlegmatorisfittedwithbafflesthatusewaterplatesortubestocoolthedistillatesending90 percent of it back into the pot Its main purpose is the enrichment of thespiritsbeforetheyrsquoresentontothecondenserThecondenserorwormisusedforcoolingthespiritsandprovidingasmall

streamtoacollectiontankorpail

AsmallpotstillsimilartomanymoonshinestillsisinoperationfortouriststoseeattheGlenmorangieDistilleryScotland

WHISKEYSTILLSINDETAIL

There are severaldifferentdesignsof stillsused formakingwhiskeyThese

includethemoonshinestillgooseneckstillcontinuous-runcolumnstillFrenchCharentaisalambicstillandartisanpotstill(ThetraditionalEnglishspellingofthisFrenchwordisalembic)

FigAFlat-topMoonshineStill

FigAInthebasicmoonshinestillvaporsfromtheheatedwashriseintothecapAfterhittingtheflattopofthestillvaporsexitviathelynearmintothecondenserwheretheycondenseandbecomespirits

MOONSHINESTILL

ThemostbasicandrudimentarydesignisacrudepotstillormoonshinestillwhichisaclosedpotlikeapressurecookerwithapipeleadingfromthelidintoacondensercoilThecondensercoil caneitherbe longenough toair-cool thevaporsoritcanbeshorterandimmersedinawaterjacketSuchastillaffordsminimum separation of the vapors because there is almost no separation oncetheyleavetheboilerAlthoughthisdesignofstill isnotsuitableforproducingbeveragealcoholbymodernstandardsitwillstillconcentratean8or10percentABVwashto60percentinafairlyfastrunTherearemanyhomedistillersandillicitcommercialmoonshinersusingthis

typeofstill todayAndbecausethistypeofstill is typicallyheatedonastovetoporonagasburner it isnecessary to removeallsuspendedsolids fromthewash before placing it in the boiling pot To do otherwisewould risk burningsolidsonthebottomofthepot

FigBCross-sectionofaStillrsquoBubbleCap

FigBThebubblecapssitontrayovervaporstubesinthecolumnThecapsprovidecontactbetweentherisingvaporsanddescendingrefluxcreatingadistillingcycleandenrichingthealcoholArrowsindicatevaporsrisingfromthewashandhittingthebubblecapsApercentageofpurevaporscontinuetoriseandtheldquolesspurerdquofallbackintothestillforre-distillation

AnatomyofaCraftWhiskeyStill

GOOSENECKSTILL

Thegooseneckpot still is themost commondesignof still used toproduceScottish malt whisky Some Irish whiskies and a number of American andCanadianwhiskiesarealsodistilledinthistypeofstillThisstyleofpotstillhasbeeninuseforcenturiesforcommercialwhiskeyproductionanditisevenmorepopulartodayinmodernwhiskeydistilleriesthaneverThegooseneckstillhasalargeroundboilerandisfunctionallyverysimilarto

the crudepot still except it has a long broadneck rising from theboiler thatallows enough separation to hold back most of the fusel alcohols from thedistillatewhileretainingthedesiredflavorsinthefinishedspiritTheneckbendsatthetopandconnectstoapipecalledalynearmthatleadstoacondensercoilimmersed inwaterThe lynearmusuallyanglesdownwardslightly toward thecondenserbutinsomedistilleriesittiltsupward

AgooseneckstillclearlyshowingthelynearmatWoodfordReserveDistillery

The levelofseparation inagooseneckpotstill isaffectedby theamountofcondensation that takesplace in theneckand lynearm that fallsback into theboiler This condensation is called reflux and themore reflux the higher thelevelofseparation If the lynearm isangleddownward thenanyvapor in thelynearmthatcondenseswillfallforwardtowardthecondenserandbecomepartof the distillate passing to the receiver However if the lyne arm is angledupward condensation fallsback to theboiler andwill createadditional refluxandthereforeadditionalseparation

ModelofagooseneckForsythswhiskystill

BEVERAGESPRODUCEDINGOOSENECKSTILLS

Becausethelongbroadneckprovidesalargesurfaceareawhichresultsinalarger proportion of reflux than crude pot stills gooseneck stills are moresuitable for distilling beverage alcohol The gooseneck stills are suited to theproductionofwhiskeybrandyrumschnappsandothernon-neutralspiritsforwhichtheyarewidelyusedcommerciallyHowevertheyarenotsuitablefortheproduction of vodka gin or other spirits derived from neutral alcoholwhichrequiresahigh-separationstillcapableofproducingpureazeotropeethanolThe wash distilled in gooseneck stills is typically separated from the

suspended solids much like the malt washes used for making Scottish maltwhiskySomegooseneckstillsareheatedbyanopenfireundertheboilerwhichwould result in the burning of suspended solids if they were in the washHowever most contemporary stills are heated with steam jackets ThiscombinedwitharummagercanenablethesestillstoboilfullmasheswithallthegrainintheboilerwithoutburningthesolidsonthebottomofthepotArummagerisanagitatingdevicethatslowlyturnsaroundinsidethestillpot

dragginganetofcopperchainsalongthebottomoftheboilertopreventsolidsfromcakingupandburningduringdistilling

THECONTINUOUS-RUNDESIGNFLAW

ThereisaninherentflawinthisdesignofstillBecausethecontinuous-runstillhasaconstantflowofnewwashcomingintoitatalltimestherearealwaysheadsandtailspresentinthecolumnThisisunlikeabatchstillwhichisanyofthenoncontinuousstillsdiscussedinthistextwheretheheadsaredrawnoffatthebeginningoftherunandthentheyaregoneInacontinuous-runoperationallphasesareconstantlybeingintroducedtothecolumnbytheincomingwashThisposesnoproblemwiththetailsbecauseatthetrayswheretheheartsaredrawnoffthetailsarelowerinthecolumnandarethereforenotpresenttobedrawnoffwiththeheartsHoweverheadsarestillpresentatthesetrayssonomatterhowwellacontinuous-runstillisequilibratedtherersquollalwaysbeasmallamountofheadsintheheartsphaseHaving said this the continuous-run column is a high-separation still that

makesverypreciseseparationofthecompoundsinitscolumnThereisalwaysgoingtobeatraceamountofheadsintheheartsandthisamountisstillwithintheallowablelimitsforpotablespiritsInmostcasesitislessthantheresidualheadsfoundintheheartsfromcommercialbatchstills

CONTINUOUS-RUNCOLUMNSTILL

This type of still is used for producing enormous volumes of spirit in acontinuousoperationthatrunsconstantlyforuptoelevenmonthsstraightbeforeit is shut down for cleaning and overhauling They commonly have afractionatingcolumnthatstandsabout100feet(305m)high(similartothatofanoilrefinery)andaseriesofbubble-captraysspacedeverycoupleoffeetupthecolumnThe traysare fartherapartnear thebottomandgetcloser togethertowardthetopIthasnopotorboilerperseanditisheatedbyblastingsteamupwardfromthebottomofthecolumnwhilethewashiscontinuouslyfedintoatrayatthemiddleofthecolumnAsthewashrunsdownthroughthetraysofthecolumnitencountersthehot

steam which vaporizes the compounds in the wash and carries them up thecolumnThelower-boilingcompoundscontinuetoriseupthecolumnwhilethehigher-boilingonescondenseandarecarrieddownthecolumnThecolumnhasanexitvalveateverytraywherevaporcanbedrawnoffand

ledtoacondenserThisenablestheoperatorstoconfigurethesystemsocertaintraysleadtoacondenserthatgoestotheheadsreceiveranothersetoftrayscanbe sent to the hearts receiver andother trays canbe sent to the tails receiverWhatflowstothebottomofthecolumnisresiduethatissenttothedrainApossibleconfigurationforbourbonwouldhavethetoptwotraysconfigured

forheadsthenthenextfourconfiguredforheartsthenextfivefortailsandtherest of the trayswould refluxwith no draw off andwhat reached the bottomwouldbediscardedasresidueThe draw off rateswould be set up tomaintain a hearts phasewith say a

constant 65 percentABVBourbon thatrsquos distilled in a continuous-run columnstillisusuallydoneintwodistillationsbothwiththeheartsdrawnoffatabout65percentABVBecauseacontinuous-runstillrunsformanymonthsatatimethewashmust

befairlyclearwithaminimumofsolidsotherwisethebuildupofresidueinthesystemwouldbecomeuntenableandthesystemwouldneedtobeshutdowntobecleanedSothereisnoprocesswithacontinuous-runstillwherebytheentiremash is distilled The mash must always be strained or filtered before beingplacedinthereservoirsupplyingthestillThedistillerymusthaveabatteryoffermentersthatareinconstantoperation

ateachstageofthefermentationprocesstokeepupwiththecontinuousdemand

forwashforthestills

Thisalambicstillwascustom-builtbyDynamicAlambicbyreconfiguringaGrundigbeertank

FRENCHCHARENTAISALAMBICSTILL

This type of still is used almost exclusively for making brandy includingcognacArmagnacCalvadosandotherfamousFrenchbrandiesIt isdesignedespecially to leave a lot of the aromatics and flavor in the distillate and istherefore one of the lower-separation beverage-alcohol stills Because of thisqualityspiritsareusuallydistilledtwiceinaFrenchCharentaisalambicstillWhiskeycanalsobemadeinthisdesignofstillItisfunctionallyquitesimilar

tothegooseneckstillbutitcreatesalowerlevelofseparationmakingaricherandcreamier-tastingwhiskeybutwithalittlemorefuselalcoholTheFrenchCharentais alambic still has threemajor components theboiler

withhelmetthepreheaterandthecondenserThehelmetisthechamberjustabove the boiler and it serves as an expansion chamberwhichworkswell toholdback a lot of theheavier compounds such as fusel alcohols and furfurolswhile allowing the desirable aromatics and flavors to be carried over in thedistillateThe preheater as the name implies preheats the next batch of wine to be

distilled It is also used as a reservoir to enable a near-continuous distillationprocessSomebrandydistillerssimplyincludethemaspartofthehearts(nottheheads) In this way continuously feeding wine into the boiler is possibleBecause there is no workable way to drain the boiler during operation thecontinuous feeding of winemust stopwhen the boiler is too full to take anymorePriortoadistillationrunthepreheaterisfilledwithwinetobeheatedforthe

next distillation The preheater has the vapor tube from the boiler passingthroughitonitswaytothecondenserThistransfersheatfromthevaportothewinebeforethevaporentersthecondenserThisheatsthewineinthepreheatertonearboilingduringthedistillationrunandreducestheamountofheatthatthecondenserhastodissipatetherebymakingefficientuseofheatandreducingtheamountofcoolingwaterused

AlambicstillatJepsonVineyardsinUkiahCalifornia

AlambicstillinstallationinFrance

Thepre-heaterhasapipewithavalve leadingfromit to theboilerWhenadistillationrunisfinishedandtheboilerhasbeendrainedtheoperatorcanopenthe valve and fill the boiler with another charge of wine from the pre-heaterthatrsquosalreadyatnear-boiling temperatureThismakesefficientuseofheatandsignificantlyreducestheamountoftimetobringthenextbatchofwinetoaboil

AholehadtobecutintheceilingtoaccomodatethecolumnofthispotstillatTuthilltownSpirits

ThecondenserinaFrenchCharentaisalambicstillasinmosttypesofstillsconsistsofthecoppercoilimmersedinawaterjacketwithcoldwatercirculatingaroundit

BEVERAGESPRODUCEDINALAMBICSTILLS

These stills are invariably used to distill wine or in the case of whiskeydistillerrsquos beer They are not generally used to distill fullmasheswith all thesolids left in However design-wise the Charentais could be used to distillmasheswithsolidsbecauseitsboileristhesameasthatofthestandardalambicwhichiswidelyusedtomakegrappaandmarcfromgrapepomaceTodothisasievetraymustbeinsertedintotheboilertoserveasafalsebottomtoholdthesolidsabovethebottomofthepotandpreventburning

ARTISANPOTSTILL

ThistypeofstillisthemostversatileofallthestillsEachartisanpotstillisnearly made to order based on a distillerrsquos needs and preferences Itscomponentsincludeaspherical-shapedboileracondenserandwidevarietyofoptional components such as a steam jacket or a direct fire an agitator ahelmet one or two columns of bubble-cap trays a dephlegmator and acatalyzerThespherical-shapedboilerevenlyheatsthesubstrateparticularlyifthereis

anagitatorAndanartisanstill thatrsquos steamheatedandhasanagitatorcanbeused to distill anywash Evenwashes full of fruit pulp or grainmash can beheatedinthisconfigurationofboilerwithoutanyriskofburningonthebottomofthepotAlsobyconstantlyagitatingthewashthroughoutthedistillationrunthe distillery can save about 20 percent on the heat required to perform thedistillationTheabilitytodistilltheentirewashincludingallthesolidspurportedlygives

asuperiorflavortothespiritproducedApparentlythefruitmashesformakingschnappsyieldarichermorecomplexflavoriftheycanbedistilledwithallthefruitpulpintheboilerManywhiskeydistillerscontendthesametobetruefordistilling grain mashes and a number of the premium brands of AmericanwhiskeyaredistilledwiththegrainmashinthestillThehelmetcomponent(optional)istechnicallyanexpansionchamberandit

isusuallyanearlysphericaldomethatsitsdirectlyontopoftheboilerAsvaporrisesfromtheboileritpassesthroughacomparativelynarrowpassagewayintothelargervolumeofthehelmetThisresultsinasuddenreductioninpressurewhich helps hold back higher-boiling compounds while allowing desirablearomaticsandflavorstocontinueupthecolumnSomedistillerssaythishelmetiskeytoproducingatrulyexcellentspirit

Artisanpotstilltheshapeofthehelmetldquoheadrdquoofthestillinfluencestheflavorofthedistillate

From the helmet the vapor rises into the column In some artisan pot stillconfigurationsthecolumnismounteddirectlyontopofthehelmetWhenthereis no helmet the column is mounted directly on top of the boiler In otherconfigurationssuchastwocolumnsthecolumnispositionedbesidetheboilerThe reason for this is the still would stand too high for most facilities if thecolumnwerestackedontopofthehelmetorevenontopoftheboilerWithin thecolumnarebubble-cap traysThevapor risesup the tubesunder

the bubble caps and bubbles out fromunder the cap and through the standingliquidoneachtrayThestandingliquidoverflowsatacertaindepthtothenexttraybelowCompoundseparation takesplaceby theredistillation thatoccurswhentheheatfromthevaportransferstothestandingliquidThiscauseshigher-boilingcompoundsinthevaportocondenseandlower-boilingcompoundsintheliquid toevaporateTheoveralleffect is todrive the lower-boilingcompoundsup the column in vapor state and the higher-boiling compounds down thecolumninliquidstate

Twincolumnsofbubble-captrays

OPTIONALSTILLCOMPONENTS

Modernartisanpotstillshaveaninterestingfeaturethatallowstheoperatortobypass anyof the trays to vary the separation level for the columnThere arelevers on the side of the column connected to each tray and the operator canposition the lever to cause the tray to turn sideways and allow thevapors andliquidtopassbyOrtheoperatorcanpositionthelevertheotherwaytoputthetrayinplacesothatitisfullyengagedinprocessingrefluxThedephlegmatorresidesabovethetopbubble-captrayItisachamberatthe

topofthecolumnwithnumerousverticaltubesforthevaportotravelthroughonitswaytothecondenserThereisawaterjacketaroundtheverticaltubesthattheoperator can flood with cooling water to increase the amount of reflux ThewaterlevelinthedephlegmatorcanbeadjustedtogivegranularcontrolovertheamountofrefluxHaving the capability to dial up or down the reflux creates a great deal of

control over the compoundmix in the finished spirit For example if a givenspirit had an excellent aroma and flavor profile but a rough finish due to anexcessof fuselalcohol the refluxcouldbedialedupslightly toholdback thefusel

TheMoorrsquoscaponthisalambicstillhasadistinctivelookandgivesauniqueflavorprofiletothedistillates

The catalyzer is positioned above the dephlegmator and has an array ofsacrificialcopperCopperisanimportantmaterialinastillbecausethenoxioussulfides in thevapor instantlyreactoutuponcontactwithcopperHoweverasthisoccursovertimethecoppermaterialofthestillbecomescompromisedandexpensivestillcomponentsrequirereplacingTheideaofthecatalyzeristohaveachamberwithcopper in thevaporpath specificallydesigned to reactout thesulfidesfromthevaporOvertimethiscoppererodesfromthereactionwiththesulfidesbutitcanbecheaplyreplacedIneffectthecopperinthecatalyzerisbeingsacrificedtosavethecoppermaterialofthestill

Artisanpotstill

In summary artisan pot stills can be superb stills and are well known formaking quality spirits Unfortunately their throughput is comparatively slowanddistilleriesareoftenputinthepositionofhavingtooptforlargerthroughputstillssuchasthecontinuous-runcolumntomeetthedemandsoftheirmarkets

COLUMNCONFIGURATION

Thenumber of bubble-cap trays in the column depends on the intendeduseoftheartisanpotstillanditisthereforeoptionalSomeartisanpotstillsare used to make vodka and have two tall columns with a total of twentybubble-cap trays An excellent configuration for making whiskey howeverwouldbeastillwithahelmetacolumnwithfourtraysadephlegmatorandacatalyzer

THEBATCH-STILLPROCESSOFDISTILLATION

THE DISTILLATION process is operationally the same for all four-batch

stills discussedpreviously themoonshine still thegooseneck still theFrenchCharentais and the artisan pot still The continuous-run column still has adifferentregimenanditisdescribedinthesectionthatfollows

TheProcessofDistillationAnOverview

Atleftthemajorstepsfrombarleytobarrel1MashTunUsedtoconvertbarleygrainstarchestosugars2Fermentationofthewash3Strippingofthewashtoremovewater4Collectionofldquolowwinerdquospirits5Redistillingthespiritstoproducefinalspiritsforbarreling6Barrelingoragingofspirits

HEADSHEARTSTAILS

Indistillingparlancethecompoundsinthewashthatarenotethanolorwaterare called congeners Some congeners such as acetaldehyde methanol andcertain esters and aldehydes have lower boiling points than ethanol certainotherestersthehigheralcohols(fuselalcohols)andwaterhavehigherboilingpoints than ethanolThismeans the lower-boiling congeners comeout inhighconcentrationatthebeginningofabatchdistillationrunandthehigher-boilingones come out in high concentration toward the end of the run leaving theethanol and the most desirable compounds as the most abundant componentsduringthemiddleoftherunWhendistillation takesplace in a batch still thedistillate that comesout is

dividedintothreephasescalledheadsheartsandtails

bullTheheadscontaintheunwantedlower-boilingcongenersthatcomeoutatthebeginningoftherun

bullThetailscontaintheunwantedhigher-boilingcongenersthatcomeoutattheendoftherun

bullTheheartsarethedesiredspiritinthemiddle

Becausewhiskeyisnotdistilledatahigh-separationlevelitmeansthateachphase bleeds into the adjacent phase That is to say there is a considerableamountofethanolintheheadsphaseandtherearelate-headscongenersatthebeginningof theheartsphaseSimilarly there isasignificantamountofearly-tails congeners at the endof thehearts and there is a considerable amount ofethanolinthetailsphaseThewhiskeycomprisedmostlyofethanolandwaterhasadelicatebalanceof late-headsandearly-tailscongeners thatmakeup theflavorprofileofthewhiskeyThere are literally thousands of these congeners or chemical flavor

compoundscreatedduringthedistillingprocessallofwhichhavethepotentialofaddingorsubtractingtothedesiredfinalflavorprofileofthedistilledspiritPart of the art (asopposed to the science)of distilling is knowingwhen thesecongeners are created and when to add or remove them In flavor-specificspirits such as brandy and whiskey it is desirable to carry over selectedcongeners into the finished spirit However in flavor-neutral spirits such asvodka the goal is to remove asmany congeners as possible to end upwith a

spiritthathasacleannonspecificpalateBecause both the heads and the tails contain a lot of ethanol and residual

desirable flavor they are mixed together and saved for future recovery Theheads and tails whenmixed together are called feints Feints can be distilledseparatelytoproduceanotherwhiskeyrunortheycanbemixedinwithafuturespirit runwhere their ethanol and flavors are recovered as a part of that runHowevereachsubsequentdistillationproducesitsownsetofheadsheartsandtailsandthefeintsfromthoserunsarealsosavedforfuturerecovery

TWO-RUNDISTILLATION

When whiskey is made it is usually done in two distillation runs a beer-strippingrunandaspiritrun

bullThebeer-strippingrunisgenerallydoneinalargerhigh-volumepotstillcalledabeerstripperThebeerstripperisusedtodistillthefermentedwashandconcentratetheethanolandalltheimpuritiesintoadistillateofabout25percentethanolcalledlowwine

bullThespiritrunisdoneinasmallerwhiskeystillsuchasagooseneckoranartisanrefluxstillcalledaspiritstillThespiritstillisusedtodistillthelowwineandrefineitintothefinishedspiritTherearethetwooutputsretainedfromthespiritrunthefinishedspiritandthefeints

For a beer-stripping run the fermented wash which is typically about 8percentABVisloadedintothebeerstripperandthecontentsarebroughttoaboilBecausethisrunisjustaprimarydistillationtheheadsheartsandtailsarenotseparatedoutTheentireoutputfromthisruniscollectedinasinglelotandthe run is continueduntil the aggregate percent alcohol is down to 25percentABVThisdistillateisthelowwinewhichistheinputtothespiritrunTo produce the finishedwhiskey the spirit still is filledwith the lowwine

from thebeer-stripping run andoftenameasureof feints fromprevious spiritrunsThespiritstillisthenbroughttoaboilIt iswith the spirit run that thedistilleradjusts theboil-up rate toachievea

gentleslowflowofdistillateandcarefullyseparatesouttheheadsheartsandtails

SINGLE-RUNDISTILLATION

SomewhiskeydistilleriesproducetheirwhiskeyinasingledistillationTheydo a spirit run directly from the wash The artisan reflux stills discussedpreviously are well suited to this type of whiskey distillation but it is labor-intensiveand thedistillermustpaya lotofattention tonumeroussmaller runsratherthanonelargerrunSomepeoplefind thewhiskeyfromasingle-distillationrun tobericherand

haveamorenaturalflavorwhileothersfindittobeharshandunrefinedInthefollowingtextthemorecommondouble-distillationmethodisused

MAKINGTHECUTS

ProbablythemostelusivepartofthedistillingprocessformakingwhiskeyismakingthecutsfromheadstoheartsandthentotailsMakingacutfromonephasetothenextisthepointwherethedistillerswitchestheoutputsothatitiscollectedinadifferentreceiverthanthepreviousphaseAttheendofthespiritrun theheadswillbe inonecontainer thehearts inanotherand the tails inathirdoneThequestioniswhendoyouswitchfromonephasetothenextExperienced distillers do this by taste Even though there are measurable

parameters such as still-head temperature and percent alcohol of the incomingspirit that can be used to judge when to make the cuts taste and smell stillremainthemostreliablemethodsfordeterminingthem

ThreepotstillsatStoutridgeVineyard

Herearetheempiricalparametersforjudgingthecuts

bullThepercentalcoholof the spirit that is flowingout of the still (ie theincomingspirit)

bullThestill-headtemperature

Thesevaryfromonestilltothenextandtheyvarybasedonthepropertiesofthe low wine (eg percent alcohol and quantity) It is possible to develop aconsistentprocessusingthesamestillandthesamequantityandformulationoflowwinesuchthattheparametersremainthesameforeachrunForexampleinaspiritruninanartisanrefluxstillwithlowwinethatis25

percentABVBegin-cut(iethecutfromheadstohearts)isusuallydonewhentheevolvingdistillateisatabout80percentandwhenthestill-headtemperatureisabout180degF(82degC)End-cut(iethecutfromheartstotails)isoftendoneatabout65percentand

whenthestill-headtemperatureisabout201degF(94degC)Howeveraspiritdistilledfromastraightmaltwashcanoftenbeend-cutas

low as 60 percent Also a gooseneck still distilling the very samewashmaybegin-cut at 72 percent and end-cut at 59 percent Therefore it is because ofthesenuances that smell and taste become theonly truly reliable indicators ofwhentomakethecuts

BEGIN-CUT

When making the begin-cut the taste characteristics that the distiller islookingforareasfollowsWhenaspiritruncomestoboilandthefirstdistillatestartsflowingfromthestillthisisthebeginningoftheheadsphaseThedistillercancollectasmallsampleofthedistillateonaspoonorinawineglassandsmellitAtthisstagethedistillatewillhavethesickeningsmellofsolvents(suchasnail-polish remover or paint-brush cleaner)However before long this solventsmell diminishes and evenwhen a sample is tasted these compoundswill beveryfaintAsthesolventcharacterdisappearscompletelythedistillatewillstartto take on a hint of whiskey This flavor will increase until it becomes verypronouncedandhighlyconcentratedItiswhenthisflavorisclearlyevidentbutisstillincreasinginintensitythatthedistillercutstotheheartsphase

END-CUT

Tomake the end-cut thedistiller needs tomonitor the flavor of changes intasteAt thebeginningof theheartsphase the intensityof thewhiskey flavorwillstillbeincreasinganditwillcontinuetodosountilitbecomesverystrongHowever as the hearts continue the intense whiskey flavor will fade into asmoothsweetpleasantflavorthatwillpersistformostoftheheartsTheflavorwillchangeslightlyastheheartsprogressbutitwillremainsweetandpleasantTowardtheendoftheheartstheflavorwillstartlosingitssweetnessandatraceofharshbitternesswillbegintoappearintheflavorThisharshbitterflavoristheonsetofthetailsAlthoughasmallamountofthisbitternessisconsideredtocontribute to theldquobiterdquocharacterof thewhiskey thedistiller shouldcut to thetailsreceiverbeforemuchofitisallowedtoentertheheartsThe tails can be collected until the evolving distillate is down to about 10

percentandthestill-headtemperatureisabout206degFor208degF(97degCor98degC)Thereasonfordoing this is to renderall the residualalcohol that is left in thestillattheendoftheheartsphaseThisalcoholcanthenberecoveredinafuturespiritrunThetailsphasestartsoutbitterandthebitternessbecomesmoreintenseasthe

tailscontinuebutasthetailsprogressthebitternesssubsidesandgiveswaytoasweet-tastingwaterThissweetwateriscalledbackins

THECONTINUOUS-RUNPROCESSOFDISTILLATION

IN a continuous-run distillation process wash is constantly entering the

columnsoallthreephases(headsheartsandtails)arepresentinthecolumnatalltimesThismeanstherecanrsquotbeadiscretecutwheretheheadsaredrawnoffandtheheartsbeginorthattheheartsendandthetailsbeginAllthreephasesmustbedrawnoffatthesametimeAcontinuous-runcolumnisahigh-separationfractionatingstillthatseparates

thecompoundsverywellsooncethestillisequilibratedandfunctioninginitssteady state of operation the distillers can determine which families ofcompounds are at each tray For example they might determine that thecompounds coming out of the top two trays are heads compounds and routethose two trays to the heads receiver Similarly they might observe that thecompoundscomingoutofthenextfourtraysdownareheartsThentheymightdeterminethatthefivetraysbelowtheheartstraysareproducingtailsandroutethemtothetailsreceiverBelowthetailstraysjustwaterwouldbecomingoutandthevalveswouldbeclosedsoitwouldbelefttoflowtothebottomofthecolumnandthentoadrainBecausethistypeofstillisnotintermittentinitsoperationitmustbesetup

to constantly draw the three phases of distillate at all times Although this isdifficulttosetupitcanproduceverylargequantitiesofspirittwenty-fourhoursadayforalongtime

ContinuousrunstillatFourRosesDistillery

CHAPTERTHREE

WHISKEY

ldquoAlways carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite andfurthermorealwayscarryasmallsnakerdquo

mdashWCFieldsAmericanactorandworld-classdrinker

THIS chapter introduces the process of distilling a worldrsquos worth ofwhiskiesincludingNorthAmericanstylesofbourbonTennesseeryeblendedAmericancornandCanadianandontoScotchandIrishwhiskiesfromEuropeOfallofthebasiccategoriesofspiritswhiskeyhasspreadthemostacrossthe

world achieving ageographic and stylistic diversity that is unmatchedby anyothertypeofdistilledspiritFromthebasicgrain-baseddistilledspiritsofninth-centuryIrelandScotlandandnorthernEuropehaveevolvedtheclassicwhiskiesofScotlandandIrelandThesespiritsinturnservedasthemodelsfordistillersin thenewlysettledNorthAmericancolonies toproducewhatcametobefirstmodern rye whiskey and then in rapid succession corn bourbon blendedAmericanandCanadianwhiskiesAllofthesenowclassicstylesofwhiskeyhaveinrecentdecadesservedas

the stylistic inspiration for myriad new whiskies throughout the world fromGermany toAustralia andNepal inbetweenSomeof thesenewwhiskiesarebasedonexistingstylesJapanesewhiskydistillersforexamplehavegenerallytaken their inspiration (and malt and sometimes even their water) fromScotlandOthersareboldlygoingforthinnewdirectionsparticularlyamongthenewgenerationofAmericancraftdistillers

StranahanrsquosColoradoWhiskey

THEHISTORYOFBOURBONWHISKEY

IN the early 1700s a combination of bad economic times and religious

unrestagainsttheAnglicanChurchinGreatBritainsetoffawaveofemigrationfrom Scotland and Ireland These Scots Irish and so-called ldquoScotch-Irishrdquo(ProtestantsfromthenorthernIrishcountyofUlster)broughttoNorthAmericatheir religion their distrust of government control and their skill at distillingwhiskeyThis rush augmented by German immigrants of a similar religious and

culturalpersuasionpassedthroughtheseaboardcoloniesandsettledinitiallyinPennsylvania Maryland and western Virginia Mostly small farmers theyquickly adapted to growing rye because of its hardiness and in the westerncountiesNativeAmericancornbecauseofitshighyieldsGrainwasawkwardtoshiptoEastCoastmarketsbecauseofthepoorroadssomanyfarmersturnedtodistillingtheircropsintowhiskeyInPennsylvaniathesewereprimarilyryewhiskiesfarthertothewestandsouthcornwhiskiespredominatedBytheendoftheAmericanWarofIndependencein1784thefirstcommercialdistillerieshadbeenestablishedinwhatwasthenthewesternVirginiacountyofKentuckyFromthestarttheyproducedcorn-basedwhiskies

Whiskeybarrelsondisplay

NOT-SO-TRIVIALPURSUIT

ThefirstwavesofBritishsettlersinNorthAmericawereathirstylotItisrecordedthatthePilgrimschosetomakefinallandfallinMassachusettseventhough their original destination was Virginia primarily because they werealmostoutofbeer

The first locallymade alcoholic beveragewas beer although the limitedsupplyofbarleymaltwasfrequentlysupplementedbyeverythingfromsprucetipstopumpkinDistilledspiritssoonfollowedwithrummadefromimportedCaribbeanmolassesdominatinginthenortherncoloniesandanassortmentoffruitbrandiesintheSouth

In1794thecash-strappedfederalgovernmentimposedthefirstfederalexcisetax on distillers The farmer-distillers of western Pennsylvania respondedviolentlyFederaltaxagentswereassaultedandkilledbyangrymobsOrderwasfinally restored when the federal government sent in an army of 15000militiamenledbyGeorgeWashingtontoputdowntherevoltTheringleaderswere convicted and sentenced to be hanged But cooler heads prevailed andafterjailtimetheywerepardonedandreleased

LabelforHudsonBabyBourbonbyTuthilltownSpirits

ThissituationdidprovokeanewmigrationofsettlersthroughtheCumberlandGap and into the then-western frontier lands of Kentucky and Tennessee Inthese new states farmers found ideal corn-growing country and smoothlimestone-filteredwatertwoofthebasicingredientsofbourbonwhiskeyThenamebourboncomesfromacounty ineasternKentuckywhich in turn

wasnamedfortheBourbonkingsofFrancewhohadaidedtheAmericanrebelsintheRevolutionaryWarBourbonCountywasintheearlynineteenthcenturyacenterofwhiskeyproductionandtransshipping(Ironicallyatthepresenttimeitisaldquodryrdquocounty)Thelocalwhiskeymadeprimarilyfromcornsoongainedareputation for being particularly smooth because the local distillers aged theirproductsincharredoakcasksTheadoptionoftheldquosourmashrdquograinconversiontechniquefurtherdistinguishedbourbonfromotherwhiskeystyles

BenjaminPrichardrsquosDoubleBarreledBourbonfromPrichardsrsquoDistillery

REVIVALOFTHEFITTEST

ItmayseemoddbutScotchwhiskymaybebourbonrsquosinspirationforlong-termrevivalThesteadygrowthinsalesofsinglemaltandhigh-qualityScotchwhiskies has not gone unnoticed in bourbon country All of theKentucky andTennessee whiskey distilleries are nowmarketing high-end ldquosingle caskrdquo andldquosmallbatchrdquowhiskiesthathavefoundgreatsuccessamongupscaleconsumersMore than thirty craft whiskey distilleries have opened in the past few yearsacross the United States to cater to this increasing demand for quality overquantity The United States may yet in the words of one commentator ldquoturnawayfromforeignpotionsandreturntoitsnativespiritrdquo

LabelforPappyVanWinklersquosFamilyReserveKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskey

By the 1840s bourbon was recognized and marketed as a distinctiveAmericanstyleofwhiskeyalthoughnotasaregionallyspecificspiritBourboncametobeproducedinKentuckyTennesseeIndianaIllinoisOhioMissouriPennsylvaniaNorthCarolinaandGeorgiaalthoughtheonlylegalrequirementfor calling a whiskey ldquobourbonrdquo is that it be produced in the United StatesNowadaysbourbonproductionisslowlyexpandingtootherstatesasnewcraftwhiskeydistillerscomeonline Initiallybourbonwasmade inpotstillsbutasthe century progressed the new column still technology was increasinglyadoptedThelastold-linepotstillplantclosedinPennsylvaniain1992butthetechniquewasrevivedinKentuckyin1995whenthehistoricLabrotampGrahamDistillerywas renovatedand reopenedwitha setofnewScottish-built copperpotstillsMorerecentlymostof thenewgenerationofcraftwhiskeydistillersusepotstillsThelatenineteenthcenturysawtheriseofthetemperancemovementasocial

phenomenondrivenbyapotentcombinationofreligiousandwomenrsquosgroupsTemperancesocietiessuchastheWomenrsquosChristianTemperanceUnionandtheAnti-SaloonLeagueoperatednationallybuttheywereparticularlyactiveintheSouthernstatesThenotionoftemperancesoongavewaytoastateddesireforoutright prohibition and throughout the rest of the century an assortment ofstatesandcountiesadoptedprohibitionforvaryinglengthsoftimeanddegreesof severity This muddle of legal restrictions played havoc in the bourbonindustry because it interfered with the production and aging of stocks ofwhiskey

LabelforBlantonrsquosSingleBarrelKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskeybyBuffaloTraceDistillery

National Prohibition in 1919 had effects on the bourbon industry beyondshuttingdownmostofthedistilleriesDrinkingdidnotstopofcourseandtheUnitedStateswassoonawashinillegalalcoholmuchofitofdubiousqualityWhat did change was the American taste in whiskey Illicit moonshine andimportedCanadianwhiskeyswere lighter in taste and body than bourbon andrye The corresponding increase in popularity ofwhite spirits such as gin andvodkafurtheralteredthemarketplaceWhenRepealcamein1933anumberofthe old distilleries didnrsquot reopen and the industry began a slow consolidationthatlastedintotheearly1990satwhichtimetherewereonlytendistilleriesinKentuckyandtwoinTennessee

SouvenirbottleofEvanWilliamsKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskeybyHeavenHillDistilleries

BottleofFourRosesDistilleryrsquosSingleBarrelKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskey

ElijahCraig18-year-oldKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskeybyHeavenHillDistilleries

BuffaloTraceDistilleryrsquosKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskey

TENNESSEEWHISKEY

Tennessee whiskey is a first cousin of bourbon with virtually an identicalhistoryThesamesortofpeopleusedthesamesortofgrainsandthesamesortofproduction techniques to produce a style of whiskey that remarkably isnoticeablydifferentTheearlywhiskeydistillers inTennessee for reasons thatarelosttohistoryaddedafinalsteptotheirproductionprocesswhentheybeganfilteringtheirwhiskeythroughthickbedsofsugar-maplecharcoalThisfiltrationremoves some of the congeners (flavor elements) in the spirit and creates asmooth mellow palate The two remaining whiskey distillers in the statecontinue this tradition which a distiller at the Jack Danielrsquos Distillery oncedescribedasbeingldquosamechurchdifferentpewrdquo

HudsonManhattanRyeWhiskeybyTuthilltownSpirits

RYEWHISKEY

The Scotch-Irish immigrant distillers had some exposure to using rye inwhiskeyproductionbutfortheirGermanimmigrantneighborsryehadbeentheprimary grain used in the production of schnapps and vodka back in northernEuropeTheycontinuedthisdistillingpracticeparticularlyinPennsylvaniaandMaryland where rye whiskey with its distinctive hard-edged grainy palateremainedthedominantwhiskeytypewellintothetwentiethcentury

AbottleofTempletonProhibitionEraRecipeSmallBatchRyeWhiskeyfromTempletonRye

Thehand-blownbottleofRendezvousRyeWhiskeycastsawavyambershadowonagiftbox

Rye whiskey was more adversely affected by National Prohibition thanbourbonwasAgenerationofconsumersweanedonlight-bodiedandrelativelydelicate white spirits turned away from the pungent full-bodied straight ryewhiskies Production of rye whiskies had vanished altogether from the Mid-Atlantic states by the 1980s A handful ofmodern rye whiskies are currentlybeingmadebybourbondistilleriesinKentuckyandIndianaTheUnitedStatesrsquosfirstindigenouswhiskeystyleistodayonlybarelysurvivinginthemarketplaceIts primary use is for blending to give other whiskies more character andbackbonealthoughasmallbutvocalgroupofryewhiskyenthusiastscontinueto champion it and a number of new craft distillers are again producing theirinterpretationsofthisclassicAmericanwhiskeystyle

LabelforRyeWhiskeyfromtheIsaiahMorganDistillery

OldPotrero18thCenturyStyleRyeWhiskeybyAnchorDistilling

BLENDEDAMERICANWHISKEY

Blendedwhiskiesdate fromtheearlynineteenthcenturywhen the inventionof the column still made possible the production of neutral spirits Distillersblended one or more straight whiskies (bourbon and rye) with these neutralspirits invaryingproportions tocreate theirownbrandedblendThe tasteandqualityof thesewhiskies thenasnowvariesaccording to the ratioofstraightwhiskey to neutral grain spirit Early blends were frequently flavored witheverything from sherry to plug tobacco Compared to straight whiskies theywere inexpensiveandblandModernblendsutilizedozensofdifferent straightwhiskiestoensureaconsistentflavorprofileBlendedAmericanwhiskieshadagreat sales boost during and just afterWorldWar IIwhendistillers promotedthem as away of stretching their limited supply of straightwhiskeyBlendedwhiskeys were considered to be too bland by bourbon and rye drinkers andconsumerswithatasteforlighterspiritssoonmigratedovertovodkaandgin

AbottleofMellowCornKentuckyStraightCornWhiskeybyMedleyCompany

CORNWHISKEY

Cornwhiskeyanunagedclearspiritwas the first trulyAmericanwhiskeyandtheprecursortobourbonScotch-Irishfarmersproduceditintheirstillsforfamilyconsumptionor to trade for storegoodsWhen state and federal excisetaxeswerepermanentlyintroducedduringtheCivilWarmostoftheproductionofcornwhiskeywentundergroundtobecomemoonshinewhereithasremainedeversinceAmodestamountofcommercialcornwhiskeyisstillproducedandconsumedintheSouthwhileanincreasingnumberofcraftwhiskeydistilleriesarenowexperimentingwiththismoreinterestingalternativetovodka

AbottleofPlatteValleyStraightCornWhiskeybyMcCormickDistillingCo

CANADIANWHISKY

Canadianwhiskies aswith theirAmerican cousins originated on the farmTheseearlywhiskiesweremadeprimarilyfromryethoughovertimeCanadiandistillersturnedtocornwheatandothergrainsCanadianscontinuetorefertotheirwhiskyasldquoryerdquoeventhoughthemashbillisnowpredominantlyamixofcorn wheat and barley Several of the new generation of Canadian craftdistillersarehowevermarketingbothall-maltandldquotruerdquoryewhiskies

FortyCreekSmallBatchReserveWhisky(Canadian)byKittlingRidgeEstateWinesampSpirits

AbottleofSnakeRiverStampedeBlendedCanadianWhisky

THEBASISOFNORTHAMERICANWHISKIES

NORTHAmericanwhiskiesareall-grainspiritsthathavebeenproducedfrom

amashbillthatusuallymixestogethercornryewheatbarleyandothergrainsin different proportions and then is aged for an extended period of time inwoodenbarrelsThesebarrelsmaybeneworusedandcharredoruncharredontheinsidedependingonthetypeofwhiskeybeingmade

Whiskeybarrelsondisplayonanantiquetruck

Most non-craft North American whiskies are made in column stills TheUnitedStatesgovernmentrequiresthatallwhiskies

bullBedistilledat90percentABVorlessbullBereducedtonomorethan625percentABV(125degproof)beforebeingagedinoakbarrels(exceptforcornwhiskeywhichdoesnothavetobeagedinwood)

bullHavethearomatasteandcharacteristicsthataregenerallyattributedtowhiskey

bullBebottledatnolessthat40percentABV(80degproof)

Acoopershootsairintoacharringbarreltostoketheflames

Acooperformsabarrelbeforeattachinghoopsaroundtheoutside

CLASSIFICATIONSOFNORTHAMERICANWHISKIES

NORTHAMERICANwhiskiesareessentiallyclassifiedbythetypeorvarietyof

grains in the mash bill the percentage or proof of alcohol at which they aredistilledandthedurationandmanneroftheiraging

Astirringpaddlesitsoveramoonshinewash

BarleygrowinginafieldinWashingtonState

PeregrineRockSingleMaltWhiskeybyStJamesSpirits

NORTHAMERICANWHISKEYREGIONS

North Americarsquos variations of whiskey are as nuanced and distinct as thecontinentrsquos regionsMost are aged innewwoodbarrels butbeyond that therehasbeenmuchexperimentinginrecentyears

UNITEDSTATES

Kentucky produces all types of North American whiskies except forTennessee andCanadian It currently has the largest concentration ofwhiskeydistilleries on the continent but may soon cede that claim to MichiganColoradooroneofthePacificNorthweststatesasnewcraftdistilleriescontinuetoopen

BarrelsofbourbonagingattheWoodfordReserveDistillery

MostWantedKansasWhiskeybyHighPlainsInc

Tennessee started out as bourbon country but today its two remainingwhiskeydistilleriesspecializeinthedistinctiveTennesseestyleofwhiskeyOther statesmdashprimarily Indiana IllinoisVirginia andMissourimdashhave large

distilleries that produce straight whiskeys although some of these plants arecurrentlymothballed

CANADA

Ontario has the largest concentration of whisky distilleries in Canada withthreeAlbertahastwoandManitobaQuebecandNovaScotiaeachhaveoneWiththeexceptionofGlenorainNovaScotiaandKittlingRidgeinOntarioalloftheothercurrentCanadianwhiskydistilleriesproduceonlyblendedCanadianwhisky although a number of new craft whisky distilleries are listed in theindex

REGIONALFLAVORS

Therearenowmorethanthirtycraftdistilleriesinat leastseventeenstatesthatareproducingsuchstandardwhiskeystylesasbourboncornandryeaswell asmany experimental variationsOne example isWasmundrsquos SingleMaltWhiskey from theCopperFoxDistilleryofSperryvilleVirginiaThisdistilleryhasitsownfloormaltingsandsoaks itsagingspirit inapple-woodchipsThissort of production twist which has its roots in craft brewing is increasinglybecomingadistinctivefeatureofAmericancraftdistillingAdditionally there are a number of distilling plants scattered around the

country that rectify (redistill) process and bottle spirits that were originallydistilledelsewhereThesedistilleriesinadditiontosometimesbottlingbourbonthat has been shipped to them in bulk may also create their own blendedwhiskiesThesewhiskiestendtoberelativelyinexpensiveldquowellrdquobrandsthataresoldmainlytotavernsandbarsformakingmixeddrinks

RickWasmundmaltsbarleybyhandattheCopperFoxDistillery

AWHISKEYLEXICON

Bondedwhiskeyisbourbonfromasingledistillerythatwasproducedinasingle ldquoseasonrdquo and then aged for at least four years in a government-supervisedldquobondedrdquowarehouseDistillersoriginallydidthistoavoidhavingtopaytheexcisetaxuntilthewhiskeywasagedandreadyformarketConsumerscameto(erroneously)regardtheldquobottledinbondrdquodesignationasastatementofqualityBondedwhiskies arenotmuchof a factor in todayrsquosmarket althoughtheystillexist

Themash is themix of crushed grain (including somemalt that containsenzymestobreakdowngrainstarchesintosugars)andhotwaterfromwhichthedistillerdrawsaliquidextractcalledwortThewortisfermentedintoasimplebeercalledthewashwhichisthendistilled

Sourmashisthefermentationprocessbywhichapercentageofapreviousfermentation is added to a new batch as a ldquostarterrdquo to get the fermentationgoing andmaintain a level of consistency from batch to batch A sweetmashmeansthatonlyfreshyeastisaddedtoanewbatchtostartfermentation

Straight whiskey is unblended whiskey that contains no neutral spiritBourbonTennesseeryeandcornwhiskiesarestraightwhiskiesThereisalsoaspiritsimplycalledldquostraightwhiskeyrdquo that ismade fromamixtureofgrainsnoneofwhichaccountsfor51percentofthemashbill

InthiswhiskeybarrelstoragebuildingablackmoldandrustthriveontheldquoangelrsquossharerdquoofevaporatedalcoholandtheKentuckyhumidity

Washbeingmadeinthemashtun

Bubblesriseduringagrainfermentation

SCOTCHWHISKYIRISHWHISKEYANDOTHERWHISKIESOFTHEWORLD

WHISKY isdefined in itsmostbasic senseasa spirit that isdistilled from

grainSometimesthegrainhasbeenmaltedsometimesnotWhatdistinguisheswhiskyfromvodkaginaquavitandothergrain-basedspiritsisthatitisagedoftenforlongperiodsoftimeinwoodenbarrels(usuallyoak)Thisbarrelagingsmoothes the rough palate of the raw spirit adding aromatic and flavoringnuancesalongwiththebaseamberhuethatsetswhiskiesapartfromwhitegrainspirits

THEHISTORYOFSCOTCHWHISKY

ThebasisofScotchwhiskyistheheather-flavoredalesmadefrombarleymaltthat thePictsand theirprehistoricancestorsbrewedArcheologistshave foundevidence of such brewing dating back to at least 2000 BCE This ale stillproducedtodaybyatleastoneScottishmicrobrewerwaslowinalcoholandnotverystableStarting in theninthcentury Irishmonksarrived inScotland toChristianize

theirCelticbrethrenTheybroughtalongthefirstprimitivestillswhichtheyhadpickedupduring theirproselytizingvisits tomainlandEuropeduring theDarkAges The local Picts soon found that they could create a stable alcoholicbeveragebydistillingheatheraleSimplestillscametobefoundinmostruralhomesteadsandhomemadewhiskybecameanintegralpartofGaelicculture

ForsythstillsatthePenderynWhiskyDistilleryinWales

Laphroaig10-year-oldSingleMaltScotchWhiskyfromtheIslandofIslay

WHYBLENDEDSCOTCHWHISKYISAGOODTHINGEVENIFYOUPREFERSINGLEMALTS

It isatruismofreligionthatconvertsfrequentlybecomethemostzealousofbelieversAmongfreshlymintedmodern-dayenthusiastsofScotchmaltwhiskiesit is a frequently heard refrain thatmalt whiskies are superior to the blendedarticle and that the latterare just notworthbotheringwithPersonal taste isultimatelysubjectiveofcourseButsinglemaltdrinkersshouldraisetheirhatsin salute whenever a Dewarrsquos or Johnnie Walker delivery truck drives bybecause without these blended brands most of the remaining malt distillerieswouldnotexistBlendedScotchwhiskiesrequireablendofdozensofdifferentmaltwhiskiestobecombinedwiththegrainwhiskytocreatethedesiredblendThe individual percentages of each malt whisky may be small but eachcontributesitsuniquecharactertotheblendAblenderwillthusneedtobuyorproducealargeamountofdifferentmaltwhiskiestomaintaintheconsistencyoftheblendThus foramaltwhiskydistillery thesinglemaltmaygetallof theglorybuttheblendsultimatepaythebills

Talisker18-year-oldSingleMaltScotchWhisky

AslongasScottishkingsruledthecountryfromEdinburghthestatusquoofwhiskyasjustanotherfarmproductwasmoreorlessmaintainedButtheActofUnion in 1707 that combined England Wales and Scotland into the UnitedKingdomalteredtheScotchwhiskysceneforeverTheLondongovernmentsoonleviedexcisetaxesonScottish-madewhisky(whileatthesametimecuttingthetaxesonEnglishgin)Theresultwasapredictableboomin illicitdistilling In1790sEdinburghitwasestimatedthatmorethn400illegalstillscompetedwithjust eight licensed distilleries A number of present-day Scottish distilleriesparticularlyintheHighlandshavetheiroriginsinsuchillicitoperations

HighlandPark12-year-oldSingleMaltScotchWhisky

BarrelsagingatthePenderynWhiskyDistilleryinWales

TheExciseAct of 1823 reduced taxes onScotchwhisky tolerablyThis actcoincided with the dawn of the industrial revolution and entrepreneurs weresoon building new state-of-the-art distilleries The local moonshiners (calledsmugglers) did not go quietly Some of the first licensed distillers in rurallocations were threatened by their illicit peers But in the end productionefficiencies and the rule of law won out The whisky that came from thesedistillerieswasmade exclusively frommalted barley that had been kiln driedoverpeatfiresThesmokefromthesepeatfiresgavethemaltadistinctivetangthatmadetheScottishproductinstantlyidentifiablebywhiskydrinkersallovertheworldThe nineteenth century brought a rush of changes to the Scotch whisky

industryTheintroductionofcolumnstillsearlyinthe1830sledtothecreationofgrainwhiskywhich in turn led toblendedScotchwhisky in the late1860sThe smooth blandness of the grain whisky toned down the assertive smokycharacterofthemaltwhiskiesThe resulting blended whisky was milder and more acceptable to foreign

consumersparticularlytheEnglishwhoturnedtoScotchwhiskyinthe1870swhen a phylloxera infestation (an insect pest that destroys grape vines) in thevineyardsofEuropedisruptedsuppliesofcognacandporttwoofthemainstaysof civilized living Malt whisky distilleries were bought up by blendingcompaniesandtheiroutputwasblendedwithgrainwhiskiestocreatethegreatblended brands that have come to dominate the market The malt whiskydistilleriestookabackseattothesebrandsandsoldmostorinsomecasesalloftheirproductiontotheblendersTherecentpopularrevivalofmaltwhiskieshasledmostofthedistilleriestocomeoutwithbottlingsoftheirownproducts

KeithTenchvisitorcentremanagerposeswithdistillerGillianHowellatthePenderynWhiskyDistilleryinWales

Bythe1970sinternationalliquorcompaniesownedmostofthemaltwhiskydistilleriesasituationthatcontinuestothisday

THEHISTORYOFIRISHWHISKEY

TheScotsmostlikelylearnedaboutdistillingfromtheIrish(thoughtheyareloath to admit it) The Irish in turn learned about it according to the Irish atleastfrommissionarymonkswhoarrivedinIrelandintheseventhcenturyTheactualdetailsareabitsketchyforthenext700yearsorsobutitdoesseemthatmonks in various monasteries were distilling aqua vitae (ldquowater of liferdquo)primarily formakingmedicalcompoundsThese firstdistillateswereprobablygrape or fruit brandy rather than grain spirit Barley-basedwhiskey (thewordderivesfromuiscebeatha theGaelic interpretationofaquavitae) firstappearsin the historical record in the mid-1500s when the Tudor kings began toconsolidateEnglishcontrolinIrelandQueenElizabethIwassaidtobefondofitandhadcasksshippedtoLondonregularlyThe imposition of an excise tax in 1661 had the same effect as it did in

Scotlandwith the immediate commencementof theproductionofpoteen (theIrish version of moonshine) This did not however slow the growth of thedistillingindustryandbytheendoftheeighteenthcenturythereweremorethan2000stillsinoperationUnderBritish rule Irelandwasexportorientedand Irishdistillersproduced

large quantities of pot-distilled whiskey for export into the expanding BritishEmpire (along with grains and assorted foodstuffs) In the late nineteenthcenturymorethan400brandsofIrishwhiskeywerebeingexportedandsoldintheUnitedStates

DistillerLanceWintersleadsagroupofotherdistillersonatourofStGeorgeSpiritsHangarOneVodkaHeretheyaremarvelingatthegleamingcolumnstills

This happy state of affairs lasted into the early twentieth centurywhen themarketbegantochangeTheIrishpotstilluserswereslowtorespondtotheriseof blended Scotch whisky with its column-distilled smooth-grain-whiskycomponent When National Prohibition in the United States closed off theirlargest export market many of the smaller distilleries closed The remainingdistilleries then failed to anticipate the coming of Repeal (unlike the Scotchdistillers) and were caught short when it came The Great Depression tradeembargoes between the newly independent Irish Republic and the UnitedKingdomandWorldWarIIcausedfurtherhavocamongthedistillersIn1966thethreeremainingdistillingcompaniesintheRepublicofIrelandmdash

Powers Jameson and CorkDistilleriesmdashmerged into a single company IrishDistillers Company (IDC) In 1972 Bushmills the last distillery in NorthernIrelandjoinedIDCIn1975IDCopenedanewmammothdistilleryatMidleton

nearCorkandalloftheotherdistilleriesintherepublicwerecloseddownwiththeproductionoftheirbrandsbeingtransferredtoMidletonForafourteen-yearperiod the Midleton plant and Bushmills in Northern Ireland were the onlydistilleriesinIreland

Thissadstateofaffairsendedin1989whenapotato-peelethanolplant inDundalk was converted into a whiskey distillery The new Cooley Distillerybegantoproducemaltandgrainwhiskeyswiththefirstthree-year-oldbottlingsreleasedin1992

YamazakiDistilleryShimamotoOsakaJapan12-year-oldSingleMaltWhisky(Japan)

THEHISTORYOFJAPANESEWHISKY

Themodern Japanesewhisky industry can trace its beginnings back to onemanMasatakaTaketsuraThesonofasakebrewerTaketsurawenttoScotlandin 1918 and spent two years studying chemistry at Glasgow University andworkingataScotchwhiskydistilleryinRothesintheHighlandsHereturnedtoJapanin1920withaScottishbrideandadeterminationtochangetheJapanesedistillingindustryTheJapanesewerethenastheyarenowmajorconsumersofScotchwhisky

Locallyproducedspiritshoweverwere limited to thefierysorghum-orsweet-potato-basedshochuandahandfulofdubiousldquowhiskiesrdquothatwerelittlemorethan neutral spirits colored with caramel Taketsura convinced the owners ofwhatbecametheSuntoryCompanytobeginproductionofbarleymaltandgrainwhiskiesbasedontheScottishmodelThesewhiskiessomeofwhicharemadefrom imported peat-smoked Scottish malt became very successful in theJapanesemarketOtherdistilleriesfollowedSuntoryrsquosleadandthesewhiskiesbased onScotchwhiskymodels (and later bourbonwhiskey) soon dominatedthemarket

KaruizawaNumberOneSingleCaskWhisky(Japan)ThedistilleryislocatedinthefoothillsofMountAsamaanactivevolcano

ModernJapanesedistillers(includingtheNikkaWhiskyDistillerywhichwasfoundedbyTaketsurain1934)havefollowedthistrendandnowadaysproduceandmarketafullrangeofmaltandblendedwhiskies

THEHISTORYOFNEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIANWHISKY

Scottishemigrantsbroughttheirwhisky-makingskillstoNewZealandinthe1840s A thriving whisky industry soon developed and operated until 1875whennewexcessivelyhighexcisetaxesandheavycompetitionfromimportedBritishwhiskies forced the local commercial distilleries to shut downA newalmostcommercial-sizedmoonshinetradequicklyreplacedthemasituationthatcontinuedforalmostacenturyIn 1968 a newwhisky distillery opened inDunedin It produces a range of

maltandgrainwhiskiesbroadlyintheScottishstylefromlocallygrowngrainEventhebarleymaltiskilnedandsmokedusinglocalpeatAustralianwhisky production has experienced a similar varied historywith

assortednineteenth-centuryproducerspoppingup in thevariousstatesonly tobedrivenoutofbusinessbyBritishimportsAbortiveattemptsinthe1990storevivewhiskyproductionhavebeenfollowedmorerecentlybyanewgenerationofmoresuccessfulcraftwhiskydistillersparticularlyontheislandofTasmania

Thousandsofbarrelsstackedoutsideacooperage

THEBASISOFSCOTCHWHISKYIRISHWHISKEYJAPANESEWHISKYAND

NEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIANWHISKY

Allofthesewhiskeystyleswhileverydifferentintasteandstylearebasedonmaltedbarleyasthedominantsourceofflavorandcharacter

SCOTLAND

TherearetwobasiccategoriesofScotchwhiskymaltwhiskywhichismadeexclusivelyfrommaltedbarleythathasbeendriedoversmokingpeatfiresandgrainwhiskywhichismadefromunmaltedwheatorcornThesewhiskiesareaged inusedwoodenbourbonor sherrybarrels for aminimumof threeyearsalthoughfivetotenyearsisthegeneralpractice

IRELAND

TherearetwobasiccategoriesofIrishwhiskeymaltwhiskeywhichismadeexclusivelyfrommaltedbarleythathasbeenkiln-driedbutnotoverpeatfiresandgrainwhiskeywhichismadefromunmaltedwheatorcornThesewhiskeysareagedinusedwoodenbourbonorsherrybarrelsforaminimumofthreeyearsalthoughfivetoeightyearsisthenorm

JAPAN

Japanese whiskies both malt and blended are broadly based on Scotchwhiskieswithsometopbrandsevenbeingmadewith importedScottishwaterandpeat-smokedbarleymaltThepeat-smokecharacterofJapanesewhiskiesisgenerally more subtle and delicate than their Scottish counterparts Japanesewhiskiesmaybeagedinbothnewandused(usuallybourbon)woodenbarrelswhichmaybeeithercharredoruncharred

NEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIA

New Zealand and Australian whiskies both draw on Scottish Irish andAmerican traditions in a cheerfully mixed manner using both peated andunpeated locally-grown barley malt to produce mostly pot-distilled maltwhiskiesthatareagedinusedbourbonandwinebarrelsforatheoreticalifnotalwaysabsoluteminimumofsixyearsformaltwhisky

Detailoffermentingbarleywashformakingwhiskey

THEDISTILLATIONOFSCOTCHWHISKYIRISHWHISKEYJAPANESEWHISKY

ANDNEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIANWHISKY

Double-andeventriple-distillationisthenormforthisfamilyofbarleymaltndashbasedwhiskies

SCOTLAND

All Scotch malt whiskies are double distilled in pot stills whereas Scotchgrainwhiskiesaremadeincolumnstills

IRELAND

Irishwhiskeysbothblendedandmaltareusuallytripledistilledthroughbothcolumnandpotstillsalthoughthereareafewexclusivelypot-distilledbrands

JAPAN

Japanese whiskies follow the Scottish tradition with malt whiskies beingdoubledistilledinpotstillsandgrainwhiskiesincolumnstills

NEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIA

BothNewZealandandAustralianmaltandgrainwhiskiesaredoubledistilledin pot stills with some Tasmanian distilleries reportedly experimenting withtripledistillation

SCOTCHWHISKYIRISHWHISKEYJAPANESEWHISKYANDNEWZEALAND

ANDAUSTRALIANWHISKYREGIONS

SCOTLAND

TheHighlandsconsistoftheportionofScotlandnorthofalinefromDundeeon the North Sea coast in the east to Greenock on the Irish Sea in the westincluding all of the islands off the mainland except for Islay Highland maltwhiskies cover a broad spectrum of styles They are generally consideredaromatic smooth and medium bodied with palates that range from lushcomplexitytofloraldelicacyThesubregionsoftheHighlandsincludeSpeysidetheNorthEastandWestHighlandstheOrkneyIslesandtheWesternIslands(JuraMullandSkye)TheLowlandsencompasstheentireScottishmainlandsouthoftheHighlands

except the Kintyre Peninsula where Campbeltown is located Lowland maltwhiskiesarelightbodiedrelativelysweetanddelicateIslay is an island off the west coast Traditional Islay malt whiskies are

intenselysmokyandpungentincharacterwithadistinctiveiodineormedicinaltangthatissaidtocomefromseasaltpermeatingthelocalpeatthatisusedtodrythebarleymaltCampbeltown is a port located on the tip of the Kintyre Peninsula on the

southwestcoastthathasitsowndistinctivespicyandsalt-tingedmaltwhiskies

IRELAND

Aseriesofcorporateconsolidationsandresultingplantclosureshavelefttheislandwithonly threedistilleries one inCountyAntrimat thenorthern tipofUlsterandtwointheRepublicofIrelandtothesouthSeveralnewandreviveddistilleriesarehowevercurrentlyunderconstruction

JAPAN

The whisky distilleries of Japan are scattered throughout Honshu andHokkaido the two main northern islands of Japan with the malt whiskydistillerieslocatedforthemostpartinmountainousregionswheretherearegoodwatersupplies

NEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIA

NewZealandcurrentlyonlyhasoneoperatingwhiskydistillery inDunedinSouth Island At press time Australia had one operating whisky distillery inwesternAustraliaandthreeinTasmania

WHISKYCOCKTAILS

SAZERACInashortglasscombinebull2ounces(60ml)ryewhiskeybull1teaspoon(5g)sugarStirtoblendthenaddbullDashPeychaudrsquosbittersbullDashAngosturabittersbullfrac12ounce(15ml)Pernodbull2icecubesStirtoblendGarnishwithlemontwist

DEPTHCHARGE

Fill a tall glass three-quarters full of beer Pour 1 12 ounces (45 ml)CanadianwhiskeyintoashotglassDroptheshotglassintotheglassofbeeranddrinkthemtogether

WHISKEYSOURFillashortglasswithiceInashakercombinebull1frac12ounces(45ml)bourbonwhiskeybull1ounce(30ml)lemonjuicebull1tablespoon(15g)sugarbullCrushedice(halffull)Shakeandstrainintotheglass

MANHATTAN

Inashakercombinebull1frac12ounces(45ml)blendedbullfrac34ounce(23ml)sweetvermouthbullIceStirandstrainintoamartini(cocktail)glassorashortglassGarnishwitha

maraschinocherry

RUSTYNAIL

FillashortglasswithicecubesAdd

bull1ounce(30ml)Scotchwhiskybullfrac12ounce(15ml)DrambuieliqueurStirandserve

SazeracRyeWhiskey

LabelforOldGristmillAuthenticAmericanCornWhiskeybyTuthilltownSpirits

ARTISANPROFILEINSIDETHEINDUSTRY

JOHNHENRY

PipeLineBrandAgentsNewYorkNewYork

SUDDENLY it is time to open the doorsYou bought your still got yourlicensebuiltyourdistillerysourcedyourrawproductsdecidedwhattomakeandactuallymadesomeThemostimportantstepisstillaheadmdashyoursquovegottoconvincepeopletobuywhatyoursquoresellingEnterJohnHenryofPipeLineBrandAgentsabrandbuilderandmarketdeveloperThetaskofreachingcustomersisdauntingGiantcorporationscanflybevies

of representatives around the world and ply retailers and restaurants withpromotional wares but the small distiller more often than not finds himselfdrivingaroundinhisowncarwithacaseortwointhetrunkPipeLinersquosteamofbrand agents andmarket ambassadors are ldquodedicated to properly representinghigh-qualityartisanalspiritsrdquo(accordingtotheirwebsite)andtheyworkhardtobuildstrongsupportivemutuallybeneficialrelationshipsldquoI tell the storiesrdquo saidHenry ldquoWhether it is the history of a centuries-old

brewery the soil composition the site and terroir of a sugarcane field orvineyard or a cherished family recipe that goes back fourteen generations Iwanttogetoutonthestreetandtellpeopleaboutitrdquo

HenryunderstandsthatasmalldistillerrsquosproductisaworkofpassionandhewantstoinstillthatpassioninthemarketplaceandforgethesortofloyaltythatcanonlybecommandedbyacraftproductldquoIknowthepersonalitiesthehistoryandthedramaWhatrsquosbetterthanthat

Nocorporate-createdbrandlike10CanehasthishistoryandrootedstoryrdquoHenry cuts a striking figure He is a graduate ofWest Point and a former

Armyintelligenceofficerbutheleftall thatbehindtoridehisbicyclethroughthestreetsofNewYorkbottlesclinkinginhisbackpackldquoThebikeiskingItrsquosastoryuntoitselfItrsquosgreenitrsquosstreetitrsquosartisanalit

movesItrsquosahand-deliveredhand-soldwaytodobusinessandIwouldnrsquothaveit anyotherway I paraphraseOrwell lsquoWhen I see a grownmanon a bike IhavehopeforthefuturersquordquoHenrylikestosaythatheldquofarmsrelationshipsonthestreetmdashorganicallyrdquoIn

doingsothehardestpartofthejobisalsowhatmakesitpossibleldquoWhatrsquosmostdifficultaboutrepresentingthemoreboutiquecraftedbrandsis

that you have to continually tell the story from scratch The bigger brandsbombard the consumerwith imagesmdashthinkVincentGallo forBelvedereWiththesmallerbrandsyouhavetomaketheconnectiononeononeasifyouwerethedistillertellinghisstoryThatrsquoswhatmakesthemstandoutasbrandsandasdistillersIamasmuchabrandstorytellerasIamastreet-basedbrandbuilderIlookatmyjobaspartJohnnyAppleseedandpartJohnnyCarsonrdquo

CHAPTERFOUR

VODKA

ldquoThe relationship between a Russian and a bottle of vodka is almostmysticalrdquo

mdashRichardOwenBritishscientistanddrinkingbuddyofCharlesDarwin

Acolorfularayofcraftvodkasondisplayonicereadytobeenjoyedresponsibly

ASTHESTORYgoesin988theGrandPrinceofKiev(Ukraine)decideditwas time for his people to be converted from their paganways to one of themonotheisticreligionsthatheldswaytothesouthFirstcametheJewishrabbisHe listened to their argumentswas impressed but ultimately sent them awayafternoting that the followersof Judaismdidnotcontrolany landNextcamethe Muslim mullahs Again he was impressed both with their intellectualargumentsandthesuccessofIslamasapoliticalandmilitaryforceButwhenhewas told that Islamproscribed alcohol hewas dismayed and sent themawayFinallycametheChristianpriestswhoinformedhimthatnotonlycouldgoodChristiansdrinkalcoholbutalsothatwinewasrequiredforchurchritualssuchas communion That was good enough for the Grand Prince and on hiscommandhissubjectsconvertedenmassetoChristianity

THEHISTORYOFVODKA

HISTORICALLY the Slavic peoples of the north and their Scandinavian

neighborstookalcoholicdrinksveryseriouslyTheextremecoldtemperaturesofwinter inhibited the shipment of wines and beers because these low-proofbeverages could freeze during transit Until the introduction of distilling intoEastern Europe in the 1400s strong drink was made by fermenting winesmeadsandbeersfreezingthemandthendrawingoffthealcoholicslushfromthefrozenwaterThe earliest distilled spirit in Eastern Europewasmade frommead (honey

wine)orbeerandwascalledperevaraThewordvodka(fromtheRussianwordvoda meaning ldquowaterrdquo) was originally used to describe grain distillates thatwere used for medicinal purposes As distilling techniques improved vodka(wodka in Polish) gradually came to be the accepted term for beverage spiritregardlessofitsorigin

VODKAINRUSSIA

Russians firmly believe that vodka was created in their land Commercialproduction was established by the fourteenth century In 1540 Czar Ivan theTerrible established the first government vodka monopoly Distilling licenseswerehandedout to theboyars(thenobility)allotherdistillerieswerebannedandmoonshiningbecameendemicVodka production became an integral part of Russian society Landowners

operated stills on their estates and produced high-quality vodkas that wereflavored with everything from acorns to horseradish to mint The czarsmaintained test distilleries at their country palaces In 1780 a scientist at onesuchdistilleryinventedcharcoalfiltrationtopurifyvodka

ThreeHolsteinstillsatStGeorgeSpiritsHangarOneVodka

BytheeighteenthandintothenineteenthcenturytheRussianvodkaindustrywasconsideredtechnologicallyadvancedNewstillsandproductiontechniquesfrom Western Europe were eagerly imported and utilized State funding andcontrol of vodka research continued Under a 1902 law ldquoMoscow vodkardquo aclear 40 percent ABV rye vodka without added flavorings and soft ldquolivingrdquo(undistilled)waterwasestablishedasthebenchmarkforRussianvodkaThe Soviet Union continued government control of vodka production All

distilleries became government-owned and while the Communist Partyapparatchiks continued to enjoy high-quality rye vodka the proletariatmasseshadtomakedowithcheapspiritsVodkaproduction in the currentRussianFederationhas returned to thepre-

RevolutionarypatternHigh-qualitybrandsareagainbeingproducedforthenewsocial elite and for export while the popularly priced brands are still beingconsumedwelllikevoda

PuttinglabelsoverthecapsoffreshlyfilledbottlesofPrezydentVodkaatPolmosLodzinLodzPoland

VODKAINPOLAND

The earliest written records of vodka production in Poland date from the1400s thoughsomePolishhistoriansclaim that itwasbeingproducedaroundthe southern city of Krakow at least a century earlier Originally known asokowita(fromtheLatinaquavitaldquowaterofliferdquo) itwasusedforavarietyofpurposes in addition to beverages A 1534medical text defined an aftershavelotion as ldquovodka for washing the chin after shavingrdquo Herbal-infused vodkaswereparticularlypopularaslinimentsfortheachesandpainsoflifeIn 1546King JanOlbracht granted the right to distill and sell in spirits to

everyadultcitizenThePolisharistocracytakingacuefromtheirRussianpeerssoonlobbiedtohavethisprivilegerevokedandreplacedbyaroyaldecreethatreservedtothemtherighttomakevodkaCommercialvodkadistillerieswerewellestablishedbytheeighteenthcentury

By the mid-nineteenth century a thriving export trade had developed withPolish vodkas particularly those infused with small quantities of fruit spiritbeingshippedthroughoutnorthernEuropeandevenintoRussia

SpiritsdanceinthestillattheWeyermannDistilleryinBambergGermany

With the fall of Communism in the late 1980s the vodka distilleries soonreturned to private ownership Nowadays high-quality Polish vodkas areexportedthroughouttheworld

VODKAINSWEDEN

Vodkaproduction inSwedenwhichdates fromthe fifteenthcenturyhas itsorigins in the local gunpowder industry where high-proof spirit (originallycalledbraumlnnvin)wasusedasacomponentofblackpowderformusketsWhendistillerieswere licensed toproducebeveragealcohol (primarilyspice-flavoredaquavitbutalsovodka) itwaswiththeunderstandingthatgunpowdermakershadfirstpriorityoverbeverageconsumersHomedistillingwaslongapartofSwedishsocietyIn1830thereweremore

than 175000 registered stills in a country of fewer than threemillion peopleThistraditioninamuchdiminishedandillegalformstillcontinuestothisdayModernSwedishvodkaisproducedbytheVinampSpritstatemonopoly

VODKAANDTHECLASSSYSTEM

Thesocietalattitudetowardcheapspiritsmeantfortheproletariatcouldbesummed up by the curious fact that mass-produced vodka was sold in literbottles with a non-screw cap Once you opened the bottle it couldnrsquot beresealedYouhadtodrinkitallinonesession

CharcoalfiltrationusedinmakingvodkaatColoradoPureDistilling

VODKAINTHEUNITEDSTATES

Vodka was first imported into the United States in significant quantitiesaroundtheturnofthetwentiethcenturyItsmarketwasimmigrantsfromEasternEuropeAftertherepealofNationalProhibitionin1933theHeubleinCompanyboughttherightstotheSmirnoffbrandofvodkafromitsWhiteRussianeacutemigreacuteowners and relaunched vodka into theUSmarket Sales languished until anenterprisingliquorsalesmaninSouthCarolinastartedpromotingitasldquoSmirnoffWhiteWhiskymdashNotasteNosmellrdquoSalesboomedandAmericanvodkaaftermarking timeduringWorldWar IIwas on itsway tomarketing successThefirst popular vodka-based cocktailwas a combinationof vodka andginger alecalled the Moscow mule It was marketed with its own special copper mugexamples of which can still be found on the back shelves of liquor cabinetsthroughouttheUnitedStatesTodayvodka is thedominantwhitespirit in theUnitedStateshelpedalong

by its versatility as amixer and some very clever advertising campaigns Themost famous of these was the classic double entendre tagline ldquoSmirnoffmdashItleavesyoubreathlessrdquoThemajorityofAmericancraftdistillersarevodkaproducersThey are divided between those who purchase neutral grain spirit (NGS)

fromathirdpartysupplierandthenrectifyitintheirownfacilityandarelativehandful of operations that produce and distill their ownwash tomake vodkaThisisactuallyaseriouschallengeforcraftdistillerswithpotstillsbecauseitisdifficulttoproduceahigh-proofneutralgrainspiritwithoutusingacolumnstillThe best-known and bestselling craft-distilled vodka is Titorsquos Handmade

VodkafromthedistilleryofthesamenameinAustinTexas

THEBASISOFVODKA

ldquoAvodkamartinipleasePolishnotRussianShakennotstirredrdquomdashJamesBondAgent007plungingastakeintotheheartofginsales

VODKAismadebyfermentingandthendistillingthesimplesugarsfroma

mashofpalegrainorvegetalmatterwhichcanbepotatoesmolassesbeetsoravarietyofotherplantsRyeis theclassicgrainforvodkaandmostof thebestRussianandPolishbrandsaremadeexclusivelyfromaryemashSwedishandBalticdistillersarepartialtowheatmashesalthoughwheatisalsousedfarthereastPotatoesarelookeddownonbyRussiandistillersbuttheyareheldinhighesteem by some of their Polish counterparts Molasses is widely used forinexpensive mass-produced brands of vodka American distillers use the fullrangeofbaseingredients

DISTILLATIONOFVODKA

Vodkaisdistilledinthemannerdescribedintheintroductorychapterofthisbook (Seepage24)Thechoiceofpotorcolumnstillsdoeshoweverhaveafundamentaleffectonthefinalcharacterof thevodkaAllvodkacomesoutofthestillasaclearcolorlessspiritButvodkafromapotstill(thesortusedforcognac and Scotch whisky) will contain some of the delicate aromaticscongenersandflavorelementsofthecropfromwhichitwasproducedPotstillsare relatively inefficient and the resulting spirit from the first distillation isusually redistilled (rectified) to increase the proof of the spirit Vodka from amoreefficientcolumnstillisusuallyaneutralcharacterlessspirit

MaineDistilleriesuseslocallysourcedpotatoestomakeitsColdRiverVodka

Except for a fewminor exceptions vodka is not put intowooden casks oraged for anyextensiveperiodof time It canhowever be flavoredor coloredwithawidevarietyoffruitsherbsandspices

CLASSIFICATIONSOFVODKA

Therearenouniformclassificationsofvodka InPolandvodkasaregradedaccordingtotheirdegreeofpuritystandard(zwykly)premium(wyborowy)anddeluxe(luksusowy)InRussiavodkathatislabeledosobaya(special)isusuallyasuperior-qualityproductthatcanbeexportedwhilekrepkaya(strong)denotesanoverproofvodkaofatleast56percentABVIn the United States domestic vodkas are defined by US government

regulation as ldquoneutral spirits so distilled or so treated after distillation withcharcoalorothermaterialsastobewithoutdistinctivecharacteraromatasteorcolorrdquoBecauseAmericanvodkaisbylawneutralintastethereareonlyverysubtledistinctionsbetweenbrandsManydrinkersfeelthattheonlyrealwayofdifferentiatingbetweenthemisbyalcoholcontentandprice

VODKAREGIONS

EASTERNEUROPE

ThisisthehomelandofvodkaproductionEverycountryproducesvodkaandmostalsohavelocalflavoredspecialtiesRussiaUkraineandBelarusproducethefullrangeofvodkatypesandthey

are generally acknowledged to be the leaders in vodka production Only thebetterbrandsallofwhicharedistilledfromryeandwheatareexportedtotheWest

ZubrowkavodkabyPolmosBialystockaisflavoredwithbuffalograssfromtheBialowiezaforestinPolandThevodkahasayellow-greentinge(notshown)fromthegrassinfusion

FLAVOREDVODKA

AsaneutralspiritvodkalendsitselftoblendingwithflavorsandfortifyingotherbeveragesInthenineteenthcenturyhigh-proofldquoRussianspiritrdquowasheldin high esteem by sherry producers in Spain who imported it to fortify theirwines Neutral spirits are still used to fortify port sherry and other types offortified wines although the source of alcohol for such purposes these daystends to be the vast ldquowine lakerdquo that has been created by European UnionagriculturalpracticesFlavoredvodkaswereoriginallyusedtomasktheflavorofthefirstprimitive

vodkas but they were later considered a mark of the distillerrsquos skill TheRussians and Poles in particular still market dozens of flavors Some of thebetter-knowntypesare

Inrecentyearsnumerous flavoredvodkashavebeenlaunchedontheworldmarketThemostsuccessfulofthesehavebeenfruitflavorssuchascurrantandorange

LabelforKoenigrsquosFamousIdahoPotatoVodkabytheKoenigDistilleryandWinery

Polandproducesandexportsbothgrain-andpotato-basedvodkasMostofthehigh-qualitybrandsareproducedinpotstillsThe Baltic States of Estonia Latvia and Lithuania along with Finland

produceprimarilygrain-basedvodkasmostlyfromwheat

WESTERNEUROPE

ThisregionhaslocalbrandsofvodkawherevertherearedistilleriesThebaseforthesevodkascanvaryfromgrainsinnortherncountriessuchastheUnitedKingdomHollandandGermanytograpesandotherfruitsinthewinemakingregions of France and Italy Sweden has in recent decades developed asubstantialexportmarketforitsstraightandflavoredwheat-basedvodkas

NORTHAMERICA

The United States and Canada produce vodkas both from various grains(including corn) and from molasses American vodkas are by law neutralspiritssothedistinctionbetweennonflavoredbrandsismoreamatterofpriceandperceptionthantasteAnumberofflavoredvodkasarealsoproducedbothbythemajordistillersandbyanassortmentofcraftdistillers

OTHERREGIONS

TheCaribbeanproducesasurprisingamountofvodkaallofitfrommolassesMostofitisexportedforblendingandbottlinginothercountriesAustraliaproducesmolasses-basedvodkasbutfewareexportedAsiahasasmatteringoflocalvodkaswiththebestcomingfromJapan

VermontWhiteandGoldVodkabyVermontSpirits

VODKACOCKTAILS

SCREWDRIVER

FillatallglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)vodkabullOrangejuicetofillStirandserve

BLOODYMARY

FillashortglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)vodkabullDashWorcestershiresaucebullDashTabascosaucebullDashlemonorlimejuicebullTomatojuicetofillStirandgarnishwithcelerysaltontop

SEXONTHEBEACH

FillatallglasswithiceAddbull1ounce(30ml)vodkabull1ounce(30ml)peachliqueurbull1frac12ounces(45ml)orangejuicebull1frac12ounces(45ml)cranberryjuiceStirandserve

MazamaInfusedPepperVodkabyBendistillery

ARTISANPROFILEINSIDETHEINDUSTRY

LENELLSMOTHERS

FormerownerofLeNellrsquosBrooklynNewYork

WHENcraftdistillersTuthill-townSpiritsfromUpstateNewYorklaunchedtheir firstbarrel-agedwhiskey theycalled itManhattanRye and they threwapartyattheFourSeasonrsquosRestaurantintheSeagramsBuildingonParkAvenueinManhattanInabigopenroomwithbarsatbothendsandamashofpeoplelaughinganddrinkingtheytoastedtheiraccomplishmentandpouredsamplesoftheir excellentwhiskeys and vodkas (made from 100 percentNewYork Stateapples)WhenitcametimetoclinkglassesandhearannouncementsthecrowdwastreatedtoaraucoustutorialonmixingaManhattanStandingonabalconyabove the crowd like a hillbilly Juliet before a throng of devotees LeNellSmotherscackledandcrackedwiseSheworeabatteredcowboyhatbandannasaroundherwriststightjeansandamileofattitudeShetookthecrowdthroughtherecipejiggerofryeshotofsweetvermouth

dashofbittersshaketwistShetalkedvariationTheperfectManhattanishalfdryandhalfsweetvermouthIftheywantedtodrinkthemontherocksdoitIftheywantedtodrinkthemstraightupgoaheadDowhatyoulikebutdoitwithgoodbooze

Smothersmoved fromAlabama toNewYorkCity in 2000 and spent threeyearstoilinginsaleswhileherdreamtoopenupashopsimmeredHerboutiquewineandspirits shop inRedHookBrooklynopened in2003RedHook isarough hip neighborhood on thewaterfront and her place fits right in SmalleclecticandverymuchdrivenbyherpersonalitySmothersrsquosstoreneverwantedtohaveeverythingForyearshervermouthselectionwaslimitedtoonebrandVya the American vermouth made by Andy Quady of the QuadyWinery inMaderaCaliforniabecauseitwasmadebyasmallproducerSmotherswasacceptedintothebourboncommunitywholeheartedlyandher

selectionofAmericanwhiskeywasbreathtakingWhenJimmyRussellofWildTurkeydidabottlesigninginNewYorkhediditathertinyshopSmothershowevertightshegetswiththebigproducersremainsachampion

of craft distilling ldquoWhen I go Charbay Irsquove got four generations of distillersthere hands on Someplace like Stoli isnrsquot going to have the same qualitycontrolrdquoWheresomepeoplecallmicro-distillingpracticessuchasmaking100percent

barley whiskeys or making whiskey from beer instead of from mash ascontroversial Smothers believes that change and adventure are something tocelebrateldquoWhatistheAmericantraditionanywayAllwedoisourownthingrdquoInearly2009afteratryingstrugglewithherlandlordSmotherslostthelease

tohershopNexttimeshersquosgoingtobuythebuildingshesaysandexpandthewhiskeyselection

CHAPTERFIVE

GIN

ldquoTheproperunionofginandvermouthisagreatandsuddengloryitisoneofthehappiestmarriagesonearthandoneoftheshortestlivedrdquo

mdashBernardDeVotoAmericanessayistanddrinksphilosopher

ThisgooseneckstillatPhiladelphiaDistillingwascustommadebyForsythsofScotland

GIN is a juniper berryndashflavored grain spirit The word is an Englishshorteningofgenever theDutchword for juniperTheoriginsofginareabitmurky In the late 1580s a juniper-flavored spirit of some sort was found inHollandbyBritish troopswhowere fighting against theSpanish in theDutchWarofIndependenceTheygratefullydrankittogivethemwhattheysooncameto call ldquoDutch couragerdquo in battle The Dutch themselves were encouraged bytheirgovernment tofavorsuchgrainspiritsover importedwineandbrandybylackofexcisetaxesonlocaldrinks

THEHISTORYOFGIN

IN the1600s aDrFranciscusde laBoeuml in theuniversity townofLeiden

created a juniper-and spice-flavored medicinal spirit that he promoted as adiuretic Genever soon found favor across the English Channel first as amedicine(SamuelPepyswrotein1660ofcuringacaseofldquocolicrdquowithadoseofldquostrongwatermadewithjuniperrdquo)andthenasabeverageWhen the Dutch ProtestantWilliam of Orange became king of England in

1689 he moved to discourage the importation of brandy from the CatholicwinemakingcountriesbysettinghightariffsAsareplacementhepromotedtheproduction of grain spirits (ldquocorn brandyrdquo as it was known at the time) byabolishingtaxesandlicensingfeesforthemanufactureofsuchlocalproductsasginHistoryhasshownthatprohibitionneverworksbutunfetteredproductionofalcoholhasitsproblemstooBythe1720sitwasestimatedthataquarterofthe houses in London were used for the production or sale of gin Massdrunkenness became a serious problem The cartoonist Hogarthrsquos famousdepictionofsuchbehaviorinGinLaneshowsasignaboveaginshopthatstatesldquoDrunkforapennyDeaddrunkfortwopenceCleanstrawforNothingrdquoPanickyattemptsby thegovernment toprohibitginproduction suchas theGinActof1736 resulted in massive illicit distilling and the cynical marketing ofldquomedicinalrdquo spirits with such fanciful names as Cuckoldrsquos Comfort and MyLadyrsquosEyeWater

FritzMaytagrightatAnchorDistillingWithasmalloverheadcraneAchorDistillingcaninterchangethecolumnsoftheirthreestills

Acombinationofreimposedgovernmentcontrolsthegrowthofhigh-qualitycommercial gin distillers the increasing popularity of imported rum and ageneralfeelingofpublicexhaustiongraduallybroughtthismasshysteriaundercontrol although the problems caused by the combination of cheap gin andextreme poverty extended well into the nineteenth century Faginrsquos irritablecomment toachild in the filmOlivermdashldquoShutupanddrinkyourginrdquomdashhadabasisinhistoricalfact

SonjaKassebaumofNorthShoreDistillerystandsinfrontoftheldquohelmetrdquoofherginstill

Wherever the British Empire went English-style gins followed In Britishcolonies in North America such celebrated Americans as Paul Revere andGeorgeWashingtonwerenotablyfondofginandtheQuakerswerewellknownfortheirhabitofdrinkinggintoddiesafterfuneralsThe mid-nineteenth century ushered in a low-key rehabilitation of ginrsquos

reputationinEnglandTheharshsweetenedldquoOldTomrdquostylesofginoftheearly1700sslowlygavewaytoanewcleanerstylecalleddryginThisstyleofginbecame identified with the city of London to the extent that ldquoLondon dryrdquobecame a generic term for the style regardless of where it was actuallyproduced

BluecoatginleavesthebottlinglineatPhiladelphiaDistilling

Genteel middle-class ladies sipped their sloe gin (gin flavored with sloeberries) while consulting Mrs Beetonrsquos Book of Household Management (awildlypopularVictoriancrossbetweentheJoyofCookingandMarthaStewartlifestyle books) for gin-based mixed drink recipes The British militaryparticularlytheofficercorpsbecameahotbedofginconsumptionHundredsofgin-based mixed drinks were invented and the mastery of their making wasconsidered a part of a young officerrsquos training The best known of thesecocktails the gin and tonic was created as a way for Englishmen in tropicalcolonies to taketheirdailydoseofquinineaverybittermedicine towardoffmalaria(Moderntonicwaterstillcontainsquininethoughasaflavoringratherthanamedicine)

BATHTUBGIN

Gin production in theUnited States dates back to Colonial times but thegreat boost to ginproductionwas theadvent ofNationalProhibition in 1920Moonshiningquicklymovedintofillthegapleftbytheshutdownofcommercialdistilleries But the furtive nature of illicit distilling worked against theproductionof the then-dominantwhiskiesallofwhichrequiredsomeaging inoakcasksBootleggerswerenot inaposition tostoreandage illegalwhiskeyand the caramel-colored prune-juice-dosed grain alcohol substitutes weregenerallyconsideredtobevileGinontheotherhanddidnotrequireanyaginganditwasrelativelyeasyto

makebymixingrawalcoholwithjuniperberryextractandotherflavoringsandspicesinalargecontainersuchasabathtub(thustheoriginofthetermbathtubgin)Theseginsweregenerallyofpoorqualityandtasteafactthatgaverisetothepopularityofcocktailsinwhichthemixersservedtodisguisethetasteofthebase gin Repeal of Prohibition at the end of 1933 ended the production ofbootlegginbutginremainedapartoftheAmericanbeveragesceneItwasthedominantwhitespiritintheUnitedStatesuntiltheriseofvodkainthe1960sItstill remains popular helped along recently by the revived popularity of themartini

THEBASISOFGIN

SpruceGinbyRogueDistilleryandAleHouse

In Holland the production of genever was quickly integrated into the vastDutch trading system Rotterdam became the center of genever distilling asdistilleriesopenedtheretotakeadvantageoftheabundanceofneededspicesthatwerearrivingfromtheDutchcoloniesintheEastIndies(present-dayIndonesia)ManyoftodayrsquosleadingDutchgeneverdistillerscantracetheiroriginsbacktothe sixteenth and seventeenth centuries Examples include such firms as Bols(founded1575)anddeKuyper(1695)Belgiumdevelopeditsownjuniper-flavoredspiritcalledjenever(withaj)in

amannersimilartothatinHolland(whichcontrolledBelgiumforatimeintheearlynineteenthcentury)ThetwoGermaninvasionsofBelgiuminWorldWarsI and II had a particularly hard effect on jenever producers as the occupyingGermans stripped the distilleries of their copper stills andpiping to use in theproduction of shell casings The present-day remaining handful of BelgianjeneverdistillersproduceprimarilyforthelocaldomesticmarketGinmayhaveoriginatedinHollandanddevelopedintoitsmostpopularstyle

inEnglandbut itsmostenthusiasticmodern-dayconsumersare tobefoundinSpainwhichhasthehighestpercapitaconsumptionintheworldProductionofLondondryndashstyleginbeganinthe1930sbutseriousconsumptiondidnotbeginuntilthemixofginandcolabecameinexplicablypopularinthe1960s

GINanditsDutchcousingenever(jeneverinBelgium)arewhitespiritsthatareflavoredwithjuniperberriesandso-calledbotanicals(avariedassortmentofherbsandspices)Thespiritbaseofginisprimarilygrain(usuallywheatorrye)which results in a light-bodied spirit Genever is made primarily from ldquomaltwinerdquo (a mixture of malted barley wheat corn and rye) which produces afuller-bodied spirit similar to malt whisky A small number of genevers inHollandandBelgiumaredistilleddirectlyfromfermentedjuniperberrieswhichproducesaparticularlyintenselyflavoredspirit

BluecoatGinbyPhiladelphiaDistilling

Thechiefflavoringagentinbothginandgeneveristhehighlyaromaticblue-greenberryofthejuniperalow-slungevergreenbush(genusJuniperus)thatiscommercially grown in northern ItalyCroatia theUnitedStates andCanadaAdditional botanicals can include anise angelica root cinnamon orange peelcoriander and cassia barkAll gin and genevermakers have their own secretcombinationofbotanicalsthenumberofwhichcanrangefromasfewasfourtoasmanyasfifteen

THEDISTILLATIONOFGIN

Mostgin is initiallydistilled inefficientcolumnstillsTheresultingspirit ishighprooflight-bodiedandcleanwithaminimalamountofcongeners(flavorcompounds)andflavoringagentsGeneverisdistilledinless-efficientpotstillswhichresultsinalower-proofmoreflavorfulspiritLow-qualityldquocompoundrdquoginsaremadebysimplymixingthebasespiritwith

juniper and botanical extracts Mass-market gins are produced by soakingjuniperberriesandbotanicalsinthebasespiritandthenredistillingthemixtureTop-qualityginsandgeneversareflavoredinauniquemannerAfteroneor

more distillations the base spirit is redistilled one last timeDuring this finaldistillationthealcoholvaporwaftsthroughachamberinwhichthedriedjuniperberries and botanicals are suspended The vapor gently extracts aromatic andflavoringoils andcompounds from theberries and spices as it travels throughthe chamber on its way to the condenser The resulting flavored spirit has anoticeabledegreeofcomplexity

GuyRehorstoftheGreatLakesDistilleryusesawoodendipsticktomeasurethevolumeofspiritinatank

THECOLORFULORIGINSOFOLDTOMGIN

ThenameofOldTomGincomesfromwhatmaybethefirstexampleofabeveragevendingmachineInthe1700ssomepubsinEnglandhadawoodenplaqueshapedlikeablackcat (anldquoOldTomrdquo)mountedontheoutsidewallThirstypassersbywoulddepositapennyinthecatrsquosmouthandplacetheirlipsaroundasmalltubebetweenthecatrsquospawsThebartenderinsidewouldthenpourashotofginthroughthetubeandintothecustomerrsquoswaitingmouth

GINREGIONS

EUROPE

TheUnitedKingdomproducesmostlydryginprimarilyfromcolumnstillsBritish gins tend to be high proof (90deg proof or 45 percentABV) and citrus-accented from the use of dried lemon and Seville orange peels in themix ofbotanicalsBritishginsareusuallycombinedintomixeddrinksHollandandBelgiumproducegenevermostly frompot stillsGenevers are

distilledatlowerprooflevelsthanEnglishginsandaregenerallyfullerinbodyManyoftheseginsareagedforonetothreeyearsinoakcasksSomegeneverproducers now market fruit-flavored genevers the best known being blackcurrantDutchandBelgiangeneversareusuallychilledandservedneatGermanyproducesagenever-stylegincalleddornkaatintheNorthSeacoast

regionofFrisiaThis spirit is lighter inbodyandmoredelicate in flavor thanbothDutchgeneverandEnglishdryginGermanginisusuallyservedstraightupandcoldSpainproducesasubstantialamountofginallof it in theLondondrystyle

fromcolumnstillsMostofitissoldformixingwithcola

LabelforGenevieveGeneverstylegin

GreylockGin

BardenayLondonStyleDryGin

NORTHAMERICA

TheUnitedStatesistheworldrsquoslargestginmarketLondondryginaccountsfor the bulk of domestic gin production withmost of it produced in columnstillsAmericandryginstendtobelowerproof(80degproofor40percentABV)and less flavorful than their English counterparts This rule applies even tobrandssuchasGordonrsquosandGilbeyrsquoswhichoriginatedinEnglandTheUnitedStatesrsquosbest-sellingginSeagramrsquosExtraDryisararecask-ageddryginThreemonths of aging in charred oak barrels gives the gin a pale straw color and asmoothpalateAmericancraftdistillerieshavetakentogininamajorwaywithsuchnoteworthyexamplesasDistillerrsquosGin6fromNorthShoreDistillery inLakeBluffIllinoisandRehorstPremiumMilwaukeeGinfromtheGreatLakesDistilleryinMilwaukeeWisconsin

AviationGinbyHouseSpiritsDistillery

LabelforAmericanDistilledGininfusedwithRareBotanicalsbyMcMenaminsEdgefieldDistilleryClassicMartini

SarticiousGinbySarticiousSpirits

THEMARTINIANDTHEMEANINGOFLIFE

Thebestknownofhundredsofgin-basedmixeddrinksistheginandwhitevermouth combination called the martini As is usually the case with mostpopular mixed drinks the origins of the martini are disputed One school ofthoughtholdsthatitevolvedfromthelate-nineteenth-centurymartinezcocktailarathercloyingmixtureofOldTomndashstyleginandsweetvermouthAdissentingsectholdsthatitwascreatedinthebaroftheKnickerbockerHotelinNewYorkCity in theearly twentiethcenturyThe ratioofgin tovermouth startedout atabout two to one and it has been getting drier ever since The famedBritishstatesmanWinstonChurchillwhodevotedagreatdealof thoughtand time todrinkingwasoftheopinionthatpassingthecorkfromthevermouthbottleovertheglassofginwassufficientGINCOCKTAILS

CLASSICMARTINI

Inashakercombinebull2ounces(60ml)ginbullDashwhitevermouthbullIcetofillShakeand strain and into amartiniglassor a shortglassGarnishwith an

olive

TOMCOLLINS

Inatallglasscombinebull2ounces(60ml)ginbull1ounce(30ml)lemonjuicebull1tablespoon(15g)sugarStirandthenfilltheglasswithiceFillwithclubsoda

GINANDTONIC

FillatallglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)ginbullTonicwatertofillGarnishwithalimeslice

ARTISANPROFILEINSIDETHEINDUSTRY

CHRISWELD

BerkshireMountainDistillersGreatBarringtonMassachusetts

ITishardtoimagineChrisWeldinanemergencyroomwhereheworkedinCalifornia for sixteen years as a physicianrsquos assistantHe seems too young tohave sixteen years of work behind him and on his land in westernMassachusettsheisperfectlyateasewithadogathissidelightinhiseyesandmudonhisbootsHeandhiswifeTylermovedbacktotheEastCoastmdashafterhavingdeveloped

intoseriousfoodiesmdashandboughtanorchardldquoOurwatercomesfromanoldspringhereonthepropertythat thePittsfield

Sunin1901saidhadlsquofewequalsandnonesuperiorrsquordquoThe farm that isnow theBerkshireMountainDistillerywasonce in fact a

springwaterbottlingplant(Oneformerowneruseditasabaseofoperationsforasanitariumintownandithasalsobeenahotel)BuildingtheBerkshireMountainDistillerywasnoteasyWhenWeldarrived

thewould-bestillhousewasabarninshamblesWelddidasmuchoftheworkas he could himself and hired local builders and craftspeople to do the restKeepingthingslocalisimportanttoWeld

ldquoWhenIneedtoexpandIrsquollbuildanotherbarnandIrsquollhirelocalpeopletobuilditrdquoThisimpliesadirectcontrasttowhathappenswhenabiginternationaldistillerexpandsHetalksenthusiasticallyabouttheldquolocalmultiplierrdquoeffectldquoEverydollaryou

spendlocallyisworththreespentinachainstorerdquoWeldisanenthusiasticparticipant in theBerksharesprogram(localmoney

accepted by hundreds of merchants in western Massachusetts includingrestaurants)HehiredalocaldesignertodesignlabelsHesourcedhisglassoutofnearbyLenoxWeld looked further afield for help with his rum and he brought in a

consultantTogethertheyworkedontestbatchesandperfectedtherecipeHersquodhaveworkedformorethanayearhesaidsolvingtheproblemsthatanexpertsolved in a few days and the adjustments to fermentation temperatures andexpertknowledgeofdifferentflavorcompoundswaspricelessWeld describes his rum as more like Armagnac than a typical molasses

distillateHehasfiftybarrelsagingldquoIrsquovegotabigstillrdquohesaysIndeedheboughtan800-gallonstainlesssteel

tanksecondhandfromBrownForeman(Heassuresanyonewhoasksthatalltheother work including the custom columns and the piping was done by localcraftspeople)ldquoIfIhadasmallstillIrsquodbeatcapacityrdquoAsitstandshersquosabletomakebourbonandrumforagingbringoutnewproductssuchasasecondginwithaheavierflavorandmorebotanicalsthanhisfirstandstillsatisfythe400accountshersquosdevelopedinhisfirstyearForWeldhoweveritrsquosstillthecommunitythatrsquosimportantHerecentlymet

intoamanwhohadbroughtsomeofhisGreylockGintoapartyldquoSeeingitatpartieshellipthatrsquosreallyitrdquohesaidglowing

CHAPTERSIX

BRANDYANDEAUDEVIE

ldquoNosirclaretistheliquorforboysportformenbuthewhoaspirestobeaheromustdrinkbrandyrdquo

mdashSamuelJohnsoneighteenth-centuryBritishwriterwholovedbrandyandhatedwhisky

Brandyinaclassicbrandysniftercastsashadowonalinentablecloth

THE word brandy comes from the Dutch word brandewijn (burnt wine)which is how the straightforwardDutch traderswho introduced it to northernEuropeinthesixteenthcenturydescribedwinethathadbeenldquoburntrdquoorboiledtodistillitThe origins of brandy can be traced back to the growing Muslim

Mediterranean states in the seventh and eighth centuries Alchemists in theregion experimentedwith distilling grapes and other fruits tomakemedicinalspiritsTheirknowledgeandtechniquessoonspreadbeyondthebordersof theterritorywithgrapebrandyproductionappearinginSpainandprobablyIreland(viamissionarymonks)bytheendoftheeighthcentury

TYPESOFBRANDY

Abottleofbrandydistilledfrom100percentViognierwinebyGermain-Robin

BRANDYinitsbroadestdefinitionisaspiritmadefromfruitjuiceorfruitpulpandskinMorespecificallyitisbrokendownintothreebasicgroupingsGrapebrandy isbrandydistilledfromfermentedgrapejuiceorcrushedbut

not pressed grape pulp and skin This spirit is aged inwooden casks (usuallyoak)whichcolorsitmellowsoutthepalateandaddsaromasandflavorsPomace brandy (Italian grappa and French marc are the best-known

examples) ismade from the pressed grape pulp skins and stems that remainafter thegrapes are crushed andpressed to extractmost of the juice forwinePomacebrandieswhichareusuallyminimallyagedandseldomseewoodarean acquired taste They often tend to be rather raw although they can offer afresh fruity aroma of the type of grape used a characteristic that is lost inregularoak-agedbrandyFruit brandy is the default term for all brandies that are made from

fermenting fruit other than grapes (It should not be confused with fruit-flavoredbrandywhichisgrapebrandythathasbeenflavoredwiththeextractof another fruit)Fruit brandies except thosemade fromberries aregenerallydistilledfromfruitwinesBerriestendtolackenoughsugartomakeawinewithsufficient alcohol for proper distillation and thus are soaked (macerated) in ahigh-proof spirit toextract their flavorandaromaTheextract is thendistilledonceatalowproofCalvados theapplebrandyfromtheNormandyregionofnorthwesternFranceisprobablythebest-knowntypeoffruitbrandyEaudevie(ldquowaterofliferdquo)isacolorlessfruitbrandyparticularlyfromtheAlsaceregionofFranceandfromCalifornia

Applesonthetreerawmaterialsforbrandy

Grapesenterthestillforthemakingofgrappa

BRANDIESBYREGION

FRANCE

French brandy is the catchall designation for brandy produced from grapesgrowninotherregionsThesebrandiesareusuallydistilledincolumnstillsandagedinoakcasksforvaryingperiodsoftimeTheyarefrequentlyblendedwithwine grape juice oak flavorings and other brandies including cognac tosmoothout the roughedgesCognac-likequalitydesignationssuchasVSOPandNapoleonareoftenused(seepage83)buttheyhavenolegalstanding

COGNAC

Cognacisthebest-knowntypeofbrandyintheworldabenchmarkbywhichmost other brandies are judged The Cognac region is located on the south-centralcoastofFrance justnorthofBordeauxinthedepartmentsofCharenteandCharente-MaritimeTheregionisfurthersubdividedintosixgrowingzonesGrandeChampagnePetiteChampagneBoisOrdinariesBorderiesFinsBoisandBonsBoisThefirsttwooftheseregionsproducethebestcognacandwillfrequentlybesodesignatedonbottlelabelsTheprimarygrapesusedinmakingcognac are the Ugni Blanc Folle Blanche and Colombard The wines madefrom these grapes are thin tart and low in alcohol which are poorcharacteristicsfortablewinesbutperfectformakingbrandy

Pear-in-bottlebrandy

Cognac is double distilled in specially designed pot stills and then aged incasksmadefromLimousinorTroncaisoakAllcognacsstartoutinnewoaktomellowthefieryspiritandgivethemcolorBatcheschosenforlong-termagingareafterafewyearstransferredtousedorldquoseasonedrdquocasksthatimpartlessoftheoakflavornoteswhilethebrandymaturesNearly all cognacs are a blend of brandies from different vintages and

frequently different growing zones Even those from single vineyards ordistillerieshaveamixofbrandiesfromdifferentcasksAswithchampagnetheproductsoflocalvineyardsaresoldtocognachouseseachofwhichstoresandages cognacs from different suppliers The suppliers then employ masterblenders to create and maintain continuity in the house blends drawn fromdisparatesources

BRANDYrsquoSSEASONALNATURE

Brandy like rumand tequila isanagricultural spiritUnlikegrain spiritssuchaswhiskeyvodkaandginwhicharemadethroughouttheyearfromgrainthat can be harvested and stored brandy is dependent on the seasons theripeningofthebasefruitandtheproductionofthewinefromwhichitismadeTypes of brandies originally at least tended to be location-specific (Cognacfor example is a town and region in France that gave its name to the localbrandy) Important brandy-making regions particularly in Europe furtherdifferentiatetheirlocalspiritsbyspecifyingthetypesofgrapesthatcanbeusedand the specific areas (appellation) in which the grapes used formaking thebasewinecanbegrown

Barrelsofbrandystoredforaging

INDUSTRYSTANDARDSFORCOGNAC

Because therearenoage statementsoncognacs the industryhasadoptedsomegenerallyaccepted terms todifferentiatecognacs It is important tonotethat these terms have no legal status and each cognac shipper uses themaccordingtohisorherowncriteriaVSVSPThree Star (VS very superior VSP very superior pale) A

minimumoftwoyearsaginginacaskalthoughtheindustryaverageisfourtofiveyearsVSOP(verysuperioroldpale)Aminimumoffouryearsrsquocaskagingforthe

youngestcognacintheblendwiththeindustryaveragebetweentenandfifteenyearsXONapoleon (XO extra old) A minimum of six yearsrsquo aging for the

youngest cognac in the blend with the average age running twenty years orolderAllcognachousesmaintain inventoriesofoldvintagecognacs touse inblendingthesetop-of-the-linebrandsTheoldestcognacsareremovedfromtheircasks in timeandstoredinglassdemijohns(largejugs) toprevent further lossfromevaporationandtolimitexcessivelywoodyflavornotes

ARMAGNAC

ArmagnacistheoldesttypeofbrandyinFrancewithdocumentedreferencestodistillationdatingbacktotheearlyfifteenthcenturyTheArmagnacregionislocatedintheheartoftheancientprovinceofGasconyinthesouthwestcornerof France Aswith cognac there are regional growing zones Bas-ArmagnacHautArmagnac andTenarezeTheprimarygrapesused inmakingArmagnacare also theUgniBlanc FolleBlanche andColombardBut distillation takesplaceintheuniquealambicarmagnacaisatypeofcolumnstillthatisevenmoreinefficient than a typical cognac pot still The resulting brandy has a rusticassertivecharacterandaromathatrequiresadditionalcaskagingtomellowoutanddistinguishitfromcognacThebestArmagnacisagedincasksmadefromthelocalMonlezunoakInrecentyearsLimousinandTroncaisoakcaskshavebeenaddedtothemixofcasksassuitableMonlezunoakbecomeshardertofind

DetailfromabottleofPierreFerrandReserveCognac

Most Armagnacs are blends but unlike cognac single vintages and singlevineyardbottlingscanbefoundThecategoriesofArmagnacaregenerally thesameas thoseof cognac (VSVSOPXO and soon see sidebaronpage83)BlendedArmagnacsfrequentlyhaveagreaterpercentageofoldervintagesin their mix than comparable cognacs making them a better value for thediscerningbuyer

HAVESTILLWILLTRAVEL

Until the 1970s portable alambic armagnacais mounted on two-wheelcartswerehauledamongsmallvineyards inArmagnacby itinerantdistillerscalledbouilleursdecruThesetravelingstillsalashavemostlygivenwaytolarger fixed-in-place setups operated by farmer cooperatives and individualoperators

ChristianDrouinwhoproducessomeofthefinestCalvadosstandsbesideaportablestillbuiltin1946thatisnowpermanentlystationedinfrontofthepressroomatDomaineCoeurdeLionItisprobablytheonlyportabledoubledistillationinworkingorderItisnormallyusedfromFebruarytoJuneAsecondstillnowoperatesinsidethepressroom

SPAIN

BRANDYDEJEREZ

BrandydeJerezismadebythesherryhousescenteredaroundthecityofJerezdelaFronterainthesouthwestcornerofSpainButvirtuallyallBrandydeJerezis made from wines produced elsewhere in Spain primarily from the Airengrape inLaManchaandExtremadurabecause the local sherrygrapesare toovaluable to divert into brandy productionNowadaysmost of the distilling islikewisedoneelsewhereinSpainincolumnstillsItisthenshippedtoJerezforaginginusedsherrycasksinasolerasystemsimilartothatusedforsherrywineAsolera is a series of large casks (called butts) each holding a slightly olderspirit than thepreviousonebeside itWhenbrandyisdrawnoff (racked)fromthe lastbutt (nomore thana thirdof thevolume is removed) it is replenishedwithbrandydrawnfromthenextbuttallthewaydownthesoleralinetothefirstbuttwherenewlydistilledbrandyisaddedThissystemofrackingthebrandythroughaseriesofcasksblendstogetheravarietyofvintages(somesolerashavemorethanthirtystages)andresultsinaspeedingupofthematurationprocess

Brandybottledetailfromabrandywhoseflavorprofileleansmoretowardsbourbon(HuberStarlightDistillery)

ThesamplebottlesdisplaytheeffectsofdifferenttypesofbarrelsandagingprocessesatGermain-Robin

AGINGTIMELINE

Basic Brandy de Jerez Solera must age for a minimum of six monthsReservaforoneyearandGranReservaforaminimumofthreeyears

Inpractice thebestReservasandGranReservasarefrequentlyagedfortwelvetofifteenyearsThelushslightlysweetandfruitynotestobefoundinBrandydeJerezcomenotonlyfromaginginsherrycasksbutalsofromthejudicioususeoffruit-basedflavorconcentratesandoakessence(boise)

PENEDEgraveSBRANDY

Penedegraves Brandy is from the Penedegraves region of Catalonia in the northeastcornerofSpainnearBarcelonaModeledafterthecognacsofFranceandmadefromamixof localgrapesand theUgniBlancofcognac it isdistilled inpotstillsOneofthetwolocalproducers(Torres)agesinsolerasconsistingofbuttsmade from French Limousin oak whereas the other (Mascaro) ages in thestandardnon-soleramannerbut also inLimousinoakThe resultingbrandy isheartierthancognacbutleaneranddrierthanBrandydeJerez

ITALY

Italy has a long history of brandy production dating back to at least thesixteenth century but unlike Spain or France there are no specific brandy-producing regions Italian brandies are made from regional wine grapes andmost areproduced incolumnstills although therearenowanumberof smallartisanalproducersusingpotstillsTheyareagedinoakforaminimumofonetotwoyearswithsixtoeightyearsbeingtheindustryaverageItalianbrandiestendtobeonthelightanddelicatesidewithatouchofresidualsweetness

GERMANY

GermanmonksweredistillingbrandybythefourteenthcenturyandGermandistillers had organized their ownguild as early as 1588Yet almost from thestart German brandy (calledweinbrand) has been made from imported winerather than the more valuable local varieties Most German brandies areproduced in pot stills andmust be aged for aminimumof sixmonths in oakBrandiesthathavebeenagedinoakforatleastoneyeararecalleduraltoralter(meaningldquoolderrdquo)ThebestGermanbrandiesaresmoothsomewhatlighterthancognacandfinishwithatouchofsweetness

ThetastingroomatadistilleryisapopularstoponthetourRickMoerschattheRoundBarnDistillerypourssomeapricotbrandyatthetastingroominhiswinerybrewerydistillery

UNITEDSTATES

Grape brandy production in the United States which until the advent ofmodern craft distilleries was mostly confined to California dates back to theSpanish missions in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries AsubstantialamountofpeachbrandywasmadebywhiskeydistillersinSouthernstates prior to National Prohibition however and apple brandy distillingcontinuedintomodern timesonamodestscale inNewJerseyandVirginia Inthe years following the Civil War brandy became a major industry with asubstantial export trade to Europe by the end of the nineteenth century For atimeLelandStanford founder ofStanfordUniversitywas theworldrsquos largestbrandy producer Phylloxera and National Prohibition almost shut down theindustryinthe1920s

Analambicstill

RepealstartedthingsupagainbutaswiththebourbonindustrytheadventofWorldWarIIresultedinbrandyproducersfurthermarkingtimeSoonaftertheendofthewartheindustrycommissionedtheUniversityofCaliforniaatDavisDepartment of Viticulture and Oenology to develop a prototype ldquoCalifornia-stylerdquo brandy It had a clean palate was lighter in style than most EuropeanbrandiesandhadaflavorprofilethatmadeitagoodmixerStartinginthelate1940sCaliforniabrandyproducersbegantochangeovertothisnewstyle

LabelforPotStillBrandyfromMcMenaminsEdgefieldDistillery

CONTEMPORARYBRANDIES

Contemporary commercial California grape brandies are made primarily incolumn stills from table grape varieties such as the Thompson Seedless andFlame Tokay California brandies are aged for two to twelve years in usedAmericanoak(bothbrandyandbourboncasks)tolimitwoodinessinthepalatealthough pot distillers also use French oak Several California distillers mostnotably Korbel have utilized the Spanish solera method for maturing theirbrandyCaliforniabrandiesdonotusequalitydesignationssuchasVSOPorstars The more expensive brands will usually contain a percentage of oldervintagesandpot-distilledbrandiesintheblendCraft-distilledbrandies includinggrapepomaceand fruitwere the firstof

the modern generation of craft spirits to enter the US market starting inCalifornia in the late1980swithproducers suchasRMS(aventureofcognacproducer Remy Martin) Jepson Vineyards and the idiosyncratic Santa CruzwinemakerRandallGraham atBonnyDooneVineyards From the start thesegrape brandy producers generally followed a French-themed muse withproducers such asGermaine-Robin inMendocinoCounty andOsocalis in theSantaCruzMountainsgoingsofarastousetheclassicUgniBlancColombardand Folle Blanche grapes to make their base wine They installed specialcognac-style pot stills to distill it and then aged their brandies in casksmadefromimportedLimousinorTroncaisoakTheresultingbrandiesparticularlyaslonger-agedexamplescomeontothemarkethaveinsomecasesshownlevelsof complexity and flavor intensity that put them on par with their Europeancounterparts

PiscoStyleBrandybyLeopoldBros

LATINAMERICAN

MEXICO

InMexicoasurprisingamountofwineismadebutitislittleknownoutsideof the country because most of it is used for brandy production Mexicanbrandies are made from a mix of grapes including the Thompson SeedlessPalomino andUgniBlancBothcolumnandpot stills areused inproductionwhereas the solera system is generally used for aging Brandy now outsellstequilaandruminMexico

SOUTHAMERICA

South American brandies are generally confined to their domestic marketsThebest-known type ispisco a clear rawbrandy fromPeruandChile that ismadefromMuscatgrapesanddoubledistilledinpotstillsTheresultingbrandyhasaperfumedfragranceandservesas thebaseforavarietyofmixeddrinksincludingthefamousPiscoPunch

OTHERREGIONS

Greece produces pot-distilled brandies many of which such as the well-knownMetaxaareflavoredwithMuscatwineaniseorotherspicesWinemakinginIsraelisawell-establishedtraditiondatingbackthousandsof

years But brandy production dates back only to the 1880s when the FrenchJewishphilanthropistBaronEdmonddeRothschildestablishedwhathasbecomethemodernIsraeliwineindustryIsraelibrandyismadeinthemannerofcognacfrom Colombard grapes with distillation in both pot and column stills andmaturationinFrenchLimousinoakcasksIntheCaucasusregionalongtheeasternshoreoftheBlackSeatheancient

nations ofGeorgia andArmenia draw onmonastic traditions to produce richintensely flavored pot still brandies both from local grapes and from suchimportedvarietiesastheMuscadine(fromFrance)andtheSercialandVerdelho(mostfamouslyfromMadeira)SouthAfricahasproducedbrandiessincethearrivalofthefirstDutchsettlers

intheseventeenthcenturybuttheseearlyspiritsfromtheCapeColonyearnedareputation for being harsh firewater (witblitsmdashwhite lightningmdashwas a typicalnickname)The introductionofmodernproduction techniquesandgovernmentregulationsintheearlytwentiethcenturygraduallyledtoanimprovementinthequalityof localbrandiesModernSouthAfricanbrandiesaremade fromUgniBlanc Colombard CheninBlanc and Palomino grapes produced in both potandcolumnstillsandagedforaminimumofthreeyearsinoak

POMACEBRANDIES

PoliBassanodelGrappa(Italy)

ITALY produces a substantial amount of grappa both the raw firewatervarietyandthemoreelegantartisanaleffortsthataremadefromonedesignatedgrape type and packaged in hand-blown bottles Both types of grappa can beunagedoragedforafewyearsinoldcasksthatwilltamethehardedgeofthespiritwithoutimpartingmuchflavororcolorMarcfromFranceisproducedinall of the nationrsquos wine-producing regions but it is mostly consumed locallyMarcdeGewuumlrztraminerfromAlsaceisnoteworthybecauseitretainssomeofthedistinctiveperfumenoseandspicycharacterofthegrape

OrodeMazzettiliqueurgoldsuspendedinagrappabase(Italy)

Craft pomace brandies from the United States from producers such asDomaineCharbayinNapaCountyandMosbyVineyardsinSonomaareintheItalianstyleandtheyareusuallycalledgrappasevenwhentheyaremadefromnon-Italian grape varieties This is also true of the pomace brandies fromCanada

GRAPPANOTYOURGRANDPArsquoSPHLEGMCUTTER

TheUSgovernmentcallsitpomacebrandybuteversinceimmigrantsfromwinemakingcountriesbeganarriving in theUnitedStatesandstarted tomakewine they were soon refermenting the pressed grape skins from theirwinemaking and distilling it tomake a quick and simple type of brandy TheFrench call itmarc but it is the Italian term grappa that has caught onwithdistillersofeveryethnicbackgroundCraftdistillersintheUnitedStateshavetakentothedistillingofgrappafrom

theverystartoftheindustryPioneerbrandydistillerssuchasClearCreekandSt George Spirits have developed specific varietal grappas that are carefullydistilledtocapturethesubtlearomaticnotesofthebasefruitThesearespiritstodelightthenoseasmuchasthetastebuds

GrappabyHuberStarlightDistillery

APPLEANDOTHERFRUITBRANDIES

NORMANDY is one of the few regions in France that does not have a

substantial grapewine industry Instead it is apple countrywith a substantialtradition of hard and sweet ciders that in turn can be distilled into an applebrandyknownasCalvadosThelocalciderappleswhichtendtobesmallandtartarecloserintypetocrabapplesthantomoderntableapplesThisspirithasits own appellationswith the best brands coming fromAppellationControleePaysdrsquoAugeneartheseaportofDeauvilleandtherest intenadjacentregionsthataredesignatedAppellationReglementeeMostPaysdrsquoAugeandsomeofthebetter Appellation Reglementee are produced in pot stills All varieties ofCalvados are aged in oak casks for a minimum of two years Cognac-stylequalityandage termssuchasVSOPandHorsdrsquoAgeare frequentlyusedonlabelsbuthavenolegalmeaning

Applebrandy

BottlesofkirschandframboiseeaudeviefromWestfordHillsDistillers

ExteriorshotofLairdampCompanytheoldestdistilleryintheUnitedStates

Thefruit-growingregionsoftheupperRhineRiveraretheprimeeaudevieproductionareasofEuropeTheBlackForestregionofBavariainGermanyandAlsace in France are known for their cherry brandies (kir in FrancekirschwasserinGermany)raspberrybrandies(framboiseandhimbeergeist)andpearbrandies(poire)SimilareauxdeviearenowbeingproducedintheUnitedStatesinCaliforniaandOregonSomeplumbrandyisalsomadeintheseregions(mirabellefromFranceisanexample)butthebest-knowntypeofplumbrandyisslivovitzwhich ismade from the smallblue sljivaplum throughoutEasternEuropeandtheBalkans

Applebrandylabel

IntheUnitedStatesapplejackasapplebrandyiscalledlocallyisthoughtbymanytobethefirstspiritproducedintheBritishcoloniesThiscolonialtraditionhascontinuedwithLairdrsquosDistilleryestablishedin1780inNewJerseyandtheoldest distilling company in the United States and with distilleries in NewJerseyandVirginiaArtisan fruitbrandydistillingstarted inCaliforniabut in recentyears ithas

spreadacrosstheUnitedStateswithCalvados-styledapplebrandiesfromClearCreekDistilleryinPortlandOregonleadingthewaywhileBlackStarFarmsinSuttons Bay St Julian in Paw Paw and a bevy of other Michigan artisandistillershave releasedawide rangeofdelicatehighlyaromaticcherryplumand other fruit brandies that draw an obvious inspiration from theKirsch andplumbrandiesoftheBlackForestregionofsouthernGermany

BRANDYCOCKTAILS

SIDECARFillashortglasswithiceInashakercombinebull1ounce(30ml)brandybull1ounce(30ml)TripleSecbull1ounce(30ml)lemonjuicebullIcetofillShakeandstrainintotheglass

STINGERFillashortglasswithiceAddbull1ounce(30ml)brandybull1ounce(30ml)whitecregravemedementheStirandserve

BRANDYALEXANDER

Inashakercombinebull1ounce(30ml)brandybull1ounce(30ml)darkcregravemedecacaobull1ounce(30ml)creambullIcetofillShakeandstrainintoalargebrandysnifterDustwithnutmeg

LabelforAcquadiLamponiRaspberryEaudeVie

Apricotbrandy

CHAPTERSEVEN

RUMTEQUILALIQUEURSRUMTEQUILALIQUEURSANDMORE

INCLUDINGSCHNAPPSANISEANDBITTERS

ldquoTherersquos nought no doubt so much the spirit calms as rum and truereligionrdquo

mdashLordByron

Bottlesofrumofdifferentages(youngesttooldestlefttoright)atCelebrationDistillationinNewOrleans

GRAPESANDGRAINmaybethetwomajorrawmaterialsfordistillationbut they are by no means the only ones Sugarcane provides two differentfermentables sugarcane juice and molasses which is a byproduct of sugarrefiningBothareusedasthebasisofrumproductionwhichasaspiritrangesacrossthecolorandtastespectrumfromthealmostvodkalikeBlancosofPuertoRicototheheartydeep-huedDemerarasofGuyanawithsomeverydistinctivevariationsinbetween

RUM

TheagaveplantanativeofCentralAmericaprovidesthefermentablebasis

for a varietyof distilled spirits ofwhich tequila is thebest knownbut bynomeanstheonlyexampleLiquors can refer generically to distilled spirits but they can also be

specifically flavored spirits Add a sweetener and they become liqueursAddcertainherbsandyounowhavebittersAttheendofthedayifsomethingcanbefermentedandthendistilledpeoplewilldrinkit

GROG

TheBritishnavyadoptedadailyrationofahalf-pintof160degproofrumbythe1730sThisrationwassubsequentlymodifiedbymixingitwithanequalamountofwater toproduceadrinkcalledgrogThegrogrationremaineda stapleofBritishnavallifeuntil1969

LabelforHudsonRiverRumbyTuthilltownSpirits

THEHISTORY of rum is the history of sugar Sugar is a sweet crystallinecarbohydrate that occurs naturally in a variety of plants One of those is thesugarcane(Saccharumofficinarum)atallthickgrassthathasitsoriginsintheislands of present-day Indonesia in the East Indies Chinese traders spread itscultivationtoAsiaandontoIndiaArabsinturnbroughtit totheMiddleEastand North Africa where it came to the attention of Europeans during theCrusadesintheeleventhcenturyAstheSpanishandPortuguesebegantoventureoutintotheAtlanticOcean

theyplantedsugarcaneintheCanaryandAzoresIslandsIn1493ChristopherColumbuspickedupcanecuttingsfromtheCanarieswhileonhissecondvoyagetotheAmericasandtransplantedthemtoHispaniolatheCaribbeanislandnowshared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic Portuguese explorers soon didlikewiseinBrazilTheCaribbeanbasinprovedtohaveanidealclimateforgrowingsugarcane

andsugarproductionquicklyspreadaroundtheislandsTheinsatiabledemandin Europe for sugar soon led to the establishment of hundreds of sugarcaneplantations andmills in the variousEnglish Spanish French Portuguese andDutchcoloniesThesemillscrushedtheharvestedcaneandextractedthejuiceBoiling this juice caused chunks of crystallized sugar to form The remainingunsolidifiedjuicewascalledmelazas(fromtheSpanishwordforhoneymiel)inEnglishthisbecamemolasses

BottleofThomasTewRum

Molasses is a sticky syrup that still contains a significant amount of sugarSugarmilloperatorssoonnoticedthatwhenitwasmixedwithwaterandleftoutin the sun it fermented By the 1650s this former waste product was beingdistilled into a spirit In theEnglish colonies itwas calledKillDevil (from itstendencytocauseanastyhangoveroritsperceivedmedicinalpowertakeyourchoice)orrumbullion(originsuncertain)whichwasshortenedovertheyearstoourmodernwordrumTheFrenchrenderthiswordasrhumwhiletheSpanishcallitron

PrichardrsquosCrystalRumfromPrichardsrsquoDistillery

Rumwas used as a cure-all for many of the aches and pains that afflictedthoselivinginthetropicsSugarplantationownerssolditatdiscountedpricestonavalshipsthatwereonstationintheCaribbeaninordertoencouragetheirpresenceinlocalwatersandthusdiscouragetheattentionsofmaraudingpirates

PrichardrsquosFineRumfromPrichardsrsquoDistillery

BobRyanandpartnerDaveWoodatRyanandWoodDistilleriesinGloucesterMassachusetts

This naval-rum connection introduced rum to the outsideworld and by thelate seventeenth century a thriving export tradedevelopedTheBritish islandsshippedrumtoGreatBritain(whereitwasmixedintorumpunchesandreplacedginasthedominantspiritintheeighteenthcentury)andtotheBritishcoloniesinNorth America where it became very popular This export of rum to NorthAmerica in exchange forNewEngland lumber anddried cod (still a culinarystaple in the Caribbean) soon changed over to the export of molasses todistilleries in New England This was done to avoid laws from the Britishparliamentwhich protectedBritish distillers by forbidding the trade in spiritsdirectly between colonies This law was at best honored in the breech andsmugglingsoonbecamerampantThe shipping ofmolasses tomake rum inNewEngland distilleries became

part of the infamous ldquoslavery trianglerdquo The first leg was the shipment ofmolassestoNewEnglandtomakerumThesecondlegwastheshipmentofrumtotheportsofWestAfricatotradeforslavesThefinallegwasthepassageofslaveshipstothesugarplantationsoftheCaribbeanandSouthAmericawheremanyoftheslaveswereputtoworkinthesugarcanefieldsThe disruption of trade caused by theAmericanRevolution and the rise of

whiskey production in North America resulted in the slow decline of rumrsquosdominanceastheAmericannationaltippleRumproductionintheUnitedStatesslowlydeclinedthroughthenineteenthcenturywiththelastNewEnglandrumdistilleries closing at the advent of National Prohibition in 1920 The famedrumrunners of the Prohibition era were smuggling primarily whiskey into theUnitedStates

DarkRumSpruceGinWhiteRumandHazelnutSpiceRumbyRogueDistillery

InEuropetheinventionofsugarextractionfromthesugarbeetlessenedthedemandforCaribbeansugar reducing theamountofmolassesbeingproducedandtheresultingamountofrumbeingdistilledManysmallplantationsandtheirstillswereclosedRumproductionrecededforthemostparttocountrieswheresugarcanewasgrown

ChrisWeldofBerkshireMountainDistillers

Themodernhistoryofrumowesalottothespreadofair-conditioningandthegrowth of tourism In the second half of the twentieth century modern air-conditioningmadeitpossiblefor largenumbersofpeople tomigrate towarm-weather regions where rum remained the dominant spirit Additionally theexplosiveincreaseinthenumberofNorthAmericanandEuropeantouristsintorum-drinking regions led to a steady increase in the popularity of rum-basedmixed drinks Nowadays white rum gives vodka serious competition as themixerofchoiceinanumberofdistinctivelynontropicalmarketsAgedrumsaregainingnewstandingamongconsumersofsinglemaltScotch

whiskiescognacsandsmall-batchbourbonswhoarelearningtoappreciatethesubtle complexities of these rums The pot still rums of Guyana and Jamaicahaveaparticular appeal forScotchwhiskydrinkers (It isnoaccident that theScottishwhiskymerchantandbottlerCadenheadalsoagesandbottlesDemerararum)ThesubtleandcomplexrhumsofMartiniqueandGuadeloupemirrortheflavorprofilesofthetopFrenchbrandiesinCognacandArmagnac

THEBASISOFRUM

Rumanditsfraternaltwincanespiritaremadebydistillingfermentedsugarand water This sugar comes from the sugarcane and is fermented from canejuiceconcentratedcanejuiceormolassesMolassesisthesweetstickyresiduethat remains after sugarcane juice is boiled and the crystallized sugar isextractedMostrumismadefrommolassesMolassesismorethan50percentsugarbut

italsocontainssignificantamountsofmineralsandothertraceelementswhichcancontributetothefinalflavorRumsmadefromcanejuiceprimarilyonHaitiandMartiniquehaveanaturallysmoothpalateDependingontherecipetheldquowashrdquo(thecanejuiceormolassesandwater)is

fermented using either cultured yeast or airborne wild yeasts for a periodrangingfromtwenty-fourhoursforlightrumsuptoseveralweeksforheavyfullvarieties

OldNewOrleansCrystalRumbyCelebrationDistillation

CoasterforRaggedMountainRumbyBerkshireMountainDistillersldquoThinkGloballyDrinkLocallyrdquo

DISTILLATIONOFRUM

RumcanbedistilledineitherpotorcolumnstillsThechoiceofstillshasaprofoundeffectonthefinalcharacteroftherumAllrumscomeoutofthestillasclearcolorlessspiritsBarrelagingandtheuseofaddedcarameldeterminethe final color Because caramel is burnt sugar it is true that only naturalcoloringagentsareusedLighter rums are highly rectified (purified) and are produced in column or

continuousstills thenusuallycharcoal filteredandsometimesaged inoldoakcasksforafewmonthstoaddsmoothnessMostlightrumshaveminimalflavorsandaromaandareverysimilar tovodkaHeavier rumsareusuallydistilled inpot stills similar to those used to produce cognacs and Scotch whiskies Potstills are less efficient than column stills and some congeners (fusel oils andotherflavorelements)arecarriedoverwiththealcoholTheseheavierrumsareusedformakinggoldenanddarkrumsSomebrandsofrumaremadebyblendingpot-andcolumn-distilledrumsina

mannersimilartothatofArmagnacproduction

RUMCOCKTAILS

RUMANDCOKE(CubaLibre)FillatallglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)darkrumbullJuiceofhalfalimebullColatofillStirandgarnishwithalimewedge

DAIQUIRI

FillashortglasswithiceInashakercombinebull1frac12ounces(45ml)whiterumbull1ounce(30ml)limejuicebull1tablespoon(15g)sugarbullIcetofillShakeandstrainintotheglass

PLANTERrsquoSPUNCH

FillatallglasswithiceInashakercombinebull1frac12ounces(45ml)darkrumbullfrac12ounce(15ml)limejuicebullfrac12ounce(15ml)lemonjuicebull3ounces(90ml)orangejuicebull1teaspoon(5g)sugarbullDashgrenadinesyrupbullIcetofillShakeandstrainintotheglass

RUMREGIONS

THECARIBBEAN

TheCaribbeanistheepicenterofworldrumproductionVirtuallyeverymajorislandgroupproducesitsowndistinctrumstyleBarbadosproduceslightsweetishrumsfrombothpotandcolumnstillsRum

distillation began here and the Mount Gay Distillery dating from 1663 isprobablytheoldestoperatingrumproducerintheworldCuba produces light-bodied crisp clean rums from column stills It is

currentlyillegaltoshipCubanrumsintotheUnitedStatesThe Dominican Republic is notable for its full-bodied aged rums from

columnstillsGuyanaisjustlyfamousforitsrichheavyDemerararumsnamedforalocal

riverwhichareproducedfrombothpotandcolumnstillsDemerararumscanbeagedforextendedperiods(twenty-five-year-oldvarietiesareonthemarket)and are frequently used for blending with lighter rums from other regionsNeighboringSurinamandFrenchGuyanaproducesimilarfull-bodiedrumsHaitifollowstheFrenchtraditionofheavierrumsthataredoubledistilledin

potstillsandagedinoakcasksforthreeormoreyearstoproducefull-flavoredexceptionallysmooth-tastingrumsHaitialsostillhasanextensiveundergroundmoonshineindustrythatsuppliesthevoodooreligiousritualtrade

SagatibaPuraCachaccedila(Brazil)

Jamaicaiswellknownforitsricharomaticrumsmostofwhichareproducedin pot stills Jamaica has official classifications of rum ranging from light toveryfull-flavoredJamaicanrumsareusedextensivelyforblendingMartinique is a French island with the largest number of distilleries in the

Eastern Caribbean Both pot and column stills are used As on other Frenchislands such asGuadeloupe both rhum agricole (made from sugarcane juice)and rhum industriel (made from molasses) are produced These rums arefrequently aged in used French brandy casks for a minimum of three yearsRhumvieux(agedrum)isfrequentlycomparedtohigh-qualityFrenchbrandiesPuertoRico is knownprimarily for light verydry rums fromcolumn stills

AllPuertoRicanrumsmustbylawbeagedforaminimumofoneyearTrinidadproducesmainlylightrumsfromcolumnstillsandhasanextensive

exporttrade

THEVIRGINISLANDS

The Virgin Islands which are divided between the United States VirginIslands and the British Virgin Islands both produce light mixing rums fromcolumnstillsTheserumsandthoseofnearbyGrenadaalsoserveasthebaseforbayrumaclassicaftershavelotion

CENTRALAMERICA

CentralAmericahasavarietyofprimarilymedium-bodiedrumsfromcolumnstills that lend themselves well to aging They have recently begun to gaininternationalrecognition

SOUTHAMERICA

South America produces vast quantities of mostly light rums from columnstillswithunagedcanespiritfromBrazilcalledcachaccedilabeingthebest-knownexample Venezuela bucks this general trendwith a number of well-respectedbarrel-agedgoldenanddarkrums

NORTHAMERICA

North America has a handful of traditional rum distilleries in the southernUnited States producing a range of light-and medium-bodied rums that aregenerally marketed with Caribbean-themed names Modern craft distilleriesproducingrumhavesprungupinsomemoreunusuallocationswithparticularlynoteworthy producers including Prichardrsquos Distillery in Kelso Tennessee theRogueDistillery inNewportOregonand theTriple8Distillery inNantucketMassachusetts

CANADA

In Canada the 300-year-old tradition of trading rum for dried codfishcontinuesintheAtlanticMaritimeprovincesofNewfoundlandandNovaScotiawheregoldenrumsfromAntiguaBarbadosandJamaicaareimportedandagedforfiveyearsTheresultingheartyrumisknownlocallyasscreech

DistillerStefanHafenattheWeyermannDistillery(Germany)

EUROPE

Europe is primarily a blender of imported rums Both theUnitedKingdomandFrance import rums from their formercolonies in theCaribbean foragingandbottlingHeavydarkJamaicanrumsareimportedintoGermanyandmixedwithneutralspiritata119ratiotoproducerumverschnittAsimilarproductinAustriaiscalledinlanderrum

RecipecardfromRogueDistillery

AUSTRALIA

Australiaproducesasubstantialamountofwhiteandgoldenrumsinadouble-distillationmethodutilizingbothcolumnandpotstillsRumisthesecondmostpopular alcoholic beverage in the country after beer Light rums are alsoproducedonsomeoftheislandsintheSouthPacificsuchasTahiti

ASIA

InAsia rums tend to follow regional sugarcaneproductionwithwhite andgoldenrumsfromcolumnstillsbeingproducedprimarilyinthePhilippinesandThailand

TEQUILAMEZCALANDOTHERAGAVESPIRITS

ldquoAlltequilaismezcalbutnotallmezcalistequilardquomdashTequilamarketingmantra

TEQUILA its sister spiritmezcalandotheragavespirits trace theirorigins

backatleast2000yearstowhenoneormoreoftheIndiantribesthatinhabitedwhat isnowcentralMexicodiscoveredthat the juiceof theagaveplant if leftexposed to air would ferment and turn into a milky mildly alcoholic drinkNews of this discovery spread throughout agave-growing areas The Aztecscalled this beverage octili poliqhui a name that the Spaniards subsequentlycorruptedintopulque(POOL-kay)

Blueagavetherawmaterialfortequilaandmezcal

InAztecculturepulquedrinkinghadreligioussignificanceConsumptionbythemasseswaslimitedtospecificholidayswhenlargetubsofpulqueweresetup in public squaresThe ruling elitewas not subject to the same restrictionshoweveranddrankpulque throughout theyearmdashaprivilegesharedbycaptivewarriorsjustbeforetheyweresacrificedtothegodsWhentheSpanisharrivedinMexicointheearlysixteenthcenturytheysoon

begantomakeanddrinkpulqueButthelowalcoholcontent(around3percentABV) and earthy vegetal tastemade it less popular among the conquistadorsthan European-style beers and brandies Early attempts to distill pulque wereunsuccessful and the resulting spirit was harsh and acrid It was soondiscoveredhoweverthatcookingtheagavepulpresultedinasweeterjuicethatwhenfermentedbecameknownasmezcalwineThisldquowinerdquowasthendistilledintothespiritthatweknowtodayasmezcalEarly mezcal distilleries in the Spanish colony of Mexico operated in a

mannersimilartomodern-daybrewpubsThedistillingplantwasusuallysmallanditsproductionwasconsumedprimarilyinthedistillerytavern(taberna)Asthecolonygrewthemezcalwineindustryfollowedapaceandsoonbecameanimportant source of tax revenue for the Crown Periodic attempts by Spanishbrandyproducerstoshutdownthemezcalindustrywereaboutasunsuccessfulas similar efforts by English distillers to inhibit rum production in theBritishcoloniesinNorthAmerica

THEEVOLUTIONOFTEQUILA

In 1656 the village of Tequila (named for the local Ticuilas Indians) wasgrantedacharterbythegovernorofNewGaliciaTaxrecordsofthetimeshowthatmezcalwasalreadybeingproducedintheareaThismezcalmadefromthelocalblueagaveestablishedareputationforhavingasuperiortasteandbarrelsof the ldquomezcal wine from Tequilardquo were soon being shipped to nearbyGuadalajaraandmoredistantcitiessuchasthesilver-miningboomtownsofSanLuisPotosiacuteandAguascalientesTheoldestofthestill-existingdistilleriesinTequiladatesbackto1795when

the Spanish Crown granted a distillerrsquos license to Jose Cuervo In 1805 adistillerywas established thatwould ultimately come under the control of theSauzafamilyBythemid-1800sthereweredozensofdistilleriesandmillionsofagaveplantsundercultivationaroundTequila inwhathadbecome thestateofJalisco Gradually the locally produced mezcal came to be known as tequila(justas thegrapebrandyfromtheCognacregion inFrancecametobeknownsimplyascognac)

AjimadorharvestsblueagaveformakingtequilainJaliscoMexico

MexicoachievedindependencefromSpainin1821Butuntilthe1870sitwasapoliticallyunstablecountrythatexperiencedfrequentchangesingovernmentrevolutions and a disastrouswarwith theUnited StatesMarauding bands ofsoldiers and guerillas extracted ldquorevolutionary taxesrdquo and ldquovoluntaryrdquocontributionsinkindfromthetabernasanddistilleriesIn1876ageneralnamedPorfirioDiacuteaz whowas from themezcal-producing state ofOaxaca (oah-HA-kuh) came topower andushered in a thirty-five-yearperiodof relativepeaceandstabilityknownasthePorfiriatoItwasduringthisperiodthat thetequila industrybecamefirmlyestablished

Modest exports of tequila began to the United States and Europe with JoseCuervoshippingthefirst threebarrels toElPasoTexas in1873By1910thenumber of agave distilleries in the state of Jalisco had grown to almost ahundredThe collapse of the Diacuteaz regime in 1910 led to a decade-long period of

revolutionthatinhibitedthetequilaindustryThereturnofpeaceinthe1920sledto the expansion of tequila production in Jalisco beyond the area around thetown of Tequila with growth being particularly noteworthy in the highlandsaround the village of Arandas This period also saw the adoption of modernproduction techniques from the wine industry such as cultivated yeast andmicrobiologicalsanitarypracticesIn the 1930s the practice of adding non-agave sugars to the aguamiel or

ldquohoneywaterrdquowasintroducedandquicklyadoptedbymanytequilaproducersThesemixto(mixed)tequilashadalessintensetastethan100percentblueagavetequilasButthisrelativeblandnessalsomadethemmoreappealingtononnativeconsumersparticularlythoseintheUnitedStates

THEBASISOFTEQUILAANDMEZCAL

TequilaandmezcalaremadebydistillingthefermentedjuiceofagaveplantsinMexico The agave is a spiky-leafedmember of the lily family (it is not acactus) and is related to the century plant ByMexican law the agave spiritcalled tequila can be made only from one particular type of agave the blueagave (Agave tequilana Weber) and it can be produced only in specificallydesignated geographic areas primarily the state of Jalisco in west-centralMexicoMezcalismadefromthefermentedjuiceofotherspeciesofagaveItisproducedthroughoutmostofMexico

FieldsofblueagaveinJaliscoMexico

Both tequila and mezcal are prepared for distillation in similar ways Theagave also know as maguey (pronounced muh-GAY) is cultivated onplantations for eight to ten years depending on the type of agaveWhen theplantreachessexualmaturityitstartstogrowaflowerstalkTheagavefarmerorcampesinocutsoff thestalk justas it is starting togrowThis redirects theplant growth into the central stalk swelling it into a large bulbous shape thatcontainsasweetjuicypulpWhentheswellingiscompletedthecampesinocutstheplantfromitsrootsandremovesthelongsword-shapedleavesusingarazor-sharp pike-like tool called a coa The remaining pintildea (ldquopineapplerdquomdashso-calledbecause the cross-thatched denuded bulb resembles a giant green and whitepineapple)weighsanywherefromtwenty-fivetoonehundredpoundsAt the distillery the pintildeas are cut into quarters For tequila they are then

slowly baked in steam ovens or autoclaves until all of the starch has beenconverted to sugars Formezcal they are baked in underground ovens heatedwithwoodcharcoal (whichgivesmezcal itsdistinctivesmoky taste)Theyarethencrushed(traditionallywithastonewheeldrawnaroundacirculartroughbyamule)andshreddedtoextractthesweetjuicecalledaguamiel(honeywater)

WHATBINGCROSBYANDJIMMYBUFFETTHAVEINCOMMON

Modestamountsof tequilahadbeenexported intoUSborder townssincethelatenineteenthcenturyThefirstmajorboost to tequilasales in theUnitedStates came in the late1940swhen themargarita cocktail ablendof tequilalimejuiceorangeliqueurandicewasinventedItsoriginsareuncertainbutHollywoodactorsandcocktailpartiesinCaliforniaandMexicanresortsseemtobe involved inmost of the genesis stories It is known that crooner and actorBingCrosbywassotakenwithoneparticularbrandoftequilaHerradurathatheteamedupwithfellowactorPhilHarristoimportthebrandintotheUnitedStatesThemargaritaalongwiththetequilasunriseandthetequilasourhavebecomehighlypopularintheUnitedStatesinfactitisclaimedbymanyintheliquor industry that the margarita is the single most popular cocktail in thenation In the 1970swhenballadeer JimmyBuffett sangof ldquowasting away inMargaritavillerdquothesuccessofthesongenticedmillionsmoreAmericanstosipfromthesalt-rimmedmargaritaglass

FERMENTATIONAGAVEORMIXTO

The fermentation stage determines whether the final product will be 100percent agave or mixed (ldquomixtordquo) The highest-quality tequila is made fromfermentingandthendistillingjustagavejuicemixedwithsomewaterMixtoismadeby fermentingand thendistilling amixof agave juice andother sugarsusuallycanesugarwithwaterMixtosmadeandbottledinMexicocancontainupto40percentalcoholmadefromothersugarsMixtosthathavebeenshippedinbulktoothercountriesforbottling(primarilytheUnitedStates)mayhavetheagavecontentfurtherreducedto51percentbytheforeignbottlerByMexicanlaw all 100 percent agave or aged tequilas must be bottled in Mexico If atequilais100percentagaveitwillalwayssaysoonthebottlelabelIfitdoesnrsquotsay100percentitisamixtoalthoughthattermisseldomusedonbottlelabels

Stillsusedforproducingtequila

DISTILLATIONANDAGINGOFTEQUILAANDMEZCAL

Traditionallytequilaandmezcalhavebeendistilledinpotstillsat110degproof(55percentABV)Theresultingspiritisclearbutcontainsasignificantamountof congeners and other flavor elements Some light-colored tequilas are nowbeingrectified(redistilled)incolumnstillstoproduceacleanerblanderspirit

THEBLUEAGAVESTRIKESBACK

From the1930s through the1980s thebulk of the tequila beingproducedwasoftheblendedmixtovarietyTheoriginal100percentagavetequilaswerereducedtoaminorspecialtyproductinthemarketInthelate1980stherisingsuccess of single malt Scotch whiskies and expensive cognacs in theinternationalmarketplacedidnotgounnoticedamong tequilaproducersNewbrandsof100percentblueagave tequilaswere introducedandsalesbeganasteadygrowthcurvethatcontinuestothisday

Color in tequila and mezcal comes mostly from the addition of caramelalthoughbarrelagingisafactorinsomehigh-qualitybrandsAdditionallysomedistillers add small amounts of natural flavorings such as sherry pruneconcentrateandcoconuttomanipulatetheproductrsquosflavorprofileTheseaddedflavors donot standout themselves but instead serve to smoothout theoftenhard-edgedpalateofagavespirit

Barrelssetforagingtequilainaware-housetastingroom

MEZCALANDTHEWORM

TherulesandregulationsthatgoverntheproductionandpackagingoftequiladonotapplytoagavespiritsproducedoutsideofthedesignatedareasinMexicoSome mezcal distilleries are very primitive and very small The best-knownmezcalscomefromthesouthernstateofOaxacaalthoughtheyareproducedina number of other states Eight varieties of agave are approved for mezcalproductionbut thechiefvarietyused is theespadinagave (AgaveangustifoliaHaw)

CLASSIFICATIONSOFTEQUILA

Beyond the two basic designations of tequilamdashagave and mixtomdashthere arefourcategories

ASTHEWORMTURNS

The upgrading and upscaling of tequila has in turn inspired mezcalproducers to undertake similarmeasures In the past few years an increasingnumber of high-end mezcals including some intriguing ldquosingle villagerdquobottlingshavebeenintroducedtothemarketMezcalnowseemstobecomingintoitsownasadistinctivenoteworthyspirit

Thefamousldquowormrdquofound insomebottlesofmezcal (ldquocongusanordquo) is thelarvaofoneoftwomothsthatliveontheagaveplantThereasonforaddingtheworm to thebottleofmezcal is obscureButone storywhich at least has theappealoflogictobackitupisthatthewormservesasproofofhighproofthewormremainsintactinthebottleifthepercentageofalcoholinthespiritishighenoughtopreservethepickledwormConsumingthewormwhichcanbedonewithoutharmhasservedasariteofpassageforgenerationsoffraternityboysTop-qualitymezcalsdonotincludeaworminthebottle

AbottleofAguaAzulablueagaveeaudevie

BrendanMoylanholdsupacoupleofbottlesofJBWagonerrsquos100percentBlueAgaveSpiritsinfrontofhiswell-stockedbar

NON-MEXICANAGAVESPIRITS

Federal excise tax records indicate that tequila-like agave spirits wereproducedinthe1930sinthesouthwesternUnitedStatesMorerecentlymoderncraftdistillershavebeguntoexperimentwiththeirownagavespiritssuchasJBWagonerrsquos Ultra Premium 100 percent Blue Agave Spirits by SkyrocketDistillersinTemuculaCaliforniaAguaAzulbyStGeorgeSpiritsinAlamedaCaliforniaandGoldAgavebyStJamesSpiritsinIrwindaleCalifornia

TEQUILACOCKTAILS

CLASSICMARGARITA

TakeashortglassWettherimwithlimejuicePuttheglassupsidedownincoarsesaltsothatthesaltclingstotherimInacocktailshakercombine

bull1frac12ounces(45ml)silvertequilabullfrac34ounce(23ml)TripleSecbullfrac34ounce(23ml)limejuicebullIcetofillShakeandstrainintothesalt-rimmedglassandgarnishwithalimeslice

FROZENFRUITMARGARITA

TakeashortglassWettherimwithlimejuiceandputtheglassupsidedownin coarse salt so salt clings to the rim (this step is optional) Combine theingredients for the ClassicMargarita in a blender with very ripe fruit (6 to 7ounces[170to200g]freshor4ounces[115g]frozen)Add34cupiceBlenduntilsmoothandpourintotheglass

TEQUILASUNRISEFillatallglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)silvertequilabullOrangejuicealmosttofillSlowlypourfrac12ounce (15ml)grenadine syrupover the top (As it trickles

downitcreatestheldquosunriserdquoeffect)

LIQUEURSSCHNAPPSANISEANDBITTERS

LIQUEURSschnappsaniseandbittersaretermsthatcoverawidevariety

of types of spirits What they all share in common is that they are flavoredspirits

LIQUEURS

Also known as cordials liqueurs are sweet flavor-infused spirits that arecategorized according to the flavoring agent (fruits nuts herbal and spiceblends creams and such)Theword liqueur comes from theLatin liquifacere(ldquotodissolverdquo)andreferstothedissolvingofflavoringsinthespiritsArtificialflavoringsarestrictlyregulatedinmostcountriesandwhereallowedtheymustbeprominentlylabeledassuch

BLENDEDFAMILIES

AllliqueursareblendseventhosewithaprimaryflavorAtouchofvanillais added to cregraveme de cacao to emphasize the chocolate Citrus flavor notessharpen the presentation of anise Herbal liqueurs may contain dozens ofdifferent flavor elements that a master blender manipulates to achieve thedesiredflavorprofile

MasterdistillerTedHuberpoursatHuberStarlightDistillery

Top-qualityliqueursareproducedbydistillationofeitherthefermentedflavormaterials or the spirit in which they have been infused Many liqueurs usefinishedspiritssuchascognacrumorwhiskeyas theirbaseOthersmaceratefruitorotherflavoringsinaneutralspiritCregravemes(cregravemedementhecregravemedecacao etc) are liqueurswith a primary flavor while cream liqueurs combinedairycreamandalcoholinahomogenizedshelf-stableblend

LabelforCoffeeLiqueurbyMcMenaminsEdgefieldDistillery

Liqueurs are not usually aged for any great length of time but they mayundergo resting stages during their production to allow the various flavors toldquomarryrdquointoaharmoniousblendLiqueurscanbehardtoclassifybutregardlessofflavortheycanbebroadly

dividedintotwocategoriesGenericsareliqueursofaparticulartype(cregravemedecacaoorcuraccedilaoforexample)hatcanbemadebyanyproducerProprietariesare liqueurs with trademarked names that are made according to a specificformula Examples of such liqueurs include Kahluacutea Grand Marnier andSouthernComfort

AvanWeesDeOoievaarfruitliqueurfromtheNetherlands

SCHNAPPS

Schnapps is a general term used for an assortment of white and flavoredspiritsthathaveoriginatedinnortherncountriesorregionssuchasGermanyorScandinavia Schnapps can bemade from grain potatoes ormolasses and beflavoredwith virtually anything (watermelon and root beer schnapps from theUnited States being proof of that) The dividing line between schnapps andflavoredvodkaisvagueandismoreculturalthanstylistic

ANISE-FLAVOREDSPIRITS

These spirits can vary widely in style depending on the country of originThey can be dry or very sweet low or high proof distilled from fermentedaniseedormaceratedinneutralspiritInFranceanis(asproducedbyPernod)isproducedbydistillinganiseanda

varietyofotherbotanicalstogetherPastisismaceratedratherthandistilledandcontainsfewerbotanicalsthananisInItalysambucaisdistilledfromaniseandbotanicals but it is thenheavily sweetened tomake it a liqueurOil of fennel(alsoknownasgreenanise)isfrequentlyaddedtoboostthearomaofthespiritGreecehasadriergrappa-likeliqueurcalledouzowhichisstylisticallyclosetopastis

TangerineCelloandSpicyGingerorganicliqueursfromNewDealDistillery

RosolisZiolowyGorzki(stomachbitters)fromtheLancutDistilleryinPoland

BITTERS

The modern-day descendents of medieval medical potions bitters aremarketed as having at least some vaguely therapeutic value (stomach settlershangover cures and so on) They tend to be flavored with herbs roots andbotanicalsandcontainlowerquantitiesoffruitandsugarthanliqueursAlthoughtherearespecialtyliqueurproducersmostbrandsareproducedby

generalditillersaspartofanextendedproductlineAmongthenewgenerationof craft distillers some of the standout liqueur producers include LeopoldBrothersDistilleryofDenverColoradowith theiruniquewhiskey-based fruitliqueurs (the RockyMountain Blackberry is particularly noteworthy) and theFlagHillDistillery inLeeNewHampshirewith theirdelicately tingedSugarMapleLiqueur

LabelforJohnnyZieglerBlackForestStyleAppleAuxPommeSchnapsEaudeViebyWinegardenEstateinNewBrunswickCanada

LabelforBlackberryLiqueurbyClearCreekDistillery

ABSINTHEMAKESTHEHEARTGROWFONDER

AbsintheVertebyStGeorgeSpirits

Modernpastisisthegenteeldescendentofitsmuchmoreraffishnineteenth-century ancestor absinthe a high (sometimes very high) proof anise liquor(technically not a liqueur because no sugar is added) that included extract ofwormwoodinitslistofbotanicalsWormwoodcontainsthechemicalcompoundthujonewhose allegedpsychedelic effectsmadeabsinthe very popular amongtheldquoBohemianrdquocountercultureartistsand intellectualsofFranceandEurope(Vincent vanGogh andOscarWildewere devotees of what was termed ldquoTheGreenFairyrdquo)ConverselysocialconservativesandprohibitionistscampaignedagainstitasthecrackcocaineofthedayandeventuallygotitoutlawedinmostEuropeancountriesandtheUnitedStatesModernscientificanalysishasfoundthujonersquospsychedelicpotencytobeatbestgreatlyexaggerated

LeTourmentVertFrenchAbsinthebyBrunoDelannoyofDistillerieVinetEge

Forbiddenfruitisalwaysappealingandstartinginthe1990sabsinthewhichcontinued to be commercially produced in Eastern Europe slowly started toreturn to the general marketplace initially in ldquothujone-freerdquo versions fromFrance and Switzerland and more recently from an increasing number ofAmerican craft distillers suchasNorthShoreDistilling inLakeBluff Illinoisand St George Distilling in Alameda California One thing that has notchangedaboutabsintheisitshighalcoholcontent

AbsintheVertebyLeopoldBros

ARTISANPROFILEINSIDETHEINDUSTRY

PHILPRICHARD

PrichardrsquosDistilleryKelsoTennessee

PHILPRICHARDwasstillworkingin telecomsales inMemphiswhenhereadtheclassicTheLoreofStillBuildingandstartedteachinghimselftomakerumHis first sale came in March of 2001 (thirty cases for $2929) It was the

product of four years of work His initial plan was to make a product fromTennessee sorghum but he learned that rumhad to come from sugarcaneHewasnrsquot discouraged ldquoThe transition was rather easy By that time I hadresearchedthehistoryofAmericanrumandwejustslidintothenewprofileItfitverywellrdquoSoontractor-trailerloadsofmolasseswerebeingdriveninWhatsets Prichardrsquos apart from other rum is the use of first-grade sweetmolassesrather than blackstrap Using better molasses ldquofocused our attention on theproductionofatraditionalAmericanrumrdquosaidPrichardBlackstrapaswellasbeingusedtomakerumisputoncattleandhorsefeedandPrichardsaidldquoInAfricatheyputitontheroadstokeepthedustdownItrsquos32percentsugarand68percentLordknowswhatrdquoEd Hamiltonmdashnoted scholar author and keeper ofMinistryof Rumcommdash

saidldquoByusingahigh-grademolassesastherawmaterialhereducestheneedto distill to a high proof in order to reduce the sulfur compounds that are thedistillerrsquos banerdquo The results are evident ldquoPhil hasmanaged to dowhatmostmolassesdistillersonlywishtheycoulddordquosaidHamiltonldquodistillagoodwhiterumandmakeitdrinkablewithoutagingitPhilmakesanimpressivelysmoothwhiterumthathasnrsquotbeenagedyetretainsthecoconutandbutterscotchflavorsthatareitssignaturerdquoPrichard takes some of this white rum and barrels itWhile the rest of the

industry saves money aging their product in used fifty-two-gallon whiskeybarrels Prichard ages his rum in new small barrels of fifteen gallons Thisprovidesmoresurfaceareaforthespirittointeractwiththecharredoakanditdevelopsseriousflavorsnot typicallyfoundinarumagedfor just threeyearsHamiltonhadmorepraiseldquoPrichardrsquosFineRumisanothergreatexampleofthesmalldistillerrsquosartTherelativelylowdistillationproofandhighbarrelsurfaceareatovolumeyieldarumthatremindstheimbiberoftheotherspiritsforwhichTennesseeismorewellknownrdquoPrichard is expanding He bought bourbon from Heaven Hill in Kentucky

ageditagaininnewbarrelsandbottleditasDoubleBarrelBourbonFinishingbourbonthiswayisrare(BeamandBuffaloTracehavebothexperimentedwithit) and Double Barrel Bourbon was well received Building a distillery ldquowasdifficult beyond imagination Building a nationwide distribution network hasbeenourgreatestchallengeandthemostcostlyrdquoRegardlessofthechallengesPrichardmoveseverforwardInMarchof2009thedistillerybeganproducingitsownwhiskey

CHAPTEREIGHT

AGALLERYOFARTISANDISTILLERS

ldquoDrinkingyoungwhiskey is something that isdoneonly instillhousesandbarsinItalyLetyourspiritmaturetoaproperdegreeofripenessrdquo

ndashMichaelJacksoncritiquinganearlyexampleofcraftdistilledwhiskey

WhenIowafloodedJeffQuintoftheCedarRidgeDistilleryfilledhisstillwithwatertokeepitfromfloatingawayinthedeluge

THERE is a spirit revolutionhappening in theUnitedStates one thatwillchange theentirespirit industryDistillerswithan intensepassionfor thecraftlay their hearts souls and economic futures on the line for the purpose ofmakingtheidealliquidspiritThesesmallcompaniessometimesrunbyoneortwopeoplecreateavarietyofspiritstoonumeroustomentioninasinglebreathTheircreationsandblendsarenolessvaluableorquality-driventhanbignamebrandssomeevenmoresoThesenichespiritshavetheadvantageofcreativitythat expands the scopeofwhat the liquor industryhas tooffernotonly to theUSbuttotheworldThesemicro-distillerslackthenamerecognitionandthefundingthatbignamecompaniesusetohelpmarkettheirproductsbutsomeofthemwillbecomethehouseholdnamesofthefuturemdashjustasJackDanielsandJohnnyWalkerdistillersfromthepasthavebecomeinourtime

-AdaptedfromCheriLoughlinrsquosIntoxicologistblogwwwintoxicologistwordpresscom

DEDICATION

InfondmemoryofourfriendMichaelJacksonwhoiswehavenodoubt

nowenjoyinghiswell-deservedangelrsquosshareoftheworldrsquosbarrelsofmaturingwhiskey

CONTENTS

FOREWORDBYFRITZMAYTAG

INTRODUCTIONBYBILLOWENS

CHAPTERONE

ABRIEFHISTORYOFDISTILLING

CHAPTERTWO

THEDISTILLINGPROCESS

CHAPTERTHREE

WHISKEY

CHAPTERFOUR

VODKA

CHAPTERFIVE

GIN

CHAPTERSIX

BRANDYANDEAUDEVIE

CHAPTERSEVEN

RUMTEQUILALIQUERSANDMORE

CHAPTEREIGHT

AGALLERYOFARTISANDISTILLERS

CHAPTERNINE

DISTILLINGRESOURCES

THEDISTILLERrsquoSLIBRARY

THEDISTILLERrsquoSGLOSSARY

DIRECTORYOFDISTILLERIES

INDEX

ABOUTTHECONTRIBUTORS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

ABOUTTHEAUTHORS

FOREWORD

THESECONDWhiskeyRebellionishappeningintheUnitedStatesandit

isalreadyspreadingaroundtheworldInthismarvelousbookBillOwensAlanDiktyandtheircontributorsmdashlikeintrepidwarcorrespondentsmdashtakeyoutothefront lines You will find here an up-to-the-minute report on the excitementcreativityandbrashenthusiasmoftheUnitedStatesrsquocraftdistillers

DetailofthefermentingprocessofmakingbourbonWoodfordReserveDistillery

I have known Bill Owens since his early involvement in the USrsquosmicrobrewing renaissance He was one of the movementrsquos most ferventinnovatorsHisownachievementsaremanyandhisenthusiasmfor thewholewild explosionofbrewingcreativity is evidenced inhisobvious enjoymentofthesuccessesofhisbrewingcolleaguesThe craft-brewing renaissance of course began in the 1960s By the early

rsquo90s it was inevitable that it would evolve into a craft-distilling renaissanceAnd so Bill and his cohorts are at it again now celebrating a small-distilleryrevolutionandthevarietyandcreativitythatisspringingupeverywhereYeswenow have ldquocraftrdquo whiskey distillers experimenting with all facets of graindistillingAndaswiththebrewingrevolutiontheconsumerreapstherewardsWe are entering a golden age for the spirits lover and The Art of DistillingWhiskey andOther Spirits An Enthusiastrsquos Guide to the ArtisanDistilling ofPotentPotablesisanindispensableguidebooktoitsbeginnings

CharringoakbarrelsatBluegrassCooperage

Where did the craft-distilling phenomenon originate You could say that itcamedownfromthemountainswherepot-distilledwhiskeysmadebyhandmdashinsecretfoldsmdashhaveneverentirelydisappearedOryoucouldsaythatitcameupfrom the vineyards and orchardswhere formany years there has been a tinycraft-distilling segment of superb hand-crafted fruit brandies and eaux-de-vieJustknowthatasecondWhiskeyRebellionisuponusandthatit ishappeningright now in a little building near you And if you have picked up this bookalready knowing about the great food awakening and hoping for a guide todistillingyouhavefounditWhat particularly fascinates me about the distillation of alcohol is the

enduringmysterysurroundingitsoriginsDistillationitselfisaphysicalartwitha longmdashand colorfulmdashhistory And the distilling of all sorts of materials formyriadpurposesisanancientprocessButwhendidtheproductionofdistilledspirits as a beverage beginYou arewelcome to your opinion and good luckfindinganyonetoagreewithyouNomatterwhatyouthinkIencourageyoutosavor the eternal enigma that is embodied in a distilled spirit It is a form ofmagic to take fruit or grain ferment it put it in a pot heat it and make itdisappearentirelyandthenwatchitreappeardropbydropasaclearvolatilealmostetherealliquidAnditisadangerousliquidmdashdonotkidyourselfItcancatchfireitcanexplodeandabusingitcanruinlivesItispowerfulmysteriousstuff surely one reason that it captures the imagination of the producers andconsumersswirlingandswillingaroundthecurrentawakeningSo drink deep of Bill and Alanrsquos guide get on the road with them go

exploring and learning and enjoybeing an earlyparticipant in themovementAnd takemyword for it as a distiller of whiskey since the secondWhiskeyRebellionrsquosfirstshotldquoHeadswewintailswewinrdquo

FritzMaytagAnchorDistilling

SanFranciscoApril2009

INTRODUCTION

ASAYOUNGMANinthe1970sIhadlonghairaVolkswagenBeetlea

hip wife and a career as a newspaper photographer I also published fourphotographymonographsincludingtheclassicSUBURBIA(stillinprint)andIreceived a Guggenheim Fellowship in photography and three NationalEndowment for theArtsgrantsMydreamwas towork forLIFEmagazineorNationalGeographic and I ended up stringing for the Associated Press andcoveredtheHellrsquosAngelsbeatingpeoplewithpoolcuesatAltamontWhileallthiswashappeningIwashomebrewinginthegarageBy the1980swhen I reachedmiddleage Ihada flattop sold theVWand

camerasand lostawonderfulwife In1982Iopened thefirstbrewpubin theUnited States Buffalo Billrsquos Brewery in Hayward California The beer wasgood My pumpkin ale is still being brewed by many breweries My publicimagewasldquocolorfulrdquoandthenewsmedialovedmeIstartedbelievingmyownpressclipsIopenedtwomorebrewpubsandlaunchedapublicstockofferingtofundthebuildingofalarge-scaleproductionbreweryItallseemedlikeagoodidea at the time It was after all ldquoMorning in Americardquo Reagan was in the

WhiteHouseandtheoperativephraseforthetimeswasldquoGreedisgoodrdquoIwantedsuccessmoneyIhadthreebrewpubsIgrossedamilliondollarsthat

yearbutIhadtopaysixtyemployeesandendedupwithnoprofitThingsdonrsquotalwaysworkoutasyoudreamThestockofferingnevergotoffthegroundandonebyonethebrewpubsweresoldoffwithBuffaloBillrsquosbeingthelasttogoButIrsquollalwayshaveAlimonyAle(ldquoThebitterestbeerinAmericardquo)By the 1990s I had gray hair and a new wife and I was publishing two

magazinesAmericanBrewerandBEERTheMagazineOnceagainmytimingwasgoodandtheAmericanBrewer rodethefirstgreatwaveofcraftbrewingThingswere lookinggreatbut financially the twomagazines turnedout tobenot such a great idea I soon stopped publishing BEER and sold AmericanBrewerSoonafter theAARPmailingsstartedshowingupand Iopenedanantique

store That venture lasted six months Then my agent sold some SUBURBIAphotographstoEltonJohngivingmeenoughmoneyfora(used)Lexusandthecash fora three-month tripacrossAmerica so I ranawayfromhomeOn thistrip I decided to visit some craft distilleries Iwas intrigued and the creativejuices started to flow again When I returned to California I founded theAmerican Distilling Institute (ADI) In 2003 I held the first ADI distillingconferenceatStGeorgeHangarOneDistilleryandsomeeightypeopleshowedupIn2007 Idecided tomakeanother tripacrossAmericaAgain the tripwas

fundedby sellingphotographs tomuseums anassortmentof art galleries andfriendsintheUnitedStatesandinEuropeThissecondtrip(21000miles)tookfourmonthsandfromfifty-threeDVDsofimagesweselectedahundredorsoforthisbookBy2009theADIdatabasecontained1246namesofwhich205aremembersandofthose165arecraftdistillersThefuturefortheindustryisbrightMoreandmorepeoplewanttolearntheartofcraftdistillingTheywantto learn how to run small businesses selling their handcrafted products to thepublicMyrecentldquohow-tordquobookCraftWhiskeyDistillinghassold300copiesinthreemonthsThecraftdistillingindustryisreallyaboutlifestylePeopletakegreatpridein

producingtheirproductsThisbookisalookatcraftdistillersandtherestofthewhiskeyrumvodkaandginindustryIstillhaveafootinbothcampsphotographyanddistillationButifIhadto

chooseitrsquodbedistillingbecauseitrsquosawayoflifeSpecial thanks toAlanDikty the editor of this book and a personal friend

AlanhasbeenwithmeasafriendandwriterforsomethirtyyearsAlanknowsspiritsAbigthank-youalsotoAndrewFaulknerphotographerandphotoeditorforthisbook

BillOwensHaywardCalifornia

March2009

AUTHORrsquoSNOTEONSPELLING

For reasons that have yet to be adequately explained American and Irishdistillers spell the word whiskey with an e while their Scotch CanadianJapaneseandNewZealandpeersspellwhiskywithoutit

CHAPTERONE

ABRIEFHISTORYOFDISTILLING

SINCEtheearliestknownuseofdistillationabout5000yearsagopractice

ofthearthasgrownandspreadaroundtheworldinseveralwavesthespeedandextent of each being dictated by geography trade routes and cultural andreligious influences Each successive wave gave rise to significant technicaladvances in distillation making it less expensive more efficient and morecontrollable

VeryFineWhiskeybottlecircathe1920sThisvintagebottlewasacquiredatafleamarketthenfilledwithOldForrester

PossiblytheearliestwrittenrecordofdistillationisintheEpicofGilgameshwhich describes a formof essential oil distillation practiced inBabylon as farback as 3000 BCE Herbs were placed in a large heated cauldron of boilingwater and the cauldronrsquos opening was covered with a sheepskin fleece sidedownPeriodically thesheepskinwaschangedandthecondensatesoakingthefleecewaswrungoutintoasmalljarEssentialoilsfloatedtothesurfaceofthewatercollected in the jarandwereskimmedoffMedieval textsandwoodcutsshowthesameprinciplebeingusedtoconcentratealcoholicvaporsfromboilingwine(IncidentallythisissimilarinprincipletoamethodthatthePhoeniciansusedforconsumingcannabis)

DISTILLINGMIGRATESEASTANDWEST

By 500BCE alcohol distillationwas an established industry in the ancientIndian area known as Taxila (in modern northwest Pakistan) wherearcheologistsdiscoveredaperfectlypreservedterra-cottadistillationsystemInthisprocess steam rising fromapotofboilingwaterpassed throughabedoffermented grains picking up alcohol and flavors from the grains The vaporsthen struck the bottom of a second pot filled with cold water where theycondensedanddrippedintoacollectiontubeFromTaxila knowledge spread to theEast and theWest andby350BCE

knowledgeofthedistillingprocessappearedinthewritingofAristotleinGreeceand Sinedrius in Libya The first arrival of distillation technology inChina ismisty but by 25CE bronze stills of similar designwere being produced andusedthereBytheendofthefirstmillenniumCEthepracticeofdistillationhadspread

throughout northern Africa and the Middle East The process had advancedsignificantlyoverthisthousand-yearperiodandthematerialbeingdistilledwasnowboileddirectlyinalargesealedpotwhichhadalongtubeleadingfromitsapextoasmallcollectionjarWhentheMoorsinvadedSpaintheybroughtthistechnologywiththemandsoonthegenie(orspirit)wasoutof thebottleThetechnologyspreadfromSpaintoItalyin1100CEandwasrecordedinIrelandby 1200 Germany by 1250 and France by 1300 England Scotland PolandRussiaandSwedenjoinedtheclubby1400

DISTILLINGTECHNOLOGYEVOLVES

EuropeanexplorationandconquestspreadrapidlyaroundtheworldcarryingthetechnologyofdistillationwithitThefirststillsintheAmericasappearednotlong after the conquistadores and the Portuguese brought the technology toJapanby1500This technologywas largely controlled by alchemists andmonasterieswho

continuouslyexperimentedandimprovedontheequipmentBythemid-1600sseveraltextshadbeenpublishedonthesubjectofdistillationasampleofwhichincludedthewoodcutsonthisspreadfromTheArtofDistillationbyJonathanFrench(1651)AsthisinformationspreadbeyondclericalandscientificcircleswealthyindividualsbegantoestablishstillhousesontheirestatesAs knowledge blossomed throughout theRenaissance distillation continued

to develop rapidly Distillation was removed from the exclusive province ofscientists monks and professionals and became a common household artRecipebooksabounded

ThesewoodcutsfromTheArtofDistillationbyJonathanFrench(1651)showasmallpartofthewidevarietyofformsdistillingequipmenthadtakenbytheseventeenthcenturyTwokeyimprovementsareshownmultipledistillationsinonesetup(onestillfeedingintothenext)topofpageandanimprovedvaporcondenser(acoiloftubingknownasaldquowormrdquoinabarrelofcoldwater)belowandoppositepage

ldquoThere is more refreshment and stimulation in a nap even of thebriefestthaninallthealcoholeverdistilledrdquo

mdashOvid(ancientRomanclassicalpoetandnotoriouswetblanketatbacchanals43ndash17BCE)Bythe1700sthecomplexityandsophisticationofcommercial-scaledistilling

equipmentadvancedrapidlyAdvancesintheunderstandingofhowdistillationactuallyworked led to new still designs that couldmake better quality spiritsmoreeasilyandfasterthaninthepastDistillingbecamemoreaccessibletothemasses and the monopoly held by the church and the elite classes wasthreatenedThesecentersofpower soonenacted restrictions at first toprotectthatmonopolyandlaterpurelyforrevenue

GEORGEWASHINGTONANDGERRYMANDERING

ItiswellknownthatGeorgeWashingtonwasadistillerWhatislesswellknownisthatthelawshecraftedsetthedistinctionbetweentheheavilytaxedsmalldistillersandthelightlytaxedlargedistillersthelinebeingdrawnjustbelowthesizeofhisdistilleryPoliticsworkedinmuchthesamewaythenasitdoestoday

TheGeorgeWashingtonstillrecreationattheMountVernonDistilleryinMountVernonVirginia

REGULATIONANDREBELLION

Since1700theregulationandcontrolofdistillationhasbeenmostlyastoryoflostfreedomsandrightsAfewraysofsunshinehavesincepokedthroughthecloudsTheelite andgovernmentsofEurope tried repeatedly to exploit andcontrol

distillationInEnglandforexamplethefirsttaxationofcommercialdistillationappearedin1690topayforawarwithFrancePrivatedistillationwasexemptedfrom this tax and it remained free from interference as taxes and regulationswere raised lowered abolished and resurrectedover thenext centuryPrivatedistillation in England flourished and grew significantly during this time (andperhapsnota littleof thisproduct found itsway intocommercialchannelsviathe back door) until it was outlawed in 1781 to enhance the collection ofrevenueThemassiveGinCrazeofearlyeighteenth-centuryGreatBritainhaditsrootsinpartinthisunfetteredspreadofdistillation

BlueprintofaSimpleStill

a)SteamjacketHeatsthepotandthewashb)PotHoldsthewashc)SwanNeckAllowsforseparationofthecomponentsofthemixtured)TubeinShellCondenserCondensesthealcoholvaporsinspiritse)SpigotThevaporsarecollectedfromaspigotatthebottomofthecondenser

ThreestrippingstillsandaspiritstillmadefromstainlesssteeldrumsattheNewDealDistillery

TheUnitedStatesgovernmentrsquosfirstattempttotaxdistillationresultedintheWhiskey Rebellion of 1791 which was put down by federal troops led byGeorgeWashington(whowasbroughtoutofretirementfortheconflict)FederalexcisetaxeswereabolishedaftertheendoftheWarof1812onlyto

beimposedduringtheCivilWarinthe1860s(andcontinuetothisday)Napoleon introduced regulation in France The laws variedwidely over the

nextcenturybutstabilizedin1914whentherightwasgrantedtoanyonewithavineyard or orchard to distill up to 20 liters of spirits from their fruit if theyagreedtopayataxThisrightwasoriginallyinheritablebutthatwasrevokedinthe 1950s This system led to the development of traveling stills known asbouilleurs de cru which were once very common sights in the FrenchcountrysideBecausethenumberofpermittedindividualshasshrunkwitheverypassingyearveryfewofthesemobiledistilleriesremainAustralians lost their right to distill their ownbeverages in the aftermathof

WorldWarIagainasarevenuemeasureMany African Latin American and southern European nations have

continuedtoallowprivatedistillationunderawidevarietyofrulesrangingfromnone through inspection of stills to onerous regulations and high taxation Ingeneral traditional alcoholic beverages are made in most farmhouses usingtraditional equipment (mostlypot stills ofvarious forms)without anyadverseeffectsonsocietyThemostrecentandhopefulchangeintheglobalregulationofdistillationwas

the legalization of private noncommercial distilling byNewZealand in 1996TheNewZealandgovernment found that the expenseof enforcing thebanonprivatedistillationfaroutweighedtherevenuecomingfromfinessothelawwasabolishedThischangeledtowidespreadadoptionofsmall-scaledistillingasahobby and as hobbyists always will they experimented with equipment andtechniques continuously Many significant innovations have been developedmaking small-scale distilling equipment more available much less expensiveandverymucheasiertocontrolthananythingthatcamebefore

FUTURETRENDS

Just as the appearance of microbreweries followed the renaissance ofhomebrewing increasing thechoicesand levelofquality for allbeerdrinkersmicrodistilleries are starting to thrive around theworld someusing traditionalequipmentbutmanyusingnewequipmentmethodsandtechniquesdevelopedbythenewly liberatedhomedistillersManyof thesemodernsmalldistilleriesareexperimentingwithnew typesandcategoriesof spirits creatingnovel andsometimesuniquelylocalspirits

MOONSHINE

As surely as thunder follows lightning whiskey follows beer and in the1980sthescentofwhiskeychargedtheairlikeanapproachingstorm

THEPROSPECTofmakingwhiskeyginryebrandyandotherflavorsomespirits at home is enough tomake somemodern cocktail enthusiasts and craftbrewersgrowglint-eyedEversoquietlythemoreadventuresomeofthemhavebegun tending home-sized stills to make the smallest-batch American spiritssince the Prohibition days of stove-top alky cookers Unlike unscrupulousproducers whomade rotgut that could blind cripple and occasionally kill itsdrinkersmanyoftodayrsquoshomedistillershaveadoptedhigh-techequipmentandacodeofhonorthatostracizesthosewhotrytoselltheirmakingsBecausethesedistillers are running the very best they can for their immediate friends andfamiliestheresultscanbespectacularlygood

AtombstonethatwasusedduringProhibitionforstashingmoonshinenearMorgantownWestVirginia

Theability to createpersonal stocksof liquor fromscratch falls squarely inthe modern mixologistrsquos pursuit of making what canrsquot easily be hadmdashrealgrenadinefromactualpomegranatesginger-spikedfalernumJamaicarsquospimentodramasuckerpunchofallspiceandrumandpotentaromatichousebittersmdashbutall tunedto theirpersonal tastesWhenitcomestomakingthebasespiritsforthosebittersitcouldnrsquotbeeasiermdashorcheaper

Moonshinestilldismantled

BUTISITLEGAL

Making bitters and falernum from pre-distilled spirits is entirely legalHoweverunlicenseddistillersoperatingunregistered stillsviolateanumberoffederal state and local laws but a lack of permits hasnrsquot stopped would-bedistillers from buying and building personal stills in increasing numbers sincethemid-1990sSomeofthemarecontentwithverysmoothvodkawhileothersembrace the entire concept of artisanal production and are creating fantasticsmall-batchspiritsusingthebestingredientstheycanaffordRunningthesetinybatcheswith yields of just a few liters is a practice some have callednano-distilling

DIRTTRACKDISTILLING

Students of American popular culture know that moonshine whiskey andNASCARgotogetherlikeactorBurtReynoldsandmusclecarsStartingin1973with the movie White Lightning Reynolds made a career of portrayingSoutherngoodolrsquoboysdeliveringmoonshineinfastcarswhileoutrunningthelocalsheriffThereal-lifeinspirationforsuchcinemacharacterswasRobertGlenJohnson

Jr (born in 1931 in Wilkes County North Carolina) better known as JuniorJohnsonJohnsonwasamoonshinerintheruralSouthwhobecameoneoftheearlysuper-starsofNASCARinthe1950sandrsquo60sJohnson grew up on a farm and developed his driving skills running

moonshineas a youngmanHe consistently outranandoutwitted local policeand federal agents in auto chases and he was never caught while deliveringmoonshine to customers Johnson became something of a legend in the ruralSouthwherehisdrivingexpertiseandldquooutlawrdquoimageweremuchadmiredJohnson is credited with inventing the ldquobootleg turnrdquo in which a driver

escapesapursuerbysharplyputtinghisspeedingcarintoa180-degreeturnonthehighway thenspeedingoff in theoppositedirectionbeforehispursuercanturn around Johnson was also known to use police lights and sirens to foolpoliceroadblocksintothinkingthathewasafellowpolicemanuponhearinghisapproachthepolicewouldquicklyremovetheroadblocksallowingJohnsontoescapewithhismoonshineIn 1955 Johnson decided to give up delivering moonshine for the more

lucrative(andlegal)careerofbeingaNASCARdriverUnfortunately the ldquoRevenuesrdquo had not forgotten Junior In 1956 federal

agentsfoundJohnsonworkingathisfatherrsquosmoonshinestillandarrestedhimJohnsonwasconvictedofmoonshiningandwassenttofederalprisonwhereheservedelevenmonthsofatwo-yearsentenceHereturnedtotheNASCARscenein1958andpickedupwhereheleftoffHewentontowinfiftyNASCARracesinhiscareerbeforeretiringin1966In 1965 writer Tom Wolfe wrote an article about Johnson in Esquire

magazine The article originally titled ldquoGreat Balls of Firerdquo turned JohnsonintoanationalcelebrityandledtofamebeyondhiscircleofNASCARfansInturn the articlewasmade into a 1973movie based on Johnsonrsquos career as adriverandmoonshiner titledTheLastAmericanHeroJeffBridges starredas

the somewhat fictionalized version of Johnson and Johnson himself served astechnicaladvisorforthefilm

APOScardadvertisingJuniorJohnsonrsquosMidnightMoonbyPiedmontDistillers

MorerecentlyJohnsonrsquosfamilyhaslicensedtheJuniorJohnsonnameforusein promoting a legal distilled product Junior JohnsonrsquosMidnightMoon fromPiedmontDistillersinMadisonNorthCarolina

LabelforMountainMoonshinebyMysticMountainDistillery

ApostcardfromTempletonRyeldquoProhibitionEraWhiskeyrdquo

DONrsquoTTRYTHISATHOME

(NudgeNudgeWinkWinkSayNoMore)

SoonafternationalProhibitionbeganinthe1920sapersoncouldwalkintovirtuallyanygrocerystoreintheUnitedStatesandfindforsalebrick-sizeblocksof compressed raisinsbound togetherwithcondensedgrape juiceAttached tothe block was a small container of dried yeast The wrapping contained thefollowingtext

WARNING

Donotdissolve thisfruitbrick inwarmwaterandthenaddthecontentsof theyeastpacket as this will result in fermentation and the creation of alcohol the production ofwhichisillegal

NeedlesstosaythelocalAampPsoldalotoffruitbrickswhileProhibitionwas

inforceTraditionalmoonshinestartsoutwiththeproductionandfermentationofwhat

isbasicallyasimplebeerTraditionalistswouldcreateamashofgroundcornhotwaterandenoughmaltedbarleytoprovidesufficientenzymestoconvertthestarch in the grains into simple sugars Once the starch conversion wascompleteyeastwasaddedtothemashwiththeresultingfermentationturningthesugarsintoalcoholThefermentedmashwouldthenbeboiledinthepotstilltodistilloffthealcoholAlas times and moonshine are not what they used to be Modern

moonshiners tend toskip thegrainmashingandgodirectly to fermentationbydissolvingregularsugarinwarmwaterfermentingthesugarwaterwithbakerrsquosyeast and then distilling off the resulting alcohol The results are spiritmuchinferior to a distilled grain spirit and ultimately an arrestedmoonshiner TheAlcoholandTobaccoTaxandTradeBureau (TTBalsoknownasldquotheFedsrdquo)keeps track of the sale of large quantities of bulk sugar particularly in ruralareaswithapasthistoryofmoonshiningYouhavebeenwarned

Whiskeyiswhatbeerwantstobewhenitgrowsup

VirginiaLightningCornWhiskeybyBelmontFarm

Despiteanuptickinamateurdistillingandagreaterwillingnessamongsometotalkmoreopenlyaboutthecraftthelonghistoryofsecretiveandsometimesviolentmoonshiningmeansthatuntilrecentlyreliableinformationwasscarceand difficult to verify That situation is rapidly changing and distillers fromcuriousnovices toaccomplishedhomeartisansare far fromisolatedanymoreIn less than a generation theyrsquove learned to talk to each other pool theirknowledgeandaskevermorenuancedquestionsaboutbuildingandoperatingarangeofstills

MODERNldquoMOONSHINERSrdquo

Thecurrentinterestamonghobbyistdistillersincreatingfirst-rateliquorsandthe general wholesome quality of their products tracks primarily to threeconvergenttrends

1)Craftbrewers2)NewZealand3)TheInternet

CRAFTBREWERS

Craftbrewersarenotsimplythefirstonestostudyhowtomakeoutstandingsmall-batchspiritstheyarealsogoingtoshapethefaceofmicro-andpersonaldistillingBrewers have alreadymastered three key skills how to collaboratehowtoorganizeandhowtodrivelegislationThe current interest in distilling among brewers is so widespread that it is

virtuallyimpossibletotalktocraftbrewerswhoarenrsquotalreadydistillingonthesly or working on permits or know someone who is One erstwhile brewerframed his transition from beer to liquorwith this aphorismWhiskey iswhatbeerwantstobewhenitgrowsup

ChuckMillerstandsinfrontofhispotstillatBelmontFarmDistilleryoneofadozendistilleriesintheUnitedStatedproducingalegalmoonshineproduct

DistillerBenFrisstandsnexttoacus-tom-builtone-of-a-kindpotstillatNewHollandBrewingandDistilling

Makingbeerathomehasbeengoingonformostofthetwentiethcenturybutitrsquosonlybeenlegalonafederallevelsince1978Foradecadeorsoafteritwaspermittedhomebrewers(intheUnitedStates)exploredallkindsofbeerandalestyles they could not purchase through their local stores They perfected theirtechniques competed against each other in regional and national contestspublishedtheirpersonalrecipesgaveoutawardstotheirpeersandlaterputthatknowledgetousebyopeningbrewpubsandmicrobrewerieseverywhereHomebrew supply shops everywhere were selling hops malts specialty

grainscarboysesotericscientificequipmentandlab-culturedyeaststotensofthousandsofhomebrewers tryinggood-naturedly tobesteachother in roundsofMyBeerIsBetterThanYoursBy the1990s somebrewerswerepushing the limitsof theirequipmentand

ingredientsbecomingessentiallynovicedistillersTheirhomemaderigslookedpretty much the same as brewing equipment The ingredients were the sameTheywere learning on pot stills because for hundreds of years variations onthat model had been the choice of folk distilling Most of what a casualresearcher found in popular culture referenceswere the big copper pumpkin-shaped boilers of a style that would have been familiar to eighteenth-centuryfarmersAs brewers they already knew about grains malt yeast enzymes ideal

fermentationtemperaturesfiltrationsystemsandthewaterprofilesthatleadtogreat-tastingbeveragesSomehadcometobelievethattheonlythingstoppingthem from havingwhiskeywas toomuchwater Because they had developedwidespread networks for sharing information alreadymdashbooks magazinescontests clubs festivals newsletters and rudimentary online newsgroupsmdashquestionsbegantocirculateabouthowbesttoremovethatexcesswaterSharing critiquing and judgingwere an entrenched part of the culture that

wasstartingtotakeupwhathadlongbeenasecretpracticeAnonymousonlineforums were ideal tools for vetting home-distilling questions Unlike the oldAppalachian moonshiners modern distillers with homebrewing backgroundswerealreadyusedtotalkingtoeachotheronlineandinperson

NEWZEALAND

Because few of the twentieth-century books on moonshining held muchpractical information on techniques for building and operating stills amateurdistillers without a family history in such matters learned by trial and errorThen in 1996NewZealand lawmakers scrapped legislation forbidding homedistillation InAustralasiaanexplosionof interestand innovation specificallyaround design for home-size stills that veered off from traditional stylesreverberatedwidely

AcopperstillfromCopperMoonshineStillscom(asseeninthemovieTheDukesofHazzard)

Local distilling enthusiasts were studying the physics of stills attachingprobes andmeters tomeasure exactlywhatwas goingonwhen they firedupTheylearnedhowtallandwidehome-sizestillsshouldbeTheyaffixedcolumnsto theirpotsand looselyfilled themwithceramicandcopperpackingmaterialfor maximum efficiency Those stills started looking like something out of arefinery churning out high-proof alcohol on single runs rather than themultistageprocessthattraditionalpotstillscalledfor

THEINTERNET

These innovative distillers went online and because their hobbywas legalstarted talking to each other openly Brewerswhowere getting into distillingwith theiralreadyestablishednetworksandcultureofopennessnoticedTheyseized on a wealth of new verifiable information coming out of the SouthernHemisphereandaddedtheirownexperiencesespeciallyinonlineforumsSince thenas reliable informationhasbeenvettedonlineabouthowbest to

buildandoperatesmall-scalestillshomecolumnorrefluxstillshaveevolvedbecoming more compact and efficient and able to put out as close to purealcohol as is possible outside a laboratory (in short very clean stuff) Mostrecently a specific style of distilling has evolved thatrsquos all about purityefficiency and making lots of neutral spirits in very compact column stillsEasilybuiltandeasilyoperated theyaremoreefficientandlessworkthanpotstills

MOONSHINEDEFINED

AbroaddefinitionofmoonshineisanyliquormadefromunregisteredstillsbyunlicenseddistillersThisdefinitioncoversaKentuckyfarmermakingtheliquorhis father did aNewYork imbiberwresting 10 ounces of gin from a case ofBudweiseraswellasaSanFranciscocheftweakinghergrandmotherrsquoskuumlmmeltocarryonthetraditionTodayrsquosnano-distillersdonrsquot sell their products In fact profit seemsalmost

anathema One of the quickest ways to really anger others is for unlicenseddistillers tostartselling theirmakingsSomeembrace themoonshiner identityothersavoidthetermbecauseofitsassociationwithlawlessnessRegardless of what distillers call themselves they fall into three loose

categoriesmdasheconomictechnicalandartisanalproducersEconomicdistillers

ECONOMICDISTILLERS

Economic distillers make liquor because homemade is cheaper than store-boughtAny type of stillmight be used from an inherited copper pot still tomodernrefluxmodelsorevenanaquariumheaterinaplasticbucketTheyareapt to distill sugar spirits but also grains and fruits when they may be hadinexpensivelyAlthough theirproductsareprone tobeofquestionablequalitythey are not necessarily bad liquormdashthink of marc and grappa made frompomacethatmightotherwisebethrownaway

TECHNICALDISTILLERS

Technical distillers are armchair (or even professional) engineers andchemistsgear-headswhostrivetomakethemostefficientdistillerysetuptheycan forever tweaking and adjusting their rigs creating technologicalwondersTheyrunandrerunabatchofspiritstocreatethepurestspirittheycantakingmeticulous notes of every temperature fluctuation proof variation and yieldTechnicaldistillerstendtohaveaninordinateamountofvodkaonhandbecausethe end result of their frequent experiments is often a high-proof nearly purespirit theycan supplementwithextractsandessences for theexact flavor theywant

FigADiagramofaColumnDistiller

IllustrationfromWhiskeyTechnologyProductionandMarketingEditedbyIngeRussellAcademicPress2003FigAThisflowchartillustrateshowthewashistransformedintospiritsThebottomofthestillstripsoutthewaterwhiletherectifyingsection(topofthestill)distillstheliquorstoincreasetheirspirituosity

FigBDimensionsofaTypicalSpiritsStill

FigBApotiswiderthantallallowingvaporstoescapefromthewashAtallswanneckallowsforseparationofthecomponentsofthemixtureTheshapeofthestillaffectstheflavorcomponentsofthespiritsEverypotstillisuniqueasdistillerswantdistinctiveflavorprofilesintheirfinishedspirits

ASPIRINGANDACCOMPLISHEDARTISANS

Aspiringandaccomplishedartisanscomprisethethirdgroupwhosegoalistomake authentic and great-tasting spirits While technical distillers considerunwanted chemical compounds obstacles to pure liquor artisans rightfullyregardtasteandaromaasthebackbonethatdefinestheirownpersonalstyleofdistilling They tend to use less-efficient old-school pot stillsmdashthey mightimmediately recognize thekind that a farmerused in 1740Someuse columnstillsbutwithoutthecolumnsatmaximumefficiencythuspreservingtasteandaromabynotdistillingtothehighestproofpossibleFinallytheytendtofermentgrainsandfruitsratherthansugarandnottocarewhatitcostsmdashbecauseitrsquosforthemnotforsellinrsquo

FigCAnatomyofaPotStill

FigCAsillustratedhereawhiskeystillhasfourpartspotswannecklynearmandcondenserTheshapeofeachaffectsrectificationandtheflavorofthespiritPotThepotcanbyanyshaperoundonionorconicalTheshapeofthepotaffectshowthewashisheated(alwaysto172degF[78degC])ItcanbeheatedbydirectfiresteamgasorwoodMostpotshaveasightglasssothedistillercancheckforfoamingduringthedistillationprocessSwanneckTheswannecksitsontopofthepotItcanbetallshortstraightortaperedOftentheswanneckisconnectedtothepotviaanogeeabubble-shapedchamberTheogeeallowsthedistillatetoexpandcondenseandfallbackintothepotduringdistillationMostpotstillshaveataperedswanneckallowingforbetterseparationandbetterenrichingofthespiritsduringdistillingLynearmThelynearmsitsontopoftheswanneckItcanbetiltedupordownanditcanbetaperedorstraightOftenpotstillsarefittedwithadephlegmatororapurifierItsmainpurposeistheenrichmentofspiritsbeforetheyrsquoresentontothecondenserInternalsteamcoilTheinternalsteamcoilheatsthewashto173degF(78degC)wherethealcoholseparatesfromthewashCondenserThecondenserorwormisusedforcoolingthespiritsandprovidingasmallstreamtoacollectiontankorpail

ECONOMICALINGREDIENTSFORDISTILLING

Consideraglutofplums forbackyard slivovitzora skidof dried fruit atbargain pricing that can be turned into Arabian siddiqui However ersatzwhiskeysmadefrombreakfastcerealsarenotunheardofsocaveatemptoristherule

AfruiteaudeviefermentationatStringerrsquosOrchardWildPlumWineryampDistillery

CHAPTERTWO

THEDISTILLINGPROCESS

INTHEMOSTliteralsenseoftheworddistillationmeanstheconcentration

oftheessenceofasubstancebyseparatingitfromanyothersubstancesthatitismixed with In the case of distilling alcohol this means boiling a fermentedliquidinastilltoseparatetheethanolfromthesolidswaterandotherchemicalcompoundsinthefermentedsolutionButjustasthedevilisinthedetailstheartofdistillingisinhowthedistillerachievesthatseparationandhowprecisethatseparationis

ThecondensercoolsthevaporsintoliquidspiritwhichiscollectedandbottledatAnchorDistilling

Thewide rangeof stillsdescribed in this chapter eachoriginally evolved tomeettherequirementsofproducingaparticulartypeofspiritDependingonthetype of spirit beingmade precision is not necessarily the goal of the distillerThousandsofchemicalcompoundsarecreatedbyfermentationanddistillationall of which can have for better or worse an effect on the ultimate taste orcharacterofadistilledspiritThedistillerrsquosprimaryjobis toretain thedesiredflavorelementswhilediscarding those thatarenotThis isnotassimpleas itsoundsAnddespiteallofthehigh-techcontrolsinamoderndistillerythestillmasterneverthelesshasthefinalcall

ldquoGlassofbrandyandwaterThatisthecurrentbutnottheappropriatenameaskforaglassofliquidfireanddistilleddamnationrdquo

mdashRobertHallnineteenth-centurytemperancecrusaderwhowasneverthelifeoftheparty

HOWDISTILLATIONWORKS

Distillationisaphysicalprocessinwhichcompoundsareseparatedbyvirtueof their different boiling points Two compounds with the same boiling pointoccurring together would not be separable by distillation Fortunately suchoccurrenceswiththeingredientsinliquorandspiritsarerareTheseparationindistillationoccurswhenamixtureofcompoundsinthestill

is brought to a boil Compounds with lower boiling points vaporize at lowertemperatures than compoundswith higher boiling points Thismeans that thevapororsteamrisingofftheboilingmixtureisricherinthelower-boiling-pointcompounds than in the higher-boiling-point onesNext this vapor is collectedand cooled to condense it back into a liquid The resulting liquid called thedistillate contains a considerably higher concentration of the lower-boiling-pointcompoundsthanofthehigher-boiling-pointonesInasimplifiedexample letrsquosconsideramixtureof90percentwaterand10

percentethanolWaterhasaboilingpointof212degF(100degC)andethanolhasaboilingpointof1731degF(784degC)Theethanolwillboilandvaporizewellbeforethewatersowhenthevaporsarecollectedandcondensedtheresultingdistillatewill have a high concentration of ethanol and comparatively little water ThedistillatewillnotbepureethanolbecausesomewaterwillvaporizeattheboilingpointofethanolevenifthewateritselfisnotatitsboilingpointTails (see page 36) start at 203degF (95degC) and contain a high percentage of

fuseloilsknowntodistillersaswetdogbouquetAlittlebitisactuallyneededinsometypesofwhiskeybutonlyalittlebitThinkIslayScotchWhiskyBecauseallthecompoundsinastillwillvaporizetoagreaterorlesserextent

during boiling the separation of the compounds will not be perfect so moreelaborate stills have been developed to intensify the separation of the vaporsonce theyhave left theboiler Inmodernhigh-separationstills this isdonebyemployingarefluxcolumntomanagethevaporsaftertheyleavetheboilerandbeforetheyarecondensedanddrawnfromthestill

ASTILLrsquoSBLUEPRINT

ThewhiskeystillhasfourpartspotswannecklynearmandcondenserTheshape of each section affects rectification (redistillation) and the taste of thespiritsThereisnoperfectdesigneachmanufacturersaysitspotstillmakesthebest-tastingwhiskeyAtthispointdistillingisanldquoartrdquoTomakegoodwhiskeyyouneedtohave

good ingredients (clean wash) and a good palate (nose and tongue) and youneedtoknowwhentostartandstop(makingheadandtailcuts)Whenitcomestowhiskeydistillingtheprocessiscontrolledbyadistillernotacomputeroramanual

WHATADIFFERENCEADEGREEMAKES

Between174deg(788degC)and175degF(794degC)averitablewitchrsquosbrewofnastychemical compounds (known collectively as heads) are cut and removed byproper distilling These include acetone aldehydes and methanol Lazymoonshiners tend to leave them in resulting in rotgut and a serious head-bangingheadachethenextmorningasyoulieinbedandprayfortheAngelofDeathtocomeandfinishthejob

Thepot can be any shape round onion or conical The shape of the potaffectshow thewash isheated (to172degF [778degC]) It canbeheatedbydirectfiresteamgasorwoodAllsystemshaveadvantagesanddisadvantagesThereis no right way to heat washMostmanufacturers however prefer a double-jacketedsteam-watersystemthatprovidesagentleheattothewashMainlyyoudonrsquotwant to burn thewashMost pots have a sight glass so thedistiller cancheckforfoamingduringthedistillationprocess

THECHEMISTRYOFPURESPIRITS

Even a modern high-separation still cannot produce pure ethanol This isbecausewaterformsanazeotropewithethanolAnazeotropeisamixtureoftwoliquidcompoundswhosemoleculesbecomelooselybondedsuchthattheyhaveacommonboiling point that is different from either constituentrsquos In the case ofethanolandwatertheazeotropeoccursatamixtureof965percentethanoland35 percent water and it has a boiling point of 17267degF (7815degC) This is045degF(017degC)lowerthanthe17312degF(784degC)boilingpointofpureethanolIn distillation this azeotrope is a single compound with a boiling point of17267degF (7815degC) and the still proceeds to separate it on that basis Theethanol that is purified by a fractionating column is not therefore pure 100percent ethanolbutpure965percent ethanolwith theldquoimpurityrdquobeingpurewater No amount of redistillation under the conditions discussed here willinfluence this percentage 965 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) is thetheoreticalmaximumpuritythatcanbederivedbytheaboveprocessThe temperatures stated above are at standard atmospheric pressure In a

columnstillduetoincreasedpressureatthebottomresultingfromthepressuredropover theplates the temperatureswouldbequiteabithigher thanstatedForexamplethespentwashwhichwouldhaveaboilingpointofabout212degF(100degC) at standard pressure would have a boiling point of about 220degF(1044degC)duetotheincreasedpressure

TheswannecksitsontopofthepotItcanbetallshortstraightortaperedOften the swan neck is connected to the pot via an ogee a bubble-shapedchamberTheogeeallowsthedistillatetoexpandcondenseandfallbackintothepotduringdistillationMostpotstillshaveataperedswanneckallowingforbetterseparationandbetterenrichingofthespiritsduringdistillingThelynearmsitsontopoftheswanneckItcanbetiltedupordownandit

canbetaperedorstraightMostarmsaretapereddownOftenpotstillsarefittedwithadephlegmatororwhatScottishdistillerscallapurifierThedephlegmatorisfittedwithbafflesthatusewaterplatesortubestocoolthedistillatesending90 percent of it back into the pot Its main purpose is the enrichment of thespiritsbeforetheyrsquoresentontothecondenserThecondenserorwormisusedforcoolingthespiritsandprovidingasmall

streamtoacollectiontankorpail

AsmallpotstillsimilartomanymoonshinestillsisinoperationfortouriststoseeattheGlenmorangieDistilleryScotland

WHISKEYSTILLSINDETAIL

There are severaldifferentdesignsof stillsused formakingwhiskeyThese

includethemoonshinestillgooseneckstillcontinuous-runcolumnstillFrenchCharentaisalambicstillandartisanpotstill(ThetraditionalEnglishspellingofthisFrenchwordisalembic)

FigAFlat-topMoonshineStill

FigAInthebasicmoonshinestillvaporsfromtheheatedwashriseintothecapAfterhittingtheflattopofthestillvaporsexitviathelynearmintothecondenserwheretheycondenseandbecomespirits

MOONSHINESTILL

ThemostbasicandrudimentarydesignisacrudepotstillormoonshinestillwhichisaclosedpotlikeapressurecookerwithapipeleadingfromthelidintoacondensercoilThecondensercoil caneitherbe longenough toair-cool thevaporsoritcanbeshorterandimmersedinawaterjacketSuchastillaffordsminimum separation of the vapors because there is almost no separation oncetheyleavetheboilerAlthoughthisdesignofstill isnotsuitableforproducingbeveragealcoholbymodernstandardsitwillstillconcentratean8or10percentABVwashto60percentinafairlyfastrunTherearemanyhomedistillersandillicitcommercialmoonshinersusingthis

typeofstill todayAndbecausethistypeofstill is typicallyheatedonastovetoporonagasburner it isnecessary to removeallsuspendedsolids fromthewash before placing it in the boiling pot To do otherwisewould risk burningsolidsonthebottomofthepot

FigBCross-sectionofaStillrsquoBubbleCap

FigBThebubblecapssitontrayovervaporstubesinthecolumnThecapsprovidecontactbetweentherisingvaporsanddescendingrefluxcreatingadistillingcycleandenrichingthealcoholArrowsindicatevaporsrisingfromthewashandhittingthebubblecapsApercentageofpurevaporscontinuetoriseandtheldquolesspurerdquofallbackintothestillforre-distillation

AnatomyofaCraftWhiskeyStill

GOOSENECKSTILL

Thegooseneckpot still is themost commondesignof still used toproduceScottish malt whisky Some Irish whiskies and a number of American andCanadianwhiskiesarealsodistilledinthistypeofstillThisstyleofpotstillhasbeeninuseforcenturiesforcommercialwhiskeyproductionanditisevenmorepopulartodayinmodernwhiskeydistilleriesthaneverThegooseneckstillhasalargeroundboilerandisfunctionallyverysimilarto

the crudepot still except it has a long broadneck rising from theboiler thatallows enough separation to hold back most of the fusel alcohols from thedistillatewhileretainingthedesiredflavorsinthefinishedspiritTheneckbendsatthetopandconnectstoapipecalledalynearmthatleadstoacondensercoilimmersed inwaterThe lynearmusuallyanglesdownwardslightly toward thecondenserbutinsomedistilleriesittiltsupward

AgooseneckstillclearlyshowingthelynearmatWoodfordReserveDistillery

The levelofseparation inagooseneckpotstill isaffectedby theamountofcondensation that takesplace in theneckand lynearm that fallsback into theboiler This condensation is called reflux and themore reflux the higher thelevelofseparation If the lynearm isangleddownward thenanyvapor in thelynearmthatcondenseswillfallforwardtowardthecondenserandbecomepartof the distillate passing to the receiver However if the lyne arm is angledupward condensation fallsback to theboiler andwill createadditional refluxandthereforeadditionalseparation

ModelofagooseneckForsythswhiskystill

BEVERAGESPRODUCEDINGOOSENECKSTILLS

Becausethelongbroadneckprovidesalargesurfaceareawhichresultsinalarger proportion of reflux than crude pot stills gooseneck stills are moresuitable for distilling beverage alcohol The gooseneck stills are suited to theproductionofwhiskeybrandyrumschnappsandothernon-neutralspiritsforwhichtheyarewidelyusedcommerciallyHowevertheyarenotsuitablefortheproduction of vodka gin or other spirits derived from neutral alcoholwhichrequiresahigh-separationstillcapableofproducingpureazeotropeethanolThe wash distilled in gooseneck stills is typically separated from the

suspended solids much like the malt washes used for making Scottish maltwhiskySomegooseneckstillsareheatedbyanopenfireundertheboilerwhichwould result in the burning of suspended solids if they were in the washHowever most contemporary stills are heated with steam jackets ThiscombinedwitharummagercanenablethesestillstoboilfullmasheswithallthegrainintheboilerwithoutburningthesolidsonthebottomofthepotArummagerisanagitatingdevicethatslowlyturnsaroundinsidethestillpot

dragginganetofcopperchainsalongthebottomoftheboilertopreventsolidsfromcakingupandburningduringdistilling

THECONTINUOUS-RUNDESIGNFLAW

ThereisaninherentflawinthisdesignofstillBecausethecontinuous-runstillhasaconstantflowofnewwashcomingintoitatalltimestherearealwaysheadsandtailspresentinthecolumnThisisunlikeabatchstillwhichisanyofthenoncontinuousstillsdiscussedinthistextwheretheheadsaredrawnoffatthebeginningoftherunandthentheyaregoneInacontinuous-runoperationallphasesareconstantlybeingintroducedtothecolumnbytheincomingwashThisposesnoproblemwiththetailsbecauseatthetrayswheretheheartsaredrawnoffthetailsarelowerinthecolumnandarethereforenotpresenttobedrawnoffwiththeheartsHoweverheadsarestillpresentatthesetrayssonomatterhowwellacontinuous-runstillisequilibratedtherersquollalwaysbeasmallamountofheadsintheheartsphaseHaving said this the continuous-run column is a high-separation still that

makesverypreciseseparationofthecompoundsinitscolumnThereisalwaysgoingtobeatraceamountofheadsintheheartsandthisamountisstillwithintheallowablelimitsforpotablespiritsInmostcasesitislessthantheresidualheadsfoundintheheartsfromcommercialbatchstills

CONTINUOUS-RUNCOLUMNSTILL

This type of still is used for producing enormous volumes of spirit in acontinuousoperationthatrunsconstantlyforuptoelevenmonthsstraightbeforeit is shut down for cleaning and overhauling They commonly have afractionatingcolumnthatstandsabout100feet(305m)high(similartothatofanoilrefinery)andaseriesofbubble-captraysspacedeverycoupleoffeetupthecolumnThe traysare fartherapartnear thebottomandgetcloser togethertowardthetopIthasnopotorboilerperseanditisheatedbyblastingsteamupwardfromthebottomofthecolumnwhilethewashiscontinuouslyfedintoatrayatthemiddleofthecolumnAsthewashrunsdownthroughthetraysofthecolumnitencountersthehot

steam which vaporizes the compounds in the wash and carries them up thecolumnThelower-boilingcompoundscontinuetoriseupthecolumnwhilethehigher-boilingonescondenseandarecarrieddownthecolumnThecolumnhasanexitvalveateverytraywherevaporcanbedrawnoffand

ledtoacondenserThisenablestheoperatorstoconfigurethesystemsocertaintraysleadtoacondenserthatgoestotheheadsreceiveranothersetoftrayscanbe sent to the hearts receiver andother trays canbe sent to the tails receiverWhatflowstothebottomofthecolumnisresiduethatissenttothedrainApossibleconfigurationforbourbonwouldhavethetoptwotraysconfigured

forheadsthenthenextfourconfiguredforheartsthenextfivefortailsandtherest of the trayswould refluxwith no draw off andwhat reached the bottomwouldbediscardedasresidueThe draw off rateswould be set up tomaintain a hearts phasewith say a

constant 65 percentABVBourbon thatrsquos distilled in a continuous-run columnstillisusuallydoneintwodistillationsbothwiththeheartsdrawnoffatabout65percentABVBecauseacontinuous-runstillrunsformanymonthsatatimethewashmust

befairlyclearwithaminimumofsolidsotherwisethebuildupofresidueinthesystemwouldbecomeuntenableandthesystemwouldneedtobeshutdowntobecleanedSothereisnoprocesswithacontinuous-runstillwherebytheentiremash is distilled The mash must always be strained or filtered before beingplacedinthereservoirsupplyingthestillThedistillerymusthaveabatteryoffermentersthatareinconstantoperation

ateachstageofthefermentationprocesstokeepupwiththecontinuousdemand

forwashforthestills

Thisalambicstillwascustom-builtbyDynamicAlambicbyreconfiguringaGrundigbeertank

FRENCHCHARENTAISALAMBICSTILL

This type of still is used almost exclusively for making brandy includingcognacArmagnacCalvadosandotherfamousFrenchbrandiesIt isdesignedespecially to leave a lot of the aromatics and flavor in the distillate and istherefore one of the lower-separation beverage-alcohol stills Because of thisqualityspiritsareusuallydistilledtwiceinaFrenchCharentaisalambicstillWhiskeycanalsobemadeinthisdesignofstillItisfunctionallyquitesimilar

tothegooseneckstillbutitcreatesalowerlevelofseparationmakingaricherandcreamier-tastingwhiskeybutwithalittlemorefuselalcoholTheFrenchCharentais alambic still has threemajor components theboiler

withhelmetthepreheaterandthecondenserThehelmetisthechamberjustabove the boiler and it serves as an expansion chamberwhichworkswell toholdback a lot of theheavier compounds such as fusel alcohols and furfurolswhile allowing the desirable aromatics and flavors to be carried over in thedistillateThe preheater as the name implies preheats the next batch of wine to be

distilled It is also used as a reservoir to enable a near-continuous distillationprocessSomebrandydistillerssimplyincludethemaspartofthehearts(nottheheads) In this way continuously feeding wine into the boiler is possibleBecause there is no workable way to drain the boiler during operation thecontinuous feeding of winemust stopwhen the boiler is too full to take anymorePriortoadistillationrunthepreheaterisfilledwithwinetobeheatedforthe

next distillation The preheater has the vapor tube from the boiler passingthroughitonitswaytothecondenserThistransfersheatfromthevaportothewinebeforethevaporentersthecondenserThisheatsthewineinthepreheatertonearboilingduringthedistillationrunandreducestheamountofheatthatthecondenserhastodissipatetherebymakingefficientuseofheatandreducingtheamountofcoolingwaterused

AlambicstillatJepsonVineyardsinUkiahCalifornia

AlambicstillinstallationinFrance

Thepre-heaterhasapipewithavalve leadingfromit to theboilerWhenadistillationrunisfinishedandtheboilerhasbeendrainedtheoperatorcanopenthe valve and fill the boiler with another charge of wine from the pre-heaterthatrsquosalreadyatnear-boiling temperatureThismakesefficientuseofheatandsignificantlyreducestheamountoftimetobringthenextbatchofwinetoaboil

AholehadtobecutintheceilingtoaccomodatethecolumnofthispotstillatTuthilltownSpirits

ThecondenserinaFrenchCharentaisalambicstillasinmosttypesofstillsconsistsofthecoppercoilimmersedinawaterjacketwithcoldwatercirculatingaroundit

BEVERAGESPRODUCEDINALAMBICSTILLS

These stills are invariably used to distill wine or in the case of whiskeydistillerrsquos beer They are not generally used to distill fullmasheswith all thesolids left in However design-wise the Charentais could be used to distillmasheswithsolidsbecauseitsboileristhesameasthatofthestandardalambicwhichiswidelyusedtomakegrappaandmarcfromgrapepomaceTodothisasievetraymustbeinsertedintotheboilertoserveasafalsebottomtoholdthesolidsabovethebottomofthepotandpreventburning

ARTISANPOTSTILL

ThistypeofstillisthemostversatileofallthestillsEachartisanpotstillisnearly made to order based on a distillerrsquos needs and preferences Itscomponentsincludeaspherical-shapedboileracondenserandwidevarietyofoptional components such as a steam jacket or a direct fire an agitator ahelmet one or two columns of bubble-cap trays a dephlegmator and acatalyzerThespherical-shapedboilerevenlyheatsthesubstrateparticularlyifthereis

anagitatorAndanartisanstill thatrsquos steamheatedandhasanagitatorcanbeused to distill anywash Evenwashes full of fruit pulp or grainmash can beheatedinthisconfigurationofboilerwithoutanyriskofburningonthebottomofthepotAlsobyconstantlyagitatingthewashthroughoutthedistillationrunthe distillery can save about 20 percent on the heat required to perform thedistillationTheabilitytodistilltheentirewashincludingallthesolidspurportedlygives

asuperiorflavortothespiritproducedApparentlythefruitmashesformakingschnappsyieldarichermorecomplexflavoriftheycanbedistilledwithallthefruitpulpintheboilerManywhiskeydistillerscontendthesametobetruefordistilling grain mashes and a number of the premium brands of AmericanwhiskeyaredistilledwiththegrainmashinthestillThehelmetcomponent(optional)istechnicallyanexpansionchamberandit

isusuallyanearlysphericaldomethatsitsdirectlyontopoftheboilerAsvaporrisesfromtheboileritpassesthroughacomparativelynarrowpassagewayintothelargervolumeofthehelmetThisresultsinasuddenreductioninpressurewhich helps hold back higher-boiling compounds while allowing desirablearomaticsandflavorstocontinueupthecolumnSomedistillerssaythishelmetiskeytoproducingatrulyexcellentspirit

Artisanpotstilltheshapeofthehelmetldquoheadrdquoofthestillinfluencestheflavorofthedistillate

From the helmet the vapor rises into the column In some artisan pot stillconfigurationsthecolumnismounteddirectlyontopofthehelmetWhenthereis no helmet the column is mounted directly on top of the boiler In otherconfigurationssuchastwocolumnsthecolumnispositionedbesidetheboilerThe reason for this is the still would stand too high for most facilities if thecolumnwerestackedontopofthehelmetorevenontopoftheboilerWithin thecolumnarebubble-cap traysThevapor risesup the tubesunder

the bubble caps and bubbles out fromunder the cap and through the standingliquidoneachtrayThestandingliquidoverflowsatacertaindepthtothenexttraybelowCompoundseparation takesplaceby theredistillation thatoccurswhentheheatfromthevaportransferstothestandingliquidThiscauseshigher-boilingcompoundsinthevaportocondenseandlower-boilingcompoundsintheliquid toevaporateTheoveralleffect is todrive the lower-boilingcompoundsup the column in vapor state and the higher-boiling compounds down thecolumninliquidstate

Twincolumnsofbubble-captrays

OPTIONALSTILLCOMPONENTS

Modernartisanpotstillshaveaninterestingfeaturethatallowstheoperatortobypass anyof the trays to vary the separation level for the columnThere arelevers on the side of the column connected to each tray and the operator canposition the lever to cause the tray to turn sideways and allow thevapors andliquidtopassbyOrtheoperatorcanpositionthelevertheotherwaytoputthetrayinplacesothatitisfullyengagedinprocessingrefluxThedephlegmatorresidesabovethetopbubble-captrayItisachamberatthe

topofthecolumnwithnumerousverticaltubesforthevaportotravelthroughonitswaytothecondenserThereisawaterjacketaroundtheverticaltubesthattheoperator can flood with cooling water to increase the amount of reflux ThewaterlevelinthedephlegmatorcanbeadjustedtogivegranularcontrolovertheamountofrefluxHaving the capability to dial up or down the reflux creates a great deal of

control over the compoundmix in the finished spirit For example if a givenspirit had an excellent aroma and flavor profile but a rough finish due to anexcessof fuselalcohol the refluxcouldbedialedupslightly toholdback thefusel

TheMoorrsquoscaponthisalambicstillhasadistinctivelookandgivesauniqueflavorprofiletothedistillates

The catalyzer is positioned above the dephlegmator and has an array ofsacrificialcopperCopperisanimportantmaterialinastillbecausethenoxioussulfides in thevapor instantlyreactoutuponcontactwithcopperHoweverasthisoccursovertimethecoppermaterialofthestillbecomescompromisedandexpensivestillcomponentsrequirereplacingTheideaofthecatalyzeristohaveachamberwithcopper in thevaporpath specificallydesigned to reactout thesulfidesfromthevaporOvertimethiscoppererodesfromthereactionwiththesulfidesbutitcanbecheaplyreplacedIneffectthecopperinthecatalyzerisbeingsacrificedtosavethecoppermaterialofthestill

Artisanpotstill

In summary artisan pot stills can be superb stills and are well known formaking quality spirits Unfortunately their throughput is comparatively slowanddistilleriesareoftenputinthepositionofhavingtooptforlargerthroughputstillssuchasthecontinuous-runcolumntomeetthedemandsoftheirmarkets

COLUMNCONFIGURATION

Thenumber of bubble-cap trays in the column depends on the intendeduseoftheartisanpotstillanditisthereforeoptionalSomeartisanpotstillsare used to make vodka and have two tall columns with a total of twentybubble-cap trays An excellent configuration for making whiskey howeverwouldbeastillwithahelmetacolumnwithfourtraysadephlegmatorandacatalyzer

THEBATCH-STILLPROCESSOFDISTILLATION

THE DISTILLATION process is operationally the same for all four-batch

stills discussedpreviously themoonshine still thegooseneck still theFrenchCharentais and the artisan pot still The continuous-run column still has adifferentregimenanditisdescribedinthesectionthatfollows

TheProcessofDistillationAnOverview

Atleftthemajorstepsfrombarleytobarrel1MashTunUsedtoconvertbarleygrainstarchestosugars2Fermentationofthewash3Strippingofthewashtoremovewater4Collectionofldquolowwinerdquospirits5Redistillingthespiritstoproducefinalspiritsforbarreling6Barrelingoragingofspirits

HEADSHEARTSTAILS

Indistillingparlancethecompoundsinthewashthatarenotethanolorwaterare called congeners Some congeners such as acetaldehyde methanol andcertain esters and aldehydes have lower boiling points than ethanol certainotherestersthehigheralcohols(fuselalcohols)andwaterhavehigherboilingpoints than ethanolThismeans the lower-boiling congeners comeout inhighconcentrationatthebeginningofabatchdistillationrunandthehigher-boilingones come out in high concentration toward the end of the run leaving theethanol and the most desirable compounds as the most abundant componentsduringthemiddleoftherunWhendistillation takesplace in a batch still thedistillate that comesout is

dividedintothreephasescalledheadsheartsandtails

bullTheheadscontaintheunwantedlower-boilingcongenersthatcomeoutatthebeginningoftherun

bullThetailscontaintheunwantedhigher-boilingcongenersthatcomeoutattheendoftherun

bullTheheartsarethedesiredspiritinthemiddle

Becausewhiskeyisnotdistilledatahigh-separationlevelitmeansthateachphase bleeds into the adjacent phase That is to say there is a considerableamountofethanolintheheadsphaseandtherearelate-headscongenersatthebeginningof theheartsphaseSimilarly there isasignificantamountofearly-tails congeners at the endof thehearts and there is a considerable amount ofethanolinthetailsphaseThewhiskeycomprisedmostlyofethanolandwaterhasadelicatebalanceof late-headsandearly-tailscongeners thatmakeup theflavorprofileofthewhiskeyThere are literally thousands of these congeners or chemical flavor

compoundscreatedduringthedistillingprocessallofwhichhavethepotentialofaddingorsubtractingtothedesiredfinalflavorprofileofthedistilledspiritPart of the art (asopposed to the science)of distilling is knowingwhen thesecongeners are created and when to add or remove them In flavor-specificspirits such as brandy and whiskey it is desirable to carry over selectedcongeners into the finished spirit However in flavor-neutral spirits such asvodka the goal is to remove asmany congeners as possible to end upwith a

spiritthathasacleannonspecificpalateBecause both the heads and the tails contain a lot of ethanol and residual

desirable flavor they are mixed together and saved for future recovery Theheads and tails whenmixed together are called feints Feints can be distilledseparatelytoproduceanotherwhiskeyrunortheycanbemixedinwithafuturespirit runwhere their ethanol and flavors are recovered as a part of that runHowevereachsubsequentdistillationproducesitsownsetofheadsheartsandtailsandthefeintsfromthoserunsarealsosavedforfuturerecovery

TWO-RUNDISTILLATION

When whiskey is made it is usually done in two distillation runs a beer-strippingrunandaspiritrun

bullThebeer-strippingrunisgenerallydoneinalargerhigh-volumepotstillcalledabeerstripperThebeerstripperisusedtodistillthefermentedwashandconcentratetheethanolandalltheimpuritiesintoadistillateofabout25percentethanolcalledlowwine

bullThespiritrunisdoneinasmallerwhiskeystillsuchasagooseneckoranartisanrefluxstillcalledaspiritstillThespiritstillisusedtodistillthelowwineandrefineitintothefinishedspiritTherearethetwooutputsretainedfromthespiritrunthefinishedspiritandthefeints

For a beer-stripping run the fermented wash which is typically about 8percentABVisloadedintothebeerstripperandthecontentsarebroughttoaboilBecausethisrunisjustaprimarydistillationtheheadsheartsandtailsarenotseparatedoutTheentireoutputfromthisruniscollectedinasinglelotandthe run is continueduntil the aggregate percent alcohol is down to 25percentABVThisdistillateisthelowwinewhichistheinputtothespiritrunTo produce the finishedwhiskey the spirit still is filledwith the lowwine

from thebeer-stripping run andoftenameasureof feints fromprevious spiritrunsThespiritstillisthenbroughttoaboilIt iswith the spirit run that thedistilleradjusts theboil-up rate toachievea

gentleslowflowofdistillateandcarefullyseparatesouttheheadsheartsandtails

SINGLE-RUNDISTILLATION

SomewhiskeydistilleriesproducetheirwhiskeyinasingledistillationTheydo a spirit run directly from the wash The artisan reflux stills discussedpreviously are well suited to this type of whiskey distillation but it is labor-intensiveand thedistillermustpaya lotofattention tonumeroussmaller runsratherthanonelargerrunSomepeoplefind thewhiskeyfromasingle-distillationrun tobericherand

haveamorenaturalflavorwhileothersfindittobeharshandunrefinedInthefollowingtextthemorecommondouble-distillationmethodisused

MAKINGTHECUTS

ProbablythemostelusivepartofthedistillingprocessformakingwhiskeyismakingthecutsfromheadstoheartsandthentotailsMakingacutfromonephasetothenextisthepointwherethedistillerswitchestheoutputsothatitiscollectedinadifferentreceiverthanthepreviousphaseAttheendofthespiritrun theheadswillbe inonecontainer thehearts inanotherand the tails inathirdoneThequestioniswhendoyouswitchfromonephasetothenextExperienced distillers do this by taste Even though there are measurable

parameters such as still-head temperature and percent alcohol of the incomingspirit that can be used to judge when to make the cuts taste and smell stillremainthemostreliablemethodsfordeterminingthem

ThreepotstillsatStoutridgeVineyard

Herearetheempiricalparametersforjudgingthecuts

bullThepercentalcoholof the spirit that is flowingout of the still (ie theincomingspirit)

bullThestill-headtemperature

Thesevaryfromonestilltothenextandtheyvarybasedonthepropertiesofthe low wine (eg percent alcohol and quantity) It is possible to develop aconsistentprocessusingthesamestillandthesamequantityandformulationoflowwinesuchthattheparametersremainthesameforeachrunForexampleinaspiritruninanartisanrefluxstillwithlowwinethatis25

percentABVBegin-cut(iethecutfromheadstohearts)isusuallydonewhentheevolvingdistillateisatabout80percentandwhenthestill-headtemperatureisabout180degF(82degC)End-cut(iethecutfromheartstotails)isoftendoneatabout65percentand

whenthestill-headtemperatureisabout201degF(94degC)Howeveraspiritdistilledfromastraightmaltwashcanoftenbeend-cutas

low as 60 percent Also a gooseneck still distilling the very samewashmaybegin-cut at 72 percent and end-cut at 59 percent Therefore it is because ofthesenuances that smell and taste become theonly truly reliable indicators ofwhentomakethecuts

BEGIN-CUT

When making the begin-cut the taste characteristics that the distiller islookingforareasfollowsWhenaspiritruncomestoboilandthefirstdistillatestartsflowingfromthestillthisisthebeginningoftheheadsphaseThedistillercancollectasmallsampleofthedistillateonaspoonorinawineglassandsmellitAtthisstagethedistillatewillhavethesickeningsmellofsolvents(suchasnail-polish remover or paint-brush cleaner)However before long this solventsmell diminishes and evenwhen a sample is tasted these compoundswill beveryfaintAsthesolventcharacterdisappearscompletelythedistillatewillstartto take on a hint of whiskey This flavor will increase until it becomes verypronouncedandhighlyconcentratedItiswhenthisflavorisclearlyevidentbutisstillincreasinginintensitythatthedistillercutstotheheartsphase

END-CUT

Tomake the end-cut thedistiller needs tomonitor the flavor of changes intasteAt thebeginningof theheartsphase the intensityof thewhiskey flavorwillstillbeincreasinganditwillcontinuetodosountilitbecomesverystrongHowever as the hearts continue the intense whiskey flavor will fade into asmoothsweetpleasantflavorthatwillpersistformostoftheheartsTheflavorwillchangeslightlyastheheartsprogressbutitwillremainsweetandpleasantTowardtheendoftheheartstheflavorwillstartlosingitssweetnessandatraceofharshbitternesswillbegintoappearintheflavorThisharshbitterflavoristheonsetofthetailsAlthoughasmallamountofthisbitternessisconsideredtocontribute to theldquobiterdquocharacterof thewhiskey thedistiller shouldcut to thetailsreceiverbeforemuchofitisallowedtoentertheheartsThe tails can be collected until the evolving distillate is down to about 10

percentandthestill-headtemperatureisabout206degFor208degF(97degCor98degC)Thereasonfordoing this is to renderall the residualalcohol that is left in thestillattheendoftheheartsphaseThisalcoholcanthenberecoveredinafuturespiritrunThetailsphasestartsoutbitterandthebitternessbecomesmoreintenseasthe

tailscontinuebutasthetailsprogressthebitternesssubsidesandgiveswaytoasweet-tastingwaterThissweetwateriscalledbackins

THECONTINUOUS-RUNPROCESSOFDISTILLATION

IN a continuous-run distillation process wash is constantly entering the

columnsoallthreephases(headsheartsandtails)arepresentinthecolumnatalltimesThismeanstherecanrsquotbeadiscretecutwheretheheadsaredrawnoffandtheheartsbeginorthattheheartsendandthetailsbeginAllthreephasesmustbedrawnoffatthesametimeAcontinuous-runcolumnisahigh-separationfractionatingstillthatseparates

thecompoundsverywellsooncethestillisequilibratedandfunctioninginitssteady state of operation the distillers can determine which families ofcompounds are at each tray For example they might determine that thecompounds coming out of the top two trays are heads compounds and routethose two trays to the heads receiver Similarly they might observe that thecompoundscomingoutofthenextfourtraysdownareheartsThentheymightdeterminethatthefivetraysbelowtheheartstraysareproducingtailsandroutethemtothetailsreceiverBelowthetailstraysjustwaterwouldbecomingoutandthevalveswouldbeclosedsoitwouldbelefttoflowtothebottomofthecolumnandthentoadrainBecausethistypeofstillisnotintermittentinitsoperationitmustbesetup

to constantly draw the three phases of distillate at all times Although this isdifficulttosetupitcanproduceverylargequantitiesofspirittwenty-fourhoursadayforalongtime

ContinuousrunstillatFourRosesDistillery

CHAPTERTHREE

WHISKEY

ldquoAlways carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite andfurthermorealwayscarryasmallsnakerdquo

mdashWCFieldsAmericanactorandworld-classdrinker

THIS chapter introduces the process of distilling a worldrsquos worth ofwhiskiesincludingNorthAmericanstylesofbourbonTennesseeryeblendedAmericancornandCanadianandontoScotchandIrishwhiskiesfromEuropeOfallofthebasiccategoriesofspiritswhiskeyhasspreadthemostacrossthe

world achieving ageographic and stylistic diversity that is unmatchedby anyothertypeofdistilledspiritFromthebasicgrain-baseddistilledspiritsofninth-centuryIrelandScotlandandnorthernEuropehaveevolvedtheclassicwhiskiesofScotlandandIrelandThesespiritsinturnservedasthemodelsfordistillersin thenewlysettledNorthAmericancolonies toproducewhatcametobefirstmodern rye whiskey and then in rapid succession corn bourbon blendedAmericanandCanadianwhiskiesAllofthesenowclassicstylesofwhiskeyhaveinrecentdecadesservedas

the stylistic inspiration for myriad new whiskies throughout the world fromGermany toAustralia andNepal inbetweenSomeof thesenewwhiskiesarebasedonexistingstylesJapanesewhiskydistillersforexamplehavegenerallytaken their inspiration (and malt and sometimes even their water) fromScotlandOthersareboldlygoingforthinnewdirectionsparticularlyamongthenewgenerationofAmericancraftdistillers

StranahanrsquosColoradoWhiskey

THEHISTORYOFBOURBONWHISKEY

IN the early 1700s a combination of bad economic times and religious

unrestagainsttheAnglicanChurchinGreatBritainsetoffawaveofemigrationfrom Scotland and Ireland These Scots Irish and so-called ldquoScotch-Irishrdquo(ProtestantsfromthenorthernIrishcountyofUlster)broughttoNorthAmericatheir religion their distrust of government control and their skill at distillingwhiskeyThis rush augmented by German immigrants of a similar religious and

culturalpersuasionpassedthroughtheseaboardcoloniesandsettledinitiallyinPennsylvania Maryland and western Virginia Mostly small farmers theyquickly adapted to growing rye because of its hardiness and in the westerncountiesNativeAmericancornbecauseofitshighyieldsGrainwasawkwardtoshiptoEastCoastmarketsbecauseofthepoorroadssomanyfarmersturnedtodistillingtheircropsintowhiskeyInPennsylvaniathesewereprimarilyryewhiskiesfarthertothewestandsouthcornwhiskiespredominatedBytheendoftheAmericanWarofIndependencein1784thefirstcommercialdistillerieshadbeenestablishedinwhatwasthenthewesternVirginiacountyofKentuckyFromthestarttheyproducedcorn-basedwhiskies

Whiskeybarrelsondisplay

NOT-SO-TRIVIALPURSUIT

ThefirstwavesofBritishsettlersinNorthAmericawereathirstylotItisrecordedthatthePilgrimschosetomakefinallandfallinMassachusettseventhough their original destination was Virginia primarily because they werealmostoutofbeer

The first locallymade alcoholic beveragewas beer although the limitedsupplyofbarleymaltwasfrequentlysupplementedbyeverythingfromsprucetipstopumpkinDistilledspiritssoonfollowedwithrummadefromimportedCaribbeanmolassesdominatinginthenortherncoloniesandanassortmentoffruitbrandiesintheSouth

In1794thecash-strappedfederalgovernmentimposedthefirstfederalexcisetax on distillers The farmer-distillers of western Pennsylvania respondedviolentlyFederaltaxagentswereassaultedandkilledbyangrymobsOrderwasfinally restored when the federal government sent in an army of 15000militiamenledbyGeorgeWashingtontoputdowntherevoltTheringleaderswere convicted and sentenced to be hanged But cooler heads prevailed andafterjailtimetheywerepardonedandreleased

LabelforHudsonBabyBourbonbyTuthilltownSpirits

ThissituationdidprovokeanewmigrationofsettlersthroughtheCumberlandGap and into the then-western frontier lands of Kentucky and Tennessee Inthese new states farmers found ideal corn-growing country and smoothlimestone-filteredwatertwoofthebasicingredientsofbourbonwhiskeyThenamebourboncomesfromacounty ineasternKentuckywhich in turn

wasnamedfortheBourbonkingsofFrancewhohadaidedtheAmericanrebelsintheRevolutionaryWarBourbonCountywasintheearlynineteenthcenturyacenterofwhiskeyproductionandtransshipping(Ironicallyatthepresenttimeitisaldquodryrdquocounty)Thelocalwhiskeymadeprimarilyfromcornsoongainedareputation for being particularly smooth because the local distillers aged theirproductsincharredoakcasksTheadoptionoftheldquosourmashrdquograinconversiontechniquefurtherdistinguishedbourbonfromotherwhiskeystyles

BenjaminPrichardrsquosDoubleBarreledBourbonfromPrichardsrsquoDistillery

REVIVALOFTHEFITTEST

ItmayseemoddbutScotchwhiskymaybebourbonrsquosinspirationforlong-termrevivalThesteadygrowthinsalesofsinglemaltandhigh-qualityScotchwhiskies has not gone unnoticed in bourbon country All of theKentucky andTennessee whiskey distilleries are nowmarketing high-end ldquosingle caskrdquo andldquosmallbatchrdquowhiskiesthathavefoundgreatsuccessamongupscaleconsumersMore than thirty craft whiskey distilleries have opened in the past few yearsacross the United States to cater to this increasing demand for quality overquantity The United States may yet in the words of one commentator ldquoturnawayfromforeignpotionsandreturntoitsnativespiritrdquo

LabelforPappyVanWinklersquosFamilyReserveKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskey

By the 1840s bourbon was recognized and marketed as a distinctiveAmericanstyleofwhiskeyalthoughnotasaregionallyspecificspiritBourboncametobeproducedinKentuckyTennesseeIndianaIllinoisOhioMissouriPennsylvaniaNorthCarolinaandGeorgiaalthoughtheonlylegalrequirementfor calling a whiskey ldquobourbonrdquo is that it be produced in the United StatesNowadaysbourbonproductionisslowlyexpandingtootherstatesasnewcraftwhiskeydistillerscomeonline Initiallybourbonwasmade inpotstillsbutasthe century progressed the new column still technology was increasinglyadoptedThelastold-linepotstillplantclosedinPennsylvaniain1992butthetechniquewasrevivedinKentuckyin1995whenthehistoricLabrotampGrahamDistillerywas renovatedand reopenedwitha setofnewScottish-built copperpotstillsMorerecentlymostof thenewgenerationofcraftwhiskeydistillersusepotstillsThelatenineteenthcenturysawtheriseofthetemperancemovementasocial

phenomenondrivenbyapotentcombinationofreligiousandwomenrsquosgroupsTemperancesocietiessuchastheWomenrsquosChristianTemperanceUnionandtheAnti-SaloonLeagueoperatednationallybuttheywereparticularlyactiveintheSouthernstatesThenotionoftemperancesoongavewaytoastateddesireforoutright prohibition and throughout the rest of the century an assortment ofstatesandcountiesadoptedprohibitionforvaryinglengthsoftimeanddegreesof severity This muddle of legal restrictions played havoc in the bourbonindustry because it interfered with the production and aging of stocks ofwhiskey

LabelforBlantonrsquosSingleBarrelKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskeybyBuffaloTraceDistillery

National Prohibition in 1919 had effects on the bourbon industry beyondshuttingdownmostofthedistilleriesDrinkingdidnotstopofcourseandtheUnitedStateswassoonawashinillegalalcoholmuchofitofdubiousqualityWhat did change was the American taste in whiskey Illicit moonshine andimportedCanadianwhiskeyswere lighter in taste and body than bourbon andrye The corresponding increase in popularity ofwhite spirits such as gin andvodkafurtheralteredthemarketplaceWhenRepealcamein1933anumberofthe old distilleries didnrsquot reopen and the industry began a slow consolidationthatlastedintotheearly1990satwhichtimetherewereonlytendistilleriesinKentuckyandtwoinTennessee

SouvenirbottleofEvanWilliamsKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskeybyHeavenHillDistilleries

BottleofFourRosesDistilleryrsquosSingleBarrelKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskey

ElijahCraig18-year-oldKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskeybyHeavenHillDistilleries

BuffaloTraceDistilleryrsquosKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskey

TENNESSEEWHISKEY

Tennessee whiskey is a first cousin of bourbon with virtually an identicalhistoryThesamesortofpeopleusedthesamesortofgrainsandthesamesortofproduction techniques to produce a style of whiskey that remarkably isnoticeablydifferentTheearlywhiskeydistillers inTennessee for reasons thatarelosttohistoryaddedafinalsteptotheirproductionprocesswhentheybeganfilteringtheirwhiskeythroughthickbedsofsugar-maplecharcoalThisfiltrationremoves some of the congeners (flavor elements) in the spirit and creates asmooth mellow palate The two remaining whiskey distillers in the statecontinue this tradition which a distiller at the Jack Danielrsquos Distillery oncedescribedasbeingldquosamechurchdifferentpewrdquo

HudsonManhattanRyeWhiskeybyTuthilltownSpirits

RYEWHISKEY

The Scotch-Irish immigrant distillers had some exposure to using rye inwhiskeyproductionbutfortheirGermanimmigrantneighborsryehadbeentheprimary grain used in the production of schnapps and vodka back in northernEuropeTheycontinuedthisdistillingpracticeparticularlyinPennsylvaniaandMaryland where rye whiskey with its distinctive hard-edged grainy palateremainedthedominantwhiskeytypewellintothetwentiethcentury

AbottleofTempletonProhibitionEraRecipeSmallBatchRyeWhiskeyfromTempletonRye

Thehand-blownbottleofRendezvousRyeWhiskeycastsawavyambershadowonagiftbox

Rye whiskey was more adversely affected by National Prohibition thanbourbonwasAgenerationofconsumersweanedonlight-bodiedandrelativelydelicate white spirits turned away from the pungent full-bodied straight ryewhiskies Production of rye whiskies had vanished altogether from the Mid-Atlantic states by the 1980s A handful ofmodern rye whiskies are currentlybeingmadebybourbondistilleriesinKentuckyandIndianaTheUnitedStatesrsquosfirstindigenouswhiskeystyleistodayonlybarelysurvivinginthemarketplaceIts primary use is for blending to give other whiskies more character andbackbonealthoughasmallbutvocalgroupofryewhiskyenthusiastscontinueto champion it and a number of new craft distillers are again producing theirinterpretationsofthisclassicAmericanwhiskeystyle

LabelforRyeWhiskeyfromtheIsaiahMorganDistillery

OldPotrero18thCenturyStyleRyeWhiskeybyAnchorDistilling

BLENDEDAMERICANWHISKEY

Blendedwhiskiesdate fromtheearlynineteenthcenturywhen the inventionof the column still made possible the production of neutral spirits Distillersblended one or more straight whiskies (bourbon and rye) with these neutralspirits invaryingproportions tocreate theirownbrandedblendThe tasteandqualityof thesewhiskies thenasnowvariesaccording to the ratioofstraightwhiskey to neutral grain spirit Early blends were frequently flavored witheverything from sherry to plug tobacco Compared to straight whiskies theywere inexpensiveandblandModernblendsutilizedozensofdifferent straightwhiskiestoensureaconsistentflavorprofileBlendedAmericanwhiskieshadagreat sales boost during and just afterWorldWar IIwhendistillers promotedthem as away of stretching their limited supply of straightwhiskeyBlendedwhiskeys were considered to be too bland by bourbon and rye drinkers andconsumerswithatasteforlighterspiritssoonmigratedovertovodkaandgin

AbottleofMellowCornKentuckyStraightCornWhiskeybyMedleyCompany

CORNWHISKEY

Cornwhiskeyanunagedclearspiritwas the first trulyAmericanwhiskeyandtheprecursortobourbonScotch-Irishfarmersproduceditintheirstillsforfamilyconsumptionor to trade for storegoodsWhen state and federal excisetaxeswerepermanentlyintroducedduringtheCivilWarmostoftheproductionofcornwhiskeywentundergroundtobecomemoonshinewhereithasremainedeversinceAmodestamountofcommercialcornwhiskeyisstillproducedandconsumedintheSouthwhileanincreasingnumberofcraftwhiskeydistilleriesarenowexperimentingwiththismoreinterestingalternativetovodka

AbottleofPlatteValleyStraightCornWhiskeybyMcCormickDistillingCo

CANADIANWHISKY

Canadianwhiskies aswith theirAmerican cousins originated on the farmTheseearlywhiskiesweremadeprimarilyfromryethoughovertimeCanadiandistillersturnedtocornwheatandothergrainsCanadianscontinuetorefertotheirwhiskyasldquoryerdquoeventhoughthemashbillisnowpredominantlyamixofcorn wheat and barley Several of the new generation of Canadian craftdistillersarehowevermarketingbothall-maltandldquotruerdquoryewhiskies

FortyCreekSmallBatchReserveWhisky(Canadian)byKittlingRidgeEstateWinesampSpirits

AbottleofSnakeRiverStampedeBlendedCanadianWhisky

THEBASISOFNORTHAMERICANWHISKIES

NORTHAmericanwhiskiesareall-grainspiritsthathavebeenproducedfrom

amashbillthatusuallymixestogethercornryewheatbarleyandothergrainsin different proportions and then is aged for an extended period of time inwoodenbarrelsThesebarrelsmaybeneworusedandcharredoruncharredontheinsidedependingonthetypeofwhiskeybeingmade

Whiskeybarrelsondisplayonanantiquetruck

Most non-craft North American whiskies are made in column stills TheUnitedStatesgovernmentrequiresthatallwhiskies

bullBedistilledat90percentABVorlessbullBereducedtonomorethan625percentABV(125degproof)beforebeingagedinoakbarrels(exceptforcornwhiskeywhichdoesnothavetobeagedinwood)

bullHavethearomatasteandcharacteristicsthataregenerallyattributedtowhiskey

bullBebottledatnolessthat40percentABV(80degproof)

Acoopershootsairintoacharringbarreltostoketheflames

Acooperformsabarrelbeforeattachinghoopsaroundtheoutside

CLASSIFICATIONSOFNORTHAMERICANWHISKIES

NORTHAMERICANwhiskiesareessentiallyclassifiedbythetypeorvarietyof

grains in the mash bill the percentage or proof of alcohol at which they aredistilledandthedurationandmanneroftheiraging

Astirringpaddlesitsoveramoonshinewash

BarleygrowinginafieldinWashingtonState

PeregrineRockSingleMaltWhiskeybyStJamesSpirits

NORTHAMERICANWHISKEYREGIONS

North Americarsquos variations of whiskey are as nuanced and distinct as thecontinentrsquos regionsMost are aged innewwoodbarrels butbeyond that therehasbeenmuchexperimentinginrecentyears

UNITEDSTATES

Kentucky produces all types of North American whiskies except forTennessee andCanadian It currently has the largest concentration ofwhiskeydistilleries on the continent but may soon cede that claim to MichiganColoradooroneofthePacificNorthweststatesasnewcraftdistilleriescontinuetoopen

BarrelsofbourbonagingattheWoodfordReserveDistillery

MostWantedKansasWhiskeybyHighPlainsInc

Tennessee started out as bourbon country but today its two remainingwhiskeydistilleriesspecializeinthedistinctiveTennesseestyleofwhiskeyOther statesmdashprimarily Indiana IllinoisVirginia andMissourimdashhave large

distilleries that produce straight whiskeys although some of these plants arecurrentlymothballed

CANADA

Ontario has the largest concentration of whisky distilleries in Canada withthreeAlbertahastwoandManitobaQuebecandNovaScotiaeachhaveoneWiththeexceptionofGlenorainNovaScotiaandKittlingRidgeinOntarioalloftheothercurrentCanadianwhiskydistilleriesproduceonlyblendedCanadianwhisky although a number of new craft whisky distilleries are listed in theindex

REGIONALFLAVORS

Therearenowmorethanthirtycraftdistilleriesinat leastseventeenstatesthatareproducingsuchstandardwhiskeystylesasbourboncornandryeaswell asmany experimental variationsOne example isWasmundrsquos SingleMaltWhiskey from theCopperFoxDistilleryofSperryvilleVirginiaThisdistilleryhasitsownfloormaltingsandsoaks itsagingspirit inapple-woodchipsThissort of production twist which has its roots in craft brewing is increasinglybecomingadistinctivefeatureofAmericancraftdistillingAdditionally there are a number of distilling plants scattered around the

country that rectify (redistill) process and bottle spirits that were originallydistilledelsewhereThesedistilleriesinadditiontosometimesbottlingbourbonthat has been shipped to them in bulk may also create their own blendedwhiskiesThesewhiskiestendtoberelativelyinexpensiveldquowellrdquobrandsthataresoldmainlytotavernsandbarsformakingmixeddrinks

RickWasmundmaltsbarleybyhandattheCopperFoxDistillery

AWHISKEYLEXICON

Bondedwhiskeyisbourbonfromasingledistillerythatwasproducedinasingle ldquoseasonrdquo and then aged for at least four years in a government-supervisedldquobondedrdquowarehouseDistillersoriginallydidthistoavoidhavingtopaytheexcisetaxuntilthewhiskeywasagedandreadyformarketConsumerscameto(erroneously)regardtheldquobottledinbondrdquodesignationasastatementofqualityBondedwhiskies arenotmuchof a factor in todayrsquosmarket althoughtheystillexist

Themash is themix of crushed grain (including somemalt that containsenzymestobreakdowngrainstarchesintosugars)andhotwaterfromwhichthedistillerdrawsaliquidextractcalledwortThewortisfermentedintoasimplebeercalledthewashwhichisthendistilled

Sourmashisthefermentationprocessbywhichapercentageofapreviousfermentation is added to a new batch as a ldquostarterrdquo to get the fermentationgoing andmaintain a level of consistency from batch to batch A sweetmashmeansthatonlyfreshyeastisaddedtoanewbatchtostartfermentation

Straight whiskey is unblended whiskey that contains no neutral spiritBourbonTennesseeryeandcornwhiskiesarestraightwhiskiesThereisalsoaspiritsimplycalledldquostraightwhiskeyrdquo that ismade fromamixtureofgrainsnoneofwhichaccountsfor51percentofthemashbill

InthiswhiskeybarrelstoragebuildingablackmoldandrustthriveontheldquoangelrsquossharerdquoofevaporatedalcoholandtheKentuckyhumidity

Washbeingmadeinthemashtun

Bubblesriseduringagrainfermentation

SCOTCHWHISKYIRISHWHISKEYANDOTHERWHISKIESOFTHEWORLD

WHISKY isdefined in itsmostbasic senseasa spirit that isdistilled from

grainSometimesthegrainhasbeenmaltedsometimesnotWhatdistinguisheswhiskyfromvodkaginaquavitandothergrain-basedspiritsisthatitisagedoftenforlongperiodsoftimeinwoodenbarrels(usuallyoak)Thisbarrelagingsmoothes the rough palate of the raw spirit adding aromatic and flavoringnuancesalongwiththebaseamberhuethatsetswhiskiesapartfromwhitegrainspirits

THEHISTORYOFSCOTCHWHISKY

ThebasisofScotchwhiskyistheheather-flavoredalesmadefrombarleymaltthat thePictsand theirprehistoricancestorsbrewedArcheologistshave foundevidence of such brewing dating back to at least 2000 BCE This ale stillproducedtodaybyatleastoneScottishmicrobrewerwaslowinalcoholandnotverystableStarting in theninthcentury Irishmonksarrived inScotland toChristianize

theirCelticbrethrenTheybroughtalongthefirstprimitivestillswhichtheyhadpickedupduring theirproselytizingvisits tomainlandEuropeduring theDarkAges The local Picts soon found that they could create a stable alcoholicbeveragebydistillingheatheraleSimplestillscametobefoundinmostruralhomesteadsandhomemadewhiskybecameanintegralpartofGaelicculture

ForsythstillsatthePenderynWhiskyDistilleryinWales

Laphroaig10-year-oldSingleMaltScotchWhiskyfromtheIslandofIslay

WHYBLENDEDSCOTCHWHISKYISAGOODTHINGEVENIFYOUPREFERSINGLEMALTS

It isatruismofreligionthatconvertsfrequentlybecomethemostzealousofbelieversAmongfreshlymintedmodern-dayenthusiastsofScotchmaltwhiskiesit is a frequently heard refrain thatmalt whiskies are superior to the blendedarticle and that the latterare just notworthbotheringwithPersonal taste isultimatelysubjectiveofcourseButsinglemaltdrinkersshouldraisetheirhatsin salute whenever a Dewarrsquos or Johnnie Walker delivery truck drives bybecause without these blended brands most of the remaining malt distillerieswouldnotexistBlendedScotchwhiskiesrequireablendofdozensofdifferentmaltwhiskiestobecombinedwiththegrainwhiskytocreatethedesiredblendThe individual percentages of each malt whisky may be small but eachcontributesitsuniquecharactertotheblendAblenderwillthusneedtobuyorproducealargeamountofdifferentmaltwhiskiestomaintaintheconsistencyoftheblendThus foramaltwhiskydistillery thesinglemaltmaygetallof theglorybuttheblendsultimatepaythebills

Talisker18-year-oldSingleMaltScotchWhisky

AslongasScottishkingsruledthecountryfromEdinburghthestatusquoofwhiskyasjustanotherfarmproductwasmoreorlessmaintainedButtheActofUnion in 1707 that combined England Wales and Scotland into the UnitedKingdomalteredtheScotchwhiskysceneforeverTheLondongovernmentsoonleviedexcisetaxesonScottish-madewhisky(whileatthesametimecuttingthetaxesonEnglishgin)Theresultwasapredictableboomin illicitdistilling In1790sEdinburghitwasestimatedthatmorethn400illegalstillscompetedwithjust eight licensed distilleries A number of present-day Scottish distilleriesparticularlyintheHighlandshavetheiroriginsinsuchillicitoperations

HighlandPark12-year-oldSingleMaltScotchWhisky

BarrelsagingatthePenderynWhiskyDistilleryinWales

TheExciseAct of 1823 reduced taxes onScotchwhisky tolerablyThis actcoincided with the dawn of the industrial revolution and entrepreneurs weresoon building new state-of-the-art distilleries The local moonshiners (calledsmugglers) did not go quietly Some of the first licensed distillers in rurallocations were threatened by their illicit peers But in the end productionefficiencies and the rule of law won out The whisky that came from thesedistillerieswasmade exclusively frommalted barley that had been kiln driedoverpeatfiresThesmokefromthesepeatfiresgavethemaltadistinctivetangthatmadetheScottishproductinstantlyidentifiablebywhiskydrinkersallovertheworldThe nineteenth century brought a rush of changes to the Scotch whisky

industryTheintroductionofcolumnstillsearlyinthe1830sledtothecreationofgrainwhiskywhich in turn led toblendedScotchwhisky in the late1860sThe smooth blandness of the grain whisky toned down the assertive smokycharacterofthemaltwhiskiesThe resulting blended whisky was milder and more acceptable to foreign

consumersparticularlytheEnglishwhoturnedtoScotchwhiskyinthe1870swhen a phylloxera infestation (an insect pest that destroys grape vines) in thevineyardsofEuropedisruptedsuppliesofcognacandporttwoofthemainstaysof civilized living Malt whisky distilleries were bought up by blendingcompaniesandtheiroutputwasblendedwithgrainwhiskiestocreatethegreatblended brands that have come to dominate the market The malt whiskydistilleriestookabackseattothesebrandsandsoldmostorinsomecasesalloftheirproductiontotheblendersTherecentpopularrevivalofmaltwhiskieshasledmostofthedistilleriestocomeoutwithbottlingsoftheirownproducts

KeithTenchvisitorcentremanagerposeswithdistillerGillianHowellatthePenderynWhiskyDistilleryinWales

Bythe1970sinternationalliquorcompaniesownedmostofthemaltwhiskydistilleriesasituationthatcontinuestothisday

THEHISTORYOFIRISHWHISKEY

TheScotsmostlikelylearnedaboutdistillingfromtheIrish(thoughtheyareloath to admit it) The Irish in turn learned about it according to the Irish atleastfrommissionarymonkswhoarrivedinIrelandintheseventhcenturyTheactualdetailsareabitsketchyforthenext700yearsorsobutitdoesseemthatmonks in various monasteries were distilling aqua vitae (ldquowater of liferdquo)primarily formakingmedicalcompoundsThese firstdistillateswereprobablygrape or fruit brandy rather than grain spirit Barley-basedwhiskey (thewordderivesfromuiscebeatha theGaelic interpretationofaquavitae) firstappearsin the historical record in the mid-1500s when the Tudor kings began toconsolidateEnglishcontrolinIrelandQueenElizabethIwassaidtobefondofitandhadcasksshippedtoLondonregularlyThe imposition of an excise tax in 1661 had the same effect as it did in

Scotlandwith the immediate commencementof theproductionofpoteen (theIrish version of moonshine) This did not however slow the growth of thedistillingindustryandbytheendoftheeighteenthcenturythereweremorethan2000stillsinoperationUnderBritish rule Irelandwasexportorientedand Irishdistillersproduced

large quantities of pot-distilled whiskey for export into the expanding BritishEmpire (along with grains and assorted foodstuffs) In the late nineteenthcenturymorethan400brandsofIrishwhiskeywerebeingexportedandsoldintheUnitedStates

DistillerLanceWintersleadsagroupofotherdistillersonatourofStGeorgeSpiritsHangarOneVodkaHeretheyaremarvelingatthegleamingcolumnstills

This happy state of affairs lasted into the early twentieth centurywhen themarketbegantochangeTheIrishpotstilluserswereslowtorespondtotheriseof blended Scotch whisky with its column-distilled smooth-grain-whiskycomponent When National Prohibition in the United States closed off theirlargest export market many of the smaller distilleries closed The remainingdistilleries then failed to anticipate the coming of Repeal (unlike the Scotchdistillers) and were caught short when it came The Great Depression tradeembargoes between the newly independent Irish Republic and the UnitedKingdomandWorldWarIIcausedfurtherhavocamongthedistillersIn1966thethreeremainingdistillingcompaniesintheRepublicofIrelandmdash

Powers Jameson and CorkDistilleriesmdashmerged into a single company IrishDistillers Company (IDC) In 1972 Bushmills the last distillery in NorthernIrelandjoinedIDCIn1975IDCopenedanewmammothdistilleryatMidleton

nearCorkandalloftheotherdistilleriesintherepublicwerecloseddownwiththeproductionoftheirbrandsbeingtransferredtoMidletonForafourteen-yearperiod the Midleton plant and Bushmills in Northern Ireland were the onlydistilleriesinIreland

Thissadstateofaffairsendedin1989whenapotato-peelethanolplant inDundalk was converted into a whiskey distillery The new Cooley Distillerybegantoproducemaltandgrainwhiskeyswiththefirstthree-year-oldbottlingsreleasedin1992

YamazakiDistilleryShimamotoOsakaJapan12-year-oldSingleMaltWhisky(Japan)

THEHISTORYOFJAPANESEWHISKY

Themodern Japanesewhisky industry can trace its beginnings back to onemanMasatakaTaketsuraThesonofasakebrewerTaketsurawenttoScotlandin 1918 and spent two years studying chemistry at Glasgow University andworkingataScotchwhiskydistilleryinRothesintheHighlandsHereturnedtoJapanin1920withaScottishbrideandadeterminationtochangetheJapanesedistillingindustryTheJapanesewerethenastheyarenowmajorconsumersofScotchwhisky

Locallyproducedspiritshoweverwere limited to thefierysorghum-orsweet-potato-basedshochuandahandfulofdubiousldquowhiskiesrdquothatwerelittlemorethan neutral spirits colored with caramel Taketsura convinced the owners ofwhatbecametheSuntoryCompanytobeginproductionofbarleymaltandgrainwhiskiesbasedontheScottishmodelThesewhiskiessomeofwhicharemadefrom imported peat-smoked Scottish malt became very successful in theJapanesemarketOtherdistilleriesfollowedSuntoryrsquosleadandthesewhiskiesbased onScotchwhiskymodels (and later bourbonwhiskey) soon dominatedthemarket

KaruizawaNumberOneSingleCaskWhisky(Japan)ThedistilleryislocatedinthefoothillsofMountAsamaanactivevolcano

ModernJapanesedistillers(includingtheNikkaWhiskyDistillerywhichwasfoundedbyTaketsurain1934)havefollowedthistrendandnowadaysproduceandmarketafullrangeofmaltandblendedwhiskies

THEHISTORYOFNEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIANWHISKY

Scottishemigrantsbroughttheirwhisky-makingskillstoNewZealandinthe1840s A thriving whisky industry soon developed and operated until 1875whennewexcessivelyhighexcisetaxesandheavycompetitionfromimportedBritishwhiskies forced the local commercial distilleries to shut downA newalmostcommercial-sizedmoonshinetradequicklyreplacedthemasituationthatcontinuedforalmostacenturyIn 1968 a newwhisky distillery opened inDunedin It produces a range of

maltandgrainwhiskiesbroadlyintheScottishstylefromlocallygrowngrainEventhebarleymaltiskilnedandsmokedusinglocalpeatAustralianwhisky production has experienced a similar varied historywith

assortednineteenth-centuryproducerspoppingup in thevariousstatesonly tobedrivenoutofbusinessbyBritishimportsAbortiveattemptsinthe1990storevivewhiskyproductionhavebeenfollowedmorerecentlybyanewgenerationofmoresuccessfulcraftwhiskydistillersparticularlyontheislandofTasmania

Thousandsofbarrelsstackedoutsideacooperage

THEBASISOFSCOTCHWHISKYIRISHWHISKEYJAPANESEWHISKYAND

NEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIANWHISKY

Allofthesewhiskeystyleswhileverydifferentintasteandstylearebasedonmaltedbarleyasthedominantsourceofflavorandcharacter

SCOTLAND

TherearetwobasiccategoriesofScotchwhiskymaltwhiskywhichismadeexclusivelyfrommaltedbarleythathasbeendriedoversmokingpeatfiresandgrainwhiskywhichismadefromunmaltedwheatorcornThesewhiskiesareaged inusedwoodenbourbonor sherrybarrels for aminimumof threeyearsalthoughfivetotenyearsisthegeneralpractice

IRELAND

TherearetwobasiccategoriesofIrishwhiskeymaltwhiskeywhichismadeexclusivelyfrommaltedbarleythathasbeenkiln-driedbutnotoverpeatfiresandgrainwhiskeywhichismadefromunmaltedwheatorcornThesewhiskeysareagedinusedwoodenbourbonorsherrybarrelsforaminimumofthreeyearsalthoughfivetoeightyearsisthenorm

JAPAN

Japanese whiskies both malt and blended are broadly based on Scotchwhiskieswithsometopbrandsevenbeingmadewith importedScottishwaterandpeat-smokedbarleymaltThepeat-smokecharacterofJapanesewhiskiesisgenerally more subtle and delicate than their Scottish counterparts Japanesewhiskiesmaybeagedinbothnewandused(usuallybourbon)woodenbarrelswhichmaybeeithercharredoruncharred

NEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIA

New Zealand and Australian whiskies both draw on Scottish Irish andAmerican traditions in a cheerfully mixed manner using both peated andunpeated locally-grown barley malt to produce mostly pot-distilled maltwhiskiesthatareagedinusedbourbonandwinebarrelsforatheoreticalifnotalwaysabsoluteminimumofsixyearsformaltwhisky

Detailoffermentingbarleywashformakingwhiskey

THEDISTILLATIONOFSCOTCHWHISKYIRISHWHISKEYJAPANESEWHISKY

ANDNEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIANWHISKY

Double-andeventriple-distillationisthenormforthisfamilyofbarleymaltndashbasedwhiskies

SCOTLAND

All Scotch malt whiskies are double distilled in pot stills whereas Scotchgrainwhiskiesaremadeincolumnstills

IRELAND

Irishwhiskeysbothblendedandmaltareusuallytripledistilledthroughbothcolumnandpotstillsalthoughthereareafewexclusivelypot-distilledbrands

JAPAN

Japanese whiskies follow the Scottish tradition with malt whiskies beingdoubledistilledinpotstillsandgrainwhiskiesincolumnstills

NEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIA

BothNewZealandandAustralianmaltandgrainwhiskiesaredoubledistilledin pot stills with some Tasmanian distilleries reportedly experimenting withtripledistillation

SCOTCHWHISKYIRISHWHISKEYJAPANESEWHISKYANDNEWZEALAND

ANDAUSTRALIANWHISKYREGIONS

SCOTLAND

TheHighlandsconsistoftheportionofScotlandnorthofalinefromDundeeon the North Sea coast in the east to Greenock on the Irish Sea in the westincluding all of the islands off the mainland except for Islay Highland maltwhiskies cover a broad spectrum of styles They are generally consideredaromatic smooth and medium bodied with palates that range from lushcomplexitytofloraldelicacyThesubregionsoftheHighlandsincludeSpeysidetheNorthEastandWestHighlandstheOrkneyIslesandtheWesternIslands(JuraMullandSkye)TheLowlandsencompasstheentireScottishmainlandsouthoftheHighlands

except the Kintyre Peninsula where Campbeltown is located Lowland maltwhiskiesarelightbodiedrelativelysweetanddelicateIslay is an island off the west coast Traditional Islay malt whiskies are

intenselysmokyandpungentincharacterwithadistinctiveiodineormedicinaltangthatissaidtocomefromseasaltpermeatingthelocalpeatthatisusedtodrythebarleymaltCampbeltown is a port located on the tip of the Kintyre Peninsula on the

southwestcoastthathasitsowndistinctivespicyandsalt-tingedmaltwhiskies

IRELAND

Aseriesofcorporateconsolidationsandresultingplantclosureshavelefttheislandwithonly threedistilleries one inCountyAntrimat thenorthern tipofUlsterandtwointheRepublicofIrelandtothesouthSeveralnewandreviveddistilleriesarehowevercurrentlyunderconstruction

JAPAN

The whisky distilleries of Japan are scattered throughout Honshu andHokkaido the two main northern islands of Japan with the malt whiskydistillerieslocatedforthemostpartinmountainousregionswheretherearegoodwatersupplies

NEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIA

NewZealandcurrentlyonlyhasoneoperatingwhiskydistillery inDunedinSouth Island At press time Australia had one operating whisky distillery inwesternAustraliaandthreeinTasmania

WHISKYCOCKTAILS

SAZERACInashortglasscombinebull2ounces(60ml)ryewhiskeybull1teaspoon(5g)sugarStirtoblendthenaddbullDashPeychaudrsquosbittersbullDashAngosturabittersbullfrac12ounce(15ml)Pernodbull2icecubesStirtoblendGarnishwithlemontwist

DEPTHCHARGE

Fill a tall glass three-quarters full of beer Pour 1 12 ounces (45 ml)CanadianwhiskeyintoashotglassDroptheshotglassintotheglassofbeeranddrinkthemtogether

WHISKEYSOURFillashortglasswithiceInashakercombinebull1frac12ounces(45ml)bourbonwhiskeybull1ounce(30ml)lemonjuicebull1tablespoon(15g)sugarbullCrushedice(halffull)Shakeandstrainintotheglass

MANHATTAN

Inashakercombinebull1frac12ounces(45ml)blendedbullfrac34ounce(23ml)sweetvermouthbullIceStirandstrainintoamartini(cocktail)glassorashortglassGarnishwitha

maraschinocherry

RUSTYNAIL

FillashortglasswithicecubesAdd

bull1ounce(30ml)Scotchwhiskybullfrac12ounce(15ml)DrambuieliqueurStirandserve

SazeracRyeWhiskey

LabelforOldGristmillAuthenticAmericanCornWhiskeybyTuthilltownSpirits

ARTISANPROFILEINSIDETHEINDUSTRY

JOHNHENRY

PipeLineBrandAgentsNewYorkNewYork

SUDDENLY it is time to open the doorsYou bought your still got yourlicensebuiltyourdistillerysourcedyourrawproductsdecidedwhattomakeandactuallymadesomeThemostimportantstepisstillaheadmdashyoursquovegottoconvincepeopletobuywhatyoursquoresellingEnterJohnHenryofPipeLineBrandAgentsabrandbuilderandmarketdeveloperThetaskofreachingcustomersisdauntingGiantcorporationscanflybevies

of representatives around the world and ply retailers and restaurants withpromotional wares but the small distiller more often than not finds himselfdrivingaroundinhisowncarwithacaseortwointhetrunkPipeLinersquosteamofbrand agents andmarket ambassadors are ldquodedicated to properly representinghigh-qualityartisanalspiritsrdquo(accordingtotheirwebsite)andtheyworkhardtobuildstrongsupportivemutuallybeneficialrelationshipsldquoI tell the storiesrdquo saidHenry ldquoWhether it is the history of a centuries-old

brewery the soil composition the site and terroir of a sugarcane field orvineyard or a cherished family recipe that goes back fourteen generations Iwanttogetoutonthestreetandtellpeopleaboutitrdquo

HenryunderstandsthatasmalldistillerrsquosproductisaworkofpassionandhewantstoinstillthatpassioninthemarketplaceandforgethesortofloyaltythatcanonlybecommandedbyacraftproductldquoIknowthepersonalitiesthehistoryandthedramaWhatrsquosbetterthanthat

Nocorporate-createdbrandlike10CanehasthishistoryandrootedstoryrdquoHenry cuts a striking figure He is a graduate ofWest Point and a former

Armyintelligenceofficerbutheleftall thatbehindtoridehisbicyclethroughthestreetsofNewYorkbottlesclinkinginhisbackpackldquoThebikeiskingItrsquosastoryuntoitselfItrsquosgreenitrsquosstreetitrsquosartisanalit

movesItrsquosahand-deliveredhand-soldwaytodobusinessandIwouldnrsquothaveit anyotherway I paraphraseOrwell lsquoWhen I see a grownmanon a bike IhavehopeforthefuturersquordquoHenrylikestosaythatheldquofarmsrelationshipsonthestreetmdashorganicallyrdquoIn

doingsothehardestpartofthejobisalsowhatmakesitpossibleldquoWhatrsquosmostdifficultaboutrepresentingthemoreboutiquecraftedbrandsis

that you have to continually tell the story from scratch The bigger brandsbombard the consumerwith imagesmdashthinkVincentGallo forBelvedereWiththesmallerbrandsyouhavetomaketheconnectiononeononeasifyouwerethedistillertellinghisstoryThatrsquoswhatmakesthemstandoutasbrandsandasdistillersIamasmuchabrandstorytellerasIamastreet-basedbrandbuilderIlookatmyjobaspartJohnnyAppleseedandpartJohnnyCarsonrdquo

CHAPTERFOUR

VODKA

ldquoThe relationship between a Russian and a bottle of vodka is almostmysticalrdquo

mdashRichardOwenBritishscientistanddrinkingbuddyofCharlesDarwin

Acolorfularayofcraftvodkasondisplayonicereadytobeenjoyedresponsibly

ASTHESTORYgoesin988theGrandPrinceofKiev(Ukraine)decideditwas time for his people to be converted from their paganways to one of themonotheisticreligionsthatheldswaytothesouthFirstcametheJewishrabbisHe listened to their argumentswas impressed but ultimately sent them awayafternoting that the followersof Judaismdidnotcontrolany landNextcamethe Muslim mullahs Again he was impressed both with their intellectualargumentsandthesuccessofIslamasapoliticalandmilitaryforceButwhenhewas told that Islamproscribed alcohol hewas dismayed and sent themawayFinallycametheChristianpriestswhoinformedhimthatnotonlycouldgoodChristiansdrinkalcoholbutalsothatwinewasrequiredforchurchritualssuchas communion That was good enough for the Grand Prince and on hiscommandhissubjectsconvertedenmassetoChristianity

THEHISTORYOFVODKA

HISTORICALLY the Slavic peoples of the north and their Scandinavian

neighborstookalcoholicdrinksveryseriouslyTheextremecoldtemperaturesofwinter inhibited the shipment of wines and beers because these low-proofbeverages could freeze during transit Until the introduction of distilling intoEastern Europe in the 1400s strong drink was made by fermenting winesmeadsandbeersfreezingthemandthendrawingoffthealcoholicslushfromthefrozenwaterThe earliest distilled spirit in Eastern Europewasmade frommead (honey

wine)orbeerandwascalledperevaraThewordvodka(fromtheRussianwordvoda meaning ldquowaterrdquo) was originally used to describe grain distillates thatwere used for medicinal purposes As distilling techniques improved vodka(wodka in Polish) gradually came to be the accepted term for beverage spiritregardlessofitsorigin

VODKAINRUSSIA

Russians firmly believe that vodka was created in their land Commercialproduction was established by the fourteenth century In 1540 Czar Ivan theTerrible established the first government vodka monopoly Distilling licenseswerehandedout to theboyars(thenobility)allotherdistillerieswerebannedandmoonshiningbecameendemicVodka production became an integral part of Russian society Landowners

operated stills on their estates and produced high-quality vodkas that wereflavored with everything from acorns to horseradish to mint The czarsmaintained test distilleries at their country palaces In 1780 a scientist at onesuchdistilleryinventedcharcoalfiltrationtopurifyvodka

ThreeHolsteinstillsatStGeorgeSpiritsHangarOneVodka

BytheeighteenthandintothenineteenthcenturytheRussianvodkaindustrywasconsideredtechnologicallyadvancedNewstillsandproductiontechniquesfrom Western Europe were eagerly imported and utilized State funding andcontrol of vodka research continued Under a 1902 law ldquoMoscow vodkardquo aclear 40 percent ABV rye vodka without added flavorings and soft ldquolivingrdquo(undistilled)waterwasestablishedasthebenchmarkforRussianvodkaThe Soviet Union continued government control of vodka production All

distilleries became government-owned and while the Communist Partyapparatchiks continued to enjoy high-quality rye vodka the proletariatmasseshadtomakedowithcheapspiritsVodkaproduction in the currentRussianFederationhas returned to thepre-

RevolutionarypatternHigh-qualitybrandsareagainbeingproducedforthenewsocial elite and for export while the popularly priced brands are still beingconsumedwelllikevoda

PuttinglabelsoverthecapsoffreshlyfilledbottlesofPrezydentVodkaatPolmosLodzinLodzPoland

VODKAINPOLAND

The earliest written records of vodka production in Poland date from the1400s thoughsomePolishhistoriansclaim that itwasbeingproducedaroundthe southern city of Krakow at least a century earlier Originally known asokowita(fromtheLatinaquavitaldquowaterofliferdquo) itwasusedforavarietyofpurposes in addition to beverages A 1534medical text defined an aftershavelotion as ldquovodka for washing the chin after shavingrdquo Herbal-infused vodkaswereparticularlypopularaslinimentsfortheachesandpainsoflifeIn 1546King JanOlbracht granted the right to distill and sell in spirits to

everyadultcitizenThePolisharistocracytakingacuefromtheirRussianpeerssoonlobbiedtohavethisprivilegerevokedandreplacedbyaroyaldecreethatreservedtothemtherighttomakevodkaCommercialvodkadistillerieswerewellestablishedbytheeighteenthcentury

By the mid-nineteenth century a thriving export trade had developed withPolish vodkas particularly those infused with small quantities of fruit spiritbeingshippedthroughoutnorthernEuropeandevenintoRussia

SpiritsdanceinthestillattheWeyermannDistilleryinBambergGermany

With the fall of Communism in the late 1980s the vodka distilleries soonreturned to private ownership Nowadays high-quality Polish vodkas areexportedthroughouttheworld

VODKAINSWEDEN

Vodkaproduction inSwedenwhichdates fromthe fifteenthcenturyhas itsorigins in the local gunpowder industry where high-proof spirit (originallycalledbraumlnnvin)wasusedasacomponentofblackpowderformusketsWhendistillerieswere licensed toproducebeveragealcohol (primarilyspice-flavoredaquavitbutalsovodka) itwaswiththeunderstandingthatgunpowdermakershadfirstpriorityoverbeverageconsumersHomedistillingwaslongapartofSwedishsocietyIn1830thereweremore

than 175000 registered stills in a country of fewer than threemillion peopleThistraditioninamuchdiminishedandillegalformstillcontinuestothisdayModernSwedishvodkaisproducedbytheVinampSpritstatemonopoly

VODKAANDTHECLASSSYSTEM

Thesocietalattitudetowardcheapspiritsmeantfortheproletariatcouldbesummed up by the curious fact that mass-produced vodka was sold in literbottles with a non-screw cap Once you opened the bottle it couldnrsquot beresealedYouhadtodrinkitallinonesession

CharcoalfiltrationusedinmakingvodkaatColoradoPureDistilling

VODKAINTHEUNITEDSTATES

Vodka was first imported into the United States in significant quantitiesaroundtheturnofthetwentiethcenturyItsmarketwasimmigrantsfromEasternEuropeAftertherepealofNationalProhibitionin1933theHeubleinCompanyboughttherightstotheSmirnoffbrandofvodkafromitsWhiteRussianeacutemigreacuteowners and relaunched vodka into theUSmarket Sales languished until anenterprisingliquorsalesmaninSouthCarolinastartedpromotingitasldquoSmirnoffWhiteWhiskymdashNotasteNosmellrdquoSalesboomedandAmericanvodkaaftermarking timeduringWorldWar IIwas on itsway tomarketing successThefirst popular vodka-based cocktailwas a combinationof vodka andginger alecalled the Moscow mule It was marketed with its own special copper mugexamples of which can still be found on the back shelves of liquor cabinetsthroughouttheUnitedStatesTodayvodka is thedominantwhitespirit in theUnitedStateshelpedalong

by its versatility as amixer and some very clever advertising campaigns Themost famous of these was the classic double entendre tagline ldquoSmirnoffmdashItleavesyoubreathlessrdquoThemajorityofAmericancraftdistillersarevodkaproducersThey are divided between those who purchase neutral grain spirit (NGS)

fromathirdpartysupplierandthenrectifyitintheirownfacilityandarelativehandful of operations that produce and distill their ownwash tomake vodkaThisisactuallyaseriouschallengeforcraftdistillerswithpotstillsbecauseitisdifficulttoproduceahigh-proofneutralgrainspiritwithoutusingacolumnstillThe best-known and bestselling craft-distilled vodka is Titorsquos Handmade

VodkafromthedistilleryofthesamenameinAustinTexas

THEBASISOFVODKA

ldquoAvodkamartinipleasePolishnotRussianShakennotstirredrdquomdashJamesBondAgent007plungingastakeintotheheartofginsales

VODKAismadebyfermentingandthendistillingthesimplesugarsfroma

mashofpalegrainorvegetalmatterwhichcanbepotatoesmolassesbeetsoravarietyofotherplantsRyeis theclassicgrainforvodkaandmostof thebestRussianandPolishbrandsaremadeexclusivelyfromaryemashSwedishandBalticdistillersarepartialtowheatmashesalthoughwheatisalsousedfarthereastPotatoesarelookeddownonbyRussiandistillersbuttheyareheldinhighesteem by some of their Polish counterparts Molasses is widely used forinexpensive mass-produced brands of vodka American distillers use the fullrangeofbaseingredients

DISTILLATIONOFVODKA

Vodkaisdistilledinthemannerdescribedintheintroductorychapterofthisbook (Seepage24)Thechoiceofpotorcolumnstillsdoeshoweverhaveafundamentaleffectonthefinalcharacterof thevodkaAllvodkacomesoutofthestillasaclearcolorlessspiritButvodkafromapotstill(thesortusedforcognac and Scotch whisky) will contain some of the delicate aromaticscongenersandflavorelementsofthecropfromwhichitwasproducedPotstillsare relatively inefficient and the resulting spirit from the first distillation isusually redistilled (rectified) to increase the proof of the spirit Vodka from amoreefficientcolumnstillisusuallyaneutralcharacterlessspirit

MaineDistilleriesuseslocallysourcedpotatoestomakeitsColdRiverVodka

Except for a fewminor exceptions vodka is not put intowooden casks oraged for anyextensiveperiodof time It canhowever be flavoredor coloredwithawidevarietyoffruitsherbsandspices

CLASSIFICATIONSOFVODKA

Therearenouniformclassificationsofvodka InPolandvodkasaregradedaccordingtotheirdegreeofpuritystandard(zwykly)premium(wyborowy)anddeluxe(luksusowy)InRussiavodkathatislabeledosobaya(special)isusuallyasuperior-qualityproductthatcanbeexportedwhilekrepkaya(strong)denotesanoverproofvodkaofatleast56percentABVIn the United States domestic vodkas are defined by US government

regulation as ldquoneutral spirits so distilled or so treated after distillation withcharcoalorothermaterialsastobewithoutdistinctivecharacteraromatasteorcolorrdquoBecauseAmericanvodkaisbylawneutralintastethereareonlyverysubtledistinctionsbetweenbrandsManydrinkersfeelthattheonlyrealwayofdifferentiatingbetweenthemisbyalcoholcontentandprice

VODKAREGIONS

EASTERNEUROPE

ThisisthehomelandofvodkaproductionEverycountryproducesvodkaandmostalsohavelocalflavoredspecialtiesRussiaUkraineandBelarusproducethefullrangeofvodkatypesandthey

are generally acknowledged to be the leaders in vodka production Only thebetterbrandsallofwhicharedistilledfromryeandwheatareexportedtotheWest

ZubrowkavodkabyPolmosBialystockaisflavoredwithbuffalograssfromtheBialowiezaforestinPolandThevodkahasayellow-greentinge(notshown)fromthegrassinfusion

FLAVOREDVODKA

AsaneutralspiritvodkalendsitselftoblendingwithflavorsandfortifyingotherbeveragesInthenineteenthcenturyhigh-proofldquoRussianspiritrdquowasheldin high esteem by sherry producers in Spain who imported it to fortify theirwines Neutral spirits are still used to fortify port sherry and other types offortified wines although the source of alcohol for such purposes these daystends to be the vast ldquowine lakerdquo that has been created by European UnionagriculturalpracticesFlavoredvodkaswereoriginallyusedtomasktheflavorofthefirstprimitive

vodkas but they were later considered a mark of the distillerrsquos skill TheRussians and Poles in particular still market dozens of flavors Some of thebetter-knowntypesare

Inrecentyearsnumerous flavoredvodkashavebeenlaunchedontheworldmarketThemostsuccessfulofthesehavebeenfruitflavorssuchascurrantandorange

LabelforKoenigrsquosFamousIdahoPotatoVodkabytheKoenigDistilleryandWinery

Polandproducesandexportsbothgrain-andpotato-basedvodkasMostofthehigh-qualitybrandsareproducedinpotstillsThe Baltic States of Estonia Latvia and Lithuania along with Finland

produceprimarilygrain-basedvodkasmostlyfromwheat

WESTERNEUROPE

ThisregionhaslocalbrandsofvodkawherevertherearedistilleriesThebaseforthesevodkascanvaryfromgrainsinnortherncountriessuchastheUnitedKingdomHollandandGermanytograpesandotherfruitsinthewinemakingregions of France and Italy Sweden has in recent decades developed asubstantialexportmarketforitsstraightandflavoredwheat-basedvodkas

NORTHAMERICA

The United States and Canada produce vodkas both from various grains(including corn) and from molasses American vodkas are by law neutralspiritssothedistinctionbetweennonflavoredbrandsismoreamatterofpriceandperceptionthantasteAnumberofflavoredvodkasarealsoproducedbothbythemajordistillersandbyanassortmentofcraftdistillers

OTHERREGIONS

TheCaribbeanproducesasurprisingamountofvodkaallofitfrommolassesMostofitisexportedforblendingandbottlinginothercountriesAustraliaproducesmolasses-basedvodkasbutfewareexportedAsiahasasmatteringoflocalvodkaswiththebestcomingfromJapan

VermontWhiteandGoldVodkabyVermontSpirits

VODKACOCKTAILS

SCREWDRIVER

FillatallglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)vodkabullOrangejuicetofillStirandserve

BLOODYMARY

FillashortglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)vodkabullDashWorcestershiresaucebullDashTabascosaucebullDashlemonorlimejuicebullTomatojuicetofillStirandgarnishwithcelerysaltontop

SEXONTHEBEACH

FillatallglasswithiceAddbull1ounce(30ml)vodkabull1ounce(30ml)peachliqueurbull1frac12ounces(45ml)orangejuicebull1frac12ounces(45ml)cranberryjuiceStirandserve

MazamaInfusedPepperVodkabyBendistillery

ARTISANPROFILEINSIDETHEINDUSTRY

LENELLSMOTHERS

FormerownerofLeNellrsquosBrooklynNewYork

WHENcraftdistillersTuthill-townSpiritsfromUpstateNewYorklaunchedtheir firstbarrel-agedwhiskey theycalled itManhattanRye and they threwapartyattheFourSeasonrsquosRestaurantintheSeagramsBuildingonParkAvenueinManhattanInabigopenroomwithbarsatbothendsandamashofpeoplelaughinganddrinkingtheytoastedtheiraccomplishmentandpouredsamplesoftheir excellentwhiskeys and vodkas (made from 100 percentNewYork Stateapples)WhenitcametimetoclinkglassesandhearannouncementsthecrowdwastreatedtoaraucoustutorialonmixingaManhattanStandingonabalconyabove the crowd like a hillbilly Juliet before a throng of devotees LeNellSmotherscackledandcrackedwiseSheworeabatteredcowboyhatbandannasaroundherwriststightjeansandamileofattitudeShetookthecrowdthroughtherecipejiggerofryeshotofsweetvermouth

dashofbittersshaketwistShetalkedvariationTheperfectManhattanishalfdryandhalfsweetvermouthIftheywantedtodrinkthemontherocksdoitIftheywantedtodrinkthemstraightupgoaheadDowhatyoulikebutdoitwithgoodbooze

Smothersmoved fromAlabama toNewYorkCity in 2000 and spent threeyearstoilinginsaleswhileherdreamtoopenupashopsimmeredHerboutiquewineandspirits shop inRedHookBrooklynopened in2003RedHook isarough hip neighborhood on thewaterfront and her place fits right in SmalleclecticandverymuchdrivenbyherpersonalitySmothersrsquosstoreneverwantedtohaveeverythingForyearshervermouthselectionwaslimitedtoonebrandVya the American vermouth made by Andy Quady of the QuadyWinery inMaderaCaliforniabecauseitwasmadebyasmallproducerSmotherswasacceptedintothebourboncommunitywholeheartedlyandher

selectionofAmericanwhiskeywasbreathtakingWhenJimmyRussellofWildTurkeydidabottlesigninginNewYorkhediditathertinyshopSmothershowevertightshegetswiththebigproducersremainsachampion

of craft distilling ldquoWhen I go Charbay Irsquove got four generations of distillersthere hands on Someplace like Stoli isnrsquot going to have the same qualitycontrolrdquoWheresomepeoplecallmicro-distillingpracticessuchasmaking100percent

barley whiskeys or making whiskey from beer instead of from mash ascontroversial Smothers believes that change and adventure are something tocelebrateldquoWhatistheAmericantraditionanywayAllwedoisourownthingrdquoInearly2009afteratryingstrugglewithherlandlordSmotherslostthelease

tohershopNexttimeshersquosgoingtobuythebuildingshesaysandexpandthewhiskeyselection

CHAPTERFIVE

GIN

ldquoTheproperunionofginandvermouthisagreatandsuddengloryitisoneofthehappiestmarriagesonearthandoneoftheshortestlivedrdquo

mdashBernardDeVotoAmericanessayistanddrinksphilosopher

ThisgooseneckstillatPhiladelphiaDistillingwascustommadebyForsythsofScotland

GIN is a juniper berryndashflavored grain spirit The word is an Englishshorteningofgenever theDutchword for juniperTheoriginsofginareabitmurky In the late 1580s a juniper-flavored spirit of some sort was found inHollandbyBritish troopswhowere fighting against theSpanish in theDutchWarofIndependenceTheygratefullydrankittogivethemwhattheysooncameto call ldquoDutch couragerdquo in battle The Dutch themselves were encouraged bytheirgovernment tofavorsuchgrainspiritsover importedwineandbrandybylackofexcisetaxesonlocaldrinks

THEHISTORYOFGIN

IN the1600s aDrFranciscusde laBoeuml in theuniversity townofLeiden

created a juniper-and spice-flavored medicinal spirit that he promoted as adiuretic Genever soon found favor across the English Channel first as amedicine(SamuelPepyswrotein1660ofcuringacaseofldquocolicrdquowithadoseofldquostrongwatermadewithjuniperrdquo)andthenasabeverageWhen the Dutch ProtestantWilliam of Orange became king of England in

1689 he moved to discourage the importation of brandy from the CatholicwinemakingcountriesbysettinghightariffsAsareplacementhepromotedtheproduction of grain spirits (ldquocorn brandyrdquo as it was known at the time) byabolishingtaxesandlicensingfeesforthemanufactureofsuchlocalproductsasginHistoryhasshownthatprohibitionneverworksbutunfetteredproductionofalcoholhasitsproblemstooBythe1720sitwasestimatedthataquarterofthe houses in London were used for the production or sale of gin Massdrunkenness became a serious problem The cartoonist Hogarthrsquos famousdepictionofsuchbehaviorinGinLaneshowsasignaboveaginshopthatstatesldquoDrunkforapennyDeaddrunkfortwopenceCleanstrawforNothingrdquoPanickyattemptsby thegovernment toprohibitginproduction suchas theGinActof1736 resulted in massive illicit distilling and the cynical marketing ofldquomedicinalrdquo spirits with such fanciful names as Cuckoldrsquos Comfort and MyLadyrsquosEyeWater

FritzMaytagrightatAnchorDistillingWithasmalloverheadcraneAchorDistillingcaninterchangethecolumnsoftheirthreestills

Acombinationofreimposedgovernmentcontrolsthegrowthofhigh-qualitycommercial gin distillers the increasing popularity of imported rum and ageneralfeelingofpublicexhaustiongraduallybroughtthismasshysteriaundercontrol although the problems caused by the combination of cheap gin andextreme poverty extended well into the nineteenth century Faginrsquos irritablecomment toachild in the filmOlivermdashldquoShutupanddrinkyourginrdquomdashhadabasisinhistoricalfact

SonjaKassebaumofNorthShoreDistillerystandsinfrontoftheldquohelmetrdquoofherginstill

Wherever the British Empire went English-style gins followed In Britishcolonies in North America such celebrated Americans as Paul Revere andGeorgeWashingtonwerenotablyfondofginandtheQuakerswerewellknownfortheirhabitofdrinkinggintoddiesafterfuneralsThe mid-nineteenth century ushered in a low-key rehabilitation of ginrsquos

reputationinEnglandTheharshsweetenedldquoOldTomrdquostylesofginoftheearly1700sslowlygavewaytoanewcleanerstylecalleddryginThisstyleofginbecame identified with the city of London to the extent that ldquoLondon dryrdquobecame a generic term for the style regardless of where it was actuallyproduced

BluecoatginleavesthebottlinglineatPhiladelphiaDistilling

Genteel middle-class ladies sipped their sloe gin (gin flavored with sloeberries) while consulting Mrs Beetonrsquos Book of Household Management (awildlypopularVictoriancrossbetweentheJoyofCookingandMarthaStewartlifestyle books) for gin-based mixed drink recipes The British militaryparticularlytheofficercorpsbecameahotbedofginconsumptionHundredsofgin-based mixed drinks were invented and the mastery of their making wasconsidered a part of a young officerrsquos training The best known of thesecocktails the gin and tonic was created as a way for Englishmen in tropicalcolonies to taketheirdailydoseofquinineaverybittermedicine towardoffmalaria(Moderntonicwaterstillcontainsquininethoughasaflavoringratherthanamedicine)

BATHTUBGIN

Gin production in theUnited States dates back to Colonial times but thegreat boost to ginproductionwas theadvent ofNationalProhibition in 1920Moonshiningquicklymovedintofillthegapleftbytheshutdownofcommercialdistilleries But the furtive nature of illicit distilling worked against theproductionof the then-dominantwhiskiesallofwhichrequiredsomeaging inoakcasksBootleggerswerenot inaposition tostoreandage illegalwhiskeyand the caramel-colored prune-juice-dosed grain alcohol substitutes weregenerallyconsideredtobevileGinontheotherhanddidnotrequireanyaginganditwasrelativelyeasyto

makebymixingrawalcoholwithjuniperberryextractandotherflavoringsandspicesinalargecontainersuchasabathtub(thustheoriginofthetermbathtubgin)Theseginsweregenerallyofpoorqualityandtasteafactthatgaverisetothepopularityofcocktailsinwhichthemixersservedtodisguisethetasteofthebase gin Repeal of Prohibition at the end of 1933 ended the production ofbootlegginbutginremainedapartoftheAmericanbeveragesceneItwasthedominantwhitespiritintheUnitedStatesuntiltheriseofvodkainthe1960sItstill remains popular helped along recently by the revived popularity of themartini

THEBASISOFGIN

SpruceGinbyRogueDistilleryandAleHouse

In Holland the production of genever was quickly integrated into the vastDutch trading system Rotterdam became the center of genever distilling asdistilleriesopenedtheretotakeadvantageoftheabundanceofneededspicesthatwerearrivingfromtheDutchcoloniesintheEastIndies(present-dayIndonesia)ManyoftodayrsquosleadingDutchgeneverdistillerscantracetheiroriginsbacktothe sixteenth and seventeenth centuries Examples include such firms as Bols(founded1575)anddeKuyper(1695)Belgiumdevelopeditsownjuniper-flavoredspiritcalledjenever(withaj)in

amannersimilartothatinHolland(whichcontrolledBelgiumforatimeintheearlynineteenthcentury)ThetwoGermaninvasionsofBelgiuminWorldWarsI and II had a particularly hard effect on jenever producers as the occupyingGermans stripped the distilleries of their copper stills andpiping to use in theproduction of shell casings The present-day remaining handful of BelgianjeneverdistillersproduceprimarilyforthelocaldomesticmarketGinmayhaveoriginatedinHollandanddevelopedintoitsmostpopularstyle

inEnglandbut itsmostenthusiasticmodern-dayconsumersare tobefoundinSpainwhichhasthehighestpercapitaconsumptionintheworldProductionofLondondryndashstyleginbeganinthe1930sbutseriousconsumptiondidnotbeginuntilthemixofginandcolabecameinexplicablypopularinthe1960s

GINanditsDutchcousingenever(jeneverinBelgium)arewhitespiritsthatareflavoredwithjuniperberriesandso-calledbotanicals(avariedassortmentofherbsandspices)Thespiritbaseofginisprimarilygrain(usuallywheatorrye)which results in a light-bodied spirit Genever is made primarily from ldquomaltwinerdquo (a mixture of malted barley wheat corn and rye) which produces afuller-bodied spirit similar to malt whisky A small number of genevers inHollandandBelgiumaredistilleddirectlyfromfermentedjuniperberrieswhichproducesaparticularlyintenselyflavoredspirit

BluecoatGinbyPhiladelphiaDistilling

Thechiefflavoringagentinbothginandgeneveristhehighlyaromaticblue-greenberryofthejuniperalow-slungevergreenbush(genusJuniperus)thatiscommercially grown in northern ItalyCroatia theUnitedStates andCanadaAdditional botanicals can include anise angelica root cinnamon orange peelcoriander and cassia barkAll gin and genevermakers have their own secretcombinationofbotanicalsthenumberofwhichcanrangefromasfewasfourtoasmanyasfifteen

THEDISTILLATIONOFGIN

Mostgin is initiallydistilled inefficientcolumnstillsTheresultingspirit ishighprooflight-bodiedandcleanwithaminimalamountofcongeners(flavorcompounds)andflavoringagentsGeneverisdistilledinless-efficientpotstillswhichresultsinalower-proofmoreflavorfulspiritLow-qualityldquocompoundrdquoginsaremadebysimplymixingthebasespiritwith

juniper and botanical extracts Mass-market gins are produced by soakingjuniperberriesandbotanicalsinthebasespiritandthenredistillingthemixtureTop-qualityginsandgeneversareflavoredinauniquemannerAfteroneor

more distillations the base spirit is redistilled one last timeDuring this finaldistillationthealcoholvaporwaftsthroughachamberinwhichthedriedjuniperberries and botanicals are suspended The vapor gently extracts aromatic andflavoringoils andcompounds from theberries and spices as it travels throughthe chamber on its way to the condenser The resulting flavored spirit has anoticeabledegreeofcomplexity

GuyRehorstoftheGreatLakesDistilleryusesawoodendipsticktomeasurethevolumeofspiritinatank

THECOLORFULORIGINSOFOLDTOMGIN

ThenameofOldTomGincomesfromwhatmaybethefirstexampleofabeveragevendingmachineInthe1700ssomepubsinEnglandhadawoodenplaqueshapedlikeablackcat (anldquoOldTomrdquo)mountedontheoutsidewallThirstypassersbywoulddepositapennyinthecatrsquosmouthandplacetheirlipsaroundasmalltubebetweenthecatrsquospawsThebartenderinsidewouldthenpourashotofginthroughthetubeandintothecustomerrsquoswaitingmouth

GINREGIONS

EUROPE

TheUnitedKingdomproducesmostlydryginprimarilyfromcolumnstillsBritish gins tend to be high proof (90deg proof or 45 percentABV) and citrus-accented from the use of dried lemon and Seville orange peels in themix ofbotanicalsBritishginsareusuallycombinedintomixeddrinksHollandandBelgiumproducegenevermostly frompot stillsGenevers are

distilledatlowerprooflevelsthanEnglishginsandaregenerallyfullerinbodyManyoftheseginsareagedforonetothreeyearsinoakcasksSomegeneverproducers now market fruit-flavored genevers the best known being blackcurrantDutchandBelgiangeneversareusuallychilledandservedneatGermanyproducesagenever-stylegincalleddornkaatintheNorthSeacoast

regionofFrisiaThis spirit is lighter inbodyandmoredelicate in flavor thanbothDutchgeneverandEnglishdryginGermanginisusuallyservedstraightupandcoldSpainproducesasubstantialamountofginallof it in theLondondrystyle

fromcolumnstillsMostofitissoldformixingwithcola

LabelforGenevieveGeneverstylegin

GreylockGin

BardenayLondonStyleDryGin

NORTHAMERICA

TheUnitedStatesistheworldrsquoslargestginmarketLondondryginaccountsfor the bulk of domestic gin production withmost of it produced in columnstillsAmericandryginstendtobelowerproof(80degproofor40percentABV)and less flavorful than their English counterparts This rule applies even tobrandssuchasGordonrsquosandGilbeyrsquoswhichoriginatedinEnglandTheUnitedStatesrsquosbest-sellingginSeagramrsquosExtraDryisararecask-ageddryginThreemonths of aging in charred oak barrels gives the gin a pale straw color and asmoothpalateAmericancraftdistillerieshavetakentogininamajorwaywithsuchnoteworthyexamplesasDistillerrsquosGin6fromNorthShoreDistillery inLakeBluffIllinoisandRehorstPremiumMilwaukeeGinfromtheGreatLakesDistilleryinMilwaukeeWisconsin

AviationGinbyHouseSpiritsDistillery

LabelforAmericanDistilledGininfusedwithRareBotanicalsbyMcMenaminsEdgefieldDistilleryClassicMartini

SarticiousGinbySarticiousSpirits

THEMARTINIANDTHEMEANINGOFLIFE

Thebestknownofhundredsofgin-basedmixeddrinksistheginandwhitevermouth combination called the martini As is usually the case with mostpopular mixed drinks the origins of the martini are disputed One school ofthoughtholdsthatitevolvedfromthelate-nineteenth-centurymartinezcocktailarathercloyingmixtureofOldTomndashstyleginandsweetvermouthAdissentingsectholdsthatitwascreatedinthebaroftheKnickerbockerHotelinNewYorkCity in theearly twentiethcenturyThe ratioofgin tovermouth startedout atabout two to one and it has been getting drier ever since The famedBritishstatesmanWinstonChurchillwhodevotedagreatdealof thoughtand time todrinkingwasoftheopinionthatpassingthecorkfromthevermouthbottleovertheglassofginwassufficientGINCOCKTAILS

CLASSICMARTINI

Inashakercombinebull2ounces(60ml)ginbullDashwhitevermouthbullIcetofillShakeand strain and into amartiniglassor a shortglassGarnishwith an

olive

TOMCOLLINS

Inatallglasscombinebull2ounces(60ml)ginbull1ounce(30ml)lemonjuicebull1tablespoon(15g)sugarStirandthenfilltheglasswithiceFillwithclubsoda

GINANDTONIC

FillatallglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)ginbullTonicwatertofillGarnishwithalimeslice

ARTISANPROFILEINSIDETHEINDUSTRY

CHRISWELD

BerkshireMountainDistillersGreatBarringtonMassachusetts

ITishardtoimagineChrisWeldinanemergencyroomwhereheworkedinCalifornia for sixteen years as a physicianrsquos assistantHe seems too young tohave sixteen years of work behind him and on his land in westernMassachusettsheisperfectlyateasewithadogathissidelightinhiseyesandmudonhisbootsHeandhiswifeTylermovedbacktotheEastCoastmdashafterhavingdeveloped

intoseriousfoodiesmdashandboughtanorchardldquoOurwatercomesfromanoldspringhereonthepropertythat thePittsfield

Sunin1901saidhadlsquofewequalsandnonesuperiorrsquordquoThe farm that isnow theBerkshireMountainDistillerywasonce in fact a

springwaterbottlingplant(Oneformerowneruseditasabaseofoperationsforasanitariumintownandithasalsobeenahotel)BuildingtheBerkshireMountainDistillerywasnoteasyWhenWeldarrived

thewould-bestillhousewasabarninshamblesWelddidasmuchoftheworkas he could himself and hired local builders and craftspeople to do the restKeepingthingslocalisimportanttoWeld

ldquoWhenIneedtoexpandIrsquollbuildanotherbarnandIrsquollhirelocalpeopletobuilditrdquoThisimpliesadirectcontrasttowhathappenswhenabiginternationaldistillerexpandsHetalksenthusiasticallyabouttheldquolocalmultiplierrdquoeffectldquoEverydollaryou

spendlocallyisworththreespentinachainstorerdquoWeldisanenthusiasticparticipant in theBerksharesprogram(localmoney

accepted by hundreds of merchants in western Massachusetts includingrestaurants)HehiredalocaldesignertodesignlabelsHesourcedhisglassoutofnearbyLenoxWeld looked further afield for help with his rum and he brought in a

consultantTogethertheyworkedontestbatchesandperfectedtherecipeHersquodhaveworkedformorethanayearhesaidsolvingtheproblemsthatanexpertsolved in a few days and the adjustments to fermentation temperatures andexpertknowledgeofdifferentflavorcompoundswaspricelessWeld describes his rum as more like Armagnac than a typical molasses

distillateHehasfiftybarrelsagingldquoIrsquovegotabigstillrdquohesaysIndeedheboughtan800-gallonstainlesssteel

tanksecondhandfromBrownForeman(Heassuresanyonewhoasksthatalltheother work including the custom columns and the piping was done by localcraftspeople)ldquoIfIhadasmallstillIrsquodbeatcapacityrdquoAsitstandshersquosabletomakebourbonandrumforagingbringoutnewproductssuchasasecondginwithaheavierflavorandmorebotanicalsthanhisfirstandstillsatisfythe400accountshersquosdevelopedinhisfirstyearForWeldhoweveritrsquosstillthecommunitythatrsquosimportantHerecentlymet

intoamanwhohadbroughtsomeofhisGreylockGintoapartyldquoSeeingitatpartieshellipthatrsquosreallyitrdquohesaidglowing

CHAPTERSIX

BRANDYANDEAUDEVIE

ldquoNosirclaretistheliquorforboysportformenbuthewhoaspirestobeaheromustdrinkbrandyrdquo

mdashSamuelJohnsoneighteenth-centuryBritishwriterwholovedbrandyandhatedwhisky

Brandyinaclassicbrandysniftercastsashadowonalinentablecloth

THE word brandy comes from the Dutch word brandewijn (burnt wine)which is how the straightforwardDutch traderswho introduced it to northernEuropeinthesixteenthcenturydescribedwinethathadbeenldquoburntrdquoorboiledtodistillitThe origins of brandy can be traced back to the growing Muslim

Mediterranean states in the seventh and eighth centuries Alchemists in theregion experimentedwith distilling grapes and other fruits tomakemedicinalspiritsTheirknowledgeandtechniquessoonspreadbeyondthebordersof theterritorywithgrapebrandyproductionappearinginSpainandprobablyIreland(viamissionarymonks)bytheendoftheeighthcentury

TYPESOFBRANDY

Abottleofbrandydistilledfrom100percentViognierwinebyGermain-Robin

BRANDYinitsbroadestdefinitionisaspiritmadefromfruitjuiceorfruitpulpandskinMorespecificallyitisbrokendownintothreebasicgroupingsGrapebrandy isbrandydistilledfromfermentedgrapejuiceorcrushedbut

not pressed grape pulp and skin This spirit is aged inwooden casks (usuallyoak)whichcolorsitmellowsoutthepalateandaddsaromasandflavorsPomace brandy (Italian grappa and French marc are the best-known

examples) ismade from the pressed grape pulp skins and stems that remainafter thegrapes are crushed andpressed to extractmost of the juice forwinePomacebrandieswhichareusuallyminimallyagedandseldomseewoodarean acquired taste They often tend to be rather raw although they can offer afresh fruity aroma of the type of grape used a characteristic that is lost inregularoak-agedbrandyFruit brandy is the default term for all brandies that are made from

fermenting fruit other than grapes (It should not be confused with fruit-flavoredbrandywhichisgrapebrandythathasbeenflavoredwiththeextractof another fruit)Fruit brandies except thosemade fromberries aregenerallydistilledfromfruitwinesBerriestendtolackenoughsugartomakeawinewithsufficient alcohol for proper distillation and thus are soaked (macerated) in ahigh-proof spirit toextract their flavorandaromaTheextract is thendistilledonceatalowproofCalvados theapplebrandyfromtheNormandyregionofnorthwesternFranceisprobablythebest-knowntypeoffruitbrandyEaudevie(ldquowaterofliferdquo)isacolorlessfruitbrandyparticularlyfromtheAlsaceregionofFranceandfromCalifornia

Applesonthetreerawmaterialsforbrandy

Grapesenterthestillforthemakingofgrappa

BRANDIESBYREGION

FRANCE

French brandy is the catchall designation for brandy produced from grapesgrowninotherregionsThesebrandiesareusuallydistilledincolumnstillsandagedinoakcasksforvaryingperiodsoftimeTheyarefrequentlyblendedwithwine grape juice oak flavorings and other brandies including cognac tosmoothout the roughedgesCognac-likequalitydesignationssuchasVSOPandNapoleonareoftenused(seepage83)buttheyhavenolegalstanding

COGNAC

Cognacisthebest-knowntypeofbrandyintheworldabenchmarkbywhichmost other brandies are judged The Cognac region is located on the south-centralcoastofFrance justnorthofBordeauxinthedepartmentsofCharenteandCharente-MaritimeTheregionisfurthersubdividedintosixgrowingzonesGrandeChampagnePetiteChampagneBoisOrdinariesBorderiesFinsBoisandBonsBoisThefirsttwooftheseregionsproducethebestcognacandwillfrequentlybesodesignatedonbottlelabelsTheprimarygrapesusedinmakingcognac are the Ugni Blanc Folle Blanche and Colombard The wines madefrom these grapes are thin tart and low in alcohol which are poorcharacteristicsfortablewinesbutperfectformakingbrandy

Pear-in-bottlebrandy

Cognac is double distilled in specially designed pot stills and then aged incasksmadefromLimousinorTroncaisoakAllcognacsstartoutinnewoaktomellowthefieryspiritandgivethemcolorBatcheschosenforlong-termagingareafterafewyearstransferredtousedorldquoseasonedrdquocasksthatimpartlessoftheoakflavornoteswhilethebrandymaturesNearly all cognacs are a blend of brandies from different vintages and

frequently different growing zones Even those from single vineyards ordistillerieshaveamixofbrandiesfromdifferentcasksAswithchampagnetheproductsoflocalvineyardsaresoldtocognachouseseachofwhichstoresandages cognacs from different suppliers The suppliers then employ masterblenders to create and maintain continuity in the house blends drawn fromdisparatesources

BRANDYrsquoSSEASONALNATURE

Brandy like rumand tequila isanagricultural spiritUnlikegrain spiritssuchaswhiskeyvodkaandginwhicharemadethroughouttheyearfromgrainthat can be harvested and stored brandy is dependent on the seasons theripeningofthebasefruitandtheproductionofthewinefromwhichitismadeTypes of brandies originally at least tended to be location-specific (Cognacfor example is a town and region in France that gave its name to the localbrandy) Important brandy-making regions particularly in Europe furtherdifferentiatetheirlocalspiritsbyspecifyingthetypesofgrapesthatcanbeusedand the specific areas (appellation) in which the grapes used formaking thebasewinecanbegrown

Barrelsofbrandystoredforaging

INDUSTRYSTANDARDSFORCOGNAC

Because therearenoage statementsoncognacs the industryhasadoptedsomegenerallyaccepted terms todifferentiatecognacs It is important tonotethat these terms have no legal status and each cognac shipper uses themaccordingtohisorherowncriteriaVSVSPThree Star (VS very superior VSP very superior pale) A

minimumoftwoyearsaginginacaskalthoughtheindustryaverageisfourtofiveyearsVSOP(verysuperioroldpale)Aminimumoffouryearsrsquocaskagingforthe

youngestcognacintheblendwiththeindustryaveragebetweentenandfifteenyearsXONapoleon (XO extra old) A minimum of six yearsrsquo aging for the

youngest cognac in the blend with the average age running twenty years orolderAllcognachousesmaintain inventoriesofoldvintagecognacs touse inblendingthesetop-of-the-linebrandsTheoldestcognacsareremovedfromtheircasks in timeandstoredinglassdemijohns(largejugs) toprevent further lossfromevaporationandtolimitexcessivelywoodyflavornotes

ARMAGNAC

ArmagnacistheoldesttypeofbrandyinFrancewithdocumentedreferencestodistillationdatingbacktotheearlyfifteenthcenturyTheArmagnacregionislocatedintheheartoftheancientprovinceofGasconyinthesouthwestcornerof France Aswith cognac there are regional growing zones Bas-ArmagnacHautArmagnac andTenarezeTheprimarygrapesused inmakingArmagnacare also theUgniBlanc FolleBlanche andColombardBut distillation takesplaceintheuniquealambicarmagnacaisatypeofcolumnstillthatisevenmoreinefficient than a typical cognac pot still The resulting brandy has a rusticassertivecharacterandaromathatrequiresadditionalcaskagingtomellowoutanddistinguishitfromcognacThebestArmagnacisagedincasksmadefromthelocalMonlezunoakInrecentyearsLimousinandTroncaisoakcaskshavebeenaddedtothemixofcasksassuitableMonlezunoakbecomeshardertofind

DetailfromabottleofPierreFerrandReserveCognac

Most Armagnacs are blends but unlike cognac single vintages and singlevineyardbottlingscanbefoundThecategoriesofArmagnacaregenerally thesameas thoseof cognac (VSVSOPXO and soon see sidebaronpage83)BlendedArmagnacsfrequentlyhaveagreaterpercentageofoldervintagesin their mix than comparable cognacs making them a better value for thediscerningbuyer

HAVESTILLWILLTRAVEL

Until the 1970s portable alambic armagnacais mounted on two-wheelcartswerehauledamongsmallvineyards inArmagnacby itinerantdistillerscalledbouilleursdecruThesetravelingstillsalashavemostlygivenwaytolarger fixed-in-place setups operated by farmer cooperatives and individualoperators

ChristianDrouinwhoproducessomeofthefinestCalvadosstandsbesideaportablestillbuiltin1946thatisnowpermanentlystationedinfrontofthepressroomatDomaineCoeurdeLionItisprobablytheonlyportabledoubledistillationinworkingorderItisnormallyusedfromFebruarytoJuneAsecondstillnowoperatesinsidethepressroom

SPAIN

BRANDYDEJEREZ

BrandydeJerezismadebythesherryhousescenteredaroundthecityofJerezdelaFronterainthesouthwestcornerofSpainButvirtuallyallBrandydeJerezis made from wines produced elsewhere in Spain primarily from the Airengrape inLaManchaandExtremadurabecause the local sherrygrapesare toovaluable to divert into brandy productionNowadaysmost of the distilling islikewisedoneelsewhereinSpainincolumnstillsItisthenshippedtoJerezforaginginusedsherrycasksinasolerasystemsimilartothatusedforsherrywineAsolera is a series of large casks (called butts) each holding a slightly olderspirit than thepreviousonebeside itWhenbrandyisdrawnoff (racked)fromthe lastbutt (nomore thana thirdof thevolume is removed) it is replenishedwithbrandydrawnfromthenextbuttallthewaydownthesoleralinetothefirstbuttwherenewlydistilledbrandyisaddedThissystemofrackingthebrandythroughaseriesofcasksblendstogetheravarietyofvintages(somesolerashavemorethanthirtystages)andresultsinaspeedingupofthematurationprocess

Brandybottledetailfromabrandywhoseflavorprofileleansmoretowardsbourbon(HuberStarlightDistillery)

ThesamplebottlesdisplaytheeffectsofdifferenttypesofbarrelsandagingprocessesatGermain-Robin

AGINGTIMELINE

Basic Brandy de Jerez Solera must age for a minimum of six monthsReservaforoneyearandGranReservaforaminimumofthreeyears

Inpractice thebestReservasandGranReservasarefrequentlyagedfortwelvetofifteenyearsThelushslightlysweetandfruitynotestobefoundinBrandydeJerezcomenotonlyfromaginginsherrycasksbutalsofromthejudicioususeoffruit-basedflavorconcentratesandoakessence(boise)

PENEDEgraveSBRANDY

Penedegraves Brandy is from the Penedegraves region of Catalonia in the northeastcornerofSpainnearBarcelonaModeledafterthecognacsofFranceandmadefromamixof localgrapesand theUgniBlancofcognac it isdistilled inpotstillsOneofthetwolocalproducers(Torres)agesinsolerasconsistingofbuttsmade from French Limousin oak whereas the other (Mascaro) ages in thestandardnon-soleramannerbut also inLimousinoakThe resultingbrandy isheartierthancognacbutleaneranddrierthanBrandydeJerez

ITALY

Italy has a long history of brandy production dating back to at least thesixteenth century but unlike Spain or France there are no specific brandy-producing regions Italian brandies are made from regional wine grapes andmost areproduced incolumnstills although therearenowanumberof smallartisanalproducersusingpotstillsTheyareagedinoakforaminimumofonetotwoyearswithsixtoeightyearsbeingtheindustryaverageItalianbrandiestendtobeonthelightanddelicatesidewithatouchofresidualsweetness

GERMANY

GermanmonksweredistillingbrandybythefourteenthcenturyandGermandistillers had organized their ownguild as early as 1588Yet almost from thestart German brandy (calledweinbrand) has been made from imported winerather than the more valuable local varieties Most German brandies areproduced in pot stills andmust be aged for aminimumof sixmonths in oakBrandiesthathavebeenagedinoakforatleastoneyeararecalleduraltoralter(meaningldquoolderrdquo)ThebestGermanbrandiesaresmoothsomewhatlighterthancognacandfinishwithatouchofsweetness

ThetastingroomatadistilleryisapopularstoponthetourRickMoerschattheRoundBarnDistillerypourssomeapricotbrandyatthetastingroominhiswinerybrewerydistillery

UNITEDSTATES

Grape brandy production in the United States which until the advent ofmodern craft distilleries was mostly confined to California dates back to theSpanish missions in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries AsubstantialamountofpeachbrandywasmadebywhiskeydistillersinSouthernstates prior to National Prohibition however and apple brandy distillingcontinuedintomodern timesonamodestscale inNewJerseyandVirginia Inthe years following the Civil War brandy became a major industry with asubstantial export trade to Europe by the end of the nineteenth century For atimeLelandStanford founder ofStanfordUniversitywas theworldrsquos largestbrandy producer Phylloxera and National Prohibition almost shut down theindustryinthe1920s

Analambicstill

RepealstartedthingsupagainbutaswiththebourbonindustrytheadventofWorldWarIIresultedinbrandyproducersfurthermarkingtimeSoonaftertheendofthewartheindustrycommissionedtheUniversityofCaliforniaatDavisDepartment of Viticulture and Oenology to develop a prototype ldquoCalifornia-stylerdquo brandy It had a clean palate was lighter in style than most EuropeanbrandiesandhadaflavorprofilethatmadeitagoodmixerStartinginthelate1940sCaliforniabrandyproducersbegantochangeovertothisnewstyle

LabelforPotStillBrandyfromMcMenaminsEdgefieldDistillery

CONTEMPORARYBRANDIES

Contemporary commercial California grape brandies are made primarily incolumn stills from table grape varieties such as the Thompson Seedless andFlame Tokay California brandies are aged for two to twelve years in usedAmericanoak(bothbrandyandbourboncasks)tolimitwoodinessinthepalatealthough pot distillers also use French oak Several California distillers mostnotably Korbel have utilized the Spanish solera method for maturing theirbrandyCaliforniabrandiesdonotusequalitydesignationssuchasVSOPorstars The more expensive brands will usually contain a percentage of oldervintagesandpot-distilledbrandiesintheblendCraft-distilledbrandies includinggrapepomaceand fruitwere the firstof

the modern generation of craft spirits to enter the US market starting inCalifornia in the late1980swithproducers suchasRMS(aventureofcognacproducer Remy Martin) Jepson Vineyards and the idiosyncratic Santa CruzwinemakerRandallGraham atBonnyDooneVineyards From the start thesegrape brandy producers generally followed a French-themed muse withproducers such asGermaine-Robin inMendocinoCounty andOsocalis in theSantaCruzMountainsgoingsofarastousetheclassicUgniBlancColombardand Folle Blanche grapes to make their base wine They installed specialcognac-style pot stills to distill it and then aged their brandies in casksmadefromimportedLimousinorTroncaisoakTheresultingbrandiesparticularlyaslonger-agedexamplescomeontothemarkethaveinsomecasesshownlevelsof complexity and flavor intensity that put them on par with their Europeancounterparts

PiscoStyleBrandybyLeopoldBros

LATINAMERICAN

MEXICO

InMexicoasurprisingamountofwineismadebutitislittleknownoutsideof the country because most of it is used for brandy production Mexicanbrandies are made from a mix of grapes including the Thompson SeedlessPalomino andUgniBlancBothcolumnandpot stills areused inproductionwhereas the solera system is generally used for aging Brandy now outsellstequilaandruminMexico

SOUTHAMERICA

South American brandies are generally confined to their domestic marketsThebest-known type ispisco a clear rawbrandy fromPeruandChile that ismadefromMuscatgrapesanddoubledistilledinpotstillsTheresultingbrandyhasaperfumedfragranceandservesas thebaseforavarietyofmixeddrinksincludingthefamousPiscoPunch

OTHERREGIONS

Greece produces pot-distilled brandies many of which such as the well-knownMetaxaareflavoredwithMuscatwineaniseorotherspicesWinemakinginIsraelisawell-establishedtraditiondatingbackthousandsof

years But brandy production dates back only to the 1880s when the FrenchJewishphilanthropistBaronEdmonddeRothschildestablishedwhathasbecomethemodernIsraeliwineindustryIsraelibrandyismadeinthemannerofcognacfrom Colombard grapes with distillation in both pot and column stills andmaturationinFrenchLimousinoakcasksIntheCaucasusregionalongtheeasternshoreoftheBlackSeatheancient

nations ofGeorgia andArmenia draw onmonastic traditions to produce richintensely flavored pot still brandies both from local grapes and from suchimportedvarietiesastheMuscadine(fromFrance)andtheSercialandVerdelho(mostfamouslyfromMadeira)SouthAfricahasproducedbrandiessincethearrivalofthefirstDutchsettlers

intheseventeenthcenturybuttheseearlyspiritsfromtheCapeColonyearnedareputation for being harsh firewater (witblitsmdashwhite lightningmdashwas a typicalnickname)The introductionofmodernproduction techniquesandgovernmentregulationsintheearlytwentiethcenturygraduallyledtoanimprovementinthequalityof localbrandiesModernSouthAfricanbrandiesaremade fromUgniBlanc Colombard CheninBlanc and Palomino grapes produced in both potandcolumnstillsandagedforaminimumofthreeyearsinoak

POMACEBRANDIES

PoliBassanodelGrappa(Italy)

ITALY produces a substantial amount of grappa both the raw firewatervarietyandthemoreelegantartisanaleffortsthataremadefromonedesignatedgrape type and packaged in hand-blown bottles Both types of grappa can beunagedoragedforafewyearsinoldcasksthatwilltamethehardedgeofthespiritwithoutimpartingmuchflavororcolorMarcfromFranceisproducedinall of the nationrsquos wine-producing regions but it is mostly consumed locallyMarcdeGewuumlrztraminerfromAlsaceisnoteworthybecauseitretainssomeofthedistinctiveperfumenoseandspicycharacterofthegrape

OrodeMazzettiliqueurgoldsuspendedinagrappabase(Italy)

Craft pomace brandies from the United States from producers such asDomaineCharbayinNapaCountyandMosbyVineyardsinSonomaareintheItalianstyleandtheyareusuallycalledgrappasevenwhentheyaremadefromnon-Italian grape varieties This is also true of the pomace brandies fromCanada

GRAPPANOTYOURGRANDPArsquoSPHLEGMCUTTER

TheUSgovernmentcallsitpomacebrandybuteversinceimmigrantsfromwinemakingcountriesbeganarriving in theUnitedStatesandstarted tomakewine they were soon refermenting the pressed grape skins from theirwinemaking and distilling it tomake a quick and simple type of brandy TheFrench call itmarc but it is the Italian term grappa that has caught onwithdistillersofeveryethnicbackgroundCraftdistillersintheUnitedStateshavetakentothedistillingofgrappafrom

theverystartoftheindustryPioneerbrandydistillerssuchasClearCreekandSt George Spirits have developed specific varietal grappas that are carefullydistilledtocapturethesubtlearomaticnotesofthebasefruitThesearespiritstodelightthenoseasmuchasthetastebuds

GrappabyHuberStarlightDistillery

APPLEANDOTHERFRUITBRANDIES

NORMANDY is one of the few regions in France that does not have a

substantial grapewine industry Instead it is apple countrywith a substantialtradition of hard and sweet ciders that in turn can be distilled into an applebrandyknownasCalvadosThelocalciderappleswhichtendtobesmallandtartarecloserintypetocrabapplesthantomoderntableapplesThisspirithasits own appellationswith the best brands coming fromAppellationControleePaysdrsquoAugeneartheseaportofDeauvilleandtherest intenadjacentregionsthataredesignatedAppellationReglementeeMostPaysdrsquoAugeandsomeofthebetter Appellation Reglementee are produced in pot stills All varieties ofCalvados are aged in oak casks for a minimum of two years Cognac-stylequalityandage termssuchasVSOPandHorsdrsquoAgeare frequentlyusedonlabelsbuthavenolegalmeaning

Applebrandy

BottlesofkirschandframboiseeaudeviefromWestfordHillsDistillers

ExteriorshotofLairdampCompanytheoldestdistilleryintheUnitedStates

Thefruit-growingregionsoftheupperRhineRiveraretheprimeeaudevieproductionareasofEuropeTheBlackForestregionofBavariainGermanyandAlsace in France are known for their cherry brandies (kir in FrancekirschwasserinGermany)raspberrybrandies(framboiseandhimbeergeist)andpearbrandies(poire)SimilareauxdeviearenowbeingproducedintheUnitedStatesinCaliforniaandOregonSomeplumbrandyisalsomadeintheseregions(mirabellefromFranceisanexample)butthebest-knowntypeofplumbrandyisslivovitzwhich ismade from the smallblue sljivaplum throughoutEasternEuropeandtheBalkans

Applebrandylabel

IntheUnitedStatesapplejackasapplebrandyiscalledlocallyisthoughtbymanytobethefirstspiritproducedintheBritishcoloniesThiscolonialtraditionhascontinuedwithLairdrsquosDistilleryestablishedin1780inNewJerseyandtheoldest distilling company in the United States and with distilleries in NewJerseyandVirginiaArtisan fruitbrandydistillingstarted inCaliforniabut in recentyears ithas

spreadacrosstheUnitedStateswithCalvados-styledapplebrandiesfromClearCreekDistilleryinPortlandOregonleadingthewaywhileBlackStarFarmsinSuttons Bay St Julian in Paw Paw and a bevy of other Michigan artisandistillershave releasedawide rangeofdelicatehighlyaromaticcherryplumand other fruit brandies that draw an obvious inspiration from theKirsch andplumbrandiesoftheBlackForestregionofsouthernGermany

BRANDYCOCKTAILS

SIDECARFillashortglasswithiceInashakercombinebull1ounce(30ml)brandybull1ounce(30ml)TripleSecbull1ounce(30ml)lemonjuicebullIcetofillShakeandstrainintotheglass

STINGERFillashortglasswithiceAddbull1ounce(30ml)brandybull1ounce(30ml)whitecregravemedementheStirandserve

BRANDYALEXANDER

Inashakercombinebull1ounce(30ml)brandybull1ounce(30ml)darkcregravemedecacaobull1ounce(30ml)creambullIcetofillShakeandstrainintoalargebrandysnifterDustwithnutmeg

LabelforAcquadiLamponiRaspberryEaudeVie

Apricotbrandy

CHAPTERSEVEN

RUMTEQUILALIQUEURSRUMTEQUILALIQUEURSANDMORE

INCLUDINGSCHNAPPSANISEANDBITTERS

ldquoTherersquos nought no doubt so much the spirit calms as rum and truereligionrdquo

mdashLordByron

Bottlesofrumofdifferentages(youngesttooldestlefttoright)atCelebrationDistillationinNewOrleans

GRAPESANDGRAINmaybethetwomajorrawmaterialsfordistillationbut they are by no means the only ones Sugarcane provides two differentfermentables sugarcane juice and molasses which is a byproduct of sugarrefiningBothareusedasthebasisofrumproductionwhichasaspiritrangesacrossthecolorandtastespectrumfromthealmostvodkalikeBlancosofPuertoRicototheheartydeep-huedDemerarasofGuyanawithsomeverydistinctivevariationsinbetween

RUM

TheagaveplantanativeofCentralAmericaprovidesthefermentablebasis

for a varietyof distilled spirits ofwhich tequila is thebest knownbut bynomeanstheonlyexampleLiquors can refer generically to distilled spirits but they can also be

specifically flavored spirits Add a sweetener and they become liqueursAddcertainherbsandyounowhavebittersAttheendofthedayifsomethingcanbefermentedandthendistilledpeoplewilldrinkit

GROG

TheBritishnavyadoptedadailyrationofahalf-pintof160degproofrumbythe1730sThisrationwassubsequentlymodifiedbymixingitwithanequalamountofwater toproduceadrinkcalledgrogThegrogrationremaineda stapleofBritishnavallifeuntil1969

LabelforHudsonRiverRumbyTuthilltownSpirits

THEHISTORY of rum is the history of sugar Sugar is a sweet crystallinecarbohydrate that occurs naturally in a variety of plants One of those is thesugarcane(Saccharumofficinarum)atallthickgrassthathasitsoriginsintheislands of present-day Indonesia in the East Indies Chinese traders spread itscultivationtoAsiaandontoIndiaArabsinturnbroughtit totheMiddleEastand North Africa where it came to the attention of Europeans during theCrusadesintheeleventhcenturyAstheSpanishandPortuguesebegantoventureoutintotheAtlanticOcean

theyplantedsugarcaneintheCanaryandAzoresIslandsIn1493ChristopherColumbuspickedupcanecuttingsfromtheCanarieswhileonhissecondvoyagetotheAmericasandtransplantedthemtoHispaniolatheCaribbeanislandnowshared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic Portuguese explorers soon didlikewiseinBrazilTheCaribbeanbasinprovedtohaveanidealclimateforgrowingsugarcane

andsugarproductionquicklyspreadaroundtheislandsTheinsatiabledemandin Europe for sugar soon led to the establishment of hundreds of sugarcaneplantations andmills in the variousEnglish Spanish French Portuguese andDutchcoloniesThesemillscrushedtheharvestedcaneandextractedthejuiceBoiling this juice caused chunks of crystallized sugar to form The remainingunsolidifiedjuicewascalledmelazas(fromtheSpanishwordforhoneymiel)inEnglishthisbecamemolasses

BottleofThomasTewRum

Molasses is a sticky syrup that still contains a significant amount of sugarSugarmilloperatorssoonnoticedthatwhenitwasmixedwithwaterandleftoutin the sun it fermented By the 1650s this former waste product was beingdistilled into a spirit In theEnglish colonies itwas calledKillDevil (from itstendencytocauseanastyhangoveroritsperceivedmedicinalpowertakeyourchoice)orrumbullion(originsuncertain)whichwasshortenedovertheyearstoourmodernwordrumTheFrenchrenderthiswordasrhumwhiletheSpanishcallitron

PrichardrsquosCrystalRumfromPrichardsrsquoDistillery

Rumwas used as a cure-all for many of the aches and pains that afflictedthoselivinginthetropicsSugarplantationownerssolditatdiscountedpricestonavalshipsthatwereonstationintheCaribbeaninordertoencouragetheirpresenceinlocalwatersandthusdiscouragetheattentionsofmaraudingpirates

PrichardrsquosFineRumfromPrichardsrsquoDistillery

BobRyanandpartnerDaveWoodatRyanandWoodDistilleriesinGloucesterMassachusetts

This naval-rum connection introduced rum to the outsideworld and by thelate seventeenth century a thriving export tradedevelopedTheBritish islandsshippedrumtoGreatBritain(whereitwasmixedintorumpunchesandreplacedginasthedominantspiritintheeighteenthcentury)andtotheBritishcoloniesinNorth America where it became very popular This export of rum to NorthAmerica in exchange forNewEngland lumber anddried cod (still a culinarystaple in the Caribbean) soon changed over to the export of molasses todistilleries in New England This was done to avoid laws from the Britishparliamentwhich protectedBritish distillers by forbidding the trade in spiritsdirectly between colonies This law was at best honored in the breech andsmugglingsoonbecamerampantThe shipping ofmolasses tomake rum inNewEngland distilleries became

part of the infamous ldquoslavery trianglerdquo The first leg was the shipment ofmolassestoNewEnglandtomakerumThesecondlegwastheshipmentofrumtotheportsofWestAfricatotradeforslavesThefinallegwasthepassageofslaveshipstothesugarplantationsoftheCaribbeanandSouthAmericawheremanyoftheslaveswereputtoworkinthesugarcanefieldsThe disruption of trade caused by theAmericanRevolution and the rise of

whiskey production in North America resulted in the slow decline of rumrsquosdominanceastheAmericannationaltippleRumproductionintheUnitedStatesslowlydeclinedthroughthenineteenthcenturywiththelastNewEnglandrumdistilleries closing at the advent of National Prohibition in 1920 The famedrumrunners of the Prohibition era were smuggling primarily whiskey into theUnitedStates

DarkRumSpruceGinWhiteRumandHazelnutSpiceRumbyRogueDistillery

InEuropetheinventionofsugarextractionfromthesugarbeetlessenedthedemandforCaribbeansugar reducing theamountofmolassesbeingproducedandtheresultingamountofrumbeingdistilledManysmallplantationsandtheirstillswereclosedRumproductionrecededforthemostparttocountrieswheresugarcanewasgrown

ChrisWeldofBerkshireMountainDistillers

Themodernhistoryofrumowesalottothespreadofair-conditioningandthegrowth of tourism In the second half of the twentieth century modern air-conditioningmadeitpossiblefor largenumbersofpeople tomigrate towarm-weather regions where rum remained the dominant spirit Additionally theexplosiveincreaseinthenumberofNorthAmericanandEuropeantouristsintorum-drinking regions led to a steady increase in the popularity of rum-basedmixed drinks Nowadays white rum gives vodka serious competition as themixerofchoiceinanumberofdistinctivelynontropicalmarketsAgedrumsaregainingnewstandingamongconsumersofsinglemaltScotch

whiskiescognacsandsmall-batchbourbonswhoarelearningtoappreciatethesubtle complexities of these rums The pot still rums of Guyana and Jamaicahaveaparticular appeal forScotchwhiskydrinkers (It isnoaccident that theScottishwhiskymerchantandbottlerCadenheadalsoagesandbottlesDemerararum)ThesubtleandcomplexrhumsofMartiniqueandGuadeloupemirrortheflavorprofilesofthetopFrenchbrandiesinCognacandArmagnac

THEBASISOFRUM

Rumanditsfraternaltwincanespiritaremadebydistillingfermentedsugarand water This sugar comes from the sugarcane and is fermented from canejuiceconcentratedcanejuiceormolassesMolassesisthesweetstickyresiduethat remains after sugarcane juice is boiled and the crystallized sugar isextractedMostrumismadefrommolassesMolassesismorethan50percentsugarbut

italsocontainssignificantamountsofmineralsandothertraceelementswhichcancontributetothefinalflavorRumsmadefromcanejuiceprimarilyonHaitiandMartiniquehaveanaturallysmoothpalateDependingontherecipetheldquowashrdquo(thecanejuiceormolassesandwater)is

fermented using either cultured yeast or airborne wild yeasts for a periodrangingfromtwenty-fourhoursforlightrumsuptoseveralweeksforheavyfullvarieties

OldNewOrleansCrystalRumbyCelebrationDistillation

CoasterforRaggedMountainRumbyBerkshireMountainDistillersldquoThinkGloballyDrinkLocallyrdquo

DISTILLATIONOFRUM

RumcanbedistilledineitherpotorcolumnstillsThechoiceofstillshasaprofoundeffectonthefinalcharacteroftherumAllrumscomeoutofthestillasclearcolorlessspiritsBarrelagingandtheuseofaddedcarameldeterminethe final color Because caramel is burnt sugar it is true that only naturalcoloringagentsareusedLighter rums are highly rectified (purified) and are produced in column or

continuousstills thenusuallycharcoal filteredandsometimesaged inoldoakcasksforafewmonthstoaddsmoothnessMostlightrumshaveminimalflavorsandaromaandareverysimilar tovodkaHeavier rumsareusuallydistilled inpot stills similar to those used to produce cognacs and Scotch whiskies Potstills are less efficient than column stills and some congeners (fusel oils andotherflavorelements)arecarriedoverwiththealcoholTheseheavierrumsareusedformakinggoldenanddarkrumsSomebrandsofrumaremadebyblendingpot-andcolumn-distilledrumsina

mannersimilartothatofArmagnacproduction

RUMCOCKTAILS

RUMANDCOKE(CubaLibre)FillatallglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)darkrumbullJuiceofhalfalimebullColatofillStirandgarnishwithalimewedge

DAIQUIRI

FillashortglasswithiceInashakercombinebull1frac12ounces(45ml)whiterumbull1ounce(30ml)limejuicebull1tablespoon(15g)sugarbullIcetofillShakeandstrainintotheglass

PLANTERrsquoSPUNCH

FillatallglasswithiceInashakercombinebull1frac12ounces(45ml)darkrumbullfrac12ounce(15ml)limejuicebullfrac12ounce(15ml)lemonjuicebull3ounces(90ml)orangejuicebull1teaspoon(5g)sugarbullDashgrenadinesyrupbullIcetofillShakeandstrainintotheglass

RUMREGIONS

THECARIBBEAN

TheCaribbeanistheepicenterofworldrumproductionVirtuallyeverymajorislandgroupproducesitsowndistinctrumstyleBarbadosproduceslightsweetishrumsfrombothpotandcolumnstillsRum

distillation began here and the Mount Gay Distillery dating from 1663 isprobablytheoldestoperatingrumproducerintheworldCuba produces light-bodied crisp clean rums from column stills It is

currentlyillegaltoshipCubanrumsintotheUnitedStatesThe Dominican Republic is notable for its full-bodied aged rums from

columnstillsGuyanaisjustlyfamousforitsrichheavyDemerararumsnamedforalocal

riverwhichareproducedfrombothpotandcolumnstillsDemerararumscanbeagedforextendedperiods(twenty-five-year-oldvarietiesareonthemarket)and are frequently used for blending with lighter rums from other regionsNeighboringSurinamandFrenchGuyanaproducesimilarfull-bodiedrumsHaitifollowstheFrenchtraditionofheavierrumsthataredoubledistilledin

potstillsandagedinoakcasksforthreeormoreyearstoproducefull-flavoredexceptionallysmooth-tastingrumsHaitialsostillhasanextensiveundergroundmoonshineindustrythatsuppliesthevoodooreligiousritualtrade

SagatibaPuraCachaccedila(Brazil)

Jamaicaiswellknownforitsricharomaticrumsmostofwhichareproducedin pot stills Jamaica has official classifications of rum ranging from light toveryfull-flavoredJamaicanrumsareusedextensivelyforblendingMartinique is a French island with the largest number of distilleries in the

Eastern Caribbean Both pot and column stills are used As on other Frenchislands such asGuadeloupe both rhum agricole (made from sugarcane juice)and rhum industriel (made from molasses) are produced These rums arefrequently aged in used French brandy casks for a minimum of three yearsRhumvieux(agedrum)isfrequentlycomparedtohigh-qualityFrenchbrandiesPuertoRico is knownprimarily for light verydry rums fromcolumn stills

AllPuertoRicanrumsmustbylawbeagedforaminimumofoneyearTrinidadproducesmainlylightrumsfromcolumnstillsandhasanextensive

exporttrade

THEVIRGINISLANDS

The Virgin Islands which are divided between the United States VirginIslands and the British Virgin Islands both produce light mixing rums fromcolumnstillsTheserumsandthoseofnearbyGrenadaalsoserveasthebaseforbayrumaclassicaftershavelotion

CENTRALAMERICA

CentralAmericahasavarietyofprimarilymedium-bodiedrumsfromcolumnstills that lend themselves well to aging They have recently begun to gaininternationalrecognition

SOUTHAMERICA

South America produces vast quantities of mostly light rums from columnstillswithunagedcanespiritfromBrazilcalledcachaccedilabeingthebest-knownexample Venezuela bucks this general trendwith a number of well-respectedbarrel-agedgoldenanddarkrums

NORTHAMERICA

North America has a handful of traditional rum distilleries in the southernUnited States producing a range of light-and medium-bodied rums that aregenerally marketed with Caribbean-themed names Modern craft distilleriesproducingrumhavesprungupinsomemoreunusuallocationswithparticularlynoteworthy producers including Prichardrsquos Distillery in Kelso Tennessee theRogueDistillery inNewportOregonand theTriple8Distillery inNantucketMassachusetts

CANADA

In Canada the 300-year-old tradition of trading rum for dried codfishcontinuesintheAtlanticMaritimeprovincesofNewfoundlandandNovaScotiawheregoldenrumsfromAntiguaBarbadosandJamaicaareimportedandagedforfiveyearsTheresultingheartyrumisknownlocallyasscreech

DistillerStefanHafenattheWeyermannDistillery(Germany)

EUROPE

Europe is primarily a blender of imported rums Both theUnitedKingdomandFrance import rums from their formercolonies in theCaribbean foragingandbottlingHeavydarkJamaicanrumsareimportedintoGermanyandmixedwithneutralspiritata119ratiotoproducerumverschnittAsimilarproductinAustriaiscalledinlanderrum

RecipecardfromRogueDistillery

AUSTRALIA

Australiaproducesasubstantialamountofwhiteandgoldenrumsinadouble-distillationmethodutilizingbothcolumnandpotstillsRumisthesecondmostpopular alcoholic beverage in the country after beer Light rums are alsoproducedonsomeoftheislandsintheSouthPacificsuchasTahiti

ASIA

InAsia rums tend to follow regional sugarcaneproductionwithwhite andgoldenrumsfromcolumnstillsbeingproducedprimarilyinthePhilippinesandThailand

TEQUILAMEZCALANDOTHERAGAVESPIRITS

ldquoAlltequilaismezcalbutnotallmezcalistequilardquomdashTequilamarketingmantra

TEQUILA its sister spiritmezcalandotheragavespirits trace theirorigins

backatleast2000yearstowhenoneormoreoftheIndiantribesthatinhabitedwhat isnowcentralMexicodiscoveredthat the juiceof theagaveplant if leftexposed to air would ferment and turn into a milky mildly alcoholic drinkNews of this discovery spread throughout agave-growing areas The Aztecscalled this beverage octili poliqhui a name that the Spaniards subsequentlycorruptedintopulque(POOL-kay)

Blueagavetherawmaterialfortequilaandmezcal

InAztecculturepulquedrinkinghadreligioussignificanceConsumptionbythemasseswaslimitedtospecificholidayswhenlargetubsofpulqueweresetup in public squaresThe ruling elitewas not subject to the same restrictionshoweveranddrankpulque throughout theyearmdashaprivilegesharedbycaptivewarriorsjustbeforetheyweresacrificedtothegodsWhentheSpanisharrivedinMexicointheearlysixteenthcenturytheysoon

begantomakeanddrinkpulqueButthelowalcoholcontent(around3percentABV) and earthy vegetal tastemade it less popular among the conquistadorsthan European-style beers and brandies Early attempts to distill pulque wereunsuccessful and the resulting spirit was harsh and acrid It was soondiscoveredhoweverthatcookingtheagavepulpresultedinasweeterjuicethatwhenfermentedbecameknownasmezcalwineThisldquowinerdquowasthendistilledintothespiritthatweknowtodayasmezcalEarly mezcal distilleries in the Spanish colony of Mexico operated in a

mannersimilartomodern-daybrewpubsThedistillingplantwasusuallysmallanditsproductionwasconsumedprimarilyinthedistillerytavern(taberna)Asthecolonygrewthemezcalwineindustryfollowedapaceandsoonbecameanimportant source of tax revenue for the Crown Periodic attempts by Spanishbrandyproducerstoshutdownthemezcalindustrywereaboutasunsuccessfulas similar efforts by English distillers to inhibit rum production in theBritishcoloniesinNorthAmerica

THEEVOLUTIONOFTEQUILA

In 1656 the village of Tequila (named for the local Ticuilas Indians) wasgrantedacharterbythegovernorofNewGaliciaTaxrecordsofthetimeshowthatmezcalwasalreadybeingproducedintheareaThismezcalmadefromthelocalblueagaveestablishedareputationforhavingasuperiortasteandbarrelsof the ldquomezcal wine from Tequilardquo were soon being shipped to nearbyGuadalajaraandmoredistantcitiessuchasthesilver-miningboomtownsofSanLuisPotosiacuteandAguascalientesTheoldestofthestill-existingdistilleriesinTequiladatesbackto1795when

the Spanish Crown granted a distillerrsquos license to Jose Cuervo In 1805 adistillerywas established thatwould ultimately come under the control of theSauzafamilyBythemid-1800sthereweredozensofdistilleriesandmillionsofagaveplantsundercultivationaroundTequila inwhathadbecome thestateofJalisco Gradually the locally produced mezcal came to be known as tequila(justas thegrapebrandyfromtheCognacregion inFrancecametobeknownsimplyascognac)

AjimadorharvestsblueagaveformakingtequilainJaliscoMexico

MexicoachievedindependencefromSpainin1821Butuntilthe1870sitwasapoliticallyunstablecountrythatexperiencedfrequentchangesingovernmentrevolutions and a disastrouswarwith theUnited StatesMarauding bands ofsoldiers and guerillas extracted ldquorevolutionary taxesrdquo and ldquovoluntaryrdquocontributionsinkindfromthetabernasanddistilleriesIn1876ageneralnamedPorfirioDiacuteaz whowas from themezcal-producing state ofOaxaca (oah-HA-kuh) came topower andushered in a thirty-five-yearperiodof relativepeaceandstabilityknownasthePorfiriatoItwasduringthisperiodthat thetequila industrybecamefirmlyestablished

Modest exports of tequila began to the United States and Europe with JoseCuervoshippingthefirst threebarrels toElPasoTexas in1873By1910thenumber of agave distilleries in the state of Jalisco had grown to almost ahundredThe collapse of the Diacuteaz regime in 1910 led to a decade-long period of

revolutionthatinhibitedthetequilaindustryThereturnofpeaceinthe1920sledto the expansion of tequila production in Jalisco beyond the area around thetown of Tequila with growth being particularly noteworthy in the highlandsaround the village of Arandas This period also saw the adoption of modernproduction techniques from the wine industry such as cultivated yeast andmicrobiologicalsanitarypracticesIn the 1930s the practice of adding non-agave sugars to the aguamiel or

ldquohoneywaterrdquowasintroducedandquicklyadoptedbymanytequilaproducersThesemixto(mixed)tequilashadalessintensetastethan100percentblueagavetequilasButthisrelativeblandnessalsomadethemmoreappealingtononnativeconsumersparticularlythoseintheUnitedStates

THEBASISOFTEQUILAANDMEZCAL

TequilaandmezcalaremadebydistillingthefermentedjuiceofagaveplantsinMexico The agave is a spiky-leafedmember of the lily family (it is not acactus) and is related to the century plant ByMexican law the agave spiritcalled tequila can be made only from one particular type of agave the blueagave (Agave tequilana Weber) and it can be produced only in specificallydesignated geographic areas primarily the state of Jalisco in west-centralMexicoMezcalismadefromthefermentedjuiceofotherspeciesofagaveItisproducedthroughoutmostofMexico

FieldsofblueagaveinJaliscoMexico

Both tequila and mezcal are prepared for distillation in similar ways Theagave also know as maguey (pronounced muh-GAY) is cultivated onplantations for eight to ten years depending on the type of agaveWhen theplantreachessexualmaturityitstartstogrowaflowerstalkTheagavefarmerorcampesinocutsoff thestalk justas it is starting togrowThis redirects theplant growth into the central stalk swelling it into a large bulbous shape thatcontainsasweetjuicypulpWhentheswellingiscompletedthecampesinocutstheplantfromitsrootsandremovesthelongsword-shapedleavesusingarazor-sharp pike-like tool called a coa The remaining pintildea (ldquopineapplerdquomdashso-calledbecause the cross-thatched denuded bulb resembles a giant green and whitepineapple)weighsanywherefromtwenty-fivetoonehundredpoundsAt the distillery the pintildeas are cut into quarters For tequila they are then

slowly baked in steam ovens or autoclaves until all of the starch has beenconverted to sugars Formezcal they are baked in underground ovens heatedwithwoodcharcoal (whichgivesmezcal itsdistinctivesmoky taste)Theyarethencrushed(traditionallywithastonewheeldrawnaroundacirculartroughbyamule)andshreddedtoextractthesweetjuicecalledaguamiel(honeywater)

WHATBINGCROSBYANDJIMMYBUFFETTHAVEINCOMMON

Modestamountsof tequilahadbeenexported intoUSborder townssincethelatenineteenthcenturyThefirstmajorboost to tequilasales in theUnitedStates came in the late1940swhen themargarita cocktail ablendof tequilalimejuiceorangeliqueurandicewasinventedItsoriginsareuncertainbutHollywoodactorsandcocktailpartiesinCaliforniaandMexicanresortsseemtobe involved inmost of the genesis stories It is known that crooner and actorBingCrosbywassotakenwithoneparticularbrandoftequilaHerradurathatheteamedupwithfellowactorPhilHarristoimportthebrandintotheUnitedStatesThemargaritaalongwiththetequilasunriseandthetequilasourhavebecomehighlypopularintheUnitedStatesinfactitisclaimedbymanyintheliquor industry that the margarita is the single most popular cocktail in thenation In the 1970swhenballadeer JimmyBuffett sangof ldquowasting away inMargaritavillerdquothesuccessofthesongenticedmillionsmoreAmericanstosipfromthesalt-rimmedmargaritaglass

FERMENTATIONAGAVEORMIXTO

The fermentation stage determines whether the final product will be 100percent agave or mixed (ldquomixtordquo) The highest-quality tequila is made fromfermentingandthendistillingjustagavejuicemixedwithsomewaterMixtoismadeby fermentingand thendistilling amixof agave juice andother sugarsusuallycanesugarwithwaterMixtosmadeandbottledinMexicocancontainupto40percentalcoholmadefromothersugarsMixtosthathavebeenshippedinbulktoothercountriesforbottling(primarilytheUnitedStates)mayhavetheagavecontentfurtherreducedto51percentbytheforeignbottlerByMexicanlaw all 100 percent agave or aged tequilas must be bottled in Mexico If atequilais100percentagaveitwillalwayssaysoonthebottlelabelIfitdoesnrsquotsay100percentitisamixtoalthoughthattermisseldomusedonbottlelabels

Stillsusedforproducingtequila

DISTILLATIONANDAGINGOFTEQUILAANDMEZCAL

Traditionallytequilaandmezcalhavebeendistilledinpotstillsat110degproof(55percentABV)Theresultingspiritisclearbutcontainsasignificantamountof congeners and other flavor elements Some light-colored tequilas are nowbeingrectified(redistilled)incolumnstillstoproduceacleanerblanderspirit

THEBLUEAGAVESTRIKESBACK

From the1930s through the1980s thebulk of the tequila beingproducedwasoftheblendedmixtovarietyTheoriginal100percentagavetequilaswerereducedtoaminorspecialtyproductinthemarketInthelate1980stherisingsuccess of single malt Scotch whiskies and expensive cognacs in theinternationalmarketplacedidnotgounnoticedamong tequilaproducersNewbrandsof100percentblueagave tequilaswere introducedandsalesbeganasteadygrowthcurvethatcontinuestothisday

Color in tequila and mezcal comes mostly from the addition of caramelalthoughbarrelagingisafactorinsomehigh-qualitybrandsAdditionallysomedistillers add small amounts of natural flavorings such as sherry pruneconcentrateandcoconuttomanipulatetheproductrsquosflavorprofileTheseaddedflavors donot standout themselves but instead serve to smoothout theoftenhard-edgedpalateofagavespirit

Barrelssetforagingtequilainaware-housetastingroom

MEZCALANDTHEWORM

TherulesandregulationsthatgoverntheproductionandpackagingoftequiladonotapplytoagavespiritsproducedoutsideofthedesignatedareasinMexicoSome mezcal distilleries are very primitive and very small The best-knownmezcalscomefromthesouthernstateofOaxacaalthoughtheyareproducedina number of other states Eight varieties of agave are approved for mezcalproductionbut thechiefvarietyused is theespadinagave (AgaveangustifoliaHaw)

CLASSIFICATIONSOFTEQUILA

Beyond the two basic designations of tequilamdashagave and mixtomdashthere arefourcategories

ASTHEWORMTURNS

The upgrading and upscaling of tequila has in turn inspired mezcalproducers to undertake similarmeasures In the past few years an increasingnumber of high-end mezcals including some intriguing ldquosingle villagerdquobottlingshavebeenintroducedtothemarketMezcalnowseemstobecomingintoitsownasadistinctivenoteworthyspirit

Thefamousldquowormrdquofound insomebottlesofmezcal (ldquocongusanordquo) is thelarvaofoneoftwomothsthatliveontheagaveplantThereasonforaddingtheworm to thebottleofmezcal is obscureButone storywhich at least has theappealoflogictobackitupisthatthewormservesasproofofhighproofthewormremainsintactinthebottleifthepercentageofalcoholinthespiritishighenoughtopreservethepickledwormConsumingthewormwhichcanbedonewithoutharmhasservedasariteofpassageforgenerationsoffraternityboysTop-qualitymezcalsdonotincludeaworminthebottle

AbottleofAguaAzulablueagaveeaudevie

BrendanMoylanholdsupacoupleofbottlesofJBWagonerrsquos100percentBlueAgaveSpiritsinfrontofhiswell-stockedbar

NON-MEXICANAGAVESPIRITS

Federal excise tax records indicate that tequila-like agave spirits wereproducedinthe1930sinthesouthwesternUnitedStatesMorerecentlymoderncraftdistillershavebeguntoexperimentwiththeirownagavespiritssuchasJBWagonerrsquos Ultra Premium 100 percent Blue Agave Spirits by SkyrocketDistillersinTemuculaCaliforniaAguaAzulbyStGeorgeSpiritsinAlamedaCaliforniaandGoldAgavebyStJamesSpiritsinIrwindaleCalifornia

TEQUILACOCKTAILS

CLASSICMARGARITA

TakeashortglassWettherimwithlimejuicePuttheglassupsidedownincoarsesaltsothatthesaltclingstotherimInacocktailshakercombine

bull1frac12ounces(45ml)silvertequilabullfrac34ounce(23ml)TripleSecbullfrac34ounce(23ml)limejuicebullIcetofillShakeandstrainintothesalt-rimmedglassandgarnishwithalimeslice

FROZENFRUITMARGARITA

TakeashortglassWettherimwithlimejuiceandputtheglassupsidedownin coarse salt so salt clings to the rim (this step is optional) Combine theingredients for the ClassicMargarita in a blender with very ripe fruit (6 to 7ounces[170to200g]freshor4ounces[115g]frozen)Add34cupiceBlenduntilsmoothandpourintotheglass

TEQUILASUNRISEFillatallglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)silvertequilabullOrangejuicealmosttofillSlowlypourfrac12ounce (15ml)grenadine syrupover the top (As it trickles

downitcreatestheldquosunriserdquoeffect)

LIQUEURSSCHNAPPSANISEANDBITTERS

LIQUEURSschnappsaniseandbittersaretermsthatcoverawidevariety

of types of spirits What they all share in common is that they are flavoredspirits

LIQUEURS

Also known as cordials liqueurs are sweet flavor-infused spirits that arecategorized according to the flavoring agent (fruits nuts herbal and spiceblends creams and such)Theword liqueur comes from theLatin liquifacere(ldquotodissolverdquo)andreferstothedissolvingofflavoringsinthespiritsArtificialflavoringsarestrictlyregulatedinmostcountriesandwhereallowedtheymustbeprominentlylabeledassuch

BLENDEDFAMILIES

AllliqueursareblendseventhosewithaprimaryflavorAtouchofvanillais added to cregraveme de cacao to emphasize the chocolate Citrus flavor notessharpen the presentation of anise Herbal liqueurs may contain dozens ofdifferent flavor elements that a master blender manipulates to achieve thedesiredflavorprofile

MasterdistillerTedHuberpoursatHuberStarlightDistillery

Top-qualityliqueursareproducedbydistillationofeitherthefermentedflavormaterials or the spirit in which they have been infused Many liqueurs usefinishedspiritssuchascognacrumorwhiskeyas theirbaseOthersmaceratefruitorotherflavoringsinaneutralspiritCregravemes(cregravemedementhecregravemedecacao etc) are liqueurswith a primary flavor while cream liqueurs combinedairycreamandalcoholinahomogenizedshelf-stableblend

LabelforCoffeeLiqueurbyMcMenaminsEdgefieldDistillery

Liqueurs are not usually aged for any great length of time but they mayundergo resting stages during their production to allow the various flavors toldquomarryrdquointoaharmoniousblendLiqueurscanbehardtoclassifybutregardlessofflavortheycanbebroadly

dividedintotwocategoriesGenericsareliqueursofaparticulartype(cregravemedecacaoorcuraccedilaoforexample)hatcanbemadebyanyproducerProprietariesare liqueurs with trademarked names that are made according to a specificformula Examples of such liqueurs include Kahluacutea Grand Marnier andSouthernComfort

AvanWeesDeOoievaarfruitliqueurfromtheNetherlands

SCHNAPPS

Schnapps is a general term used for an assortment of white and flavoredspiritsthathaveoriginatedinnortherncountriesorregionssuchasGermanyorScandinavia Schnapps can bemade from grain potatoes ormolasses and beflavoredwith virtually anything (watermelon and root beer schnapps from theUnited States being proof of that) The dividing line between schnapps andflavoredvodkaisvagueandismoreculturalthanstylistic

ANISE-FLAVOREDSPIRITS

These spirits can vary widely in style depending on the country of originThey can be dry or very sweet low or high proof distilled from fermentedaniseedormaceratedinneutralspiritInFranceanis(asproducedbyPernod)isproducedbydistillinganiseanda

varietyofotherbotanicalstogetherPastisismaceratedratherthandistilledandcontainsfewerbotanicalsthananisInItalysambucaisdistilledfromaniseandbotanicals but it is thenheavily sweetened tomake it a liqueurOil of fennel(alsoknownasgreenanise)isfrequentlyaddedtoboostthearomaofthespiritGreecehasadriergrappa-likeliqueurcalledouzowhichisstylisticallyclosetopastis

TangerineCelloandSpicyGingerorganicliqueursfromNewDealDistillery

RosolisZiolowyGorzki(stomachbitters)fromtheLancutDistilleryinPoland

BITTERS

The modern-day descendents of medieval medical potions bitters aremarketed as having at least some vaguely therapeutic value (stomach settlershangover cures and so on) They tend to be flavored with herbs roots andbotanicalsandcontainlowerquantitiesoffruitandsugarthanliqueursAlthoughtherearespecialtyliqueurproducersmostbrandsareproducedby

generalditillersaspartofanextendedproductlineAmongthenewgenerationof craft distillers some of the standout liqueur producers include LeopoldBrothersDistilleryofDenverColoradowith theiruniquewhiskey-based fruitliqueurs (the RockyMountain Blackberry is particularly noteworthy) and theFlagHillDistillery inLeeNewHampshirewith theirdelicately tingedSugarMapleLiqueur

LabelforJohnnyZieglerBlackForestStyleAppleAuxPommeSchnapsEaudeViebyWinegardenEstateinNewBrunswickCanada

LabelforBlackberryLiqueurbyClearCreekDistillery

ABSINTHEMAKESTHEHEARTGROWFONDER

AbsintheVertebyStGeorgeSpirits

Modernpastisisthegenteeldescendentofitsmuchmoreraffishnineteenth-century ancestor absinthe a high (sometimes very high) proof anise liquor(technically not a liqueur because no sugar is added) that included extract ofwormwoodinitslistofbotanicalsWormwoodcontainsthechemicalcompoundthujonewhose allegedpsychedelic effectsmadeabsinthe very popular amongtheldquoBohemianrdquocountercultureartistsand intellectualsofFranceandEurope(Vincent vanGogh andOscarWildewere devotees of what was termed ldquoTheGreenFairyrdquo)ConverselysocialconservativesandprohibitionistscampaignedagainstitasthecrackcocaineofthedayandeventuallygotitoutlawedinmostEuropeancountriesandtheUnitedStatesModernscientificanalysishasfoundthujonersquospsychedelicpotencytobeatbestgreatlyexaggerated

LeTourmentVertFrenchAbsinthebyBrunoDelannoyofDistillerieVinetEge

Forbiddenfruitisalwaysappealingandstartinginthe1990sabsinthewhichcontinued to be commercially produced in Eastern Europe slowly started toreturn to the general marketplace initially in ldquothujone-freerdquo versions fromFrance and Switzerland and more recently from an increasing number ofAmerican craft distillers suchasNorthShoreDistilling inLakeBluff Illinoisand St George Distilling in Alameda California One thing that has notchangedaboutabsintheisitshighalcoholcontent

AbsintheVertebyLeopoldBros

ARTISANPROFILEINSIDETHEINDUSTRY

PHILPRICHARD

PrichardrsquosDistilleryKelsoTennessee

PHILPRICHARDwasstillworkingin telecomsales inMemphiswhenhereadtheclassicTheLoreofStillBuildingandstartedteachinghimselftomakerumHis first sale came in March of 2001 (thirty cases for $2929) It was the

product of four years of work His initial plan was to make a product fromTennessee sorghum but he learned that rumhad to come from sugarcaneHewasnrsquot discouraged ldquoThe transition was rather easy By that time I hadresearchedthehistoryofAmericanrumandwejustslidintothenewprofileItfitverywellrdquoSoontractor-trailerloadsofmolasseswerebeingdriveninWhatsets Prichardrsquos apart from other rum is the use of first-grade sweetmolassesrather than blackstrap Using better molasses ldquofocused our attention on theproductionofatraditionalAmericanrumrdquosaidPrichardBlackstrapaswellasbeingusedtomakerumisputoncattleandhorsefeedandPrichardsaidldquoInAfricatheyputitontheroadstokeepthedustdownItrsquos32percentsugarand68percentLordknowswhatrdquoEd Hamiltonmdashnoted scholar author and keeper ofMinistryof Rumcommdash

saidldquoByusingahigh-grademolassesastherawmaterialhereducestheneedto distill to a high proof in order to reduce the sulfur compounds that are thedistillerrsquos banerdquo The results are evident ldquoPhil hasmanaged to dowhatmostmolassesdistillersonlywishtheycoulddordquosaidHamiltonldquodistillagoodwhiterumandmakeitdrinkablewithoutagingitPhilmakesanimpressivelysmoothwhiterumthathasnrsquotbeenagedyetretainsthecoconutandbutterscotchflavorsthatareitssignaturerdquoPrichard takes some of this white rum and barrels itWhile the rest of the

industry saves money aging their product in used fifty-two-gallon whiskeybarrels Prichard ages his rum in new small barrels of fifteen gallons Thisprovidesmoresurfaceareaforthespirittointeractwiththecharredoakanditdevelopsseriousflavorsnot typicallyfoundinarumagedfor just threeyearsHamiltonhadmorepraiseldquoPrichardrsquosFineRumisanothergreatexampleofthesmalldistillerrsquosartTherelativelylowdistillationproofandhighbarrelsurfaceareatovolumeyieldarumthatremindstheimbiberoftheotherspiritsforwhichTennesseeismorewellknownrdquoPrichard is expanding He bought bourbon from Heaven Hill in Kentucky

ageditagaininnewbarrelsandbottleditasDoubleBarrelBourbonFinishingbourbonthiswayisrare(BeamandBuffaloTracehavebothexperimentedwithit) and Double Barrel Bourbon was well received Building a distillery ldquowasdifficult beyond imagination Building a nationwide distribution network hasbeenourgreatestchallengeandthemostcostlyrdquoRegardlessofthechallengesPrichardmoveseverforwardInMarchof2009thedistillerybeganproducingitsownwhiskey

CHAPTEREIGHT

AGALLERYOFARTISANDISTILLERS

ldquoDrinkingyoungwhiskey is something that isdoneonly instillhousesandbarsinItalyLetyourspiritmaturetoaproperdegreeofripenessrdquo

ndashMichaelJacksoncritiquinganearlyexampleofcraftdistilledwhiskey

WhenIowafloodedJeffQuintoftheCedarRidgeDistilleryfilledhisstillwithwatertokeepitfromfloatingawayinthedeluge

THERE is a spirit revolutionhappening in theUnitedStates one thatwillchange theentirespirit industryDistillerswithan intensepassionfor thecraftlay their hearts souls and economic futures on the line for the purpose ofmakingtheidealliquidspiritThesesmallcompaniessometimesrunbyoneortwopeoplecreateavarietyofspiritstoonumeroustomentioninasinglebreathTheircreationsandblendsarenolessvaluableorquality-driventhanbignamebrandssomeevenmoresoThesenichespiritshavetheadvantageofcreativitythat expands the scopeofwhat the liquor industryhas tooffernotonly to theUSbuttotheworldThesemicro-distillerslackthenamerecognitionandthefundingthatbignamecompaniesusetohelpmarkettheirproductsbutsomeofthemwillbecomethehouseholdnamesofthefuturemdashjustasJackDanielsandJohnnyWalkerdistillersfromthepasthavebecomeinourtime

-AdaptedfromCheriLoughlinrsquosIntoxicologistblogwwwintoxicologistwordpresscom

CONTENTS

FOREWORDBYFRITZMAYTAG

INTRODUCTIONBYBILLOWENS

CHAPTERONE

ABRIEFHISTORYOFDISTILLING

CHAPTERTWO

THEDISTILLINGPROCESS

CHAPTERTHREE

WHISKEY

CHAPTERFOUR

VODKA

CHAPTERFIVE

GIN

CHAPTERSIX

BRANDYANDEAUDEVIE

CHAPTERSEVEN

RUMTEQUILALIQUERSANDMORE

CHAPTEREIGHT

AGALLERYOFARTISANDISTILLERS

CHAPTERNINE

DISTILLINGRESOURCES

THEDISTILLERrsquoSLIBRARY

THEDISTILLERrsquoSGLOSSARY

DIRECTORYOFDISTILLERIES

INDEX

ABOUTTHECONTRIBUTORS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

ABOUTTHEAUTHORS

FOREWORD

THESECONDWhiskeyRebellionishappeningintheUnitedStatesandit

isalreadyspreadingaroundtheworldInthismarvelousbookBillOwensAlanDiktyandtheircontributorsmdashlikeintrepidwarcorrespondentsmdashtakeyoutothefront lines You will find here an up-to-the-minute report on the excitementcreativityandbrashenthusiasmoftheUnitedStatesrsquocraftdistillers

DetailofthefermentingprocessofmakingbourbonWoodfordReserveDistillery

I have known Bill Owens since his early involvement in the USrsquosmicrobrewing renaissance He was one of the movementrsquos most ferventinnovatorsHisownachievementsaremanyandhisenthusiasmfor thewholewild explosionofbrewingcreativity is evidenced inhisobvious enjoymentofthesuccessesofhisbrewingcolleaguesThe craft-brewing renaissance of course began in the 1960s By the early

rsquo90s it was inevitable that it would evolve into a craft-distilling renaissanceAnd so Bill and his cohorts are at it again now celebrating a small-distilleryrevolutionandthevarietyandcreativitythatisspringingupeverywhereYeswenow have ldquocraftrdquo whiskey distillers experimenting with all facets of graindistillingAndaswiththebrewingrevolutiontheconsumerreapstherewardsWe are entering a golden age for the spirits lover and The Art of DistillingWhiskey andOther Spirits An Enthusiastrsquos Guide to the ArtisanDistilling ofPotentPotablesisanindispensableguidebooktoitsbeginnings

CharringoakbarrelsatBluegrassCooperage

Where did the craft-distilling phenomenon originate You could say that itcamedownfromthemountainswherepot-distilledwhiskeysmadebyhandmdashinsecretfoldsmdashhaveneverentirelydisappearedOryoucouldsaythatitcameupfrom the vineyards and orchardswhere formany years there has been a tinycraft-distilling segment of superb hand-crafted fruit brandies and eaux-de-vieJustknowthatasecondWhiskeyRebellionisuponusandthatit ishappeningright now in a little building near you And if you have picked up this bookalready knowing about the great food awakening and hoping for a guide todistillingyouhavefounditWhat particularly fascinates me about the distillation of alcohol is the

enduringmysterysurroundingitsoriginsDistillationitselfisaphysicalartwitha longmdashand colorfulmdashhistory And the distilling of all sorts of materials formyriadpurposesisanancientprocessButwhendidtheproductionofdistilledspirits as a beverage beginYou arewelcome to your opinion and good luckfindinganyonetoagreewithyouNomatterwhatyouthinkIencourageyoutosavor the eternal enigma that is embodied in a distilled spirit It is a form ofmagic to take fruit or grain ferment it put it in a pot heat it and make itdisappearentirelyandthenwatchitreappeardropbydropasaclearvolatilealmostetherealliquidAnditisadangerousliquidmdashdonotkidyourselfItcancatchfireitcanexplodeandabusingitcanruinlivesItispowerfulmysteriousstuff surely one reason that it captures the imagination of the producers andconsumersswirlingandswillingaroundthecurrentawakeningSo drink deep of Bill and Alanrsquos guide get on the road with them go

exploring and learning and enjoybeing an earlyparticipant in themovementAnd takemyword for it as a distiller of whiskey since the secondWhiskeyRebellionrsquosfirstshotldquoHeadswewintailswewinrdquo

FritzMaytagAnchorDistilling

SanFranciscoApril2009

INTRODUCTION

ASAYOUNGMANinthe1970sIhadlonghairaVolkswagenBeetlea

hip wife and a career as a newspaper photographer I also published fourphotographymonographsincludingtheclassicSUBURBIA(stillinprint)andIreceived a Guggenheim Fellowship in photography and three NationalEndowment for theArtsgrantsMydreamwas towork forLIFEmagazineorNationalGeographic and I ended up stringing for the Associated Press andcoveredtheHellrsquosAngelsbeatingpeoplewithpoolcuesatAltamontWhileallthiswashappeningIwashomebrewinginthegarageBy the1980swhen I reachedmiddleage Ihada flattop sold theVWand

camerasand lostawonderfulwife In1982Iopened thefirstbrewpubin theUnited States Buffalo Billrsquos Brewery in Hayward California The beer wasgood My pumpkin ale is still being brewed by many breweries My publicimagewasldquocolorfulrdquoandthenewsmedialovedmeIstartedbelievingmyownpressclipsIopenedtwomorebrewpubsandlaunchedapublicstockofferingtofundthebuildingofalarge-scaleproductionbreweryItallseemedlikeagoodidea at the time It was after all ldquoMorning in Americardquo Reagan was in the

WhiteHouseandtheoperativephraseforthetimeswasldquoGreedisgoodrdquoIwantedsuccessmoneyIhadthreebrewpubsIgrossedamilliondollarsthat

yearbutIhadtopaysixtyemployeesandendedupwithnoprofitThingsdonrsquotalwaysworkoutasyoudreamThestockofferingnevergotoffthegroundandonebyonethebrewpubsweresoldoffwithBuffaloBillrsquosbeingthelasttogoButIrsquollalwayshaveAlimonyAle(ldquoThebitterestbeerinAmericardquo)By the 1990s I had gray hair and a new wife and I was publishing two

magazinesAmericanBrewerandBEERTheMagazineOnceagainmytimingwasgoodandtheAmericanBrewer rodethefirstgreatwaveofcraftbrewingThingswere lookinggreatbut financially the twomagazines turnedout tobenot such a great idea I soon stopped publishing BEER and sold AmericanBrewerSoonafter theAARPmailingsstartedshowingupand Iopenedanantique

store That venture lasted six months Then my agent sold some SUBURBIAphotographstoEltonJohngivingmeenoughmoneyfora(used)Lexusandthecash fora three-month tripacrossAmerica so I ranawayfromhomeOn thistrip I decided to visit some craft distilleries Iwas intrigued and the creativejuices started to flow again When I returned to California I founded theAmerican Distilling Institute (ADI) In 2003 I held the first ADI distillingconferenceatStGeorgeHangarOneDistilleryandsomeeightypeopleshowedupIn2007 Idecided tomakeanother tripacrossAmericaAgain the tripwas

fundedby sellingphotographs tomuseums anassortmentof art galleries andfriendsintheUnitedStatesandinEuropeThissecondtrip(21000miles)tookfourmonthsandfromfifty-threeDVDsofimagesweselectedahundredorsoforthisbookBy2009theADIdatabasecontained1246namesofwhich205aremembersandofthose165arecraftdistillersThefuturefortheindustryisbrightMoreandmorepeoplewanttolearntheartofcraftdistillingTheywantto learn how to run small businesses selling their handcrafted products to thepublicMyrecentldquohow-tordquobookCraftWhiskeyDistillinghassold300copiesinthreemonthsThecraftdistillingindustryisreallyaboutlifestylePeopletakegreatpridein

producingtheirproductsThisbookisalookatcraftdistillersandtherestofthewhiskeyrumvodkaandginindustryIstillhaveafootinbothcampsphotographyanddistillationButifIhadto

chooseitrsquodbedistillingbecauseitrsquosawayoflifeSpecial thanks toAlanDikty the editor of this book and a personal friend

AlanhasbeenwithmeasafriendandwriterforsomethirtyyearsAlanknowsspiritsAbigthank-youalsotoAndrewFaulknerphotographerandphotoeditorforthisbook

BillOwensHaywardCalifornia

March2009

AUTHORrsquoSNOTEONSPELLING

For reasons that have yet to be adequately explained American and Irishdistillers spell the word whiskey with an e while their Scotch CanadianJapaneseandNewZealandpeersspellwhiskywithoutit

CHAPTERONE

ABRIEFHISTORYOFDISTILLING

SINCEtheearliestknownuseofdistillationabout5000yearsagopractice

ofthearthasgrownandspreadaroundtheworldinseveralwavesthespeedandextent of each being dictated by geography trade routes and cultural andreligious influences Each successive wave gave rise to significant technicaladvances in distillation making it less expensive more efficient and morecontrollable

VeryFineWhiskeybottlecircathe1920sThisvintagebottlewasacquiredatafleamarketthenfilledwithOldForrester

PossiblytheearliestwrittenrecordofdistillationisintheEpicofGilgameshwhich describes a formof essential oil distillation practiced inBabylon as farback as 3000 BCE Herbs were placed in a large heated cauldron of boilingwater and the cauldronrsquos opening was covered with a sheepskin fleece sidedownPeriodically thesheepskinwaschangedandthecondensatesoakingthefleecewaswrungoutintoasmalljarEssentialoilsfloatedtothesurfaceofthewatercollected in the jarandwereskimmedoffMedieval textsandwoodcutsshowthesameprinciplebeingusedtoconcentratealcoholicvaporsfromboilingwine(IncidentallythisissimilarinprincipletoamethodthatthePhoeniciansusedforconsumingcannabis)

DISTILLINGMIGRATESEASTANDWEST

By 500BCE alcohol distillationwas an established industry in the ancientIndian area known as Taxila (in modern northwest Pakistan) wherearcheologistsdiscoveredaperfectlypreservedterra-cottadistillationsystemInthisprocess steam rising fromapotofboilingwaterpassed throughabedoffermented grains picking up alcohol and flavors from the grains The vaporsthen struck the bottom of a second pot filled with cold water where theycondensedanddrippedintoacollectiontubeFromTaxila knowledge spread to theEast and theWest andby350BCE

knowledgeofthedistillingprocessappearedinthewritingofAristotleinGreeceand Sinedrius in Libya The first arrival of distillation technology inChina ismisty but by 25CE bronze stills of similar designwere being produced andusedthereBytheendofthefirstmillenniumCEthepracticeofdistillationhadspread

throughout northern Africa and the Middle East The process had advancedsignificantlyoverthisthousand-yearperiodandthematerialbeingdistilledwasnowboileddirectlyinalargesealedpotwhichhadalongtubeleadingfromitsapextoasmallcollectionjarWhentheMoorsinvadedSpaintheybroughtthistechnologywiththemandsoonthegenie(orspirit)wasoutof thebottleThetechnologyspreadfromSpaintoItalyin1100CEandwasrecordedinIrelandby 1200 Germany by 1250 and France by 1300 England Scotland PolandRussiaandSwedenjoinedtheclubby1400

DISTILLINGTECHNOLOGYEVOLVES

EuropeanexplorationandconquestspreadrapidlyaroundtheworldcarryingthetechnologyofdistillationwithitThefirststillsintheAmericasappearednotlong after the conquistadores and the Portuguese brought the technology toJapanby1500This technologywas largely controlled by alchemists andmonasterieswho

continuouslyexperimentedandimprovedontheequipmentBythemid-1600sseveraltextshadbeenpublishedonthesubjectofdistillationasampleofwhichincludedthewoodcutsonthisspreadfromTheArtofDistillationbyJonathanFrench(1651)AsthisinformationspreadbeyondclericalandscientificcircleswealthyindividualsbegantoestablishstillhousesontheirestatesAs knowledge blossomed throughout theRenaissance distillation continued

to develop rapidly Distillation was removed from the exclusive province ofscientists monks and professionals and became a common household artRecipebooksabounded

ThesewoodcutsfromTheArtofDistillationbyJonathanFrench(1651)showasmallpartofthewidevarietyofformsdistillingequipmenthadtakenbytheseventeenthcenturyTwokeyimprovementsareshownmultipledistillationsinonesetup(onestillfeedingintothenext)topofpageandanimprovedvaporcondenser(acoiloftubingknownasaldquowormrdquoinabarrelofcoldwater)belowandoppositepage

ldquoThere is more refreshment and stimulation in a nap even of thebriefestthaninallthealcoholeverdistilledrdquo

mdashOvid(ancientRomanclassicalpoetandnotoriouswetblanketatbacchanals43ndash17BCE)Bythe1700sthecomplexityandsophisticationofcommercial-scaledistilling

equipmentadvancedrapidlyAdvancesintheunderstandingofhowdistillationactuallyworked led to new still designs that couldmake better quality spiritsmoreeasilyandfasterthaninthepastDistillingbecamemoreaccessibletothemasses and the monopoly held by the church and the elite classes wasthreatenedThesecentersofpower soonenacted restrictions at first toprotectthatmonopolyandlaterpurelyforrevenue

GEORGEWASHINGTONANDGERRYMANDERING

ItiswellknownthatGeorgeWashingtonwasadistillerWhatislesswellknownisthatthelawshecraftedsetthedistinctionbetweentheheavilytaxedsmalldistillersandthelightlytaxedlargedistillersthelinebeingdrawnjustbelowthesizeofhisdistilleryPoliticsworkedinmuchthesamewaythenasitdoestoday

TheGeorgeWashingtonstillrecreationattheMountVernonDistilleryinMountVernonVirginia

REGULATIONANDREBELLION

Since1700theregulationandcontrolofdistillationhasbeenmostlyastoryoflostfreedomsandrightsAfewraysofsunshinehavesincepokedthroughthecloudsTheelite andgovernmentsofEurope tried repeatedly to exploit andcontrol

distillationInEnglandforexamplethefirsttaxationofcommercialdistillationappearedin1690topayforawarwithFrancePrivatedistillationwasexemptedfrom this tax and it remained free from interference as taxes and regulationswere raised lowered abolished and resurrectedover thenext centuryPrivatedistillation in England flourished and grew significantly during this time (andperhapsnota littleof thisproduct found itsway intocommercialchannelsviathe back door) until it was outlawed in 1781 to enhance the collection ofrevenueThemassiveGinCrazeofearlyeighteenth-centuryGreatBritainhaditsrootsinpartinthisunfetteredspreadofdistillation

BlueprintofaSimpleStill

a)SteamjacketHeatsthepotandthewashb)PotHoldsthewashc)SwanNeckAllowsforseparationofthecomponentsofthemixtured)TubeinShellCondenserCondensesthealcoholvaporsinspiritse)SpigotThevaporsarecollectedfromaspigotatthebottomofthecondenser

ThreestrippingstillsandaspiritstillmadefromstainlesssteeldrumsattheNewDealDistillery

TheUnitedStatesgovernmentrsquosfirstattempttotaxdistillationresultedintheWhiskey Rebellion of 1791 which was put down by federal troops led byGeorgeWashington(whowasbroughtoutofretirementfortheconflict)FederalexcisetaxeswereabolishedaftertheendoftheWarof1812onlyto

beimposedduringtheCivilWarinthe1860s(andcontinuetothisday)Napoleon introduced regulation in France The laws variedwidely over the

nextcenturybutstabilizedin1914whentherightwasgrantedtoanyonewithavineyard or orchard to distill up to 20 liters of spirits from their fruit if theyagreedtopayataxThisrightwasoriginallyinheritablebutthatwasrevokedinthe 1950s This system led to the development of traveling stills known asbouilleurs de cru which were once very common sights in the FrenchcountrysideBecausethenumberofpermittedindividualshasshrunkwitheverypassingyearveryfewofthesemobiledistilleriesremainAustralians lost their right to distill their ownbeverages in the aftermathof

WorldWarIagainasarevenuemeasureMany African Latin American and southern European nations have

continuedtoallowprivatedistillationunderawidevarietyofrulesrangingfromnone through inspection of stills to onerous regulations and high taxation Ingeneral traditional alcoholic beverages are made in most farmhouses usingtraditional equipment (mostlypot stills ofvarious forms)without anyadverseeffectsonsocietyThemostrecentandhopefulchangeintheglobalregulationofdistillationwas

the legalization of private noncommercial distilling byNewZealand in 1996TheNewZealandgovernment found that the expenseof enforcing thebanonprivatedistillationfaroutweighedtherevenuecomingfromfinessothelawwasabolishedThischangeledtowidespreadadoptionofsmall-scaledistillingasahobby and as hobbyists always will they experimented with equipment andtechniques continuously Many significant innovations have been developedmaking small-scale distilling equipment more available much less expensiveandverymucheasiertocontrolthananythingthatcamebefore

FUTURETRENDS

Just as the appearance of microbreweries followed the renaissance ofhomebrewing increasing thechoicesand levelofquality for allbeerdrinkersmicrodistilleries are starting to thrive around theworld someusing traditionalequipmentbutmanyusingnewequipmentmethodsandtechniquesdevelopedbythenewly liberatedhomedistillersManyof thesemodernsmalldistilleriesareexperimentingwithnew typesandcategoriesof spirits creatingnovel andsometimesuniquelylocalspirits

MOONSHINE

As surely as thunder follows lightning whiskey follows beer and in the1980sthescentofwhiskeychargedtheairlikeanapproachingstorm

THEPROSPECTofmakingwhiskeyginryebrandyandotherflavorsomespirits at home is enough tomake somemodern cocktail enthusiasts and craftbrewersgrowglint-eyedEversoquietlythemoreadventuresomeofthemhavebegun tending home-sized stills to make the smallest-batch American spiritssince the Prohibition days of stove-top alky cookers Unlike unscrupulousproducers whomade rotgut that could blind cripple and occasionally kill itsdrinkersmanyoftodayrsquoshomedistillershaveadoptedhigh-techequipmentandacodeofhonorthatostracizesthosewhotrytoselltheirmakingsBecausethesedistillers are running the very best they can for their immediate friends andfamiliestheresultscanbespectacularlygood

AtombstonethatwasusedduringProhibitionforstashingmoonshinenearMorgantownWestVirginia

Theability to createpersonal stocksof liquor fromscratch falls squarely inthe modern mixologistrsquos pursuit of making what canrsquot easily be hadmdashrealgrenadinefromactualpomegranatesginger-spikedfalernumJamaicarsquospimentodramasuckerpunchofallspiceandrumandpotentaromatichousebittersmdashbutall tunedto theirpersonal tastesWhenitcomestomakingthebasespiritsforthosebittersitcouldnrsquotbeeasiermdashorcheaper

Moonshinestilldismantled

BUTISITLEGAL

Making bitters and falernum from pre-distilled spirits is entirely legalHoweverunlicenseddistillersoperatingunregistered stillsviolateanumberoffederal state and local laws but a lack of permits hasnrsquot stopped would-bedistillers from buying and building personal stills in increasing numbers sincethemid-1990sSomeofthemarecontentwithverysmoothvodkawhileothersembrace the entire concept of artisanal production and are creating fantasticsmall-batchspiritsusingthebestingredientstheycanaffordRunningthesetinybatcheswith yields of just a few liters is a practice some have callednano-distilling

DIRTTRACKDISTILLING

Students of American popular culture know that moonshine whiskey andNASCARgotogetherlikeactorBurtReynoldsandmusclecarsStartingin1973with the movie White Lightning Reynolds made a career of portrayingSoutherngoodolrsquoboysdeliveringmoonshineinfastcarswhileoutrunningthelocalsheriffThereal-lifeinspirationforsuchcinemacharacterswasRobertGlenJohnson

Jr (born in 1931 in Wilkes County North Carolina) better known as JuniorJohnsonJohnsonwasamoonshinerintheruralSouthwhobecameoneoftheearlysuper-starsofNASCARinthe1950sandrsquo60sJohnson grew up on a farm and developed his driving skills running

moonshineas a youngmanHe consistently outranandoutwitted local policeand federal agents in auto chases and he was never caught while deliveringmoonshine to customers Johnson became something of a legend in the ruralSouthwherehisdrivingexpertiseandldquooutlawrdquoimageweremuchadmiredJohnson is credited with inventing the ldquobootleg turnrdquo in which a driver

escapesapursuerbysharplyputtinghisspeedingcarintoa180-degreeturnonthehighway thenspeedingoff in theoppositedirectionbeforehispursuercanturn around Johnson was also known to use police lights and sirens to foolpoliceroadblocksintothinkingthathewasafellowpolicemanuponhearinghisapproachthepolicewouldquicklyremovetheroadblocksallowingJohnsontoescapewithhismoonshineIn 1955 Johnson decided to give up delivering moonshine for the more

lucrative(andlegal)careerofbeingaNASCARdriverUnfortunately the ldquoRevenuesrdquo had not forgotten Junior In 1956 federal

agentsfoundJohnsonworkingathisfatherrsquosmoonshinestillandarrestedhimJohnsonwasconvictedofmoonshiningandwassenttofederalprisonwhereheservedelevenmonthsofatwo-yearsentenceHereturnedtotheNASCARscenein1958andpickedupwhereheleftoffHewentontowinfiftyNASCARracesinhiscareerbeforeretiringin1966In 1965 writer Tom Wolfe wrote an article about Johnson in Esquire

magazine The article originally titled ldquoGreat Balls of Firerdquo turned JohnsonintoanationalcelebrityandledtofamebeyondhiscircleofNASCARfansInturn the articlewasmade into a 1973movie based on Johnsonrsquos career as adriverandmoonshiner titledTheLastAmericanHeroJeffBridges starredas

the somewhat fictionalized version of Johnson and Johnson himself served astechnicaladvisorforthefilm

APOScardadvertisingJuniorJohnsonrsquosMidnightMoonbyPiedmontDistillers

MorerecentlyJohnsonrsquosfamilyhaslicensedtheJuniorJohnsonnameforusein promoting a legal distilled product Junior JohnsonrsquosMidnightMoon fromPiedmontDistillersinMadisonNorthCarolina

LabelforMountainMoonshinebyMysticMountainDistillery

ApostcardfromTempletonRyeldquoProhibitionEraWhiskeyrdquo

DONrsquoTTRYTHISATHOME

(NudgeNudgeWinkWinkSayNoMore)

SoonafternationalProhibitionbeganinthe1920sapersoncouldwalkintovirtuallyanygrocerystoreintheUnitedStatesandfindforsalebrick-sizeblocksof compressed raisinsbound togetherwithcondensedgrape juiceAttached tothe block was a small container of dried yeast The wrapping contained thefollowingtext

WARNING

Donotdissolve thisfruitbrick inwarmwaterandthenaddthecontentsof theyeastpacket as this will result in fermentation and the creation of alcohol the production ofwhichisillegal

NeedlesstosaythelocalAampPsoldalotoffruitbrickswhileProhibitionwas

inforceTraditionalmoonshinestartsoutwiththeproductionandfermentationofwhat

isbasicallyasimplebeerTraditionalistswouldcreateamashofgroundcornhotwaterandenoughmaltedbarleytoprovidesufficientenzymestoconvertthestarch in the grains into simple sugars Once the starch conversion wascompleteyeastwasaddedtothemashwiththeresultingfermentationturningthesugarsintoalcoholThefermentedmashwouldthenbeboiledinthepotstilltodistilloffthealcoholAlas times and moonshine are not what they used to be Modern

moonshiners tend toskip thegrainmashingandgodirectly to fermentationbydissolvingregularsugarinwarmwaterfermentingthesugarwaterwithbakerrsquosyeast and then distilling off the resulting alcohol The results are spiritmuchinferior to a distilled grain spirit and ultimately an arrestedmoonshiner TheAlcoholandTobaccoTaxandTradeBureau (TTBalsoknownasldquotheFedsrdquo)keeps track of the sale of large quantities of bulk sugar particularly in ruralareaswithapasthistoryofmoonshiningYouhavebeenwarned

Whiskeyiswhatbeerwantstobewhenitgrowsup

VirginiaLightningCornWhiskeybyBelmontFarm

Despiteanuptickinamateurdistillingandagreaterwillingnessamongsometotalkmoreopenlyaboutthecraftthelonghistoryofsecretiveandsometimesviolentmoonshiningmeansthatuntilrecentlyreliableinformationwasscarceand difficult to verify That situation is rapidly changing and distillers fromcuriousnovices toaccomplishedhomeartisansare far fromisolatedanymoreIn less than a generation theyrsquove learned to talk to each other pool theirknowledgeandaskevermorenuancedquestionsaboutbuildingandoperatingarangeofstills

MODERNldquoMOONSHINERSrdquo

Thecurrentinterestamonghobbyistdistillersincreatingfirst-rateliquorsandthe general wholesome quality of their products tracks primarily to threeconvergenttrends

1)Craftbrewers2)NewZealand3)TheInternet

CRAFTBREWERS

Craftbrewersarenotsimplythefirstonestostudyhowtomakeoutstandingsmall-batchspiritstheyarealsogoingtoshapethefaceofmicro-andpersonaldistillingBrewers have alreadymastered three key skills how to collaboratehowtoorganizeandhowtodrivelegislationThe current interest in distilling among brewers is so widespread that it is

virtuallyimpossibletotalktocraftbrewerswhoarenrsquotalreadydistillingonthesly or working on permits or know someone who is One erstwhile brewerframed his transition from beer to liquorwith this aphorismWhiskey iswhatbeerwantstobewhenitgrowsup

ChuckMillerstandsinfrontofhispotstillatBelmontFarmDistilleryoneofadozendistilleriesintheUnitedStatedproducingalegalmoonshineproduct

DistillerBenFrisstandsnexttoacus-tom-builtone-of-a-kindpotstillatNewHollandBrewingandDistilling

Makingbeerathomehasbeengoingonformostofthetwentiethcenturybutitrsquosonlybeenlegalonafederallevelsince1978Foradecadeorsoafteritwaspermittedhomebrewers(intheUnitedStates)exploredallkindsofbeerandalestyles they could not purchase through their local stores They perfected theirtechniques competed against each other in regional and national contestspublishedtheirpersonalrecipesgaveoutawardstotheirpeersandlaterputthatknowledgetousebyopeningbrewpubsandmicrobrewerieseverywhereHomebrew supply shops everywhere were selling hops malts specialty

grainscarboysesotericscientificequipmentandlab-culturedyeaststotensofthousandsofhomebrewers tryinggood-naturedly tobesteachother in roundsofMyBeerIsBetterThanYoursBy the1990s somebrewerswerepushing the limitsof theirequipmentand

ingredientsbecomingessentiallynovicedistillersTheirhomemaderigslookedpretty much the same as brewing equipment The ingredients were the sameTheywere learning on pot stills because for hundreds of years variations onthat model had been the choice of folk distilling Most of what a casualresearcher found in popular culture referenceswere the big copper pumpkin-shaped boilers of a style that would have been familiar to eighteenth-centuryfarmersAs brewers they already knew about grains malt yeast enzymes ideal

fermentationtemperaturesfiltrationsystemsandthewaterprofilesthatleadtogreat-tastingbeveragesSomehadcometobelievethattheonlythingstoppingthem from havingwhiskeywas toomuchwater Because they had developedwidespread networks for sharing information alreadymdashbooks magazinescontests clubs festivals newsletters and rudimentary online newsgroupsmdashquestionsbegantocirculateabouthowbesttoremovethatexcesswaterSharing critiquing and judgingwere an entrenched part of the culture that

wasstartingtotakeupwhathadlongbeenasecretpracticeAnonymousonlineforums were ideal tools for vetting home-distilling questions Unlike the oldAppalachian moonshiners modern distillers with homebrewing backgroundswerealreadyusedtotalkingtoeachotheronlineandinperson

NEWZEALAND

Because few of the twentieth-century books on moonshining held muchpractical information on techniques for building and operating stills amateurdistillers without a family history in such matters learned by trial and errorThen in 1996NewZealand lawmakers scrapped legislation forbidding homedistillation InAustralasiaanexplosionof interestand innovation specificallyaround design for home-size stills that veered off from traditional stylesreverberatedwidely

AcopperstillfromCopperMoonshineStillscom(asseeninthemovieTheDukesofHazzard)

Local distilling enthusiasts were studying the physics of stills attachingprobes andmeters tomeasure exactlywhatwas goingonwhen they firedupTheylearnedhowtallandwidehome-sizestillsshouldbeTheyaffixedcolumnsto theirpotsand looselyfilled themwithceramicandcopperpackingmaterialfor maximum efficiency Those stills started looking like something out of arefinery churning out high-proof alcohol on single runs rather than themultistageprocessthattraditionalpotstillscalledfor

THEINTERNET

These innovative distillers went online and because their hobbywas legalstarted talking to each other openly Brewerswhowere getting into distillingwith theiralreadyestablishednetworksandcultureofopennessnoticedTheyseized on a wealth of new verifiable information coming out of the SouthernHemisphereandaddedtheirownexperiencesespeciallyinonlineforumsSince thenas reliable informationhasbeenvettedonlineabouthowbest to

buildandoperatesmall-scalestillshomecolumnorrefluxstillshaveevolvedbecoming more compact and efficient and able to put out as close to purealcohol as is possible outside a laboratory (in short very clean stuff) Mostrecently a specific style of distilling has evolved thatrsquos all about purityefficiency and making lots of neutral spirits in very compact column stillsEasilybuiltandeasilyoperated theyaremoreefficientandlessworkthanpotstills

MOONSHINEDEFINED

AbroaddefinitionofmoonshineisanyliquormadefromunregisteredstillsbyunlicenseddistillersThisdefinitioncoversaKentuckyfarmermakingtheliquorhis father did aNewYork imbiberwresting 10 ounces of gin from a case ofBudweiseraswellasaSanFranciscocheftweakinghergrandmotherrsquoskuumlmmeltocarryonthetraditionTodayrsquosnano-distillersdonrsquot sell their products In fact profit seemsalmost

anathema One of the quickest ways to really anger others is for unlicenseddistillers tostartselling theirmakingsSomeembrace themoonshiner identityothersavoidthetermbecauseofitsassociationwithlawlessnessRegardless of what distillers call themselves they fall into three loose

categoriesmdasheconomictechnicalandartisanalproducersEconomicdistillers

ECONOMICDISTILLERS

Economic distillers make liquor because homemade is cheaper than store-boughtAny type of stillmight be used from an inherited copper pot still tomodernrefluxmodelsorevenanaquariumheaterinaplasticbucketTheyareapt to distill sugar spirits but also grains and fruits when they may be hadinexpensivelyAlthough theirproductsareprone tobeofquestionablequalitythey are not necessarily bad liquormdashthink of marc and grappa made frompomacethatmightotherwisebethrownaway

TECHNICALDISTILLERS

Technical distillers are armchair (or even professional) engineers andchemistsgear-headswhostrivetomakethemostefficientdistillerysetuptheycan forever tweaking and adjusting their rigs creating technologicalwondersTheyrunandrerunabatchofspiritstocreatethepurestspirittheycantakingmeticulous notes of every temperature fluctuation proof variation and yieldTechnicaldistillerstendtohaveaninordinateamountofvodkaonhandbecausethe end result of their frequent experiments is often a high-proof nearly purespirit theycan supplementwithextractsandessences for theexact flavor theywant

FigADiagramofaColumnDistiller

IllustrationfromWhiskeyTechnologyProductionandMarketingEditedbyIngeRussellAcademicPress2003FigAThisflowchartillustrateshowthewashistransformedintospiritsThebottomofthestillstripsoutthewaterwhiletherectifyingsection(topofthestill)distillstheliquorstoincreasetheirspirituosity

FigBDimensionsofaTypicalSpiritsStill

FigBApotiswiderthantallallowingvaporstoescapefromthewashAtallswanneckallowsforseparationofthecomponentsofthemixtureTheshapeofthestillaffectstheflavorcomponentsofthespiritsEverypotstillisuniqueasdistillerswantdistinctiveflavorprofilesintheirfinishedspirits

ASPIRINGANDACCOMPLISHEDARTISANS

Aspiringandaccomplishedartisanscomprisethethirdgroupwhosegoalistomake authentic and great-tasting spirits While technical distillers considerunwanted chemical compounds obstacles to pure liquor artisans rightfullyregardtasteandaromaasthebackbonethatdefinestheirownpersonalstyleofdistilling They tend to use less-efficient old-school pot stillsmdashthey mightimmediately recognize thekind that a farmerused in 1740Someuse columnstillsbutwithoutthecolumnsatmaximumefficiencythuspreservingtasteandaromabynotdistillingtothehighestproofpossibleFinallytheytendtofermentgrainsandfruitsratherthansugarandnottocarewhatitcostsmdashbecauseitrsquosforthemnotforsellinrsquo

FigCAnatomyofaPotStill

FigCAsillustratedhereawhiskeystillhasfourpartspotswannecklynearmandcondenserTheshapeofeachaffectsrectificationandtheflavorofthespiritPotThepotcanbyanyshaperoundonionorconicalTheshapeofthepotaffectshowthewashisheated(alwaysto172degF[78degC])ItcanbeheatedbydirectfiresteamgasorwoodMostpotshaveasightglasssothedistillercancheckforfoamingduringthedistillationprocessSwanneckTheswannecksitsontopofthepotItcanbetallshortstraightortaperedOftentheswanneckisconnectedtothepotviaanogeeabubble-shapedchamberTheogeeallowsthedistillatetoexpandcondenseandfallbackintothepotduringdistillationMostpotstillshaveataperedswanneckallowingforbetterseparationandbetterenrichingofthespiritsduringdistillingLynearmThelynearmsitsontopoftheswanneckItcanbetiltedupordownanditcanbetaperedorstraightOftenpotstillsarefittedwithadephlegmatororapurifierItsmainpurposeistheenrichmentofspiritsbeforetheyrsquoresentontothecondenserInternalsteamcoilTheinternalsteamcoilheatsthewashto173degF(78degC)wherethealcoholseparatesfromthewashCondenserThecondenserorwormisusedforcoolingthespiritsandprovidingasmallstreamtoacollectiontankorpail

ECONOMICALINGREDIENTSFORDISTILLING

Consideraglutofplums forbackyard slivovitzora skidof dried fruit atbargain pricing that can be turned into Arabian siddiqui However ersatzwhiskeysmadefrombreakfastcerealsarenotunheardofsocaveatemptoristherule

AfruiteaudeviefermentationatStringerrsquosOrchardWildPlumWineryampDistillery

CHAPTERTWO

THEDISTILLINGPROCESS

INTHEMOSTliteralsenseoftheworddistillationmeanstheconcentration

oftheessenceofasubstancebyseparatingitfromanyothersubstancesthatitismixed with In the case of distilling alcohol this means boiling a fermentedliquidinastilltoseparatetheethanolfromthesolidswaterandotherchemicalcompoundsinthefermentedsolutionButjustasthedevilisinthedetailstheartofdistillingisinhowthedistillerachievesthatseparationandhowprecisethatseparationis

ThecondensercoolsthevaporsintoliquidspiritwhichiscollectedandbottledatAnchorDistilling

Thewide rangeof stillsdescribed in this chapter eachoriginally evolved tomeettherequirementsofproducingaparticulartypeofspiritDependingonthetype of spirit beingmade precision is not necessarily the goal of the distillerThousandsofchemicalcompoundsarecreatedbyfermentationanddistillationall of which can have for better or worse an effect on the ultimate taste orcharacterofadistilledspiritThedistillerrsquosprimaryjobis toretain thedesiredflavorelementswhilediscarding those thatarenotThis isnotassimpleas itsoundsAnddespiteallofthehigh-techcontrolsinamoderndistillerythestillmasterneverthelesshasthefinalcall

ldquoGlassofbrandyandwaterThatisthecurrentbutnottheappropriatenameaskforaglassofliquidfireanddistilleddamnationrdquo

mdashRobertHallnineteenth-centurytemperancecrusaderwhowasneverthelifeoftheparty

HOWDISTILLATIONWORKS

Distillationisaphysicalprocessinwhichcompoundsareseparatedbyvirtueof their different boiling points Two compounds with the same boiling pointoccurring together would not be separable by distillation Fortunately suchoccurrenceswiththeingredientsinliquorandspiritsarerareTheseparationindistillationoccurswhenamixtureofcompoundsinthestill

is brought to a boil Compounds with lower boiling points vaporize at lowertemperatures than compoundswith higher boiling points Thismeans that thevapororsteamrisingofftheboilingmixtureisricherinthelower-boiling-pointcompounds than in the higher-boiling-point onesNext this vapor is collectedand cooled to condense it back into a liquid The resulting liquid called thedistillate contains a considerably higher concentration of the lower-boiling-pointcompoundsthanofthehigher-boiling-pointonesInasimplifiedexample letrsquosconsideramixtureof90percentwaterand10

percentethanolWaterhasaboilingpointof212degF(100degC)andethanolhasaboilingpointof1731degF(784degC)Theethanolwillboilandvaporizewellbeforethewatersowhenthevaporsarecollectedandcondensedtheresultingdistillatewill have a high concentration of ethanol and comparatively little water ThedistillatewillnotbepureethanolbecausesomewaterwillvaporizeattheboilingpointofethanolevenifthewateritselfisnotatitsboilingpointTails (see page 36) start at 203degF (95degC) and contain a high percentage of

fuseloilsknowntodistillersaswetdogbouquetAlittlebitisactuallyneededinsometypesofwhiskeybutonlyalittlebitThinkIslayScotchWhiskyBecauseallthecompoundsinastillwillvaporizetoagreaterorlesserextent

during boiling the separation of the compounds will not be perfect so moreelaborate stills have been developed to intensify the separation of the vaporsonce theyhave left theboiler Inmodernhigh-separationstills this isdonebyemployingarefluxcolumntomanagethevaporsaftertheyleavetheboilerandbeforetheyarecondensedanddrawnfromthestill

ASTILLrsquoSBLUEPRINT

ThewhiskeystillhasfourpartspotswannecklynearmandcondenserTheshape of each section affects rectification (redistillation) and the taste of thespiritsThereisnoperfectdesigneachmanufacturersaysitspotstillmakesthebest-tastingwhiskeyAtthispointdistillingisanldquoartrdquoTomakegoodwhiskeyyouneedtohave

good ingredients (clean wash) and a good palate (nose and tongue) and youneedtoknowwhentostartandstop(makingheadandtailcuts)Whenitcomestowhiskeydistillingtheprocessiscontrolledbyadistillernotacomputeroramanual

WHATADIFFERENCEADEGREEMAKES

Between174deg(788degC)and175degF(794degC)averitablewitchrsquosbrewofnastychemical compounds (known collectively as heads) are cut and removed byproper distilling These include acetone aldehydes and methanol Lazymoonshiners tend to leave them in resulting in rotgut and a serious head-bangingheadachethenextmorningasyoulieinbedandprayfortheAngelofDeathtocomeandfinishthejob

Thepot can be any shape round onion or conical The shape of the potaffectshow thewash isheated (to172degF [778degC]) It canbeheatedbydirectfiresteamgasorwoodAllsystemshaveadvantagesanddisadvantagesThereis no right way to heat washMostmanufacturers however prefer a double-jacketedsteam-watersystemthatprovidesagentleheattothewashMainlyyoudonrsquotwant to burn thewashMost pots have a sight glass so thedistiller cancheckforfoamingduringthedistillationprocess

THECHEMISTRYOFPURESPIRITS

Even a modern high-separation still cannot produce pure ethanol This isbecausewaterformsanazeotropewithethanolAnazeotropeisamixtureoftwoliquidcompoundswhosemoleculesbecomelooselybondedsuchthattheyhaveacommonboiling point that is different from either constituentrsquos In the case ofethanolandwatertheazeotropeoccursatamixtureof965percentethanoland35 percent water and it has a boiling point of 17267degF (7815degC) This is045degF(017degC)lowerthanthe17312degF(784degC)boilingpointofpureethanolIn distillation this azeotrope is a single compound with a boiling point of17267degF (7815degC) and the still proceeds to separate it on that basis Theethanol that is purified by a fractionating column is not therefore pure 100percent ethanolbutpure965percent ethanolwith theldquoimpurityrdquobeingpurewater No amount of redistillation under the conditions discussed here willinfluence this percentage 965 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) is thetheoreticalmaximumpuritythatcanbederivedbytheaboveprocessThe temperatures stated above are at standard atmospheric pressure In a

columnstillduetoincreasedpressureatthebottomresultingfromthepressuredropover theplates the temperatureswouldbequiteabithigher thanstatedForexamplethespentwashwhichwouldhaveaboilingpointofabout212degF(100degC) at standard pressure would have a boiling point of about 220degF(1044degC)duetotheincreasedpressure

TheswannecksitsontopofthepotItcanbetallshortstraightortaperedOften the swan neck is connected to the pot via an ogee a bubble-shapedchamberTheogeeallowsthedistillatetoexpandcondenseandfallbackintothepotduringdistillationMostpotstillshaveataperedswanneckallowingforbetterseparationandbetterenrichingofthespiritsduringdistillingThelynearmsitsontopoftheswanneckItcanbetiltedupordownandit

canbetaperedorstraightMostarmsaretapereddownOftenpotstillsarefittedwithadephlegmatororwhatScottishdistillerscallapurifierThedephlegmatorisfittedwithbafflesthatusewaterplatesortubestocoolthedistillatesending90 percent of it back into the pot Its main purpose is the enrichment of thespiritsbeforetheyrsquoresentontothecondenserThecondenserorwormisusedforcoolingthespiritsandprovidingasmall

streamtoacollectiontankorpail

AsmallpotstillsimilartomanymoonshinestillsisinoperationfortouriststoseeattheGlenmorangieDistilleryScotland

WHISKEYSTILLSINDETAIL

There are severaldifferentdesignsof stillsused formakingwhiskeyThese

includethemoonshinestillgooseneckstillcontinuous-runcolumnstillFrenchCharentaisalambicstillandartisanpotstill(ThetraditionalEnglishspellingofthisFrenchwordisalembic)

FigAFlat-topMoonshineStill

FigAInthebasicmoonshinestillvaporsfromtheheatedwashriseintothecapAfterhittingtheflattopofthestillvaporsexitviathelynearmintothecondenserwheretheycondenseandbecomespirits

MOONSHINESTILL

ThemostbasicandrudimentarydesignisacrudepotstillormoonshinestillwhichisaclosedpotlikeapressurecookerwithapipeleadingfromthelidintoacondensercoilThecondensercoil caneitherbe longenough toair-cool thevaporsoritcanbeshorterandimmersedinawaterjacketSuchastillaffordsminimum separation of the vapors because there is almost no separation oncetheyleavetheboilerAlthoughthisdesignofstill isnotsuitableforproducingbeveragealcoholbymodernstandardsitwillstillconcentratean8or10percentABVwashto60percentinafairlyfastrunTherearemanyhomedistillersandillicitcommercialmoonshinersusingthis

typeofstill todayAndbecausethistypeofstill is typicallyheatedonastovetoporonagasburner it isnecessary to removeallsuspendedsolids fromthewash before placing it in the boiling pot To do otherwisewould risk burningsolidsonthebottomofthepot

FigBCross-sectionofaStillrsquoBubbleCap

FigBThebubblecapssitontrayovervaporstubesinthecolumnThecapsprovidecontactbetweentherisingvaporsanddescendingrefluxcreatingadistillingcycleandenrichingthealcoholArrowsindicatevaporsrisingfromthewashandhittingthebubblecapsApercentageofpurevaporscontinuetoriseandtheldquolesspurerdquofallbackintothestillforre-distillation

AnatomyofaCraftWhiskeyStill

GOOSENECKSTILL

Thegooseneckpot still is themost commondesignof still used toproduceScottish malt whisky Some Irish whiskies and a number of American andCanadianwhiskiesarealsodistilledinthistypeofstillThisstyleofpotstillhasbeeninuseforcenturiesforcommercialwhiskeyproductionanditisevenmorepopulartodayinmodernwhiskeydistilleriesthaneverThegooseneckstillhasalargeroundboilerandisfunctionallyverysimilarto

the crudepot still except it has a long broadneck rising from theboiler thatallows enough separation to hold back most of the fusel alcohols from thedistillatewhileretainingthedesiredflavorsinthefinishedspiritTheneckbendsatthetopandconnectstoapipecalledalynearmthatleadstoacondensercoilimmersed inwaterThe lynearmusuallyanglesdownwardslightly toward thecondenserbutinsomedistilleriesittiltsupward

AgooseneckstillclearlyshowingthelynearmatWoodfordReserveDistillery

The levelofseparation inagooseneckpotstill isaffectedby theamountofcondensation that takesplace in theneckand lynearm that fallsback into theboiler This condensation is called reflux and themore reflux the higher thelevelofseparation If the lynearm isangleddownward thenanyvapor in thelynearmthatcondenseswillfallforwardtowardthecondenserandbecomepartof the distillate passing to the receiver However if the lyne arm is angledupward condensation fallsback to theboiler andwill createadditional refluxandthereforeadditionalseparation

ModelofagooseneckForsythswhiskystill

BEVERAGESPRODUCEDINGOOSENECKSTILLS

Becausethelongbroadneckprovidesalargesurfaceareawhichresultsinalarger proportion of reflux than crude pot stills gooseneck stills are moresuitable for distilling beverage alcohol The gooseneck stills are suited to theproductionofwhiskeybrandyrumschnappsandothernon-neutralspiritsforwhichtheyarewidelyusedcommerciallyHowevertheyarenotsuitablefortheproduction of vodka gin or other spirits derived from neutral alcoholwhichrequiresahigh-separationstillcapableofproducingpureazeotropeethanolThe wash distilled in gooseneck stills is typically separated from the

suspended solids much like the malt washes used for making Scottish maltwhiskySomegooseneckstillsareheatedbyanopenfireundertheboilerwhichwould result in the burning of suspended solids if they were in the washHowever most contemporary stills are heated with steam jackets ThiscombinedwitharummagercanenablethesestillstoboilfullmasheswithallthegrainintheboilerwithoutburningthesolidsonthebottomofthepotArummagerisanagitatingdevicethatslowlyturnsaroundinsidethestillpot

dragginganetofcopperchainsalongthebottomoftheboilertopreventsolidsfromcakingupandburningduringdistilling

THECONTINUOUS-RUNDESIGNFLAW

ThereisaninherentflawinthisdesignofstillBecausethecontinuous-runstillhasaconstantflowofnewwashcomingintoitatalltimestherearealwaysheadsandtailspresentinthecolumnThisisunlikeabatchstillwhichisanyofthenoncontinuousstillsdiscussedinthistextwheretheheadsaredrawnoffatthebeginningoftherunandthentheyaregoneInacontinuous-runoperationallphasesareconstantlybeingintroducedtothecolumnbytheincomingwashThisposesnoproblemwiththetailsbecauseatthetrayswheretheheartsaredrawnoffthetailsarelowerinthecolumnandarethereforenotpresenttobedrawnoffwiththeheartsHoweverheadsarestillpresentatthesetrayssonomatterhowwellacontinuous-runstillisequilibratedtherersquollalwaysbeasmallamountofheadsintheheartsphaseHaving said this the continuous-run column is a high-separation still that

makesverypreciseseparationofthecompoundsinitscolumnThereisalwaysgoingtobeatraceamountofheadsintheheartsandthisamountisstillwithintheallowablelimitsforpotablespiritsInmostcasesitislessthantheresidualheadsfoundintheheartsfromcommercialbatchstills

CONTINUOUS-RUNCOLUMNSTILL

This type of still is used for producing enormous volumes of spirit in acontinuousoperationthatrunsconstantlyforuptoelevenmonthsstraightbeforeit is shut down for cleaning and overhauling They commonly have afractionatingcolumnthatstandsabout100feet(305m)high(similartothatofanoilrefinery)andaseriesofbubble-captraysspacedeverycoupleoffeetupthecolumnThe traysare fartherapartnear thebottomandgetcloser togethertowardthetopIthasnopotorboilerperseanditisheatedbyblastingsteamupwardfromthebottomofthecolumnwhilethewashiscontinuouslyfedintoatrayatthemiddleofthecolumnAsthewashrunsdownthroughthetraysofthecolumnitencountersthehot

steam which vaporizes the compounds in the wash and carries them up thecolumnThelower-boilingcompoundscontinuetoriseupthecolumnwhilethehigher-boilingonescondenseandarecarrieddownthecolumnThecolumnhasanexitvalveateverytraywherevaporcanbedrawnoffand

ledtoacondenserThisenablestheoperatorstoconfigurethesystemsocertaintraysleadtoacondenserthatgoestotheheadsreceiveranothersetoftrayscanbe sent to the hearts receiver andother trays canbe sent to the tails receiverWhatflowstothebottomofthecolumnisresiduethatissenttothedrainApossibleconfigurationforbourbonwouldhavethetoptwotraysconfigured

forheadsthenthenextfourconfiguredforheartsthenextfivefortailsandtherest of the trayswould refluxwith no draw off andwhat reached the bottomwouldbediscardedasresidueThe draw off rateswould be set up tomaintain a hearts phasewith say a

constant 65 percentABVBourbon thatrsquos distilled in a continuous-run columnstillisusuallydoneintwodistillationsbothwiththeheartsdrawnoffatabout65percentABVBecauseacontinuous-runstillrunsformanymonthsatatimethewashmust

befairlyclearwithaminimumofsolidsotherwisethebuildupofresidueinthesystemwouldbecomeuntenableandthesystemwouldneedtobeshutdowntobecleanedSothereisnoprocesswithacontinuous-runstillwherebytheentiremash is distilled The mash must always be strained or filtered before beingplacedinthereservoirsupplyingthestillThedistillerymusthaveabatteryoffermentersthatareinconstantoperation

ateachstageofthefermentationprocesstokeepupwiththecontinuousdemand

forwashforthestills

Thisalambicstillwascustom-builtbyDynamicAlambicbyreconfiguringaGrundigbeertank

FRENCHCHARENTAISALAMBICSTILL

This type of still is used almost exclusively for making brandy includingcognacArmagnacCalvadosandotherfamousFrenchbrandiesIt isdesignedespecially to leave a lot of the aromatics and flavor in the distillate and istherefore one of the lower-separation beverage-alcohol stills Because of thisqualityspiritsareusuallydistilledtwiceinaFrenchCharentaisalambicstillWhiskeycanalsobemadeinthisdesignofstillItisfunctionallyquitesimilar

tothegooseneckstillbutitcreatesalowerlevelofseparationmakingaricherandcreamier-tastingwhiskeybutwithalittlemorefuselalcoholTheFrenchCharentais alambic still has threemajor components theboiler

withhelmetthepreheaterandthecondenserThehelmetisthechamberjustabove the boiler and it serves as an expansion chamberwhichworkswell toholdback a lot of theheavier compounds such as fusel alcohols and furfurolswhile allowing the desirable aromatics and flavors to be carried over in thedistillateThe preheater as the name implies preheats the next batch of wine to be

distilled It is also used as a reservoir to enable a near-continuous distillationprocessSomebrandydistillerssimplyincludethemaspartofthehearts(nottheheads) In this way continuously feeding wine into the boiler is possibleBecause there is no workable way to drain the boiler during operation thecontinuous feeding of winemust stopwhen the boiler is too full to take anymorePriortoadistillationrunthepreheaterisfilledwithwinetobeheatedforthe

next distillation The preheater has the vapor tube from the boiler passingthroughitonitswaytothecondenserThistransfersheatfromthevaportothewinebeforethevaporentersthecondenserThisheatsthewineinthepreheatertonearboilingduringthedistillationrunandreducestheamountofheatthatthecondenserhastodissipatetherebymakingefficientuseofheatandreducingtheamountofcoolingwaterused

AlambicstillatJepsonVineyardsinUkiahCalifornia

AlambicstillinstallationinFrance

Thepre-heaterhasapipewithavalve leadingfromit to theboilerWhenadistillationrunisfinishedandtheboilerhasbeendrainedtheoperatorcanopenthe valve and fill the boiler with another charge of wine from the pre-heaterthatrsquosalreadyatnear-boiling temperatureThismakesefficientuseofheatandsignificantlyreducestheamountoftimetobringthenextbatchofwinetoaboil

AholehadtobecutintheceilingtoaccomodatethecolumnofthispotstillatTuthilltownSpirits

ThecondenserinaFrenchCharentaisalambicstillasinmosttypesofstillsconsistsofthecoppercoilimmersedinawaterjacketwithcoldwatercirculatingaroundit

BEVERAGESPRODUCEDINALAMBICSTILLS

These stills are invariably used to distill wine or in the case of whiskeydistillerrsquos beer They are not generally used to distill fullmasheswith all thesolids left in However design-wise the Charentais could be used to distillmasheswithsolidsbecauseitsboileristhesameasthatofthestandardalambicwhichiswidelyusedtomakegrappaandmarcfromgrapepomaceTodothisasievetraymustbeinsertedintotheboilertoserveasafalsebottomtoholdthesolidsabovethebottomofthepotandpreventburning

ARTISANPOTSTILL

ThistypeofstillisthemostversatileofallthestillsEachartisanpotstillisnearly made to order based on a distillerrsquos needs and preferences Itscomponentsincludeaspherical-shapedboileracondenserandwidevarietyofoptional components such as a steam jacket or a direct fire an agitator ahelmet one or two columns of bubble-cap trays a dephlegmator and acatalyzerThespherical-shapedboilerevenlyheatsthesubstrateparticularlyifthereis

anagitatorAndanartisanstill thatrsquos steamheatedandhasanagitatorcanbeused to distill anywash Evenwashes full of fruit pulp or grainmash can beheatedinthisconfigurationofboilerwithoutanyriskofburningonthebottomofthepotAlsobyconstantlyagitatingthewashthroughoutthedistillationrunthe distillery can save about 20 percent on the heat required to perform thedistillationTheabilitytodistilltheentirewashincludingallthesolidspurportedlygives

asuperiorflavortothespiritproducedApparentlythefruitmashesformakingschnappsyieldarichermorecomplexflavoriftheycanbedistilledwithallthefruitpulpintheboilerManywhiskeydistillerscontendthesametobetruefordistilling grain mashes and a number of the premium brands of AmericanwhiskeyaredistilledwiththegrainmashinthestillThehelmetcomponent(optional)istechnicallyanexpansionchamberandit

isusuallyanearlysphericaldomethatsitsdirectlyontopoftheboilerAsvaporrisesfromtheboileritpassesthroughacomparativelynarrowpassagewayintothelargervolumeofthehelmetThisresultsinasuddenreductioninpressurewhich helps hold back higher-boiling compounds while allowing desirablearomaticsandflavorstocontinueupthecolumnSomedistillerssaythishelmetiskeytoproducingatrulyexcellentspirit

Artisanpotstilltheshapeofthehelmetldquoheadrdquoofthestillinfluencestheflavorofthedistillate

From the helmet the vapor rises into the column In some artisan pot stillconfigurationsthecolumnismounteddirectlyontopofthehelmetWhenthereis no helmet the column is mounted directly on top of the boiler In otherconfigurationssuchastwocolumnsthecolumnispositionedbesidetheboilerThe reason for this is the still would stand too high for most facilities if thecolumnwerestackedontopofthehelmetorevenontopoftheboilerWithin thecolumnarebubble-cap traysThevapor risesup the tubesunder

the bubble caps and bubbles out fromunder the cap and through the standingliquidoneachtrayThestandingliquidoverflowsatacertaindepthtothenexttraybelowCompoundseparation takesplaceby theredistillation thatoccurswhentheheatfromthevaportransferstothestandingliquidThiscauseshigher-boilingcompoundsinthevaportocondenseandlower-boilingcompoundsintheliquid toevaporateTheoveralleffect is todrive the lower-boilingcompoundsup the column in vapor state and the higher-boiling compounds down thecolumninliquidstate

Twincolumnsofbubble-captrays

OPTIONALSTILLCOMPONENTS

Modernartisanpotstillshaveaninterestingfeaturethatallowstheoperatortobypass anyof the trays to vary the separation level for the columnThere arelevers on the side of the column connected to each tray and the operator canposition the lever to cause the tray to turn sideways and allow thevapors andliquidtopassbyOrtheoperatorcanpositionthelevertheotherwaytoputthetrayinplacesothatitisfullyengagedinprocessingrefluxThedephlegmatorresidesabovethetopbubble-captrayItisachamberatthe

topofthecolumnwithnumerousverticaltubesforthevaportotravelthroughonitswaytothecondenserThereisawaterjacketaroundtheverticaltubesthattheoperator can flood with cooling water to increase the amount of reflux ThewaterlevelinthedephlegmatorcanbeadjustedtogivegranularcontrolovertheamountofrefluxHaving the capability to dial up or down the reflux creates a great deal of

control over the compoundmix in the finished spirit For example if a givenspirit had an excellent aroma and flavor profile but a rough finish due to anexcessof fuselalcohol the refluxcouldbedialedupslightly toholdback thefusel

TheMoorrsquoscaponthisalambicstillhasadistinctivelookandgivesauniqueflavorprofiletothedistillates

The catalyzer is positioned above the dephlegmator and has an array ofsacrificialcopperCopperisanimportantmaterialinastillbecausethenoxioussulfides in thevapor instantlyreactoutuponcontactwithcopperHoweverasthisoccursovertimethecoppermaterialofthestillbecomescompromisedandexpensivestillcomponentsrequirereplacingTheideaofthecatalyzeristohaveachamberwithcopper in thevaporpath specificallydesigned to reactout thesulfidesfromthevaporOvertimethiscoppererodesfromthereactionwiththesulfidesbutitcanbecheaplyreplacedIneffectthecopperinthecatalyzerisbeingsacrificedtosavethecoppermaterialofthestill

Artisanpotstill

In summary artisan pot stills can be superb stills and are well known formaking quality spirits Unfortunately their throughput is comparatively slowanddistilleriesareoftenputinthepositionofhavingtooptforlargerthroughputstillssuchasthecontinuous-runcolumntomeetthedemandsoftheirmarkets

COLUMNCONFIGURATION

Thenumber of bubble-cap trays in the column depends on the intendeduseoftheartisanpotstillanditisthereforeoptionalSomeartisanpotstillsare used to make vodka and have two tall columns with a total of twentybubble-cap trays An excellent configuration for making whiskey howeverwouldbeastillwithahelmetacolumnwithfourtraysadephlegmatorandacatalyzer

THEBATCH-STILLPROCESSOFDISTILLATION

THE DISTILLATION process is operationally the same for all four-batch

stills discussedpreviously themoonshine still thegooseneck still theFrenchCharentais and the artisan pot still The continuous-run column still has adifferentregimenanditisdescribedinthesectionthatfollows

TheProcessofDistillationAnOverview

Atleftthemajorstepsfrombarleytobarrel1MashTunUsedtoconvertbarleygrainstarchestosugars2Fermentationofthewash3Strippingofthewashtoremovewater4Collectionofldquolowwinerdquospirits5Redistillingthespiritstoproducefinalspiritsforbarreling6Barrelingoragingofspirits

HEADSHEARTSTAILS

Indistillingparlancethecompoundsinthewashthatarenotethanolorwaterare called congeners Some congeners such as acetaldehyde methanol andcertain esters and aldehydes have lower boiling points than ethanol certainotherestersthehigheralcohols(fuselalcohols)andwaterhavehigherboilingpoints than ethanolThismeans the lower-boiling congeners comeout inhighconcentrationatthebeginningofabatchdistillationrunandthehigher-boilingones come out in high concentration toward the end of the run leaving theethanol and the most desirable compounds as the most abundant componentsduringthemiddleoftherunWhendistillation takesplace in a batch still thedistillate that comesout is

dividedintothreephasescalledheadsheartsandtails

bullTheheadscontaintheunwantedlower-boilingcongenersthatcomeoutatthebeginningoftherun

bullThetailscontaintheunwantedhigher-boilingcongenersthatcomeoutattheendoftherun

bullTheheartsarethedesiredspiritinthemiddle

Becausewhiskeyisnotdistilledatahigh-separationlevelitmeansthateachphase bleeds into the adjacent phase That is to say there is a considerableamountofethanolintheheadsphaseandtherearelate-headscongenersatthebeginningof theheartsphaseSimilarly there isasignificantamountofearly-tails congeners at the endof thehearts and there is a considerable amount ofethanolinthetailsphaseThewhiskeycomprisedmostlyofethanolandwaterhasadelicatebalanceof late-headsandearly-tailscongeners thatmakeup theflavorprofileofthewhiskeyThere are literally thousands of these congeners or chemical flavor

compoundscreatedduringthedistillingprocessallofwhichhavethepotentialofaddingorsubtractingtothedesiredfinalflavorprofileofthedistilledspiritPart of the art (asopposed to the science)of distilling is knowingwhen thesecongeners are created and when to add or remove them In flavor-specificspirits such as brandy and whiskey it is desirable to carry over selectedcongeners into the finished spirit However in flavor-neutral spirits such asvodka the goal is to remove asmany congeners as possible to end upwith a

spiritthathasacleannonspecificpalateBecause both the heads and the tails contain a lot of ethanol and residual

desirable flavor they are mixed together and saved for future recovery Theheads and tails whenmixed together are called feints Feints can be distilledseparatelytoproduceanotherwhiskeyrunortheycanbemixedinwithafuturespirit runwhere their ethanol and flavors are recovered as a part of that runHowevereachsubsequentdistillationproducesitsownsetofheadsheartsandtailsandthefeintsfromthoserunsarealsosavedforfuturerecovery

TWO-RUNDISTILLATION

When whiskey is made it is usually done in two distillation runs a beer-strippingrunandaspiritrun

bullThebeer-strippingrunisgenerallydoneinalargerhigh-volumepotstillcalledabeerstripperThebeerstripperisusedtodistillthefermentedwashandconcentratetheethanolandalltheimpuritiesintoadistillateofabout25percentethanolcalledlowwine

bullThespiritrunisdoneinasmallerwhiskeystillsuchasagooseneckoranartisanrefluxstillcalledaspiritstillThespiritstillisusedtodistillthelowwineandrefineitintothefinishedspiritTherearethetwooutputsretainedfromthespiritrunthefinishedspiritandthefeints

For a beer-stripping run the fermented wash which is typically about 8percentABVisloadedintothebeerstripperandthecontentsarebroughttoaboilBecausethisrunisjustaprimarydistillationtheheadsheartsandtailsarenotseparatedoutTheentireoutputfromthisruniscollectedinasinglelotandthe run is continueduntil the aggregate percent alcohol is down to 25percentABVThisdistillateisthelowwinewhichistheinputtothespiritrunTo produce the finishedwhiskey the spirit still is filledwith the lowwine

from thebeer-stripping run andoftenameasureof feints fromprevious spiritrunsThespiritstillisthenbroughttoaboilIt iswith the spirit run that thedistilleradjusts theboil-up rate toachievea

gentleslowflowofdistillateandcarefullyseparatesouttheheadsheartsandtails

SINGLE-RUNDISTILLATION

SomewhiskeydistilleriesproducetheirwhiskeyinasingledistillationTheydo a spirit run directly from the wash The artisan reflux stills discussedpreviously are well suited to this type of whiskey distillation but it is labor-intensiveand thedistillermustpaya lotofattention tonumeroussmaller runsratherthanonelargerrunSomepeoplefind thewhiskeyfromasingle-distillationrun tobericherand

haveamorenaturalflavorwhileothersfindittobeharshandunrefinedInthefollowingtextthemorecommondouble-distillationmethodisused

MAKINGTHECUTS

ProbablythemostelusivepartofthedistillingprocessformakingwhiskeyismakingthecutsfromheadstoheartsandthentotailsMakingacutfromonephasetothenextisthepointwherethedistillerswitchestheoutputsothatitiscollectedinadifferentreceiverthanthepreviousphaseAttheendofthespiritrun theheadswillbe inonecontainer thehearts inanotherand the tails inathirdoneThequestioniswhendoyouswitchfromonephasetothenextExperienced distillers do this by taste Even though there are measurable

parameters such as still-head temperature and percent alcohol of the incomingspirit that can be used to judge when to make the cuts taste and smell stillremainthemostreliablemethodsfordeterminingthem

ThreepotstillsatStoutridgeVineyard

Herearetheempiricalparametersforjudgingthecuts

bullThepercentalcoholof the spirit that is flowingout of the still (ie theincomingspirit)

bullThestill-headtemperature

Thesevaryfromonestilltothenextandtheyvarybasedonthepropertiesofthe low wine (eg percent alcohol and quantity) It is possible to develop aconsistentprocessusingthesamestillandthesamequantityandformulationoflowwinesuchthattheparametersremainthesameforeachrunForexampleinaspiritruninanartisanrefluxstillwithlowwinethatis25

percentABVBegin-cut(iethecutfromheadstohearts)isusuallydonewhentheevolvingdistillateisatabout80percentandwhenthestill-headtemperatureisabout180degF(82degC)End-cut(iethecutfromheartstotails)isoftendoneatabout65percentand

whenthestill-headtemperatureisabout201degF(94degC)Howeveraspiritdistilledfromastraightmaltwashcanoftenbeend-cutas

low as 60 percent Also a gooseneck still distilling the very samewashmaybegin-cut at 72 percent and end-cut at 59 percent Therefore it is because ofthesenuances that smell and taste become theonly truly reliable indicators ofwhentomakethecuts

BEGIN-CUT

When making the begin-cut the taste characteristics that the distiller islookingforareasfollowsWhenaspiritruncomestoboilandthefirstdistillatestartsflowingfromthestillthisisthebeginningoftheheadsphaseThedistillercancollectasmallsampleofthedistillateonaspoonorinawineglassandsmellitAtthisstagethedistillatewillhavethesickeningsmellofsolvents(suchasnail-polish remover or paint-brush cleaner)However before long this solventsmell diminishes and evenwhen a sample is tasted these compoundswill beveryfaintAsthesolventcharacterdisappearscompletelythedistillatewillstartto take on a hint of whiskey This flavor will increase until it becomes verypronouncedandhighlyconcentratedItiswhenthisflavorisclearlyevidentbutisstillincreasinginintensitythatthedistillercutstotheheartsphase

END-CUT

Tomake the end-cut thedistiller needs tomonitor the flavor of changes intasteAt thebeginningof theheartsphase the intensityof thewhiskey flavorwillstillbeincreasinganditwillcontinuetodosountilitbecomesverystrongHowever as the hearts continue the intense whiskey flavor will fade into asmoothsweetpleasantflavorthatwillpersistformostoftheheartsTheflavorwillchangeslightlyastheheartsprogressbutitwillremainsweetandpleasantTowardtheendoftheheartstheflavorwillstartlosingitssweetnessandatraceofharshbitternesswillbegintoappearintheflavorThisharshbitterflavoristheonsetofthetailsAlthoughasmallamountofthisbitternessisconsideredtocontribute to theldquobiterdquocharacterof thewhiskey thedistiller shouldcut to thetailsreceiverbeforemuchofitisallowedtoentertheheartsThe tails can be collected until the evolving distillate is down to about 10

percentandthestill-headtemperatureisabout206degFor208degF(97degCor98degC)Thereasonfordoing this is to renderall the residualalcohol that is left in thestillattheendoftheheartsphaseThisalcoholcanthenberecoveredinafuturespiritrunThetailsphasestartsoutbitterandthebitternessbecomesmoreintenseasthe

tailscontinuebutasthetailsprogressthebitternesssubsidesandgiveswaytoasweet-tastingwaterThissweetwateriscalledbackins

THECONTINUOUS-RUNPROCESSOFDISTILLATION

IN a continuous-run distillation process wash is constantly entering the

columnsoallthreephases(headsheartsandtails)arepresentinthecolumnatalltimesThismeanstherecanrsquotbeadiscretecutwheretheheadsaredrawnoffandtheheartsbeginorthattheheartsendandthetailsbeginAllthreephasesmustbedrawnoffatthesametimeAcontinuous-runcolumnisahigh-separationfractionatingstillthatseparates

thecompoundsverywellsooncethestillisequilibratedandfunctioninginitssteady state of operation the distillers can determine which families ofcompounds are at each tray For example they might determine that thecompounds coming out of the top two trays are heads compounds and routethose two trays to the heads receiver Similarly they might observe that thecompoundscomingoutofthenextfourtraysdownareheartsThentheymightdeterminethatthefivetraysbelowtheheartstraysareproducingtailsandroutethemtothetailsreceiverBelowthetailstraysjustwaterwouldbecomingoutandthevalveswouldbeclosedsoitwouldbelefttoflowtothebottomofthecolumnandthentoadrainBecausethistypeofstillisnotintermittentinitsoperationitmustbesetup

to constantly draw the three phases of distillate at all times Although this isdifficulttosetupitcanproduceverylargequantitiesofspirittwenty-fourhoursadayforalongtime

ContinuousrunstillatFourRosesDistillery

CHAPTERTHREE

WHISKEY

ldquoAlways carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite andfurthermorealwayscarryasmallsnakerdquo

mdashWCFieldsAmericanactorandworld-classdrinker

THIS chapter introduces the process of distilling a worldrsquos worth ofwhiskiesincludingNorthAmericanstylesofbourbonTennesseeryeblendedAmericancornandCanadianandontoScotchandIrishwhiskiesfromEuropeOfallofthebasiccategoriesofspiritswhiskeyhasspreadthemostacrossthe

world achieving ageographic and stylistic diversity that is unmatchedby anyothertypeofdistilledspiritFromthebasicgrain-baseddistilledspiritsofninth-centuryIrelandScotlandandnorthernEuropehaveevolvedtheclassicwhiskiesofScotlandandIrelandThesespiritsinturnservedasthemodelsfordistillersin thenewlysettledNorthAmericancolonies toproducewhatcametobefirstmodern rye whiskey and then in rapid succession corn bourbon blendedAmericanandCanadianwhiskiesAllofthesenowclassicstylesofwhiskeyhaveinrecentdecadesservedas

the stylistic inspiration for myriad new whiskies throughout the world fromGermany toAustralia andNepal inbetweenSomeof thesenewwhiskiesarebasedonexistingstylesJapanesewhiskydistillersforexamplehavegenerallytaken their inspiration (and malt and sometimes even their water) fromScotlandOthersareboldlygoingforthinnewdirectionsparticularlyamongthenewgenerationofAmericancraftdistillers

StranahanrsquosColoradoWhiskey

THEHISTORYOFBOURBONWHISKEY

IN the early 1700s a combination of bad economic times and religious

unrestagainsttheAnglicanChurchinGreatBritainsetoffawaveofemigrationfrom Scotland and Ireland These Scots Irish and so-called ldquoScotch-Irishrdquo(ProtestantsfromthenorthernIrishcountyofUlster)broughttoNorthAmericatheir religion their distrust of government control and their skill at distillingwhiskeyThis rush augmented by German immigrants of a similar religious and

culturalpersuasionpassedthroughtheseaboardcoloniesandsettledinitiallyinPennsylvania Maryland and western Virginia Mostly small farmers theyquickly adapted to growing rye because of its hardiness and in the westerncountiesNativeAmericancornbecauseofitshighyieldsGrainwasawkwardtoshiptoEastCoastmarketsbecauseofthepoorroadssomanyfarmersturnedtodistillingtheircropsintowhiskeyInPennsylvaniathesewereprimarilyryewhiskiesfarthertothewestandsouthcornwhiskiespredominatedBytheendoftheAmericanWarofIndependencein1784thefirstcommercialdistillerieshadbeenestablishedinwhatwasthenthewesternVirginiacountyofKentuckyFromthestarttheyproducedcorn-basedwhiskies

Whiskeybarrelsondisplay

NOT-SO-TRIVIALPURSUIT

ThefirstwavesofBritishsettlersinNorthAmericawereathirstylotItisrecordedthatthePilgrimschosetomakefinallandfallinMassachusettseventhough their original destination was Virginia primarily because they werealmostoutofbeer

The first locallymade alcoholic beveragewas beer although the limitedsupplyofbarleymaltwasfrequentlysupplementedbyeverythingfromsprucetipstopumpkinDistilledspiritssoonfollowedwithrummadefromimportedCaribbeanmolassesdominatinginthenortherncoloniesandanassortmentoffruitbrandiesintheSouth

In1794thecash-strappedfederalgovernmentimposedthefirstfederalexcisetax on distillers The farmer-distillers of western Pennsylvania respondedviolentlyFederaltaxagentswereassaultedandkilledbyangrymobsOrderwasfinally restored when the federal government sent in an army of 15000militiamenledbyGeorgeWashingtontoputdowntherevoltTheringleaderswere convicted and sentenced to be hanged But cooler heads prevailed andafterjailtimetheywerepardonedandreleased

LabelforHudsonBabyBourbonbyTuthilltownSpirits

ThissituationdidprovokeanewmigrationofsettlersthroughtheCumberlandGap and into the then-western frontier lands of Kentucky and Tennessee Inthese new states farmers found ideal corn-growing country and smoothlimestone-filteredwatertwoofthebasicingredientsofbourbonwhiskeyThenamebourboncomesfromacounty ineasternKentuckywhich in turn

wasnamedfortheBourbonkingsofFrancewhohadaidedtheAmericanrebelsintheRevolutionaryWarBourbonCountywasintheearlynineteenthcenturyacenterofwhiskeyproductionandtransshipping(Ironicallyatthepresenttimeitisaldquodryrdquocounty)Thelocalwhiskeymadeprimarilyfromcornsoongainedareputation for being particularly smooth because the local distillers aged theirproductsincharredoakcasksTheadoptionoftheldquosourmashrdquograinconversiontechniquefurtherdistinguishedbourbonfromotherwhiskeystyles

BenjaminPrichardrsquosDoubleBarreledBourbonfromPrichardsrsquoDistillery

REVIVALOFTHEFITTEST

ItmayseemoddbutScotchwhiskymaybebourbonrsquosinspirationforlong-termrevivalThesteadygrowthinsalesofsinglemaltandhigh-qualityScotchwhiskies has not gone unnoticed in bourbon country All of theKentucky andTennessee whiskey distilleries are nowmarketing high-end ldquosingle caskrdquo andldquosmallbatchrdquowhiskiesthathavefoundgreatsuccessamongupscaleconsumersMore than thirty craft whiskey distilleries have opened in the past few yearsacross the United States to cater to this increasing demand for quality overquantity The United States may yet in the words of one commentator ldquoturnawayfromforeignpotionsandreturntoitsnativespiritrdquo

LabelforPappyVanWinklersquosFamilyReserveKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskey

By the 1840s bourbon was recognized and marketed as a distinctiveAmericanstyleofwhiskeyalthoughnotasaregionallyspecificspiritBourboncametobeproducedinKentuckyTennesseeIndianaIllinoisOhioMissouriPennsylvaniaNorthCarolinaandGeorgiaalthoughtheonlylegalrequirementfor calling a whiskey ldquobourbonrdquo is that it be produced in the United StatesNowadaysbourbonproductionisslowlyexpandingtootherstatesasnewcraftwhiskeydistillerscomeonline Initiallybourbonwasmade inpotstillsbutasthe century progressed the new column still technology was increasinglyadoptedThelastold-linepotstillplantclosedinPennsylvaniain1992butthetechniquewasrevivedinKentuckyin1995whenthehistoricLabrotampGrahamDistillerywas renovatedand reopenedwitha setofnewScottish-built copperpotstillsMorerecentlymostof thenewgenerationofcraftwhiskeydistillersusepotstillsThelatenineteenthcenturysawtheriseofthetemperancemovementasocial

phenomenondrivenbyapotentcombinationofreligiousandwomenrsquosgroupsTemperancesocietiessuchastheWomenrsquosChristianTemperanceUnionandtheAnti-SaloonLeagueoperatednationallybuttheywereparticularlyactiveintheSouthernstatesThenotionoftemperancesoongavewaytoastateddesireforoutright prohibition and throughout the rest of the century an assortment ofstatesandcountiesadoptedprohibitionforvaryinglengthsoftimeanddegreesof severity This muddle of legal restrictions played havoc in the bourbonindustry because it interfered with the production and aging of stocks ofwhiskey

LabelforBlantonrsquosSingleBarrelKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskeybyBuffaloTraceDistillery

National Prohibition in 1919 had effects on the bourbon industry beyondshuttingdownmostofthedistilleriesDrinkingdidnotstopofcourseandtheUnitedStateswassoonawashinillegalalcoholmuchofitofdubiousqualityWhat did change was the American taste in whiskey Illicit moonshine andimportedCanadianwhiskeyswere lighter in taste and body than bourbon andrye The corresponding increase in popularity ofwhite spirits such as gin andvodkafurtheralteredthemarketplaceWhenRepealcamein1933anumberofthe old distilleries didnrsquot reopen and the industry began a slow consolidationthatlastedintotheearly1990satwhichtimetherewereonlytendistilleriesinKentuckyandtwoinTennessee

SouvenirbottleofEvanWilliamsKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskeybyHeavenHillDistilleries

BottleofFourRosesDistilleryrsquosSingleBarrelKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskey

ElijahCraig18-year-oldKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskeybyHeavenHillDistilleries

BuffaloTraceDistilleryrsquosKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskey

TENNESSEEWHISKEY

Tennessee whiskey is a first cousin of bourbon with virtually an identicalhistoryThesamesortofpeopleusedthesamesortofgrainsandthesamesortofproduction techniques to produce a style of whiskey that remarkably isnoticeablydifferentTheearlywhiskeydistillers inTennessee for reasons thatarelosttohistoryaddedafinalsteptotheirproductionprocesswhentheybeganfilteringtheirwhiskeythroughthickbedsofsugar-maplecharcoalThisfiltrationremoves some of the congeners (flavor elements) in the spirit and creates asmooth mellow palate The two remaining whiskey distillers in the statecontinue this tradition which a distiller at the Jack Danielrsquos Distillery oncedescribedasbeingldquosamechurchdifferentpewrdquo

HudsonManhattanRyeWhiskeybyTuthilltownSpirits

RYEWHISKEY

The Scotch-Irish immigrant distillers had some exposure to using rye inwhiskeyproductionbutfortheirGermanimmigrantneighborsryehadbeentheprimary grain used in the production of schnapps and vodka back in northernEuropeTheycontinuedthisdistillingpracticeparticularlyinPennsylvaniaandMaryland where rye whiskey with its distinctive hard-edged grainy palateremainedthedominantwhiskeytypewellintothetwentiethcentury

AbottleofTempletonProhibitionEraRecipeSmallBatchRyeWhiskeyfromTempletonRye

Thehand-blownbottleofRendezvousRyeWhiskeycastsawavyambershadowonagiftbox

Rye whiskey was more adversely affected by National Prohibition thanbourbonwasAgenerationofconsumersweanedonlight-bodiedandrelativelydelicate white spirits turned away from the pungent full-bodied straight ryewhiskies Production of rye whiskies had vanished altogether from the Mid-Atlantic states by the 1980s A handful ofmodern rye whiskies are currentlybeingmadebybourbondistilleriesinKentuckyandIndianaTheUnitedStatesrsquosfirstindigenouswhiskeystyleistodayonlybarelysurvivinginthemarketplaceIts primary use is for blending to give other whiskies more character andbackbonealthoughasmallbutvocalgroupofryewhiskyenthusiastscontinueto champion it and a number of new craft distillers are again producing theirinterpretationsofthisclassicAmericanwhiskeystyle

LabelforRyeWhiskeyfromtheIsaiahMorganDistillery

OldPotrero18thCenturyStyleRyeWhiskeybyAnchorDistilling

BLENDEDAMERICANWHISKEY

Blendedwhiskiesdate fromtheearlynineteenthcenturywhen the inventionof the column still made possible the production of neutral spirits Distillersblended one or more straight whiskies (bourbon and rye) with these neutralspirits invaryingproportions tocreate theirownbrandedblendThe tasteandqualityof thesewhiskies thenasnowvariesaccording to the ratioofstraightwhiskey to neutral grain spirit Early blends were frequently flavored witheverything from sherry to plug tobacco Compared to straight whiskies theywere inexpensiveandblandModernblendsutilizedozensofdifferent straightwhiskiestoensureaconsistentflavorprofileBlendedAmericanwhiskieshadagreat sales boost during and just afterWorldWar IIwhendistillers promotedthem as away of stretching their limited supply of straightwhiskeyBlendedwhiskeys were considered to be too bland by bourbon and rye drinkers andconsumerswithatasteforlighterspiritssoonmigratedovertovodkaandgin

AbottleofMellowCornKentuckyStraightCornWhiskeybyMedleyCompany

CORNWHISKEY

Cornwhiskeyanunagedclearspiritwas the first trulyAmericanwhiskeyandtheprecursortobourbonScotch-Irishfarmersproduceditintheirstillsforfamilyconsumptionor to trade for storegoodsWhen state and federal excisetaxeswerepermanentlyintroducedduringtheCivilWarmostoftheproductionofcornwhiskeywentundergroundtobecomemoonshinewhereithasremainedeversinceAmodestamountofcommercialcornwhiskeyisstillproducedandconsumedintheSouthwhileanincreasingnumberofcraftwhiskeydistilleriesarenowexperimentingwiththismoreinterestingalternativetovodka

AbottleofPlatteValleyStraightCornWhiskeybyMcCormickDistillingCo

CANADIANWHISKY

Canadianwhiskies aswith theirAmerican cousins originated on the farmTheseearlywhiskiesweremadeprimarilyfromryethoughovertimeCanadiandistillersturnedtocornwheatandothergrainsCanadianscontinuetorefertotheirwhiskyasldquoryerdquoeventhoughthemashbillisnowpredominantlyamixofcorn wheat and barley Several of the new generation of Canadian craftdistillersarehowevermarketingbothall-maltandldquotruerdquoryewhiskies

FortyCreekSmallBatchReserveWhisky(Canadian)byKittlingRidgeEstateWinesampSpirits

AbottleofSnakeRiverStampedeBlendedCanadianWhisky

THEBASISOFNORTHAMERICANWHISKIES

NORTHAmericanwhiskiesareall-grainspiritsthathavebeenproducedfrom

amashbillthatusuallymixestogethercornryewheatbarleyandothergrainsin different proportions and then is aged for an extended period of time inwoodenbarrelsThesebarrelsmaybeneworusedandcharredoruncharredontheinsidedependingonthetypeofwhiskeybeingmade

Whiskeybarrelsondisplayonanantiquetruck

Most non-craft North American whiskies are made in column stills TheUnitedStatesgovernmentrequiresthatallwhiskies

bullBedistilledat90percentABVorlessbullBereducedtonomorethan625percentABV(125degproof)beforebeingagedinoakbarrels(exceptforcornwhiskeywhichdoesnothavetobeagedinwood)

bullHavethearomatasteandcharacteristicsthataregenerallyattributedtowhiskey

bullBebottledatnolessthat40percentABV(80degproof)

Acoopershootsairintoacharringbarreltostoketheflames

Acooperformsabarrelbeforeattachinghoopsaroundtheoutside

CLASSIFICATIONSOFNORTHAMERICANWHISKIES

NORTHAMERICANwhiskiesareessentiallyclassifiedbythetypeorvarietyof

grains in the mash bill the percentage or proof of alcohol at which they aredistilledandthedurationandmanneroftheiraging

Astirringpaddlesitsoveramoonshinewash

BarleygrowinginafieldinWashingtonState

PeregrineRockSingleMaltWhiskeybyStJamesSpirits

NORTHAMERICANWHISKEYREGIONS

North Americarsquos variations of whiskey are as nuanced and distinct as thecontinentrsquos regionsMost are aged innewwoodbarrels butbeyond that therehasbeenmuchexperimentinginrecentyears

UNITEDSTATES

Kentucky produces all types of North American whiskies except forTennessee andCanadian It currently has the largest concentration ofwhiskeydistilleries on the continent but may soon cede that claim to MichiganColoradooroneofthePacificNorthweststatesasnewcraftdistilleriescontinuetoopen

BarrelsofbourbonagingattheWoodfordReserveDistillery

MostWantedKansasWhiskeybyHighPlainsInc

Tennessee started out as bourbon country but today its two remainingwhiskeydistilleriesspecializeinthedistinctiveTennesseestyleofwhiskeyOther statesmdashprimarily Indiana IllinoisVirginia andMissourimdashhave large

distilleries that produce straight whiskeys although some of these plants arecurrentlymothballed

CANADA

Ontario has the largest concentration of whisky distilleries in Canada withthreeAlbertahastwoandManitobaQuebecandNovaScotiaeachhaveoneWiththeexceptionofGlenorainNovaScotiaandKittlingRidgeinOntarioalloftheothercurrentCanadianwhiskydistilleriesproduceonlyblendedCanadianwhisky although a number of new craft whisky distilleries are listed in theindex

REGIONALFLAVORS

Therearenowmorethanthirtycraftdistilleriesinat leastseventeenstatesthatareproducingsuchstandardwhiskeystylesasbourboncornandryeaswell asmany experimental variationsOne example isWasmundrsquos SingleMaltWhiskey from theCopperFoxDistilleryofSperryvilleVirginiaThisdistilleryhasitsownfloormaltingsandsoaks itsagingspirit inapple-woodchipsThissort of production twist which has its roots in craft brewing is increasinglybecomingadistinctivefeatureofAmericancraftdistillingAdditionally there are a number of distilling plants scattered around the

country that rectify (redistill) process and bottle spirits that were originallydistilledelsewhereThesedistilleriesinadditiontosometimesbottlingbourbonthat has been shipped to them in bulk may also create their own blendedwhiskiesThesewhiskiestendtoberelativelyinexpensiveldquowellrdquobrandsthataresoldmainlytotavernsandbarsformakingmixeddrinks

RickWasmundmaltsbarleybyhandattheCopperFoxDistillery

AWHISKEYLEXICON

Bondedwhiskeyisbourbonfromasingledistillerythatwasproducedinasingle ldquoseasonrdquo and then aged for at least four years in a government-supervisedldquobondedrdquowarehouseDistillersoriginallydidthistoavoidhavingtopaytheexcisetaxuntilthewhiskeywasagedandreadyformarketConsumerscameto(erroneously)regardtheldquobottledinbondrdquodesignationasastatementofqualityBondedwhiskies arenotmuchof a factor in todayrsquosmarket althoughtheystillexist

Themash is themix of crushed grain (including somemalt that containsenzymestobreakdowngrainstarchesintosugars)andhotwaterfromwhichthedistillerdrawsaliquidextractcalledwortThewortisfermentedintoasimplebeercalledthewashwhichisthendistilled

Sourmashisthefermentationprocessbywhichapercentageofapreviousfermentation is added to a new batch as a ldquostarterrdquo to get the fermentationgoing andmaintain a level of consistency from batch to batch A sweetmashmeansthatonlyfreshyeastisaddedtoanewbatchtostartfermentation

Straight whiskey is unblended whiskey that contains no neutral spiritBourbonTennesseeryeandcornwhiskiesarestraightwhiskiesThereisalsoaspiritsimplycalledldquostraightwhiskeyrdquo that ismade fromamixtureofgrainsnoneofwhichaccountsfor51percentofthemashbill

InthiswhiskeybarrelstoragebuildingablackmoldandrustthriveontheldquoangelrsquossharerdquoofevaporatedalcoholandtheKentuckyhumidity

Washbeingmadeinthemashtun

Bubblesriseduringagrainfermentation

SCOTCHWHISKYIRISHWHISKEYANDOTHERWHISKIESOFTHEWORLD

WHISKY isdefined in itsmostbasic senseasa spirit that isdistilled from

grainSometimesthegrainhasbeenmaltedsometimesnotWhatdistinguisheswhiskyfromvodkaginaquavitandothergrain-basedspiritsisthatitisagedoftenforlongperiodsoftimeinwoodenbarrels(usuallyoak)Thisbarrelagingsmoothes the rough palate of the raw spirit adding aromatic and flavoringnuancesalongwiththebaseamberhuethatsetswhiskiesapartfromwhitegrainspirits

THEHISTORYOFSCOTCHWHISKY

ThebasisofScotchwhiskyistheheather-flavoredalesmadefrombarleymaltthat thePictsand theirprehistoricancestorsbrewedArcheologistshave foundevidence of such brewing dating back to at least 2000 BCE This ale stillproducedtodaybyatleastoneScottishmicrobrewerwaslowinalcoholandnotverystableStarting in theninthcentury Irishmonksarrived inScotland toChristianize

theirCelticbrethrenTheybroughtalongthefirstprimitivestillswhichtheyhadpickedupduring theirproselytizingvisits tomainlandEuropeduring theDarkAges The local Picts soon found that they could create a stable alcoholicbeveragebydistillingheatheraleSimplestillscametobefoundinmostruralhomesteadsandhomemadewhiskybecameanintegralpartofGaelicculture

ForsythstillsatthePenderynWhiskyDistilleryinWales

Laphroaig10-year-oldSingleMaltScotchWhiskyfromtheIslandofIslay

WHYBLENDEDSCOTCHWHISKYISAGOODTHINGEVENIFYOUPREFERSINGLEMALTS

It isatruismofreligionthatconvertsfrequentlybecomethemostzealousofbelieversAmongfreshlymintedmodern-dayenthusiastsofScotchmaltwhiskiesit is a frequently heard refrain thatmalt whiskies are superior to the blendedarticle and that the latterare just notworthbotheringwithPersonal taste isultimatelysubjectiveofcourseButsinglemaltdrinkersshouldraisetheirhatsin salute whenever a Dewarrsquos or Johnnie Walker delivery truck drives bybecause without these blended brands most of the remaining malt distillerieswouldnotexistBlendedScotchwhiskiesrequireablendofdozensofdifferentmaltwhiskiestobecombinedwiththegrainwhiskytocreatethedesiredblendThe individual percentages of each malt whisky may be small but eachcontributesitsuniquecharactertotheblendAblenderwillthusneedtobuyorproducealargeamountofdifferentmaltwhiskiestomaintaintheconsistencyoftheblendThus foramaltwhiskydistillery thesinglemaltmaygetallof theglorybuttheblendsultimatepaythebills

Talisker18-year-oldSingleMaltScotchWhisky

AslongasScottishkingsruledthecountryfromEdinburghthestatusquoofwhiskyasjustanotherfarmproductwasmoreorlessmaintainedButtheActofUnion in 1707 that combined England Wales and Scotland into the UnitedKingdomalteredtheScotchwhiskysceneforeverTheLondongovernmentsoonleviedexcisetaxesonScottish-madewhisky(whileatthesametimecuttingthetaxesonEnglishgin)Theresultwasapredictableboomin illicitdistilling In1790sEdinburghitwasestimatedthatmorethn400illegalstillscompetedwithjust eight licensed distilleries A number of present-day Scottish distilleriesparticularlyintheHighlandshavetheiroriginsinsuchillicitoperations

HighlandPark12-year-oldSingleMaltScotchWhisky

BarrelsagingatthePenderynWhiskyDistilleryinWales

TheExciseAct of 1823 reduced taxes onScotchwhisky tolerablyThis actcoincided with the dawn of the industrial revolution and entrepreneurs weresoon building new state-of-the-art distilleries The local moonshiners (calledsmugglers) did not go quietly Some of the first licensed distillers in rurallocations were threatened by their illicit peers But in the end productionefficiencies and the rule of law won out The whisky that came from thesedistillerieswasmade exclusively frommalted barley that had been kiln driedoverpeatfiresThesmokefromthesepeatfiresgavethemaltadistinctivetangthatmadetheScottishproductinstantlyidentifiablebywhiskydrinkersallovertheworldThe nineteenth century brought a rush of changes to the Scotch whisky

industryTheintroductionofcolumnstillsearlyinthe1830sledtothecreationofgrainwhiskywhich in turn led toblendedScotchwhisky in the late1860sThe smooth blandness of the grain whisky toned down the assertive smokycharacterofthemaltwhiskiesThe resulting blended whisky was milder and more acceptable to foreign

consumersparticularlytheEnglishwhoturnedtoScotchwhiskyinthe1870swhen a phylloxera infestation (an insect pest that destroys grape vines) in thevineyardsofEuropedisruptedsuppliesofcognacandporttwoofthemainstaysof civilized living Malt whisky distilleries were bought up by blendingcompaniesandtheiroutputwasblendedwithgrainwhiskiestocreatethegreatblended brands that have come to dominate the market The malt whiskydistilleriestookabackseattothesebrandsandsoldmostorinsomecasesalloftheirproductiontotheblendersTherecentpopularrevivalofmaltwhiskieshasledmostofthedistilleriestocomeoutwithbottlingsoftheirownproducts

KeithTenchvisitorcentremanagerposeswithdistillerGillianHowellatthePenderynWhiskyDistilleryinWales

Bythe1970sinternationalliquorcompaniesownedmostofthemaltwhiskydistilleriesasituationthatcontinuestothisday

THEHISTORYOFIRISHWHISKEY

TheScotsmostlikelylearnedaboutdistillingfromtheIrish(thoughtheyareloath to admit it) The Irish in turn learned about it according to the Irish atleastfrommissionarymonkswhoarrivedinIrelandintheseventhcenturyTheactualdetailsareabitsketchyforthenext700yearsorsobutitdoesseemthatmonks in various monasteries were distilling aqua vitae (ldquowater of liferdquo)primarily formakingmedicalcompoundsThese firstdistillateswereprobablygrape or fruit brandy rather than grain spirit Barley-basedwhiskey (thewordderivesfromuiscebeatha theGaelic interpretationofaquavitae) firstappearsin the historical record in the mid-1500s when the Tudor kings began toconsolidateEnglishcontrolinIrelandQueenElizabethIwassaidtobefondofitandhadcasksshippedtoLondonregularlyThe imposition of an excise tax in 1661 had the same effect as it did in

Scotlandwith the immediate commencementof theproductionofpoteen (theIrish version of moonshine) This did not however slow the growth of thedistillingindustryandbytheendoftheeighteenthcenturythereweremorethan2000stillsinoperationUnderBritish rule Irelandwasexportorientedand Irishdistillersproduced

large quantities of pot-distilled whiskey for export into the expanding BritishEmpire (along with grains and assorted foodstuffs) In the late nineteenthcenturymorethan400brandsofIrishwhiskeywerebeingexportedandsoldintheUnitedStates

DistillerLanceWintersleadsagroupofotherdistillersonatourofStGeorgeSpiritsHangarOneVodkaHeretheyaremarvelingatthegleamingcolumnstills

This happy state of affairs lasted into the early twentieth centurywhen themarketbegantochangeTheIrishpotstilluserswereslowtorespondtotheriseof blended Scotch whisky with its column-distilled smooth-grain-whiskycomponent When National Prohibition in the United States closed off theirlargest export market many of the smaller distilleries closed The remainingdistilleries then failed to anticipate the coming of Repeal (unlike the Scotchdistillers) and were caught short when it came The Great Depression tradeembargoes between the newly independent Irish Republic and the UnitedKingdomandWorldWarIIcausedfurtherhavocamongthedistillersIn1966thethreeremainingdistillingcompaniesintheRepublicofIrelandmdash

Powers Jameson and CorkDistilleriesmdashmerged into a single company IrishDistillers Company (IDC) In 1972 Bushmills the last distillery in NorthernIrelandjoinedIDCIn1975IDCopenedanewmammothdistilleryatMidleton

nearCorkandalloftheotherdistilleriesintherepublicwerecloseddownwiththeproductionoftheirbrandsbeingtransferredtoMidletonForafourteen-yearperiod the Midleton plant and Bushmills in Northern Ireland were the onlydistilleriesinIreland

Thissadstateofaffairsendedin1989whenapotato-peelethanolplant inDundalk was converted into a whiskey distillery The new Cooley Distillerybegantoproducemaltandgrainwhiskeyswiththefirstthree-year-oldbottlingsreleasedin1992

YamazakiDistilleryShimamotoOsakaJapan12-year-oldSingleMaltWhisky(Japan)

THEHISTORYOFJAPANESEWHISKY

Themodern Japanesewhisky industry can trace its beginnings back to onemanMasatakaTaketsuraThesonofasakebrewerTaketsurawenttoScotlandin 1918 and spent two years studying chemistry at Glasgow University andworkingataScotchwhiskydistilleryinRothesintheHighlandsHereturnedtoJapanin1920withaScottishbrideandadeterminationtochangetheJapanesedistillingindustryTheJapanesewerethenastheyarenowmajorconsumersofScotchwhisky

Locallyproducedspiritshoweverwere limited to thefierysorghum-orsweet-potato-basedshochuandahandfulofdubiousldquowhiskiesrdquothatwerelittlemorethan neutral spirits colored with caramel Taketsura convinced the owners ofwhatbecametheSuntoryCompanytobeginproductionofbarleymaltandgrainwhiskiesbasedontheScottishmodelThesewhiskiessomeofwhicharemadefrom imported peat-smoked Scottish malt became very successful in theJapanesemarketOtherdistilleriesfollowedSuntoryrsquosleadandthesewhiskiesbased onScotchwhiskymodels (and later bourbonwhiskey) soon dominatedthemarket

KaruizawaNumberOneSingleCaskWhisky(Japan)ThedistilleryislocatedinthefoothillsofMountAsamaanactivevolcano

ModernJapanesedistillers(includingtheNikkaWhiskyDistillerywhichwasfoundedbyTaketsurain1934)havefollowedthistrendandnowadaysproduceandmarketafullrangeofmaltandblendedwhiskies

THEHISTORYOFNEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIANWHISKY

Scottishemigrantsbroughttheirwhisky-makingskillstoNewZealandinthe1840s A thriving whisky industry soon developed and operated until 1875whennewexcessivelyhighexcisetaxesandheavycompetitionfromimportedBritishwhiskies forced the local commercial distilleries to shut downA newalmostcommercial-sizedmoonshinetradequicklyreplacedthemasituationthatcontinuedforalmostacenturyIn 1968 a newwhisky distillery opened inDunedin It produces a range of

maltandgrainwhiskiesbroadlyintheScottishstylefromlocallygrowngrainEventhebarleymaltiskilnedandsmokedusinglocalpeatAustralianwhisky production has experienced a similar varied historywith

assortednineteenth-centuryproducerspoppingup in thevariousstatesonly tobedrivenoutofbusinessbyBritishimportsAbortiveattemptsinthe1990storevivewhiskyproductionhavebeenfollowedmorerecentlybyanewgenerationofmoresuccessfulcraftwhiskydistillersparticularlyontheislandofTasmania

Thousandsofbarrelsstackedoutsideacooperage

THEBASISOFSCOTCHWHISKYIRISHWHISKEYJAPANESEWHISKYAND

NEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIANWHISKY

Allofthesewhiskeystyleswhileverydifferentintasteandstylearebasedonmaltedbarleyasthedominantsourceofflavorandcharacter

SCOTLAND

TherearetwobasiccategoriesofScotchwhiskymaltwhiskywhichismadeexclusivelyfrommaltedbarleythathasbeendriedoversmokingpeatfiresandgrainwhiskywhichismadefromunmaltedwheatorcornThesewhiskiesareaged inusedwoodenbourbonor sherrybarrels for aminimumof threeyearsalthoughfivetotenyearsisthegeneralpractice

IRELAND

TherearetwobasiccategoriesofIrishwhiskeymaltwhiskeywhichismadeexclusivelyfrommaltedbarleythathasbeenkiln-driedbutnotoverpeatfiresandgrainwhiskeywhichismadefromunmaltedwheatorcornThesewhiskeysareagedinusedwoodenbourbonorsherrybarrelsforaminimumofthreeyearsalthoughfivetoeightyearsisthenorm

JAPAN

Japanese whiskies both malt and blended are broadly based on Scotchwhiskieswithsometopbrandsevenbeingmadewith importedScottishwaterandpeat-smokedbarleymaltThepeat-smokecharacterofJapanesewhiskiesisgenerally more subtle and delicate than their Scottish counterparts Japanesewhiskiesmaybeagedinbothnewandused(usuallybourbon)woodenbarrelswhichmaybeeithercharredoruncharred

NEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIA

New Zealand and Australian whiskies both draw on Scottish Irish andAmerican traditions in a cheerfully mixed manner using both peated andunpeated locally-grown barley malt to produce mostly pot-distilled maltwhiskiesthatareagedinusedbourbonandwinebarrelsforatheoreticalifnotalwaysabsoluteminimumofsixyearsformaltwhisky

Detailoffermentingbarleywashformakingwhiskey

THEDISTILLATIONOFSCOTCHWHISKYIRISHWHISKEYJAPANESEWHISKY

ANDNEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIANWHISKY

Double-andeventriple-distillationisthenormforthisfamilyofbarleymaltndashbasedwhiskies

SCOTLAND

All Scotch malt whiskies are double distilled in pot stills whereas Scotchgrainwhiskiesaremadeincolumnstills

IRELAND

Irishwhiskeysbothblendedandmaltareusuallytripledistilledthroughbothcolumnandpotstillsalthoughthereareafewexclusivelypot-distilledbrands

JAPAN

Japanese whiskies follow the Scottish tradition with malt whiskies beingdoubledistilledinpotstillsandgrainwhiskiesincolumnstills

NEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIA

BothNewZealandandAustralianmaltandgrainwhiskiesaredoubledistilledin pot stills with some Tasmanian distilleries reportedly experimenting withtripledistillation

SCOTCHWHISKYIRISHWHISKEYJAPANESEWHISKYANDNEWZEALAND

ANDAUSTRALIANWHISKYREGIONS

SCOTLAND

TheHighlandsconsistoftheportionofScotlandnorthofalinefromDundeeon the North Sea coast in the east to Greenock on the Irish Sea in the westincluding all of the islands off the mainland except for Islay Highland maltwhiskies cover a broad spectrum of styles They are generally consideredaromatic smooth and medium bodied with palates that range from lushcomplexitytofloraldelicacyThesubregionsoftheHighlandsincludeSpeysidetheNorthEastandWestHighlandstheOrkneyIslesandtheWesternIslands(JuraMullandSkye)TheLowlandsencompasstheentireScottishmainlandsouthoftheHighlands

except the Kintyre Peninsula where Campbeltown is located Lowland maltwhiskiesarelightbodiedrelativelysweetanddelicateIslay is an island off the west coast Traditional Islay malt whiskies are

intenselysmokyandpungentincharacterwithadistinctiveiodineormedicinaltangthatissaidtocomefromseasaltpermeatingthelocalpeatthatisusedtodrythebarleymaltCampbeltown is a port located on the tip of the Kintyre Peninsula on the

southwestcoastthathasitsowndistinctivespicyandsalt-tingedmaltwhiskies

IRELAND

Aseriesofcorporateconsolidationsandresultingplantclosureshavelefttheislandwithonly threedistilleries one inCountyAntrimat thenorthern tipofUlsterandtwointheRepublicofIrelandtothesouthSeveralnewandreviveddistilleriesarehowevercurrentlyunderconstruction

JAPAN

The whisky distilleries of Japan are scattered throughout Honshu andHokkaido the two main northern islands of Japan with the malt whiskydistillerieslocatedforthemostpartinmountainousregionswheretherearegoodwatersupplies

NEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIA

NewZealandcurrentlyonlyhasoneoperatingwhiskydistillery inDunedinSouth Island At press time Australia had one operating whisky distillery inwesternAustraliaandthreeinTasmania

WHISKYCOCKTAILS

SAZERACInashortglasscombinebull2ounces(60ml)ryewhiskeybull1teaspoon(5g)sugarStirtoblendthenaddbullDashPeychaudrsquosbittersbullDashAngosturabittersbullfrac12ounce(15ml)Pernodbull2icecubesStirtoblendGarnishwithlemontwist

DEPTHCHARGE

Fill a tall glass three-quarters full of beer Pour 1 12 ounces (45 ml)CanadianwhiskeyintoashotglassDroptheshotglassintotheglassofbeeranddrinkthemtogether

WHISKEYSOURFillashortglasswithiceInashakercombinebull1frac12ounces(45ml)bourbonwhiskeybull1ounce(30ml)lemonjuicebull1tablespoon(15g)sugarbullCrushedice(halffull)Shakeandstrainintotheglass

MANHATTAN

Inashakercombinebull1frac12ounces(45ml)blendedbullfrac34ounce(23ml)sweetvermouthbullIceStirandstrainintoamartini(cocktail)glassorashortglassGarnishwitha

maraschinocherry

RUSTYNAIL

FillashortglasswithicecubesAdd

bull1ounce(30ml)Scotchwhiskybullfrac12ounce(15ml)DrambuieliqueurStirandserve

SazeracRyeWhiskey

LabelforOldGristmillAuthenticAmericanCornWhiskeybyTuthilltownSpirits

ARTISANPROFILEINSIDETHEINDUSTRY

JOHNHENRY

PipeLineBrandAgentsNewYorkNewYork

SUDDENLY it is time to open the doorsYou bought your still got yourlicensebuiltyourdistillerysourcedyourrawproductsdecidedwhattomakeandactuallymadesomeThemostimportantstepisstillaheadmdashyoursquovegottoconvincepeopletobuywhatyoursquoresellingEnterJohnHenryofPipeLineBrandAgentsabrandbuilderandmarketdeveloperThetaskofreachingcustomersisdauntingGiantcorporationscanflybevies

of representatives around the world and ply retailers and restaurants withpromotional wares but the small distiller more often than not finds himselfdrivingaroundinhisowncarwithacaseortwointhetrunkPipeLinersquosteamofbrand agents andmarket ambassadors are ldquodedicated to properly representinghigh-qualityartisanalspiritsrdquo(accordingtotheirwebsite)andtheyworkhardtobuildstrongsupportivemutuallybeneficialrelationshipsldquoI tell the storiesrdquo saidHenry ldquoWhether it is the history of a centuries-old

brewery the soil composition the site and terroir of a sugarcane field orvineyard or a cherished family recipe that goes back fourteen generations Iwanttogetoutonthestreetandtellpeopleaboutitrdquo

HenryunderstandsthatasmalldistillerrsquosproductisaworkofpassionandhewantstoinstillthatpassioninthemarketplaceandforgethesortofloyaltythatcanonlybecommandedbyacraftproductldquoIknowthepersonalitiesthehistoryandthedramaWhatrsquosbetterthanthat

Nocorporate-createdbrandlike10CanehasthishistoryandrootedstoryrdquoHenry cuts a striking figure He is a graduate ofWest Point and a former

Armyintelligenceofficerbutheleftall thatbehindtoridehisbicyclethroughthestreetsofNewYorkbottlesclinkinginhisbackpackldquoThebikeiskingItrsquosastoryuntoitselfItrsquosgreenitrsquosstreetitrsquosartisanalit

movesItrsquosahand-deliveredhand-soldwaytodobusinessandIwouldnrsquothaveit anyotherway I paraphraseOrwell lsquoWhen I see a grownmanon a bike IhavehopeforthefuturersquordquoHenrylikestosaythatheldquofarmsrelationshipsonthestreetmdashorganicallyrdquoIn

doingsothehardestpartofthejobisalsowhatmakesitpossibleldquoWhatrsquosmostdifficultaboutrepresentingthemoreboutiquecraftedbrandsis

that you have to continually tell the story from scratch The bigger brandsbombard the consumerwith imagesmdashthinkVincentGallo forBelvedereWiththesmallerbrandsyouhavetomaketheconnectiononeononeasifyouwerethedistillertellinghisstoryThatrsquoswhatmakesthemstandoutasbrandsandasdistillersIamasmuchabrandstorytellerasIamastreet-basedbrandbuilderIlookatmyjobaspartJohnnyAppleseedandpartJohnnyCarsonrdquo

CHAPTERFOUR

VODKA

ldquoThe relationship between a Russian and a bottle of vodka is almostmysticalrdquo

mdashRichardOwenBritishscientistanddrinkingbuddyofCharlesDarwin

Acolorfularayofcraftvodkasondisplayonicereadytobeenjoyedresponsibly

ASTHESTORYgoesin988theGrandPrinceofKiev(Ukraine)decideditwas time for his people to be converted from their paganways to one of themonotheisticreligionsthatheldswaytothesouthFirstcametheJewishrabbisHe listened to their argumentswas impressed but ultimately sent them awayafternoting that the followersof Judaismdidnotcontrolany landNextcamethe Muslim mullahs Again he was impressed both with their intellectualargumentsandthesuccessofIslamasapoliticalandmilitaryforceButwhenhewas told that Islamproscribed alcohol hewas dismayed and sent themawayFinallycametheChristianpriestswhoinformedhimthatnotonlycouldgoodChristiansdrinkalcoholbutalsothatwinewasrequiredforchurchritualssuchas communion That was good enough for the Grand Prince and on hiscommandhissubjectsconvertedenmassetoChristianity

THEHISTORYOFVODKA

HISTORICALLY the Slavic peoples of the north and their Scandinavian

neighborstookalcoholicdrinksveryseriouslyTheextremecoldtemperaturesofwinter inhibited the shipment of wines and beers because these low-proofbeverages could freeze during transit Until the introduction of distilling intoEastern Europe in the 1400s strong drink was made by fermenting winesmeadsandbeersfreezingthemandthendrawingoffthealcoholicslushfromthefrozenwaterThe earliest distilled spirit in Eastern Europewasmade frommead (honey

wine)orbeerandwascalledperevaraThewordvodka(fromtheRussianwordvoda meaning ldquowaterrdquo) was originally used to describe grain distillates thatwere used for medicinal purposes As distilling techniques improved vodka(wodka in Polish) gradually came to be the accepted term for beverage spiritregardlessofitsorigin

VODKAINRUSSIA

Russians firmly believe that vodka was created in their land Commercialproduction was established by the fourteenth century In 1540 Czar Ivan theTerrible established the first government vodka monopoly Distilling licenseswerehandedout to theboyars(thenobility)allotherdistillerieswerebannedandmoonshiningbecameendemicVodka production became an integral part of Russian society Landowners

operated stills on their estates and produced high-quality vodkas that wereflavored with everything from acorns to horseradish to mint The czarsmaintained test distilleries at their country palaces In 1780 a scientist at onesuchdistilleryinventedcharcoalfiltrationtopurifyvodka

ThreeHolsteinstillsatStGeorgeSpiritsHangarOneVodka

BytheeighteenthandintothenineteenthcenturytheRussianvodkaindustrywasconsideredtechnologicallyadvancedNewstillsandproductiontechniquesfrom Western Europe were eagerly imported and utilized State funding andcontrol of vodka research continued Under a 1902 law ldquoMoscow vodkardquo aclear 40 percent ABV rye vodka without added flavorings and soft ldquolivingrdquo(undistilled)waterwasestablishedasthebenchmarkforRussianvodkaThe Soviet Union continued government control of vodka production All

distilleries became government-owned and while the Communist Partyapparatchiks continued to enjoy high-quality rye vodka the proletariatmasseshadtomakedowithcheapspiritsVodkaproduction in the currentRussianFederationhas returned to thepre-

RevolutionarypatternHigh-qualitybrandsareagainbeingproducedforthenewsocial elite and for export while the popularly priced brands are still beingconsumedwelllikevoda

PuttinglabelsoverthecapsoffreshlyfilledbottlesofPrezydentVodkaatPolmosLodzinLodzPoland

VODKAINPOLAND

The earliest written records of vodka production in Poland date from the1400s thoughsomePolishhistoriansclaim that itwasbeingproducedaroundthe southern city of Krakow at least a century earlier Originally known asokowita(fromtheLatinaquavitaldquowaterofliferdquo) itwasusedforavarietyofpurposes in addition to beverages A 1534medical text defined an aftershavelotion as ldquovodka for washing the chin after shavingrdquo Herbal-infused vodkaswereparticularlypopularaslinimentsfortheachesandpainsoflifeIn 1546King JanOlbracht granted the right to distill and sell in spirits to

everyadultcitizenThePolisharistocracytakingacuefromtheirRussianpeerssoonlobbiedtohavethisprivilegerevokedandreplacedbyaroyaldecreethatreservedtothemtherighttomakevodkaCommercialvodkadistillerieswerewellestablishedbytheeighteenthcentury

By the mid-nineteenth century a thriving export trade had developed withPolish vodkas particularly those infused with small quantities of fruit spiritbeingshippedthroughoutnorthernEuropeandevenintoRussia

SpiritsdanceinthestillattheWeyermannDistilleryinBambergGermany

With the fall of Communism in the late 1980s the vodka distilleries soonreturned to private ownership Nowadays high-quality Polish vodkas areexportedthroughouttheworld

VODKAINSWEDEN

Vodkaproduction inSwedenwhichdates fromthe fifteenthcenturyhas itsorigins in the local gunpowder industry where high-proof spirit (originallycalledbraumlnnvin)wasusedasacomponentofblackpowderformusketsWhendistillerieswere licensed toproducebeveragealcohol (primarilyspice-flavoredaquavitbutalsovodka) itwaswiththeunderstandingthatgunpowdermakershadfirstpriorityoverbeverageconsumersHomedistillingwaslongapartofSwedishsocietyIn1830thereweremore

than 175000 registered stills in a country of fewer than threemillion peopleThistraditioninamuchdiminishedandillegalformstillcontinuestothisdayModernSwedishvodkaisproducedbytheVinampSpritstatemonopoly

VODKAANDTHECLASSSYSTEM

Thesocietalattitudetowardcheapspiritsmeantfortheproletariatcouldbesummed up by the curious fact that mass-produced vodka was sold in literbottles with a non-screw cap Once you opened the bottle it couldnrsquot beresealedYouhadtodrinkitallinonesession

CharcoalfiltrationusedinmakingvodkaatColoradoPureDistilling

VODKAINTHEUNITEDSTATES

Vodka was first imported into the United States in significant quantitiesaroundtheturnofthetwentiethcenturyItsmarketwasimmigrantsfromEasternEuropeAftertherepealofNationalProhibitionin1933theHeubleinCompanyboughttherightstotheSmirnoffbrandofvodkafromitsWhiteRussianeacutemigreacuteowners and relaunched vodka into theUSmarket Sales languished until anenterprisingliquorsalesmaninSouthCarolinastartedpromotingitasldquoSmirnoffWhiteWhiskymdashNotasteNosmellrdquoSalesboomedandAmericanvodkaaftermarking timeduringWorldWar IIwas on itsway tomarketing successThefirst popular vodka-based cocktailwas a combinationof vodka andginger alecalled the Moscow mule It was marketed with its own special copper mugexamples of which can still be found on the back shelves of liquor cabinetsthroughouttheUnitedStatesTodayvodka is thedominantwhitespirit in theUnitedStateshelpedalong

by its versatility as amixer and some very clever advertising campaigns Themost famous of these was the classic double entendre tagline ldquoSmirnoffmdashItleavesyoubreathlessrdquoThemajorityofAmericancraftdistillersarevodkaproducersThey are divided between those who purchase neutral grain spirit (NGS)

fromathirdpartysupplierandthenrectifyitintheirownfacilityandarelativehandful of operations that produce and distill their ownwash tomake vodkaThisisactuallyaseriouschallengeforcraftdistillerswithpotstillsbecauseitisdifficulttoproduceahigh-proofneutralgrainspiritwithoutusingacolumnstillThe best-known and bestselling craft-distilled vodka is Titorsquos Handmade

VodkafromthedistilleryofthesamenameinAustinTexas

THEBASISOFVODKA

ldquoAvodkamartinipleasePolishnotRussianShakennotstirredrdquomdashJamesBondAgent007plungingastakeintotheheartofginsales

VODKAismadebyfermentingandthendistillingthesimplesugarsfroma

mashofpalegrainorvegetalmatterwhichcanbepotatoesmolassesbeetsoravarietyofotherplantsRyeis theclassicgrainforvodkaandmostof thebestRussianandPolishbrandsaremadeexclusivelyfromaryemashSwedishandBalticdistillersarepartialtowheatmashesalthoughwheatisalsousedfarthereastPotatoesarelookeddownonbyRussiandistillersbuttheyareheldinhighesteem by some of their Polish counterparts Molasses is widely used forinexpensive mass-produced brands of vodka American distillers use the fullrangeofbaseingredients

DISTILLATIONOFVODKA

Vodkaisdistilledinthemannerdescribedintheintroductorychapterofthisbook (Seepage24)Thechoiceofpotorcolumnstillsdoeshoweverhaveafundamentaleffectonthefinalcharacterof thevodkaAllvodkacomesoutofthestillasaclearcolorlessspiritButvodkafromapotstill(thesortusedforcognac and Scotch whisky) will contain some of the delicate aromaticscongenersandflavorelementsofthecropfromwhichitwasproducedPotstillsare relatively inefficient and the resulting spirit from the first distillation isusually redistilled (rectified) to increase the proof of the spirit Vodka from amoreefficientcolumnstillisusuallyaneutralcharacterlessspirit

MaineDistilleriesuseslocallysourcedpotatoestomakeitsColdRiverVodka

Except for a fewminor exceptions vodka is not put intowooden casks oraged for anyextensiveperiodof time It canhowever be flavoredor coloredwithawidevarietyoffruitsherbsandspices

CLASSIFICATIONSOFVODKA

Therearenouniformclassificationsofvodka InPolandvodkasaregradedaccordingtotheirdegreeofpuritystandard(zwykly)premium(wyborowy)anddeluxe(luksusowy)InRussiavodkathatislabeledosobaya(special)isusuallyasuperior-qualityproductthatcanbeexportedwhilekrepkaya(strong)denotesanoverproofvodkaofatleast56percentABVIn the United States domestic vodkas are defined by US government

regulation as ldquoneutral spirits so distilled or so treated after distillation withcharcoalorothermaterialsastobewithoutdistinctivecharacteraromatasteorcolorrdquoBecauseAmericanvodkaisbylawneutralintastethereareonlyverysubtledistinctionsbetweenbrandsManydrinkersfeelthattheonlyrealwayofdifferentiatingbetweenthemisbyalcoholcontentandprice

VODKAREGIONS

EASTERNEUROPE

ThisisthehomelandofvodkaproductionEverycountryproducesvodkaandmostalsohavelocalflavoredspecialtiesRussiaUkraineandBelarusproducethefullrangeofvodkatypesandthey

are generally acknowledged to be the leaders in vodka production Only thebetterbrandsallofwhicharedistilledfromryeandwheatareexportedtotheWest

ZubrowkavodkabyPolmosBialystockaisflavoredwithbuffalograssfromtheBialowiezaforestinPolandThevodkahasayellow-greentinge(notshown)fromthegrassinfusion

FLAVOREDVODKA

AsaneutralspiritvodkalendsitselftoblendingwithflavorsandfortifyingotherbeveragesInthenineteenthcenturyhigh-proofldquoRussianspiritrdquowasheldin high esteem by sherry producers in Spain who imported it to fortify theirwines Neutral spirits are still used to fortify port sherry and other types offortified wines although the source of alcohol for such purposes these daystends to be the vast ldquowine lakerdquo that has been created by European UnionagriculturalpracticesFlavoredvodkaswereoriginallyusedtomasktheflavorofthefirstprimitive

vodkas but they were later considered a mark of the distillerrsquos skill TheRussians and Poles in particular still market dozens of flavors Some of thebetter-knowntypesare

Inrecentyearsnumerous flavoredvodkashavebeenlaunchedontheworldmarketThemostsuccessfulofthesehavebeenfruitflavorssuchascurrantandorange

LabelforKoenigrsquosFamousIdahoPotatoVodkabytheKoenigDistilleryandWinery

Polandproducesandexportsbothgrain-andpotato-basedvodkasMostofthehigh-qualitybrandsareproducedinpotstillsThe Baltic States of Estonia Latvia and Lithuania along with Finland

produceprimarilygrain-basedvodkasmostlyfromwheat

WESTERNEUROPE

ThisregionhaslocalbrandsofvodkawherevertherearedistilleriesThebaseforthesevodkascanvaryfromgrainsinnortherncountriessuchastheUnitedKingdomHollandandGermanytograpesandotherfruitsinthewinemakingregions of France and Italy Sweden has in recent decades developed asubstantialexportmarketforitsstraightandflavoredwheat-basedvodkas

NORTHAMERICA

The United States and Canada produce vodkas both from various grains(including corn) and from molasses American vodkas are by law neutralspiritssothedistinctionbetweennonflavoredbrandsismoreamatterofpriceandperceptionthantasteAnumberofflavoredvodkasarealsoproducedbothbythemajordistillersandbyanassortmentofcraftdistillers

OTHERREGIONS

TheCaribbeanproducesasurprisingamountofvodkaallofitfrommolassesMostofitisexportedforblendingandbottlinginothercountriesAustraliaproducesmolasses-basedvodkasbutfewareexportedAsiahasasmatteringoflocalvodkaswiththebestcomingfromJapan

VermontWhiteandGoldVodkabyVermontSpirits

VODKACOCKTAILS

SCREWDRIVER

FillatallglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)vodkabullOrangejuicetofillStirandserve

BLOODYMARY

FillashortglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)vodkabullDashWorcestershiresaucebullDashTabascosaucebullDashlemonorlimejuicebullTomatojuicetofillStirandgarnishwithcelerysaltontop

SEXONTHEBEACH

FillatallglasswithiceAddbull1ounce(30ml)vodkabull1ounce(30ml)peachliqueurbull1frac12ounces(45ml)orangejuicebull1frac12ounces(45ml)cranberryjuiceStirandserve

MazamaInfusedPepperVodkabyBendistillery

ARTISANPROFILEINSIDETHEINDUSTRY

LENELLSMOTHERS

FormerownerofLeNellrsquosBrooklynNewYork

WHENcraftdistillersTuthill-townSpiritsfromUpstateNewYorklaunchedtheir firstbarrel-agedwhiskey theycalled itManhattanRye and they threwapartyattheFourSeasonrsquosRestaurantintheSeagramsBuildingonParkAvenueinManhattanInabigopenroomwithbarsatbothendsandamashofpeoplelaughinganddrinkingtheytoastedtheiraccomplishmentandpouredsamplesoftheir excellentwhiskeys and vodkas (made from 100 percentNewYork Stateapples)WhenitcametimetoclinkglassesandhearannouncementsthecrowdwastreatedtoaraucoustutorialonmixingaManhattanStandingonabalconyabove the crowd like a hillbilly Juliet before a throng of devotees LeNellSmotherscackledandcrackedwiseSheworeabatteredcowboyhatbandannasaroundherwriststightjeansandamileofattitudeShetookthecrowdthroughtherecipejiggerofryeshotofsweetvermouth

dashofbittersshaketwistShetalkedvariationTheperfectManhattanishalfdryandhalfsweetvermouthIftheywantedtodrinkthemontherocksdoitIftheywantedtodrinkthemstraightupgoaheadDowhatyoulikebutdoitwithgoodbooze

Smothersmoved fromAlabama toNewYorkCity in 2000 and spent threeyearstoilinginsaleswhileherdreamtoopenupashopsimmeredHerboutiquewineandspirits shop inRedHookBrooklynopened in2003RedHook isarough hip neighborhood on thewaterfront and her place fits right in SmalleclecticandverymuchdrivenbyherpersonalitySmothersrsquosstoreneverwantedtohaveeverythingForyearshervermouthselectionwaslimitedtoonebrandVya the American vermouth made by Andy Quady of the QuadyWinery inMaderaCaliforniabecauseitwasmadebyasmallproducerSmotherswasacceptedintothebourboncommunitywholeheartedlyandher

selectionofAmericanwhiskeywasbreathtakingWhenJimmyRussellofWildTurkeydidabottlesigninginNewYorkhediditathertinyshopSmothershowevertightshegetswiththebigproducersremainsachampion

of craft distilling ldquoWhen I go Charbay Irsquove got four generations of distillersthere hands on Someplace like Stoli isnrsquot going to have the same qualitycontrolrdquoWheresomepeoplecallmicro-distillingpracticessuchasmaking100percent

barley whiskeys or making whiskey from beer instead of from mash ascontroversial Smothers believes that change and adventure are something tocelebrateldquoWhatistheAmericantraditionanywayAllwedoisourownthingrdquoInearly2009afteratryingstrugglewithherlandlordSmotherslostthelease

tohershopNexttimeshersquosgoingtobuythebuildingshesaysandexpandthewhiskeyselection

CHAPTERFIVE

GIN

ldquoTheproperunionofginandvermouthisagreatandsuddengloryitisoneofthehappiestmarriagesonearthandoneoftheshortestlivedrdquo

mdashBernardDeVotoAmericanessayistanddrinksphilosopher

ThisgooseneckstillatPhiladelphiaDistillingwascustommadebyForsythsofScotland

GIN is a juniper berryndashflavored grain spirit The word is an Englishshorteningofgenever theDutchword for juniperTheoriginsofginareabitmurky In the late 1580s a juniper-flavored spirit of some sort was found inHollandbyBritish troopswhowere fighting against theSpanish in theDutchWarofIndependenceTheygratefullydrankittogivethemwhattheysooncameto call ldquoDutch couragerdquo in battle The Dutch themselves were encouraged bytheirgovernment tofavorsuchgrainspiritsover importedwineandbrandybylackofexcisetaxesonlocaldrinks

THEHISTORYOFGIN

IN the1600s aDrFranciscusde laBoeuml in theuniversity townofLeiden

created a juniper-and spice-flavored medicinal spirit that he promoted as adiuretic Genever soon found favor across the English Channel first as amedicine(SamuelPepyswrotein1660ofcuringacaseofldquocolicrdquowithadoseofldquostrongwatermadewithjuniperrdquo)andthenasabeverageWhen the Dutch ProtestantWilliam of Orange became king of England in

1689 he moved to discourage the importation of brandy from the CatholicwinemakingcountriesbysettinghightariffsAsareplacementhepromotedtheproduction of grain spirits (ldquocorn brandyrdquo as it was known at the time) byabolishingtaxesandlicensingfeesforthemanufactureofsuchlocalproductsasginHistoryhasshownthatprohibitionneverworksbutunfetteredproductionofalcoholhasitsproblemstooBythe1720sitwasestimatedthataquarterofthe houses in London were used for the production or sale of gin Massdrunkenness became a serious problem The cartoonist Hogarthrsquos famousdepictionofsuchbehaviorinGinLaneshowsasignaboveaginshopthatstatesldquoDrunkforapennyDeaddrunkfortwopenceCleanstrawforNothingrdquoPanickyattemptsby thegovernment toprohibitginproduction suchas theGinActof1736 resulted in massive illicit distilling and the cynical marketing ofldquomedicinalrdquo spirits with such fanciful names as Cuckoldrsquos Comfort and MyLadyrsquosEyeWater

FritzMaytagrightatAnchorDistillingWithasmalloverheadcraneAchorDistillingcaninterchangethecolumnsoftheirthreestills

Acombinationofreimposedgovernmentcontrolsthegrowthofhigh-qualitycommercial gin distillers the increasing popularity of imported rum and ageneralfeelingofpublicexhaustiongraduallybroughtthismasshysteriaundercontrol although the problems caused by the combination of cheap gin andextreme poverty extended well into the nineteenth century Faginrsquos irritablecomment toachild in the filmOlivermdashldquoShutupanddrinkyourginrdquomdashhadabasisinhistoricalfact

SonjaKassebaumofNorthShoreDistillerystandsinfrontoftheldquohelmetrdquoofherginstill

Wherever the British Empire went English-style gins followed In Britishcolonies in North America such celebrated Americans as Paul Revere andGeorgeWashingtonwerenotablyfondofginandtheQuakerswerewellknownfortheirhabitofdrinkinggintoddiesafterfuneralsThe mid-nineteenth century ushered in a low-key rehabilitation of ginrsquos

reputationinEnglandTheharshsweetenedldquoOldTomrdquostylesofginoftheearly1700sslowlygavewaytoanewcleanerstylecalleddryginThisstyleofginbecame identified with the city of London to the extent that ldquoLondon dryrdquobecame a generic term for the style regardless of where it was actuallyproduced

BluecoatginleavesthebottlinglineatPhiladelphiaDistilling

Genteel middle-class ladies sipped their sloe gin (gin flavored with sloeberries) while consulting Mrs Beetonrsquos Book of Household Management (awildlypopularVictoriancrossbetweentheJoyofCookingandMarthaStewartlifestyle books) for gin-based mixed drink recipes The British militaryparticularlytheofficercorpsbecameahotbedofginconsumptionHundredsofgin-based mixed drinks were invented and the mastery of their making wasconsidered a part of a young officerrsquos training The best known of thesecocktails the gin and tonic was created as a way for Englishmen in tropicalcolonies to taketheirdailydoseofquinineaverybittermedicine towardoffmalaria(Moderntonicwaterstillcontainsquininethoughasaflavoringratherthanamedicine)

BATHTUBGIN

Gin production in theUnited States dates back to Colonial times but thegreat boost to ginproductionwas theadvent ofNationalProhibition in 1920Moonshiningquicklymovedintofillthegapleftbytheshutdownofcommercialdistilleries But the furtive nature of illicit distilling worked against theproductionof the then-dominantwhiskiesallofwhichrequiredsomeaging inoakcasksBootleggerswerenot inaposition tostoreandage illegalwhiskeyand the caramel-colored prune-juice-dosed grain alcohol substitutes weregenerallyconsideredtobevileGinontheotherhanddidnotrequireanyaginganditwasrelativelyeasyto

makebymixingrawalcoholwithjuniperberryextractandotherflavoringsandspicesinalargecontainersuchasabathtub(thustheoriginofthetermbathtubgin)Theseginsweregenerallyofpoorqualityandtasteafactthatgaverisetothepopularityofcocktailsinwhichthemixersservedtodisguisethetasteofthebase gin Repeal of Prohibition at the end of 1933 ended the production ofbootlegginbutginremainedapartoftheAmericanbeveragesceneItwasthedominantwhitespiritintheUnitedStatesuntiltheriseofvodkainthe1960sItstill remains popular helped along recently by the revived popularity of themartini

THEBASISOFGIN

SpruceGinbyRogueDistilleryandAleHouse

In Holland the production of genever was quickly integrated into the vastDutch trading system Rotterdam became the center of genever distilling asdistilleriesopenedtheretotakeadvantageoftheabundanceofneededspicesthatwerearrivingfromtheDutchcoloniesintheEastIndies(present-dayIndonesia)ManyoftodayrsquosleadingDutchgeneverdistillerscantracetheiroriginsbacktothe sixteenth and seventeenth centuries Examples include such firms as Bols(founded1575)anddeKuyper(1695)Belgiumdevelopeditsownjuniper-flavoredspiritcalledjenever(withaj)in

amannersimilartothatinHolland(whichcontrolledBelgiumforatimeintheearlynineteenthcentury)ThetwoGermaninvasionsofBelgiuminWorldWarsI and II had a particularly hard effect on jenever producers as the occupyingGermans stripped the distilleries of their copper stills andpiping to use in theproduction of shell casings The present-day remaining handful of BelgianjeneverdistillersproduceprimarilyforthelocaldomesticmarketGinmayhaveoriginatedinHollandanddevelopedintoitsmostpopularstyle

inEnglandbut itsmostenthusiasticmodern-dayconsumersare tobefoundinSpainwhichhasthehighestpercapitaconsumptionintheworldProductionofLondondryndashstyleginbeganinthe1930sbutseriousconsumptiondidnotbeginuntilthemixofginandcolabecameinexplicablypopularinthe1960s

GINanditsDutchcousingenever(jeneverinBelgium)arewhitespiritsthatareflavoredwithjuniperberriesandso-calledbotanicals(avariedassortmentofherbsandspices)Thespiritbaseofginisprimarilygrain(usuallywheatorrye)which results in a light-bodied spirit Genever is made primarily from ldquomaltwinerdquo (a mixture of malted barley wheat corn and rye) which produces afuller-bodied spirit similar to malt whisky A small number of genevers inHollandandBelgiumaredistilleddirectlyfromfermentedjuniperberrieswhichproducesaparticularlyintenselyflavoredspirit

BluecoatGinbyPhiladelphiaDistilling

Thechiefflavoringagentinbothginandgeneveristhehighlyaromaticblue-greenberryofthejuniperalow-slungevergreenbush(genusJuniperus)thatiscommercially grown in northern ItalyCroatia theUnitedStates andCanadaAdditional botanicals can include anise angelica root cinnamon orange peelcoriander and cassia barkAll gin and genevermakers have their own secretcombinationofbotanicalsthenumberofwhichcanrangefromasfewasfourtoasmanyasfifteen

THEDISTILLATIONOFGIN

Mostgin is initiallydistilled inefficientcolumnstillsTheresultingspirit ishighprooflight-bodiedandcleanwithaminimalamountofcongeners(flavorcompounds)andflavoringagentsGeneverisdistilledinless-efficientpotstillswhichresultsinalower-proofmoreflavorfulspiritLow-qualityldquocompoundrdquoginsaremadebysimplymixingthebasespiritwith

juniper and botanical extracts Mass-market gins are produced by soakingjuniperberriesandbotanicalsinthebasespiritandthenredistillingthemixtureTop-qualityginsandgeneversareflavoredinauniquemannerAfteroneor

more distillations the base spirit is redistilled one last timeDuring this finaldistillationthealcoholvaporwaftsthroughachamberinwhichthedriedjuniperberries and botanicals are suspended The vapor gently extracts aromatic andflavoringoils andcompounds from theberries and spices as it travels throughthe chamber on its way to the condenser The resulting flavored spirit has anoticeabledegreeofcomplexity

GuyRehorstoftheGreatLakesDistilleryusesawoodendipsticktomeasurethevolumeofspiritinatank

THECOLORFULORIGINSOFOLDTOMGIN

ThenameofOldTomGincomesfromwhatmaybethefirstexampleofabeveragevendingmachineInthe1700ssomepubsinEnglandhadawoodenplaqueshapedlikeablackcat (anldquoOldTomrdquo)mountedontheoutsidewallThirstypassersbywoulddepositapennyinthecatrsquosmouthandplacetheirlipsaroundasmalltubebetweenthecatrsquospawsThebartenderinsidewouldthenpourashotofginthroughthetubeandintothecustomerrsquoswaitingmouth

GINREGIONS

EUROPE

TheUnitedKingdomproducesmostlydryginprimarilyfromcolumnstillsBritish gins tend to be high proof (90deg proof or 45 percentABV) and citrus-accented from the use of dried lemon and Seville orange peels in themix ofbotanicalsBritishginsareusuallycombinedintomixeddrinksHollandandBelgiumproducegenevermostly frompot stillsGenevers are

distilledatlowerprooflevelsthanEnglishginsandaregenerallyfullerinbodyManyoftheseginsareagedforonetothreeyearsinoakcasksSomegeneverproducers now market fruit-flavored genevers the best known being blackcurrantDutchandBelgiangeneversareusuallychilledandservedneatGermanyproducesagenever-stylegincalleddornkaatintheNorthSeacoast

regionofFrisiaThis spirit is lighter inbodyandmoredelicate in flavor thanbothDutchgeneverandEnglishdryginGermanginisusuallyservedstraightupandcoldSpainproducesasubstantialamountofginallof it in theLondondrystyle

fromcolumnstillsMostofitissoldformixingwithcola

LabelforGenevieveGeneverstylegin

GreylockGin

BardenayLondonStyleDryGin

NORTHAMERICA

TheUnitedStatesistheworldrsquoslargestginmarketLondondryginaccountsfor the bulk of domestic gin production withmost of it produced in columnstillsAmericandryginstendtobelowerproof(80degproofor40percentABV)and less flavorful than their English counterparts This rule applies even tobrandssuchasGordonrsquosandGilbeyrsquoswhichoriginatedinEnglandTheUnitedStatesrsquosbest-sellingginSeagramrsquosExtraDryisararecask-ageddryginThreemonths of aging in charred oak barrels gives the gin a pale straw color and asmoothpalateAmericancraftdistillerieshavetakentogininamajorwaywithsuchnoteworthyexamplesasDistillerrsquosGin6fromNorthShoreDistillery inLakeBluffIllinoisandRehorstPremiumMilwaukeeGinfromtheGreatLakesDistilleryinMilwaukeeWisconsin

AviationGinbyHouseSpiritsDistillery

LabelforAmericanDistilledGininfusedwithRareBotanicalsbyMcMenaminsEdgefieldDistilleryClassicMartini

SarticiousGinbySarticiousSpirits

THEMARTINIANDTHEMEANINGOFLIFE

Thebestknownofhundredsofgin-basedmixeddrinksistheginandwhitevermouth combination called the martini As is usually the case with mostpopular mixed drinks the origins of the martini are disputed One school ofthoughtholdsthatitevolvedfromthelate-nineteenth-centurymartinezcocktailarathercloyingmixtureofOldTomndashstyleginandsweetvermouthAdissentingsectholdsthatitwascreatedinthebaroftheKnickerbockerHotelinNewYorkCity in theearly twentiethcenturyThe ratioofgin tovermouth startedout atabout two to one and it has been getting drier ever since The famedBritishstatesmanWinstonChurchillwhodevotedagreatdealof thoughtand time todrinkingwasoftheopinionthatpassingthecorkfromthevermouthbottleovertheglassofginwassufficientGINCOCKTAILS

CLASSICMARTINI

Inashakercombinebull2ounces(60ml)ginbullDashwhitevermouthbullIcetofillShakeand strain and into amartiniglassor a shortglassGarnishwith an

olive

TOMCOLLINS

Inatallglasscombinebull2ounces(60ml)ginbull1ounce(30ml)lemonjuicebull1tablespoon(15g)sugarStirandthenfilltheglasswithiceFillwithclubsoda

GINANDTONIC

FillatallglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)ginbullTonicwatertofillGarnishwithalimeslice

ARTISANPROFILEINSIDETHEINDUSTRY

CHRISWELD

BerkshireMountainDistillersGreatBarringtonMassachusetts

ITishardtoimagineChrisWeldinanemergencyroomwhereheworkedinCalifornia for sixteen years as a physicianrsquos assistantHe seems too young tohave sixteen years of work behind him and on his land in westernMassachusettsheisperfectlyateasewithadogathissidelightinhiseyesandmudonhisbootsHeandhiswifeTylermovedbacktotheEastCoastmdashafterhavingdeveloped

intoseriousfoodiesmdashandboughtanorchardldquoOurwatercomesfromanoldspringhereonthepropertythat thePittsfield

Sunin1901saidhadlsquofewequalsandnonesuperiorrsquordquoThe farm that isnow theBerkshireMountainDistillerywasonce in fact a

springwaterbottlingplant(Oneformerowneruseditasabaseofoperationsforasanitariumintownandithasalsobeenahotel)BuildingtheBerkshireMountainDistillerywasnoteasyWhenWeldarrived

thewould-bestillhousewasabarninshamblesWelddidasmuchoftheworkas he could himself and hired local builders and craftspeople to do the restKeepingthingslocalisimportanttoWeld

ldquoWhenIneedtoexpandIrsquollbuildanotherbarnandIrsquollhirelocalpeopletobuilditrdquoThisimpliesadirectcontrasttowhathappenswhenabiginternationaldistillerexpandsHetalksenthusiasticallyabouttheldquolocalmultiplierrdquoeffectldquoEverydollaryou

spendlocallyisworththreespentinachainstorerdquoWeldisanenthusiasticparticipant in theBerksharesprogram(localmoney

accepted by hundreds of merchants in western Massachusetts includingrestaurants)HehiredalocaldesignertodesignlabelsHesourcedhisglassoutofnearbyLenoxWeld looked further afield for help with his rum and he brought in a

consultantTogethertheyworkedontestbatchesandperfectedtherecipeHersquodhaveworkedformorethanayearhesaidsolvingtheproblemsthatanexpertsolved in a few days and the adjustments to fermentation temperatures andexpertknowledgeofdifferentflavorcompoundswaspricelessWeld describes his rum as more like Armagnac than a typical molasses

distillateHehasfiftybarrelsagingldquoIrsquovegotabigstillrdquohesaysIndeedheboughtan800-gallonstainlesssteel

tanksecondhandfromBrownForeman(Heassuresanyonewhoasksthatalltheother work including the custom columns and the piping was done by localcraftspeople)ldquoIfIhadasmallstillIrsquodbeatcapacityrdquoAsitstandshersquosabletomakebourbonandrumforagingbringoutnewproductssuchasasecondginwithaheavierflavorandmorebotanicalsthanhisfirstandstillsatisfythe400accountshersquosdevelopedinhisfirstyearForWeldhoweveritrsquosstillthecommunitythatrsquosimportantHerecentlymet

intoamanwhohadbroughtsomeofhisGreylockGintoapartyldquoSeeingitatpartieshellipthatrsquosreallyitrdquohesaidglowing

CHAPTERSIX

BRANDYANDEAUDEVIE

ldquoNosirclaretistheliquorforboysportformenbuthewhoaspirestobeaheromustdrinkbrandyrdquo

mdashSamuelJohnsoneighteenth-centuryBritishwriterwholovedbrandyandhatedwhisky

Brandyinaclassicbrandysniftercastsashadowonalinentablecloth

THE word brandy comes from the Dutch word brandewijn (burnt wine)which is how the straightforwardDutch traderswho introduced it to northernEuropeinthesixteenthcenturydescribedwinethathadbeenldquoburntrdquoorboiledtodistillitThe origins of brandy can be traced back to the growing Muslim

Mediterranean states in the seventh and eighth centuries Alchemists in theregion experimentedwith distilling grapes and other fruits tomakemedicinalspiritsTheirknowledgeandtechniquessoonspreadbeyondthebordersof theterritorywithgrapebrandyproductionappearinginSpainandprobablyIreland(viamissionarymonks)bytheendoftheeighthcentury

TYPESOFBRANDY

Abottleofbrandydistilledfrom100percentViognierwinebyGermain-Robin

BRANDYinitsbroadestdefinitionisaspiritmadefromfruitjuiceorfruitpulpandskinMorespecificallyitisbrokendownintothreebasicgroupingsGrapebrandy isbrandydistilledfromfermentedgrapejuiceorcrushedbut

not pressed grape pulp and skin This spirit is aged inwooden casks (usuallyoak)whichcolorsitmellowsoutthepalateandaddsaromasandflavorsPomace brandy (Italian grappa and French marc are the best-known

examples) ismade from the pressed grape pulp skins and stems that remainafter thegrapes are crushed andpressed to extractmost of the juice forwinePomacebrandieswhichareusuallyminimallyagedandseldomseewoodarean acquired taste They often tend to be rather raw although they can offer afresh fruity aroma of the type of grape used a characteristic that is lost inregularoak-agedbrandyFruit brandy is the default term for all brandies that are made from

fermenting fruit other than grapes (It should not be confused with fruit-flavoredbrandywhichisgrapebrandythathasbeenflavoredwiththeextractof another fruit)Fruit brandies except thosemade fromberries aregenerallydistilledfromfruitwinesBerriestendtolackenoughsugartomakeawinewithsufficient alcohol for proper distillation and thus are soaked (macerated) in ahigh-proof spirit toextract their flavorandaromaTheextract is thendistilledonceatalowproofCalvados theapplebrandyfromtheNormandyregionofnorthwesternFranceisprobablythebest-knowntypeoffruitbrandyEaudevie(ldquowaterofliferdquo)isacolorlessfruitbrandyparticularlyfromtheAlsaceregionofFranceandfromCalifornia

Applesonthetreerawmaterialsforbrandy

Grapesenterthestillforthemakingofgrappa

BRANDIESBYREGION

FRANCE

French brandy is the catchall designation for brandy produced from grapesgrowninotherregionsThesebrandiesareusuallydistilledincolumnstillsandagedinoakcasksforvaryingperiodsoftimeTheyarefrequentlyblendedwithwine grape juice oak flavorings and other brandies including cognac tosmoothout the roughedgesCognac-likequalitydesignationssuchasVSOPandNapoleonareoftenused(seepage83)buttheyhavenolegalstanding

COGNAC

Cognacisthebest-knowntypeofbrandyintheworldabenchmarkbywhichmost other brandies are judged The Cognac region is located on the south-centralcoastofFrance justnorthofBordeauxinthedepartmentsofCharenteandCharente-MaritimeTheregionisfurthersubdividedintosixgrowingzonesGrandeChampagnePetiteChampagneBoisOrdinariesBorderiesFinsBoisandBonsBoisThefirsttwooftheseregionsproducethebestcognacandwillfrequentlybesodesignatedonbottlelabelsTheprimarygrapesusedinmakingcognac are the Ugni Blanc Folle Blanche and Colombard The wines madefrom these grapes are thin tart and low in alcohol which are poorcharacteristicsfortablewinesbutperfectformakingbrandy

Pear-in-bottlebrandy

Cognac is double distilled in specially designed pot stills and then aged incasksmadefromLimousinorTroncaisoakAllcognacsstartoutinnewoaktomellowthefieryspiritandgivethemcolorBatcheschosenforlong-termagingareafterafewyearstransferredtousedorldquoseasonedrdquocasksthatimpartlessoftheoakflavornoteswhilethebrandymaturesNearly all cognacs are a blend of brandies from different vintages and

frequently different growing zones Even those from single vineyards ordistillerieshaveamixofbrandiesfromdifferentcasksAswithchampagnetheproductsoflocalvineyardsaresoldtocognachouseseachofwhichstoresandages cognacs from different suppliers The suppliers then employ masterblenders to create and maintain continuity in the house blends drawn fromdisparatesources

BRANDYrsquoSSEASONALNATURE

Brandy like rumand tequila isanagricultural spiritUnlikegrain spiritssuchaswhiskeyvodkaandginwhicharemadethroughouttheyearfromgrainthat can be harvested and stored brandy is dependent on the seasons theripeningofthebasefruitandtheproductionofthewinefromwhichitismadeTypes of brandies originally at least tended to be location-specific (Cognacfor example is a town and region in France that gave its name to the localbrandy) Important brandy-making regions particularly in Europe furtherdifferentiatetheirlocalspiritsbyspecifyingthetypesofgrapesthatcanbeusedand the specific areas (appellation) in which the grapes used formaking thebasewinecanbegrown

Barrelsofbrandystoredforaging

INDUSTRYSTANDARDSFORCOGNAC

Because therearenoage statementsoncognacs the industryhasadoptedsomegenerallyaccepted terms todifferentiatecognacs It is important tonotethat these terms have no legal status and each cognac shipper uses themaccordingtohisorherowncriteriaVSVSPThree Star (VS very superior VSP very superior pale) A

minimumoftwoyearsaginginacaskalthoughtheindustryaverageisfourtofiveyearsVSOP(verysuperioroldpale)Aminimumoffouryearsrsquocaskagingforthe

youngestcognacintheblendwiththeindustryaveragebetweentenandfifteenyearsXONapoleon (XO extra old) A minimum of six yearsrsquo aging for the

youngest cognac in the blend with the average age running twenty years orolderAllcognachousesmaintain inventoriesofoldvintagecognacs touse inblendingthesetop-of-the-linebrandsTheoldestcognacsareremovedfromtheircasks in timeandstoredinglassdemijohns(largejugs) toprevent further lossfromevaporationandtolimitexcessivelywoodyflavornotes

ARMAGNAC

ArmagnacistheoldesttypeofbrandyinFrancewithdocumentedreferencestodistillationdatingbacktotheearlyfifteenthcenturyTheArmagnacregionislocatedintheheartoftheancientprovinceofGasconyinthesouthwestcornerof France Aswith cognac there are regional growing zones Bas-ArmagnacHautArmagnac andTenarezeTheprimarygrapesused inmakingArmagnacare also theUgniBlanc FolleBlanche andColombardBut distillation takesplaceintheuniquealambicarmagnacaisatypeofcolumnstillthatisevenmoreinefficient than a typical cognac pot still The resulting brandy has a rusticassertivecharacterandaromathatrequiresadditionalcaskagingtomellowoutanddistinguishitfromcognacThebestArmagnacisagedincasksmadefromthelocalMonlezunoakInrecentyearsLimousinandTroncaisoakcaskshavebeenaddedtothemixofcasksassuitableMonlezunoakbecomeshardertofind

DetailfromabottleofPierreFerrandReserveCognac

Most Armagnacs are blends but unlike cognac single vintages and singlevineyardbottlingscanbefoundThecategoriesofArmagnacaregenerally thesameas thoseof cognac (VSVSOPXO and soon see sidebaronpage83)BlendedArmagnacsfrequentlyhaveagreaterpercentageofoldervintagesin their mix than comparable cognacs making them a better value for thediscerningbuyer

HAVESTILLWILLTRAVEL

Until the 1970s portable alambic armagnacais mounted on two-wheelcartswerehauledamongsmallvineyards inArmagnacby itinerantdistillerscalledbouilleursdecruThesetravelingstillsalashavemostlygivenwaytolarger fixed-in-place setups operated by farmer cooperatives and individualoperators

ChristianDrouinwhoproducessomeofthefinestCalvadosstandsbesideaportablestillbuiltin1946thatisnowpermanentlystationedinfrontofthepressroomatDomaineCoeurdeLionItisprobablytheonlyportabledoubledistillationinworkingorderItisnormallyusedfromFebruarytoJuneAsecondstillnowoperatesinsidethepressroom

SPAIN

BRANDYDEJEREZ

BrandydeJerezismadebythesherryhousescenteredaroundthecityofJerezdelaFronterainthesouthwestcornerofSpainButvirtuallyallBrandydeJerezis made from wines produced elsewhere in Spain primarily from the Airengrape inLaManchaandExtremadurabecause the local sherrygrapesare toovaluable to divert into brandy productionNowadaysmost of the distilling islikewisedoneelsewhereinSpainincolumnstillsItisthenshippedtoJerezforaginginusedsherrycasksinasolerasystemsimilartothatusedforsherrywineAsolera is a series of large casks (called butts) each holding a slightly olderspirit than thepreviousonebeside itWhenbrandyisdrawnoff (racked)fromthe lastbutt (nomore thana thirdof thevolume is removed) it is replenishedwithbrandydrawnfromthenextbuttallthewaydownthesoleralinetothefirstbuttwherenewlydistilledbrandyisaddedThissystemofrackingthebrandythroughaseriesofcasksblendstogetheravarietyofvintages(somesolerashavemorethanthirtystages)andresultsinaspeedingupofthematurationprocess

Brandybottledetailfromabrandywhoseflavorprofileleansmoretowardsbourbon(HuberStarlightDistillery)

ThesamplebottlesdisplaytheeffectsofdifferenttypesofbarrelsandagingprocessesatGermain-Robin

AGINGTIMELINE

Basic Brandy de Jerez Solera must age for a minimum of six monthsReservaforoneyearandGranReservaforaminimumofthreeyears

Inpractice thebestReservasandGranReservasarefrequentlyagedfortwelvetofifteenyearsThelushslightlysweetandfruitynotestobefoundinBrandydeJerezcomenotonlyfromaginginsherrycasksbutalsofromthejudicioususeoffruit-basedflavorconcentratesandoakessence(boise)

PENEDEgraveSBRANDY

Penedegraves Brandy is from the Penedegraves region of Catalonia in the northeastcornerofSpainnearBarcelonaModeledafterthecognacsofFranceandmadefromamixof localgrapesand theUgniBlancofcognac it isdistilled inpotstillsOneofthetwolocalproducers(Torres)agesinsolerasconsistingofbuttsmade from French Limousin oak whereas the other (Mascaro) ages in thestandardnon-soleramannerbut also inLimousinoakThe resultingbrandy isheartierthancognacbutleaneranddrierthanBrandydeJerez

ITALY

Italy has a long history of brandy production dating back to at least thesixteenth century but unlike Spain or France there are no specific brandy-producing regions Italian brandies are made from regional wine grapes andmost areproduced incolumnstills although therearenowanumberof smallartisanalproducersusingpotstillsTheyareagedinoakforaminimumofonetotwoyearswithsixtoeightyearsbeingtheindustryaverageItalianbrandiestendtobeonthelightanddelicatesidewithatouchofresidualsweetness

GERMANY

GermanmonksweredistillingbrandybythefourteenthcenturyandGermandistillers had organized their ownguild as early as 1588Yet almost from thestart German brandy (calledweinbrand) has been made from imported winerather than the more valuable local varieties Most German brandies areproduced in pot stills andmust be aged for aminimumof sixmonths in oakBrandiesthathavebeenagedinoakforatleastoneyeararecalleduraltoralter(meaningldquoolderrdquo)ThebestGermanbrandiesaresmoothsomewhatlighterthancognacandfinishwithatouchofsweetness

ThetastingroomatadistilleryisapopularstoponthetourRickMoerschattheRoundBarnDistillerypourssomeapricotbrandyatthetastingroominhiswinerybrewerydistillery

UNITEDSTATES

Grape brandy production in the United States which until the advent ofmodern craft distilleries was mostly confined to California dates back to theSpanish missions in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries AsubstantialamountofpeachbrandywasmadebywhiskeydistillersinSouthernstates prior to National Prohibition however and apple brandy distillingcontinuedintomodern timesonamodestscale inNewJerseyandVirginia Inthe years following the Civil War brandy became a major industry with asubstantial export trade to Europe by the end of the nineteenth century For atimeLelandStanford founder ofStanfordUniversitywas theworldrsquos largestbrandy producer Phylloxera and National Prohibition almost shut down theindustryinthe1920s

Analambicstill

RepealstartedthingsupagainbutaswiththebourbonindustrytheadventofWorldWarIIresultedinbrandyproducersfurthermarkingtimeSoonaftertheendofthewartheindustrycommissionedtheUniversityofCaliforniaatDavisDepartment of Viticulture and Oenology to develop a prototype ldquoCalifornia-stylerdquo brandy It had a clean palate was lighter in style than most EuropeanbrandiesandhadaflavorprofilethatmadeitagoodmixerStartinginthelate1940sCaliforniabrandyproducersbegantochangeovertothisnewstyle

LabelforPotStillBrandyfromMcMenaminsEdgefieldDistillery

CONTEMPORARYBRANDIES

Contemporary commercial California grape brandies are made primarily incolumn stills from table grape varieties such as the Thompson Seedless andFlame Tokay California brandies are aged for two to twelve years in usedAmericanoak(bothbrandyandbourboncasks)tolimitwoodinessinthepalatealthough pot distillers also use French oak Several California distillers mostnotably Korbel have utilized the Spanish solera method for maturing theirbrandyCaliforniabrandiesdonotusequalitydesignationssuchasVSOPorstars The more expensive brands will usually contain a percentage of oldervintagesandpot-distilledbrandiesintheblendCraft-distilledbrandies includinggrapepomaceand fruitwere the firstof

the modern generation of craft spirits to enter the US market starting inCalifornia in the late1980swithproducers suchasRMS(aventureofcognacproducer Remy Martin) Jepson Vineyards and the idiosyncratic Santa CruzwinemakerRandallGraham atBonnyDooneVineyards From the start thesegrape brandy producers generally followed a French-themed muse withproducers such asGermaine-Robin inMendocinoCounty andOsocalis in theSantaCruzMountainsgoingsofarastousetheclassicUgniBlancColombardand Folle Blanche grapes to make their base wine They installed specialcognac-style pot stills to distill it and then aged their brandies in casksmadefromimportedLimousinorTroncaisoakTheresultingbrandiesparticularlyaslonger-agedexamplescomeontothemarkethaveinsomecasesshownlevelsof complexity and flavor intensity that put them on par with their Europeancounterparts

PiscoStyleBrandybyLeopoldBros

LATINAMERICAN

MEXICO

InMexicoasurprisingamountofwineismadebutitislittleknownoutsideof the country because most of it is used for brandy production Mexicanbrandies are made from a mix of grapes including the Thompson SeedlessPalomino andUgniBlancBothcolumnandpot stills areused inproductionwhereas the solera system is generally used for aging Brandy now outsellstequilaandruminMexico

SOUTHAMERICA

South American brandies are generally confined to their domestic marketsThebest-known type ispisco a clear rawbrandy fromPeruandChile that ismadefromMuscatgrapesanddoubledistilledinpotstillsTheresultingbrandyhasaperfumedfragranceandservesas thebaseforavarietyofmixeddrinksincludingthefamousPiscoPunch

OTHERREGIONS

Greece produces pot-distilled brandies many of which such as the well-knownMetaxaareflavoredwithMuscatwineaniseorotherspicesWinemakinginIsraelisawell-establishedtraditiondatingbackthousandsof

years But brandy production dates back only to the 1880s when the FrenchJewishphilanthropistBaronEdmonddeRothschildestablishedwhathasbecomethemodernIsraeliwineindustryIsraelibrandyismadeinthemannerofcognacfrom Colombard grapes with distillation in both pot and column stills andmaturationinFrenchLimousinoakcasksIntheCaucasusregionalongtheeasternshoreoftheBlackSeatheancient

nations ofGeorgia andArmenia draw onmonastic traditions to produce richintensely flavored pot still brandies both from local grapes and from suchimportedvarietiesastheMuscadine(fromFrance)andtheSercialandVerdelho(mostfamouslyfromMadeira)SouthAfricahasproducedbrandiessincethearrivalofthefirstDutchsettlers

intheseventeenthcenturybuttheseearlyspiritsfromtheCapeColonyearnedareputation for being harsh firewater (witblitsmdashwhite lightningmdashwas a typicalnickname)The introductionofmodernproduction techniquesandgovernmentregulationsintheearlytwentiethcenturygraduallyledtoanimprovementinthequalityof localbrandiesModernSouthAfricanbrandiesaremade fromUgniBlanc Colombard CheninBlanc and Palomino grapes produced in both potandcolumnstillsandagedforaminimumofthreeyearsinoak

POMACEBRANDIES

PoliBassanodelGrappa(Italy)

ITALY produces a substantial amount of grappa both the raw firewatervarietyandthemoreelegantartisanaleffortsthataremadefromonedesignatedgrape type and packaged in hand-blown bottles Both types of grappa can beunagedoragedforafewyearsinoldcasksthatwilltamethehardedgeofthespiritwithoutimpartingmuchflavororcolorMarcfromFranceisproducedinall of the nationrsquos wine-producing regions but it is mostly consumed locallyMarcdeGewuumlrztraminerfromAlsaceisnoteworthybecauseitretainssomeofthedistinctiveperfumenoseandspicycharacterofthegrape

OrodeMazzettiliqueurgoldsuspendedinagrappabase(Italy)

Craft pomace brandies from the United States from producers such asDomaineCharbayinNapaCountyandMosbyVineyardsinSonomaareintheItalianstyleandtheyareusuallycalledgrappasevenwhentheyaremadefromnon-Italian grape varieties This is also true of the pomace brandies fromCanada

GRAPPANOTYOURGRANDPArsquoSPHLEGMCUTTER

TheUSgovernmentcallsitpomacebrandybuteversinceimmigrantsfromwinemakingcountriesbeganarriving in theUnitedStatesandstarted tomakewine they were soon refermenting the pressed grape skins from theirwinemaking and distilling it tomake a quick and simple type of brandy TheFrench call itmarc but it is the Italian term grappa that has caught onwithdistillersofeveryethnicbackgroundCraftdistillersintheUnitedStateshavetakentothedistillingofgrappafrom

theverystartoftheindustryPioneerbrandydistillerssuchasClearCreekandSt George Spirits have developed specific varietal grappas that are carefullydistilledtocapturethesubtlearomaticnotesofthebasefruitThesearespiritstodelightthenoseasmuchasthetastebuds

GrappabyHuberStarlightDistillery

APPLEANDOTHERFRUITBRANDIES

NORMANDY is one of the few regions in France that does not have a

substantial grapewine industry Instead it is apple countrywith a substantialtradition of hard and sweet ciders that in turn can be distilled into an applebrandyknownasCalvadosThelocalciderappleswhichtendtobesmallandtartarecloserintypetocrabapplesthantomoderntableapplesThisspirithasits own appellationswith the best brands coming fromAppellationControleePaysdrsquoAugeneartheseaportofDeauvilleandtherest intenadjacentregionsthataredesignatedAppellationReglementeeMostPaysdrsquoAugeandsomeofthebetter Appellation Reglementee are produced in pot stills All varieties ofCalvados are aged in oak casks for a minimum of two years Cognac-stylequalityandage termssuchasVSOPandHorsdrsquoAgeare frequentlyusedonlabelsbuthavenolegalmeaning

Applebrandy

BottlesofkirschandframboiseeaudeviefromWestfordHillsDistillers

ExteriorshotofLairdampCompanytheoldestdistilleryintheUnitedStates

Thefruit-growingregionsoftheupperRhineRiveraretheprimeeaudevieproductionareasofEuropeTheBlackForestregionofBavariainGermanyandAlsace in France are known for their cherry brandies (kir in FrancekirschwasserinGermany)raspberrybrandies(framboiseandhimbeergeist)andpearbrandies(poire)SimilareauxdeviearenowbeingproducedintheUnitedStatesinCaliforniaandOregonSomeplumbrandyisalsomadeintheseregions(mirabellefromFranceisanexample)butthebest-knowntypeofplumbrandyisslivovitzwhich ismade from the smallblue sljivaplum throughoutEasternEuropeandtheBalkans

Applebrandylabel

IntheUnitedStatesapplejackasapplebrandyiscalledlocallyisthoughtbymanytobethefirstspiritproducedintheBritishcoloniesThiscolonialtraditionhascontinuedwithLairdrsquosDistilleryestablishedin1780inNewJerseyandtheoldest distilling company in the United States and with distilleries in NewJerseyandVirginiaArtisan fruitbrandydistillingstarted inCaliforniabut in recentyears ithas

spreadacrosstheUnitedStateswithCalvados-styledapplebrandiesfromClearCreekDistilleryinPortlandOregonleadingthewaywhileBlackStarFarmsinSuttons Bay St Julian in Paw Paw and a bevy of other Michigan artisandistillershave releasedawide rangeofdelicatehighlyaromaticcherryplumand other fruit brandies that draw an obvious inspiration from theKirsch andplumbrandiesoftheBlackForestregionofsouthernGermany

BRANDYCOCKTAILS

SIDECARFillashortglasswithiceInashakercombinebull1ounce(30ml)brandybull1ounce(30ml)TripleSecbull1ounce(30ml)lemonjuicebullIcetofillShakeandstrainintotheglass

STINGERFillashortglasswithiceAddbull1ounce(30ml)brandybull1ounce(30ml)whitecregravemedementheStirandserve

BRANDYALEXANDER

Inashakercombinebull1ounce(30ml)brandybull1ounce(30ml)darkcregravemedecacaobull1ounce(30ml)creambullIcetofillShakeandstrainintoalargebrandysnifterDustwithnutmeg

LabelforAcquadiLamponiRaspberryEaudeVie

Apricotbrandy

CHAPTERSEVEN

RUMTEQUILALIQUEURSRUMTEQUILALIQUEURSANDMORE

INCLUDINGSCHNAPPSANISEANDBITTERS

ldquoTherersquos nought no doubt so much the spirit calms as rum and truereligionrdquo

mdashLordByron

Bottlesofrumofdifferentages(youngesttooldestlefttoright)atCelebrationDistillationinNewOrleans

GRAPESANDGRAINmaybethetwomajorrawmaterialsfordistillationbut they are by no means the only ones Sugarcane provides two differentfermentables sugarcane juice and molasses which is a byproduct of sugarrefiningBothareusedasthebasisofrumproductionwhichasaspiritrangesacrossthecolorandtastespectrumfromthealmostvodkalikeBlancosofPuertoRicototheheartydeep-huedDemerarasofGuyanawithsomeverydistinctivevariationsinbetween

RUM

TheagaveplantanativeofCentralAmericaprovidesthefermentablebasis

for a varietyof distilled spirits ofwhich tequila is thebest knownbut bynomeanstheonlyexampleLiquors can refer generically to distilled spirits but they can also be

specifically flavored spirits Add a sweetener and they become liqueursAddcertainherbsandyounowhavebittersAttheendofthedayifsomethingcanbefermentedandthendistilledpeoplewilldrinkit

GROG

TheBritishnavyadoptedadailyrationofahalf-pintof160degproofrumbythe1730sThisrationwassubsequentlymodifiedbymixingitwithanequalamountofwater toproduceadrinkcalledgrogThegrogrationremaineda stapleofBritishnavallifeuntil1969

LabelforHudsonRiverRumbyTuthilltownSpirits

THEHISTORY of rum is the history of sugar Sugar is a sweet crystallinecarbohydrate that occurs naturally in a variety of plants One of those is thesugarcane(Saccharumofficinarum)atallthickgrassthathasitsoriginsintheislands of present-day Indonesia in the East Indies Chinese traders spread itscultivationtoAsiaandontoIndiaArabsinturnbroughtit totheMiddleEastand North Africa where it came to the attention of Europeans during theCrusadesintheeleventhcenturyAstheSpanishandPortuguesebegantoventureoutintotheAtlanticOcean

theyplantedsugarcaneintheCanaryandAzoresIslandsIn1493ChristopherColumbuspickedupcanecuttingsfromtheCanarieswhileonhissecondvoyagetotheAmericasandtransplantedthemtoHispaniolatheCaribbeanislandnowshared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic Portuguese explorers soon didlikewiseinBrazilTheCaribbeanbasinprovedtohaveanidealclimateforgrowingsugarcane

andsugarproductionquicklyspreadaroundtheislandsTheinsatiabledemandin Europe for sugar soon led to the establishment of hundreds of sugarcaneplantations andmills in the variousEnglish Spanish French Portuguese andDutchcoloniesThesemillscrushedtheharvestedcaneandextractedthejuiceBoiling this juice caused chunks of crystallized sugar to form The remainingunsolidifiedjuicewascalledmelazas(fromtheSpanishwordforhoneymiel)inEnglishthisbecamemolasses

BottleofThomasTewRum

Molasses is a sticky syrup that still contains a significant amount of sugarSugarmilloperatorssoonnoticedthatwhenitwasmixedwithwaterandleftoutin the sun it fermented By the 1650s this former waste product was beingdistilled into a spirit In theEnglish colonies itwas calledKillDevil (from itstendencytocauseanastyhangoveroritsperceivedmedicinalpowertakeyourchoice)orrumbullion(originsuncertain)whichwasshortenedovertheyearstoourmodernwordrumTheFrenchrenderthiswordasrhumwhiletheSpanishcallitron

PrichardrsquosCrystalRumfromPrichardsrsquoDistillery

Rumwas used as a cure-all for many of the aches and pains that afflictedthoselivinginthetropicsSugarplantationownerssolditatdiscountedpricestonavalshipsthatwereonstationintheCaribbeaninordertoencouragetheirpresenceinlocalwatersandthusdiscouragetheattentionsofmaraudingpirates

PrichardrsquosFineRumfromPrichardsrsquoDistillery

BobRyanandpartnerDaveWoodatRyanandWoodDistilleriesinGloucesterMassachusetts

This naval-rum connection introduced rum to the outsideworld and by thelate seventeenth century a thriving export tradedevelopedTheBritish islandsshippedrumtoGreatBritain(whereitwasmixedintorumpunchesandreplacedginasthedominantspiritintheeighteenthcentury)andtotheBritishcoloniesinNorth America where it became very popular This export of rum to NorthAmerica in exchange forNewEngland lumber anddried cod (still a culinarystaple in the Caribbean) soon changed over to the export of molasses todistilleries in New England This was done to avoid laws from the Britishparliamentwhich protectedBritish distillers by forbidding the trade in spiritsdirectly between colonies This law was at best honored in the breech andsmugglingsoonbecamerampantThe shipping ofmolasses tomake rum inNewEngland distilleries became

part of the infamous ldquoslavery trianglerdquo The first leg was the shipment ofmolassestoNewEnglandtomakerumThesecondlegwastheshipmentofrumtotheportsofWestAfricatotradeforslavesThefinallegwasthepassageofslaveshipstothesugarplantationsoftheCaribbeanandSouthAmericawheremanyoftheslaveswereputtoworkinthesugarcanefieldsThe disruption of trade caused by theAmericanRevolution and the rise of

whiskey production in North America resulted in the slow decline of rumrsquosdominanceastheAmericannationaltippleRumproductionintheUnitedStatesslowlydeclinedthroughthenineteenthcenturywiththelastNewEnglandrumdistilleries closing at the advent of National Prohibition in 1920 The famedrumrunners of the Prohibition era were smuggling primarily whiskey into theUnitedStates

DarkRumSpruceGinWhiteRumandHazelnutSpiceRumbyRogueDistillery

InEuropetheinventionofsugarextractionfromthesugarbeetlessenedthedemandforCaribbeansugar reducing theamountofmolassesbeingproducedandtheresultingamountofrumbeingdistilledManysmallplantationsandtheirstillswereclosedRumproductionrecededforthemostparttocountrieswheresugarcanewasgrown

ChrisWeldofBerkshireMountainDistillers

Themodernhistoryofrumowesalottothespreadofair-conditioningandthegrowth of tourism In the second half of the twentieth century modern air-conditioningmadeitpossiblefor largenumbersofpeople tomigrate towarm-weather regions where rum remained the dominant spirit Additionally theexplosiveincreaseinthenumberofNorthAmericanandEuropeantouristsintorum-drinking regions led to a steady increase in the popularity of rum-basedmixed drinks Nowadays white rum gives vodka serious competition as themixerofchoiceinanumberofdistinctivelynontropicalmarketsAgedrumsaregainingnewstandingamongconsumersofsinglemaltScotch

whiskiescognacsandsmall-batchbourbonswhoarelearningtoappreciatethesubtle complexities of these rums The pot still rums of Guyana and Jamaicahaveaparticular appeal forScotchwhiskydrinkers (It isnoaccident that theScottishwhiskymerchantandbottlerCadenheadalsoagesandbottlesDemerararum)ThesubtleandcomplexrhumsofMartiniqueandGuadeloupemirrortheflavorprofilesofthetopFrenchbrandiesinCognacandArmagnac

THEBASISOFRUM

Rumanditsfraternaltwincanespiritaremadebydistillingfermentedsugarand water This sugar comes from the sugarcane and is fermented from canejuiceconcentratedcanejuiceormolassesMolassesisthesweetstickyresiduethat remains after sugarcane juice is boiled and the crystallized sugar isextractedMostrumismadefrommolassesMolassesismorethan50percentsugarbut

italsocontainssignificantamountsofmineralsandothertraceelementswhichcancontributetothefinalflavorRumsmadefromcanejuiceprimarilyonHaitiandMartiniquehaveanaturallysmoothpalateDependingontherecipetheldquowashrdquo(thecanejuiceormolassesandwater)is

fermented using either cultured yeast or airborne wild yeasts for a periodrangingfromtwenty-fourhoursforlightrumsuptoseveralweeksforheavyfullvarieties

OldNewOrleansCrystalRumbyCelebrationDistillation

CoasterforRaggedMountainRumbyBerkshireMountainDistillersldquoThinkGloballyDrinkLocallyrdquo

DISTILLATIONOFRUM

RumcanbedistilledineitherpotorcolumnstillsThechoiceofstillshasaprofoundeffectonthefinalcharacteroftherumAllrumscomeoutofthestillasclearcolorlessspiritsBarrelagingandtheuseofaddedcarameldeterminethe final color Because caramel is burnt sugar it is true that only naturalcoloringagentsareusedLighter rums are highly rectified (purified) and are produced in column or

continuousstills thenusuallycharcoal filteredandsometimesaged inoldoakcasksforafewmonthstoaddsmoothnessMostlightrumshaveminimalflavorsandaromaandareverysimilar tovodkaHeavier rumsareusuallydistilled inpot stills similar to those used to produce cognacs and Scotch whiskies Potstills are less efficient than column stills and some congeners (fusel oils andotherflavorelements)arecarriedoverwiththealcoholTheseheavierrumsareusedformakinggoldenanddarkrumsSomebrandsofrumaremadebyblendingpot-andcolumn-distilledrumsina

mannersimilartothatofArmagnacproduction

RUMCOCKTAILS

RUMANDCOKE(CubaLibre)FillatallglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)darkrumbullJuiceofhalfalimebullColatofillStirandgarnishwithalimewedge

DAIQUIRI

FillashortglasswithiceInashakercombinebull1frac12ounces(45ml)whiterumbull1ounce(30ml)limejuicebull1tablespoon(15g)sugarbullIcetofillShakeandstrainintotheglass

PLANTERrsquoSPUNCH

FillatallglasswithiceInashakercombinebull1frac12ounces(45ml)darkrumbullfrac12ounce(15ml)limejuicebullfrac12ounce(15ml)lemonjuicebull3ounces(90ml)orangejuicebull1teaspoon(5g)sugarbullDashgrenadinesyrupbullIcetofillShakeandstrainintotheglass

RUMREGIONS

THECARIBBEAN

TheCaribbeanistheepicenterofworldrumproductionVirtuallyeverymajorislandgroupproducesitsowndistinctrumstyleBarbadosproduceslightsweetishrumsfrombothpotandcolumnstillsRum

distillation began here and the Mount Gay Distillery dating from 1663 isprobablytheoldestoperatingrumproducerintheworldCuba produces light-bodied crisp clean rums from column stills It is

currentlyillegaltoshipCubanrumsintotheUnitedStatesThe Dominican Republic is notable for its full-bodied aged rums from

columnstillsGuyanaisjustlyfamousforitsrichheavyDemerararumsnamedforalocal

riverwhichareproducedfrombothpotandcolumnstillsDemerararumscanbeagedforextendedperiods(twenty-five-year-oldvarietiesareonthemarket)and are frequently used for blending with lighter rums from other regionsNeighboringSurinamandFrenchGuyanaproducesimilarfull-bodiedrumsHaitifollowstheFrenchtraditionofheavierrumsthataredoubledistilledin

potstillsandagedinoakcasksforthreeormoreyearstoproducefull-flavoredexceptionallysmooth-tastingrumsHaitialsostillhasanextensiveundergroundmoonshineindustrythatsuppliesthevoodooreligiousritualtrade

SagatibaPuraCachaccedila(Brazil)

Jamaicaiswellknownforitsricharomaticrumsmostofwhichareproducedin pot stills Jamaica has official classifications of rum ranging from light toveryfull-flavoredJamaicanrumsareusedextensivelyforblendingMartinique is a French island with the largest number of distilleries in the

Eastern Caribbean Both pot and column stills are used As on other Frenchislands such asGuadeloupe both rhum agricole (made from sugarcane juice)and rhum industriel (made from molasses) are produced These rums arefrequently aged in used French brandy casks for a minimum of three yearsRhumvieux(agedrum)isfrequentlycomparedtohigh-qualityFrenchbrandiesPuertoRico is knownprimarily for light verydry rums fromcolumn stills

AllPuertoRicanrumsmustbylawbeagedforaminimumofoneyearTrinidadproducesmainlylightrumsfromcolumnstillsandhasanextensive

exporttrade

THEVIRGINISLANDS

The Virgin Islands which are divided between the United States VirginIslands and the British Virgin Islands both produce light mixing rums fromcolumnstillsTheserumsandthoseofnearbyGrenadaalsoserveasthebaseforbayrumaclassicaftershavelotion

CENTRALAMERICA

CentralAmericahasavarietyofprimarilymedium-bodiedrumsfromcolumnstills that lend themselves well to aging They have recently begun to gaininternationalrecognition

SOUTHAMERICA

South America produces vast quantities of mostly light rums from columnstillswithunagedcanespiritfromBrazilcalledcachaccedilabeingthebest-knownexample Venezuela bucks this general trendwith a number of well-respectedbarrel-agedgoldenanddarkrums

NORTHAMERICA

North America has a handful of traditional rum distilleries in the southernUnited States producing a range of light-and medium-bodied rums that aregenerally marketed with Caribbean-themed names Modern craft distilleriesproducingrumhavesprungupinsomemoreunusuallocationswithparticularlynoteworthy producers including Prichardrsquos Distillery in Kelso Tennessee theRogueDistillery inNewportOregonand theTriple8Distillery inNantucketMassachusetts

CANADA

In Canada the 300-year-old tradition of trading rum for dried codfishcontinuesintheAtlanticMaritimeprovincesofNewfoundlandandNovaScotiawheregoldenrumsfromAntiguaBarbadosandJamaicaareimportedandagedforfiveyearsTheresultingheartyrumisknownlocallyasscreech

DistillerStefanHafenattheWeyermannDistillery(Germany)

EUROPE

Europe is primarily a blender of imported rums Both theUnitedKingdomandFrance import rums from their formercolonies in theCaribbean foragingandbottlingHeavydarkJamaicanrumsareimportedintoGermanyandmixedwithneutralspiritata119ratiotoproducerumverschnittAsimilarproductinAustriaiscalledinlanderrum

RecipecardfromRogueDistillery

AUSTRALIA

Australiaproducesasubstantialamountofwhiteandgoldenrumsinadouble-distillationmethodutilizingbothcolumnandpotstillsRumisthesecondmostpopular alcoholic beverage in the country after beer Light rums are alsoproducedonsomeoftheislandsintheSouthPacificsuchasTahiti

ASIA

InAsia rums tend to follow regional sugarcaneproductionwithwhite andgoldenrumsfromcolumnstillsbeingproducedprimarilyinthePhilippinesandThailand

TEQUILAMEZCALANDOTHERAGAVESPIRITS

ldquoAlltequilaismezcalbutnotallmezcalistequilardquomdashTequilamarketingmantra

TEQUILA its sister spiritmezcalandotheragavespirits trace theirorigins

backatleast2000yearstowhenoneormoreoftheIndiantribesthatinhabitedwhat isnowcentralMexicodiscoveredthat the juiceof theagaveplant if leftexposed to air would ferment and turn into a milky mildly alcoholic drinkNews of this discovery spread throughout agave-growing areas The Aztecscalled this beverage octili poliqhui a name that the Spaniards subsequentlycorruptedintopulque(POOL-kay)

Blueagavetherawmaterialfortequilaandmezcal

InAztecculturepulquedrinkinghadreligioussignificanceConsumptionbythemasseswaslimitedtospecificholidayswhenlargetubsofpulqueweresetup in public squaresThe ruling elitewas not subject to the same restrictionshoweveranddrankpulque throughout theyearmdashaprivilegesharedbycaptivewarriorsjustbeforetheyweresacrificedtothegodsWhentheSpanisharrivedinMexicointheearlysixteenthcenturytheysoon

begantomakeanddrinkpulqueButthelowalcoholcontent(around3percentABV) and earthy vegetal tastemade it less popular among the conquistadorsthan European-style beers and brandies Early attempts to distill pulque wereunsuccessful and the resulting spirit was harsh and acrid It was soondiscoveredhoweverthatcookingtheagavepulpresultedinasweeterjuicethatwhenfermentedbecameknownasmezcalwineThisldquowinerdquowasthendistilledintothespiritthatweknowtodayasmezcalEarly mezcal distilleries in the Spanish colony of Mexico operated in a

mannersimilartomodern-daybrewpubsThedistillingplantwasusuallysmallanditsproductionwasconsumedprimarilyinthedistillerytavern(taberna)Asthecolonygrewthemezcalwineindustryfollowedapaceandsoonbecameanimportant source of tax revenue for the Crown Periodic attempts by Spanishbrandyproducerstoshutdownthemezcalindustrywereaboutasunsuccessfulas similar efforts by English distillers to inhibit rum production in theBritishcoloniesinNorthAmerica

THEEVOLUTIONOFTEQUILA

In 1656 the village of Tequila (named for the local Ticuilas Indians) wasgrantedacharterbythegovernorofNewGaliciaTaxrecordsofthetimeshowthatmezcalwasalreadybeingproducedintheareaThismezcalmadefromthelocalblueagaveestablishedareputationforhavingasuperiortasteandbarrelsof the ldquomezcal wine from Tequilardquo were soon being shipped to nearbyGuadalajaraandmoredistantcitiessuchasthesilver-miningboomtownsofSanLuisPotosiacuteandAguascalientesTheoldestofthestill-existingdistilleriesinTequiladatesbackto1795when

the Spanish Crown granted a distillerrsquos license to Jose Cuervo In 1805 adistillerywas established thatwould ultimately come under the control of theSauzafamilyBythemid-1800sthereweredozensofdistilleriesandmillionsofagaveplantsundercultivationaroundTequila inwhathadbecome thestateofJalisco Gradually the locally produced mezcal came to be known as tequila(justas thegrapebrandyfromtheCognacregion inFrancecametobeknownsimplyascognac)

AjimadorharvestsblueagaveformakingtequilainJaliscoMexico

MexicoachievedindependencefromSpainin1821Butuntilthe1870sitwasapoliticallyunstablecountrythatexperiencedfrequentchangesingovernmentrevolutions and a disastrouswarwith theUnited StatesMarauding bands ofsoldiers and guerillas extracted ldquorevolutionary taxesrdquo and ldquovoluntaryrdquocontributionsinkindfromthetabernasanddistilleriesIn1876ageneralnamedPorfirioDiacuteaz whowas from themezcal-producing state ofOaxaca (oah-HA-kuh) came topower andushered in a thirty-five-yearperiodof relativepeaceandstabilityknownasthePorfiriatoItwasduringthisperiodthat thetequila industrybecamefirmlyestablished

Modest exports of tequila began to the United States and Europe with JoseCuervoshippingthefirst threebarrels toElPasoTexas in1873By1910thenumber of agave distilleries in the state of Jalisco had grown to almost ahundredThe collapse of the Diacuteaz regime in 1910 led to a decade-long period of

revolutionthatinhibitedthetequilaindustryThereturnofpeaceinthe1920sledto the expansion of tequila production in Jalisco beyond the area around thetown of Tequila with growth being particularly noteworthy in the highlandsaround the village of Arandas This period also saw the adoption of modernproduction techniques from the wine industry such as cultivated yeast andmicrobiologicalsanitarypracticesIn the 1930s the practice of adding non-agave sugars to the aguamiel or

ldquohoneywaterrdquowasintroducedandquicklyadoptedbymanytequilaproducersThesemixto(mixed)tequilashadalessintensetastethan100percentblueagavetequilasButthisrelativeblandnessalsomadethemmoreappealingtononnativeconsumersparticularlythoseintheUnitedStates

THEBASISOFTEQUILAANDMEZCAL

TequilaandmezcalaremadebydistillingthefermentedjuiceofagaveplantsinMexico The agave is a spiky-leafedmember of the lily family (it is not acactus) and is related to the century plant ByMexican law the agave spiritcalled tequila can be made only from one particular type of agave the blueagave (Agave tequilana Weber) and it can be produced only in specificallydesignated geographic areas primarily the state of Jalisco in west-centralMexicoMezcalismadefromthefermentedjuiceofotherspeciesofagaveItisproducedthroughoutmostofMexico

FieldsofblueagaveinJaliscoMexico

Both tequila and mezcal are prepared for distillation in similar ways Theagave also know as maguey (pronounced muh-GAY) is cultivated onplantations for eight to ten years depending on the type of agaveWhen theplantreachessexualmaturityitstartstogrowaflowerstalkTheagavefarmerorcampesinocutsoff thestalk justas it is starting togrowThis redirects theplant growth into the central stalk swelling it into a large bulbous shape thatcontainsasweetjuicypulpWhentheswellingiscompletedthecampesinocutstheplantfromitsrootsandremovesthelongsword-shapedleavesusingarazor-sharp pike-like tool called a coa The remaining pintildea (ldquopineapplerdquomdashso-calledbecause the cross-thatched denuded bulb resembles a giant green and whitepineapple)weighsanywherefromtwenty-fivetoonehundredpoundsAt the distillery the pintildeas are cut into quarters For tequila they are then

slowly baked in steam ovens or autoclaves until all of the starch has beenconverted to sugars Formezcal they are baked in underground ovens heatedwithwoodcharcoal (whichgivesmezcal itsdistinctivesmoky taste)Theyarethencrushed(traditionallywithastonewheeldrawnaroundacirculartroughbyamule)andshreddedtoextractthesweetjuicecalledaguamiel(honeywater)

WHATBINGCROSBYANDJIMMYBUFFETTHAVEINCOMMON

Modestamountsof tequilahadbeenexported intoUSborder townssincethelatenineteenthcenturyThefirstmajorboost to tequilasales in theUnitedStates came in the late1940swhen themargarita cocktail ablendof tequilalimejuiceorangeliqueurandicewasinventedItsoriginsareuncertainbutHollywoodactorsandcocktailpartiesinCaliforniaandMexicanresortsseemtobe involved inmost of the genesis stories It is known that crooner and actorBingCrosbywassotakenwithoneparticularbrandoftequilaHerradurathatheteamedupwithfellowactorPhilHarristoimportthebrandintotheUnitedStatesThemargaritaalongwiththetequilasunriseandthetequilasourhavebecomehighlypopularintheUnitedStatesinfactitisclaimedbymanyintheliquor industry that the margarita is the single most popular cocktail in thenation In the 1970swhenballadeer JimmyBuffett sangof ldquowasting away inMargaritavillerdquothesuccessofthesongenticedmillionsmoreAmericanstosipfromthesalt-rimmedmargaritaglass

FERMENTATIONAGAVEORMIXTO

The fermentation stage determines whether the final product will be 100percent agave or mixed (ldquomixtordquo) The highest-quality tequila is made fromfermentingandthendistillingjustagavejuicemixedwithsomewaterMixtoismadeby fermentingand thendistilling amixof agave juice andother sugarsusuallycanesugarwithwaterMixtosmadeandbottledinMexicocancontainupto40percentalcoholmadefromothersugarsMixtosthathavebeenshippedinbulktoothercountriesforbottling(primarilytheUnitedStates)mayhavetheagavecontentfurtherreducedto51percentbytheforeignbottlerByMexicanlaw all 100 percent agave or aged tequilas must be bottled in Mexico If atequilais100percentagaveitwillalwayssaysoonthebottlelabelIfitdoesnrsquotsay100percentitisamixtoalthoughthattermisseldomusedonbottlelabels

Stillsusedforproducingtequila

DISTILLATIONANDAGINGOFTEQUILAANDMEZCAL

Traditionallytequilaandmezcalhavebeendistilledinpotstillsat110degproof(55percentABV)Theresultingspiritisclearbutcontainsasignificantamountof congeners and other flavor elements Some light-colored tequilas are nowbeingrectified(redistilled)incolumnstillstoproduceacleanerblanderspirit

THEBLUEAGAVESTRIKESBACK

From the1930s through the1980s thebulk of the tequila beingproducedwasoftheblendedmixtovarietyTheoriginal100percentagavetequilaswerereducedtoaminorspecialtyproductinthemarketInthelate1980stherisingsuccess of single malt Scotch whiskies and expensive cognacs in theinternationalmarketplacedidnotgounnoticedamong tequilaproducersNewbrandsof100percentblueagave tequilaswere introducedandsalesbeganasteadygrowthcurvethatcontinuestothisday

Color in tequila and mezcal comes mostly from the addition of caramelalthoughbarrelagingisafactorinsomehigh-qualitybrandsAdditionallysomedistillers add small amounts of natural flavorings such as sherry pruneconcentrateandcoconuttomanipulatetheproductrsquosflavorprofileTheseaddedflavors donot standout themselves but instead serve to smoothout theoftenhard-edgedpalateofagavespirit

Barrelssetforagingtequilainaware-housetastingroom

MEZCALANDTHEWORM

TherulesandregulationsthatgoverntheproductionandpackagingoftequiladonotapplytoagavespiritsproducedoutsideofthedesignatedareasinMexicoSome mezcal distilleries are very primitive and very small The best-knownmezcalscomefromthesouthernstateofOaxacaalthoughtheyareproducedina number of other states Eight varieties of agave are approved for mezcalproductionbut thechiefvarietyused is theespadinagave (AgaveangustifoliaHaw)

CLASSIFICATIONSOFTEQUILA

Beyond the two basic designations of tequilamdashagave and mixtomdashthere arefourcategories

ASTHEWORMTURNS

The upgrading and upscaling of tequila has in turn inspired mezcalproducers to undertake similarmeasures In the past few years an increasingnumber of high-end mezcals including some intriguing ldquosingle villagerdquobottlingshavebeenintroducedtothemarketMezcalnowseemstobecomingintoitsownasadistinctivenoteworthyspirit

Thefamousldquowormrdquofound insomebottlesofmezcal (ldquocongusanordquo) is thelarvaofoneoftwomothsthatliveontheagaveplantThereasonforaddingtheworm to thebottleofmezcal is obscureButone storywhich at least has theappealoflogictobackitupisthatthewormservesasproofofhighproofthewormremainsintactinthebottleifthepercentageofalcoholinthespiritishighenoughtopreservethepickledwormConsumingthewormwhichcanbedonewithoutharmhasservedasariteofpassageforgenerationsoffraternityboysTop-qualitymezcalsdonotincludeaworminthebottle

AbottleofAguaAzulablueagaveeaudevie

BrendanMoylanholdsupacoupleofbottlesofJBWagonerrsquos100percentBlueAgaveSpiritsinfrontofhiswell-stockedbar

NON-MEXICANAGAVESPIRITS

Federal excise tax records indicate that tequila-like agave spirits wereproducedinthe1930sinthesouthwesternUnitedStatesMorerecentlymoderncraftdistillershavebeguntoexperimentwiththeirownagavespiritssuchasJBWagonerrsquos Ultra Premium 100 percent Blue Agave Spirits by SkyrocketDistillersinTemuculaCaliforniaAguaAzulbyStGeorgeSpiritsinAlamedaCaliforniaandGoldAgavebyStJamesSpiritsinIrwindaleCalifornia

TEQUILACOCKTAILS

CLASSICMARGARITA

TakeashortglassWettherimwithlimejuicePuttheglassupsidedownincoarsesaltsothatthesaltclingstotherimInacocktailshakercombine

bull1frac12ounces(45ml)silvertequilabullfrac34ounce(23ml)TripleSecbullfrac34ounce(23ml)limejuicebullIcetofillShakeandstrainintothesalt-rimmedglassandgarnishwithalimeslice

FROZENFRUITMARGARITA

TakeashortglassWettherimwithlimejuiceandputtheglassupsidedownin coarse salt so salt clings to the rim (this step is optional) Combine theingredients for the ClassicMargarita in a blender with very ripe fruit (6 to 7ounces[170to200g]freshor4ounces[115g]frozen)Add34cupiceBlenduntilsmoothandpourintotheglass

TEQUILASUNRISEFillatallglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)silvertequilabullOrangejuicealmosttofillSlowlypourfrac12ounce (15ml)grenadine syrupover the top (As it trickles

downitcreatestheldquosunriserdquoeffect)

LIQUEURSSCHNAPPSANISEANDBITTERS

LIQUEURSschnappsaniseandbittersaretermsthatcoverawidevariety

of types of spirits What they all share in common is that they are flavoredspirits

LIQUEURS

Also known as cordials liqueurs are sweet flavor-infused spirits that arecategorized according to the flavoring agent (fruits nuts herbal and spiceblends creams and such)Theword liqueur comes from theLatin liquifacere(ldquotodissolverdquo)andreferstothedissolvingofflavoringsinthespiritsArtificialflavoringsarestrictlyregulatedinmostcountriesandwhereallowedtheymustbeprominentlylabeledassuch

BLENDEDFAMILIES

AllliqueursareblendseventhosewithaprimaryflavorAtouchofvanillais added to cregraveme de cacao to emphasize the chocolate Citrus flavor notessharpen the presentation of anise Herbal liqueurs may contain dozens ofdifferent flavor elements that a master blender manipulates to achieve thedesiredflavorprofile

MasterdistillerTedHuberpoursatHuberStarlightDistillery

Top-qualityliqueursareproducedbydistillationofeitherthefermentedflavormaterials or the spirit in which they have been infused Many liqueurs usefinishedspiritssuchascognacrumorwhiskeyas theirbaseOthersmaceratefruitorotherflavoringsinaneutralspiritCregravemes(cregravemedementhecregravemedecacao etc) are liqueurswith a primary flavor while cream liqueurs combinedairycreamandalcoholinahomogenizedshelf-stableblend

LabelforCoffeeLiqueurbyMcMenaminsEdgefieldDistillery

Liqueurs are not usually aged for any great length of time but they mayundergo resting stages during their production to allow the various flavors toldquomarryrdquointoaharmoniousblendLiqueurscanbehardtoclassifybutregardlessofflavortheycanbebroadly

dividedintotwocategoriesGenericsareliqueursofaparticulartype(cregravemedecacaoorcuraccedilaoforexample)hatcanbemadebyanyproducerProprietariesare liqueurs with trademarked names that are made according to a specificformula Examples of such liqueurs include Kahluacutea Grand Marnier andSouthernComfort

AvanWeesDeOoievaarfruitliqueurfromtheNetherlands

SCHNAPPS

Schnapps is a general term used for an assortment of white and flavoredspiritsthathaveoriginatedinnortherncountriesorregionssuchasGermanyorScandinavia Schnapps can bemade from grain potatoes ormolasses and beflavoredwith virtually anything (watermelon and root beer schnapps from theUnited States being proof of that) The dividing line between schnapps andflavoredvodkaisvagueandismoreculturalthanstylistic

ANISE-FLAVOREDSPIRITS

These spirits can vary widely in style depending on the country of originThey can be dry or very sweet low or high proof distilled from fermentedaniseedormaceratedinneutralspiritInFranceanis(asproducedbyPernod)isproducedbydistillinganiseanda

varietyofotherbotanicalstogetherPastisismaceratedratherthandistilledandcontainsfewerbotanicalsthananisInItalysambucaisdistilledfromaniseandbotanicals but it is thenheavily sweetened tomake it a liqueurOil of fennel(alsoknownasgreenanise)isfrequentlyaddedtoboostthearomaofthespiritGreecehasadriergrappa-likeliqueurcalledouzowhichisstylisticallyclosetopastis

TangerineCelloandSpicyGingerorganicliqueursfromNewDealDistillery

RosolisZiolowyGorzki(stomachbitters)fromtheLancutDistilleryinPoland

BITTERS

The modern-day descendents of medieval medical potions bitters aremarketed as having at least some vaguely therapeutic value (stomach settlershangover cures and so on) They tend to be flavored with herbs roots andbotanicalsandcontainlowerquantitiesoffruitandsugarthanliqueursAlthoughtherearespecialtyliqueurproducersmostbrandsareproducedby

generalditillersaspartofanextendedproductlineAmongthenewgenerationof craft distillers some of the standout liqueur producers include LeopoldBrothersDistilleryofDenverColoradowith theiruniquewhiskey-based fruitliqueurs (the RockyMountain Blackberry is particularly noteworthy) and theFlagHillDistillery inLeeNewHampshirewith theirdelicately tingedSugarMapleLiqueur

LabelforJohnnyZieglerBlackForestStyleAppleAuxPommeSchnapsEaudeViebyWinegardenEstateinNewBrunswickCanada

LabelforBlackberryLiqueurbyClearCreekDistillery

ABSINTHEMAKESTHEHEARTGROWFONDER

AbsintheVertebyStGeorgeSpirits

Modernpastisisthegenteeldescendentofitsmuchmoreraffishnineteenth-century ancestor absinthe a high (sometimes very high) proof anise liquor(technically not a liqueur because no sugar is added) that included extract ofwormwoodinitslistofbotanicalsWormwoodcontainsthechemicalcompoundthujonewhose allegedpsychedelic effectsmadeabsinthe very popular amongtheldquoBohemianrdquocountercultureartistsand intellectualsofFranceandEurope(Vincent vanGogh andOscarWildewere devotees of what was termed ldquoTheGreenFairyrdquo)ConverselysocialconservativesandprohibitionistscampaignedagainstitasthecrackcocaineofthedayandeventuallygotitoutlawedinmostEuropeancountriesandtheUnitedStatesModernscientificanalysishasfoundthujonersquospsychedelicpotencytobeatbestgreatlyexaggerated

LeTourmentVertFrenchAbsinthebyBrunoDelannoyofDistillerieVinetEge

Forbiddenfruitisalwaysappealingandstartinginthe1990sabsinthewhichcontinued to be commercially produced in Eastern Europe slowly started toreturn to the general marketplace initially in ldquothujone-freerdquo versions fromFrance and Switzerland and more recently from an increasing number ofAmerican craft distillers suchasNorthShoreDistilling inLakeBluff Illinoisand St George Distilling in Alameda California One thing that has notchangedaboutabsintheisitshighalcoholcontent

AbsintheVertebyLeopoldBros

ARTISANPROFILEINSIDETHEINDUSTRY

PHILPRICHARD

PrichardrsquosDistilleryKelsoTennessee

PHILPRICHARDwasstillworkingin telecomsales inMemphiswhenhereadtheclassicTheLoreofStillBuildingandstartedteachinghimselftomakerumHis first sale came in March of 2001 (thirty cases for $2929) It was the

product of four years of work His initial plan was to make a product fromTennessee sorghum but he learned that rumhad to come from sugarcaneHewasnrsquot discouraged ldquoThe transition was rather easy By that time I hadresearchedthehistoryofAmericanrumandwejustslidintothenewprofileItfitverywellrdquoSoontractor-trailerloadsofmolasseswerebeingdriveninWhatsets Prichardrsquos apart from other rum is the use of first-grade sweetmolassesrather than blackstrap Using better molasses ldquofocused our attention on theproductionofatraditionalAmericanrumrdquosaidPrichardBlackstrapaswellasbeingusedtomakerumisputoncattleandhorsefeedandPrichardsaidldquoInAfricatheyputitontheroadstokeepthedustdownItrsquos32percentsugarand68percentLordknowswhatrdquoEd Hamiltonmdashnoted scholar author and keeper ofMinistryof Rumcommdash

saidldquoByusingahigh-grademolassesastherawmaterialhereducestheneedto distill to a high proof in order to reduce the sulfur compounds that are thedistillerrsquos banerdquo The results are evident ldquoPhil hasmanaged to dowhatmostmolassesdistillersonlywishtheycoulddordquosaidHamiltonldquodistillagoodwhiterumandmakeitdrinkablewithoutagingitPhilmakesanimpressivelysmoothwhiterumthathasnrsquotbeenagedyetretainsthecoconutandbutterscotchflavorsthatareitssignaturerdquoPrichard takes some of this white rum and barrels itWhile the rest of the

industry saves money aging their product in used fifty-two-gallon whiskeybarrels Prichard ages his rum in new small barrels of fifteen gallons Thisprovidesmoresurfaceareaforthespirittointeractwiththecharredoakanditdevelopsseriousflavorsnot typicallyfoundinarumagedfor just threeyearsHamiltonhadmorepraiseldquoPrichardrsquosFineRumisanothergreatexampleofthesmalldistillerrsquosartTherelativelylowdistillationproofandhighbarrelsurfaceareatovolumeyieldarumthatremindstheimbiberoftheotherspiritsforwhichTennesseeismorewellknownrdquoPrichard is expanding He bought bourbon from Heaven Hill in Kentucky

ageditagaininnewbarrelsandbottleditasDoubleBarrelBourbonFinishingbourbonthiswayisrare(BeamandBuffaloTracehavebothexperimentedwithit) and Double Barrel Bourbon was well received Building a distillery ldquowasdifficult beyond imagination Building a nationwide distribution network hasbeenourgreatestchallengeandthemostcostlyrdquoRegardlessofthechallengesPrichardmoveseverforwardInMarchof2009thedistillerybeganproducingitsownwhiskey

CHAPTEREIGHT

AGALLERYOFARTISANDISTILLERS

ldquoDrinkingyoungwhiskey is something that isdoneonly instillhousesandbarsinItalyLetyourspiritmaturetoaproperdegreeofripenessrdquo

ndashMichaelJacksoncritiquinganearlyexampleofcraftdistilledwhiskey

WhenIowafloodedJeffQuintoftheCedarRidgeDistilleryfilledhisstillwithwatertokeepitfromfloatingawayinthedeluge

THERE is a spirit revolutionhappening in theUnitedStates one thatwillchange theentirespirit industryDistillerswithan intensepassionfor thecraftlay their hearts souls and economic futures on the line for the purpose ofmakingtheidealliquidspiritThesesmallcompaniessometimesrunbyoneortwopeoplecreateavarietyofspiritstoonumeroustomentioninasinglebreathTheircreationsandblendsarenolessvaluableorquality-driventhanbignamebrandssomeevenmoresoThesenichespiritshavetheadvantageofcreativitythat expands the scopeofwhat the liquor industryhas tooffernotonly to theUSbuttotheworldThesemicro-distillerslackthenamerecognitionandthefundingthatbignamecompaniesusetohelpmarkettheirproductsbutsomeofthemwillbecomethehouseholdnamesofthefuturemdashjustasJackDanielsandJohnnyWalkerdistillersfromthepasthavebecomeinourtime

-AdaptedfromCheriLoughlinrsquosIntoxicologistblogwwwintoxicologistwordpresscom

CHAPTERSIX

BRANDYANDEAUDEVIE

CHAPTERSEVEN

RUMTEQUILALIQUERSANDMORE

CHAPTEREIGHT

AGALLERYOFARTISANDISTILLERS

CHAPTERNINE

DISTILLINGRESOURCES

THEDISTILLERrsquoSLIBRARY

THEDISTILLERrsquoSGLOSSARY

DIRECTORYOFDISTILLERIES

INDEX

ABOUTTHECONTRIBUTORS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

ABOUTTHEAUTHORS

FOREWORD

THESECONDWhiskeyRebellionishappeningintheUnitedStatesandit

isalreadyspreadingaroundtheworldInthismarvelousbookBillOwensAlanDiktyandtheircontributorsmdashlikeintrepidwarcorrespondentsmdashtakeyoutothefront lines You will find here an up-to-the-minute report on the excitementcreativityandbrashenthusiasmoftheUnitedStatesrsquocraftdistillers

DetailofthefermentingprocessofmakingbourbonWoodfordReserveDistillery

I have known Bill Owens since his early involvement in the USrsquosmicrobrewing renaissance He was one of the movementrsquos most ferventinnovatorsHisownachievementsaremanyandhisenthusiasmfor thewholewild explosionofbrewingcreativity is evidenced inhisobvious enjoymentofthesuccessesofhisbrewingcolleaguesThe craft-brewing renaissance of course began in the 1960s By the early

rsquo90s it was inevitable that it would evolve into a craft-distilling renaissanceAnd so Bill and his cohorts are at it again now celebrating a small-distilleryrevolutionandthevarietyandcreativitythatisspringingupeverywhereYeswenow have ldquocraftrdquo whiskey distillers experimenting with all facets of graindistillingAndaswiththebrewingrevolutiontheconsumerreapstherewardsWe are entering a golden age for the spirits lover and The Art of DistillingWhiskey andOther Spirits An Enthusiastrsquos Guide to the ArtisanDistilling ofPotentPotablesisanindispensableguidebooktoitsbeginnings

CharringoakbarrelsatBluegrassCooperage

Where did the craft-distilling phenomenon originate You could say that itcamedownfromthemountainswherepot-distilledwhiskeysmadebyhandmdashinsecretfoldsmdashhaveneverentirelydisappearedOryoucouldsaythatitcameupfrom the vineyards and orchardswhere formany years there has been a tinycraft-distilling segment of superb hand-crafted fruit brandies and eaux-de-vieJustknowthatasecondWhiskeyRebellionisuponusandthatit ishappeningright now in a little building near you And if you have picked up this bookalready knowing about the great food awakening and hoping for a guide todistillingyouhavefounditWhat particularly fascinates me about the distillation of alcohol is the

enduringmysterysurroundingitsoriginsDistillationitselfisaphysicalartwitha longmdashand colorfulmdashhistory And the distilling of all sorts of materials formyriadpurposesisanancientprocessButwhendidtheproductionofdistilledspirits as a beverage beginYou arewelcome to your opinion and good luckfindinganyonetoagreewithyouNomatterwhatyouthinkIencourageyoutosavor the eternal enigma that is embodied in a distilled spirit It is a form ofmagic to take fruit or grain ferment it put it in a pot heat it and make itdisappearentirelyandthenwatchitreappeardropbydropasaclearvolatilealmostetherealliquidAnditisadangerousliquidmdashdonotkidyourselfItcancatchfireitcanexplodeandabusingitcanruinlivesItispowerfulmysteriousstuff surely one reason that it captures the imagination of the producers andconsumersswirlingandswillingaroundthecurrentawakeningSo drink deep of Bill and Alanrsquos guide get on the road with them go

exploring and learning and enjoybeing an earlyparticipant in themovementAnd takemyword for it as a distiller of whiskey since the secondWhiskeyRebellionrsquosfirstshotldquoHeadswewintailswewinrdquo

FritzMaytagAnchorDistilling

SanFranciscoApril2009

INTRODUCTION

ASAYOUNGMANinthe1970sIhadlonghairaVolkswagenBeetlea

hip wife and a career as a newspaper photographer I also published fourphotographymonographsincludingtheclassicSUBURBIA(stillinprint)andIreceived a Guggenheim Fellowship in photography and three NationalEndowment for theArtsgrantsMydreamwas towork forLIFEmagazineorNationalGeographic and I ended up stringing for the Associated Press andcoveredtheHellrsquosAngelsbeatingpeoplewithpoolcuesatAltamontWhileallthiswashappeningIwashomebrewinginthegarageBy the1980swhen I reachedmiddleage Ihada flattop sold theVWand

camerasand lostawonderfulwife In1982Iopened thefirstbrewpubin theUnited States Buffalo Billrsquos Brewery in Hayward California The beer wasgood My pumpkin ale is still being brewed by many breweries My publicimagewasldquocolorfulrdquoandthenewsmedialovedmeIstartedbelievingmyownpressclipsIopenedtwomorebrewpubsandlaunchedapublicstockofferingtofundthebuildingofalarge-scaleproductionbreweryItallseemedlikeagoodidea at the time It was after all ldquoMorning in Americardquo Reagan was in the

WhiteHouseandtheoperativephraseforthetimeswasldquoGreedisgoodrdquoIwantedsuccessmoneyIhadthreebrewpubsIgrossedamilliondollarsthat

yearbutIhadtopaysixtyemployeesandendedupwithnoprofitThingsdonrsquotalwaysworkoutasyoudreamThestockofferingnevergotoffthegroundandonebyonethebrewpubsweresoldoffwithBuffaloBillrsquosbeingthelasttogoButIrsquollalwayshaveAlimonyAle(ldquoThebitterestbeerinAmericardquo)By the 1990s I had gray hair and a new wife and I was publishing two

magazinesAmericanBrewerandBEERTheMagazineOnceagainmytimingwasgoodandtheAmericanBrewer rodethefirstgreatwaveofcraftbrewingThingswere lookinggreatbut financially the twomagazines turnedout tobenot such a great idea I soon stopped publishing BEER and sold AmericanBrewerSoonafter theAARPmailingsstartedshowingupand Iopenedanantique

store That venture lasted six months Then my agent sold some SUBURBIAphotographstoEltonJohngivingmeenoughmoneyfora(used)Lexusandthecash fora three-month tripacrossAmerica so I ranawayfromhomeOn thistrip I decided to visit some craft distilleries Iwas intrigued and the creativejuices started to flow again When I returned to California I founded theAmerican Distilling Institute (ADI) In 2003 I held the first ADI distillingconferenceatStGeorgeHangarOneDistilleryandsomeeightypeopleshowedupIn2007 Idecided tomakeanother tripacrossAmericaAgain the tripwas

fundedby sellingphotographs tomuseums anassortmentof art galleries andfriendsintheUnitedStatesandinEuropeThissecondtrip(21000miles)tookfourmonthsandfromfifty-threeDVDsofimagesweselectedahundredorsoforthisbookBy2009theADIdatabasecontained1246namesofwhich205aremembersandofthose165arecraftdistillersThefuturefortheindustryisbrightMoreandmorepeoplewanttolearntheartofcraftdistillingTheywantto learn how to run small businesses selling their handcrafted products to thepublicMyrecentldquohow-tordquobookCraftWhiskeyDistillinghassold300copiesinthreemonthsThecraftdistillingindustryisreallyaboutlifestylePeopletakegreatpridein

producingtheirproductsThisbookisalookatcraftdistillersandtherestofthewhiskeyrumvodkaandginindustryIstillhaveafootinbothcampsphotographyanddistillationButifIhadto

chooseitrsquodbedistillingbecauseitrsquosawayoflifeSpecial thanks toAlanDikty the editor of this book and a personal friend

AlanhasbeenwithmeasafriendandwriterforsomethirtyyearsAlanknowsspiritsAbigthank-youalsotoAndrewFaulknerphotographerandphotoeditorforthisbook

BillOwensHaywardCalifornia

March2009

AUTHORrsquoSNOTEONSPELLING

For reasons that have yet to be adequately explained American and Irishdistillers spell the word whiskey with an e while their Scotch CanadianJapaneseandNewZealandpeersspellwhiskywithoutit

CHAPTERONE

ABRIEFHISTORYOFDISTILLING

SINCEtheearliestknownuseofdistillationabout5000yearsagopractice

ofthearthasgrownandspreadaroundtheworldinseveralwavesthespeedandextent of each being dictated by geography trade routes and cultural andreligious influences Each successive wave gave rise to significant technicaladvances in distillation making it less expensive more efficient and morecontrollable

VeryFineWhiskeybottlecircathe1920sThisvintagebottlewasacquiredatafleamarketthenfilledwithOldForrester

PossiblytheearliestwrittenrecordofdistillationisintheEpicofGilgameshwhich describes a formof essential oil distillation practiced inBabylon as farback as 3000 BCE Herbs were placed in a large heated cauldron of boilingwater and the cauldronrsquos opening was covered with a sheepskin fleece sidedownPeriodically thesheepskinwaschangedandthecondensatesoakingthefleecewaswrungoutintoasmalljarEssentialoilsfloatedtothesurfaceofthewatercollected in the jarandwereskimmedoffMedieval textsandwoodcutsshowthesameprinciplebeingusedtoconcentratealcoholicvaporsfromboilingwine(IncidentallythisissimilarinprincipletoamethodthatthePhoeniciansusedforconsumingcannabis)

DISTILLINGMIGRATESEASTANDWEST

By 500BCE alcohol distillationwas an established industry in the ancientIndian area known as Taxila (in modern northwest Pakistan) wherearcheologistsdiscoveredaperfectlypreservedterra-cottadistillationsystemInthisprocess steam rising fromapotofboilingwaterpassed throughabedoffermented grains picking up alcohol and flavors from the grains The vaporsthen struck the bottom of a second pot filled with cold water where theycondensedanddrippedintoacollectiontubeFromTaxila knowledge spread to theEast and theWest andby350BCE

knowledgeofthedistillingprocessappearedinthewritingofAristotleinGreeceand Sinedrius in Libya The first arrival of distillation technology inChina ismisty but by 25CE bronze stills of similar designwere being produced andusedthereBytheendofthefirstmillenniumCEthepracticeofdistillationhadspread

throughout northern Africa and the Middle East The process had advancedsignificantlyoverthisthousand-yearperiodandthematerialbeingdistilledwasnowboileddirectlyinalargesealedpotwhichhadalongtubeleadingfromitsapextoasmallcollectionjarWhentheMoorsinvadedSpaintheybroughtthistechnologywiththemandsoonthegenie(orspirit)wasoutof thebottleThetechnologyspreadfromSpaintoItalyin1100CEandwasrecordedinIrelandby 1200 Germany by 1250 and France by 1300 England Scotland PolandRussiaandSwedenjoinedtheclubby1400

DISTILLINGTECHNOLOGYEVOLVES

EuropeanexplorationandconquestspreadrapidlyaroundtheworldcarryingthetechnologyofdistillationwithitThefirststillsintheAmericasappearednotlong after the conquistadores and the Portuguese brought the technology toJapanby1500This technologywas largely controlled by alchemists andmonasterieswho

continuouslyexperimentedandimprovedontheequipmentBythemid-1600sseveraltextshadbeenpublishedonthesubjectofdistillationasampleofwhichincludedthewoodcutsonthisspreadfromTheArtofDistillationbyJonathanFrench(1651)AsthisinformationspreadbeyondclericalandscientificcircleswealthyindividualsbegantoestablishstillhousesontheirestatesAs knowledge blossomed throughout theRenaissance distillation continued

to develop rapidly Distillation was removed from the exclusive province ofscientists monks and professionals and became a common household artRecipebooksabounded

ThesewoodcutsfromTheArtofDistillationbyJonathanFrench(1651)showasmallpartofthewidevarietyofformsdistillingequipmenthadtakenbytheseventeenthcenturyTwokeyimprovementsareshownmultipledistillationsinonesetup(onestillfeedingintothenext)topofpageandanimprovedvaporcondenser(acoiloftubingknownasaldquowormrdquoinabarrelofcoldwater)belowandoppositepage

ldquoThere is more refreshment and stimulation in a nap even of thebriefestthaninallthealcoholeverdistilledrdquo

mdashOvid(ancientRomanclassicalpoetandnotoriouswetblanketatbacchanals43ndash17BCE)Bythe1700sthecomplexityandsophisticationofcommercial-scaledistilling

equipmentadvancedrapidlyAdvancesintheunderstandingofhowdistillationactuallyworked led to new still designs that couldmake better quality spiritsmoreeasilyandfasterthaninthepastDistillingbecamemoreaccessibletothemasses and the monopoly held by the church and the elite classes wasthreatenedThesecentersofpower soonenacted restrictions at first toprotectthatmonopolyandlaterpurelyforrevenue

GEORGEWASHINGTONANDGERRYMANDERING

ItiswellknownthatGeorgeWashingtonwasadistillerWhatislesswellknownisthatthelawshecraftedsetthedistinctionbetweentheheavilytaxedsmalldistillersandthelightlytaxedlargedistillersthelinebeingdrawnjustbelowthesizeofhisdistilleryPoliticsworkedinmuchthesamewaythenasitdoestoday

TheGeorgeWashingtonstillrecreationattheMountVernonDistilleryinMountVernonVirginia

REGULATIONANDREBELLION

Since1700theregulationandcontrolofdistillationhasbeenmostlyastoryoflostfreedomsandrightsAfewraysofsunshinehavesincepokedthroughthecloudsTheelite andgovernmentsofEurope tried repeatedly to exploit andcontrol

distillationInEnglandforexamplethefirsttaxationofcommercialdistillationappearedin1690topayforawarwithFrancePrivatedistillationwasexemptedfrom this tax and it remained free from interference as taxes and regulationswere raised lowered abolished and resurrectedover thenext centuryPrivatedistillation in England flourished and grew significantly during this time (andperhapsnota littleof thisproduct found itsway intocommercialchannelsviathe back door) until it was outlawed in 1781 to enhance the collection ofrevenueThemassiveGinCrazeofearlyeighteenth-centuryGreatBritainhaditsrootsinpartinthisunfetteredspreadofdistillation

BlueprintofaSimpleStill

a)SteamjacketHeatsthepotandthewashb)PotHoldsthewashc)SwanNeckAllowsforseparationofthecomponentsofthemixtured)TubeinShellCondenserCondensesthealcoholvaporsinspiritse)SpigotThevaporsarecollectedfromaspigotatthebottomofthecondenser

ThreestrippingstillsandaspiritstillmadefromstainlesssteeldrumsattheNewDealDistillery

TheUnitedStatesgovernmentrsquosfirstattempttotaxdistillationresultedintheWhiskey Rebellion of 1791 which was put down by federal troops led byGeorgeWashington(whowasbroughtoutofretirementfortheconflict)FederalexcisetaxeswereabolishedaftertheendoftheWarof1812onlyto

beimposedduringtheCivilWarinthe1860s(andcontinuetothisday)Napoleon introduced regulation in France The laws variedwidely over the

nextcenturybutstabilizedin1914whentherightwasgrantedtoanyonewithavineyard or orchard to distill up to 20 liters of spirits from their fruit if theyagreedtopayataxThisrightwasoriginallyinheritablebutthatwasrevokedinthe 1950s This system led to the development of traveling stills known asbouilleurs de cru which were once very common sights in the FrenchcountrysideBecausethenumberofpermittedindividualshasshrunkwitheverypassingyearveryfewofthesemobiledistilleriesremainAustralians lost their right to distill their ownbeverages in the aftermathof

WorldWarIagainasarevenuemeasureMany African Latin American and southern European nations have

continuedtoallowprivatedistillationunderawidevarietyofrulesrangingfromnone through inspection of stills to onerous regulations and high taxation Ingeneral traditional alcoholic beverages are made in most farmhouses usingtraditional equipment (mostlypot stills ofvarious forms)without anyadverseeffectsonsocietyThemostrecentandhopefulchangeintheglobalregulationofdistillationwas

the legalization of private noncommercial distilling byNewZealand in 1996TheNewZealandgovernment found that the expenseof enforcing thebanonprivatedistillationfaroutweighedtherevenuecomingfromfinessothelawwasabolishedThischangeledtowidespreadadoptionofsmall-scaledistillingasahobby and as hobbyists always will they experimented with equipment andtechniques continuously Many significant innovations have been developedmaking small-scale distilling equipment more available much less expensiveandverymucheasiertocontrolthananythingthatcamebefore

FUTURETRENDS

Just as the appearance of microbreweries followed the renaissance ofhomebrewing increasing thechoicesand levelofquality for allbeerdrinkersmicrodistilleries are starting to thrive around theworld someusing traditionalequipmentbutmanyusingnewequipmentmethodsandtechniquesdevelopedbythenewly liberatedhomedistillersManyof thesemodernsmalldistilleriesareexperimentingwithnew typesandcategoriesof spirits creatingnovel andsometimesuniquelylocalspirits

MOONSHINE

As surely as thunder follows lightning whiskey follows beer and in the1980sthescentofwhiskeychargedtheairlikeanapproachingstorm

THEPROSPECTofmakingwhiskeyginryebrandyandotherflavorsomespirits at home is enough tomake somemodern cocktail enthusiasts and craftbrewersgrowglint-eyedEversoquietlythemoreadventuresomeofthemhavebegun tending home-sized stills to make the smallest-batch American spiritssince the Prohibition days of stove-top alky cookers Unlike unscrupulousproducers whomade rotgut that could blind cripple and occasionally kill itsdrinkersmanyoftodayrsquoshomedistillershaveadoptedhigh-techequipmentandacodeofhonorthatostracizesthosewhotrytoselltheirmakingsBecausethesedistillers are running the very best they can for their immediate friends andfamiliestheresultscanbespectacularlygood

AtombstonethatwasusedduringProhibitionforstashingmoonshinenearMorgantownWestVirginia

Theability to createpersonal stocksof liquor fromscratch falls squarely inthe modern mixologistrsquos pursuit of making what canrsquot easily be hadmdashrealgrenadinefromactualpomegranatesginger-spikedfalernumJamaicarsquospimentodramasuckerpunchofallspiceandrumandpotentaromatichousebittersmdashbutall tunedto theirpersonal tastesWhenitcomestomakingthebasespiritsforthosebittersitcouldnrsquotbeeasiermdashorcheaper

Moonshinestilldismantled

BUTISITLEGAL

Making bitters and falernum from pre-distilled spirits is entirely legalHoweverunlicenseddistillersoperatingunregistered stillsviolateanumberoffederal state and local laws but a lack of permits hasnrsquot stopped would-bedistillers from buying and building personal stills in increasing numbers sincethemid-1990sSomeofthemarecontentwithverysmoothvodkawhileothersembrace the entire concept of artisanal production and are creating fantasticsmall-batchspiritsusingthebestingredientstheycanaffordRunningthesetinybatcheswith yields of just a few liters is a practice some have callednano-distilling

DIRTTRACKDISTILLING

Students of American popular culture know that moonshine whiskey andNASCARgotogetherlikeactorBurtReynoldsandmusclecarsStartingin1973with the movie White Lightning Reynolds made a career of portrayingSoutherngoodolrsquoboysdeliveringmoonshineinfastcarswhileoutrunningthelocalsheriffThereal-lifeinspirationforsuchcinemacharacterswasRobertGlenJohnson

Jr (born in 1931 in Wilkes County North Carolina) better known as JuniorJohnsonJohnsonwasamoonshinerintheruralSouthwhobecameoneoftheearlysuper-starsofNASCARinthe1950sandrsquo60sJohnson grew up on a farm and developed his driving skills running

moonshineas a youngmanHe consistently outranandoutwitted local policeand federal agents in auto chases and he was never caught while deliveringmoonshine to customers Johnson became something of a legend in the ruralSouthwherehisdrivingexpertiseandldquooutlawrdquoimageweremuchadmiredJohnson is credited with inventing the ldquobootleg turnrdquo in which a driver

escapesapursuerbysharplyputtinghisspeedingcarintoa180-degreeturnonthehighway thenspeedingoff in theoppositedirectionbeforehispursuercanturn around Johnson was also known to use police lights and sirens to foolpoliceroadblocksintothinkingthathewasafellowpolicemanuponhearinghisapproachthepolicewouldquicklyremovetheroadblocksallowingJohnsontoescapewithhismoonshineIn 1955 Johnson decided to give up delivering moonshine for the more

lucrative(andlegal)careerofbeingaNASCARdriverUnfortunately the ldquoRevenuesrdquo had not forgotten Junior In 1956 federal

agentsfoundJohnsonworkingathisfatherrsquosmoonshinestillandarrestedhimJohnsonwasconvictedofmoonshiningandwassenttofederalprisonwhereheservedelevenmonthsofatwo-yearsentenceHereturnedtotheNASCARscenein1958andpickedupwhereheleftoffHewentontowinfiftyNASCARracesinhiscareerbeforeretiringin1966In 1965 writer Tom Wolfe wrote an article about Johnson in Esquire

magazine The article originally titled ldquoGreat Balls of Firerdquo turned JohnsonintoanationalcelebrityandledtofamebeyondhiscircleofNASCARfansInturn the articlewasmade into a 1973movie based on Johnsonrsquos career as adriverandmoonshiner titledTheLastAmericanHeroJeffBridges starredas

the somewhat fictionalized version of Johnson and Johnson himself served astechnicaladvisorforthefilm

APOScardadvertisingJuniorJohnsonrsquosMidnightMoonbyPiedmontDistillers

MorerecentlyJohnsonrsquosfamilyhaslicensedtheJuniorJohnsonnameforusein promoting a legal distilled product Junior JohnsonrsquosMidnightMoon fromPiedmontDistillersinMadisonNorthCarolina

LabelforMountainMoonshinebyMysticMountainDistillery

ApostcardfromTempletonRyeldquoProhibitionEraWhiskeyrdquo

DONrsquoTTRYTHISATHOME

(NudgeNudgeWinkWinkSayNoMore)

SoonafternationalProhibitionbeganinthe1920sapersoncouldwalkintovirtuallyanygrocerystoreintheUnitedStatesandfindforsalebrick-sizeblocksof compressed raisinsbound togetherwithcondensedgrape juiceAttached tothe block was a small container of dried yeast The wrapping contained thefollowingtext

WARNING

Donotdissolve thisfruitbrick inwarmwaterandthenaddthecontentsof theyeastpacket as this will result in fermentation and the creation of alcohol the production ofwhichisillegal

NeedlesstosaythelocalAampPsoldalotoffruitbrickswhileProhibitionwas

inforceTraditionalmoonshinestartsoutwiththeproductionandfermentationofwhat

isbasicallyasimplebeerTraditionalistswouldcreateamashofgroundcornhotwaterandenoughmaltedbarleytoprovidesufficientenzymestoconvertthestarch in the grains into simple sugars Once the starch conversion wascompleteyeastwasaddedtothemashwiththeresultingfermentationturningthesugarsintoalcoholThefermentedmashwouldthenbeboiledinthepotstilltodistilloffthealcoholAlas times and moonshine are not what they used to be Modern

moonshiners tend toskip thegrainmashingandgodirectly to fermentationbydissolvingregularsugarinwarmwaterfermentingthesugarwaterwithbakerrsquosyeast and then distilling off the resulting alcohol The results are spiritmuchinferior to a distilled grain spirit and ultimately an arrestedmoonshiner TheAlcoholandTobaccoTaxandTradeBureau (TTBalsoknownasldquotheFedsrdquo)keeps track of the sale of large quantities of bulk sugar particularly in ruralareaswithapasthistoryofmoonshiningYouhavebeenwarned

Whiskeyiswhatbeerwantstobewhenitgrowsup

VirginiaLightningCornWhiskeybyBelmontFarm

Despiteanuptickinamateurdistillingandagreaterwillingnessamongsometotalkmoreopenlyaboutthecraftthelonghistoryofsecretiveandsometimesviolentmoonshiningmeansthatuntilrecentlyreliableinformationwasscarceand difficult to verify That situation is rapidly changing and distillers fromcuriousnovices toaccomplishedhomeartisansare far fromisolatedanymoreIn less than a generation theyrsquove learned to talk to each other pool theirknowledgeandaskevermorenuancedquestionsaboutbuildingandoperatingarangeofstills

MODERNldquoMOONSHINERSrdquo

Thecurrentinterestamonghobbyistdistillersincreatingfirst-rateliquorsandthe general wholesome quality of their products tracks primarily to threeconvergenttrends

1)Craftbrewers2)NewZealand3)TheInternet

CRAFTBREWERS

Craftbrewersarenotsimplythefirstonestostudyhowtomakeoutstandingsmall-batchspiritstheyarealsogoingtoshapethefaceofmicro-andpersonaldistillingBrewers have alreadymastered three key skills how to collaboratehowtoorganizeandhowtodrivelegislationThe current interest in distilling among brewers is so widespread that it is

virtuallyimpossibletotalktocraftbrewerswhoarenrsquotalreadydistillingonthesly or working on permits or know someone who is One erstwhile brewerframed his transition from beer to liquorwith this aphorismWhiskey iswhatbeerwantstobewhenitgrowsup

ChuckMillerstandsinfrontofhispotstillatBelmontFarmDistilleryoneofadozendistilleriesintheUnitedStatedproducingalegalmoonshineproduct

DistillerBenFrisstandsnexttoacus-tom-builtone-of-a-kindpotstillatNewHollandBrewingandDistilling

Makingbeerathomehasbeengoingonformostofthetwentiethcenturybutitrsquosonlybeenlegalonafederallevelsince1978Foradecadeorsoafteritwaspermittedhomebrewers(intheUnitedStates)exploredallkindsofbeerandalestyles they could not purchase through their local stores They perfected theirtechniques competed against each other in regional and national contestspublishedtheirpersonalrecipesgaveoutawardstotheirpeersandlaterputthatknowledgetousebyopeningbrewpubsandmicrobrewerieseverywhereHomebrew supply shops everywhere were selling hops malts specialty

grainscarboysesotericscientificequipmentandlab-culturedyeaststotensofthousandsofhomebrewers tryinggood-naturedly tobesteachother in roundsofMyBeerIsBetterThanYoursBy the1990s somebrewerswerepushing the limitsof theirequipmentand

ingredientsbecomingessentiallynovicedistillersTheirhomemaderigslookedpretty much the same as brewing equipment The ingredients were the sameTheywere learning on pot stills because for hundreds of years variations onthat model had been the choice of folk distilling Most of what a casualresearcher found in popular culture referenceswere the big copper pumpkin-shaped boilers of a style that would have been familiar to eighteenth-centuryfarmersAs brewers they already knew about grains malt yeast enzymes ideal

fermentationtemperaturesfiltrationsystemsandthewaterprofilesthatleadtogreat-tastingbeveragesSomehadcometobelievethattheonlythingstoppingthem from havingwhiskeywas toomuchwater Because they had developedwidespread networks for sharing information alreadymdashbooks magazinescontests clubs festivals newsletters and rudimentary online newsgroupsmdashquestionsbegantocirculateabouthowbesttoremovethatexcesswaterSharing critiquing and judgingwere an entrenched part of the culture that

wasstartingtotakeupwhathadlongbeenasecretpracticeAnonymousonlineforums were ideal tools for vetting home-distilling questions Unlike the oldAppalachian moonshiners modern distillers with homebrewing backgroundswerealreadyusedtotalkingtoeachotheronlineandinperson

NEWZEALAND

Because few of the twentieth-century books on moonshining held muchpractical information on techniques for building and operating stills amateurdistillers without a family history in such matters learned by trial and errorThen in 1996NewZealand lawmakers scrapped legislation forbidding homedistillation InAustralasiaanexplosionof interestand innovation specificallyaround design for home-size stills that veered off from traditional stylesreverberatedwidely

AcopperstillfromCopperMoonshineStillscom(asseeninthemovieTheDukesofHazzard)

Local distilling enthusiasts were studying the physics of stills attachingprobes andmeters tomeasure exactlywhatwas goingonwhen they firedupTheylearnedhowtallandwidehome-sizestillsshouldbeTheyaffixedcolumnsto theirpotsand looselyfilled themwithceramicandcopperpackingmaterialfor maximum efficiency Those stills started looking like something out of arefinery churning out high-proof alcohol on single runs rather than themultistageprocessthattraditionalpotstillscalledfor

THEINTERNET

These innovative distillers went online and because their hobbywas legalstarted talking to each other openly Brewerswhowere getting into distillingwith theiralreadyestablishednetworksandcultureofopennessnoticedTheyseized on a wealth of new verifiable information coming out of the SouthernHemisphereandaddedtheirownexperiencesespeciallyinonlineforumsSince thenas reliable informationhasbeenvettedonlineabouthowbest to

buildandoperatesmall-scalestillshomecolumnorrefluxstillshaveevolvedbecoming more compact and efficient and able to put out as close to purealcohol as is possible outside a laboratory (in short very clean stuff) Mostrecently a specific style of distilling has evolved thatrsquos all about purityefficiency and making lots of neutral spirits in very compact column stillsEasilybuiltandeasilyoperated theyaremoreefficientandlessworkthanpotstills

MOONSHINEDEFINED

AbroaddefinitionofmoonshineisanyliquormadefromunregisteredstillsbyunlicenseddistillersThisdefinitioncoversaKentuckyfarmermakingtheliquorhis father did aNewYork imbiberwresting 10 ounces of gin from a case ofBudweiseraswellasaSanFranciscocheftweakinghergrandmotherrsquoskuumlmmeltocarryonthetraditionTodayrsquosnano-distillersdonrsquot sell their products In fact profit seemsalmost

anathema One of the quickest ways to really anger others is for unlicenseddistillers tostartselling theirmakingsSomeembrace themoonshiner identityothersavoidthetermbecauseofitsassociationwithlawlessnessRegardless of what distillers call themselves they fall into three loose

categoriesmdasheconomictechnicalandartisanalproducersEconomicdistillers

ECONOMICDISTILLERS

Economic distillers make liquor because homemade is cheaper than store-boughtAny type of stillmight be used from an inherited copper pot still tomodernrefluxmodelsorevenanaquariumheaterinaplasticbucketTheyareapt to distill sugar spirits but also grains and fruits when they may be hadinexpensivelyAlthough theirproductsareprone tobeofquestionablequalitythey are not necessarily bad liquormdashthink of marc and grappa made frompomacethatmightotherwisebethrownaway

TECHNICALDISTILLERS

Technical distillers are armchair (or even professional) engineers andchemistsgear-headswhostrivetomakethemostefficientdistillerysetuptheycan forever tweaking and adjusting their rigs creating technologicalwondersTheyrunandrerunabatchofspiritstocreatethepurestspirittheycantakingmeticulous notes of every temperature fluctuation proof variation and yieldTechnicaldistillerstendtohaveaninordinateamountofvodkaonhandbecausethe end result of their frequent experiments is often a high-proof nearly purespirit theycan supplementwithextractsandessences for theexact flavor theywant

FigADiagramofaColumnDistiller

IllustrationfromWhiskeyTechnologyProductionandMarketingEditedbyIngeRussellAcademicPress2003FigAThisflowchartillustrateshowthewashistransformedintospiritsThebottomofthestillstripsoutthewaterwhiletherectifyingsection(topofthestill)distillstheliquorstoincreasetheirspirituosity

FigBDimensionsofaTypicalSpiritsStill

FigBApotiswiderthantallallowingvaporstoescapefromthewashAtallswanneckallowsforseparationofthecomponentsofthemixtureTheshapeofthestillaffectstheflavorcomponentsofthespiritsEverypotstillisuniqueasdistillerswantdistinctiveflavorprofilesintheirfinishedspirits

ASPIRINGANDACCOMPLISHEDARTISANS

Aspiringandaccomplishedartisanscomprisethethirdgroupwhosegoalistomake authentic and great-tasting spirits While technical distillers considerunwanted chemical compounds obstacles to pure liquor artisans rightfullyregardtasteandaromaasthebackbonethatdefinestheirownpersonalstyleofdistilling They tend to use less-efficient old-school pot stillsmdashthey mightimmediately recognize thekind that a farmerused in 1740Someuse columnstillsbutwithoutthecolumnsatmaximumefficiencythuspreservingtasteandaromabynotdistillingtothehighestproofpossibleFinallytheytendtofermentgrainsandfruitsratherthansugarandnottocarewhatitcostsmdashbecauseitrsquosforthemnotforsellinrsquo

FigCAnatomyofaPotStill

FigCAsillustratedhereawhiskeystillhasfourpartspotswannecklynearmandcondenserTheshapeofeachaffectsrectificationandtheflavorofthespiritPotThepotcanbyanyshaperoundonionorconicalTheshapeofthepotaffectshowthewashisheated(alwaysto172degF[78degC])ItcanbeheatedbydirectfiresteamgasorwoodMostpotshaveasightglasssothedistillercancheckforfoamingduringthedistillationprocessSwanneckTheswannecksitsontopofthepotItcanbetallshortstraightortaperedOftentheswanneckisconnectedtothepotviaanogeeabubble-shapedchamberTheogeeallowsthedistillatetoexpandcondenseandfallbackintothepotduringdistillationMostpotstillshaveataperedswanneckallowingforbetterseparationandbetterenrichingofthespiritsduringdistillingLynearmThelynearmsitsontopoftheswanneckItcanbetiltedupordownanditcanbetaperedorstraightOftenpotstillsarefittedwithadephlegmatororapurifierItsmainpurposeistheenrichmentofspiritsbeforetheyrsquoresentontothecondenserInternalsteamcoilTheinternalsteamcoilheatsthewashto173degF(78degC)wherethealcoholseparatesfromthewashCondenserThecondenserorwormisusedforcoolingthespiritsandprovidingasmallstreamtoacollectiontankorpail

ECONOMICALINGREDIENTSFORDISTILLING

Consideraglutofplums forbackyard slivovitzora skidof dried fruit atbargain pricing that can be turned into Arabian siddiqui However ersatzwhiskeysmadefrombreakfastcerealsarenotunheardofsocaveatemptoristherule

AfruiteaudeviefermentationatStringerrsquosOrchardWildPlumWineryampDistillery

CHAPTERTWO

THEDISTILLINGPROCESS

INTHEMOSTliteralsenseoftheworddistillationmeanstheconcentration

oftheessenceofasubstancebyseparatingitfromanyothersubstancesthatitismixed with In the case of distilling alcohol this means boiling a fermentedliquidinastilltoseparatetheethanolfromthesolidswaterandotherchemicalcompoundsinthefermentedsolutionButjustasthedevilisinthedetailstheartofdistillingisinhowthedistillerachievesthatseparationandhowprecisethatseparationis

ThecondensercoolsthevaporsintoliquidspiritwhichiscollectedandbottledatAnchorDistilling

Thewide rangeof stillsdescribed in this chapter eachoriginally evolved tomeettherequirementsofproducingaparticulartypeofspiritDependingonthetype of spirit beingmade precision is not necessarily the goal of the distillerThousandsofchemicalcompoundsarecreatedbyfermentationanddistillationall of which can have for better or worse an effect on the ultimate taste orcharacterofadistilledspiritThedistillerrsquosprimaryjobis toretain thedesiredflavorelementswhilediscarding those thatarenotThis isnotassimpleas itsoundsAnddespiteallofthehigh-techcontrolsinamoderndistillerythestillmasterneverthelesshasthefinalcall

ldquoGlassofbrandyandwaterThatisthecurrentbutnottheappropriatenameaskforaglassofliquidfireanddistilleddamnationrdquo

mdashRobertHallnineteenth-centurytemperancecrusaderwhowasneverthelifeoftheparty

HOWDISTILLATIONWORKS

Distillationisaphysicalprocessinwhichcompoundsareseparatedbyvirtueof their different boiling points Two compounds with the same boiling pointoccurring together would not be separable by distillation Fortunately suchoccurrenceswiththeingredientsinliquorandspiritsarerareTheseparationindistillationoccurswhenamixtureofcompoundsinthestill

is brought to a boil Compounds with lower boiling points vaporize at lowertemperatures than compoundswith higher boiling points Thismeans that thevapororsteamrisingofftheboilingmixtureisricherinthelower-boiling-pointcompounds than in the higher-boiling-point onesNext this vapor is collectedand cooled to condense it back into a liquid The resulting liquid called thedistillate contains a considerably higher concentration of the lower-boiling-pointcompoundsthanofthehigher-boiling-pointonesInasimplifiedexample letrsquosconsideramixtureof90percentwaterand10

percentethanolWaterhasaboilingpointof212degF(100degC)andethanolhasaboilingpointof1731degF(784degC)Theethanolwillboilandvaporizewellbeforethewatersowhenthevaporsarecollectedandcondensedtheresultingdistillatewill have a high concentration of ethanol and comparatively little water ThedistillatewillnotbepureethanolbecausesomewaterwillvaporizeattheboilingpointofethanolevenifthewateritselfisnotatitsboilingpointTails (see page 36) start at 203degF (95degC) and contain a high percentage of

fuseloilsknowntodistillersaswetdogbouquetAlittlebitisactuallyneededinsometypesofwhiskeybutonlyalittlebitThinkIslayScotchWhiskyBecauseallthecompoundsinastillwillvaporizetoagreaterorlesserextent

during boiling the separation of the compounds will not be perfect so moreelaborate stills have been developed to intensify the separation of the vaporsonce theyhave left theboiler Inmodernhigh-separationstills this isdonebyemployingarefluxcolumntomanagethevaporsaftertheyleavetheboilerandbeforetheyarecondensedanddrawnfromthestill

ASTILLrsquoSBLUEPRINT

ThewhiskeystillhasfourpartspotswannecklynearmandcondenserTheshape of each section affects rectification (redistillation) and the taste of thespiritsThereisnoperfectdesigneachmanufacturersaysitspotstillmakesthebest-tastingwhiskeyAtthispointdistillingisanldquoartrdquoTomakegoodwhiskeyyouneedtohave

good ingredients (clean wash) and a good palate (nose and tongue) and youneedtoknowwhentostartandstop(makingheadandtailcuts)Whenitcomestowhiskeydistillingtheprocessiscontrolledbyadistillernotacomputeroramanual

WHATADIFFERENCEADEGREEMAKES

Between174deg(788degC)and175degF(794degC)averitablewitchrsquosbrewofnastychemical compounds (known collectively as heads) are cut and removed byproper distilling These include acetone aldehydes and methanol Lazymoonshiners tend to leave them in resulting in rotgut and a serious head-bangingheadachethenextmorningasyoulieinbedandprayfortheAngelofDeathtocomeandfinishthejob

Thepot can be any shape round onion or conical The shape of the potaffectshow thewash isheated (to172degF [778degC]) It canbeheatedbydirectfiresteamgasorwoodAllsystemshaveadvantagesanddisadvantagesThereis no right way to heat washMostmanufacturers however prefer a double-jacketedsteam-watersystemthatprovidesagentleheattothewashMainlyyoudonrsquotwant to burn thewashMost pots have a sight glass so thedistiller cancheckforfoamingduringthedistillationprocess

THECHEMISTRYOFPURESPIRITS

Even a modern high-separation still cannot produce pure ethanol This isbecausewaterformsanazeotropewithethanolAnazeotropeisamixtureoftwoliquidcompoundswhosemoleculesbecomelooselybondedsuchthattheyhaveacommonboiling point that is different from either constituentrsquos In the case ofethanolandwatertheazeotropeoccursatamixtureof965percentethanoland35 percent water and it has a boiling point of 17267degF (7815degC) This is045degF(017degC)lowerthanthe17312degF(784degC)boilingpointofpureethanolIn distillation this azeotrope is a single compound with a boiling point of17267degF (7815degC) and the still proceeds to separate it on that basis Theethanol that is purified by a fractionating column is not therefore pure 100percent ethanolbutpure965percent ethanolwith theldquoimpurityrdquobeingpurewater No amount of redistillation under the conditions discussed here willinfluence this percentage 965 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) is thetheoreticalmaximumpuritythatcanbederivedbytheaboveprocessThe temperatures stated above are at standard atmospheric pressure In a

columnstillduetoincreasedpressureatthebottomresultingfromthepressuredropover theplates the temperatureswouldbequiteabithigher thanstatedForexamplethespentwashwhichwouldhaveaboilingpointofabout212degF(100degC) at standard pressure would have a boiling point of about 220degF(1044degC)duetotheincreasedpressure

TheswannecksitsontopofthepotItcanbetallshortstraightortaperedOften the swan neck is connected to the pot via an ogee a bubble-shapedchamberTheogeeallowsthedistillatetoexpandcondenseandfallbackintothepotduringdistillationMostpotstillshaveataperedswanneckallowingforbetterseparationandbetterenrichingofthespiritsduringdistillingThelynearmsitsontopoftheswanneckItcanbetiltedupordownandit

canbetaperedorstraightMostarmsaretapereddownOftenpotstillsarefittedwithadephlegmatororwhatScottishdistillerscallapurifierThedephlegmatorisfittedwithbafflesthatusewaterplatesortubestocoolthedistillatesending90 percent of it back into the pot Its main purpose is the enrichment of thespiritsbeforetheyrsquoresentontothecondenserThecondenserorwormisusedforcoolingthespiritsandprovidingasmall

streamtoacollectiontankorpail

AsmallpotstillsimilartomanymoonshinestillsisinoperationfortouriststoseeattheGlenmorangieDistilleryScotland

WHISKEYSTILLSINDETAIL

There are severaldifferentdesignsof stillsused formakingwhiskeyThese

includethemoonshinestillgooseneckstillcontinuous-runcolumnstillFrenchCharentaisalambicstillandartisanpotstill(ThetraditionalEnglishspellingofthisFrenchwordisalembic)

FigAFlat-topMoonshineStill

FigAInthebasicmoonshinestillvaporsfromtheheatedwashriseintothecapAfterhittingtheflattopofthestillvaporsexitviathelynearmintothecondenserwheretheycondenseandbecomespirits

MOONSHINESTILL

ThemostbasicandrudimentarydesignisacrudepotstillormoonshinestillwhichisaclosedpotlikeapressurecookerwithapipeleadingfromthelidintoacondensercoilThecondensercoil caneitherbe longenough toair-cool thevaporsoritcanbeshorterandimmersedinawaterjacketSuchastillaffordsminimum separation of the vapors because there is almost no separation oncetheyleavetheboilerAlthoughthisdesignofstill isnotsuitableforproducingbeveragealcoholbymodernstandardsitwillstillconcentratean8or10percentABVwashto60percentinafairlyfastrunTherearemanyhomedistillersandillicitcommercialmoonshinersusingthis

typeofstill todayAndbecausethistypeofstill is typicallyheatedonastovetoporonagasburner it isnecessary to removeallsuspendedsolids fromthewash before placing it in the boiling pot To do otherwisewould risk burningsolidsonthebottomofthepot

FigBCross-sectionofaStillrsquoBubbleCap

FigBThebubblecapssitontrayovervaporstubesinthecolumnThecapsprovidecontactbetweentherisingvaporsanddescendingrefluxcreatingadistillingcycleandenrichingthealcoholArrowsindicatevaporsrisingfromthewashandhittingthebubblecapsApercentageofpurevaporscontinuetoriseandtheldquolesspurerdquofallbackintothestillforre-distillation

AnatomyofaCraftWhiskeyStill

GOOSENECKSTILL

Thegooseneckpot still is themost commondesignof still used toproduceScottish malt whisky Some Irish whiskies and a number of American andCanadianwhiskiesarealsodistilledinthistypeofstillThisstyleofpotstillhasbeeninuseforcenturiesforcommercialwhiskeyproductionanditisevenmorepopulartodayinmodernwhiskeydistilleriesthaneverThegooseneckstillhasalargeroundboilerandisfunctionallyverysimilarto

the crudepot still except it has a long broadneck rising from theboiler thatallows enough separation to hold back most of the fusel alcohols from thedistillatewhileretainingthedesiredflavorsinthefinishedspiritTheneckbendsatthetopandconnectstoapipecalledalynearmthatleadstoacondensercoilimmersed inwaterThe lynearmusuallyanglesdownwardslightly toward thecondenserbutinsomedistilleriesittiltsupward

AgooseneckstillclearlyshowingthelynearmatWoodfordReserveDistillery

The levelofseparation inagooseneckpotstill isaffectedby theamountofcondensation that takesplace in theneckand lynearm that fallsback into theboiler This condensation is called reflux and themore reflux the higher thelevelofseparation If the lynearm isangleddownward thenanyvapor in thelynearmthatcondenseswillfallforwardtowardthecondenserandbecomepartof the distillate passing to the receiver However if the lyne arm is angledupward condensation fallsback to theboiler andwill createadditional refluxandthereforeadditionalseparation

ModelofagooseneckForsythswhiskystill

BEVERAGESPRODUCEDINGOOSENECKSTILLS

Becausethelongbroadneckprovidesalargesurfaceareawhichresultsinalarger proportion of reflux than crude pot stills gooseneck stills are moresuitable for distilling beverage alcohol The gooseneck stills are suited to theproductionofwhiskeybrandyrumschnappsandothernon-neutralspiritsforwhichtheyarewidelyusedcommerciallyHowevertheyarenotsuitablefortheproduction of vodka gin or other spirits derived from neutral alcoholwhichrequiresahigh-separationstillcapableofproducingpureazeotropeethanolThe wash distilled in gooseneck stills is typically separated from the

suspended solids much like the malt washes used for making Scottish maltwhiskySomegooseneckstillsareheatedbyanopenfireundertheboilerwhichwould result in the burning of suspended solids if they were in the washHowever most contemporary stills are heated with steam jackets ThiscombinedwitharummagercanenablethesestillstoboilfullmasheswithallthegrainintheboilerwithoutburningthesolidsonthebottomofthepotArummagerisanagitatingdevicethatslowlyturnsaroundinsidethestillpot

dragginganetofcopperchainsalongthebottomoftheboilertopreventsolidsfromcakingupandburningduringdistilling

THECONTINUOUS-RUNDESIGNFLAW

ThereisaninherentflawinthisdesignofstillBecausethecontinuous-runstillhasaconstantflowofnewwashcomingintoitatalltimestherearealwaysheadsandtailspresentinthecolumnThisisunlikeabatchstillwhichisanyofthenoncontinuousstillsdiscussedinthistextwheretheheadsaredrawnoffatthebeginningoftherunandthentheyaregoneInacontinuous-runoperationallphasesareconstantlybeingintroducedtothecolumnbytheincomingwashThisposesnoproblemwiththetailsbecauseatthetrayswheretheheartsaredrawnoffthetailsarelowerinthecolumnandarethereforenotpresenttobedrawnoffwiththeheartsHoweverheadsarestillpresentatthesetrayssonomatterhowwellacontinuous-runstillisequilibratedtherersquollalwaysbeasmallamountofheadsintheheartsphaseHaving said this the continuous-run column is a high-separation still that

makesverypreciseseparationofthecompoundsinitscolumnThereisalwaysgoingtobeatraceamountofheadsintheheartsandthisamountisstillwithintheallowablelimitsforpotablespiritsInmostcasesitislessthantheresidualheadsfoundintheheartsfromcommercialbatchstills

CONTINUOUS-RUNCOLUMNSTILL

This type of still is used for producing enormous volumes of spirit in acontinuousoperationthatrunsconstantlyforuptoelevenmonthsstraightbeforeit is shut down for cleaning and overhauling They commonly have afractionatingcolumnthatstandsabout100feet(305m)high(similartothatofanoilrefinery)andaseriesofbubble-captraysspacedeverycoupleoffeetupthecolumnThe traysare fartherapartnear thebottomandgetcloser togethertowardthetopIthasnopotorboilerperseanditisheatedbyblastingsteamupwardfromthebottomofthecolumnwhilethewashiscontinuouslyfedintoatrayatthemiddleofthecolumnAsthewashrunsdownthroughthetraysofthecolumnitencountersthehot

steam which vaporizes the compounds in the wash and carries them up thecolumnThelower-boilingcompoundscontinuetoriseupthecolumnwhilethehigher-boilingonescondenseandarecarrieddownthecolumnThecolumnhasanexitvalveateverytraywherevaporcanbedrawnoffand

ledtoacondenserThisenablestheoperatorstoconfigurethesystemsocertaintraysleadtoacondenserthatgoestotheheadsreceiveranothersetoftrayscanbe sent to the hearts receiver andother trays canbe sent to the tails receiverWhatflowstothebottomofthecolumnisresiduethatissenttothedrainApossibleconfigurationforbourbonwouldhavethetoptwotraysconfigured

forheadsthenthenextfourconfiguredforheartsthenextfivefortailsandtherest of the trayswould refluxwith no draw off andwhat reached the bottomwouldbediscardedasresidueThe draw off rateswould be set up tomaintain a hearts phasewith say a

constant 65 percentABVBourbon thatrsquos distilled in a continuous-run columnstillisusuallydoneintwodistillationsbothwiththeheartsdrawnoffatabout65percentABVBecauseacontinuous-runstillrunsformanymonthsatatimethewashmust

befairlyclearwithaminimumofsolidsotherwisethebuildupofresidueinthesystemwouldbecomeuntenableandthesystemwouldneedtobeshutdowntobecleanedSothereisnoprocesswithacontinuous-runstillwherebytheentiremash is distilled The mash must always be strained or filtered before beingplacedinthereservoirsupplyingthestillThedistillerymusthaveabatteryoffermentersthatareinconstantoperation

ateachstageofthefermentationprocesstokeepupwiththecontinuousdemand

forwashforthestills

Thisalambicstillwascustom-builtbyDynamicAlambicbyreconfiguringaGrundigbeertank

FRENCHCHARENTAISALAMBICSTILL

This type of still is used almost exclusively for making brandy includingcognacArmagnacCalvadosandotherfamousFrenchbrandiesIt isdesignedespecially to leave a lot of the aromatics and flavor in the distillate and istherefore one of the lower-separation beverage-alcohol stills Because of thisqualityspiritsareusuallydistilledtwiceinaFrenchCharentaisalambicstillWhiskeycanalsobemadeinthisdesignofstillItisfunctionallyquitesimilar

tothegooseneckstillbutitcreatesalowerlevelofseparationmakingaricherandcreamier-tastingwhiskeybutwithalittlemorefuselalcoholTheFrenchCharentais alambic still has threemajor components theboiler

withhelmetthepreheaterandthecondenserThehelmetisthechamberjustabove the boiler and it serves as an expansion chamberwhichworkswell toholdback a lot of theheavier compounds such as fusel alcohols and furfurolswhile allowing the desirable aromatics and flavors to be carried over in thedistillateThe preheater as the name implies preheats the next batch of wine to be

distilled It is also used as a reservoir to enable a near-continuous distillationprocessSomebrandydistillerssimplyincludethemaspartofthehearts(nottheheads) In this way continuously feeding wine into the boiler is possibleBecause there is no workable way to drain the boiler during operation thecontinuous feeding of winemust stopwhen the boiler is too full to take anymorePriortoadistillationrunthepreheaterisfilledwithwinetobeheatedforthe

next distillation The preheater has the vapor tube from the boiler passingthroughitonitswaytothecondenserThistransfersheatfromthevaportothewinebeforethevaporentersthecondenserThisheatsthewineinthepreheatertonearboilingduringthedistillationrunandreducestheamountofheatthatthecondenserhastodissipatetherebymakingefficientuseofheatandreducingtheamountofcoolingwaterused

AlambicstillatJepsonVineyardsinUkiahCalifornia

AlambicstillinstallationinFrance

Thepre-heaterhasapipewithavalve leadingfromit to theboilerWhenadistillationrunisfinishedandtheboilerhasbeendrainedtheoperatorcanopenthe valve and fill the boiler with another charge of wine from the pre-heaterthatrsquosalreadyatnear-boiling temperatureThismakesefficientuseofheatandsignificantlyreducestheamountoftimetobringthenextbatchofwinetoaboil

AholehadtobecutintheceilingtoaccomodatethecolumnofthispotstillatTuthilltownSpirits

ThecondenserinaFrenchCharentaisalambicstillasinmosttypesofstillsconsistsofthecoppercoilimmersedinawaterjacketwithcoldwatercirculatingaroundit

BEVERAGESPRODUCEDINALAMBICSTILLS

These stills are invariably used to distill wine or in the case of whiskeydistillerrsquos beer They are not generally used to distill fullmasheswith all thesolids left in However design-wise the Charentais could be used to distillmasheswithsolidsbecauseitsboileristhesameasthatofthestandardalambicwhichiswidelyusedtomakegrappaandmarcfromgrapepomaceTodothisasievetraymustbeinsertedintotheboilertoserveasafalsebottomtoholdthesolidsabovethebottomofthepotandpreventburning

ARTISANPOTSTILL

ThistypeofstillisthemostversatileofallthestillsEachartisanpotstillisnearly made to order based on a distillerrsquos needs and preferences Itscomponentsincludeaspherical-shapedboileracondenserandwidevarietyofoptional components such as a steam jacket or a direct fire an agitator ahelmet one or two columns of bubble-cap trays a dephlegmator and acatalyzerThespherical-shapedboilerevenlyheatsthesubstrateparticularlyifthereis

anagitatorAndanartisanstill thatrsquos steamheatedandhasanagitatorcanbeused to distill anywash Evenwashes full of fruit pulp or grainmash can beheatedinthisconfigurationofboilerwithoutanyriskofburningonthebottomofthepotAlsobyconstantlyagitatingthewashthroughoutthedistillationrunthe distillery can save about 20 percent on the heat required to perform thedistillationTheabilitytodistilltheentirewashincludingallthesolidspurportedlygives

asuperiorflavortothespiritproducedApparentlythefruitmashesformakingschnappsyieldarichermorecomplexflavoriftheycanbedistilledwithallthefruitpulpintheboilerManywhiskeydistillerscontendthesametobetruefordistilling grain mashes and a number of the premium brands of AmericanwhiskeyaredistilledwiththegrainmashinthestillThehelmetcomponent(optional)istechnicallyanexpansionchamberandit

isusuallyanearlysphericaldomethatsitsdirectlyontopoftheboilerAsvaporrisesfromtheboileritpassesthroughacomparativelynarrowpassagewayintothelargervolumeofthehelmetThisresultsinasuddenreductioninpressurewhich helps hold back higher-boiling compounds while allowing desirablearomaticsandflavorstocontinueupthecolumnSomedistillerssaythishelmetiskeytoproducingatrulyexcellentspirit

Artisanpotstilltheshapeofthehelmetldquoheadrdquoofthestillinfluencestheflavorofthedistillate

From the helmet the vapor rises into the column In some artisan pot stillconfigurationsthecolumnismounteddirectlyontopofthehelmetWhenthereis no helmet the column is mounted directly on top of the boiler In otherconfigurationssuchastwocolumnsthecolumnispositionedbesidetheboilerThe reason for this is the still would stand too high for most facilities if thecolumnwerestackedontopofthehelmetorevenontopoftheboilerWithin thecolumnarebubble-cap traysThevapor risesup the tubesunder

the bubble caps and bubbles out fromunder the cap and through the standingliquidoneachtrayThestandingliquidoverflowsatacertaindepthtothenexttraybelowCompoundseparation takesplaceby theredistillation thatoccurswhentheheatfromthevaportransferstothestandingliquidThiscauseshigher-boilingcompoundsinthevaportocondenseandlower-boilingcompoundsintheliquid toevaporateTheoveralleffect is todrive the lower-boilingcompoundsup the column in vapor state and the higher-boiling compounds down thecolumninliquidstate

Twincolumnsofbubble-captrays

OPTIONALSTILLCOMPONENTS

Modernartisanpotstillshaveaninterestingfeaturethatallowstheoperatortobypass anyof the trays to vary the separation level for the columnThere arelevers on the side of the column connected to each tray and the operator canposition the lever to cause the tray to turn sideways and allow thevapors andliquidtopassbyOrtheoperatorcanpositionthelevertheotherwaytoputthetrayinplacesothatitisfullyengagedinprocessingrefluxThedephlegmatorresidesabovethetopbubble-captrayItisachamberatthe

topofthecolumnwithnumerousverticaltubesforthevaportotravelthroughonitswaytothecondenserThereisawaterjacketaroundtheverticaltubesthattheoperator can flood with cooling water to increase the amount of reflux ThewaterlevelinthedephlegmatorcanbeadjustedtogivegranularcontrolovertheamountofrefluxHaving the capability to dial up or down the reflux creates a great deal of

control over the compoundmix in the finished spirit For example if a givenspirit had an excellent aroma and flavor profile but a rough finish due to anexcessof fuselalcohol the refluxcouldbedialedupslightly toholdback thefusel

TheMoorrsquoscaponthisalambicstillhasadistinctivelookandgivesauniqueflavorprofiletothedistillates

The catalyzer is positioned above the dephlegmator and has an array ofsacrificialcopperCopperisanimportantmaterialinastillbecausethenoxioussulfides in thevapor instantlyreactoutuponcontactwithcopperHoweverasthisoccursovertimethecoppermaterialofthestillbecomescompromisedandexpensivestillcomponentsrequirereplacingTheideaofthecatalyzeristohaveachamberwithcopper in thevaporpath specificallydesigned to reactout thesulfidesfromthevaporOvertimethiscoppererodesfromthereactionwiththesulfidesbutitcanbecheaplyreplacedIneffectthecopperinthecatalyzerisbeingsacrificedtosavethecoppermaterialofthestill

Artisanpotstill

In summary artisan pot stills can be superb stills and are well known formaking quality spirits Unfortunately their throughput is comparatively slowanddistilleriesareoftenputinthepositionofhavingtooptforlargerthroughputstillssuchasthecontinuous-runcolumntomeetthedemandsoftheirmarkets

COLUMNCONFIGURATION

Thenumber of bubble-cap trays in the column depends on the intendeduseoftheartisanpotstillanditisthereforeoptionalSomeartisanpotstillsare used to make vodka and have two tall columns with a total of twentybubble-cap trays An excellent configuration for making whiskey howeverwouldbeastillwithahelmetacolumnwithfourtraysadephlegmatorandacatalyzer

THEBATCH-STILLPROCESSOFDISTILLATION

THE DISTILLATION process is operationally the same for all four-batch

stills discussedpreviously themoonshine still thegooseneck still theFrenchCharentais and the artisan pot still The continuous-run column still has adifferentregimenanditisdescribedinthesectionthatfollows

TheProcessofDistillationAnOverview

Atleftthemajorstepsfrombarleytobarrel1MashTunUsedtoconvertbarleygrainstarchestosugars2Fermentationofthewash3Strippingofthewashtoremovewater4Collectionofldquolowwinerdquospirits5Redistillingthespiritstoproducefinalspiritsforbarreling6Barrelingoragingofspirits

HEADSHEARTSTAILS

Indistillingparlancethecompoundsinthewashthatarenotethanolorwaterare called congeners Some congeners such as acetaldehyde methanol andcertain esters and aldehydes have lower boiling points than ethanol certainotherestersthehigheralcohols(fuselalcohols)andwaterhavehigherboilingpoints than ethanolThismeans the lower-boiling congeners comeout inhighconcentrationatthebeginningofabatchdistillationrunandthehigher-boilingones come out in high concentration toward the end of the run leaving theethanol and the most desirable compounds as the most abundant componentsduringthemiddleoftherunWhendistillation takesplace in a batch still thedistillate that comesout is

dividedintothreephasescalledheadsheartsandtails

bullTheheadscontaintheunwantedlower-boilingcongenersthatcomeoutatthebeginningoftherun

bullThetailscontaintheunwantedhigher-boilingcongenersthatcomeoutattheendoftherun

bullTheheartsarethedesiredspiritinthemiddle

Becausewhiskeyisnotdistilledatahigh-separationlevelitmeansthateachphase bleeds into the adjacent phase That is to say there is a considerableamountofethanolintheheadsphaseandtherearelate-headscongenersatthebeginningof theheartsphaseSimilarly there isasignificantamountofearly-tails congeners at the endof thehearts and there is a considerable amount ofethanolinthetailsphaseThewhiskeycomprisedmostlyofethanolandwaterhasadelicatebalanceof late-headsandearly-tailscongeners thatmakeup theflavorprofileofthewhiskeyThere are literally thousands of these congeners or chemical flavor

compoundscreatedduringthedistillingprocessallofwhichhavethepotentialofaddingorsubtractingtothedesiredfinalflavorprofileofthedistilledspiritPart of the art (asopposed to the science)of distilling is knowingwhen thesecongeners are created and when to add or remove them In flavor-specificspirits such as brandy and whiskey it is desirable to carry over selectedcongeners into the finished spirit However in flavor-neutral spirits such asvodka the goal is to remove asmany congeners as possible to end upwith a

spiritthathasacleannonspecificpalateBecause both the heads and the tails contain a lot of ethanol and residual

desirable flavor they are mixed together and saved for future recovery Theheads and tails whenmixed together are called feints Feints can be distilledseparatelytoproduceanotherwhiskeyrunortheycanbemixedinwithafuturespirit runwhere their ethanol and flavors are recovered as a part of that runHowevereachsubsequentdistillationproducesitsownsetofheadsheartsandtailsandthefeintsfromthoserunsarealsosavedforfuturerecovery

TWO-RUNDISTILLATION

When whiskey is made it is usually done in two distillation runs a beer-strippingrunandaspiritrun

bullThebeer-strippingrunisgenerallydoneinalargerhigh-volumepotstillcalledabeerstripperThebeerstripperisusedtodistillthefermentedwashandconcentratetheethanolandalltheimpuritiesintoadistillateofabout25percentethanolcalledlowwine

bullThespiritrunisdoneinasmallerwhiskeystillsuchasagooseneckoranartisanrefluxstillcalledaspiritstillThespiritstillisusedtodistillthelowwineandrefineitintothefinishedspiritTherearethetwooutputsretainedfromthespiritrunthefinishedspiritandthefeints

For a beer-stripping run the fermented wash which is typically about 8percentABVisloadedintothebeerstripperandthecontentsarebroughttoaboilBecausethisrunisjustaprimarydistillationtheheadsheartsandtailsarenotseparatedoutTheentireoutputfromthisruniscollectedinasinglelotandthe run is continueduntil the aggregate percent alcohol is down to 25percentABVThisdistillateisthelowwinewhichistheinputtothespiritrunTo produce the finishedwhiskey the spirit still is filledwith the lowwine

from thebeer-stripping run andoftenameasureof feints fromprevious spiritrunsThespiritstillisthenbroughttoaboilIt iswith the spirit run that thedistilleradjusts theboil-up rate toachievea

gentleslowflowofdistillateandcarefullyseparatesouttheheadsheartsandtails

SINGLE-RUNDISTILLATION

SomewhiskeydistilleriesproducetheirwhiskeyinasingledistillationTheydo a spirit run directly from the wash The artisan reflux stills discussedpreviously are well suited to this type of whiskey distillation but it is labor-intensiveand thedistillermustpaya lotofattention tonumeroussmaller runsratherthanonelargerrunSomepeoplefind thewhiskeyfromasingle-distillationrun tobericherand

haveamorenaturalflavorwhileothersfindittobeharshandunrefinedInthefollowingtextthemorecommondouble-distillationmethodisused

MAKINGTHECUTS

ProbablythemostelusivepartofthedistillingprocessformakingwhiskeyismakingthecutsfromheadstoheartsandthentotailsMakingacutfromonephasetothenextisthepointwherethedistillerswitchestheoutputsothatitiscollectedinadifferentreceiverthanthepreviousphaseAttheendofthespiritrun theheadswillbe inonecontainer thehearts inanotherand the tails inathirdoneThequestioniswhendoyouswitchfromonephasetothenextExperienced distillers do this by taste Even though there are measurable

parameters such as still-head temperature and percent alcohol of the incomingspirit that can be used to judge when to make the cuts taste and smell stillremainthemostreliablemethodsfordeterminingthem

ThreepotstillsatStoutridgeVineyard

Herearetheempiricalparametersforjudgingthecuts

bullThepercentalcoholof the spirit that is flowingout of the still (ie theincomingspirit)

bullThestill-headtemperature

Thesevaryfromonestilltothenextandtheyvarybasedonthepropertiesofthe low wine (eg percent alcohol and quantity) It is possible to develop aconsistentprocessusingthesamestillandthesamequantityandformulationoflowwinesuchthattheparametersremainthesameforeachrunForexampleinaspiritruninanartisanrefluxstillwithlowwinethatis25

percentABVBegin-cut(iethecutfromheadstohearts)isusuallydonewhentheevolvingdistillateisatabout80percentandwhenthestill-headtemperatureisabout180degF(82degC)End-cut(iethecutfromheartstotails)isoftendoneatabout65percentand

whenthestill-headtemperatureisabout201degF(94degC)Howeveraspiritdistilledfromastraightmaltwashcanoftenbeend-cutas

low as 60 percent Also a gooseneck still distilling the very samewashmaybegin-cut at 72 percent and end-cut at 59 percent Therefore it is because ofthesenuances that smell and taste become theonly truly reliable indicators ofwhentomakethecuts

BEGIN-CUT

When making the begin-cut the taste characteristics that the distiller islookingforareasfollowsWhenaspiritruncomestoboilandthefirstdistillatestartsflowingfromthestillthisisthebeginningoftheheadsphaseThedistillercancollectasmallsampleofthedistillateonaspoonorinawineglassandsmellitAtthisstagethedistillatewillhavethesickeningsmellofsolvents(suchasnail-polish remover or paint-brush cleaner)However before long this solventsmell diminishes and evenwhen a sample is tasted these compoundswill beveryfaintAsthesolventcharacterdisappearscompletelythedistillatewillstartto take on a hint of whiskey This flavor will increase until it becomes verypronouncedandhighlyconcentratedItiswhenthisflavorisclearlyevidentbutisstillincreasinginintensitythatthedistillercutstotheheartsphase

END-CUT

Tomake the end-cut thedistiller needs tomonitor the flavor of changes intasteAt thebeginningof theheartsphase the intensityof thewhiskey flavorwillstillbeincreasinganditwillcontinuetodosountilitbecomesverystrongHowever as the hearts continue the intense whiskey flavor will fade into asmoothsweetpleasantflavorthatwillpersistformostoftheheartsTheflavorwillchangeslightlyastheheartsprogressbutitwillremainsweetandpleasantTowardtheendoftheheartstheflavorwillstartlosingitssweetnessandatraceofharshbitternesswillbegintoappearintheflavorThisharshbitterflavoristheonsetofthetailsAlthoughasmallamountofthisbitternessisconsideredtocontribute to theldquobiterdquocharacterof thewhiskey thedistiller shouldcut to thetailsreceiverbeforemuchofitisallowedtoentertheheartsThe tails can be collected until the evolving distillate is down to about 10

percentandthestill-headtemperatureisabout206degFor208degF(97degCor98degC)Thereasonfordoing this is to renderall the residualalcohol that is left in thestillattheendoftheheartsphaseThisalcoholcanthenberecoveredinafuturespiritrunThetailsphasestartsoutbitterandthebitternessbecomesmoreintenseasthe

tailscontinuebutasthetailsprogressthebitternesssubsidesandgiveswaytoasweet-tastingwaterThissweetwateriscalledbackins

THECONTINUOUS-RUNPROCESSOFDISTILLATION

IN a continuous-run distillation process wash is constantly entering the

columnsoallthreephases(headsheartsandtails)arepresentinthecolumnatalltimesThismeanstherecanrsquotbeadiscretecutwheretheheadsaredrawnoffandtheheartsbeginorthattheheartsendandthetailsbeginAllthreephasesmustbedrawnoffatthesametimeAcontinuous-runcolumnisahigh-separationfractionatingstillthatseparates

thecompoundsverywellsooncethestillisequilibratedandfunctioninginitssteady state of operation the distillers can determine which families ofcompounds are at each tray For example they might determine that thecompounds coming out of the top two trays are heads compounds and routethose two trays to the heads receiver Similarly they might observe that thecompoundscomingoutofthenextfourtraysdownareheartsThentheymightdeterminethatthefivetraysbelowtheheartstraysareproducingtailsandroutethemtothetailsreceiverBelowthetailstraysjustwaterwouldbecomingoutandthevalveswouldbeclosedsoitwouldbelefttoflowtothebottomofthecolumnandthentoadrainBecausethistypeofstillisnotintermittentinitsoperationitmustbesetup

to constantly draw the three phases of distillate at all times Although this isdifficulttosetupitcanproduceverylargequantitiesofspirittwenty-fourhoursadayforalongtime

ContinuousrunstillatFourRosesDistillery

CHAPTERTHREE

WHISKEY

ldquoAlways carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite andfurthermorealwayscarryasmallsnakerdquo

mdashWCFieldsAmericanactorandworld-classdrinker

THIS chapter introduces the process of distilling a worldrsquos worth ofwhiskiesincludingNorthAmericanstylesofbourbonTennesseeryeblendedAmericancornandCanadianandontoScotchandIrishwhiskiesfromEuropeOfallofthebasiccategoriesofspiritswhiskeyhasspreadthemostacrossthe

world achieving ageographic and stylistic diversity that is unmatchedby anyothertypeofdistilledspiritFromthebasicgrain-baseddistilledspiritsofninth-centuryIrelandScotlandandnorthernEuropehaveevolvedtheclassicwhiskiesofScotlandandIrelandThesespiritsinturnservedasthemodelsfordistillersin thenewlysettledNorthAmericancolonies toproducewhatcametobefirstmodern rye whiskey and then in rapid succession corn bourbon blendedAmericanandCanadianwhiskiesAllofthesenowclassicstylesofwhiskeyhaveinrecentdecadesservedas

the stylistic inspiration for myriad new whiskies throughout the world fromGermany toAustralia andNepal inbetweenSomeof thesenewwhiskiesarebasedonexistingstylesJapanesewhiskydistillersforexamplehavegenerallytaken their inspiration (and malt and sometimes even their water) fromScotlandOthersareboldlygoingforthinnewdirectionsparticularlyamongthenewgenerationofAmericancraftdistillers

StranahanrsquosColoradoWhiskey

THEHISTORYOFBOURBONWHISKEY

IN the early 1700s a combination of bad economic times and religious

unrestagainsttheAnglicanChurchinGreatBritainsetoffawaveofemigrationfrom Scotland and Ireland These Scots Irish and so-called ldquoScotch-Irishrdquo(ProtestantsfromthenorthernIrishcountyofUlster)broughttoNorthAmericatheir religion their distrust of government control and their skill at distillingwhiskeyThis rush augmented by German immigrants of a similar religious and

culturalpersuasionpassedthroughtheseaboardcoloniesandsettledinitiallyinPennsylvania Maryland and western Virginia Mostly small farmers theyquickly adapted to growing rye because of its hardiness and in the westerncountiesNativeAmericancornbecauseofitshighyieldsGrainwasawkwardtoshiptoEastCoastmarketsbecauseofthepoorroadssomanyfarmersturnedtodistillingtheircropsintowhiskeyInPennsylvaniathesewereprimarilyryewhiskiesfarthertothewestandsouthcornwhiskiespredominatedBytheendoftheAmericanWarofIndependencein1784thefirstcommercialdistillerieshadbeenestablishedinwhatwasthenthewesternVirginiacountyofKentuckyFromthestarttheyproducedcorn-basedwhiskies

Whiskeybarrelsondisplay

NOT-SO-TRIVIALPURSUIT

ThefirstwavesofBritishsettlersinNorthAmericawereathirstylotItisrecordedthatthePilgrimschosetomakefinallandfallinMassachusettseventhough their original destination was Virginia primarily because they werealmostoutofbeer

The first locallymade alcoholic beveragewas beer although the limitedsupplyofbarleymaltwasfrequentlysupplementedbyeverythingfromsprucetipstopumpkinDistilledspiritssoonfollowedwithrummadefromimportedCaribbeanmolassesdominatinginthenortherncoloniesandanassortmentoffruitbrandiesintheSouth

In1794thecash-strappedfederalgovernmentimposedthefirstfederalexcisetax on distillers The farmer-distillers of western Pennsylvania respondedviolentlyFederaltaxagentswereassaultedandkilledbyangrymobsOrderwasfinally restored when the federal government sent in an army of 15000militiamenledbyGeorgeWashingtontoputdowntherevoltTheringleaderswere convicted and sentenced to be hanged But cooler heads prevailed andafterjailtimetheywerepardonedandreleased

LabelforHudsonBabyBourbonbyTuthilltownSpirits

ThissituationdidprovokeanewmigrationofsettlersthroughtheCumberlandGap and into the then-western frontier lands of Kentucky and Tennessee Inthese new states farmers found ideal corn-growing country and smoothlimestone-filteredwatertwoofthebasicingredientsofbourbonwhiskeyThenamebourboncomesfromacounty ineasternKentuckywhich in turn

wasnamedfortheBourbonkingsofFrancewhohadaidedtheAmericanrebelsintheRevolutionaryWarBourbonCountywasintheearlynineteenthcenturyacenterofwhiskeyproductionandtransshipping(Ironicallyatthepresenttimeitisaldquodryrdquocounty)Thelocalwhiskeymadeprimarilyfromcornsoongainedareputation for being particularly smooth because the local distillers aged theirproductsincharredoakcasksTheadoptionoftheldquosourmashrdquograinconversiontechniquefurtherdistinguishedbourbonfromotherwhiskeystyles

BenjaminPrichardrsquosDoubleBarreledBourbonfromPrichardsrsquoDistillery

REVIVALOFTHEFITTEST

ItmayseemoddbutScotchwhiskymaybebourbonrsquosinspirationforlong-termrevivalThesteadygrowthinsalesofsinglemaltandhigh-qualityScotchwhiskies has not gone unnoticed in bourbon country All of theKentucky andTennessee whiskey distilleries are nowmarketing high-end ldquosingle caskrdquo andldquosmallbatchrdquowhiskiesthathavefoundgreatsuccessamongupscaleconsumersMore than thirty craft whiskey distilleries have opened in the past few yearsacross the United States to cater to this increasing demand for quality overquantity The United States may yet in the words of one commentator ldquoturnawayfromforeignpotionsandreturntoitsnativespiritrdquo

LabelforPappyVanWinklersquosFamilyReserveKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskey

By the 1840s bourbon was recognized and marketed as a distinctiveAmericanstyleofwhiskeyalthoughnotasaregionallyspecificspiritBourboncametobeproducedinKentuckyTennesseeIndianaIllinoisOhioMissouriPennsylvaniaNorthCarolinaandGeorgiaalthoughtheonlylegalrequirementfor calling a whiskey ldquobourbonrdquo is that it be produced in the United StatesNowadaysbourbonproductionisslowlyexpandingtootherstatesasnewcraftwhiskeydistillerscomeonline Initiallybourbonwasmade inpotstillsbutasthe century progressed the new column still technology was increasinglyadoptedThelastold-linepotstillplantclosedinPennsylvaniain1992butthetechniquewasrevivedinKentuckyin1995whenthehistoricLabrotampGrahamDistillerywas renovatedand reopenedwitha setofnewScottish-built copperpotstillsMorerecentlymostof thenewgenerationofcraftwhiskeydistillersusepotstillsThelatenineteenthcenturysawtheriseofthetemperancemovementasocial

phenomenondrivenbyapotentcombinationofreligiousandwomenrsquosgroupsTemperancesocietiessuchastheWomenrsquosChristianTemperanceUnionandtheAnti-SaloonLeagueoperatednationallybuttheywereparticularlyactiveintheSouthernstatesThenotionoftemperancesoongavewaytoastateddesireforoutright prohibition and throughout the rest of the century an assortment ofstatesandcountiesadoptedprohibitionforvaryinglengthsoftimeanddegreesof severity This muddle of legal restrictions played havoc in the bourbonindustry because it interfered with the production and aging of stocks ofwhiskey

LabelforBlantonrsquosSingleBarrelKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskeybyBuffaloTraceDistillery

National Prohibition in 1919 had effects on the bourbon industry beyondshuttingdownmostofthedistilleriesDrinkingdidnotstopofcourseandtheUnitedStateswassoonawashinillegalalcoholmuchofitofdubiousqualityWhat did change was the American taste in whiskey Illicit moonshine andimportedCanadianwhiskeyswere lighter in taste and body than bourbon andrye The corresponding increase in popularity ofwhite spirits such as gin andvodkafurtheralteredthemarketplaceWhenRepealcamein1933anumberofthe old distilleries didnrsquot reopen and the industry began a slow consolidationthatlastedintotheearly1990satwhichtimetherewereonlytendistilleriesinKentuckyandtwoinTennessee

SouvenirbottleofEvanWilliamsKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskeybyHeavenHillDistilleries

BottleofFourRosesDistilleryrsquosSingleBarrelKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskey

ElijahCraig18-year-oldKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskeybyHeavenHillDistilleries

BuffaloTraceDistilleryrsquosKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskey

TENNESSEEWHISKEY

Tennessee whiskey is a first cousin of bourbon with virtually an identicalhistoryThesamesortofpeopleusedthesamesortofgrainsandthesamesortofproduction techniques to produce a style of whiskey that remarkably isnoticeablydifferentTheearlywhiskeydistillers inTennessee for reasons thatarelosttohistoryaddedafinalsteptotheirproductionprocesswhentheybeganfilteringtheirwhiskeythroughthickbedsofsugar-maplecharcoalThisfiltrationremoves some of the congeners (flavor elements) in the spirit and creates asmooth mellow palate The two remaining whiskey distillers in the statecontinue this tradition which a distiller at the Jack Danielrsquos Distillery oncedescribedasbeingldquosamechurchdifferentpewrdquo

HudsonManhattanRyeWhiskeybyTuthilltownSpirits

RYEWHISKEY

The Scotch-Irish immigrant distillers had some exposure to using rye inwhiskeyproductionbutfortheirGermanimmigrantneighborsryehadbeentheprimary grain used in the production of schnapps and vodka back in northernEuropeTheycontinuedthisdistillingpracticeparticularlyinPennsylvaniaandMaryland where rye whiskey with its distinctive hard-edged grainy palateremainedthedominantwhiskeytypewellintothetwentiethcentury

AbottleofTempletonProhibitionEraRecipeSmallBatchRyeWhiskeyfromTempletonRye

Thehand-blownbottleofRendezvousRyeWhiskeycastsawavyambershadowonagiftbox

Rye whiskey was more adversely affected by National Prohibition thanbourbonwasAgenerationofconsumersweanedonlight-bodiedandrelativelydelicate white spirits turned away from the pungent full-bodied straight ryewhiskies Production of rye whiskies had vanished altogether from the Mid-Atlantic states by the 1980s A handful ofmodern rye whiskies are currentlybeingmadebybourbondistilleriesinKentuckyandIndianaTheUnitedStatesrsquosfirstindigenouswhiskeystyleistodayonlybarelysurvivinginthemarketplaceIts primary use is for blending to give other whiskies more character andbackbonealthoughasmallbutvocalgroupofryewhiskyenthusiastscontinueto champion it and a number of new craft distillers are again producing theirinterpretationsofthisclassicAmericanwhiskeystyle

LabelforRyeWhiskeyfromtheIsaiahMorganDistillery

OldPotrero18thCenturyStyleRyeWhiskeybyAnchorDistilling

BLENDEDAMERICANWHISKEY

Blendedwhiskiesdate fromtheearlynineteenthcenturywhen the inventionof the column still made possible the production of neutral spirits Distillersblended one or more straight whiskies (bourbon and rye) with these neutralspirits invaryingproportions tocreate theirownbrandedblendThe tasteandqualityof thesewhiskies thenasnowvariesaccording to the ratioofstraightwhiskey to neutral grain spirit Early blends were frequently flavored witheverything from sherry to plug tobacco Compared to straight whiskies theywere inexpensiveandblandModernblendsutilizedozensofdifferent straightwhiskiestoensureaconsistentflavorprofileBlendedAmericanwhiskieshadagreat sales boost during and just afterWorldWar IIwhendistillers promotedthem as away of stretching their limited supply of straightwhiskeyBlendedwhiskeys were considered to be too bland by bourbon and rye drinkers andconsumerswithatasteforlighterspiritssoonmigratedovertovodkaandgin

AbottleofMellowCornKentuckyStraightCornWhiskeybyMedleyCompany

CORNWHISKEY

Cornwhiskeyanunagedclearspiritwas the first trulyAmericanwhiskeyandtheprecursortobourbonScotch-Irishfarmersproduceditintheirstillsforfamilyconsumptionor to trade for storegoodsWhen state and federal excisetaxeswerepermanentlyintroducedduringtheCivilWarmostoftheproductionofcornwhiskeywentundergroundtobecomemoonshinewhereithasremainedeversinceAmodestamountofcommercialcornwhiskeyisstillproducedandconsumedintheSouthwhileanincreasingnumberofcraftwhiskeydistilleriesarenowexperimentingwiththismoreinterestingalternativetovodka

AbottleofPlatteValleyStraightCornWhiskeybyMcCormickDistillingCo

CANADIANWHISKY

Canadianwhiskies aswith theirAmerican cousins originated on the farmTheseearlywhiskiesweremadeprimarilyfromryethoughovertimeCanadiandistillersturnedtocornwheatandothergrainsCanadianscontinuetorefertotheirwhiskyasldquoryerdquoeventhoughthemashbillisnowpredominantlyamixofcorn wheat and barley Several of the new generation of Canadian craftdistillersarehowevermarketingbothall-maltandldquotruerdquoryewhiskies

FortyCreekSmallBatchReserveWhisky(Canadian)byKittlingRidgeEstateWinesampSpirits

AbottleofSnakeRiverStampedeBlendedCanadianWhisky

THEBASISOFNORTHAMERICANWHISKIES

NORTHAmericanwhiskiesareall-grainspiritsthathavebeenproducedfrom

amashbillthatusuallymixestogethercornryewheatbarleyandothergrainsin different proportions and then is aged for an extended period of time inwoodenbarrelsThesebarrelsmaybeneworusedandcharredoruncharredontheinsidedependingonthetypeofwhiskeybeingmade

Whiskeybarrelsondisplayonanantiquetruck

Most non-craft North American whiskies are made in column stills TheUnitedStatesgovernmentrequiresthatallwhiskies

bullBedistilledat90percentABVorlessbullBereducedtonomorethan625percentABV(125degproof)beforebeingagedinoakbarrels(exceptforcornwhiskeywhichdoesnothavetobeagedinwood)

bullHavethearomatasteandcharacteristicsthataregenerallyattributedtowhiskey

bullBebottledatnolessthat40percentABV(80degproof)

Acoopershootsairintoacharringbarreltostoketheflames

Acooperformsabarrelbeforeattachinghoopsaroundtheoutside

CLASSIFICATIONSOFNORTHAMERICANWHISKIES

NORTHAMERICANwhiskiesareessentiallyclassifiedbythetypeorvarietyof

grains in the mash bill the percentage or proof of alcohol at which they aredistilledandthedurationandmanneroftheiraging

Astirringpaddlesitsoveramoonshinewash

BarleygrowinginafieldinWashingtonState

PeregrineRockSingleMaltWhiskeybyStJamesSpirits

NORTHAMERICANWHISKEYREGIONS

North Americarsquos variations of whiskey are as nuanced and distinct as thecontinentrsquos regionsMost are aged innewwoodbarrels butbeyond that therehasbeenmuchexperimentinginrecentyears

UNITEDSTATES

Kentucky produces all types of North American whiskies except forTennessee andCanadian It currently has the largest concentration ofwhiskeydistilleries on the continent but may soon cede that claim to MichiganColoradooroneofthePacificNorthweststatesasnewcraftdistilleriescontinuetoopen

BarrelsofbourbonagingattheWoodfordReserveDistillery

MostWantedKansasWhiskeybyHighPlainsInc

Tennessee started out as bourbon country but today its two remainingwhiskeydistilleriesspecializeinthedistinctiveTennesseestyleofwhiskeyOther statesmdashprimarily Indiana IllinoisVirginia andMissourimdashhave large

distilleries that produce straight whiskeys although some of these plants arecurrentlymothballed

CANADA

Ontario has the largest concentration of whisky distilleries in Canada withthreeAlbertahastwoandManitobaQuebecandNovaScotiaeachhaveoneWiththeexceptionofGlenorainNovaScotiaandKittlingRidgeinOntarioalloftheothercurrentCanadianwhiskydistilleriesproduceonlyblendedCanadianwhisky although a number of new craft whisky distilleries are listed in theindex

REGIONALFLAVORS

Therearenowmorethanthirtycraftdistilleriesinat leastseventeenstatesthatareproducingsuchstandardwhiskeystylesasbourboncornandryeaswell asmany experimental variationsOne example isWasmundrsquos SingleMaltWhiskey from theCopperFoxDistilleryofSperryvilleVirginiaThisdistilleryhasitsownfloormaltingsandsoaks itsagingspirit inapple-woodchipsThissort of production twist which has its roots in craft brewing is increasinglybecomingadistinctivefeatureofAmericancraftdistillingAdditionally there are a number of distilling plants scattered around the

country that rectify (redistill) process and bottle spirits that were originallydistilledelsewhereThesedistilleriesinadditiontosometimesbottlingbourbonthat has been shipped to them in bulk may also create their own blendedwhiskiesThesewhiskiestendtoberelativelyinexpensiveldquowellrdquobrandsthataresoldmainlytotavernsandbarsformakingmixeddrinks

RickWasmundmaltsbarleybyhandattheCopperFoxDistillery

AWHISKEYLEXICON

Bondedwhiskeyisbourbonfromasingledistillerythatwasproducedinasingle ldquoseasonrdquo and then aged for at least four years in a government-supervisedldquobondedrdquowarehouseDistillersoriginallydidthistoavoidhavingtopaytheexcisetaxuntilthewhiskeywasagedandreadyformarketConsumerscameto(erroneously)regardtheldquobottledinbondrdquodesignationasastatementofqualityBondedwhiskies arenotmuchof a factor in todayrsquosmarket althoughtheystillexist

Themash is themix of crushed grain (including somemalt that containsenzymestobreakdowngrainstarchesintosugars)andhotwaterfromwhichthedistillerdrawsaliquidextractcalledwortThewortisfermentedintoasimplebeercalledthewashwhichisthendistilled

Sourmashisthefermentationprocessbywhichapercentageofapreviousfermentation is added to a new batch as a ldquostarterrdquo to get the fermentationgoing andmaintain a level of consistency from batch to batch A sweetmashmeansthatonlyfreshyeastisaddedtoanewbatchtostartfermentation

Straight whiskey is unblended whiskey that contains no neutral spiritBourbonTennesseeryeandcornwhiskiesarestraightwhiskiesThereisalsoaspiritsimplycalledldquostraightwhiskeyrdquo that ismade fromamixtureofgrainsnoneofwhichaccountsfor51percentofthemashbill

InthiswhiskeybarrelstoragebuildingablackmoldandrustthriveontheldquoangelrsquossharerdquoofevaporatedalcoholandtheKentuckyhumidity

Washbeingmadeinthemashtun

Bubblesriseduringagrainfermentation

SCOTCHWHISKYIRISHWHISKEYANDOTHERWHISKIESOFTHEWORLD

WHISKY isdefined in itsmostbasic senseasa spirit that isdistilled from

grainSometimesthegrainhasbeenmaltedsometimesnotWhatdistinguisheswhiskyfromvodkaginaquavitandothergrain-basedspiritsisthatitisagedoftenforlongperiodsoftimeinwoodenbarrels(usuallyoak)Thisbarrelagingsmoothes the rough palate of the raw spirit adding aromatic and flavoringnuancesalongwiththebaseamberhuethatsetswhiskiesapartfromwhitegrainspirits

THEHISTORYOFSCOTCHWHISKY

ThebasisofScotchwhiskyistheheather-flavoredalesmadefrombarleymaltthat thePictsand theirprehistoricancestorsbrewedArcheologistshave foundevidence of such brewing dating back to at least 2000 BCE This ale stillproducedtodaybyatleastoneScottishmicrobrewerwaslowinalcoholandnotverystableStarting in theninthcentury Irishmonksarrived inScotland toChristianize

theirCelticbrethrenTheybroughtalongthefirstprimitivestillswhichtheyhadpickedupduring theirproselytizingvisits tomainlandEuropeduring theDarkAges The local Picts soon found that they could create a stable alcoholicbeveragebydistillingheatheraleSimplestillscametobefoundinmostruralhomesteadsandhomemadewhiskybecameanintegralpartofGaelicculture

ForsythstillsatthePenderynWhiskyDistilleryinWales

Laphroaig10-year-oldSingleMaltScotchWhiskyfromtheIslandofIslay

WHYBLENDEDSCOTCHWHISKYISAGOODTHINGEVENIFYOUPREFERSINGLEMALTS

It isatruismofreligionthatconvertsfrequentlybecomethemostzealousofbelieversAmongfreshlymintedmodern-dayenthusiastsofScotchmaltwhiskiesit is a frequently heard refrain thatmalt whiskies are superior to the blendedarticle and that the latterare just notworthbotheringwithPersonal taste isultimatelysubjectiveofcourseButsinglemaltdrinkersshouldraisetheirhatsin salute whenever a Dewarrsquos or Johnnie Walker delivery truck drives bybecause without these blended brands most of the remaining malt distillerieswouldnotexistBlendedScotchwhiskiesrequireablendofdozensofdifferentmaltwhiskiestobecombinedwiththegrainwhiskytocreatethedesiredblendThe individual percentages of each malt whisky may be small but eachcontributesitsuniquecharactertotheblendAblenderwillthusneedtobuyorproducealargeamountofdifferentmaltwhiskiestomaintaintheconsistencyoftheblendThus foramaltwhiskydistillery thesinglemaltmaygetallof theglorybuttheblendsultimatepaythebills

Talisker18-year-oldSingleMaltScotchWhisky

AslongasScottishkingsruledthecountryfromEdinburghthestatusquoofwhiskyasjustanotherfarmproductwasmoreorlessmaintainedButtheActofUnion in 1707 that combined England Wales and Scotland into the UnitedKingdomalteredtheScotchwhiskysceneforeverTheLondongovernmentsoonleviedexcisetaxesonScottish-madewhisky(whileatthesametimecuttingthetaxesonEnglishgin)Theresultwasapredictableboomin illicitdistilling In1790sEdinburghitwasestimatedthatmorethn400illegalstillscompetedwithjust eight licensed distilleries A number of present-day Scottish distilleriesparticularlyintheHighlandshavetheiroriginsinsuchillicitoperations

HighlandPark12-year-oldSingleMaltScotchWhisky

BarrelsagingatthePenderynWhiskyDistilleryinWales

TheExciseAct of 1823 reduced taxes onScotchwhisky tolerablyThis actcoincided with the dawn of the industrial revolution and entrepreneurs weresoon building new state-of-the-art distilleries The local moonshiners (calledsmugglers) did not go quietly Some of the first licensed distillers in rurallocations were threatened by their illicit peers But in the end productionefficiencies and the rule of law won out The whisky that came from thesedistillerieswasmade exclusively frommalted barley that had been kiln driedoverpeatfiresThesmokefromthesepeatfiresgavethemaltadistinctivetangthatmadetheScottishproductinstantlyidentifiablebywhiskydrinkersallovertheworldThe nineteenth century brought a rush of changes to the Scotch whisky

industryTheintroductionofcolumnstillsearlyinthe1830sledtothecreationofgrainwhiskywhich in turn led toblendedScotchwhisky in the late1860sThe smooth blandness of the grain whisky toned down the assertive smokycharacterofthemaltwhiskiesThe resulting blended whisky was milder and more acceptable to foreign

consumersparticularlytheEnglishwhoturnedtoScotchwhiskyinthe1870swhen a phylloxera infestation (an insect pest that destroys grape vines) in thevineyardsofEuropedisruptedsuppliesofcognacandporttwoofthemainstaysof civilized living Malt whisky distilleries were bought up by blendingcompaniesandtheiroutputwasblendedwithgrainwhiskiestocreatethegreatblended brands that have come to dominate the market The malt whiskydistilleriestookabackseattothesebrandsandsoldmostorinsomecasesalloftheirproductiontotheblendersTherecentpopularrevivalofmaltwhiskieshasledmostofthedistilleriestocomeoutwithbottlingsoftheirownproducts

KeithTenchvisitorcentremanagerposeswithdistillerGillianHowellatthePenderynWhiskyDistilleryinWales

Bythe1970sinternationalliquorcompaniesownedmostofthemaltwhiskydistilleriesasituationthatcontinuestothisday

THEHISTORYOFIRISHWHISKEY

TheScotsmostlikelylearnedaboutdistillingfromtheIrish(thoughtheyareloath to admit it) The Irish in turn learned about it according to the Irish atleastfrommissionarymonkswhoarrivedinIrelandintheseventhcenturyTheactualdetailsareabitsketchyforthenext700yearsorsobutitdoesseemthatmonks in various monasteries were distilling aqua vitae (ldquowater of liferdquo)primarily formakingmedicalcompoundsThese firstdistillateswereprobablygrape or fruit brandy rather than grain spirit Barley-basedwhiskey (thewordderivesfromuiscebeatha theGaelic interpretationofaquavitae) firstappearsin the historical record in the mid-1500s when the Tudor kings began toconsolidateEnglishcontrolinIrelandQueenElizabethIwassaidtobefondofitandhadcasksshippedtoLondonregularlyThe imposition of an excise tax in 1661 had the same effect as it did in

Scotlandwith the immediate commencementof theproductionofpoteen (theIrish version of moonshine) This did not however slow the growth of thedistillingindustryandbytheendoftheeighteenthcenturythereweremorethan2000stillsinoperationUnderBritish rule Irelandwasexportorientedand Irishdistillersproduced

large quantities of pot-distilled whiskey for export into the expanding BritishEmpire (along with grains and assorted foodstuffs) In the late nineteenthcenturymorethan400brandsofIrishwhiskeywerebeingexportedandsoldintheUnitedStates

DistillerLanceWintersleadsagroupofotherdistillersonatourofStGeorgeSpiritsHangarOneVodkaHeretheyaremarvelingatthegleamingcolumnstills

This happy state of affairs lasted into the early twentieth centurywhen themarketbegantochangeTheIrishpotstilluserswereslowtorespondtotheriseof blended Scotch whisky with its column-distilled smooth-grain-whiskycomponent When National Prohibition in the United States closed off theirlargest export market many of the smaller distilleries closed The remainingdistilleries then failed to anticipate the coming of Repeal (unlike the Scotchdistillers) and were caught short when it came The Great Depression tradeembargoes between the newly independent Irish Republic and the UnitedKingdomandWorldWarIIcausedfurtherhavocamongthedistillersIn1966thethreeremainingdistillingcompaniesintheRepublicofIrelandmdash

Powers Jameson and CorkDistilleriesmdashmerged into a single company IrishDistillers Company (IDC) In 1972 Bushmills the last distillery in NorthernIrelandjoinedIDCIn1975IDCopenedanewmammothdistilleryatMidleton

nearCorkandalloftheotherdistilleriesintherepublicwerecloseddownwiththeproductionoftheirbrandsbeingtransferredtoMidletonForafourteen-yearperiod the Midleton plant and Bushmills in Northern Ireland were the onlydistilleriesinIreland

Thissadstateofaffairsendedin1989whenapotato-peelethanolplant inDundalk was converted into a whiskey distillery The new Cooley Distillerybegantoproducemaltandgrainwhiskeyswiththefirstthree-year-oldbottlingsreleasedin1992

YamazakiDistilleryShimamotoOsakaJapan12-year-oldSingleMaltWhisky(Japan)

THEHISTORYOFJAPANESEWHISKY

Themodern Japanesewhisky industry can trace its beginnings back to onemanMasatakaTaketsuraThesonofasakebrewerTaketsurawenttoScotlandin 1918 and spent two years studying chemistry at Glasgow University andworkingataScotchwhiskydistilleryinRothesintheHighlandsHereturnedtoJapanin1920withaScottishbrideandadeterminationtochangetheJapanesedistillingindustryTheJapanesewerethenastheyarenowmajorconsumersofScotchwhisky

Locallyproducedspiritshoweverwere limited to thefierysorghum-orsweet-potato-basedshochuandahandfulofdubiousldquowhiskiesrdquothatwerelittlemorethan neutral spirits colored with caramel Taketsura convinced the owners ofwhatbecametheSuntoryCompanytobeginproductionofbarleymaltandgrainwhiskiesbasedontheScottishmodelThesewhiskiessomeofwhicharemadefrom imported peat-smoked Scottish malt became very successful in theJapanesemarketOtherdistilleriesfollowedSuntoryrsquosleadandthesewhiskiesbased onScotchwhiskymodels (and later bourbonwhiskey) soon dominatedthemarket

KaruizawaNumberOneSingleCaskWhisky(Japan)ThedistilleryislocatedinthefoothillsofMountAsamaanactivevolcano

ModernJapanesedistillers(includingtheNikkaWhiskyDistillerywhichwasfoundedbyTaketsurain1934)havefollowedthistrendandnowadaysproduceandmarketafullrangeofmaltandblendedwhiskies

THEHISTORYOFNEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIANWHISKY

Scottishemigrantsbroughttheirwhisky-makingskillstoNewZealandinthe1840s A thriving whisky industry soon developed and operated until 1875whennewexcessivelyhighexcisetaxesandheavycompetitionfromimportedBritishwhiskies forced the local commercial distilleries to shut downA newalmostcommercial-sizedmoonshinetradequicklyreplacedthemasituationthatcontinuedforalmostacenturyIn 1968 a newwhisky distillery opened inDunedin It produces a range of

maltandgrainwhiskiesbroadlyintheScottishstylefromlocallygrowngrainEventhebarleymaltiskilnedandsmokedusinglocalpeatAustralianwhisky production has experienced a similar varied historywith

assortednineteenth-centuryproducerspoppingup in thevariousstatesonly tobedrivenoutofbusinessbyBritishimportsAbortiveattemptsinthe1990storevivewhiskyproductionhavebeenfollowedmorerecentlybyanewgenerationofmoresuccessfulcraftwhiskydistillersparticularlyontheislandofTasmania

Thousandsofbarrelsstackedoutsideacooperage

THEBASISOFSCOTCHWHISKYIRISHWHISKEYJAPANESEWHISKYAND

NEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIANWHISKY

Allofthesewhiskeystyleswhileverydifferentintasteandstylearebasedonmaltedbarleyasthedominantsourceofflavorandcharacter

SCOTLAND

TherearetwobasiccategoriesofScotchwhiskymaltwhiskywhichismadeexclusivelyfrommaltedbarleythathasbeendriedoversmokingpeatfiresandgrainwhiskywhichismadefromunmaltedwheatorcornThesewhiskiesareaged inusedwoodenbourbonor sherrybarrels for aminimumof threeyearsalthoughfivetotenyearsisthegeneralpractice

IRELAND

TherearetwobasiccategoriesofIrishwhiskeymaltwhiskeywhichismadeexclusivelyfrommaltedbarleythathasbeenkiln-driedbutnotoverpeatfiresandgrainwhiskeywhichismadefromunmaltedwheatorcornThesewhiskeysareagedinusedwoodenbourbonorsherrybarrelsforaminimumofthreeyearsalthoughfivetoeightyearsisthenorm

JAPAN

Japanese whiskies both malt and blended are broadly based on Scotchwhiskieswithsometopbrandsevenbeingmadewith importedScottishwaterandpeat-smokedbarleymaltThepeat-smokecharacterofJapanesewhiskiesisgenerally more subtle and delicate than their Scottish counterparts Japanesewhiskiesmaybeagedinbothnewandused(usuallybourbon)woodenbarrelswhichmaybeeithercharredoruncharred

NEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIA

New Zealand and Australian whiskies both draw on Scottish Irish andAmerican traditions in a cheerfully mixed manner using both peated andunpeated locally-grown barley malt to produce mostly pot-distilled maltwhiskiesthatareagedinusedbourbonandwinebarrelsforatheoreticalifnotalwaysabsoluteminimumofsixyearsformaltwhisky

Detailoffermentingbarleywashformakingwhiskey

THEDISTILLATIONOFSCOTCHWHISKYIRISHWHISKEYJAPANESEWHISKY

ANDNEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIANWHISKY

Double-andeventriple-distillationisthenormforthisfamilyofbarleymaltndashbasedwhiskies

SCOTLAND

All Scotch malt whiskies are double distilled in pot stills whereas Scotchgrainwhiskiesaremadeincolumnstills

IRELAND

Irishwhiskeysbothblendedandmaltareusuallytripledistilledthroughbothcolumnandpotstillsalthoughthereareafewexclusivelypot-distilledbrands

JAPAN

Japanese whiskies follow the Scottish tradition with malt whiskies beingdoubledistilledinpotstillsandgrainwhiskiesincolumnstills

NEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIA

BothNewZealandandAustralianmaltandgrainwhiskiesaredoubledistilledin pot stills with some Tasmanian distilleries reportedly experimenting withtripledistillation

SCOTCHWHISKYIRISHWHISKEYJAPANESEWHISKYANDNEWZEALAND

ANDAUSTRALIANWHISKYREGIONS

SCOTLAND

TheHighlandsconsistoftheportionofScotlandnorthofalinefromDundeeon the North Sea coast in the east to Greenock on the Irish Sea in the westincluding all of the islands off the mainland except for Islay Highland maltwhiskies cover a broad spectrum of styles They are generally consideredaromatic smooth and medium bodied with palates that range from lushcomplexitytofloraldelicacyThesubregionsoftheHighlandsincludeSpeysidetheNorthEastandWestHighlandstheOrkneyIslesandtheWesternIslands(JuraMullandSkye)TheLowlandsencompasstheentireScottishmainlandsouthoftheHighlands

except the Kintyre Peninsula where Campbeltown is located Lowland maltwhiskiesarelightbodiedrelativelysweetanddelicateIslay is an island off the west coast Traditional Islay malt whiskies are

intenselysmokyandpungentincharacterwithadistinctiveiodineormedicinaltangthatissaidtocomefromseasaltpermeatingthelocalpeatthatisusedtodrythebarleymaltCampbeltown is a port located on the tip of the Kintyre Peninsula on the

southwestcoastthathasitsowndistinctivespicyandsalt-tingedmaltwhiskies

IRELAND

Aseriesofcorporateconsolidationsandresultingplantclosureshavelefttheislandwithonly threedistilleries one inCountyAntrimat thenorthern tipofUlsterandtwointheRepublicofIrelandtothesouthSeveralnewandreviveddistilleriesarehowevercurrentlyunderconstruction

JAPAN

The whisky distilleries of Japan are scattered throughout Honshu andHokkaido the two main northern islands of Japan with the malt whiskydistillerieslocatedforthemostpartinmountainousregionswheretherearegoodwatersupplies

NEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIA

NewZealandcurrentlyonlyhasoneoperatingwhiskydistillery inDunedinSouth Island At press time Australia had one operating whisky distillery inwesternAustraliaandthreeinTasmania

WHISKYCOCKTAILS

SAZERACInashortglasscombinebull2ounces(60ml)ryewhiskeybull1teaspoon(5g)sugarStirtoblendthenaddbullDashPeychaudrsquosbittersbullDashAngosturabittersbullfrac12ounce(15ml)Pernodbull2icecubesStirtoblendGarnishwithlemontwist

DEPTHCHARGE

Fill a tall glass three-quarters full of beer Pour 1 12 ounces (45 ml)CanadianwhiskeyintoashotglassDroptheshotglassintotheglassofbeeranddrinkthemtogether

WHISKEYSOURFillashortglasswithiceInashakercombinebull1frac12ounces(45ml)bourbonwhiskeybull1ounce(30ml)lemonjuicebull1tablespoon(15g)sugarbullCrushedice(halffull)Shakeandstrainintotheglass

MANHATTAN

Inashakercombinebull1frac12ounces(45ml)blendedbullfrac34ounce(23ml)sweetvermouthbullIceStirandstrainintoamartini(cocktail)glassorashortglassGarnishwitha

maraschinocherry

RUSTYNAIL

FillashortglasswithicecubesAdd

bull1ounce(30ml)Scotchwhiskybullfrac12ounce(15ml)DrambuieliqueurStirandserve

SazeracRyeWhiskey

LabelforOldGristmillAuthenticAmericanCornWhiskeybyTuthilltownSpirits

ARTISANPROFILEINSIDETHEINDUSTRY

JOHNHENRY

PipeLineBrandAgentsNewYorkNewYork

SUDDENLY it is time to open the doorsYou bought your still got yourlicensebuiltyourdistillerysourcedyourrawproductsdecidedwhattomakeandactuallymadesomeThemostimportantstepisstillaheadmdashyoursquovegottoconvincepeopletobuywhatyoursquoresellingEnterJohnHenryofPipeLineBrandAgentsabrandbuilderandmarketdeveloperThetaskofreachingcustomersisdauntingGiantcorporationscanflybevies

of representatives around the world and ply retailers and restaurants withpromotional wares but the small distiller more often than not finds himselfdrivingaroundinhisowncarwithacaseortwointhetrunkPipeLinersquosteamofbrand agents andmarket ambassadors are ldquodedicated to properly representinghigh-qualityartisanalspiritsrdquo(accordingtotheirwebsite)andtheyworkhardtobuildstrongsupportivemutuallybeneficialrelationshipsldquoI tell the storiesrdquo saidHenry ldquoWhether it is the history of a centuries-old

brewery the soil composition the site and terroir of a sugarcane field orvineyard or a cherished family recipe that goes back fourteen generations Iwanttogetoutonthestreetandtellpeopleaboutitrdquo

HenryunderstandsthatasmalldistillerrsquosproductisaworkofpassionandhewantstoinstillthatpassioninthemarketplaceandforgethesortofloyaltythatcanonlybecommandedbyacraftproductldquoIknowthepersonalitiesthehistoryandthedramaWhatrsquosbetterthanthat

Nocorporate-createdbrandlike10CanehasthishistoryandrootedstoryrdquoHenry cuts a striking figure He is a graduate ofWest Point and a former

Armyintelligenceofficerbutheleftall thatbehindtoridehisbicyclethroughthestreetsofNewYorkbottlesclinkinginhisbackpackldquoThebikeiskingItrsquosastoryuntoitselfItrsquosgreenitrsquosstreetitrsquosartisanalit

movesItrsquosahand-deliveredhand-soldwaytodobusinessandIwouldnrsquothaveit anyotherway I paraphraseOrwell lsquoWhen I see a grownmanon a bike IhavehopeforthefuturersquordquoHenrylikestosaythatheldquofarmsrelationshipsonthestreetmdashorganicallyrdquoIn

doingsothehardestpartofthejobisalsowhatmakesitpossibleldquoWhatrsquosmostdifficultaboutrepresentingthemoreboutiquecraftedbrandsis

that you have to continually tell the story from scratch The bigger brandsbombard the consumerwith imagesmdashthinkVincentGallo forBelvedereWiththesmallerbrandsyouhavetomaketheconnectiononeononeasifyouwerethedistillertellinghisstoryThatrsquoswhatmakesthemstandoutasbrandsandasdistillersIamasmuchabrandstorytellerasIamastreet-basedbrandbuilderIlookatmyjobaspartJohnnyAppleseedandpartJohnnyCarsonrdquo

CHAPTERFOUR

VODKA

ldquoThe relationship between a Russian and a bottle of vodka is almostmysticalrdquo

mdashRichardOwenBritishscientistanddrinkingbuddyofCharlesDarwin

Acolorfularayofcraftvodkasondisplayonicereadytobeenjoyedresponsibly

ASTHESTORYgoesin988theGrandPrinceofKiev(Ukraine)decideditwas time for his people to be converted from their paganways to one of themonotheisticreligionsthatheldswaytothesouthFirstcametheJewishrabbisHe listened to their argumentswas impressed but ultimately sent them awayafternoting that the followersof Judaismdidnotcontrolany landNextcamethe Muslim mullahs Again he was impressed both with their intellectualargumentsandthesuccessofIslamasapoliticalandmilitaryforceButwhenhewas told that Islamproscribed alcohol hewas dismayed and sent themawayFinallycametheChristianpriestswhoinformedhimthatnotonlycouldgoodChristiansdrinkalcoholbutalsothatwinewasrequiredforchurchritualssuchas communion That was good enough for the Grand Prince and on hiscommandhissubjectsconvertedenmassetoChristianity

THEHISTORYOFVODKA

HISTORICALLY the Slavic peoples of the north and their Scandinavian

neighborstookalcoholicdrinksveryseriouslyTheextremecoldtemperaturesofwinter inhibited the shipment of wines and beers because these low-proofbeverages could freeze during transit Until the introduction of distilling intoEastern Europe in the 1400s strong drink was made by fermenting winesmeadsandbeersfreezingthemandthendrawingoffthealcoholicslushfromthefrozenwaterThe earliest distilled spirit in Eastern Europewasmade frommead (honey

wine)orbeerandwascalledperevaraThewordvodka(fromtheRussianwordvoda meaning ldquowaterrdquo) was originally used to describe grain distillates thatwere used for medicinal purposes As distilling techniques improved vodka(wodka in Polish) gradually came to be the accepted term for beverage spiritregardlessofitsorigin

VODKAINRUSSIA

Russians firmly believe that vodka was created in their land Commercialproduction was established by the fourteenth century In 1540 Czar Ivan theTerrible established the first government vodka monopoly Distilling licenseswerehandedout to theboyars(thenobility)allotherdistillerieswerebannedandmoonshiningbecameendemicVodka production became an integral part of Russian society Landowners

operated stills on their estates and produced high-quality vodkas that wereflavored with everything from acorns to horseradish to mint The czarsmaintained test distilleries at their country palaces In 1780 a scientist at onesuchdistilleryinventedcharcoalfiltrationtopurifyvodka

ThreeHolsteinstillsatStGeorgeSpiritsHangarOneVodka

BytheeighteenthandintothenineteenthcenturytheRussianvodkaindustrywasconsideredtechnologicallyadvancedNewstillsandproductiontechniquesfrom Western Europe were eagerly imported and utilized State funding andcontrol of vodka research continued Under a 1902 law ldquoMoscow vodkardquo aclear 40 percent ABV rye vodka without added flavorings and soft ldquolivingrdquo(undistilled)waterwasestablishedasthebenchmarkforRussianvodkaThe Soviet Union continued government control of vodka production All

distilleries became government-owned and while the Communist Partyapparatchiks continued to enjoy high-quality rye vodka the proletariatmasseshadtomakedowithcheapspiritsVodkaproduction in the currentRussianFederationhas returned to thepre-

RevolutionarypatternHigh-qualitybrandsareagainbeingproducedforthenewsocial elite and for export while the popularly priced brands are still beingconsumedwelllikevoda

PuttinglabelsoverthecapsoffreshlyfilledbottlesofPrezydentVodkaatPolmosLodzinLodzPoland

VODKAINPOLAND

The earliest written records of vodka production in Poland date from the1400s thoughsomePolishhistoriansclaim that itwasbeingproducedaroundthe southern city of Krakow at least a century earlier Originally known asokowita(fromtheLatinaquavitaldquowaterofliferdquo) itwasusedforavarietyofpurposes in addition to beverages A 1534medical text defined an aftershavelotion as ldquovodka for washing the chin after shavingrdquo Herbal-infused vodkaswereparticularlypopularaslinimentsfortheachesandpainsoflifeIn 1546King JanOlbracht granted the right to distill and sell in spirits to

everyadultcitizenThePolisharistocracytakingacuefromtheirRussianpeerssoonlobbiedtohavethisprivilegerevokedandreplacedbyaroyaldecreethatreservedtothemtherighttomakevodkaCommercialvodkadistillerieswerewellestablishedbytheeighteenthcentury

By the mid-nineteenth century a thriving export trade had developed withPolish vodkas particularly those infused with small quantities of fruit spiritbeingshippedthroughoutnorthernEuropeandevenintoRussia

SpiritsdanceinthestillattheWeyermannDistilleryinBambergGermany

With the fall of Communism in the late 1980s the vodka distilleries soonreturned to private ownership Nowadays high-quality Polish vodkas areexportedthroughouttheworld

VODKAINSWEDEN

Vodkaproduction inSwedenwhichdates fromthe fifteenthcenturyhas itsorigins in the local gunpowder industry where high-proof spirit (originallycalledbraumlnnvin)wasusedasacomponentofblackpowderformusketsWhendistillerieswere licensed toproducebeveragealcohol (primarilyspice-flavoredaquavitbutalsovodka) itwaswiththeunderstandingthatgunpowdermakershadfirstpriorityoverbeverageconsumersHomedistillingwaslongapartofSwedishsocietyIn1830thereweremore

than 175000 registered stills in a country of fewer than threemillion peopleThistraditioninamuchdiminishedandillegalformstillcontinuestothisdayModernSwedishvodkaisproducedbytheVinampSpritstatemonopoly

VODKAANDTHECLASSSYSTEM

Thesocietalattitudetowardcheapspiritsmeantfortheproletariatcouldbesummed up by the curious fact that mass-produced vodka was sold in literbottles with a non-screw cap Once you opened the bottle it couldnrsquot beresealedYouhadtodrinkitallinonesession

CharcoalfiltrationusedinmakingvodkaatColoradoPureDistilling

VODKAINTHEUNITEDSTATES

Vodka was first imported into the United States in significant quantitiesaroundtheturnofthetwentiethcenturyItsmarketwasimmigrantsfromEasternEuropeAftertherepealofNationalProhibitionin1933theHeubleinCompanyboughttherightstotheSmirnoffbrandofvodkafromitsWhiteRussianeacutemigreacuteowners and relaunched vodka into theUSmarket Sales languished until anenterprisingliquorsalesmaninSouthCarolinastartedpromotingitasldquoSmirnoffWhiteWhiskymdashNotasteNosmellrdquoSalesboomedandAmericanvodkaaftermarking timeduringWorldWar IIwas on itsway tomarketing successThefirst popular vodka-based cocktailwas a combinationof vodka andginger alecalled the Moscow mule It was marketed with its own special copper mugexamples of which can still be found on the back shelves of liquor cabinetsthroughouttheUnitedStatesTodayvodka is thedominantwhitespirit in theUnitedStateshelpedalong

by its versatility as amixer and some very clever advertising campaigns Themost famous of these was the classic double entendre tagline ldquoSmirnoffmdashItleavesyoubreathlessrdquoThemajorityofAmericancraftdistillersarevodkaproducersThey are divided between those who purchase neutral grain spirit (NGS)

fromathirdpartysupplierandthenrectifyitintheirownfacilityandarelativehandful of operations that produce and distill their ownwash tomake vodkaThisisactuallyaseriouschallengeforcraftdistillerswithpotstillsbecauseitisdifficulttoproduceahigh-proofneutralgrainspiritwithoutusingacolumnstillThe best-known and bestselling craft-distilled vodka is Titorsquos Handmade

VodkafromthedistilleryofthesamenameinAustinTexas

THEBASISOFVODKA

ldquoAvodkamartinipleasePolishnotRussianShakennotstirredrdquomdashJamesBondAgent007plungingastakeintotheheartofginsales

VODKAismadebyfermentingandthendistillingthesimplesugarsfroma

mashofpalegrainorvegetalmatterwhichcanbepotatoesmolassesbeetsoravarietyofotherplantsRyeis theclassicgrainforvodkaandmostof thebestRussianandPolishbrandsaremadeexclusivelyfromaryemashSwedishandBalticdistillersarepartialtowheatmashesalthoughwheatisalsousedfarthereastPotatoesarelookeddownonbyRussiandistillersbuttheyareheldinhighesteem by some of their Polish counterparts Molasses is widely used forinexpensive mass-produced brands of vodka American distillers use the fullrangeofbaseingredients

DISTILLATIONOFVODKA

Vodkaisdistilledinthemannerdescribedintheintroductorychapterofthisbook (Seepage24)Thechoiceofpotorcolumnstillsdoeshoweverhaveafundamentaleffectonthefinalcharacterof thevodkaAllvodkacomesoutofthestillasaclearcolorlessspiritButvodkafromapotstill(thesortusedforcognac and Scotch whisky) will contain some of the delicate aromaticscongenersandflavorelementsofthecropfromwhichitwasproducedPotstillsare relatively inefficient and the resulting spirit from the first distillation isusually redistilled (rectified) to increase the proof of the spirit Vodka from amoreefficientcolumnstillisusuallyaneutralcharacterlessspirit

MaineDistilleriesuseslocallysourcedpotatoestomakeitsColdRiverVodka

Except for a fewminor exceptions vodka is not put intowooden casks oraged for anyextensiveperiodof time It canhowever be flavoredor coloredwithawidevarietyoffruitsherbsandspices

CLASSIFICATIONSOFVODKA

Therearenouniformclassificationsofvodka InPolandvodkasaregradedaccordingtotheirdegreeofpuritystandard(zwykly)premium(wyborowy)anddeluxe(luksusowy)InRussiavodkathatislabeledosobaya(special)isusuallyasuperior-qualityproductthatcanbeexportedwhilekrepkaya(strong)denotesanoverproofvodkaofatleast56percentABVIn the United States domestic vodkas are defined by US government

regulation as ldquoneutral spirits so distilled or so treated after distillation withcharcoalorothermaterialsastobewithoutdistinctivecharacteraromatasteorcolorrdquoBecauseAmericanvodkaisbylawneutralintastethereareonlyverysubtledistinctionsbetweenbrandsManydrinkersfeelthattheonlyrealwayofdifferentiatingbetweenthemisbyalcoholcontentandprice

VODKAREGIONS

EASTERNEUROPE

ThisisthehomelandofvodkaproductionEverycountryproducesvodkaandmostalsohavelocalflavoredspecialtiesRussiaUkraineandBelarusproducethefullrangeofvodkatypesandthey

are generally acknowledged to be the leaders in vodka production Only thebetterbrandsallofwhicharedistilledfromryeandwheatareexportedtotheWest

ZubrowkavodkabyPolmosBialystockaisflavoredwithbuffalograssfromtheBialowiezaforestinPolandThevodkahasayellow-greentinge(notshown)fromthegrassinfusion

FLAVOREDVODKA

AsaneutralspiritvodkalendsitselftoblendingwithflavorsandfortifyingotherbeveragesInthenineteenthcenturyhigh-proofldquoRussianspiritrdquowasheldin high esteem by sherry producers in Spain who imported it to fortify theirwines Neutral spirits are still used to fortify port sherry and other types offortified wines although the source of alcohol for such purposes these daystends to be the vast ldquowine lakerdquo that has been created by European UnionagriculturalpracticesFlavoredvodkaswereoriginallyusedtomasktheflavorofthefirstprimitive

vodkas but they were later considered a mark of the distillerrsquos skill TheRussians and Poles in particular still market dozens of flavors Some of thebetter-knowntypesare

Inrecentyearsnumerous flavoredvodkashavebeenlaunchedontheworldmarketThemostsuccessfulofthesehavebeenfruitflavorssuchascurrantandorange

LabelforKoenigrsquosFamousIdahoPotatoVodkabytheKoenigDistilleryandWinery

Polandproducesandexportsbothgrain-andpotato-basedvodkasMostofthehigh-qualitybrandsareproducedinpotstillsThe Baltic States of Estonia Latvia and Lithuania along with Finland

produceprimarilygrain-basedvodkasmostlyfromwheat

WESTERNEUROPE

ThisregionhaslocalbrandsofvodkawherevertherearedistilleriesThebaseforthesevodkascanvaryfromgrainsinnortherncountriessuchastheUnitedKingdomHollandandGermanytograpesandotherfruitsinthewinemakingregions of France and Italy Sweden has in recent decades developed asubstantialexportmarketforitsstraightandflavoredwheat-basedvodkas

NORTHAMERICA

The United States and Canada produce vodkas both from various grains(including corn) and from molasses American vodkas are by law neutralspiritssothedistinctionbetweennonflavoredbrandsismoreamatterofpriceandperceptionthantasteAnumberofflavoredvodkasarealsoproducedbothbythemajordistillersandbyanassortmentofcraftdistillers

OTHERREGIONS

TheCaribbeanproducesasurprisingamountofvodkaallofitfrommolassesMostofitisexportedforblendingandbottlinginothercountriesAustraliaproducesmolasses-basedvodkasbutfewareexportedAsiahasasmatteringoflocalvodkaswiththebestcomingfromJapan

VermontWhiteandGoldVodkabyVermontSpirits

VODKACOCKTAILS

SCREWDRIVER

FillatallglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)vodkabullOrangejuicetofillStirandserve

BLOODYMARY

FillashortglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)vodkabullDashWorcestershiresaucebullDashTabascosaucebullDashlemonorlimejuicebullTomatojuicetofillStirandgarnishwithcelerysaltontop

SEXONTHEBEACH

FillatallglasswithiceAddbull1ounce(30ml)vodkabull1ounce(30ml)peachliqueurbull1frac12ounces(45ml)orangejuicebull1frac12ounces(45ml)cranberryjuiceStirandserve

MazamaInfusedPepperVodkabyBendistillery

ARTISANPROFILEINSIDETHEINDUSTRY

LENELLSMOTHERS

FormerownerofLeNellrsquosBrooklynNewYork

WHENcraftdistillersTuthill-townSpiritsfromUpstateNewYorklaunchedtheir firstbarrel-agedwhiskey theycalled itManhattanRye and they threwapartyattheFourSeasonrsquosRestaurantintheSeagramsBuildingonParkAvenueinManhattanInabigopenroomwithbarsatbothendsandamashofpeoplelaughinganddrinkingtheytoastedtheiraccomplishmentandpouredsamplesoftheir excellentwhiskeys and vodkas (made from 100 percentNewYork Stateapples)WhenitcametimetoclinkglassesandhearannouncementsthecrowdwastreatedtoaraucoustutorialonmixingaManhattanStandingonabalconyabove the crowd like a hillbilly Juliet before a throng of devotees LeNellSmotherscackledandcrackedwiseSheworeabatteredcowboyhatbandannasaroundherwriststightjeansandamileofattitudeShetookthecrowdthroughtherecipejiggerofryeshotofsweetvermouth

dashofbittersshaketwistShetalkedvariationTheperfectManhattanishalfdryandhalfsweetvermouthIftheywantedtodrinkthemontherocksdoitIftheywantedtodrinkthemstraightupgoaheadDowhatyoulikebutdoitwithgoodbooze

Smothersmoved fromAlabama toNewYorkCity in 2000 and spent threeyearstoilinginsaleswhileherdreamtoopenupashopsimmeredHerboutiquewineandspirits shop inRedHookBrooklynopened in2003RedHook isarough hip neighborhood on thewaterfront and her place fits right in SmalleclecticandverymuchdrivenbyherpersonalitySmothersrsquosstoreneverwantedtohaveeverythingForyearshervermouthselectionwaslimitedtoonebrandVya the American vermouth made by Andy Quady of the QuadyWinery inMaderaCaliforniabecauseitwasmadebyasmallproducerSmotherswasacceptedintothebourboncommunitywholeheartedlyandher

selectionofAmericanwhiskeywasbreathtakingWhenJimmyRussellofWildTurkeydidabottlesigninginNewYorkhediditathertinyshopSmothershowevertightshegetswiththebigproducersremainsachampion

of craft distilling ldquoWhen I go Charbay Irsquove got four generations of distillersthere hands on Someplace like Stoli isnrsquot going to have the same qualitycontrolrdquoWheresomepeoplecallmicro-distillingpracticessuchasmaking100percent

barley whiskeys or making whiskey from beer instead of from mash ascontroversial Smothers believes that change and adventure are something tocelebrateldquoWhatistheAmericantraditionanywayAllwedoisourownthingrdquoInearly2009afteratryingstrugglewithherlandlordSmotherslostthelease

tohershopNexttimeshersquosgoingtobuythebuildingshesaysandexpandthewhiskeyselection

CHAPTERFIVE

GIN

ldquoTheproperunionofginandvermouthisagreatandsuddengloryitisoneofthehappiestmarriagesonearthandoneoftheshortestlivedrdquo

mdashBernardDeVotoAmericanessayistanddrinksphilosopher

ThisgooseneckstillatPhiladelphiaDistillingwascustommadebyForsythsofScotland

GIN is a juniper berryndashflavored grain spirit The word is an Englishshorteningofgenever theDutchword for juniperTheoriginsofginareabitmurky In the late 1580s a juniper-flavored spirit of some sort was found inHollandbyBritish troopswhowere fighting against theSpanish in theDutchWarofIndependenceTheygratefullydrankittogivethemwhattheysooncameto call ldquoDutch couragerdquo in battle The Dutch themselves were encouraged bytheirgovernment tofavorsuchgrainspiritsover importedwineandbrandybylackofexcisetaxesonlocaldrinks

THEHISTORYOFGIN

IN the1600s aDrFranciscusde laBoeuml in theuniversity townofLeiden

created a juniper-and spice-flavored medicinal spirit that he promoted as adiuretic Genever soon found favor across the English Channel first as amedicine(SamuelPepyswrotein1660ofcuringacaseofldquocolicrdquowithadoseofldquostrongwatermadewithjuniperrdquo)andthenasabeverageWhen the Dutch ProtestantWilliam of Orange became king of England in

1689 he moved to discourage the importation of brandy from the CatholicwinemakingcountriesbysettinghightariffsAsareplacementhepromotedtheproduction of grain spirits (ldquocorn brandyrdquo as it was known at the time) byabolishingtaxesandlicensingfeesforthemanufactureofsuchlocalproductsasginHistoryhasshownthatprohibitionneverworksbutunfetteredproductionofalcoholhasitsproblemstooBythe1720sitwasestimatedthataquarterofthe houses in London were used for the production or sale of gin Massdrunkenness became a serious problem The cartoonist Hogarthrsquos famousdepictionofsuchbehaviorinGinLaneshowsasignaboveaginshopthatstatesldquoDrunkforapennyDeaddrunkfortwopenceCleanstrawforNothingrdquoPanickyattemptsby thegovernment toprohibitginproduction suchas theGinActof1736 resulted in massive illicit distilling and the cynical marketing ofldquomedicinalrdquo spirits with such fanciful names as Cuckoldrsquos Comfort and MyLadyrsquosEyeWater

FritzMaytagrightatAnchorDistillingWithasmalloverheadcraneAchorDistillingcaninterchangethecolumnsoftheirthreestills

Acombinationofreimposedgovernmentcontrolsthegrowthofhigh-qualitycommercial gin distillers the increasing popularity of imported rum and ageneralfeelingofpublicexhaustiongraduallybroughtthismasshysteriaundercontrol although the problems caused by the combination of cheap gin andextreme poverty extended well into the nineteenth century Faginrsquos irritablecomment toachild in the filmOlivermdashldquoShutupanddrinkyourginrdquomdashhadabasisinhistoricalfact

SonjaKassebaumofNorthShoreDistillerystandsinfrontoftheldquohelmetrdquoofherginstill

Wherever the British Empire went English-style gins followed In Britishcolonies in North America such celebrated Americans as Paul Revere andGeorgeWashingtonwerenotablyfondofginandtheQuakerswerewellknownfortheirhabitofdrinkinggintoddiesafterfuneralsThe mid-nineteenth century ushered in a low-key rehabilitation of ginrsquos

reputationinEnglandTheharshsweetenedldquoOldTomrdquostylesofginoftheearly1700sslowlygavewaytoanewcleanerstylecalleddryginThisstyleofginbecame identified with the city of London to the extent that ldquoLondon dryrdquobecame a generic term for the style regardless of where it was actuallyproduced

BluecoatginleavesthebottlinglineatPhiladelphiaDistilling

Genteel middle-class ladies sipped their sloe gin (gin flavored with sloeberries) while consulting Mrs Beetonrsquos Book of Household Management (awildlypopularVictoriancrossbetweentheJoyofCookingandMarthaStewartlifestyle books) for gin-based mixed drink recipes The British militaryparticularlytheofficercorpsbecameahotbedofginconsumptionHundredsofgin-based mixed drinks were invented and the mastery of their making wasconsidered a part of a young officerrsquos training The best known of thesecocktails the gin and tonic was created as a way for Englishmen in tropicalcolonies to taketheirdailydoseofquinineaverybittermedicine towardoffmalaria(Moderntonicwaterstillcontainsquininethoughasaflavoringratherthanamedicine)

BATHTUBGIN

Gin production in theUnited States dates back to Colonial times but thegreat boost to ginproductionwas theadvent ofNationalProhibition in 1920Moonshiningquicklymovedintofillthegapleftbytheshutdownofcommercialdistilleries But the furtive nature of illicit distilling worked against theproductionof the then-dominantwhiskiesallofwhichrequiredsomeaging inoakcasksBootleggerswerenot inaposition tostoreandage illegalwhiskeyand the caramel-colored prune-juice-dosed grain alcohol substitutes weregenerallyconsideredtobevileGinontheotherhanddidnotrequireanyaginganditwasrelativelyeasyto

makebymixingrawalcoholwithjuniperberryextractandotherflavoringsandspicesinalargecontainersuchasabathtub(thustheoriginofthetermbathtubgin)Theseginsweregenerallyofpoorqualityandtasteafactthatgaverisetothepopularityofcocktailsinwhichthemixersservedtodisguisethetasteofthebase gin Repeal of Prohibition at the end of 1933 ended the production ofbootlegginbutginremainedapartoftheAmericanbeveragesceneItwasthedominantwhitespiritintheUnitedStatesuntiltheriseofvodkainthe1960sItstill remains popular helped along recently by the revived popularity of themartini

THEBASISOFGIN

SpruceGinbyRogueDistilleryandAleHouse

In Holland the production of genever was quickly integrated into the vastDutch trading system Rotterdam became the center of genever distilling asdistilleriesopenedtheretotakeadvantageoftheabundanceofneededspicesthatwerearrivingfromtheDutchcoloniesintheEastIndies(present-dayIndonesia)ManyoftodayrsquosleadingDutchgeneverdistillerscantracetheiroriginsbacktothe sixteenth and seventeenth centuries Examples include such firms as Bols(founded1575)anddeKuyper(1695)Belgiumdevelopeditsownjuniper-flavoredspiritcalledjenever(withaj)in

amannersimilartothatinHolland(whichcontrolledBelgiumforatimeintheearlynineteenthcentury)ThetwoGermaninvasionsofBelgiuminWorldWarsI and II had a particularly hard effect on jenever producers as the occupyingGermans stripped the distilleries of their copper stills andpiping to use in theproduction of shell casings The present-day remaining handful of BelgianjeneverdistillersproduceprimarilyforthelocaldomesticmarketGinmayhaveoriginatedinHollandanddevelopedintoitsmostpopularstyle

inEnglandbut itsmostenthusiasticmodern-dayconsumersare tobefoundinSpainwhichhasthehighestpercapitaconsumptionintheworldProductionofLondondryndashstyleginbeganinthe1930sbutseriousconsumptiondidnotbeginuntilthemixofginandcolabecameinexplicablypopularinthe1960s

GINanditsDutchcousingenever(jeneverinBelgium)arewhitespiritsthatareflavoredwithjuniperberriesandso-calledbotanicals(avariedassortmentofherbsandspices)Thespiritbaseofginisprimarilygrain(usuallywheatorrye)which results in a light-bodied spirit Genever is made primarily from ldquomaltwinerdquo (a mixture of malted barley wheat corn and rye) which produces afuller-bodied spirit similar to malt whisky A small number of genevers inHollandandBelgiumaredistilleddirectlyfromfermentedjuniperberrieswhichproducesaparticularlyintenselyflavoredspirit

BluecoatGinbyPhiladelphiaDistilling

Thechiefflavoringagentinbothginandgeneveristhehighlyaromaticblue-greenberryofthejuniperalow-slungevergreenbush(genusJuniperus)thatiscommercially grown in northern ItalyCroatia theUnitedStates andCanadaAdditional botanicals can include anise angelica root cinnamon orange peelcoriander and cassia barkAll gin and genevermakers have their own secretcombinationofbotanicalsthenumberofwhichcanrangefromasfewasfourtoasmanyasfifteen

THEDISTILLATIONOFGIN

Mostgin is initiallydistilled inefficientcolumnstillsTheresultingspirit ishighprooflight-bodiedandcleanwithaminimalamountofcongeners(flavorcompounds)andflavoringagentsGeneverisdistilledinless-efficientpotstillswhichresultsinalower-proofmoreflavorfulspiritLow-qualityldquocompoundrdquoginsaremadebysimplymixingthebasespiritwith

juniper and botanical extracts Mass-market gins are produced by soakingjuniperberriesandbotanicalsinthebasespiritandthenredistillingthemixtureTop-qualityginsandgeneversareflavoredinauniquemannerAfteroneor

more distillations the base spirit is redistilled one last timeDuring this finaldistillationthealcoholvaporwaftsthroughachamberinwhichthedriedjuniperberries and botanicals are suspended The vapor gently extracts aromatic andflavoringoils andcompounds from theberries and spices as it travels throughthe chamber on its way to the condenser The resulting flavored spirit has anoticeabledegreeofcomplexity

GuyRehorstoftheGreatLakesDistilleryusesawoodendipsticktomeasurethevolumeofspiritinatank

THECOLORFULORIGINSOFOLDTOMGIN

ThenameofOldTomGincomesfromwhatmaybethefirstexampleofabeveragevendingmachineInthe1700ssomepubsinEnglandhadawoodenplaqueshapedlikeablackcat (anldquoOldTomrdquo)mountedontheoutsidewallThirstypassersbywoulddepositapennyinthecatrsquosmouthandplacetheirlipsaroundasmalltubebetweenthecatrsquospawsThebartenderinsidewouldthenpourashotofginthroughthetubeandintothecustomerrsquoswaitingmouth

GINREGIONS

EUROPE

TheUnitedKingdomproducesmostlydryginprimarilyfromcolumnstillsBritish gins tend to be high proof (90deg proof or 45 percentABV) and citrus-accented from the use of dried lemon and Seville orange peels in themix ofbotanicalsBritishginsareusuallycombinedintomixeddrinksHollandandBelgiumproducegenevermostly frompot stillsGenevers are

distilledatlowerprooflevelsthanEnglishginsandaregenerallyfullerinbodyManyoftheseginsareagedforonetothreeyearsinoakcasksSomegeneverproducers now market fruit-flavored genevers the best known being blackcurrantDutchandBelgiangeneversareusuallychilledandservedneatGermanyproducesagenever-stylegincalleddornkaatintheNorthSeacoast

regionofFrisiaThis spirit is lighter inbodyandmoredelicate in flavor thanbothDutchgeneverandEnglishdryginGermanginisusuallyservedstraightupandcoldSpainproducesasubstantialamountofginallof it in theLondondrystyle

fromcolumnstillsMostofitissoldformixingwithcola

LabelforGenevieveGeneverstylegin

GreylockGin

BardenayLondonStyleDryGin

NORTHAMERICA

TheUnitedStatesistheworldrsquoslargestginmarketLondondryginaccountsfor the bulk of domestic gin production withmost of it produced in columnstillsAmericandryginstendtobelowerproof(80degproofor40percentABV)and less flavorful than their English counterparts This rule applies even tobrandssuchasGordonrsquosandGilbeyrsquoswhichoriginatedinEnglandTheUnitedStatesrsquosbest-sellingginSeagramrsquosExtraDryisararecask-ageddryginThreemonths of aging in charred oak barrels gives the gin a pale straw color and asmoothpalateAmericancraftdistillerieshavetakentogininamajorwaywithsuchnoteworthyexamplesasDistillerrsquosGin6fromNorthShoreDistillery inLakeBluffIllinoisandRehorstPremiumMilwaukeeGinfromtheGreatLakesDistilleryinMilwaukeeWisconsin

AviationGinbyHouseSpiritsDistillery

LabelforAmericanDistilledGininfusedwithRareBotanicalsbyMcMenaminsEdgefieldDistilleryClassicMartini

SarticiousGinbySarticiousSpirits

THEMARTINIANDTHEMEANINGOFLIFE

Thebestknownofhundredsofgin-basedmixeddrinksistheginandwhitevermouth combination called the martini As is usually the case with mostpopular mixed drinks the origins of the martini are disputed One school ofthoughtholdsthatitevolvedfromthelate-nineteenth-centurymartinezcocktailarathercloyingmixtureofOldTomndashstyleginandsweetvermouthAdissentingsectholdsthatitwascreatedinthebaroftheKnickerbockerHotelinNewYorkCity in theearly twentiethcenturyThe ratioofgin tovermouth startedout atabout two to one and it has been getting drier ever since The famedBritishstatesmanWinstonChurchillwhodevotedagreatdealof thoughtand time todrinkingwasoftheopinionthatpassingthecorkfromthevermouthbottleovertheglassofginwassufficientGINCOCKTAILS

CLASSICMARTINI

Inashakercombinebull2ounces(60ml)ginbullDashwhitevermouthbullIcetofillShakeand strain and into amartiniglassor a shortglassGarnishwith an

olive

TOMCOLLINS

Inatallglasscombinebull2ounces(60ml)ginbull1ounce(30ml)lemonjuicebull1tablespoon(15g)sugarStirandthenfilltheglasswithiceFillwithclubsoda

GINANDTONIC

FillatallglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)ginbullTonicwatertofillGarnishwithalimeslice

ARTISANPROFILEINSIDETHEINDUSTRY

CHRISWELD

BerkshireMountainDistillersGreatBarringtonMassachusetts

ITishardtoimagineChrisWeldinanemergencyroomwhereheworkedinCalifornia for sixteen years as a physicianrsquos assistantHe seems too young tohave sixteen years of work behind him and on his land in westernMassachusettsheisperfectlyateasewithadogathissidelightinhiseyesandmudonhisbootsHeandhiswifeTylermovedbacktotheEastCoastmdashafterhavingdeveloped

intoseriousfoodiesmdashandboughtanorchardldquoOurwatercomesfromanoldspringhereonthepropertythat thePittsfield

Sunin1901saidhadlsquofewequalsandnonesuperiorrsquordquoThe farm that isnow theBerkshireMountainDistillerywasonce in fact a

springwaterbottlingplant(Oneformerowneruseditasabaseofoperationsforasanitariumintownandithasalsobeenahotel)BuildingtheBerkshireMountainDistillerywasnoteasyWhenWeldarrived

thewould-bestillhousewasabarninshamblesWelddidasmuchoftheworkas he could himself and hired local builders and craftspeople to do the restKeepingthingslocalisimportanttoWeld

ldquoWhenIneedtoexpandIrsquollbuildanotherbarnandIrsquollhirelocalpeopletobuilditrdquoThisimpliesadirectcontrasttowhathappenswhenabiginternationaldistillerexpandsHetalksenthusiasticallyabouttheldquolocalmultiplierrdquoeffectldquoEverydollaryou

spendlocallyisworththreespentinachainstorerdquoWeldisanenthusiasticparticipant in theBerksharesprogram(localmoney

accepted by hundreds of merchants in western Massachusetts includingrestaurants)HehiredalocaldesignertodesignlabelsHesourcedhisglassoutofnearbyLenoxWeld looked further afield for help with his rum and he brought in a

consultantTogethertheyworkedontestbatchesandperfectedtherecipeHersquodhaveworkedformorethanayearhesaidsolvingtheproblemsthatanexpertsolved in a few days and the adjustments to fermentation temperatures andexpertknowledgeofdifferentflavorcompoundswaspricelessWeld describes his rum as more like Armagnac than a typical molasses

distillateHehasfiftybarrelsagingldquoIrsquovegotabigstillrdquohesaysIndeedheboughtan800-gallonstainlesssteel

tanksecondhandfromBrownForeman(Heassuresanyonewhoasksthatalltheother work including the custom columns and the piping was done by localcraftspeople)ldquoIfIhadasmallstillIrsquodbeatcapacityrdquoAsitstandshersquosabletomakebourbonandrumforagingbringoutnewproductssuchasasecondginwithaheavierflavorandmorebotanicalsthanhisfirstandstillsatisfythe400accountshersquosdevelopedinhisfirstyearForWeldhoweveritrsquosstillthecommunitythatrsquosimportantHerecentlymet

intoamanwhohadbroughtsomeofhisGreylockGintoapartyldquoSeeingitatpartieshellipthatrsquosreallyitrdquohesaidglowing

CHAPTERSIX

BRANDYANDEAUDEVIE

ldquoNosirclaretistheliquorforboysportformenbuthewhoaspirestobeaheromustdrinkbrandyrdquo

mdashSamuelJohnsoneighteenth-centuryBritishwriterwholovedbrandyandhatedwhisky

Brandyinaclassicbrandysniftercastsashadowonalinentablecloth

THE word brandy comes from the Dutch word brandewijn (burnt wine)which is how the straightforwardDutch traderswho introduced it to northernEuropeinthesixteenthcenturydescribedwinethathadbeenldquoburntrdquoorboiledtodistillitThe origins of brandy can be traced back to the growing Muslim

Mediterranean states in the seventh and eighth centuries Alchemists in theregion experimentedwith distilling grapes and other fruits tomakemedicinalspiritsTheirknowledgeandtechniquessoonspreadbeyondthebordersof theterritorywithgrapebrandyproductionappearinginSpainandprobablyIreland(viamissionarymonks)bytheendoftheeighthcentury

TYPESOFBRANDY

Abottleofbrandydistilledfrom100percentViognierwinebyGermain-Robin

BRANDYinitsbroadestdefinitionisaspiritmadefromfruitjuiceorfruitpulpandskinMorespecificallyitisbrokendownintothreebasicgroupingsGrapebrandy isbrandydistilledfromfermentedgrapejuiceorcrushedbut

not pressed grape pulp and skin This spirit is aged inwooden casks (usuallyoak)whichcolorsitmellowsoutthepalateandaddsaromasandflavorsPomace brandy (Italian grappa and French marc are the best-known

examples) ismade from the pressed grape pulp skins and stems that remainafter thegrapes are crushed andpressed to extractmost of the juice forwinePomacebrandieswhichareusuallyminimallyagedandseldomseewoodarean acquired taste They often tend to be rather raw although they can offer afresh fruity aroma of the type of grape used a characteristic that is lost inregularoak-agedbrandyFruit brandy is the default term for all brandies that are made from

fermenting fruit other than grapes (It should not be confused with fruit-flavoredbrandywhichisgrapebrandythathasbeenflavoredwiththeextractof another fruit)Fruit brandies except thosemade fromberries aregenerallydistilledfromfruitwinesBerriestendtolackenoughsugartomakeawinewithsufficient alcohol for proper distillation and thus are soaked (macerated) in ahigh-proof spirit toextract their flavorandaromaTheextract is thendistilledonceatalowproofCalvados theapplebrandyfromtheNormandyregionofnorthwesternFranceisprobablythebest-knowntypeoffruitbrandyEaudevie(ldquowaterofliferdquo)isacolorlessfruitbrandyparticularlyfromtheAlsaceregionofFranceandfromCalifornia

Applesonthetreerawmaterialsforbrandy

Grapesenterthestillforthemakingofgrappa

BRANDIESBYREGION

FRANCE

French brandy is the catchall designation for brandy produced from grapesgrowninotherregionsThesebrandiesareusuallydistilledincolumnstillsandagedinoakcasksforvaryingperiodsoftimeTheyarefrequentlyblendedwithwine grape juice oak flavorings and other brandies including cognac tosmoothout the roughedgesCognac-likequalitydesignationssuchasVSOPandNapoleonareoftenused(seepage83)buttheyhavenolegalstanding

COGNAC

Cognacisthebest-knowntypeofbrandyintheworldabenchmarkbywhichmost other brandies are judged The Cognac region is located on the south-centralcoastofFrance justnorthofBordeauxinthedepartmentsofCharenteandCharente-MaritimeTheregionisfurthersubdividedintosixgrowingzonesGrandeChampagnePetiteChampagneBoisOrdinariesBorderiesFinsBoisandBonsBoisThefirsttwooftheseregionsproducethebestcognacandwillfrequentlybesodesignatedonbottlelabelsTheprimarygrapesusedinmakingcognac are the Ugni Blanc Folle Blanche and Colombard The wines madefrom these grapes are thin tart and low in alcohol which are poorcharacteristicsfortablewinesbutperfectformakingbrandy

Pear-in-bottlebrandy

Cognac is double distilled in specially designed pot stills and then aged incasksmadefromLimousinorTroncaisoakAllcognacsstartoutinnewoaktomellowthefieryspiritandgivethemcolorBatcheschosenforlong-termagingareafterafewyearstransferredtousedorldquoseasonedrdquocasksthatimpartlessoftheoakflavornoteswhilethebrandymaturesNearly all cognacs are a blend of brandies from different vintages and

frequently different growing zones Even those from single vineyards ordistillerieshaveamixofbrandiesfromdifferentcasksAswithchampagnetheproductsoflocalvineyardsaresoldtocognachouseseachofwhichstoresandages cognacs from different suppliers The suppliers then employ masterblenders to create and maintain continuity in the house blends drawn fromdisparatesources

BRANDYrsquoSSEASONALNATURE

Brandy like rumand tequila isanagricultural spiritUnlikegrain spiritssuchaswhiskeyvodkaandginwhicharemadethroughouttheyearfromgrainthat can be harvested and stored brandy is dependent on the seasons theripeningofthebasefruitandtheproductionofthewinefromwhichitismadeTypes of brandies originally at least tended to be location-specific (Cognacfor example is a town and region in France that gave its name to the localbrandy) Important brandy-making regions particularly in Europe furtherdifferentiatetheirlocalspiritsbyspecifyingthetypesofgrapesthatcanbeusedand the specific areas (appellation) in which the grapes used formaking thebasewinecanbegrown

Barrelsofbrandystoredforaging

INDUSTRYSTANDARDSFORCOGNAC

Because therearenoage statementsoncognacs the industryhasadoptedsomegenerallyaccepted terms todifferentiatecognacs It is important tonotethat these terms have no legal status and each cognac shipper uses themaccordingtohisorherowncriteriaVSVSPThree Star (VS very superior VSP very superior pale) A

minimumoftwoyearsaginginacaskalthoughtheindustryaverageisfourtofiveyearsVSOP(verysuperioroldpale)Aminimumoffouryearsrsquocaskagingforthe

youngestcognacintheblendwiththeindustryaveragebetweentenandfifteenyearsXONapoleon (XO extra old) A minimum of six yearsrsquo aging for the

youngest cognac in the blend with the average age running twenty years orolderAllcognachousesmaintain inventoriesofoldvintagecognacs touse inblendingthesetop-of-the-linebrandsTheoldestcognacsareremovedfromtheircasks in timeandstoredinglassdemijohns(largejugs) toprevent further lossfromevaporationandtolimitexcessivelywoodyflavornotes

ARMAGNAC

ArmagnacistheoldesttypeofbrandyinFrancewithdocumentedreferencestodistillationdatingbacktotheearlyfifteenthcenturyTheArmagnacregionislocatedintheheartoftheancientprovinceofGasconyinthesouthwestcornerof France Aswith cognac there are regional growing zones Bas-ArmagnacHautArmagnac andTenarezeTheprimarygrapesused inmakingArmagnacare also theUgniBlanc FolleBlanche andColombardBut distillation takesplaceintheuniquealambicarmagnacaisatypeofcolumnstillthatisevenmoreinefficient than a typical cognac pot still The resulting brandy has a rusticassertivecharacterandaromathatrequiresadditionalcaskagingtomellowoutanddistinguishitfromcognacThebestArmagnacisagedincasksmadefromthelocalMonlezunoakInrecentyearsLimousinandTroncaisoakcaskshavebeenaddedtothemixofcasksassuitableMonlezunoakbecomeshardertofind

DetailfromabottleofPierreFerrandReserveCognac

Most Armagnacs are blends but unlike cognac single vintages and singlevineyardbottlingscanbefoundThecategoriesofArmagnacaregenerally thesameas thoseof cognac (VSVSOPXO and soon see sidebaronpage83)BlendedArmagnacsfrequentlyhaveagreaterpercentageofoldervintagesin their mix than comparable cognacs making them a better value for thediscerningbuyer

HAVESTILLWILLTRAVEL

Until the 1970s portable alambic armagnacais mounted on two-wheelcartswerehauledamongsmallvineyards inArmagnacby itinerantdistillerscalledbouilleursdecruThesetravelingstillsalashavemostlygivenwaytolarger fixed-in-place setups operated by farmer cooperatives and individualoperators

ChristianDrouinwhoproducessomeofthefinestCalvadosstandsbesideaportablestillbuiltin1946thatisnowpermanentlystationedinfrontofthepressroomatDomaineCoeurdeLionItisprobablytheonlyportabledoubledistillationinworkingorderItisnormallyusedfromFebruarytoJuneAsecondstillnowoperatesinsidethepressroom

SPAIN

BRANDYDEJEREZ

BrandydeJerezismadebythesherryhousescenteredaroundthecityofJerezdelaFronterainthesouthwestcornerofSpainButvirtuallyallBrandydeJerezis made from wines produced elsewhere in Spain primarily from the Airengrape inLaManchaandExtremadurabecause the local sherrygrapesare toovaluable to divert into brandy productionNowadaysmost of the distilling islikewisedoneelsewhereinSpainincolumnstillsItisthenshippedtoJerezforaginginusedsherrycasksinasolerasystemsimilartothatusedforsherrywineAsolera is a series of large casks (called butts) each holding a slightly olderspirit than thepreviousonebeside itWhenbrandyisdrawnoff (racked)fromthe lastbutt (nomore thana thirdof thevolume is removed) it is replenishedwithbrandydrawnfromthenextbuttallthewaydownthesoleralinetothefirstbuttwherenewlydistilledbrandyisaddedThissystemofrackingthebrandythroughaseriesofcasksblendstogetheravarietyofvintages(somesolerashavemorethanthirtystages)andresultsinaspeedingupofthematurationprocess

Brandybottledetailfromabrandywhoseflavorprofileleansmoretowardsbourbon(HuberStarlightDistillery)

ThesamplebottlesdisplaytheeffectsofdifferenttypesofbarrelsandagingprocessesatGermain-Robin

AGINGTIMELINE

Basic Brandy de Jerez Solera must age for a minimum of six monthsReservaforoneyearandGranReservaforaminimumofthreeyears

Inpractice thebestReservasandGranReservasarefrequentlyagedfortwelvetofifteenyearsThelushslightlysweetandfruitynotestobefoundinBrandydeJerezcomenotonlyfromaginginsherrycasksbutalsofromthejudicioususeoffruit-basedflavorconcentratesandoakessence(boise)

PENEDEgraveSBRANDY

Penedegraves Brandy is from the Penedegraves region of Catalonia in the northeastcornerofSpainnearBarcelonaModeledafterthecognacsofFranceandmadefromamixof localgrapesand theUgniBlancofcognac it isdistilled inpotstillsOneofthetwolocalproducers(Torres)agesinsolerasconsistingofbuttsmade from French Limousin oak whereas the other (Mascaro) ages in thestandardnon-soleramannerbut also inLimousinoakThe resultingbrandy isheartierthancognacbutleaneranddrierthanBrandydeJerez

ITALY

Italy has a long history of brandy production dating back to at least thesixteenth century but unlike Spain or France there are no specific brandy-producing regions Italian brandies are made from regional wine grapes andmost areproduced incolumnstills although therearenowanumberof smallartisanalproducersusingpotstillsTheyareagedinoakforaminimumofonetotwoyearswithsixtoeightyearsbeingtheindustryaverageItalianbrandiestendtobeonthelightanddelicatesidewithatouchofresidualsweetness

GERMANY

GermanmonksweredistillingbrandybythefourteenthcenturyandGermandistillers had organized their ownguild as early as 1588Yet almost from thestart German brandy (calledweinbrand) has been made from imported winerather than the more valuable local varieties Most German brandies areproduced in pot stills andmust be aged for aminimumof sixmonths in oakBrandiesthathavebeenagedinoakforatleastoneyeararecalleduraltoralter(meaningldquoolderrdquo)ThebestGermanbrandiesaresmoothsomewhatlighterthancognacandfinishwithatouchofsweetness

ThetastingroomatadistilleryisapopularstoponthetourRickMoerschattheRoundBarnDistillerypourssomeapricotbrandyatthetastingroominhiswinerybrewerydistillery

UNITEDSTATES

Grape brandy production in the United States which until the advent ofmodern craft distilleries was mostly confined to California dates back to theSpanish missions in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries AsubstantialamountofpeachbrandywasmadebywhiskeydistillersinSouthernstates prior to National Prohibition however and apple brandy distillingcontinuedintomodern timesonamodestscale inNewJerseyandVirginia Inthe years following the Civil War brandy became a major industry with asubstantial export trade to Europe by the end of the nineteenth century For atimeLelandStanford founder ofStanfordUniversitywas theworldrsquos largestbrandy producer Phylloxera and National Prohibition almost shut down theindustryinthe1920s

Analambicstill

RepealstartedthingsupagainbutaswiththebourbonindustrytheadventofWorldWarIIresultedinbrandyproducersfurthermarkingtimeSoonaftertheendofthewartheindustrycommissionedtheUniversityofCaliforniaatDavisDepartment of Viticulture and Oenology to develop a prototype ldquoCalifornia-stylerdquo brandy It had a clean palate was lighter in style than most EuropeanbrandiesandhadaflavorprofilethatmadeitagoodmixerStartinginthelate1940sCaliforniabrandyproducersbegantochangeovertothisnewstyle

LabelforPotStillBrandyfromMcMenaminsEdgefieldDistillery

CONTEMPORARYBRANDIES

Contemporary commercial California grape brandies are made primarily incolumn stills from table grape varieties such as the Thompson Seedless andFlame Tokay California brandies are aged for two to twelve years in usedAmericanoak(bothbrandyandbourboncasks)tolimitwoodinessinthepalatealthough pot distillers also use French oak Several California distillers mostnotably Korbel have utilized the Spanish solera method for maturing theirbrandyCaliforniabrandiesdonotusequalitydesignationssuchasVSOPorstars The more expensive brands will usually contain a percentage of oldervintagesandpot-distilledbrandiesintheblendCraft-distilledbrandies includinggrapepomaceand fruitwere the firstof

the modern generation of craft spirits to enter the US market starting inCalifornia in the late1980swithproducers suchasRMS(aventureofcognacproducer Remy Martin) Jepson Vineyards and the idiosyncratic Santa CruzwinemakerRandallGraham atBonnyDooneVineyards From the start thesegrape brandy producers generally followed a French-themed muse withproducers such asGermaine-Robin inMendocinoCounty andOsocalis in theSantaCruzMountainsgoingsofarastousetheclassicUgniBlancColombardand Folle Blanche grapes to make their base wine They installed specialcognac-style pot stills to distill it and then aged their brandies in casksmadefromimportedLimousinorTroncaisoakTheresultingbrandiesparticularlyaslonger-agedexamplescomeontothemarkethaveinsomecasesshownlevelsof complexity and flavor intensity that put them on par with their Europeancounterparts

PiscoStyleBrandybyLeopoldBros

LATINAMERICAN

MEXICO

InMexicoasurprisingamountofwineismadebutitislittleknownoutsideof the country because most of it is used for brandy production Mexicanbrandies are made from a mix of grapes including the Thompson SeedlessPalomino andUgniBlancBothcolumnandpot stills areused inproductionwhereas the solera system is generally used for aging Brandy now outsellstequilaandruminMexico

SOUTHAMERICA

South American brandies are generally confined to their domestic marketsThebest-known type ispisco a clear rawbrandy fromPeruandChile that ismadefromMuscatgrapesanddoubledistilledinpotstillsTheresultingbrandyhasaperfumedfragranceandservesas thebaseforavarietyofmixeddrinksincludingthefamousPiscoPunch

OTHERREGIONS

Greece produces pot-distilled brandies many of which such as the well-knownMetaxaareflavoredwithMuscatwineaniseorotherspicesWinemakinginIsraelisawell-establishedtraditiondatingbackthousandsof

years But brandy production dates back only to the 1880s when the FrenchJewishphilanthropistBaronEdmonddeRothschildestablishedwhathasbecomethemodernIsraeliwineindustryIsraelibrandyismadeinthemannerofcognacfrom Colombard grapes with distillation in both pot and column stills andmaturationinFrenchLimousinoakcasksIntheCaucasusregionalongtheeasternshoreoftheBlackSeatheancient

nations ofGeorgia andArmenia draw onmonastic traditions to produce richintensely flavored pot still brandies both from local grapes and from suchimportedvarietiesastheMuscadine(fromFrance)andtheSercialandVerdelho(mostfamouslyfromMadeira)SouthAfricahasproducedbrandiessincethearrivalofthefirstDutchsettlers

intheseventeenthcenturybuttheseearlyspiritsfromtheCapeColonyearnedareputation for being harsh firewater (witblitsmdashwhite lightningmdashwas a typicalnickname)The introductionofmodernproduction techniquesandgovernmentregulationsintheearlytwentiethcenturygraduallyledtoanimprovementinthequalityof localbrandiesModernSouthAfricanbrandiesaremade fromUgniBlanc Colombard CheninBlanc and Palomino grapes produced in both potandcolumnstillsandagedforaminimumofthreeyearsinoak

POMACEBRANDIES

PoliBassanodelGrappa(Italy)

ITALY produces a substantial amount of grappa both the raw firewatervarietyandthemoreelegantartisanaleffortsthataremadefromonedesignatedgrape type and packaged in hand-blown bottles Both types of grappa can beunagedoragedforafewyearsinoldcasksthatwilltamethehardedgeofthespiritwithoutimpartingmuchflavororcolorMarcfromFranceisproducedinall of the nationrsquos wine-producing regions but it is mostly consumed locallyMarcdeGewuumlrztraminerfromAlsaceisnoteworthybecauseitretainssomeofthedistinctiveperfumenoseandspicycharacterofthegrape

OrodeMazzettiliqueurgoldsuspendedinagrappabase(Italy)

Craft pomace brandies from the United States from producers such asDomaineCharbayinNapaCountyandMosbyVineyardsinSonomaareintheItalianstyleandtheyareusuallycalledgrappasevenwhentheyaremadefromnon-Italian grape varieties This is also true of the pomace brandies fromCanada

GRAPPANOTYOURGRANDPArsquoSPHLEGMCUTTER

TheUSgovernmentcallsitpomacebrandybuteversinceimmigrantsfromwinemakingcountriesbeganarriving in theUnitedStatesandstarted tomakewine they were soon refermenting the pressed grape skins from theirwinemaking and distilling it tomake a quick and simple type of brandy TheFrench call itmarc but it is the Italian term grappa that has caught onwithdistillersofeveryethnicbackgroundCraftdistillersintheUnitedStateshavetakentothedistillingofgrappafrom

theverystartoftheindustryPioneerbrandydistillerssuchasClearCreekandSt George Spirits have developed specific varietal grappas that are carefullydistilledtocapturethesubtlearomaticnotesofthebasefruitThesearespiritstodelightthenoseasmuchasthetastebuds

GrappabyHuberStarlightDistillery

APPLEANDOTHERFRUITBRANDIES

NORMANDY is one of the few regions in France that does not have a

substantial grapewine industry Instead it is apple countrywith a substantialtradition of hard and sweet ciders that in turn can be distilled into an applebrandyknownasCalvadosThelocalciderappleswhichtendtobesmallandtartarecloserintypetocrabapplesthantomoderntableapplesThisspirithasits own appellationswith the best brands coming fromAppellationControleePaysdrsquoAugeneartheseaportofDeauvilleandtherest intenadjacentregionsthataredesignatedAppellationReglementeeMostPaysdrsquoAugeandsomeofthebetter Appellation Reglementee are produced in pot stills All varieties ofCalvados are aged in oak casks for a minimum of two years Cognac-stylequalityandage termssuchasVSOPandHorsdrsquoAgeare frequentlyusedonlabelsbuthavenolegalmeaning

Applebrandy

BottlesofkirschandframboiseeaudeviefromWestfordHillsDistillers

ExteriorshotofLairdampCompanytheoldestdistilleryintheUnitedStates

Thefruit-growingregionsoftheupperRhineRiveraretheprimeeaudevieproductionareasofEuropeTheBlackForestregionofBavariainGermanyandAlsace in France are known for their cherry brandies (kir in FrancekirschwasserinGermany)raspberrybrandies(framboiseandhimbeergeist)andpearbrandies(poire)SimilareauxdeviearenowbeingproducedintheUnitedStatesinCaliforniaandOregonSomeplumbrandyisalsomadeintheseregions(mirabellefromFranceisanexample)butthebest-knowntypeofplumbrandyisslivovitzwhich ismade from the smallblue sljivaplum throughoutEasternEuropeandtheBalkans

Applebrandylabel

IntheUnitedStatesapplejackasapplebrandyiscalledlocallyisthoughtbymanytobethefirstspiritproducedintheBritishcoloniesThiscolonialtraditionhascontinuedwithLairdrsquosDistilleryestablishedin1780inNewJerseyandtheoldest distilling company in the United States and with distilleries in NewJerseyandVirginiaArtisan fruitbrandydistillingstarted inCaliforniabut in recentyears ithas

spreadacrosstheUnitedStateswithCalvados-styledapplebrandiesfromClearCreekDistilleryinPortlandOregonleadingthewaywhileBlackStarFarmsinSuttons Bay St Julian in Paw Paw and a bevy of other Michigan artisandistillershave releasedawide rangeofdelicatehighlyaromaticcherryplumand other fruit brandies that draw an obvious inspiration from theKirsch andplumbrandiesoftheBlackForestregionofsouthernGermany

BRANDYCOCKTAILS

SIDECARFillashortglasswithiceInashakercombinebull1ounce(30ml)brandybull1ounce(30ml)TripleSecbull1ounce(30ml)lemonjuicebullIcetofillShakeandstrainintotheglass

STINGERFillashortglasswithiceAddbull1ounce(30ml)brandybull1ounce(30ml)whitecregravemedementheStirandserve

BRANDYALEXANDER

Inashakercombinebull1ounce(30ml)brandybull1ounce(30ml)darkcregravemedecacaobull1ounce(30ml)creambullIcetofillShakeandstrainintoalargebrandysnifterDustwithnutmeg

LabelforAcquadiLamponiRaspberryEaudeVie

Apricotbrandy

CHAPTERSEVEN

RUMTEQUILALIQUEURSRUMTEQUILALIQUEURSANDMORE

INCLUDINGSCHNAPPSANISEANDBITTERS

ldquoTherersquos nought no doubt so much the spirit calms as rum and truereligionrdquo

mdashLordByron

Bottlesofrumofdifferentages(youngesttooldestlefttoright)atCelebrationDistillationinNewOrleans

GRAPESANDGRAINmaybethetwomajorrawmaterialsfordistillationbut they are by no means the only ones Sugarcane provides two differentfermentables sugarcane juice and molasses which is a byproduct of sugarrefiningBothareusedasthebasisofrumproductionwhichasaspiritrangesacrossthecolorandtastespectrumfromthealmostvodkalikeBlancosofPuertoRicototheheartydeep-huedDemerarasofGuyanawithsomeverydistinctivevariationsinbetween

RUM

TheagaveplantanativeofCentralAmericaprovidesthefermentablebasis

for a varietyof distilled spirits ofwhich tequila is thebest knownbut bynomeanstheonlyexampleLiquors can refer generically to distilled spirits but they can also be

specifically flavored spirits Add a sweetener and they become liqueursAddcertainherbsandyounowhavebittersAttheendofthedayifsomethingcanbefermentedandthendistilledpeoplewilldrinkit

GROG

TheBritishnavyadoptedadailyrationofahalf-pintof160degproofrumbythe1730sThisrationwassubsequentlymodifiedbymixingitwithanequalamountofwater toproduceadrinkcalledgrogThegrogrationremaineda stapleofBritishnavallifeuntil1969

LabelforHudsonRiverRumbyTuthilltownSpirits

THEHISTORY of rum is the history of sugar Sugar is a sweet crystallinecarbohydrate that occurs naturally in a variety of plants One of those is thesugarcane(Saccharumofficinarum)atallthickgrassthathasitsoriginsintheislands of present-day Indonesia in the East Indies Chinese traders spread itscultivationtoAsiaandontoIndiaArabsinturnbroughtit totheMiddleEastand North Africa where it came to the attention of Europeans during theCrusadesintheeleventhcenturyAstheSpanishandPortuguesebegantoventureoutintotheAtlanticOcean

theyplantedsugarcaneintheCanaryandAzoresIslandsIn1493ChristopherColumbuspickedupcanecuttingsfromtheCanarieswhileonhissecondvoyagetotheAmericasandtransplantedthemtoHispaniolatheCaribbeanislandnowshared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic Portuguese explorers soon didlikewiseinBrazilTheCaribbeanbasinprovedtohaveanidealclimateforgrowingsugarcane

andsugarproductionquicklyspreadaroundtheislandsTheinsatiabledemandin Europe for sugar soon led to the establishment of hundreds of sugarcaneplantations andmills in the variousEnglish Spanish French Portuguese andDutchcoloniesThesemillscrushedtheharvestedcaneandextractedthejuiceBoiling this juice caused chunks of crystallized sugar to form The remainingunsolidifiedjuicewascalledmelazas(fromtheSpanishwordforhoneymiel)inEnglishthisbecamemolasses

BottleofThomasTewRum

Molasses is a sticky syrup that still contains a significant amount of sugarSugarmilloperatorssoonnoticedthatwhenitwasmixedwithwaterandleftoutin the sun it fermented By the 1650s this former waste product was beingdistilled into a spirit In theEnglish colonies itwas calledKillDevil (from itstendencytocauseanastyhangoveroritsperceivedmedicinalpowertakeyourchoice)orrumbullion(originsuncertain)whichwasshortenedovertheyearstoourmodernwordrumTheFrenchrenderthiswordasrhumwhiletheSpanishcallitron

PrichardrsquosCrystalRumfromPrichardsrsquoDistillery

Rumwas used as a cure-all for many of the aches and pains that afflictedthoselivinginthetropicsSugarplantationownerssolditatdiscountedpricestonavalshipsthatwereonstationintheCaribbeaninordertoencouragetheirpresenceinlocalwatersandthusdiscouragetheattentionsofmaraudingpirates

PrichardrsquosFineRumfromPrichardsrsquoDistillery

BobRyanandpartnerDaveWoodatRyanandWoodDistilleriesinGloucesterMassachusetts

This naval-rum connection introduced rum to the outsideworld and by thelate seventeenth century a thriving export tradedevelopedTheBritish islandsshippedrumtoGreatBritain(whereitwasmixedintorumpunchesandreplacedginasthedominantspiritintheeighteenthcentury)andtotheBritishcoloniesinNorth America where it became very popular This export of rum to NorthAmerica in exchange forNewEngland lumber anddried cod (still a culinarystaple in the Caribbean) soon changed over to the export of molasses todistilleries in New England This was done to avoid laws from the Britishparliamentwhich protectedBritish distillers by forbidding the trade in spiritsdirectly between colonies This law was at best honored in the breech andsmugglingsoonbecamerampantThe shipping ofmolasses tomake rum inNewEngland distilleries became

part of the infamous ldquoslavery trianglerdquo The first leg was the shipment ofmolassestoNewEnglandtomakerumThesecondlegwastheshipmentofrumtotheportsofWestAfricatotradeforslavesThefinallegwasthepassageofslaveshipstothesugarplantationsoftheCaribbeanandSouthAmericawheremanyoftheslaveswereputtoworkinthesugarcanefieldsThe disruption of trade caused by theAmericanRevolution and the rise of

whiskey production in North America resulted in the slow decline of rumrsquosdominanceastheAmericannationaltippleRumproductionintheUnitedStatesslowlydeclinedthroughthenineteenthcenturywiththelastNewEnglandrumdistilleries closing at the advent of National Prohibition in 1920 The famedrumrunners of the Prohibition era were smuggling primarily whiskey into theUnitedStates

DarkRumSpruceGinWhiteRumandHazelnutSpiceRumbyRogueDistillery

InEuropetheinventionofsugarextractionfromthesugarbeetlessenedthedemandforCaribbeansugar reducing theamountofmolassesbeingproducedandtheresultingamountofrumbeingdistilledManysmallplantationsandtheirstillswereclosedRumproductionrecededforthemostparttocountrieswheresugarcanewasgrown

ChrisWeldofBerkshireMountainDistillers

Themodernhistoryofrumowesalottothespreadofair-conditioningandthegrowth of tourism In the second half of the twentieth century modern air-conditioningmadeitpossiblefor largenumbersofpeople tomigrate towarm-weather regions where rum remained the dominant spirit Additionally theexplosiveincreaseinthenumberofNorthAmericanandEuropeantouristsintorum-drinking regions led to a steady increase in the popularity of rum-basedmixed drinks Nowadays white rum gives vodka serious competition as themixerofchoiceinanumberofdistinctivelynontropicalmarketsAgedrumsaregainingnewstandingamongconsumersofsinglemaltScotch

whiskiescognacsandsmall-batchbourbonswhoarelearningtoappreciatethesubtle complexities of these rums The pot still rums of Guyana and Jamaicahaveaparticular appeal forScotchwhiskydrinkers (It isnoaccident that theScottishwhiskymerchantandbottlerCadenheadalsoagesandbottlesDemerararum)ThesubtleandcomplexrhumsofMartiniqueandGuadeloupemirrortheflavorprofilesofthetopFrenchbrandiesinCognacandArmagnac

THEBASISOFRUM

Rumanditsfraternaltwincanespiritaremadebydistillingfermentedsugarand water This sugar comes from the sugarcane and is fermented from canejuiceconcentratedcanejuiceormolassesMolassesisthesweetstickyresiduethat remains after sugarcane juice is boiled and the crystallized sugar isextractedMostrumismadefrommolassesMolassesismorethan50percentsugarbut

italsocontainssignificantamountsofmineralsandothertraceelementswhichcancontributetothefinalflavorRumsmadefromcanejuiceprimarilyonHaitiandMartiniquehaveanaturallysmoothpalateDependingontherecipetheldquowashrdquo(thecanejuiceormolassesandwater)is

fermented using either cultured yeast or airborne wild yeasts for a periodrangingfromtwenty-fourhoursforlightrumsuptoseveralweeksforheavyfullvarieties

OldNewOrleansCrystalRumbyCelebrationDistillation

CoasterforRaggedMountainRumbyBerkshireMountainDistillersldquoThinkGloballyDrinkLocallyrdquo

DISTILLATIONOFRUM

RumcanbedistilledineitherpotorcolumnstillsThechoiceofstillshasaprofoundeffectonthefinalcharacteroftherumAllrumscomeoutofthestillasclearcolorlessspiritsBarrelagingandtheuseofaddedcarameldeterminethe final color Because caramel is burnt sugar it is true that only naturalcoloringagentsareusedLighter rums are highly rectified (purified) and are produced in column or

continuousstills thenusuallycharcoal filteredandsometimesaged inoldoakcasksforafewmonthstoaddsmoothnessMostlightrumshaveminimalflavorsandaromaandareverysimilar tovodkaHeavier rumsareusuallydistilled inpot stills similar to those used to produce cognacs and Scotch whiskies Potstills are less efficient than column stills and some congeners (fusel oils andotherflavorelements)arecarriedoverwiththealcoholTheseheavierrumsareusedformakinggoldenanddarkrumsSomebrandsofrumaremadebyblendingpot-andcolumn-distilledrumsina

mannersimilartothatofArmagnacproduction

RUMCOCKTAILS

RUMANDCOKE(CubaLibre)FillatallglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)darkrumbullJuiceofhalfalimebullColatofillStirandgarnishwithalimewedge

DAIQUIRI

FillashortglasswithiceInashakercombinebull1frac12ounces(45ml)whiterumbull1ounce(30ml)limejuicebull1tablespoon(15g)sugarbullIcetofillShakeandstrainintotheglass

PLANTERrsquoSPUNCH

FillatallglasswithiceInashakercombinebull1frac12ounces(45ml)darkrumbullfrac12ounce(15ml)limejuicebullfrac12ounce(15ml)lemonjuicebull3ounces(90ml)orangejuicebull1teaspoon(5g)sugarbullDashgrenadinesyrupbullIcetofillShakeandstrainintotheglass

RUMREGIONS

THECARIBBEAN

TheCaribbeanistheepicenterofworldrumproductionVirtuallyeverymajorislandgroupproducesitsowndistinctrumstyleBarbadosproduceslightsweetishrumsfrombothpotandcolumnstillsRum

distillation began here and the Mount Gay Distillery dating from 1663 isprobablytheoldestoperatingrumproducerintheworldCuba produces light-bodied crisp clean rums from column stills It is

currentlyillegaltoshipCubanrumsintotheUnitedStatesThe Dominican Republic is notable for its full-bodied aged rums from

columnstillsGuyanaisjustlyfamousforitsrichheavyDemerararumsnamedforalocal

riverwhichareproducedfrombothpotandcolumnstillsDemerararumscanbeagedforextendedperiods(twenty-five-year-oldvarietiesareonthemarket)and are frequently used for blending with lighter rums from other regionsNeighboringSurinamandFrenchGuyanaproducesimilarfull-bodiedrumsHaitifollowstheFrenchtraditionofheavierrumsthataredoubledistilledin

potstillsandagedinoakcasksforthreeormoreyearstoproducefull-flavoredexceptionallysmooth-tastingrumsHaitialsostillhasanextensiveundergroundmoonshineindustrythatsuppliesthevoodooreligiousritualtrade

SagatibaPuraCachaccedila(Brazil)

Jamaicaiswellknownforitsricharomaticrumsmostofwhichareproducedin pot stills Jamaica has official classifications of rum ranging from light toveryfull-flavoredJamaicanrumsareusedextensivelyforblendingMartinique is a French island with the largest number of distilleries in the

Eastern Caribbean Both pot and column stills are used As on other Frenchislands such asGuadeloupe both rhum agricole (made from sugarcane juice)and rhum industriel (made from molasses) are produced These rums arefrequently aged in used French brandy casks for a minimum of three yearsRhumvieux(agedrum)isfrequentlycomparedtohigh-qualityFrenchbrandiesPuertoRico is knownprimarily for light verydry rums fromcolumn stills

AllPuertoRicanrumsmustbylawbeagedforaminimumofoneyearTrinidadproducesmainlylightrumsfromcolumnstillsandhasanextensive

exporttrade

THEVIRGINISLANDS

The Virgin Islands which are divided between the United States VirginIslands and the British Virgin Islands both produce light mixing rums fromcolumnstillsTheserumsandthoseofnearbyGrenadaalsoserveasthebaseforbayrumaclassicaftershavelotion

CENTRALAMERICA

CentralAmericahasavarietyofprimarilymedium-bodiedrumsfromcolumnstills that lend themselves well to aging They have recently begun to gaininternationalrecognition

SOUTHAMERICA

South America produces vast quantities of mostly light rums from columnstillswithunagedcanespiritfromBrazilcalledcachaccedilabeingthebest-knownexample Venezuela bucks this general trendwith a number of well-respectedbarrel-agedgoldenanddarkrums

NORTHAMERICA

North America has a handful of traditional rum distilleries in the southernUnited States producing a range of light-and medium-bodied rums that aregenerally marketed with Caribbean-themed names Modern craft distilleriesproducingrumhavesprungupinsomemoreunusuallocationswithparticularlynoteworthy producers including Prichardrsquos Distillery in Kelso Tennessee theRogueDistillery inNewportOregonand theTriple8Distillery inNantucketMassachusetts

CANADA

In Canada the 300-year-old tradition of trading rum for dried codfishcontinuesintheAtlanticMaritimeprovincesofNewfoundlandandNovaScotiawheregoldenrumsfromAntiguaBarbadosandJamaicaareimportedandagedforfiveyearsTheresultingheartyrumisknownlocallyasscreech

DistillerStefanHafenattheWeyermannDistillery(Germany)

EUROPE

Europe is primarily a blender of imported rums Both theUnitedKingdomandFrance import rums from their formercolonies in theCaribbean foragingandbottlingHeavydarkJamaicanrumsareimportedintoGermanyandmixedwithneutralspiritata119ratiotoproducerumverschnittAsimilarproductinAustriaiscalledinlanderrum

RecipecardfromRogueDistillery

AUSTRALIA

Australiaproducesasubstantialamountofwhiteandgoldenrumsinadouble-distillationmethodutilizingbothcolumnandpotstillsRumisthesecondmostpopular alcoholic beverage in the country after beer Light rums are alsoproducedonsomeoftheislandsintheSouthPacificsuchasTahiti

ASIA

InAsia rums tend to follow regional sugarcaneproductionwithwhite andgoldenrumsfromcolumnstillsbeingproducedprimarilyinthePhilippinesandThailand

TEQUILAMEZCALANDOTHERAGAVESPIRITS

ldquoAlltequilaismezcalbutnotallmezcalistequilardquomdashTequilamarketingmantra

TEQUILA its sister spiritmezcalandotheragavespirits trace theirorigins

backatleast2000yearstowhenoneormoreoftheIndiantribesthatinhabitedwhat isnowcentralMexicodiscoveredthat the juiceof theagaveplant if leftexposed to air would ferment and turn into a milky mildly alcoholic drinkNews of this discovery spread throughout agave-growing areas The Aztecscalled this beverage octili poliqhui a name that the Spaniards subsequentlycorruptedintopulque(POOL-kay)

Blueagavetherawmaterialfortequilaandmezcal

InAztecculturepulquedrinkinghadreligioussignificanceConsumptionbythemasseswaslimitedtospecificholidayswhenlargetubsofpulqueweresetup in public squaresThe ruling elitewas not subject to the same restrictionshoweveranddrankpulque throughout theyearmdashaprivilegesharedbycaptivewarriorsjustbeforetheyweresacrificedtothegodsWhentheSpanisharrivedinMexicointheearlysixteenthcenturytheysoon

begantomakeanddrinkpulqueButthelowalcoholcontent(around3percentABV) and earthy vegetal tastemade it less popular among the conquistadorsthan European-style beers and brandies Early attempts to distill pulque wereunsuccessful and the resulting spirit was harsh and acrid It was soondiscoveredhoweverthatcookingtheagavepulpresultedinasweeterjuicethatwhenfermentedbecameknownasmezcalwineThisldquowinerdquowasthendistilledintothespiritthatweknowtodayasmezcalEarly mezcal distilleries in the Spanish colony of Mexico operated in a

mannersimilartomodern-daybrewpubsThedistillingplantwasusuallysmallanditsproductionwasconsumedprimarilyinthedistillerytavern(taberna)Asthecolonygrewthemezcalwineindustryfollowedapaceandsoonbecameanimportant source of tax revenue for the Crown Periodic attempts by Spanishbrandyproducerstoshutdownthemezcalindustrywereaboutasunsuccessfulas similar efforts by English distillers to inhibit rum production in theBritishcoloniesinNorthAmerica

THEEVOLUTIONOFTEQUILA

In 1656 the village of Tequila (named for the local Ticuilas Indians) wasgrantedacharterbythegovernorofNewGaliciaTaxrecordsofthetimeshowthatmezcalwasalreadybeingproducedintheareaThismezcalmadefromthelocalblueagaveestablishedareputationforhavingasuperiortasteandbarrelsof the ldquomezcal wine from Tequilardquo were soon being shipped to nearbyGuadalajaraandmoredistantcitiessuchasthesilver-miningboomtownsofSanLuisPotosiacuteandAguascalientesTheoldestofthestill-existingdistilleriesinTequiladatesbackto1795when

the Spanish Crown granted a distillerrsquos license to Jose Cuervo In 1805 adistillerywas established thatwould ultimately come under the control of theSauzafamilyBythemid-1800sthereweredozensofdistilleriesandmillionsofagaveplantsundercultivationaroundTequila inwhathadbecome thestateofJalisco Gradually the locally produced mezcal came to be known as tequila(justas thegrapebrandyfromtheCognacregion inFrancecametobeknownsimplyascognac)

AjimadorharvestsblueagaveformakingtequilainJaliscoMexico

MexicoachievedindependencefromSpainin1821Butuntilthe1870sitwasapoliticallyunstablecountrythatexperiencedfrequentchangesingovernmentrevolutions and a disastrouswarwith theUnited StatesMarauding bands ofsoldiers and guerillas extracted ldquorevolutionary taxesrdquo and ldquovoluntaryrdquocontributionsinkindfromthetabernasanddistilleriesIn1876ageneralnamedPorfirioDiacuteaz whowas from themezcal-producing state ofOaxaca (oah-HA-kuh) came topower andushered in a thirty-five-yearperiodof relativepeaceandstabilityknownasthePorfiriatoItwasduringthisperiodthat thetequila industrybecamefirmlyestablished

Modest exports of tequila began to the United States and Europe with JoseCuervoshippingthefirst threebarrels toElPasoTexas in1873By1910thenumber of agave distilleries in the state of Jalisco had grown to almost ahundredThe collapse of the Diacuteaz regime in 1910 led to a decade-long period of

revolutionthatinhibitedthetequilaindustryThereturnofpeaceinthe1920sledto the expansion of tequila production in Jalisco beyond the area around thetown of Tequila with growth being particularly noteworthy in the highlandsaround the village of Arandas This period also saw the adoption of modernproduction techniques from the wine industry such as cultivated yeast andmicrobiologicalsanitarypracticesIn the 1930s the practice of adding non-agave sugars to the aguamiel or

ldquohoneywaterrdquowasintroducedandquicklyadoptedbymanytequilaproducersThesemixto(mixed)tequilashadalessintensetastethan100percentblueagavetequilasButthisrelativeblandnessalsomadethemmoreappealingtononnativeconsumersparticularlythoseintheUnitedStates

THEBASISOFTEQUILAANDMEZCAL

TequilaandmezcalaremadebydistillingthefermentedjuiceofagaveplantsinMexico The agave is a spiky-leafedmember of the lily family (it is not acactus) and is related to the century plant ByMexican law the agave spiritcalled tequila can be made only from one particular type of agave the blueagave (Agave tequilana Weber) and it can be produced only in specificallydesignated geographic areas primarily the state of Jalisco in west-centralMexicoMezcalismadefromthefermentedjuiceofotherspeciesofagaveItisproducedthroughoutmostofMexico

FieldsofblueagaveinJaliscoMexico

Both tequila and mezcal are prepared for distillation in similar ways Theagave also know as maguey (pronounced muh-GAY) is cultivated onplantations for eight to ten years depending on the type of agaveWhen theplantreachessexualmaturityitstartstogrowaflowerstalkTheagavefarmerorcampesinocutsoff thestalk justas it is starting togrowThis redirects theplant growth into the central stalk swelling it into a large bulbous shape thatcontainsasweetjuicypulpWhentheswellingiscompletedthecampesinocutstheplantfromitsrootsandremovesthelongsword-shapedleavesusingarazor-sharp pike-like tool called a coa The remaining pintildea (ldquopineapplerdquomdashso-calledbecause the cross-thatched denuded bulb resembles a giant green and whitepineapple)weighsanywherefromtwenty-fivetoonehundredpoundsAt the distillery the pintildeas are cut into quarters For tequila they are then

slowly baked in steam ovens or autoclaves until all of the starch has beenconverted to sugars Formezcal they are baked in underground ovens heatedwithwoodcharcoal (whichgivesmezcal itsdistinctivesmoky taste)Theyarethencrushed(traditionallywithastonewheeldrawnaroundacirculartroughbyamule)andshreddedtoextractthesweetjuicecalledaguamiel(honeywater)

WHATBINGCROSBYANDJIMMYBUFFETTHAVEINCOMMON

Modestamountsof tequilahadbeenexported intoUSborder townssincethelatenineteenthcenturyThefirstmajorboost to tequilasales in theUnitedStates came in the late1940swhen themargarita cocktail ablendof tequilalimejuiceorangeliqueurandicewasinventedItsoriginsareuncertainbutHollywoodactorsandcocktailpartiesinCaliforniaandMexicanresortsseemtobe involved inmost of the genesis stories It is known that crooner and actorBingCrosbywassotakenwithoneparticularbrandoftequilaHerradurathatheteamedupwithfellowactorPhilHarristoimportthebrandintotheUnitedStatesThemargaritaalongwiththetequilasunriseandthetequilasourhavebecomehighlypopularintheUnitedStatesinfactitisclaimedbymanyintheliquor industry that the margarita is the single most popular cocktail in thenation In the 1970swhenballadeer JimmyBuffett sangof ldquowasting away inMargaritavillerdquothesuccessofthesongenticedmillionsmoreAmericanstosipfromthesalt-rimmedmargaritaglass

FERMENTATIONAGAVEORMIXTO

The fermentation stage determines whether the final product will be 100percent agave or mixed (ldquomixtordquo) The highest-quality tequila is made fromfermentingandthendistillingjustagavejuicemixedwithsomewaterMixtoismadeby fermentingand thendistilling amixof agave juice andother sugarsusuallycanesugarwithwaterMixtosmadeandbottledinMexicocancontainupto40percentalcoholmadefromothersugarsMixtosthathavebeenshippedinbulktoothercountriesforbottling(primarilytheUnitedStates)mayhavetheagavecontentfurtherreducedto51percentbytheforeignbottlerByMexicanlaw all 100 percent agave or aged tequilas must be bottled in Mexico If atequilais100percentagaveitwillalwayssaysoonthebottlelabelIfitdoesnrsquotsay100percentitisamixtoalthoughthattermisseldomusedonbottlelabels

Stillsusedforproducingtequila

DISTILLATIONANDAGINGOFTEQUILAANDMEZCAL

Traditionallytequilaandmezcalhavebeendistilledinpotstillsat110degproof(55percentABV)Theresultingspiritisclearbutcontainsasignificantamountof congeners and other flavor elements Some light-colored tequilas are nowbeingrectified(redistilled)incolumnstillstoproduceacleanerblanderspirit

THEBLUEAGAVESTRIKESBACK

From the1930s through the1980s thebulk of the tequila beingproducedwasoftheblendedmixtovarietyTheoriginal100percentagavetequilaswerereducedtoaminorspecialtyproductinthemarketInthelate1980stherisingsuccess of single malt Scotch whiskies and expensive cognacs in theinternationalmarketplacedidnotgounnoticedamong tequilaproducersNewbrandsof100percentblueagave tequilaswere introducedandsalesbeganasteadygrowthcurvethatcontinuestothisday

Color in tequila and mezcal comes mostly from the addition of caramelalthoughbarrelagingisafactorinsomehigh-qualitybrandsAdditionallysomedistillers add small amounts of natural flavorings such as sherry pruneconcentrateandcoconuttomanipulatetheproductrsquosflavorprofileTheseaddedflavors donot standout themselves but instead serve to smoothout theoftenhard-edgedpalateofagavespirit

Barrelssetforagingtequilainaware-housetastingroom

MEZCALANDTHEWORM

TherulesandregulationsthatgoverntheproductionandpackagingoftequiladonotapplytoagavespiritsproducedoutsideofthedesignatedareasinMexicoSome mezcal distilleries are very primitive and very small The best-knownmezcalscomefromthesouthernstateofOaxacaalthoughtheyareproducedina number of other states Eight varieties of agave are approved for mezcalproductionbut thechiefvarietyused is theespadinagave (AgaveangustifoliaHaw)

CLASSIFICATIONSOFTEQUILA

Beyond the two basic designations of tequilamdashagave and mixtomdashthere arefourcategories

ASTHEWORMTURNS

The upgrading and upscaling of tequila has in turn inspired mezcalproducers to undertake similarmeasures In the past few years an increasingnumber of high-end mezcals including some intriguing ldquosingle villagerdquobottlingshavebeenintroducedtothemarketMezcalnowseemstobecomingintoitsownasadistinctivenoteworthyspirit

Thefamousldquowormrdquofound insomebottlesofmezcal (ldquocongusanordquo) is thelarvaofoneoftwomothsthatliveontheagaveplantThereasonforaddingtheworm to thebottleofmezcal is obscureButone storywhich at least has theappealoflogictobackitupisthatthewormservesasproofofhighproofthewormremainsintactinthebottleifthepercentageofalcoholinthespiritishighenoughtopreservethepickledwormConsumingthewormwhichcanbedonewithoutharmhasservedasariteofpassageforgenerationsoffraternityboysTop-qualitymezcalsdonotincludeaworminthebottle

AbottleofAguaAzulablueagaveeaudevie

BrendanMoylanholdsupacoupleofbottlesofJBWagonerrsquos100percentBlueAgaveSpiritsinfrontofhiswell-stockedbar

NON-MEXICANAGAVESPIRITS

Federal excise tax records indicate that tequila-like agave spirits wereproducedinthe1930sinthesouthwesternUnitedStatesMorerecentlymoderncraftdistillershavebeguntoexperimentwiththeirownagavespiritssuchasJBWagonerrsquos Ultra Premium 100 percent Blue Agave Spirits by SkyrocketDistillersinTemuculaCaliforniaAguaAzulbyStGeorgeSpiritsinAlamedaCaliforniaandGoldAgavebyStJamesSpiritsinIrwindaleCalifornia

TEQUILACOCKTAILS

CLASSICMARGARITA

TakeashortglassWettherimwithlimejuicePuttheglassupsidedownincoarsesaltsothatthesaltclingstotherimInacocktailshakercombine

bull1frac12ounces(45ml)silvertequilabullfrac34ounce(23ml)TripleSecbullfrac34ounce(23ml)limejuicebullIcetofillShakeandstrainintothesalt-rimmedglassandgarnishwithalimeslice

FROZENFRUITMARGARITA

TakeashortglassWettherimwithlimejuiceandputtheglassupsidedownin coarse salt so salt clings to the rim (this step is optional) Combine theingredients for the ClassicMargarita in a blender with very ripe fruit (6 to 7ounces[170to200g]freshor4ounces[115g]frozen)Add34cupiceBlenduntilsmoothandpourintotheglass

TEQUILASUNRISEFillatallglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)silvertequilabullOrangejuicealmosttofillSlowlypourfrac12ounce (15ml)grenadine syrupover the top (As it trickles

downitcreatestheldquosunriserdquoeffect)

LIQUEURSSCHNAPPSANISEANDBITTERS

LIQUEURSschnappsaniseandbittersaretermsthatcoverawidevariety

of types of spirits What they all share in common is that they are flavoredspirits

LIQUEURS

Also known as cordials liqueurs are sweet flavor-infused spirits that arecategorized according to the flavoring agent (fruits nuts herbal and spiceblends creams and such)Theword liqueur comes from theLatin liquifacere(ldquotodissolverdquo)andreferstothedissolvingofflavoringsinthespiritsArtificialflavoringsarestrictlyregulatedinmostcountriesandwhereallowedtheymustbeprominentlylabeledassuch

BLENDEDFAMILIES

AllliqueursareblendseventhosewithaprimaryflavorAtouchofvanillais added to cregraveme de cacao to emphasize the chocolate Citrus flavor notessharpen the presentation of anise Herbal liqueurs may contain dozens ofdifferent flavor elements that a master blender manipulates to achieve thedesiredflavorprofile

MasterdistillerTedHuberpoursatHuberStarlightDistillery

Top-qualityliqueursareproducedbydistillationofeitherthefermentedflavormaterials or the spirit in which they have been infused Many liqueurs usefinishedspiritssuchascognacrumorwhiskeyas theirbaseOthersmaceratefruitorotherflavoringsinaneutralspiritCregravemes(cregravemedementhecregravemedecacao etc) are liqueurswith a primary flavor while cream liqueurs combinedairycreamandalcoholinahomogenizedshelf-stableblend

LabelforCoffeeLiqueurbyMcMenaminsEdgefieldDistillery

Liqueurs are not usually aged for any great length of time but they mayundergo resting stages during their production to allow the various flavors toldquomarryrdquointoaharmoniousblendLiqueurscanbehardtoclassifybutregardlessofflavortheycanbebroadly

dividedintotwocategoriesGenericsareliqueursofaparticulartype(cregravemedecacaoorcuraccedilaoforexample)hatcanbemadebyanyproducerProprietariesare liqueurs with trademarked names that are made according to a specificformula Examples of such liqueurs include Kahluacutea Grand Marnier andSouthernComfort

AvanWeesDeOoievaarfruitliqueurfromtheNetherlands

SCHNAPPS

Schnapps is a general term used for an assortment of white and flavoredspiritsthathaveoriginatedinnortherncountriesorregionssuchasGermanyorScandinavia Schnapps can bemade from grain potatoes ormolasses and beflavoredwith virtually anything (watermelon and root beer schnapps from theUnited States being proof of that) The dividing line between schnapps andflavoredvodkaisvagueandismoreculturalthanstylistic

ANISE-FLAVOREDSPIRITS

These spirits can vary widely in style depending on the country of originThey can be dry or very sweet low or high proof distilled from fermentedaniseedormaceratedinneutralspiritInFranceanis(asproducedbyPernod)isproducedbydistillinganiseanda

varietyofotherbotanicalstogetherPastisismaceratedratherthandistilledandcontainsfewerbotanicalsthananisInItalysambucaisdistilledfromaniseandbotanicals but it is thenheavily sweetened tomake it a liqueurOil of fennel(alsoknownasgreenanise)isfrequentlyaddedtoboostthearomaofthespiritGreecehasadriergrappa-likeliqueurcalledouzowhichisstylisticallyclosetopastis

TangerineCelloandSpicyGingerorganicliqueursfromNewDealDistillery

RosolisZiolowyGorzki(stomachbitters)fromtheLancutDistilleryinPoland

BITTERS

The modern-day descendents of medieval medical potions bitters aremarketed as having at least some vaguely therapeutic value (stomach settlershangover cures and so on) They tend to be flavored with herbs roots andbotanicalsandcontainlowerquantitiesoffruitandsugarthanliqueursAlthoughtherearespecialtyliqueurproducersmostbrandsareproducedby

generalditillersaspartofanextendedproductlineAmongthenewgenerationof craft distillers some of the standout liqueur producers include LeopoldBrothersDistilleryofDenverColoradowith theiruniquewhiskey-based fruitliqueurs (the RockyMountain Blackberry is particularly noteworthy) and theFlagHillDistillery inLeeNewHampshirewith theirdelicately tingedSugarMapleLiqueur

LabelforJohnnyZieglerBlackForestStyleAppleAuxPommeSchnapsEaudeViebyWinegardenEstateinNewBrunswickCanada

LabelforBlackberryLiqueurbyClearCreekDistillery

ABSINTHEMAKESTHEHEARTGROWFONDER

AbsintheVertebyStGeorgeSpirits

Modernpastisisthegenteeldescendentofitsmuchmoreraffishnineteenth-century ancestor absinthe a high (sometimes very high) proof anise liquor(technically not a liqueur because no sugar is added) that included extract ofwormwoodinitslistofbotanicalsWormwoodcontainsthechemicalcompoundthujonewhose allegedpsychedelic effectsmadeabsinthe very popular amongtheldquoBohemianrdquocountercultureartistsand intellectualsofFranceandEurope(Vincent vanGogh andOscarWildewere devotees of what was termed ldquoTheGreenFairyrdquo)ConverselysocialconservativesandprohibitionistscampaignedagainstitasthecrackcocaineofthedayandeventuallygotitoutlawedinmostEuropeancountriesandtheUnitedStatesModernscientificanalysishasfoundthujonersquospsychedelicpotencytobeatbestgreatlyexaggerated

LeTourmentVertFrenchAbsinthebyBrunoDelannoyofDistillerieVinetEge

Forbiddenfruitisalwaysappealingandstartinginthe1990sabsinthewhichcontinued to be commercially produced in Eastern Europe slowly started toreturn to the general marketplace initially in ldquothujone-freerdquo versions fromFrance and Switzerland and more recently from an increasing number ofAmerican craft distillers suchasNorthShoreDistilling inLakeBluff Illinoisand St George Distilling in Alameda California One thing that has notchangedaboutabsintheisitshighalcoholcontent

AbsintheVertebyLeopoldBros

ARTISANPROFILEINSIDETHEINDUSTRY

PHILPRICHARD

PrichardrsquosDistilleryKelsoTennessee

PHILPRICHARDwasstillworkingin telecomsales inMemphiswhenhereadtheclassicTheLoreofStillBuildingandstartedteachinghimselftomakerumHis first sale came in March of 2001 (thirty cases for $2929) It was the

product of four years of work His initial plan was to make a product fromTennessee sorghum but he learned that rumhad to come from sugarcaneHewasnrsquot discouraged ldquoThe transition was rather easy By that time I hadresearchedthehistoryofAmericanrumandwejustslidintothenewprofileItfitverywellrdquoSoontractor-trailerloadsofmolasseswerebeingdriveninWhatsets Prichardrsquos apart from other rum is the use of first-grade sweetmolassesrather than blackstrap Using better molasses ldquofocused our attention on theproductionofatraditionalAmericanrumrdquosaidPrichardBlackstrapaswellasbeingusedtomakerumisputoncattleandhorsefeedandPrichardsaidldquoInAfricatheyputitontheroadstokeepthedustdownItrsquos32percentsugarand68percentLordknowswhatrdquoEd Hamiltonmdashnoted scholar author and keeper ofMinistryof Rumcommdash

saidldquoByusingahigh-grademolassesastherawmaterialhereducestheneedto distill to a high proof in order to reduce the sulfur compounds that are thedistillerrsquos banerdquo The results are evident ldquoPhil hasmanaged to dowhatmostmolassesdistillersonlywishtheycoulddordquosaidHamiltonldquodistillagoodwhiterumandmakeitdrinkablewithoutagingitPhilmakesanimpressivelysmoothwhiterumthathasnrsquotbeenagedyetretainsthecoconutandbutterscotchflavorsthatareitssignaturerdquoPrichard takes some of this white rum and barrels itWhile the rest of the

industry saves money aging their product in used fifty-two-gallon whiskeybarrels Prichard ages his rum in new small barrels of fifteen gallons Thisprovidesmoresurfaceareaforthespirittointeractwiththecharredoakanditdevelopsseriousflavorsnot typicallyfoundinarumagedfor just threeyearsHamiltonhadmorepraiseldquoPrichardrsquosFineRumisanothergreatexampleofthesmalldistillerrsquosartTherelativelylowdistillationproofandhighbarrelsurfaceareatovolumeyieldarumthatremindstheimbiberoftheotherspiritsforwhichTennesseeismorewellknownrdquoPrichard is expanding He bought bourbon from Heaven Hill in Kentucky

ageditagaininnewbarrelsandbottleditasDoubleBarrelBourbonFinishingbourbonthiswayisrare(BeamandBuffaloTracehavebothexperimentedwithit) and Double Barrel Bourbon was well received Building a distillery ldquowasdifficult beyond imagination Building a nationwide distribution network hasbeenourgreatestchallengeandthemostcostlyrdquoRegardlessofthechallengesPrichardmoveseverforwardInMarchof2009thedistillerybeganproducingitsownwhiskey

CHAPTEREIGHT

AGALLERYOFARTISANDISTILLERS

ldquoDrinkingyoungwhiskey is something that isdoneonly instillhousesandbarsinItalyLetyourspiritmaturetoaproperdegreeofripenessrdquo

ndashMichaelJacksoncritiquinganearlyexampleofcraftdistilledwhiskey

WhenIowafloodedJeffQuintoftheCedarRidgeDistilleryfilledhisstillwithwatertokeepitfromfloatingawayinthedeluge

THERE is a spirit revolutionhappening in theUnitedStates one thatwillchange theentirespirit industryDistillerswithan intensepassionfor thecraftlay their hearts souls and economic futures on the line for the purpose ofmakingtheidealliquidspiritThesesmallcompaniessometimesrunbyoneortwopeoplecreateavarietyofspiritstoonumeroustomentioninasinglebreathTheircreationsandblendsarenolessvaluableorquality-driventhanbignamebrandssomeevenmoresoThesenichespiritshavetheadvantageofcreativitythat expands the scopeofwhat the liquor industryhas tooffernotonly to theUSbuttotheworldThesemicro-distillerslackthenamerecognitionandthefundingthatbignamecompaniesusetohelpmarkettheirproductsbutsomeofthemwillbecomethehouseholdnamesofthefuturemdashjustasJackDanielsandJohnnyWalkerdistillersfromthepasthavebecomeinourtime

-AdaptedfromCheriLoughlinrsquosIntoxicologistblogwwwintoxicologistwordpresscom

ABOUTTHECONTRIBUTORS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

ABOUTTHEAUTHORS

FOREWORD

THESECONDWhiskeyRebellionishappeningintheUnitedStatesandit

isalreadyspreadingaroundtheworldInthismarvelousbookBillOwensAlanDiktyandtheircontributorsmdashlikeintrepidwarcorrespondentsmdashtakeyoutothefront lines You will find here an up-to-the-minute report on the excitementcreativityandbrashenthusiasmoftheUnitedStatesrsquocraftdistillers

DetailofthefermentingprocessofmakingbourbonWoodfordReserveDistillery

I have known Bill Owens since his early involvement in the USrsquosmicrobrewing renaissance He was one of the movementrsquos most ferventinnovatorsHisownachievementsaremanyandhisenthusiasmfor thewholewild explosionofbrewingcreativity is evidenced inhisobvious enjoymentofthesuccessesofhisbrewingcolleaguesThe craft-brewing renaissance of course began in the 1960s By the early

rsquo90s it was inevitable that it would evolve into a craft-distilling renaissanceAnd so Bill and his cohorts are at it again now celebrating a small-distilleryrevolutionandthevarietyandcreativitythatisspringingupeverywhereYeswenow have ldquocraftrdquo whiskey distillers experimenting with all facets of graindistillingAndaswiththebrewingrevolutiontheconsumerreapstherewardsWe are entering a golden age for the spirits lover and The Art of DistillingWhiskey andOther Spirits An Enthusiastrsquos Guide to the ArtisanDistilling ofPotentPotablesisanindispensableguidebooktoitsbeginnings

CharringoakbarrelsatBluegrassCooperage

Where did the craft-distilling phenomenon originate You could say that itcamedownfromthemountainswherepot-distilledwhiskeysmadebyhandmdashinsecretfoldsmdashhaveneverentirelydisappearedOryoucouldsaythatitcameupfrom the vineyards and orchardswhere formany years there has been a tinycraft-distilling segment of superb hand-crafted fruit brandies and eaux-de-vieJustknowthatasecondWhiskeyRebellionisuponusandthatit ishappeningright now in a little building near you And if you have picked up this bookalready knowing about the great food awakening and hoping for a guide todistillingyouhavefounditWhat particularly fascinates me about the distillation of alcohol is the

enduringmysterysurroundingitsoriginsDistillationitselfisaphysicalartwitha longmdashand colorfulmdashhistory And the distilling of all sorts of materials formyriadpurposesisanancientprocessButwhendidtheproductionofdistilledspirits as a beverage beginYou arewelcome to your opinion and good luckfindinganyonetoagreewithyouNomatterwhatyouthinkIencourageyoutosavor the eternal enigma that is embodied in a distilled spirit It is a form ofmagic to take fruit or grain ferment it put it in a pot heat it and make itdisappearentirelyandthenwatchitreappeardropbydropasaclearvolatilealmostetherealliquidAnditisadangerousliquidmdashdonotkidyourselfItcancatchfireitcanexplodeandabusingitcanruinlivesItispowerfulmysteriousstuff surely one reason that it captures the imagination of the producers andconsumersswirlingandswillingaroundthecurrentawakeningSo drink deep of Bill and Alanrsquos guide get on the road with them go

exploring and learning and enjoybeing an earlyparticipant in themovementAnd takemyword for it as a distiller of whiskey since the secondWhiskeyRebellionrsquosfirstshotldquoHeadswewintailswewinrdquo

FritzMaytagAnchorDistilling

SanFranciscoApril2009

INTRODUCTION

ASAYOUNGMANinthe1970sIhadlonghairaVolkswagenBeetlea

hip wife and a career as a newspaper photographer I also published fourphotographymonographsincludingtheclassicSUBURBIA(stillinprint)andIreceived a Guggenheim Fellowship in photography and three NationalEndowment for theArtsgrantsMydreamwas towork forLIFEmagazineorNationalGeographic and I ended up stringing for the Associated Press andcoveredtheHellrsquosAngelsbeatingpeoplewithpoolcuesatAltamontWhileallthiswashappeningIwashomebrewinginthegarageBy the1980swhen I reachedmiddleage Ihada flattop sold theVWand

camerasand lostawonderfulwife In1982Iopened thefirstbrewpubin theUnited States Buffalo Billrsquos Brewery in Hayward California The beer wasgood My pumpkin ale is still being brewed by many breweries My publicimagewasldquocolorfulrdquoandthenewsmedialovedmeIstartedbelievingmyownpressclipsIopenedtwomorebrewpubsandlaunchedapublicstockofferingtofundthebuildingofalarge-scaleproductionbreweryItallseemedlikeagoodidea at the time It was after all ldquoMorning in Americardquo Reagan was in the

WhiteHouseandtheoperativephraseforthetimeswasldquoGreedisgoodrdquoIwantedsuccessmoneyIhadthreebrewpubsIgrossedamilliondollarsthat

yearbutIhadtopaysixtyemployeesandendedupwithnoprofitThingsdonrsquotalwaysworkoutasyoudreamThestockofferingnevergotoffthegroundandonebyonethebrewpubsweresoldoffwithBuffaloBillrsquosbeingthelasttogoButIrsquollalwayshaveAlimonyAle(ldquoThebitterestbeerinAmericardquo)By the 1990s I had gray hair and a new wife and I was publishing two

magazinesAmericanBrewerandBEERTheMagazineOnceagainmytimingwasgoodandtheAmericanBrewer rodethefirstgreatwaveofcraftbrewingThingswere lookinggreatbut financially the twomagazines turnedout tobenot such a great idea I soon stopped publishing BEER and sold AmericanBrewerSoonafter theAARPmailingsstartedshowingupand Iopenedanantique

store That venture lasted six months Then my agent sold some SUBURBIAphotographstoEltonJohngivingmeenoughmoneyfora(used)Lexusandthecash fora three-month tripacrossAmerica so I ranawayfromhomeOn thistrip I decided to visit some craft distilleries Iwas intrigued and the creativejuices started to flow again When I returned to California I founded theAmerican Distilling Institute (ADI) In 2003 I held the first ADI distillingconferenceatStGeorgeHangarOneDistilleryandsomeeightypeopleshowedupIn2007 Idecided tomakeanother tripacrossAmericaAgain the tripwas

fundedby sellingphotographs tomuseums anassortmentof art galleries andfriendsintheUnitedStatesandinEuropeThissecondtrip(21000miles)tookfourmonthsandfromfifty-threeDVDsofimagesweselectedahundredorsoforthisbookBy2009theADIdatabasecontained1246namesofwhich205aremembersandofthose165arecraftdistillersThefuturefortheindustryisbrightMoreandmorepeoplewanttolearntheartofcraftdistillingTheywantto learn how to run small businesses selling their handcrafted products to thepublicMyrecentldquohow-tordquobookCraftWhiskeyDistillinghassold300copiesinthreemonthsThecraftdistillingindustryisreallyaboutlifestylePeopletakegreatpridein

producingtheirproductsThisbookisalookatcraftdistillersandtherestofthewhiskeyrumvodkaandginindustryIstillhaveafootinbothcampsphotographyanddistillationButifIhadto

chooseitrsquodbedistillingbecauseitrsquosawayoflifeSpecial thanks toAlanDikty the editor of this book and a personal friend

AlanhasbeenwithmeasafriendandwriterforsomethirtyyearsAlanknowsspiritsAbigthank-youalsotoAndrewFaulknerphotographerandphotoeditorforthisbook

BillOwensHaywardCalifornia

March2009

AUTHORrsquoSNOTEONSPELLING

For reasons that have yet to be adequately explained American and Irishdistillers spell the word whiskey with an e while their Scotch CanadianJapaneseandNewZealandpeersspellwhiskywithoutit

CHAPTERONE

ABRIEFHISTORYOFDISTILLING

SINCEtheearliestknownuseofdistillationabout5000yearsagopractice

ofthearthasgrownandspreadaroundtheworldinseveralwavesthespeedandextent of each being dictated by geography trade routes and cultural andreligious influences Each successive wave gave rise to significant technicaladvances in distillation making it less expensive more efficient and morecontrollable

VeryFineWhiskeybottlecircathe1920sThisvintagebottlewasacquiredatafleamarketthenfilledwithOldForrester

PossiblytheearliestwrittenrecordofdistillationisintheEpicofGilgameshwhich describes a formof essential oil distillation practiced inBabylon as farback as 3000 BCE Herbs were placed in a large heated cauldron of boilingwater and the cauldronrsquos opening was covered with a sheepskin fleece sidedownPeriodically thesheepskinwaschangedandthecondensatesoakingthefleecewaswrungoutintoasmalljarEssentialoilsfloatedtothesurfaceofthewatercollected in the jarandwereskimmedoffMedieval textsandwoodcutsshowthesameprinciplebeingusedtoconcentratealcoholicvaporsfromboilingwine(IncidentallythisissimilarinprincipletoamethodthatthePhoeniciansusedforconsumingcannabis)

DISTILLINGMIGRATESEASTANDWEST

By 500BCE alcohol distillationwas an established industry in the ancientIndian area known as Taxila (in modern northwest Pakistan) wherearcheologistsdiscoveredaperfectlypreservedterra-cottadistillationsystemInthisprocess steam rising fromapotofboilingwaterpassed throughabedoffermented grains picking up alcohol and flavors from the grains The vaporsthen struck the bottom of a second pot filled with cold water where theycondensedanddrippedintoacollectiontubeFromTaxila knowledge spread to theEast and theWest andby350BCE

knowledgeofthedistillingprocessappearedinthewritingofAristotleinGreeceand Sinedrius in Libya The first arrival of distillation technology inChina ismisty but by 25CE bronze stills of similar designwere being produced andusedthereBytheendofthefirstmillenniumCEthepracticeofdistillationhadspread

throughout northern Africa and the Middle East The process had advancedsignificantlyoverthisthousand-yearperiodandthematerialbeingdistilledwasnowboileddirectlyinalargesealedpotwhichhadalongtubeleadingfromitsapextoasmallcollectionjarWhentheMoorsinvadedSpaintheybroughtthistechnologywiththemandsoonthegenie(orspirit)wasoutof thebottleThetechnologyspreadfromSpaintoItalyin1100CEandwasrecordedinIrelandby 1200 Germany by 1250 and France by 1300 England Scotland PolandRussiaandSwedenjoinedtheclubby1400

DISTILLINGTECHNOLOGYEVOLVES

EuropeanexplorationandconquestspreadrapidlyaroundtheworldcarryingthetechnologyofdistillationwithitThefirststillsintheAmericasappearednotlong after the conquistadores and the Portuguese brought the technology toJapanby1500This technologywas largely controlled by alchemists andmonasterieswho

continuouslyexperimentedandimprovedontheequipmentBythemid-1600sseveraltextshadbeenpublishedonthesubjectofdistillationasampleofwhichincludedthewoodcutsonthisspreadfromTheArtofDistillationbyJonathanFrench(1651)AsthisinformationspreadbeyondclericalandscientificcircleswealthyindividualsbegantoestablishstillhousesontheirestatesAs knowledge blossomed throughout theRenaissance distillation continued

to develop rapidly Distillation was removed from the exclusive province ofscientists monks and professionals and became a common household artRecipebooksabounded

ThesewoodcutsfromTheArtofDistillationbyJonathanFrench(1651)showasmallpartofthewidevarietyofformsdistillingequipmenthadtakenbytheseventeenthcenturyTwokeyimprovementsareshownmultipledistillationsinonesetup(onestillfeedingintothenext)topofpageandanimprovedvaporcondenser(acoiloftubingknownasaldquowormrdquoinabarrelofcoldwater)belowandoppositepage

ldquoThere is more refreshment and stimulation in a nap even of thebriefestthaninallthealcoholeverdistilledrdquo

mdashOvid(ancientRomanclassicalpoetandnotoriouswetblanketatbacchanals43ndash17BCE)Bythe1700sthecomplexityandsophisticationofcommercial-scaledistilling

equipmentadvancedrapidlyAdvancesintheunderstandingofhowdistillationactuallyworked led to new still designs that couldmake better quality spiritsmoreeasilyandfasterthaninthepastDistillingbecamemoreaccessibletothemasses and the monopoly held by the church and the elite classes wasthreatenedThesecentersofpower soonenacted restrictions at first toprotectthatmonopolyandlaterpurelyforrevenue

GEORGEWASHINGTONANDGERRYMANDERING

ItiswellknownthatGeorgeWashingtonwasadistillerWhatislesswellknownisthatthelawshecraftedsetthedistinctionbetweentheheavilytaxedsmalldistillersandthelightlytaxedlargedistillersthelinebeingdrawnjustbelowthesizeofhisdistilleryPoliticsworkedinmuchthesamewaythenasitdoestoday

TheGeorgeWashingtonstillrecreationattheMountVernonDistilleryinMountVernonVirginia

REGULATIONANDREBELLION

Since1700theregulationandcontrolofdistillationhasbeenmostlyastoryoflostfreedomsandrightsAfewraysofsunshinehavesincepokedthroughthecloudsTheelite andgovernmentsofEurope tried repeatedly to exploit andcontrol

distillationInEnglandforexamplethefirsttaxationofcommercialdistillationappearedin1690topayforawarwithFrancePrivatedistillationwasexemptedfrom this tax and it remained free from interference as taxes and regulationswere raised lowered abolished and resurrectedover thenext centuryPrivatedistillation in England flourished and grew significantly during this time (andperhapsnota littleof thisproduct found itsway intocommercialchannelsviathe back door) until it was outlawed in 1781 to enhance the collection ofrevenueThemassiveGinCrazeofearlyeighteenth-centuryGreatBritainhaditsrootsinpartinthisunfetteredspreadofdistillation

BlueprintofaSimpleStill

a)SteamjacketHeatsthepotandthewashb)PotHoldsthewashc)SwanNeckAllowsforseparationofthecomponentsofthemixtured)TubeinShellCondenserCondensesthealcoholvaporsinspiritse)SpigotThevaporsarecollectedfromaspigotatthebottomofthecondenser

ThreestrippingstillsandaspiritstillmadefromstainlesssteeldrumsattheNewDealDistillery

TheUnitedStatesgovernmentrsquosfirstattempttotaxdistillationresultedintheWhiskey Rebellion of 1791 which was put down by federal troops led byGeorgeWashington(whowasbroughtoutofretirementfortheconflict)FederalexcisetaxeswereabolishedaftertheendoftheWarof1812onlyto

beimposedduringtheCivilWarinthe1860s(andcontinuetothisday)Napoleon introduced regulation in France The laws variedwidely over the

nextcenturybutstabilizedin1914whentherightwasgrantedtoanyonewithavineyard or orchard to distill up to 20 liters of spirits from their fruit if theyagreedtopayataxThisrightwasoriginallyinheritablebutthatwasrevokedinthe 1950s This system led to the development of traveling stills known asbouilleurs de cru which were once very common sights in the FrenchcountrysideBecausethenumberofpermittedindividualshasshrunkwitheverypassingyearveryfewofthesemobiledistilleriesremainAustralians lost their right to distill their ownbeverages in the aftermathof

WorldWarIagainasarevenuemeasureMany African Latin American and southern European nations have

continuedtoallowprivatedistillationunderawidevarietyofrulesrangingfromnone through inspection of stills to onerous regulations and high taxation Ingeneral traditional alcoholic beverages are made in most farmhouses usingtraditional equipment (mostlypot stills ofvarious forms)without anyadverseeffectsonsocietyThemostrecentandhopefulchangeintheglobalregulationofdistillationwas

the legalization of private noncommercial distilling byNewZealand in 1996TheNewZealandgovernment found that the expenseof enforcing thebanonprivatedistillationfaroutweighedtherevenuecomingfromfinessothelawwasabolishedThischangeledtowidespreadadoptionofsmall-scaledistillingasahobby and as hobbyists always will they experimented with equipment andtechniques continuously Many significant innovations have been developedmaking small-scale distilling equipment more available much less expensiveandverymucheasiertocontrolthananythingthatcamebefore

FUTURETRENDS

Just as the appearance of microbreweries followed the renaissance ofhomebrewing increasing thechoicesand levelofquality for allbeerdrinkersmicrodistilleries are starting to thrive around theworld someusing traditionalequipmentbutmanyusingnewequipmentmethodsandtechniquesdevelopedbythenewly liberatedhomedistillersManyof thesemodernsmalldistilleriesareexperimentingwithnew typesandcategoriesof spirits creatingnovel andsometimesuniquelylocalspirits

MOONSHINE

As surely as thunder follows lightning whiskey follows beer and in the1980sthescentofwhiskeychargedtheairlikeanapproachingstorm

THEPROSPECTofmakingwhiskeyginryebrandyandotherflavorsomespirits at home is enough tomake somemodern cocktail enthusiasts and craftbrewersgrowglint-eyedEversoquietlythemoreadventuresomeofthemhavebegun tending home-sized stills to make the smallest-batch American spiritssince the Prohibition days of stove-top alky cookers Unlike unscrupulousproducers whomade rotgut that could blind cripple and occasionally kill itsdrinkersmanyoftodayrsquoshomedistillershaveadoptedhigh-techequipmentandacodeofhonorthatostracizesthosewhotrytoselltheirmakingsBecausethesedistillers are running the very best they can for their immediate friends andfamiliestheresultscanbespectacularlygood

AtombstonethatwasusedduringProhibitionforstashingmoonshinenearMorgantownWestVirginia

Theability to createpersonal stocksof liquor fromscratch falls squarely inthe modern mixologistrsquos pursuit of making what canrsquot easily be hadmdashrealgrenadinefromactualpomegranatesginger-spikedfalernumJamaicarsquospimentodramasuckerpunchofallspiceandrumandpotentaromatichousebittersmdashbutall tunedto theirpersonal tastesWhenitcomestomakingthebasespiritsforthosebittersitcouldnrsquotbeeasiermdashorcheaper

Moonshinestilldismantled

BUTISITLEGAL

Making bitters and falernum from pre-distilled spirits is entirely legalHoweverunlicenseddistillersoperatingunregistered stillsviolateanumberoffederal state and local laws but a lack of permits hasnrsquot stopped would-bedistillers from buying and building personal stills in increasing numbers sincethemid-1990sSomeofthemarecontentwithverysmoothvodkawhileothersembrace the entire concept of artisanal production and are creating fantasticsmall-batchspiritsusingthebestingredientstheycanaffordRunningthesetinybatcheswith yields of just a few liters is a practice some have callednano-distilling

DIRTTRACKDISTILLING

Students of American popular culture know that moonshine whiskey andNASCARgotogetherlikeactorBurtReynoldsandmusclecarsStartingin1973with the movie White Lightning Reynolds made a career of portrayingSoutherngoodolrsquoboysdeliveringmoonshineinfastcarswhileoutrunningthelocalsheriffThereal-lifeinspirationforsuchcinemacharacterswasRobertGlenJohnson

Jr (born in 1931 in Wilkes County North Carolina) better known as JuniorJohnsonJohnsonwasamoonshinerintheruralSouthwhobecameoneoftheearlysuper-starsofNASCARinthe1950sandrsquo60sJohnson grew up on a farm and developed his driving skills running

moonshineas a youngmanHe consistently outranandoutwitted local policeand federal agents in auto chases and he was never caught while deliveringmoonshine to customers Johnson became something of a legend in the ruralSouthwherehisdrivingexpertiseandldquooutlawrdquoimageweremuchadmiredJohnson is credited with inventing the ldquobootleg turnrdquo in which a driver

escapesapursuerbysharplyputtinghisspeedingcarintoa180-degreeturnonthehighway thenspeedingoff in theoppositedirectionbeforehispursuercanturn around Johnson was also known to use police lights and sirens to foolpoliceroadblocksintothinkingthathewasafellowpolicemanuponhearinghisapproachthepolicewouldquicklyremovetheroadblocksallowingJohnsontoescapewithhismoonshineIn 1955 Johnson decided to give up delivering moonshine for the more

lucrative(andlegal)careerofbeingaNASCARdriverUnfortunately the ldquoRevenuesrdquo had not forgotten Junior In 1956 federal

agentsfoundJohnsonworkingathisfatherrsquosmoonshinestillandarrestedhimJohnsonwasconvictedofmoonshiningandwassenttofederalprisonwhereheservedelevenmonthsofatwo-yearsentenceHereturnedtotheNASCARscenein1958andpickedupwhereheleftoffHewentontowinfiftyNASCARracesinhiscareerbeforeretiringin1966In 1965 writer Tom Wolfe wrote an article about Johnson in Esquire

magazine The article originally titled ldquoGreat Balls of Firerdquo turned JohnsonintoanationalcelebrityandledtofamebeyondhiscircleofNASCARfansInturn the articlewasmade into a 1973movie based on Johnsonrsquos career as adriverandmoonshiner titledTheLastAmericanHeroJeffBridges starredas

the somewhat fictionalized version of Johnson and Johnson himself served astechnicaladvisorforthefilm

APOScardadvertisingJuniorJohnsonrsquosMidnightMoonbyPiedmontDistillers

MorerecentlyJohnsonrsquosfamilyhaslicensedtheJuniorJohnsonnameforusein promoting a legal distilled product Junior JohnsonrsquosMidnightMoon fromPiedmontDistillersinMadisonNorthCarolina

LabelforMountainMoonshinebyMysticMountainDistillery

ApostcardfromTempletonRyeldquoProhibitionEraWhiskeyrdquo

DONrsquoTTRYTHISATHOME

(NudgeNudgeWinkWinkSayNoMore)

SoonafternationalProhibitionbeganinthe1920sapersoncouldwalkintovirtuallyanygrocerystoreintheUnitedStatesandfindforsalebrick-sizeblocksof compressed raisinsbound togetherwithcondensedgrape juiceAttached tothe block was a small container of dried yeast The wrapping contained thefollowingtext

WARNING

Donotdissolve thisfruitbrick inwarmwaterandthenaddthecontentsof theyeastpacket as this will result in fermentation and the creation of alcohol the production ofwhichisillegal

NeedlesstosaythelocalAampPsoldalotoffruitbrickswhileProhibitionwas

inforceTraditionalmoonshinestartsoutwiththeproductionandfermentationofwhat

isbasicallyasimplebeerTraditionalistswouldcreateamashofgroundcornhotwaterandenoughmaltedbarleytoprovidesufficientenzymestoconvertthestarch in the grains into simple sugars Once the starch conversion wascompleteyeastwasaddedtothemashwiththeresultingfermentationturningthesugarsintoalcoholThefermentedmashwouldthenbeboiledinthepotstilltodistilloffthealcoholAlas times and moonshine are not what they used to be Modern

moonshiners tend toskip thegrainmashingandgodirectly to fermentationbydissolvingregularsugarinwarmwaterfermentingthesugarwaterwithbakerrsquosyeast and then distilling off the resulting alcohol The results are spiritmuchinferior to a distilled grain spirit and ultimately an arrestedmoonshiner TheAlcoholandTobaccoTaxandTradeBureau (TTBalsoknownasldquotheFedsrdquo)keeps track of the sale of large quantities of bulk sugar particularly in ruralareaswithapasthistoryofmoonshiningYouhavebeenwarned

Whiskeyiswhatbeerwantstobewhenitgrowsup

VirginiaLightningCornWhiskeybyBelmontFarm

Despiteanuptickinamateurdistillingandagreaterwillingnessamongsometotalkmoreopenlyaboutthecraftthelonghistoryofsecretiveandsometimesviolentmoonshiningmeansthatuntilrecentlyreliableinformationwasscarceand difficult to verify That situation is rapidly changing and distillers fromcuriousnovices toaccomplishedhomeartisansare far fromisolatedanymoreIn less than a generation theyrsquove learned to talk to each other pool theirknowledgeandaskevermorenuancedquestionsaboutbuildingandoperatingarangeofstills

MODERNldquoMOONSHINERSrdquo

Thecurrentinterestamonghobbyistdistillersincreatingfirst-rateliquorsandthe general wholesome quality of their products tracks primarily to threeconvergenttrends

1)Craftbrewers2)NewZealand3)TheInternet

CRAFTBREWERS

Craftbrewersarenotsimplythefirstonestostudyhowtomakeoutstandingsmall-batchspiritstheyarealsogoingtoshapethefaceofmicro-andpersonaldistillingBrewers have alreadymastered three key skills how to collaboratehowtoorganizeandhowtodrivelegislationThe current interest in distilling among brewers is so widespread that it is

virtuallyimpossibletotalktocraftbrewerswhoarenrsquotalreadydistillingonthesly or working on permits or know someone who is One erstwhile brewerframed his transition from beer to liquorwith this aphorismWhiskey iswhatbeerwantstobewhenitgrowsup

ChuckMillerstandsinfrontofhispotstillatBelmontFarmDistilleryoneofadozendistilleriesintheUnitedStatedproducingalegalmoonshineproduct

DistillerBenFrisstandsnexttoacus-tom-builtone-of-a-kindpotstillatNewHollandBrewingandDistilling

Makingbeerathomehasbeengoingonformostofthetwentiethcenturybutitrsquosonlybeenlegalonafederallevelsince1978Foradecadeorsoafteritwaspermittedhomebrewers(intheUnitedStates)exploredallkindsofbeerandalestyles they could not purchase through their local stores They perfected theirtechniques competed against each other in regional and national contestspublishedtheirpersonalrecipesgaveoutawardstotheirpeersandlaterputthatknowledgetousebyopeningbrewpubsandmicrobrewerieseverywhereHomebrew supply shops everywhere were selling hops malts specialty

grainscarboysesotericscientificequipmentandlab-culturedyeaststotensofthousandsofhomebrewers tryinggood-naturedly tobesteachother in roundsofMyBeerIsBetterThanYoursBy the1990s somebrewerswerepushing the limitsof theirequipmentand

ingredientsbecomingessentiallynovicedistillersTheirhomemaderigslookedpretty much the same as brewing equipment The ingredients were the sameTheywere learning on pot stills because for hundreds of years variations onthat model had been the choice of folk distilling Most of what a casualresearcher found in popular culture referenceswere the big copper pumpkin-shaped boilers of a style that would have been familiar to eighteenth-centuryfarmersAs brewers they already knew about grains malt yeast enzymes ideal

fermentationtemperaturesfiltrationsystemsandthewaterprofilesthatleadtogreat-tastingbeveragesSomehadcometobelievethattheonlythingstoppingthem from havingwhiskeywas toomuchwater Because they had developedwidespread networks for sharing information alreadymdashbooks magazinescontests clubs festivals newsletters and rudimentary online newsgroupsmdashquestionsbegantocirculateabouthowbesttoremovethatexcesswaterSharing critiquing and judgingwere an entrenched part of the culture that

wasstartingtotakeupwhathadlongbeenasecretpracticeAnonymousonlineforums were ideal tools for vetting home-distilling questions Unlike the oldAppalachian moonshiners modern distillers with homebrewing backgroundswerealreadyusedtotalkingtoeachotheronlineandinperson

NEWZEALAND

Because few of the twentieth-century books on moonshining held muchpractical information on techniques for building and operating stills amateurdistillers without a family history in such matters learned by trial and errorThen in 1996NewZealand lawmakers scrapped legislation forbidding homedistillation InAustralasiaanexplosionof interestand innovation specificallyaround design for home-size stills that veered off from traditional stylesreverberatedwidely

AcopperstillfromCopperMoonshineStillscom(asseeninthemovieTheDukesofHazzard)

Local distilling enthusiasts were studying the physics of stills attachingprobes andmeters tomeasure exactlywhatwas goingonwhen they firedupTheylearnedhowtallandwidehome-sizestillsshouldbeTheyaffixedcolumnsto theirpotsand looselyfilled themwithceramicandcopperpackingmaterialfor maximum efficiency Those stills started looking like something out of arefinery churning out high-proof alcohol on single runs rather than themultistageprocessthattraditionalpotstillscalledfor

THEINTERNET

These innovative distillers went online and because their hobbywas legalstarted talking to each other openly Brewerswhowere getting into distillingwith theiralreadyestablishednetworksandcultureofopennessnoticedTheyseized on a wealth of new verifiable information coming out of the SouthernHemisphereandaddedtheirownexperiencesespeciallyinonlineforumsSince thenas reliable informationhasbeenvettedonlineabouthowbest to

buildandoperatesmall-scalestillshomecolumnorrefluxstillshaveevolvedbecoming more compact and efficient and able to put out as close to purealcohol as is possible outside a laboratory (in short very clean stuff) Mostrecently a specific style of distilling has evolved thatrsquos all about purityefficiency and making lots of neutral spirits in very compact column stillsEasilybuiltandeasilyoperated theyaremoreefficientandlessworkthanpotstills

MOONSHINEDEFINED

AbroaddefinitionofmoonshineisanyliquormadefromunregisteredstillsbyunlicenseddistillersThisdefinitioncoversaKentuckyfarmermakingtheliquorhis father did aNewYork imbiberwresting 10 ounces of gin from a case ofBudweiseraswellasaSanFranciscocheftweakinghergrandmotherrsquoskuumlmmeltocarryonthetraditionTodayrsquosnano-distillersdonrsquot sell their products In fact profit seemsalmost

anathema One of the quickest ways to really anger others is for unlicenseddistillers tostartselling theirmakingsSomeembrace themoonshiner identityothersavoidthetermbecauseofitsassociationwithlawlessnessRegardless of what distillers call themselves they fall into three loose

categoriesmdasheconomictechnicalandartisanalproducersEconomicdistillers

ECONOMICDISTILLERS

Economic distillers make liquor because homemade is cheaper than store-boughtAny type of stillmight be used from an inherited copper pot still tomodernrefluxmodelsorevenanaquariumheaterinaplasticbucketTheyareapt to distill sugar spirits but also grains and fruits when they may be hadinexpensivelyAlthough theirproductsareprone tobeofquestionablequalitythey are not necessarily bad liquormdashthink of marc and grappa made frompomacethatmightotherwisebethrownaway

TECHNICALDISTILLERS

Technical distillers are armchair (or even professional) engineers andchemistsgear-headswhostrivetomakethemostefficientdistillerysetuptheycan forever tweaking and adjusting their rigs creating technologicalwondersTheyrunandrerunabatchofspiritstocreatethepurestspirittheycantakingmeticulous notes of every temperature fluctuation proof variation and yieldTechnicaldistillerstendtohaveaninordinateamountofvodkaonhandbecausethe end result of their frequent experiments is often a high-proof nearly purespirit theycan supplementwithextractsandessences for theexact flavor theywant

FigADiagramofaColumnDistiller

IllustrationfromWhiskeyTechnologyProductionandMarketingEditedbyIngeRussellAcademicPress2003FigAThisflowchartillustrateshowthewashistransformedintospiritsThebottomofthestillstripsoutthewaterwhiletherectifyingsection(topofthestill)distillstheliquorstoincreasetheirspirituosity

FigBDimensionsofaTypicalSpiritsStill

FigBApotiswiderthantallallowingvaporstoescapefromthewashAtallswanneckallowsforseparationofthecomponentsofthemixtureTheshapeofthestillaffectstheflavorcomponentsofthespiritsEverypotstillisuniqueasdistillerswantdistinctiveflavorprofilesintheirfinishedspirits

ASPIRINGANDACCOMPLISHEDARTISANS

Aspiringandaccomplishedartisanscomprisethethirdgroupwhosegoalistomake authentic and great-tasting spirits While technical distillers considerunwanted chemical compounds obstacles to pure liquor artisans rightfullyregardtasteandaromaasthebackbonethatdefinestheirownpersonalstyleofdistilling They tend to use less-efficient old-school pot stillsmdashthey mightimmediately recognize thekind that a farmerused in 1740Someuse columnstillsbutwithoutthecolumnsatmaximumefficiencythuspreservingtasteandaromabynotdistillingtothehighestproofpossibleFinallytheytendtofermentgrainsandfruitsratherthansugarandnottocarewhatitcostsmdashbecauseitrsquosforthemnotforsellinrsquo

FigCAnatomyofaPotStill

FigCAsillustratedhereawhiskeystillhasfourpartspotswannecklynearmandcondenserTheshapeofeachaffectsrectificationandtheflavorofthespiritPotThepotcanbyanyshaperoundonionorconicalTheshapeofthepotaffectshowthewashisheated(alwaysto172degF[78degC])ItcanbeheatedbydirectfiresteamgasorwoodMostpotshaveasightglasssothedistillercancheckforfoamingduringthedistillationprocessSwanneckTheswannecksitsontopofthepotItcanbetallshortstraightortaperedOftentheswanneckisconnectedtothepotviaanogeeabubble-shapedchamberTheogeeallowsthedistillatetoexpandcondenseandfallbackintothepotduringdistillationMostpotstillshaveataperedswanneckallowingforbetterseparationandbetterenrichingofthespiritsduringdistillingLynearmThelynearmsitsontopoftheswanneckItcanbetiltedupordownanditcanbetaperedorstraightOftenpotstillsarefittedwithadephlegmatororapurifierItsmainpurposeistheenrichmentofspiritsbeforetheyrsquoresentontothecondenserInternalsteamcoilTheinternalsteamcoilheatsthewashto173degF(78degC)wherethealcoholseparatesfromthewashCondenserThecondenserorwormisusedforcoolingthespiritsandprovidingasmallstreamtoacollectiontankorpail

ECONOMICALINGREDIENTSFORDISTILLING

Consideraglutofplums forbackyard slivovitzora skidof dried fruit atbargain pricing that can be turned into Arabian siddiqui However ersatzwhiskeysmadefrombreakfastcerealsarenotunheardofsocaveatemptoristherule

AfruiteaudeviefermentationatStringerrsquosOrchardWildPlumWineryampDistillery

CHAPTERTWO

THEDISTILLINGPROCESS

INTHEMOSTliteralsenseoftheworddistillationmeanstheconcentration

oftheessenceofasubstancebyseparatingitfromanyothersubstancesthatitismixed with In the case of distilling alcohol this means boiling a fermentedliquidinastilltoseparatetheethanolfromthesolidswaterandotherchemicalcompoundsinthefermentedsolutionButjustasthedevilisinthedetailstheartofdistillingisinhowthedistillerachievesthatseparationandhowprecisethatseparationis

ThecondensercoolsthevaporsintoliquidspiritwhichiscollectedandbottledatAnchorDistilling

Thewide rangeof stillsdescribed in this chapter eachoriginally evolved tomeettherequirementsofproducingaparticulartypeofspiritDependingonthetype of spirit beingmade precision is not necessarily the goal of the distillerThousandsofchemicalcompoundsarecreatedbyfermentationanddistillationall of which can have for better or worse an effect on the ultimate taste orcharacterofadistilledspiritThedistillerrsquosprimaryjobis toretain thedesiredflavorelementswhilediscarding those thatarenotThis isnotassimpleas itsoundsAnddespiteallofthehigh-techcontrolsinamoderndistillerythestillmasterneverthelesshasthefinalcall

ldquoGlassofbrandyandwaterThatisthecurrentbutnottheappropriatenameaskforaglassofliquidfireanddistilleddamnationrdquo

mdashRobertHallnineteenth-centurytemperancecrusaderwhowasneverthelifeoftheparty

HOWDISTILLATIONWORKS

Distillationisaphysicalprocessinwhichcompoundsareseparatedbyvirtueof their different boiling points Two compounds with the same boiling pointoccurring together would not be separable by distillation Fortunately suchoccurrenceswiththeingredientsinliquorandspiritsarerareTheseparationindistillationoccurswhenamixtureofcompoundsinthestill

is brought to a boil Compounds with lower boiling points vaporize at lowertemperatures than compoundswith higher boiling points Thismeans that thevapororsteamrisingofftheboilingmixtureisricherinthelower-boiling-pointcompounds than in the higher-boiling-point onesNext this vapor is collectedand cooled to condense it back into a liquid The resulting liquid called thedistillate contains a considerably higher concentration of the lower-boiling-pointcompoundsthanofthehigher-boiling-pointonesInasimplifiedexample letrsquosconsideramixtureof90percentwaterand10

percentethanolWaterhasaboilingpointof212degF(100degC)andethanolhasaboilingpointof1731degF(784degC)Theethanolwillboilandvaporizewellbeforethewatersowhenthevaporsarecollectedandcondensedtheresultingdistillatewill have a high concentration of ethanol and comparatively little water ThedistillatewillnotbepureethanolbecausesomewaterwillvaporizeattheboilingpointofethanolevenifthewateritselfisnotatitsboilingpointTails (see page 36) start at 203degF (95degC) and contain a high percentage of

fuseloilsknowntodistillersaswetdogbouquetAlittlebitisactuallyneededinsometypesofwhiskeybutonlyalittlebitThinkIslayScotchWhiskyBecauseallthecompoundsinastillwillvaporizetoagreaterorlesserextent

during boiling the separation of the compounds will not be perfect so moreelaborate stills have been developed to intensify the separation of the vaporsonce theyhave left theboiler Inmodernhigh-separationstills this isdonebyemployingarefluxcolumntomanagethevaporsaftertheyleavetheboilerandbeforetheyarecondensedanddrawnfromthestill

ASTILLrsquoSBLUEPRINT

ThewhiskeystillhasfourpartspotswannecklynearmandcondenserTheshape of each section affects rectification (redistillation) and the taste of thespiritsThereisnoperfectdesigneachmanufacturersaysitspotstillmakesthebest-tastingwhiskeyAtthispointdistillingisanldquoartrdquoTomakegoodwhiskeyyouneedtohave

good ingredients (clean wash) and a good palate (nose and tongue) and youneedtoknowwhentostartandstop(makingheadandtailcuts)Whenitcomestowhiskeydistillingtheprocessiscontrolledbyadistillernotacomputeroramanual

WHATADIFFERENCEADEGREEMAKES

Between174deg(788degC)and175degF(794degC)averitablewitchrsquosbrewofnastychemical compounds (known collectively as heads) are cut and removed byproper distilling These include acetone aldehydes and methanol Lazymoonshiners tend to leave them in resulting in rotgut and a serious head-bangingheadachethenextmorningasyoulieinbedandprayfortheAngelofDeathtocomeandfinishthejob

Thepot can be any shape round onion or conical The shape of the potaffectshow thewash isheated (to172degF [778degC]) It canbeheatedbydirectfiresteamgasorwoodAllsystemshaveadvantagesanddisadvantagesThereis no right way to heat washMostmanufacturers however prefer a double-jacketedsteam-watersystemthatprovidesagentleheattothewashMainlyyoudonrsquotwant to burn thewashMost pots have a sight glass so thedistiller cancheckforfoamingduringthedistillationprocess

THECHEMISTRYOFPURESPIRITS

Even a modern high-separation still cannot produce pure ethanol This isbecausewaterformsanazeotropewithethanolAnazeotropeisamixtureoftwoliquidcompoundswhosemoleculesbecomelooselybondedsuchthattheyhaveacommonboiling point that is different from either constituentrsquos In the case ofethanolandwatertheazeotropeoccursatamixtureof965percentethanoland35 percent water and it has a boiling point of 17267degF (7815degC) This is045degF(017degC)lowerthanthe17312degF(784degC)boilingpointofpureethanolIn distillation this azeotrope is a single compound with a boiling point of17267degF (7815degC) and the still proceeds to separate it on that basis Theethanol that is purified by a fractionating column is not therefore pure 100percent ethanolbutpure965percent ethanolwith theldquoimpurityrdquobeingpurewater No amount of redistillation under the conditions discussed here willinfluence this percentage 965 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) is thetheoreticalmaximumpuritythatcanbederivedbytheaboveprocessThe temperatures stated above are at standard atmospheric pressure In a

columnstillduetoincreasedpressureatthebottomresultingfromthepressuredropover theplates the temperatureswouldbequiteabithigher thanstatedForexamplethespentwashwhichwouldhaveaboilingpointofabout212degF(100degC) at standard pressure would have a boiling point of about 220degF(1044degC)duetotheincreasedpressure

TheswannecksitsontopofthepotItcanbetallshortstraightortaperedOften the swan neck is connected to the pot via an ogee a bubble-shapedchamberTheogeeallowsthedistillatetoexpandcondenseandfallbackintothepotduringdistillationMostpotstillshaveataperedswanneckallowingforbetterseparationandbetterenrichingofthespiritsduringdistillingThelynearmsitsontopoftheswanneckItcanbetiltedupordownandit

canbetaperedorstraightMostarmsaretapereddownOftenpotstillsarefittedwithadephlegmatororwhatScottishdistillerscallapurifierThedephlegmatorisfittedwithbafflesthatusewaterplatesortubestocoolthedistillatesending90 percent of it back into the pot Its main purpose is the enrichment of thespiritsbeforetheyrsquoresentontothecondenserThecondenserorwormisusedforcoolingthespiritsandprovidingasmall

streamtoacollectiontankorpail

AsmallpotstillsimilartomanymoonshinestillsisinoperationfortouriststoseeattheGlenmorangieDistilleryScotland

WHISKEYSTILLSINDETAIL

There are severaldifferentdesignsof stillsused formakingwhiskeyThese

includethemoonshinestillgooseneckstillcontinuous-runcolumnstillFrenchCharentaisalambicstillandartisanpotstill(ThetraditionalEnglishspellingofthisFrenchwordisalembic)

FigAFlat-topMoonshineStill

FigAInthebasicmoonshinestillvaporsfromtheheatedwashriseintothecapAfterhittingtheflattopofthestillvaporsexitviathelynearmintothecondenserwheretheycondenseandbecomespirits

MOONSHINESTILL

ThemostbasicandrudimentarydesignisacrudepotstillormoonshinestillwhichisaclosedpotlikeapressurecookerwithapipeleadingfromthelidintoacondensercoilThecondensercoil caneitherbe longenough toair-cool thevaporsoritcanbeshorterandimmersedinawaterjacketSuchastillaffordsminimum separation of the vapors because there is almost no separation oncetheyleavetheboilerAlthoughthisdesignofstill isnotsuitableforproducingbeveragealcoholbymodernstandardsitwillstillconcentratean8or10percentABVwashto60percentinafairlyfastrunTherearemanyhomedistillersandillicitcommercialmoonshinersusingthis

typeofstill todayAndbecausethistypeofstill is typicallyheatedonastovetoporonagasburner it isnecessary to removeallsuspendedsolids fromthewash before placing it in the boiling pot To do otherwisewould risk burningsolidsonthebottomofthepot

FigBCross-sectionofaStillrsquoBubbleCap

FigBThebubblecapssitontrayovervaporstubesinthecolumnThecapsprovidecontactbetweentherisingvaporsanddescendingrefluxcreatingadistillingcycleandenrichingthealcoholArrowsindicatevaporsrisingfromthewashandhittingthebubblecapsApercentageofpurevaporscontinuetoriseandtheldquolesspurerdquofallbackintothestillforre-distillation

AnatomyofaCraftWhiskeyStill

GOOSENECKSTILL

Thegooseneckpot still is themost commondesignof still used toproduceScottish malt whisky Some Irish whiskies and a number of American andCanadianwhiskiesarealsodistilledinthistypeofstillThisstyleofpotstillhasbeeninuseforcenturiesforcommercialwhiskeyproductionanditisevenmorepopulartodayinmodernwhiskeydistilleriesthaneverThegooseneckstillhasalargeroundboilerandisfunctionallyverysimilarto

the crudepot still except it has a long broadneck rising from theboiler thatallows enough separation to hold back most of the fusel alcohols from thedistillatewhileretainingthedesiredflavorsinthefinishedspiritTheneckbendsatthetopandconnectstoapipecalledalynearmthatleadstoacondensercoilimmersed inwaterThe lynearmusuallyanglesdownwardslightly toward thecondenserbutinsomedistilleriesittiltsupward

AgooseneckstillclearlyshowingthelynearmatWoodfordReserveDistillery

The levelofseparation inagooseneckpotstill isaffectedby theamountofcondensation that takesplace in theneckand lynearm that fallsback into theboiler This condensation is called reflux and themore reflux the higher thelevelofseparation If the lynearm isangleddownward thenanyvapor in thelynearmthatcondenseswillfallforwardtowardthecondenserandbecomepartof the distillate passing to the receiver However if the lyne arm is angledupward condensation fallsback to theboiler andwill createadditional refluxandthereforeadditionalseparation

ModelofagooseneckForsythswhiskystill

BEVERAGESPRODUCEDINGOOSENECKSTILLS

Becausethelongbroadneckprovidesalargesurfaceareawhichresultsinalarger proportion of reflux than crude pot stills gooseneck stills are moresuitable for distilling beverage alcohol The gooseneck stills are suited to theproductionofwhiskeybrandyrumschnappsandothernon-neutralspiritsforwhichtheyarewidelyusedcommerciallyHowevertheyarenotsuitablefortheproduction of vodka gin or other spirits derived from neutral alcoholwhichrequiresahigh-separationstillcapableofproducingpureazeotropeethanolThe wash distilled in gooseneck stills is typically separated from the

suspended solids much like the malt washes used for making Scottish maltwhiskySomegooseneckstillsareheatedbyanopenfireundertheboilerwhichwould result in the burning of suspended solids if they were in the washHowever most contemporary stills are heated with steam jackets ThiscombinedwitharummagercanenablethesestillstoboilfullmasheswithallthegrainintheboilerwithoutburningthesolidsonthebottomofthepotArummagerisanagitatingdevicethatslowlyturnsaroundinsidethestillpot

dragginganetofcopperchainsalongthebottomoftheboilertopreventsolidsfromcakingupandburningduringdistilling

THECONTINUOUS-RUNDESIGNFLAW

ThereisaninherentflawinthisdesignofstillBecausethecontinuous-runstillhasaconstantflowofnewwashcomingintoitatalltimestherearealwaysheadsandtailspresentinthecolumnThisisunlikeabatchstillwhichisanyofthenoncontinuousstillsdiscussedinthistextwheretheheadsaredrawnoffatthebeginningoftherunandthentheyaregoneInacontinuous-runoperationallphasesareconstantlybeingintroducedtothecolumnbytheincomingwashThisposesnoproblemwiththetailsbecauseatthetrayswheretheheartsaredrawnoffthetailsarelowerinthecolumnandarethereforenotpresenttobedrawnoffwiththeheartsHoweverheadsarestillpresentatthesetrayssonomatterhowwellacontinuous-runstillisequilibratedtherersquollalwaysbeasmallamountofheadsintheheartsphaseHaving said this the continuous-run column is a high-separation still that

makesverypreciseseparationofthecompoundsinitscolumnThereisalwaysgoingtobeatraceamountofheadsintheheartsandthisamountisstillwithintheallowablelimitsforpotablespiritsInmostcasesitislessthantheresidualheadsfoundintheheartsfromcommercialbatchstills

CONTINUOUS-RUNCOLUMNSTILL

This type of still is used for producing enormous volumes of spirit in acontinuousoperationthatrunsconstantlyforuptoelevenmonthsstraightbeforeit is shut down for cleaning and overhauling They commonly have afractionatingcolumnthatstandsabout100feet(305m)high(similartothatofanoilrefinery)andaseriesofbubble-captraysspacedeverycoupleoffeetupthecolumnThe traysare fartherapartnear thebottomandgetcloser togethertowardthetopIthasnopotorboilerperseanditisheatedbyblastingsteamupwardfromthebottomofthecolumnwhilethewashiscontinuouslyfedintoatrayatthemiddleofthecolumnAsthewashrunsdownthroughthetraysofthecolumnitencountersthehot

steam which vaporizes the compounds in the wash and carries them up thecolumnThelower-boilingcompoundscontinuetoriseupthecolumnwhilethehigher-boilingonescondenseandarecarrieddownthecolumnThecolumnhasanexitvalveateverytraywherevaporcanbedrawnoffand

ledtoacondenserThisenablestheoperatorstoconfigurethesystemsocertaintraysleadtoacondenserthatgoestotheheadsreceiveranothersetoftrayscanbe sent to the hearts receiver andother trays canbe sent to the tails receiverWhatflowstothebottomofthecolumnisresiduethatissenttothedrainApossibleconfigurationforbourbonwouldhavethetoptwotraysconfigured

forheadsthenthenextfourconfiguredforheartsthenextfivefortailsandtherest of the trayswould refluxwith no draw off andwhat reached the bottomwouldbediscardedasresidueThe draw off rateswould be set up tomaintain a hearts phasewith say a

constant 65 percentABVBourbon thatrsquos distilled in a continuous-run columnstillisusuallydoneintwodistillationsbothwiththeheartsdrawnoffatabout65percentABVBecauseacontinuous-runstillrunsformanymonthsatatimethewashmust

befairlyclearwithaminimumofsolidsotherwisethebuildupofresidueinthesystemwouldbecomeuntenableandthesystemwouldneedtobeshutdowntobecleanedSothereisnoprocesswithacontinuous-runstillwherebytheentiremash is distilled The mash must always be strained or filtered before beingplacedinthereservoirsupplyingthestillThedistillerymusthaveabatteryoffermentersthatareinconstantoperation

ateachstageofthefermentationprocesstokeepupwiththecontinuousdemand

forwashforthestills

Thisalambicstillwascustom-builtbyDynamicAlambicbyreconfiguringaGrundigbeertank

FRENCHCHARENTAISALAMBICSTILL

This type of still is used almost exclusively for making brandy includingcognacArmagnacCalvadosandotherfamousFrenchbrandiesIt isdesignedespecially to leave a lot of the aromatics and flavor in the distillate and istherefore one of the lower-separation beverage-alcohol stills Because of thisqualityspiritsareusuallydistilledtwiceinaFrenchCharentaisalambicstillWhiskeycanalsobemadeinthisdesignofstillItisfunctionallyquitesimilar

tothegooseneckstillbutitcreatesalowerlevelofseparationmakingaricherandcreamier-tastingwhiskeybutwithalittlemorefuselalcoholTheFrenchCharentais alambic still has threemajor components theboiler

withhelmetthepreheaterandthecondenserThehelmetisthechamberjustabove the boiler and it serves as an expansion chamberwhichworkswell toholdback a lot of theheavier compounds such as fusel alcohols and furfurolswhile allowing the desirable aromatics and flavors to be carried over in thedistillateThe preheater as the name implies preheats the next batch of wine to be

distilled It is also used as a reservoir to enable a near-continuous distillationprocessSomebrandydistillerssimplyincludethemaspartofthehearts(nottheheads) In this way continuously feeding wine into the boiler is possibleBecause there is no workable way to drain the boiler during operation thecontinuous feeding of winemust stopwhen the boiler is too full to take anymorePriortoadistillationrunthepreheaterisfilledwithwinetobeheatedforthe

next distillation The preheater has the vapor tube from the boiler passingthroughitonitswaytothecondenserThistransfersheatfromthevaportothewinebeforethevaporentersthecondenserThisheatsthewineinthepreheatertonearboilingduringthedistillationrunandreducestheamountofheatthatthecondenserhastodissipatetherebymakingefficientuseofheatandreducingtheamountofcoolingwaterused

AlambicstillatJepsonVineyardsinUkiahCalifornia

AlambicstillinstallationinFrance

Thepre-heaterhasapipewithavalve leadingfromit to theboilerWhenadistillationrunisfinishedandtheboilerhasbeendrainedtheoperatorcanopenthe valve and fill the boiler with another charge of wine from the pre-heaterthatrsquosalreadyatnear-boiling temperatureThismakesefficientuseofheatandsignificantlyreducestheamountoftimetobringthenextbatchofwinetoaboil

AholehadtobecutintheceilingtoaccomodatethecolumnofthispotstillatTuthilltownSpirits

ThecondenserinaFrenchCharentaisalambicstillasinmosttypesofstillsconsistsofthecoppercoilimmersedinawaterjacketwithcoldwatercirculatingaroundit

BEVERAGESPRODUCEDINALAMBICSTILLS

These stills are invariably used to distill wine or in the case of whiskeydistillerrsquos beer They are not generally used to distill fullmasheswith all thesolids left in However design-wise the Charentais could be used to distillmasheswithsolidsbecauseitsboileristhesameasthatofthestandardalambicwhichiswidelyusedtomakegrappaandmarcfromgrapepomaceTodothisasievetraymustbeinsertedintotheboilertoserveasafalsebottomtoholdthesolidsabovethebottomofthepotandpreventburning

ARTISANPOTSTILL

ThistypeofstillisthemostversatileofallthestillsEachartisanpotstillisnearly made to order based on a distillerrsquos needs and preferences Itscomponentsincludeaspherical-shapedboileracondenserandwidevarietyofoptional components such as a steam jacket or a direct fire an agitator ahelmet one or two columns of bubble-cap trays a dephlegmator and acatalyzerThespherical-shapedboilerevenlyheatsthesubstrateparticularlyifthereis

anagitatorAndanartisanstill thatrsquos steamheatedandhasanagitatorcanbeused to distill anywash Evenwashes full of fruit pulp or grainmash can beheatedinthisconfigurationofboilerwithoutanyriskofburningonthebottomofthepotAlsobyconstantlyagitatingthewashthroughoutthedistillationrunthe distillery can save about 20 percent on the heat required to perform thedistillationTheabilitytodistilltheentirewashincludingallthesolidspurportedlygives

asuperiorflavortothespiritproducedApparentlythefruitmashesformakingschnappsyieldarichermorecomplexflavoriftheycanbedistilledwithallthefruitpulpintheboilerManywhiskeydistillerscontendthesametobetruefordistilling grain mashes and a number of the premium brands of AmericanwhiskeyaredistilledwiththegrainmashinthestillThehelmetcomponent(optional)istechnicallyanexpansionchamberandit

isusuallyanearlysphericaldomethatsitsdirectlyontopoftheboilerAsvaporrisesfromtheboileritpassesthroughacomparativelynarrowpassagewayintothelargervolumeofthehelmetThisresultsinasuddenreductioninpressurewhich helps hold back higher-boiling compounds while allowing desirablearomaticsandflavorstocontinueupthecolumnSomedistillerssaythishelmetiskeytoproducingatrulyexcellentspirit

Artisanpotstilltheshapeofthehelmetldquoheadrdquoofthestillinfluencestheflavorofthedistillate

From the helmet the vapor rises into the column In some artisan pot stillconfigurationsthecolumnismounteddirectlyontopofthehelmetWhenthereis no helmet the column is mounted directly on top of the boiler In otherconfigurationssuchastwocolumnsthecolumnispositionedbesidetheboilerThe reason for this is the still would stand too high for most facilities if thecolumnwerestackedontopofthehelmetorevenontopoftheboilerWithin thecolumnarebubble-cap traysThevapor risesup the tubesunder

the bubble caps and bubbles out fromunder the cap and through the standingliquidoneachtrayThestandingliquidoverflowsatacertaindepthtothenexttraybelowCompoundseparation takesplaceby theredistillation thatoccurswhentheheatfromthevaportransferstothestandingliquidThiscauseshigher-boilingcompoundsinthevaportocondenseandlower-boilingcompoundsintheliquid toevaporateTheoveralleffect is todrive the lower-boilingcompoundsup the column in vapor state and the higher-boiling compounds down thecolumninliquidstate

Twincolumnsofbubble-captrays

OPTIONALSTILLCOMPONENTS

Modernartisanpotstillshaveaninterestingfeaturethatallowstheoperatortobypass anyof the trays to vary the separation level for the columnThere arelevers on the side of the column connected to each tray and the operator canposition the lever to cause the tray to turn sideways and allow thevapors andliquidtopassbyOrtheoperatorcanpositionthelevertheotherwaytoputthetrayinplacesothatitisfullyengagedinprocessingrefluxThedephlegmatorresidesabovethetopbubble-captrayItisachamberatthe

topofthecolumnwithnumerousverticaltubesforthevaportotravelthroughonitswaytothecondenserThereisawaterjacketaroundtheverticaltubesthattheoperator can flood with cooling water to increase the amount of reflux ThewaterlevelinthedephlegmatorcanbeadjustedtogivegranularcontrolovertheamountofrefluxHaving the capability to dial up or down the reflux creates a great deal of

control over the compoundmix in the finished spirit For example if a givenspirit had an excellent aroma and flavor profile but a rough finish due to anexcessof fuselalcohol the refluxcouldbedialedupslightly toholdback thefusel

TheMoorrsquoscaponthisalambicstillhasadistinctivelookandgivesauniqueflavorprofiletothedistillates

The catalyzer is positioned above the dephlegmator and has an array ofsacrificialcopperCopperisanimportantmaterialinastillbecausethenoxioussulfides in thevapor instantlyreactoutuponcontactwithcopperHoweverasthisoccursovertimethecoppermaterialofthestillbecomescompromisedandexpensivestillcomponentsrequirereplacingTheideaofthecatalyzeristohaveachamberwithcopper in thevaporpath specificallydesigned to reactout thesulfidesfromthevaporOvertimethiscoppererodesfromthereactionwiththesulfidesbutitcanbecheaplyreplacedIneffectthecopperinthecatalyzerisbeingsacrificedtosavethecoppermaterialofthestill

Artisanpotstill

In summary artisan pot stills can be superb stills and are well known formaking quality spirits Unfortunately their throughput is comparatively slowanddistilleriesareoftenputinthepositionofhavingtooptforlargerthroughputstillssuchasthecontinuous-runcolumntomeetthedemandsoftheirmarkets

COLUMNCONFIGURATION

Thenumber of bubble-cap trays in the column depends on the intendeduseoftheartisanpotstillanditisthereforeoptionalSomeartisanpotstillsare used to make vodka and have two tall columns with a total of twentybubble-cap trays An excellent configuration for making whiskey howeverwouldbeastillwithahelmetacolumnwithfourtraysadephlegmatorandacatalyzer

THEBATCH-STILLPROCESSOFDISTILLATION

THE DISTILLATION process is operationally the same for all four-batch

stills discussedpreviously themoonshine still thegooseneck still theFrenchCharentais and the artisan pot still The continuous-run column still has adifferentregimenanditisdescribedinthesectionthatfollows

TheProcessofDistillationAnOverview

Atleftthemajorstepsfrombarleytobarrel1MashTunUsedtoconvertbarleygrainstarchestosugars2Fermentationofthewash3Strippingofthewashtoremovewater4Collectionofldquolowwinerdquospirits5Redistillingthespiritstoproducefinalspiritsforbarreling6Barrelingoragingofspirits

HEADSHEARTSTAILS

Indistillingparlancethecompoundsinthewashthatarenotethanolorwaterare called congeners Some congeners such as acetaldehyde methanol andcertain esters and aldehydes have lower boiling points than ethanol certainotherestersthehigheralcohols(fuselalcohols)andwaterhavehigherboilingpoints than ethanolThismeans the lower-boiling congeners comeout inhighconcentrationatthebeginningofabatchdistillationrunandthehigher-boilingones come out in high concentration toward the end of the run leaving theethanol and the most desirable compounds as the most abundant componentsduringthemiddleoftherunWhendistillation takesplace in a batch still thedistillate that comesout is

dividedintothreephasescalledheadsheartsandtails

bullTheheadscontaintheunwantedlower-boilingcongenersthatcomeoutatthebeginningoftherun

bullThetailscontaintheunwantedhigher-boilingcongenersthatcomeoutattheendoftherun

bullTheheartsarethedesiredspiritinthemiddle

Becausewhiskeyisnotdistilledatahigh-separationlevelitmeansthateachphase bleeds into the adjacent phase That is to say there is a considerableamountofethanolintheheadsphaseandtherearelate-headscongenersatthebeginningof theheartsphaseSimilarly there isasignificantamountofearly-tails congeners at the endof thehearts and there is a considerable amount ofethanolinthetailsphaseThewhiskeycomprisedmostlyofethanolandwaterhasadelicatebalanceof late-headsandearly-tailscongeners thatmakeup theflavorprofileofthewhiskeyThere are literally thousands of these congeners or chemical flavor

compoundscreatedduringthedistillingprocessallofwhichhavethepotentialofaddingorsubtractingtothedesiredfinalflavorprofileofthedistilledspiritPart of the art (asopposed to the science)of distilling is knowingwhen thesecongeners are created and when to add or remove them In flavor-specificspirits such as brandy and whiskey it is desirable to carry over selectedcongeners into the finished spirit However in flavor-neutral spirits such asvodka the goal is to remove asmany congeners as possible to end upwith a

spiritthathasacleannonspecificpalateBecause both the heads and the tails contain a lot of ethanol and residual

desirable flavor they are mixed together and saved for future recovery Theheads and tails whenmixed together are called feints Feints can be distilledseparatelytoproduceanotherwhiskeyrunortheycanbemixedinwithafuturespirit runwhere their ethanol and flavors are recovered as a part of that runHowevereachsubsequentdistillationproducesitsownsetofheadsheartsandtailsandthefeintsfromthoserunsarealsosavedforfuturerecovery

TWO-RUNDISTILLATION

When whiskey is made it is usually done in two distillation runs a beer-strippingrunandaspiritrun

bullThebeer-strippingrunisgenerallydoneinalargerhigh-volumepotstillcalledabeerstripperThebeerstripperisusedtodistillthefermentedwashandconcentratetheethanolandalltheimpuritiesintoadistillateofabout25percentethanolcalledlowwine

bullThespiritrunisdoneinasmallerwhiskeystillsuchasagooseneckoranartisanrefluxstillcalledaspiritstillThespiritstillisusedtodistillthelowwineandrefineitintothefinishedspiritTherearethetwooutputsretainedfromthespiritrunthefinishedspiritandthefeints

For a beer-stripping run the fermented wash which is typically about 8percentABVisloadedintothebeerstripperandthecontentsarebroughttoaboilBecausethisrunisjustaprimarydistillationtheheadsheartsandtailsarenotseparatedoutTheentireoutputfromthisruniscollectedinasinglelotandthe run is continueduntil the aggregate percent alcohol is down to 25percentABVThisdistillateisthelowwinewhichistheinputtothespiritrunTo produce the finishedwhiskey the spirit still is filledwith the lowwine

from thebeer-stripping run andoftenameasureof feints fromprevious spiritrunsThespiritstillisthenbroughttoaboilIt iswith the spirit run that thedistilleradjusts theboil-up rate toachievea

gentleslowflowofdistillateandcarefullyseparatesouttheheadsheartsandtails

SINGLE-RUNDISTILLATION

SomewhiskeydistilleriesproducetheirwhiskeyinasingledistillationTheydo a spirit run directly from the wash The artisan reflux stills discussedpreviously are well suited to this type of whiskey distillation but it is labor-intensiveand thedistillermustpaya lotofattention tonumeroussmaller runsratherthanonelargerrunSomepeoplefind thewhiskeyfromasingle-distillationrun tobericherand

haveamorenaturalflavorwhileothersfindittobeharshandunrefinedInthefollowingtextthemorecommondouble-distillationmethodisused

MAKINGTHECUTS

ProbablythemostelusivepartofthedistillingprocessformakingwhiskeyismakingthecutsfromheadstoheartsandthentotailsMakingacutfromonephasetothenextisthepointwherethedistillerswitchestheoutputsothatitiscollectedinadifferentreceiverthanthepreviousphaseAttheendofthespiritrun theheadswillbe inonecontainer thehearts inanotherand the tails inathirdoneThequestioniswhendoyouswitchfromonephasetothenextExperienced distillers do this by taste Even though there are measurable

parameters such as still-head temperature and percent alcohol of the incomingspirit that can be used to judge when to make the cuts taste and smell stillremainthemostreliablemethodsfordeterminingthem

ThreepotstillsatStoutridgeVineyard

Herearetheempiricalparametersforjudgingthecuts

bullThepercentalcoholof the spirit that is flowingout of the still (ie theincomingspirit)

bullThestill-headtemperature

Thesevaryfromonestilltothenextandtheyvarybasedonthepropertiesofthe low wine (eg percent alcohol and quantity) It is possible to develop aconsistentprocessusingthesamestillandthesamequantityandformulationoflowwinesuchthattheparametersremainthesameforeachrunForexampleinaspiritruninanartisanrefluxstillwithlowwinethatis25

percentABVBegin-cut(iethecutfromheadstohearts)isusuallydonewhentheevolvingdistillateisatabout80percentandwhenthestill-headtemperatureisabout180degF(82degC)End-cut(iethecutfromheartstotails)isoftendoneatabout65percentand

whenthestill-headtemperatureisabout201degF(94degC)Howeveraspiritdistilledfromastraightmaltwashcanoftenbeend-cutas

low as 60 percent Also a gooseneck still distilling the very samewashmaybegin-cut at 72 percent and end-cut at 59 percent Therefore it is because ofthesenuances that smell and taste become theonly truly reliable indicators ofwhentomakethecuts

BEGIN-CUT

When making the begin-cut the taste characteristics that the distiller islookingforareasfollowsWhenaspiritruncomestoboilandthefirstdistillatestartsflowingfromthestillthisisthebeginningoftheheadsphaseThedistillercancollectasmallsampleofthedistillateonaspoonorinawineglassandsmellitAtthisstagethedistillatewillhavethesickeningsmellofsolvents(suchasnail-polish remover or paint-brush cleaner)However before long this solventsmell diminishes and evenwhen a sample is tasted these compoundswill beveryfaintAsthesolventcharacterdisappearscompletelythedistillatewillstartto take on a hint of whiskey This flavor will increase until it becomes verypronouncedandhighlyconcentratedItiswhenthisflavorisclearlyevidentbutisstillincreasinginintensitythatthedistillercutstotheheartsphase

END-CUT

Tomake the end-cut thedistiller needs tomonitor the flavor of changes intasteAt thebeginningof theheartsphase the intensityof thewhiskey flavorwillstillbeincreasinganditwillcontinuetodosountilitbecomesverystrongHowever as the hearts continue the intense whiskey flavor will fade into asmoothsweetpleasantflavorthatwillpersistformostoftheheartsTheflavorwillchangeslightlyastheheartsprogressbutitwillremainsweetandpleasantTowardtheendoftheheartstheflavorwillstartlosingitssweetnessandatraceofharshbitternesswillbegintoappearintheflavorThisharshbitterflavoristheonsetofthetailsAlthoughasmallamountofthisbitternessisconsideredtocontribute to theldquobiterdquocharacterof thewhiskey thedistiller shouldcut to thetailsreceiverbeforemuchofitisallowedtoentertheheartsThe tails can be collected until the evolving distillate is down to about 10

percentandthestill-headtemperatureisabout206degFor208degF(97degCor98degC)Thereasonfordoing this is to renderall the residualalcohol that is left in thestillattheendoftheheartsphaseThisalcoholcanthenberecoveredinafuturespiritrunThetailsphasestartsoutbitterandthebitternessbecomesmoreintenseasthe

tailscontinuebutasthetailsprogressthebitternesssubsidesandgiveswaytoasweet-tastingwaterThissweetwateriscalledbackins

THECONTINUOUS-RUNPROCESSOFDISTILLATION

IN a continuous-run distillation process wash is constantly entering the

columnsoallthreephases(headsheartsandtails)arepresentinthecolumnatalltimesThismeanstherecanrsquotbeadiscretecutwheretheheadsaredrawnoffandtheheartsbeginorthattheheartsendandthetailsbeginAllthreephasesmustbedrawnoffatthesametimeAcontinuous-runcolumnisahigh-separationfractionatingstillthatseparates

thecompoundsverywellsooncethestillisequilibratedandfunctioninginitssteady state of operation the distillers can determine which families ofcompounds are at each tray For example they might determine that thecompounds coming out of the top two trays are heads compounds and routethose two trays to the heads receiver Similarly they might observe that thecompoundscomingoutofthenextfourtraysdownareheartsThentheymightdeterminethatthefivetraysbelowtheheartstraysareproducingtailsandroutethemtothetailsreceiverBelowthetailstraysjustwaterwouldbecomingoutandthevalveswouldbeclosedsoitwouldbelefttoflowtothebottomofthecolumnandthentoadrainBecausethistypeofstillisnotintermittentinitsoperationitmustbesetup

to constantly draw the three phases of distillate at all times Although this isdifficulttosetupitcanproduceverylargequantitiesofspirittwenty-fourhoursadayforalongtime

ContinuousrunstillatFourRosesDistillery

CHAPTERTHREE

WHISKEY

ldquoAlways carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite andfurthermorealwayscarryasmallsnakerdquo

mdashWCFieldsAmericanactorandworld-classdrinker

THIS chapter introduces the process of distilling a worldrsquos worth ofwhiskiesincludingNorthAmericanstylesofbourbonTennesseeryeblendedAmericancornandCanadianandontoScotchandIrishwhiskiesfromEuropeOfallofthebasiccategoriesofspiritswhiskeyhasspreadthemostacrossthe

world achieving ageographic and stylistic diversity that is unmatchedby anyothertypeofdistilledspiritFromthebasicgrain-baseddistilledspiritsofninth-centuryIrelandScotlandandnorthernEuropehaveevolvedtheclassicwhiskiesofScotlandandIrelandThesespiritsinturnservedasthemodelsfordistillersin thenewlysettledNorthAmericancolonies toproducewhatcametobefirstmodern rye whiskey and then in rapid succession corn bourbon blendedAmericanandCanadianwhiskiesAllofthesenowclassicstylesofwhiskeyhaveinrecentdecadesservedas

the stylistic inspiration for myriad new whiskies throughout the world fromGermany toAustralia andNepal inbetweenSomeof thesenewwhiskiesarebasedonexistingstylesJapanesewhiskydistillersforexamplehavegenerallytaken their inspiration (and malt and sometimes even their water) fromScotlandOthersareboldlygoingforthinnewdirectionsparticularlyamongthenewgenerationofAmericancraftdistillers

StranahanrsquosColoradoWhiskey

THEHISTORYOFBOURBONWHISKEY

IN the early 1700s a combination of bad economic times and religious

unrestagainsttheAnglicanChurchinGreatBritainsetoffawaveofemigrationfrom Scotland and Ireland These Scots Irish and so-called ldquoScotch-Irishrdquo(ProtestantsfromthenorthernIrishcountyofUlster)broughttoNorthAmericatheir religion their distrust of government control and their skill at distillingwhiskeyThis rush augmented by German immigrants of a similar religious and

culturalpersuasionpassedthroughtheseaboardcoloniesandsettledinitiallyinPennsylvania Maryland and western Virginia Mostly small farmers theyquickly adapted to growing rye because of its hardiness and in the westerncountiesNativeAmericancornbecauseofitshighyieldsGrainwasawkwardtoshiptoEastCoastmarketsbecauseofthepoorroadssomanyfarmersturnedtodistillingtheircropsintowhiskeyInPennsylvaniathesewereprimarilyryewhiskiesfarthertothewestandsouthcornwhiskiespredominatedBytheendoftheAmericanWarofIndependencein1784thefirstcommercialdistillerieshadbeenestablishedinwhatwasthenthewesternVirginiacountyofKentuckyFromthestarttheyproducedcorn-basedwhiskies

Whiskeybarrelsondisplay

NOT-SO-TRIVIALPURSUIT

ThefirstwavesofBritishsettlersinNorthAmericawereathirstylotItisrecordedthatthePilgrimschosetomakefinallandfallinMassachusettseventhough their original destination was Virginia primarily because they werealmostoutofbeer

The first locallymade alcoholic beveragewas beer although the limitedsupplyofbarleymaltwasfrequentlysupplementedbyeverythingfromsprucetipstopumpkinDistilledspiritssoonfollowedwithrummadefromimportedCaribbeanmolassesdominatinginthenortherncoloniesandanassortmentoffruitbrandiesintheSouth

In1794thecash-strappedfederalgovernmentimposedthefirstfederalexcisetax on distillers The farmer-distillers of western Pennsylvania respondedviolentlyFederaltaxagentswereassaultedandkilledbyangrymobsOrderwasfinally restored when the federal government sent in an army of 15000militiamenledbyGeorgeWashingtontoputdowntherevoltTheringleaderswere convicted and sentenced to be hanged But cooler heads prevailed andafterjailtimetheywerepardonedandreleased

LabelforHudsonBabyBourbonbyTuthilltownSpirits

ThissituationdidprovokeanewmigrationofsettlersthroughtheCumberlandGap and into the then-western frontier lands of Kentucky and Tennessee Inthese new states farmers found ideal corn-growing country and smoothlimestone-filteredwatertwoofthebasicingredientsofbourbonwhiskeyThenamebourboncomesfromacounty ineasternKentuckywhich in turn

wasnamedfortheBourbonkingsofFrancewhohadaidedtheAmericanrebelsintheRevolutionaryWarBourbonCountywasintheearlynineteenthcenturyacenterofwhiskeyproductionandtransshipping(Ironicallyatthepresenttimeitisaldquodryrdquocounty)Thelocalwhiskeymadeprimarilyfromcornsoongainedareputation for being particularly smooth because the local distillers aged theirproductsincharredoakcasksTheadoptionoftheldquosourmashrdquograinconversiontechniquefurtherdistinguishedbourbonfromotherwhiskeystyles

BenjaminPrichardrsquosDoubleBarreledBourbonfromPrichardsrsquoDistillery

REVIVALOFTHEFITTEST

ItmayseemoddbutScotchwhiskymaybebourbonrsquosinspirationforlong-termrevivalThesteadygrowthinsalesofsinglemaltandhigh-qualityScotchwhiskies has not gone unnoticed in bourbon country All of theKentucky andTennessee whiskey distilleries are nowmarketing high-end ldquosingle caskrdquo andldquosmallbatchrdquowhiskiesthathavefoundgreatsuccessamongupscaleconsumersMore than thirty craft whiskey distilleries have opened in the past few yearsacross the United States to cater to this increasing demand for quality overquantity The United States may yet in the words of one commentator ldquoturnawayfromforeignpotionsandreturntoitsnativespiritrdquo

LabelforPappyVanWinklersquosFamilyReserveKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskey

By the 1840s bourbon was recognized and marketed as a distinctiveAmericanstyleofwhiskeyalthoughnotasaregionallyspecificspiritBourboncametobeproducedinKentuckyTennesseeIndianaIllinoisOhioMissouriPennsylvaniaNorthCarolinaandGeorgiaalthoughtheonlylegalrequirementfor calling a whiskey ldquobourbonrdquo is that it be produced in the United StatesNowadaysbourbonproductionisslowlyexpandingtootherstatesasnewcraftwhiskeydistillerscomeonline Initiallybourbonwasmade inpotstillsbutasthe century progressed the new column still technology was increasinglyadoptedThelastold-linepotstillplantclosedinPennsylvaniain1992butthetechniquewasrevivedinKentuckyin1995whenthehistoricLabrotampGrahamDistillerywas renovatedand reopenedwitha setofnewScottish-built copperpotstillsMorerecentlymostof thenewgenerationofcraftwhiskeydistillersusepotstillsThelatenineteenthcenturysawtheriseofthetemperancemovementasocial

phenomenondrivenbyapotentcombinationofreligiousandwomenrsquosgroupsTemperancesocietiessuchastheWomenrsquosChristianTemperanceUnionandtheAnti-SaloonLeagueoperatednationallybuttheywereparticularlyactiveintheSouthernstatesThenotionoftemperancesoongavewaytoastateddesireforoutright prohibition and throughout the rest of the century an assortment ofstatesandcountiesadoptedprohibitionforvaryinglengthsoftimeanddegreesof severity This muddle of legal restrictions played havoc in the bourbonindustry because it interfered with the production and aging of stocks ofwhiskey

LabelforBlantonrsquosSingleBarrelKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskeybyBuffaloTraceDistillery

National Prohibition in 1919 had effects on the bourbon industry beyondshuttingdownmostofthedistilleriesDrinkingdidnotstopofcourseandtheUnitedStateswassoonawashinillegalalcoholmuchofitofdubiousqualityWhat did change was the American taste in whiskey Illicit moonshine andimportedCanadianwhiskeyswere lighter in taste and body than bourbon andrye The corresponding increase in popularity ofwhite spirits such as gin andvodkafurtheralteredthemarketplaceWhenRepealcamein1933anumberofthe old distilleries didnrsquot reopen and the industry began a slow consolidationthatlastedintotheearly1990satwhichtimetherewereonlytendistilleriesinKentuckyandtwoinTennessee

SouvenirbottleofEvanWilliamsKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskeybyHeavenHillDistilleries

BottleofFourRosesDistilleryrsquosSingleBarrelKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskey

ElijahCraig18-year-oldKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskeybyHeavenHillDistilleries

BuffaloTraceDistilleryrsquosKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskey

TENNESSEEWHISKEY

Tennessee whiskey is a first cousin of bourbon with virtually an identicalhistoryThesamesortofpeopleusedthesamesortofgrainsandthesamesortofproduction techniques to produce a style of whiskey that remarkably isnoticeablydifferentTheearlywhiskeydistillers inTennessee for reasons thatarelosttohistoryaddedafinalsteptotheirproductionprocesswhentheybeganfilteringtheirwhiskeythroughthickbedsofsugar-maplecharcoalThisfiltrationremoves some of the congeners (flavor elements) in the spirit and creates asmooth mellow palate The two remaining whiskey distillers in the statecontinue this tradition which a distiller at the Jack Danielrsquos Distillery oncedescribedasbeingldquosamechurchdifferentpewrdquo

HudsonManhattanRyeWhiskeybyTuthilltownSpirits

RYEWHISKEY

The Scotch-Irish immigrant distillers had some exposure to using rye inwhiskeyproductionbutfortheirGermanimmigrantneighborsryehadbeentheprimary grain used in the production of schnapps and vodka back in northernEuropeTheycontinuedthisdistillingpracticeparticularlyinPennsylvaniaandMaryland where rye whiskey with its distinctive hard-edged grainy palateremainedthedominantwhiskeytypewellintothetwentiethcentury

AbottleofTempletonProhibitionEraRecipeSmallBatchRyeWhiskeyfromTempletonRye

Thehand-blownbottleofRendezvousRyeWhiskeycastsawavyambershadowonagiftbox

Rye whiskey was more adversely affected by National Prohibition thanbourbonwasAgenerationofconsumersweanedonlight-bodiedandrelativelydelicate white spirits turned away from the pungent full-bodied straight ryewhiskies Production of rye whiskies had vanished altogether from the Mid-Atlantic states by the 1980s A handful ofmodern rye whiskies are currentlybeingmadebybourbondistilleriesinKentuckyandIndianaTheUnitedStatesrsquosfirstindigenouswhiskeystyleistodayonlybarelysurvivinginthemarketplaceIts primary use is for blending to give other whiskies more character andbackbonealthoughasmallbutvocalgroupofryewhiskyenthusiastscontinueto champion it and a number of new craft distillers are again producing theirinterpretationsofthisclassicAmericanwhiskeystyle

LabelforRyeWhiskeyfromtheIsaiahMorganDistillery

OldPotrero18thCenturyStyleRyeWhiskeybyAnchorDistilling

BLENDEDAMERICANWHISKEY

Blendedwhiskiesdate fromtheearlynineteenthcenturywhen the inventionof the column still made possible the production of neutral spirits Distillersblended one or more straight whiskies (bourbon and rye) with these neutralspirits invaryingproportions tocreate theirownbrandedblendThe tasteandqualityof thesewhiskies thenasnowvariesaccording to the ratioofstraightwhiskey to neutral grain spirit Early blends were frequently flavored witheverything from sherry to plug tobacco Compared to straight whiskies theywere inexpensiveandblandModernblendsutilizedozensofdifferent straightwhiskiestoensureaconsistentflavorprofileBlendedAmericanwhiskieshadagreat sales boost during and just afterWorldWar IIwhendistillers promotedthem as away of stretching their limited supply of straightwhiskeyBlendedwhiskeys were considered to be too bland by bourbon and rye drinkers andconsumerswithatasteforlighterspiritssoonmigratedovertovodkaandgin

AbottleofMellowCornKentuckyStraightCornWhiskeybyMedleyCompany

CORNWHISKEY

Cornwhiskeyanunagedclearspiritwas the first trulyAmericanwhiskeyandtheprecursortobourbonScotch-Irishfarmersproduceditintheirstillsforfamilyconsumptionor to trade for storegoodsWhen state and federal excisetaxeswerepermanentlyintroducedduringtheCivilWarmostoftheproductionofcornwhiskeywentundergroundtobecomemoonshinewhereithasremainedeversinceAmodestamountofcommercialcornwhiskeyisstillproducedandconsumedintheSouthwhileanincreasingnumberofcraftwhiskeydistilleriesarenowexperimentingwiththismoreinterestingalternativetovodka

AbottleofPlatteValleyStraightCornWhiskeybyMcCormickDistillingCo

CANADIANWHISKY

Canadianwhiskies aswith theirAmerican cousins originated on the farmTheseearlywhiskiesweremadeprimarilyfromryethoughovertimeCanadiandistillersturnedtocornwheatandothergrainsCanadianscontinuetorefertotheirwhiskyasldquoryerdquoeventhoughthemashbillisnowpredominantlyamixofcorn wheat and barley Several of the new generation of Canadian craftdistillersarehowevermarketingbothall-maltandldquotruerdquoryewhiskies

FortyCreekSmallBatchReserveWhisky(Canadian)byKittlingRidgeEstateWinesampSpirits

AbottleofSnakeRiverStampedeBlendedCanadianWhisky

THEBASISOFNORTHAMERICANWHISKIES

NORTHAmericanwhiskiesareall-grainspiritsthathavebeenproducedfrom

amashbillthatusuallymixestogethercornryewheatbarleyandothergrainsin different proportions and then is aged for an extended period of time inwoodenbarrelsThesebarrelsmaybeneworusedandcharredoruncharredontheinsidedependingonthetypeofwhiskeybeingmade

Whiskeybarrelsondisplayonanantiquetruck

Most non-craft North American whiskies are made in column stills TheUnitedStatesgovernmentrequiresthatallwhiskies

bullBedistilledat90percentABVorlessbullBereducedtonomorethan625percentABV(125degproof)beforebeingagedinoakbarrels(exceptforcornwhiskeywhichdoesnothavetobeagedinwood)

bullHavethearomatasteandcharacteristicsthataregenerallyattributedtowhiskey

bullBebottledatnolessthat40percentABV(80degproof)

Acoopershootsairintoacharringbarreltostoketheflames

Acooperformsabarrelbeforeattachinghoopsaroundtheoutside

CLASSIFICATIONSOFNORTHAMERICANWHISKIES

NORTHAMERICANwhiskiesareessentiallyclassifiedbythetypeorvarietyof

grains in the mash bill the percentage or proof of alcohol at which they aredistilledandthedurationandmanneroftheiraging

Astirringpaddlesitsoveramoonshinewash

BarleygrowinginafieldinWashingtonState

PeregrineRockSingleMaltWhiskeybyStJamesSpirits

NORTHAMERICANWHISKEYREGIONS

North Americarsquos variations of whiskey are as nuanced and distinct as thecontinentrsquos regionsMost are aged innewwoodbarrels butbeyond that therehasbeenmuchexperimentinginrecentyears

UNITEDSTATES

Kentucky produces all types of North American whiskies except forTennessee andCanadian It currently has the largest concentration ofwhiskeydistilleries on the continent but may soon cede that claim to MichiganColoradooroneofthePacificNorthweststatesasnewcraftdistilleriescontinuetoopen

BarrelsofbourbonagingattheWoodfordReserveDistillery

MostWantedKansasWhiskeybyHighPlainsInc

Tennessee started out as bourbon country but today its two remainingwhiskeydistilleriesspecializeinthedistinctiveTennesseestyleofwhiskeyOther statesmdashprimarily Indiana IllinoisVirginia andMissourimdashhave large

distilleries that produce straight whiskeys although some of these plants arecurrentlymothballed

CANADA

Ontario has the largest concentration of whisky distilleries in Canada withthreeAlbertahastwoandManitobaQuebecandNovaScotiaeachhaveoneWiththeexceptionofGlenorainNovaScotiaandKittlingRidgeinOntarioalloftheothercurrentCanadianwhiskydistilleriesproduceonlyblendedCanadianwhisky although a number of new craft whisky distilleries are listed in theindex

REGIONALFLAVORS

Therearenowmorethanthirtycraftdistilleriesinat leastseventeenstatesthatareproducingsuchstandardwhiskeystylesasbourboncornandryeaswell asmany experimental variationsOne example isWasmundrsquos SingleMaltWhiskey from theCopperFoxDistilleryofSperryvilleVirginiaThisdistilleryhasitsownfloormaltingsandsoaks itsagingspirit inapple-woodchipsThissort of production twist which has its roots in craft brewing is increasinglybecomingadistinctivefeatureofAmericancraftdistillingAdditionally there are a number of distilling plants scattered around the

country that rectify (redistill) process and bottle spirits that were originallydistilledelsewhereThesedistilleriesinadditiontosometimesbottlingbourbonthat has been shipped to them in bulk may also create their own blendedwhiskiesThesewhiskiestendtoberelativelyinexpensiveldquowellrdquobrandsthataresoldmainlytotavernsandbarsformakingmixeddrinks

RickWasmundmaltsbarleybyhandattheCopperFoxDistillery

AWHISKEYLEXICON

Bondedwhiskeyisbourbonfromasingledistillerythatwasproducedinasingle ldquoseasonrdquo and then aged for at least four years in a government-supervisedldquobondedrdquowarehouseDistillersoriginallydidthistoavoidhavingtopaytheexcisetaxuntilthewhiskeywasagedandreadyformarketConsumerscameto(erroneously)regardtheldquobottledinbondrdquodesignationasastatementofqualityBondedwhiskies arenotmuchof a factor in todayrsquosmarket althoughtheystillexist

Themash is themix of crushed grain (including somemalt that containsenzymestobreakdowngrainstarchesintosugars)andhotwaterfromwhichthedistillerdrawsaliquidextractcalledwortThewortisfermentedintoasimplebeercalledthewashwhichisthendistilled

Sourmashisthefermentationprocessbywhichapercentageofapreviousfermentation is added to a new batch as a ldquostarterrdquo to get the fermentationgoing andmaintain a level of consistency from batch to batch A sweetmashmeansthatonlyfreshyeastisaddedtoanewbatchtostartfermentation

Straight whiskey is unblended whiskey that contains no neutral spiritBourbonTennesseeryeandcornwhiskiesarestraightwhiskiesThereisalsoaspiritsimplycalledldquostraightwhiskeyrdquo that ismade fromamixtureofgrainsnoneofwhichaccountsfor51percentofthemashbill

InthiswhiskeybarrelstoragebuildingablackmoldandrustthriveontheldquoangelrsquossharerdquoofevaporatedalcoholandtheKentuckyhumidity

Washbeingmadeinthemashtun

Bubblesriseduringagrainfermentation

SCOTCHWHISKYIRISHWHISKEYANDOTHERWHISKIESOFTHEWORLD

WHISKY isdefined in itsmostbasic senseasa spirit that isdistilled from

grainSometimesthegrainhasbeenmaltedsometimesnotWhatdistinguisheswhiskyfromvodkaginaquavitandothergrain-basedspiritsisthatitisagedoftenforlongperiodsoftimeinwoodenbarrels(usuallyoak)Thisbarrelagingsmoothes the rough palate of the raw spirit adding aromatic and flavoringnuancesalongwiththebaseamberhuethatsetswhiskiesapartfromwhitegrainspirits

THEHISTORYOFSCOTCHWHISKY

ThebasisofScotchwhiskyistheheather-flavoredalesmadefrombarleymaltthat thePictsand theirprehistoricancestorsbrewedArcheologistshave foundevidence of such brewing dating back to at least 2000 BCE This ale stillproducedtodaybyatleastoneScottishmicrobrewerwaslowinalcoholandnotverystableStarting in theninthcentury Irishmonksarrived inScotland toChristianize

theirCelticbrethrenTheybroughtalongthefirstprimitivestillswhichtheyhadpickedupduring theirproselytizingvisits tomainlandEuropeduring theDarkAges The local Picts soon found that they could create a stable alcoholicbeveragebydistillingheatheraleSimplestillscametobefoundinmostruralhomesteadsandhomemadewhiskybecameanintegralpartofGaelicculture

ForsythstillsatthePenderynWhiskyDistilleryinWales

Laphroaig10-year-oldSingleMaltScotchWhiskyfromtheIslandofIslay

WHYBLENDEDSCOTCHWHISKYISAGOODTHINGEVENIFYOUPREFERSINGLEMALTS

It isatruismofreligionthatconvertsfrequentlybecomethemostzealousofbelieversAmongfreshlymintedmodern-dayenthusiastsofScotchmaltwhiskiesit is a frequently heard refrain thatmalt whiskies are superior to the blendedarticle and that the latterare just notworthbotheringwithPersonal taste isultimatelysubjectiveofcourseButsinglemaltdrinkersshouldraisetheirhatsin salute whenever a Dewarrsquos or Johnnie Walker delivery truck drives bybecause without these blended brands most of the remaining malt distillerieswouldnotexistBlendedScotchwhiskiesrequireablendofdozensofdifferentmaltwhiskiestobecombinedwiththegrainwhiskytocreatethedesiredblendThe individual percentages of each malt whisky may be small but eachcontributesitsuniquecharactertotheblendAblenderwillthusneedtobuyorproducealargeamountofdifferentmaltwhiskiestomaintaintheconsistencyoftheblendThus foramaltwhiskydistillery thesinglemaltmaygetallof theglorybuttheblendsultimatepaythebills

Talisker18-year-oldSingleMaltScotchWhisky

AslongasScottishkingsruledthecountryfromEdinburghthestatusquoofwhiskyasjustanotherfarmproductwasmoreorlessmaintainedButtheActofUnion in 1707 that combined England Wales and Scotland into the UnitedKingdomalteredtheScotchwhiskysceneforeverTheLondongovernmentsoonleviedexcisetaxesonScottish-madewhisky(whileatthesametimecuttingthetaxesonEnglishgin)Theresultwasapredictableboomin illicitdistilling In1790sEdinburghitwasestimatedthatmorethn400illegalstillscompetedwithjust eight licensed distilleries A number of present-day Scottish distilleriesparticularlyintheHighlandshavetheiroriginsinsuchillicitoperations

HighlandPark12-year-oldSingleMaltScotchWhisky

BarrelsagingatthePenderynWhiskyDistilleryinWales

TheExciseAct of 1823 reduced taxes onScotchwhisky tolerablyThis actcoincided with the dawn of the industrial revolution and entrepreneurs weresoon building new state-of-the-art distilleries The local moonshiners (calledsmugglers) did not go quietly Some of the first licensed distillers in rurallocations were threatened by their illicit peers But in the end productionefficiencies and the rule of law won out The whisky that came from thesedistillerieswasmade exclusively frommalted barley that had been kiln driedoverpeatfiresThesmokefromthesepeatfiresgavethemaltadistinctivetangthatmadetheScottishproductinstantlyidentifiablebywhiskydrinkersallovertheworldThe nineteenth century brought a rush of changes to the Scotch whisky

industryTheintroductionofcolumnstillsearlyinthe1830sledtothecreationofgrainwhiskywhich in turn led toblendedScotchwhisky in the late1860sThe smooth blandness of the grain whisky toned down the assertive smokycharacterofthemaltwhiskiesThe resulting blended whisky was milder and more acceptable to foreign

consumersparticularlytheEnglishwhoturnedtoScotchwhiskyinthe1870swhen a phylloxera infestation (an insect pest that destroys grape vines) in thevineyardsofEuropedisruptedsuppliesofcognacandporttwoofthemainstaysof civilized living Malt whisky distilleries were bought up by blendingcompaniesandtheiroutputwasblendedwithgrainwhiskiestocreatethegreatblended brands that have come to dominate the market The malt whiskydistilleriestookabackseattothesebrandsandsoldmostorinsomecasesalloftheirproductiontotheblendersTherecentpopularrevivalofmaltwhiskieshasledmostofthedistilleriestocomeoutwithbottlingsoftheirownproducts

KeithTenchvisitorcentremanagerposeswithdistillerGillianHowellatthePenderynWhiskyDistilleryinWales

Bythe1970sinternationalliquorcompaniesownedmostofthemaltwhiskydistilleriesasituationthatcontinuestothisday

THEHISTORYOFIRISHWHISKEY

TheScotsmostlikelylearnedaboutdistillingfromtheIrish(thoughtheyareloath to admit it) The Irish in turn learned about it according to the Irish atleastfrommissionarymonkswhoarrivedinIrelandintheseventhcenturyTheactualdetailsareabitsketchyforthenext700yearsorsobutitdoesseemthatmonks in various monasteries were distilling aqua vitae (ldquowater of liferdquo)primarily formakingmedicalcompoundsThese firstdistillateswereprobablygrape or fruit brandy rather than grain spirit Barley-basedwhiskey (thewordderivesfromuiscebeatha theGaelic interpretationofaquavitae) firstappearsin the historical record in the mid-1500s when the Tudor kings began toconsolidateEnglishcontrolinIrelandQueenElizabethIwassaidtobefondofitandhadcasksshippedtoLondonregularlyThe imposition of an excise tax in 1661 had the same effect as it did in

Scotlandwith the immediate commencementof theproductionofpoteen (theIrish version of moonshine) This did not however slow the growth of thedistillingindustryandbytheendoftheeighteenthcenturythereweremorethan2000stillsinoperationUnderBritish rule Irelandwasexportorientedand Irishdistillersproduced

large quantities of pot-distilled whiskey for export into the expanding BritishEmpire (along with grains and assorted foodstuffs) In the late nineteenthcenturymorethan400brandsofIrishwhiskeywerebeingexportedandsoldintheUnitedStates

DistillerLanceWintersleadsagroupofotherdistillersonatourofStGeorgeSpiritsHangarOneVodkaHeretheyaremarvelingatthegleamingcolumnstills

This happy state of affairs lasted into the early twentieth centurywhen themarketbegantochangeTheIrishpotstilluserswereslowtorespondtotheriseof blended Scotch whisky with its column-distilled smooth-grain-whiskycomponent When National Prohibition in the United States closed off theirlargest export market many of the smaller distilleries closed The remainingdistilleries then failed to anticipate the coming of Repeal (unlike the Scotchdistillers) and were caught short when it came The Great Depression tradeembargoes between the newly independent Irish Republic and the UnitedKingdomandWorldWarIIcausedfurtherhavocamongthedistillersIn1966thethreeremainingdistillingcompaniesintheRepublicofIrelandmdash

Powers Jameson and CorkDistilleriesmdashmerged into a single company IrishDistillers Company (IDC) In 1972 Bushmills the last distillery in NorthernIrelandjoinedIDCIn1975IDCopenedanewmammothdistilleryatMidleton

nearCorkandalloftheotherdistilleriesintherepublicwerecloseddownwiththeproductionoftheirbrandsbeingtransferredtoMidletonForafourteen-yearperiod the Midleton plant and Bushmills in Northern Ireland were the onlydistilleriesinIreland

Thissadstateofaffairsendedin1989whenapotato-peelethanolplant inDundalk was converted into a whiskey distillery The new Cooley Distillerybegantoproducemaltandgrainwhiskeyswiththefirstthree-year-oldbottlingsreleasedin1992

YamazakiDistilleryShimamotoOsakaJapan12-year-oldSingleMaltWhisky(Japan)

THEHISTORYOFJAPANESEWHISKY

Themodern Japanesewhisky industry can trace its beginnings back to onemanMasatakaTaketsuraThesonofasakebrewerTaketsurawenttoScotlandin 1918 and spent two years studying chemistry at Glasgow University andworkingataScotchwhiskydistilleryinRothesintheHighlandsHereturnedtoJapanin1920withaScottishbrideandadeterminationtochangetheJapanesedistillingindustryTheJapanesewerethenastheyarenowmajorconsumersofScotchwhisky

Locallyproducedspiritshoweverwere limited to thefierysorghum-orsweet-potato-basedshochuandahandfulofdubiousldquowhiskiesrdquothatwerelittlemorethan neutral spirits colored with caramel Taketsura convinced the owners ofwhatbecametheSuntoryCompanytobeginproductionofbarleymaltandgrainwhiskiesbasedontheScottishmodelThesewhiskiessomeofwhicharemadefrom imported peat-smoked Scottish malt became very successful in theJapanesemarketOtherdistilleriesfollowedSuntoryrsquosleadandthesewhiskiesbased onScotchwhiskymodels (and later bourbonwhiskey) soon dominatedthemarket

KaruizawaNumberOneSingleCaskWhisky(Japan)ThedistilleryislocatedinthefoothillsofMountAsamaanactivevolcano

ModernJapanesedistillers(includingtheNikkaWhiskyDistillerywhichwasfoundedbyTaketsurain1934)havefollowedthistrendandnowadaysproduceandmarketafullrangeofmaltandblendedwhiskies

THEHISTORYOFNEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIANWHISKY

Scottishemigrantsbroughttheirwhisky-makingskillstoNewZealandinthe1840s A thriving whisky industry soon developed and operated until 1875whennewexcessivelyhighexcisetaxesandheavycompetitionfromimportedBritishwhiskies forced the local commercial distilleries to shut downA newalmostcommercial-sizedmoonshinetradequicklyreplacedthemasituationthatcontinuedforalmostacenturyIn 1968 a newwhisky distillery opened inDunedin It produces a range of

maltandgrainwhiskiesbroadlyintheScottishstylefromlocallygrowngrainEventhebarleymaltiskilnedandsmokedusinglocalpeatAustralianwhisky production has experienced a similar varied historywith

assortednineteenth-centuryproducerspoppingup in thevariousstatesonly tobedrivenoutofbusinessbyBritishimportsAbortiveattemptsinthe1990storevivewhiskyproductionhavebeenfollowedmorerecentlybyanewgenerationofmoresuccessfulcraftwhiskydistillersparticularlyontheislandofTasmania

Thousandsofbarrelsstackedoutsideacooperage

THEBASISOFSCOTCHWHISKYIRISHWHISKEYJAPANESEWHISKYAND

NEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIANWHISKY

Allofthesewhiskeystyleswhileverydifferentintasteandstylearebasedonmaltedbarleyasthedominantsourceofflavorandcharacter

SCOTLAND

TherearetwobasiccategoriesofScotchwhiskymaltwhiskywhichismadeexclusivelyfrommaltedbarleythathasbeendriedoversmokingpeatfiresandgrainwhiskywhichismadefromunmaltedwheatorcornThesewhiskiesareaged inusedwoodenbourbonor sherrybarrels for aminimumof threeyearsalthoughfivetotenyearsisthegeneralpractice

IRELAND

TherearetwobasiccategoriesofIrishwhiskeymaltwhiskeywhichismadeexclusivelyfrommaltedbarleythathasbeenkiln-driedbutnotoverpeatfiresandgrainwhiskeywhichismadefromunmaltedwheatorcornThesewhiskeysareagedinusedwoodenbourbonorsherrybarrelsforaminimumofthreeyearsalthoughfivetoeightyearsisthenorm

JAPAN

Japanese whiskies both malt and blended are broadly based on Scotchwhiskieswithsometopbrandsevenbeingmadewith importedScottishwaterandpeat-smokedbarleymaltThepeat-smokecharacterofJapanesewhiskiesisgenerally more subtle and delicate than their Scottish counterparts Japanesewhiskiesmaybeagedinbothnewandused(usuallybourbon)woodenbarrelswhichmaybeeithercharredoruncharred

NEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIA

New Zealand and Australian whiskies both draw on Scottish Irish andAmerican traditions in a cheerfully mixed manner using both peated andunpeated locally-grown barley malt to produce mostly pot-distilled maltwhiskiesthatareagedinusedbourbonandwinebarrelsforatheoreticalifnotalwaysabsoluteminimumofsixyearsformaltwhisky

Detailoffermentingbarleywashformakingwhiskey

THEDISTILLATIONOFSCOTCHWHISKYIRISHWHISKEYJAPANESEWHISKY

ANDNEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIANWHISKY

Double-andeventriple-distillationisthenormforthisfamilyofbarleymaltndashbasedwhiskies

SCOTLAND

All Scotch malt whiskies are double distilled in pot stills whereas Scotchgrainwhiskiesaremadeincolumnstills

IRELAND

Irishwhiskeysbothblendedandmaltareusuallytripledistilledthroughbothcolumnandpotstillsalthoughthereareafewexclusivelypot-distilledbrands

JAPAN

Japanese whiskies follow the Scottish tradition with malt whiskies beingdoubledistilledinpotstillsandgrainwhiskiesincolumnstills

NEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIA

BothNewZealandandAustralianmaltandgrainwhiskiesaredoubledistilledin pot stills with some Tasmanian distilleries reportedly experimenting withtripledistillation

SCOTCHWHISKYIRISHWHISKEYJAPANESEWHISKYANDNEWZEALAND

ANDAUSTRALIANWHISKYREGIONS

SCOTLAND

TheHighlandsconsistoftheportionofScotlandnorthofalinefromDundeeon the North Sea coast in the east to Greenock on the Irish Sea in the westincluding all of the islands off the mainland except for Islay Highland maltwhiskies cover a broad spectrum of styles They are generally consideredaromatic smooth and medium bodied with palates that range from lushcomplexitytofloraldelicacyThesubregionsoftheHighlandsincludeSpeysidetheNorthEastandWestHighlandstheOrkneyIslesandtheWesternIslands(JuraMullandSkye)TheLowlandsencompasstheentireScottishmainlandsouthoftheHighlands

except the Kintyre Peninsula where Campbeltown is located Lowland maltwhiskiesarelightbodiedrelativelysweetanddelicateIslay is an island off the west coast Traditional Islay malt whiskies are

intenselysmokyandpungentincharacterwithadistinctiveiodineormedicinaltangthatissaidtocomefromseasaltpermeatingthelocalpeatthatisusedtodrythebarleymaltCampbeltown is a port located on the tip of the Kintyre Peninsula on the

southwestcoastthathasitsowndistinctivespicyandsalt-tingedmaltwhiskies

IRELAND

Aseriesofcorporateconsolidationsandresultingplantclosureshavelefttheislandwithonly threedistilleries one inCountyAntrimat thenorthern tipofUlsterandtwointheRepublicofIrelandtothesouthSeveralnewandreviveddistilleriesarehowevercurrentlyunderconstruction

JAPAN

The whisky distilleries of Japan are scattered throughout Honshu andHokkaido the two main northern islands of Japan with the malt whiskydistillerieslocatedforthemostpartinmountainousregionswheretherearegoodwatersupplies

NEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIA

NewZealandcurrentlyonlyhasoneoperatingwhiskydistillery inDunedinSouth Island At press time Australia had one operating whisky distillery inwesternAustraliaandthreeinTasmania

WHISKYCOCKTAILS

SAZERACInashortglasscombinebull2ounces(60ml)ryewhiskeybull1teaspoon(5g)sugarStirtoblendthenaddbullDashPeychaudrsquosbittersbullDashAngosturabittersbullfrac12ounce(15ml)Pernodbull2icecubesStirtoblendGarnishwithlemontwist

DEPTHCHARGE

Fill a tall glass three-quarters full of beer Pour 1 12 ounces (45 ml)CanadianwhiskeyintoashotglassDroptheshotglassintotheglassofbeeranddrinkthemtogether

WHISKEYSOURFillashortglasswithiceInashakercombinebull1frac12ounces(45ml)bourbonwhiskeybull1ounce(30ml)lemonjuicebull1tablespoon(15g)sugarbullCrushedice(halffull)Shakeandstrainintotheglass

MANHATTAN

Inashakercombinebull1frac12ounces(45ml)blendedbullfrac34ounce(23ml)sweetvermouthbullIceStirandstrainintoamartini(cocktail)glassorashortglassGarnishwitha

maraschinocherry

RUSTYNAIL

FillashortglasswithicecubesAdd

bull1ounce(30ml)Scotchwhiskybullfrac12ounce(15ml)DrambuieliqueurStirandserve

SazeracRyeWhiskey

LabelforOldGristmillAuthenticAmericanCornWhiskeybyTuthilltownSpirits

ARTISANPROFILEINSIDETHEINDUSTRY

JOHNHENRY

PipeLineBrandAgentsNewYorkNewYork

SUDDENLY it is time to open the doorsYou bought your still got yourlicensebuiltyourdistillerysourcedyourrawproductsdecidedwhattomakeandactuallymadesomeThemostimportantstepisstillaheadmdashyoursquovegottoconvincepeopletobuywhatyoursquoresellingEnterJohnHenryofPipeLineBrandAgentsabrandbuilderandmarketdeveloperThetaskofreachingcustomersisdauntingGiantcorporationscanflybevies

of representatives around the world and ply retailers and restaurants withpromotional wares but the small distiller more often than not finds himselfdrivingaroundinhisowncarwithacaseortwointhetrunkPipeLinersquosteamofbrand agents andmarket ambassadors are ldquodedicated to properly representinghigh-qualityartisanalspiritsrdquo(accordingtotheirwebsite)andtheyworkhardtobuildstrongsupportivemutuallybeneficialrelationshipsldquoI tell the storiesrdquo saidHenry ldquoWhether it is the history of a centuries-old

brewery the soil composition the site and terroir of a sugarcane field orvineyard or a cherished family recipe that goes back fourteen generations Iwanttogetoutonthestreetandtellpeopleaboutitrdquo

HenryunderstandsthatasmalldistillerrsquosproductisaworkofpassionandhewantstoinstillthatpassioninthemarketplaceandforgethesortofloyaltythatcanonlybecommandedbyacraftproductldquoIknowthepersonalitiesthehistoryandthedramaWhatrsquosbetterthanthat

Nocorporate-createdbrandlike10CanehasthishistoryandrootedstoryrdquoHenry cuts a striking figure He is a graduate ofWest Point and a former

Armyintelligenceofficerbutheleftall thatbehindtoridehisbicyclethroughthestreetsofNewYorkbottlesclinkinginhisbackpackldquoThebikeiskingItrsquosastoryuntoitselfItrsquosgreenitrsquosstreetitrsquosartisanalit

movesItrsquosahand-deliveredhand-soldwaytodobusinessandIwouldnrsquothaveit anyotherway I paraphraseOrwell lsquoWhen I see a grownmanon a bike IhavehopeforthefuturersquordquoHenrylikestosaythatheldquofarmsrelationshipsonthestreetmdashorganicallyrdquoIn

doingsothehardestpartofthejobisalsowhatmakesitpossibleldquoWhatrsquosmostdifficultaboutrepresentingthemoreboutiquecraftedbrandsis

that you have to continually tell the story from scratch The bigger brandsbombard the consumerwith imagesmdashthinkVincentGallo forBelvedereWiththesmallerbrandsyouhavetomaketheconnectiononeononeasifyouwerethedistillertellinghisstoryThatrsquoswhatmakesthemstandoutasbrandsandasdistillersIamasmuchabrandstorytellerasIamastreet-basedbrandbuilderIlookatmyjobaspartJohnnyAppleseedandpartJohnnyCarsonrdquo

CHAPTERFOUR

VODKA

ldquoThe relationship between a Russian and a bottle of vodka is almostmysticalrdquo

mdashRichardOwenBritishscientistanddrinkingbuddyofCharlesDarwin

Acolorfularayofcraftvodkasondisplayonicereadytobeenjoyedresponsibly

ASTHESTORYgoesin988theGrandPrinceofKiev(Ukraine)decideditwas time for his people to be converted from their paganways to one of themonotheisticreligionsthatheldswaytothesouthFirstcametheJewishrabbisHe listened to their argumentswas impressed but ultimately sent them awayafternoting that the followersof Judaismdidnotcontrolany landNextcamethe Muslim mullahs Again he was impressed both with their intellectualargumentsandthesuccessofIslamasapoliticalandmilitaryforceButwhenhewas told that Islamproscribed alcohol hewas dismayed and sent themawayFinallycametheChristianpriestswhoinformedhimthatnotonlycouldgoodChristiansdrinkalcoholbutalsothatwinewasrequiredforchurchritualssuchas communion That was good enough for the Grand Prince and on hiscommandhissubjectsconvertedenmassetoChristianity

THEHISTORYOFVODKA

HISTORICALLY the Slavic peoples of the north and their Scandinavian

neighborstookalcoholicdrinksveryseriouslyTheextremecoldtemperaturesofwinter inhibited the shipment of wines and beers because these low-proofbeverages could freeze during transit Until the introduction of distilling intoEastern Europe in the 1400s strong drink was made by fermenting winesmeadsandbeersfreezingthemandthendrawingoffthealcoholicslushfromthefrozenwaterThe earliest distilled spirit in Eastern Europewasmade frommead (honey

wine)orbeerandwascalledperevaraThewordvodka(fromtheRussianwordvoda meaning ldquowaterrdquo) was originally used to describe grain distillates thatwere used for medicinal purposes As distilling techniques improved vodka(wodka in Polish) gradually came to be the accepted term for beverage spiritregardlessofitsorigin

VODKAINRUSSIA

Russians firmly believe that vodka was created in their land Commercialproduction was established by the fourteenth century In 1540 Czar Ivan theTerrible established the first government vodka monopoly Distilling licenseswerehandedout to theboyars(thenobility)allotherdistillerieswerebannedandmoonshiningbecameendemicVodka production became an integral part of Russian society Landowners

operated stills on their estates and produced high-quality vodkas that wereflavored with everything from acorns to horseradish to mint The czarsmaintained test distilleries at their country palaces In 1780 a scientist at onesuchdistilleryinventedcharcoalfiltrationtopurifyvodka

ThreeHolsteinstillsatStGeorgeSpiritsHangarOneVodka

BytheeighteenthandintothenineteenthcenturytheRussianvodkaindustrywasconsideredtechnologicallyadvancedNewstillsandproductiontechniquesfrom Western Europe were eagerly imported and utilized State funding andcontrol of vodka research continued Under a 1902 law ldquoMoscow vodkardquo aclear 40 percent ABV rye vodka without added flavorings and soft ldquolivingrdquo(undistilled)waterwasestablishedasthebenchmarkforRussianvodkaThe Soviet Union continued government control of vodka production All

distilleries became government-owned and while the Communist Partyapparatchiks continued to enjoy high-quality rye vodka the proletariatmasseshadtomakedowithcheapspiritsVodkaproduction in the currentRussianFederationhas returned to thepre-

RevolutionarypatternHigh-qualitybrandsareagainbeingproducedforthenewsocial elite and for export while the popularly priced brands are still beingconsumedwelllikevoda

PuttinglabelsoverthecapsoffreshlyfilledbottlesofPrezydentVodkaatPolmosLodzinLodzPoland

VODKAINPOLAND

The earliest written records of vodka production in Poland date from the1400s thoughsomePolishhistoriansclaim that itwasbeingproducedaroundthe southern city of Krakow at least a century earlier Originally known asokowita(fromtheLatinaquavitaldquowaterofliferdquo) itwasusedforavarietyofpurposes in addition to beverages A 1534medical text defined an aftershavelotion as ldquovodka for washing the chin after shavingrdquo Herbal-infused vodkaswereparticularlypopularaslinimentsfortheachesandpainsoflifeIn 1546King JanOlbracht granted the right to distill and sell in spirits to

everyadultcitizenThePolisharistocracytakingacuefromtheirRussianpeerssoonlobbiedtohavethisprivilegerevokedandreplacedbyaroyaldecreethatreservedtothemtherighttomakevodkaCommercialvodkadistillerieswerewellestablishedbytheeighteenthcentury

By the mid-nineteenth century a thriving export trade had developed withPolish vodkas particularly those infused with small quantities of fruit spiritbeingshippedthroughoutnorthernEuropeandevenintoRussia

SpiritsdanceinthestillattheWeyermannDistilleryinBambergGermany

With the fall of Communism in the late 1980s the vodka distilleries soonreturned to private ownership Nowadays high-quality Polish vodkas areexportedthroughouttheworld

VODKAINSWEDEN

Vodkaproduction inSwedenwhichdates fromthe fifteenthcenturyhas itsorigins in the local gunpowder industry where high-proof spirit (originallycalledbraumlnnvin)wasusedasacomponentofblackpowderformusketsWhendistillerieswere licensed toproducebeveragealcohol (primarilyspice-flavoredaquavitbutalsovodka) itwaswiththeunderstandingthatgunpowdermakershadfirstpriorityoverbeverageconsumersHomedistillingwaslongapartofSwedishsocietyIn1830thereweremore

than 175000 registered stills in a country of fewer than threemillion peopleThistraditioninamuchdiminishedandillegalformstillcontinuestothisdayModernSwedishvodkaisproducedbytheVinampSpritstatemonopoly

VODKAANDTHECLASSSYSTEM

Thesocietalattitudetowardcheapspiritsmeantfortheproletariatcouldbesummed up by the curious fact that mass-produced vodka was sold in literbottles with a non-screw cap Once you opened the bottle it couldnrsquot beresealedYouhadtodrinkitallinonesession

CharcoalfiltrationusedinmakingvodkaatColoradoPureDistilling

VODKAINTHEUNITEDSTATES

Vodka was first imported into the United States in significant quantitiesaroundtheturnofthetwentiethcenturyItsmarketwasimmigrantsfromEasternEuropeAftertherepealofNationalProhibitionin1933theHeubleinCompanyboughttherightstotheSmirnoffbrandofvodkafromitsWhiteRussianeacutemigreacuteowners and relaunched vodka into theUSmarket Sales languished until anenterprisingliquorsalesmaninSouthCarolinastartedpromotingitasldquoSmirnoffWhiteWhiskymdashNotasteNosmellrdquoSalesboomedandAmericanvodkaaftermarking timeduringWorldWar IIwas on itsway tomarketing successThefirst popular vodka-based cocktailwas a combinationof vodka andginger alecalled the Moscow mule It was marketed with its own special copper mugexamples of which can still be found on the back shelves of liquor cabinetsthroughouttheUnitedStatesTodayvodka is thedominantwhitespirit in theUnitedStateshelpedalong

by its versatility as amixer and some very clever advertising campaigns Themost famous of these was the classic double entendre tagline ldquoSmirnoffmdashItleavesyoubreathlessrdquoThemajorityofAmericancraftdistillersarevodkaproducersThey are divided between those who purchase neutral grain spirit (NGS)

fromathirdpartysupplierandthenrectifyitintheirownfacilityandarelativehandful of operations that produce and distill their ownwash tomake vodkaThisisactuallyaseriouschallengeforcraftdistillerswithpotstillsbecauseitisdifficulttoproduceahigh-proofneutralgrainspiritwithoutusingacolumnstillThe best-known and bestselling craft-distilled vodka is Titorsquos Handmade

VodkafromthedistilleryofthesamenameinAustinTexas

THEBASISOFVODKA

ldquoAvodkamartinipleasePolishnotRussianShakennotstirredrdquomdashJamesBondAgent007plungingastakeintotheheartofginsales

VODKAismadebyfermentingandthendistillingthesimplesugarsfroma

mashofpalegrainorvegetalmatterwhichcanbepotatoesmolassesbeetsoravarietyofotherplantsRyeis theclassicgrainforvodkaandmostof thebestRussianandPolishbrandsaremadeexclusivelyfromaryemashSwedishandBalticdistillersarepartialtowheatmashesalthoughwheatisalsousedfarthereastPotatoesarelookeddownonbyRussiandistillersbuttheyareheldinhighesteem by some of their Polish counterparts Molasses is widely used forinexpensive mass-produced brands of vodka American distillers use the fullrangeofbaseingredients

DISTILLATIONOFVODKA

Vodkaisdistilledinthemannerdescribedintheintroductorychapterofthisbook (Seepage24)Thechoiceofpotorcolumnstillsdoeshoweverhaveafundamentaleffectonthefinalcharacterof thevodkaAllvodkacomesoutofthestillasaclearcolorlessspiritButvodkafromapotstill(thesortusedforcognac and Scotch whisky) will contain some of the delicate aromaticscongenersandflavorelementsofthecropfromwhichitwasproducedPotstillsare relatively inefficient and the resulting spirit from the first distillation isusually redistilled (rectified) to increase the proof of the spirit Vodka from amoreefficientcolumnstillisusuallyaneutralcharacterlessspirit

MaineDistilleriesuseslocallysourcedpotatoestomakeitsColdRiverVodka

Except for a fewminor exceptions vodka is not put intowooden casks oraged for anyextensiveperiodof time It canhowever be flavoredor coloredwithawidevarietyoffruitsherbsandspices

CLASSIFICATIONSOFVODKA

Therearenouniformclassificationsofvodka InPolandvodkasaregradedaccordingtotheirdegreeofpuritystandard(zwykly)premium(wyborowy)anddeluxe(luksusowy)InRussiavodkathatislabeledosobaya(special)isusuallyasuperior-qualityproductthatcanbeexportedwhilekrepkaya(strong)denotesanoverproofvodkaofatleast56percentABVIn the United States domestic vodkas are defined by US government

regulation as ldquoneutral spirits so distilled or so treated after distillation withcharcoalorothermaterialsastobewithoutdistinctivecharacteraromatasteorcolorrdquoBecauseAmericanvodkaisbylawneutralintastethereareonlyverysubtledistinctionsbetweenbrandsManydrinkersfeelthattheonlyrealwayofdifferentiatingbetweenthemisbyalcoholcontentandprice

VODKAREGIONS

EASTERNEUROPE

ThisisthehomelandofvodkaproductionEverycountryproducesvodkaandmostalsohavelocalflavoredspecialtiesRussiaUkraineandBelarusproducethefullrangeofvodkatypesandthey

are generally acknowledged to be the leaders in vodka production Only thebetterbrandsallofwhicharedistilledfromryeandwheatareexportedtotheWest

ZubrowkavodkabyPolmosBialystockaisflavoredwithbuffalograssfromtheBialowiezaforestinPolandThevodkahasayellow-greentinge(notshown)fromthegrassinfusion

FLAVOREDVODKA

AsaneutralspiritvodkalendsitselftoblendingwithflavorsandfortifyingotherbeveragesInthenineteenthcenturyhigh-proofldquoRussianspiritrdquowasheldin high esteem by sherry producers in Spain who imported it to fortify theirwines Neutral spirits are still used to fortify port sherry and other types offortified wines although the source of alcohol for such purposes these daystends to be the vast ldquowine lakerdquo that has been created by European UnionagriculturalpracticesFlavoredvodkaswereoriginallyusedtomasktheflavorofthefirstprimitive

vodkas but they were later considered a mark of the distillerrsquos skill TheRussians and Poles in particular still market dozens of flavors Some of thebetter-knowntypesare

Inrecentyearsnumerous flavoredvodkashavebeenlaunchedontheworldmarketThemostsuccessfulofthesehavebeenfruitflavorssuchascurrantandorange

LabelforKoenigrsquosFamousIdahoPotatoVodkabytheKoenigDistilleryandWinery

Polandproducesandexportsbothgrain-andpotato-basedvodkasMostofthehigh-qualitybrandsareproducedinpotstillsThe Baltic States of Estonia Latvia and Lithuania along with Finland

produceprimarilygrain-basedvodkasmostlyfromwheat

WESTERNEUROPE

ThisregionhaslocalbrandsofvodkawherevertherearedistilleriesThebaseforthesevodkascanvaryfromgrainsinnortherncountriessuchastheUnitedKingdomHollandandGermanytograpesandotherfruitsinthewinemakingregions of France and Italy Sweden has in recent decades developed asubstantialexportmarketforitsstraightandflavoredwheat-basedvodkas

NORTHAMERICA

The United States and Canada produce vodkas both from various grains(including corn) and from molasses American vodkas are by law neutralspiritssothedistinctionbetweennonflavoredbrandsismoreamatterofpriceandperceptionthantasteAnumberofflavoredvodkasarealsoproducedbothbythemajordistillersandbyanassortmentofcraftdistillers

OTHERREGIONS

TheCaribbeanproducesasurprisingamountofvodkaallofitfrommolassesMostofitisexportedforblendingandbottlinginothercountriesAustraliaproducesmolasses-basedvodkasbutfewareexportedAsiahasasmatteringoflocalvodkaswiththebestcomingfromJapan

VermontWhiteandGoldVodkabyVermontSpirits

VODKACOCKTAILS

SCREWDRIVER

FillatallglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)vodkabullOrangejuicetofillStirandserve

BLOODYMARY

FillashortglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)vodkabullDashWorcestershiresaucebullDashTabascosaucebullDashlemonorlimejuicebullTomatojuicetofillStirandgarnishwithcelerysaltontop

SEXONTHEBEACH

FillatallglasswithiceAddbull1ounce(30ml)vodkabull1ounce(30ml)peachliqueurbull1frac12ounces(45ml)orangejuicebull1frac12ounces(45ml)cranberryjuiceStirandserve

MazamaInfusedPepperVodkabyBendistillery

ARTISANPROFILEINSIDETHEINDUSTRY

LENELLSMOTHERS

FormerownerofLeNellrsquosBrooklynNewYork

WHENcraftdistillersTuthill-townSpiritsfromUpstateNewYorklaunchedtheir firstbarrel-agedwhiskey theycalled itManhattanRye and they threwapartyattheFourSeasonrsquosRestaurantintheSeagramsBuildingonParkAvenueinManhattanInabigopenroomwithbarsatbothendsandamashofpeoplelaughinganddrinkingtheytoastedtheiraccomplishmentandpouredsamplesoftheir excellentwhiskeys and vodkas (made from 100 percentNewYork Stateapples)WhenitcametimetoclinkglassesandhearannouncementsthecrowdwastreatedtoaraucoustutorialonmixingaManhattanStandingonabalconyabove the crowd like a hillbilly Juliet before a throng of devotees LeNellSmotherscackledandcrackedwiseSheworeabatteredcowboyhatbandannasaroundherwriststightjeansandamileofattitudeShetookthecrowdthroughtherecipejiggerofryeshotofsweetvermouth

dashofbittersshaketwistShetalkedvariationTheperfectManhattanishalfdryandhalfsweetvermouthIftheywantedtodrinkthemontherocksdoitIftheywantedtodrinkthemstraightupgoaheadDowhatyoulikebutdoitwithgoodbooze

Smothersmoved fromAlabama toNewYorkCity in 2000 and spent threeyearstoilinginsaleswhileherdreamtoopenupashopsimmeredHerboutiquewineandspirits shop inRedHookBrooklynopened in2003RedHook isarough hip neighborhood on thewaterfront and her place fits right in SmalleclecticandverymuchdrivenbyherpersonalitySmothersrsquosstoreneverwantedtohaveeverythingForyearshervermouthselectionwaslimitedtoonebrandVya the American vermouth made by Andy Quady of the QuadyWinery inMaderaCaliforniabecauseitwasmadebyasmallproducerSmotherswasacceptedintothebourboncommunitywholeheartedlyandher

selectionofAmericanwhiskeywasbreathtakingWhenJimmyRussellofWildTurkeydidabottlesigninginNewYorkhediditathertinyshopSmothershowevertightshegetswiththebigproducersremainsachampion

of craft distilling ldquoWhen I go Charbay Irsquove got four generations of distillersthere hands on Someplace like Stoli isnrsquot going to have the same qualitycontrolrdquoWheresomepeoplecallmicro-distillingpracticessuchasmaking100percent

barley whiskeys or making whiskey from beer instead of from mash ascontroversial Smothers believes that change and adventure are something tocelebrateldquoWhatistheAmericantraditionanywayAllwedoisourownthingrdquoInearly2009afteratryingstrugglewithherlandlordSmotherslostthelease

tohershopNexttimeshersquosgoingtobuythebuildingshesaysandexpandthewhiskeyselection

CHAPTERFIVE

GIN

ldquoTheproperunionofginandvermouthisagreatandsuddengloryitisoneofthehappiestmarriagesonearthandoneoftheshortestlivedrdquo

mdashBernardDeVotoAmericanessayistanddrinksphilosopher

ThisgooseneckstillatPhiladelphiaDistillingwascustommadebyForsythsofScotland

GIN is a juniper berryndashflavored grain spirit The word is an Englishshorteningofgenever theDutchword for juniperTheoriginsofginareabitmurky In the late 1580s a juniper-flavored spirit of some sort was found inHollandbyBritish troopswhowere fighting against theSpanish in theDutchWarofIndependenceTheygratefullydrankittogivethemwhattheysooncameto call ldquoDutch couragerdquo in battle The Dutch themselves were encouraged bytheirgovernment tofavorsuchgrainspiritsover importedwineandbrandybylackofexcisetaxesonlocaldrinks

THEHISTORYOFGIN

IN the1600s aDrFranciscusde laBoeuml in theuniversity townofLeiden

created a juniper-and spice-flavored medicinal spirit that he promoted as adiuretic Genever soon found favor across the English Channel first as amedicine(SamuelPepyswrotein1660ofcuringacaseofldquocolicrdquowithadoseofldquostrongwatermadewithjuniperrdquo)andthenasabeverageWhen the Dutch ProtestantWilliam of Orange became king of England in

1689 he moved to discourage the importation of brandy from the CatholicwinemakingcountriesbysettinghightariffsAsareplacementhepromotedtheproduction of grain spirits (ldquocorn brandyrdquo as it was known at the time) byabolishingtaxesandlicensingfeesforthemanufactureofsuchlocalproductsasginHistoryhasshownthatprohibitionneverworksbutunfetteredproductionofalcoholhasitsproblemstooBythe1720sitwasestimatedthataquarterofthe houses in London were used for the production or sale of gin Massdrunkenness became a serious problem The cartoonist Hogarthrsquos famousdepictionofsuchbehaviorinGinLaneshowsasignaboveaginshopthatstatesldquoDrunkforapennyDeaddrunkfortwopenceCleanstrawforNothingrdquoPanickyattemptsby thegovernment toprohibitginproduction suchas theGinActof1736 resulted in massive illicit distilling and the cynical marketing ofldquomedicinalrdquo spirits with such fanciful names as Cuckoldrsquos Comfort and MyLadyrsquosEyeWater

FritzMaytagrightatAnchorDistillingWithasmalloverheadcraneAchorDistillingcaninterchangethecolumnsoftheirthreestills

Acombinationofreimposedgovernmentcontrolsthegrowthofhigh-qualitycommercial gin distillers the increasing popularity of imported rum and ageneralfeelingofpublicexhaustiongraduallybroughtthismasshysteriaundercontrol although the problems caused by the combination of cheap gin andextreme poverty extended well into the nineteenth century Faginrsquos irritablecomment toachild in the filmOlivermdashldquoShutupanddrinkyourginrdquomdashhadabasisinhistoricalfact

SonjaKassebaumofNorthShoreDistillerystandsinfrontoftheldquohelmetrdquoofherginstill

Wherever the British Empire went English-style gins followed In Britishcolonies in North America such celebrated Americans as Paul Revere andGeorgeWashingtonwerenotablyfondofginandtheQuakerswerewellknownfortheirhabitofdrinkinggintoddiesafterfuneralsThe mid-nineteenth century ushered in a low-key rehabilitation of ginrsquos

reputationinEnglandTheharshsweetenedldquoOldTomrdquostylesofginoftheearly1700sslowlygavewaytoanewcleanerstylecalleddryginThisstyleofginbecame identified with the city of London to the extent that ldquoLondon dryrdquobecame a generic term for the style regardless of where it was actuallyproduced

BluecoatginleavesthebottlinglineatPhiladelphiaDistilling

Genteel middle-class ladies sipped their sloe gin (gin flavored with sloeberries) while consulting Mrs Beetonrsquos Book of Household Management (awildlypopularVictoriancrossbetweentheJoyofCookingandMarthaStewartlifestyle books) for gin-based mixed drink recipes The British militaryparticularlytheofficercorpsbecameahotbedofginconsumptionHundredsofgin-based mixed drinks were invented and the mastery of their making wasconsidered a part of a young officerrsquos training The best known of thesecocktails the gin and tonic was created as a way for Englishmen in tropicalcolonies to taketheirdailydoseofquinineaverybittermedicine towardoffmalaria(Moderntonicwaterstillcontainsquininethoughasaflavoringratherthanamedicine)

BATHTUBGIN

Gin production in theUnited States dates back to Colonial times but thegreat boost to ginproductionwas theadvent ofNationalProhibition in 1920Moonshiningquicklymovedintofillthegapleftbytheshutdownofcommercialdistilleries But the furtive nature of illicit distilling worked against theproductionof the then-dominantwhiskiesallofwhichrequiredsomeaging inoakcasksBootleggerswerenot inaposition tostoreandage illegalwhiskeyand the caramel-colored prune-juice-dosed grain alcohol substitutes weregenerallyconsideredtobevileGinontheotherhanddidnotrequireanyaginganditwasrelativelyeasyto

makebymixingrawalcoholwithjuniperberryextractandotherflavoringsandspicesinalargecontainersuchasabathtub(thustheoriginofthetermbathtubgin)Theseginsweregenerallyofpoorqualityandtasteafactthatgaverisetothepopularityofcocktailsinwhichthemixersservedtodisguisethetasteofthebase gin Repeal of Prohibition at the end of 1933 ended the production ofbootlegginbutginremainedapartoftheAmericanbeveragesceneItwasthedominantwhitespiritintheUnitedStatesuntiltheriseofvodkainthe1960sItstill remains popular helped along recently by the revived popularity of themartini

THEBASISOFGIN

SpruceGinbyRogueDistilleryandAleHouse

In Holland the production of genever was quickly integrated into the vastDutch trading system Rotterdam became the center of genever distilling asdistilleriesopenedtheretotakeadvantageoftheabundanceofneededspicesthatwerearrivingfromtheDutchcoloniesintheEastIndies(present-dayIndonesia)ManyoftodayrsquosleadingDutchgeneverdistillerscantracetheiroriginsbacktothe sixteenth and seventeenth centuries Examples include such firms as Bols(founded1575)anddeKuyper(1695)Belgiumdevelopeditsownjuniper-flavoredspiritcalledjenever(withaj)in

amannersimilartothatinHolland(whichcontrolledBelgiumforatimeintheearlynineteenthcentury)ThetwoGermaninvasionsofBelgiuminWorldWarsI and II had a particularly hard effect on jenever producers as the occupyingGermans stripped the distilleries of their copper stills andpiping to use in theproduction of shell casings The present-day remaining handful of BelgianjeneverdistillersproduceprimarilyforthelocaldomesticmarketGinmayhaveoriginatedinHollandanddevelopedintoitsmostpopularstyle

inEnglandbut itsmostenthusiasticmodern-dayconsumersare tobefoundinSpainwhichhasthehighestpercapitaconsumptionintheworldProductionofLondondryndashstyleginbeganinthe1930sbutseriousconsumptiondidnotbeginuntilthemixofginandcolabecameinexplicablypopularinthe1960s

GINanditsDutchcousingenever(jeneverinBelgium)arewhitespiritsthatareflavoredwithjuniperberriesandso-calledbotanicals(avariedassortmentofherbsandspices)Thespiritbaseofginisprimarilygrain(usuallywheatorrye)which results in a light-bodied spirit Genever is made primarily from ldquomaltwinerdquo (a mixture of malted barley wheat corn and rye) which produces afuller-bodied spirit similar to malt whisky A small number of genevers inHollandandBelgiumaredistilleddirectlyfromfermentedjuniperberrieswhichproducesaparticularlyintenselyflavoredspirit

BluecoatGinbyPhiladelphiaDistilling

Thechiefflavoringagentinbothginandgeneveristhehighlyaromaticblue-greenberryofthejuniperalow-slungevergreenbush(genusJuniperus)thatiscommercially grown in northern ItalyCroatia theUnitedStates andCanadaAdditional botanicals can include anise angelica root cinnamon orange peelcoriander and cassia barkAll gin and genevermakers have their own secretcombinationofbotanicalsthenumberofwhichcanrangefromasfewasfourtoasmanyasfifteen

THEDISTILLATIONOFGIN

Mostgin is initiallydistilled inefficientcolumnstillsTheresultingspirit ishighprooflight-bodiedandcleanwithaminimalamountofcongeners(flavorcompounds)andflavoringagentsGeneverisdistilledinless-efficientpotstillswhichresultsinalower-proofmoreflavorfulspiritLow-qualityldquocompoundrdquoginsaremadebysimplymixingthebasespiritwith

juniper and botanical extracts Mass-market gins are produced by soakingjuniperberriesandbotanicalsinthebasespiritandthenredistillingthemixtureTop-qualityginsandgeneversareflavoredinauniquemannerAfteroneor

more distillations the base spirit is redistilled one last timeDuring this finaldistillationthealcoholvaporwaftsthroughachamberinwhichthedriedjuniperberries and botanicals are suspended The vapor gently extracts aromatic andflavoringoils andcompounds from theberries and spices as it travels throughthe chamber on its way to the condenser The resulting flavored spirit has anoticeabledegreeofcomplexity

GuyRehorstoftheGreatLakesDistilleryusesawoodendipsticktomeasurethevolumeofspiritinatank

THECOLORFULORIGINSOFOLDTOMGIN

ThenameofOldTomGincomesfromwhatmaybethefirstexampleofabeveragevendingmachineInthe1700ssomepubsinEnglandhadawoodenplaqueshapedlikeablackcat (anldquoOldTomrdquo)mountedontheoutsidewallThirstypassersbywoulddepositapennyinthecatrsquosmouthandplacetheirlipsaroundasmalltubebetweenthecatrsquospawsThebartenderinsidewouldthenpourashotofginthroughthetubeandintothecustomerrsquoswaitingmouth

GINREGIONS

EUROPE

TheUnitedKingdomproducesmostlydryginprimarilyfromcolumnstillsBritish gins tend to be high proof (90deg proof or 45 percentABV) and citrus-accented from the use of dried lemon and Seville orange peels in themix ofbotanicalsBritishginsareusuallycombinedintomixeddrinksHollandandBelgiumproducegenevermostly frompot stillsGenevers are

distilledatlowerprooflevelsthanEnglishginsandaregenerallyfullerinbodyManyoftheseginsareagedforonetothreeyearsinoakcasksSomegeneverproducers now market fruit-flavored genevers the best known being blackcurrantDutchandBelgiangeneversareusuallychilledandservedneatGermanyproducesagenever-stylegincalleddornkaatintheNorthSeacoast

regionofFrisiaThis spirit is lighter inbodyandmoredelicate in flavor thanbothDutchgeneverandEnglishdryginGermanginisusuallyservedstraightupandcoldSpainproducesasubstantialamountofginallof it in theLondondrystyle

fromcolumnstillsMostofitissoldformixingwithcola

LabelforGenevieveGeneverstylegin

GreylockGin

BardenayLondonStyleDryGin

NORTHAMERICA

TheUnitedStatesistheworldrsquoslargestginmarketLondondryginaccountsfor the bulk of domestic gin production withmost of it produced in columnstillsAmericandryginstendtobelowerproof(80degproofor40percentABV)and less flavorful than their English counterparts This rule applies even tobrandssuchasGordonrsquosandGilbeyrsquoswhichoriginatedinEnglandTheUnitedStatesrsquosbest-sellingginSeagramrsquosExtraDryisararecask-ageddryginThreemonths of aging in charred oak barrels gives the gin a pale straw color and asmoothpalateAmericancraftdistillerieshavetakentogininamajorwaywithsuchnoteworthyexamplesasDistillerrsquosGin6fromNorthShoreDistillery inLakeBluffIllinoisandRehorstPremiumMilwaukeeGinfromtheGreatLakesDistilleryinMilwaukeeWisconsin

AviationGinbyHouseSpiritsDistillery

LabelforAmericanDistilledGininfusedwithRareBotanicalsbyMcMenaminsEdgefieldDistilleryClassicMartini

SarticiousGinbySarticiousSpirits

THEMARTINIANDTHEMEANINGOFLIFE

Thebestknownofhundredsofgin-basedmixeddrinksistheginandwhitevermouth combination called the martini As is usually the case with mostpopular mixed drinks the origins of the martini are disputed One school ofthoughtholdsthatitevolvedfromthelate-nineteenth-centurymartinezcocktailarathercloyingmixtureofOldTomndashstyleginandsweetvermouthAdissentingsectholdsthatitwascreatedinthebaroftheKnickerbockerHotelinNewYorkCity in theearly twentiethcenturyThe ratioofgin tovermouth startedout atabout two to one and it has been getting drier ever since The famedBritishstatesmanWinstonChurchillwhodevotedagreatdealof thoughtand time todrinkingwasoftheopinionthatpassingthecorkfromthevermouthbottleovertheglassofginwassufficientGINCOCKTAILS

CLASSICMARTINI

Inashakercombinebull2ounces(60ml)ginbullDashwhitevermouthbullIcetofillShakeand strain and into amartiniglassor a shortglassGarnishwith an

olive

TOMCOLLINS

Inatallglasscombinebull2ounces(60ml)ginbull1ounce(30ml)lemonjuicebull1tablespoon(15g)sugarStirandthenfilltheglasswithiceFillwithclubsoda

GINANDTONIC

FillatallglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)ginbullTonicwatertofillGarnishwithalimeslice

ARTISANPROFILEINSIDETHEINDUSTRY

CHRISWELD

BerkshireMountainDistillersGreatBarringtonMassachusetts

ITishardtoimagineChrisWeldinanemergencyroomwhereheworkedinCalifornia for sixteen years as a physicianrsquos assistantHe seems too young tohave sixteen years of work behind him and on his land in westernMassachusettsheisperfectlyateasewithadogathissidelightinhiseyesandmudonhisbootsHeandhiswifeTylermovedbacktotheEastCoastmdashafterhavingdeveloped

intoseriousfoodiesmdashandboughtanorchardldquoOurwatercomesfromanoldspringhereonthepropertythat thePittsfield

Sunin1901saidhadlsquofewequalsandnonesuperiorrsquordquoThe farm that isnow theBerkshireMountainDistillerywasonce in fact a

springwaterbottlingplant(Oneformerowneruseditasabaseofoperationsforasanitariumintownandithasalsobeenahotel)BuildingtheBerkshireMountainDistillerywasnoteasyWhenWeldarrived

thewould-bestillhousewasabarninshamblesWelddidasmuchoftheworkas he could himself and hired local builders and craftspeople to do the restKeepingthingslocalisimportanttoWeld

ldquoWhenIneedtoexpandIrsquollbuildanotherbarnandIrsquollhirelocalpeopletobuilditrdquoThisimpliesadirectcontrasttowhathappenswhenabiginternationaldistillerexpandsHetalksenthusiasticallyabouttheldquolocalmultiplierrdquoeffectldquoEverydollaryou

spendlocallyisworththreespentinachainstorerdquoWeldisanenthusiasticparticipant in theBerksharesprogram(localmoney

accepted by hundreds of merchants in western Massachusetts includingrestaurants)HehiredalocaldesignertodesignlabelsHesourcedhisglassoutofnearbyLenoxWeld looked further afield for help with his rum and he brought in a

consultantTogethertheyworkedontestbatchesandperfectedtherecipeHersquodhaveworkedformorethanayearhesaidsolvingtheproblemsthatanexpertsolved in a few days and the adjustments to fermentation temperatures andexpertknowledgeofdifferentflavorcompoundswaspricelessWeld describes his rum as more like Armagnac than a typical molasses

distillateHehasfiftybarrelsagingldquoIrsquovegotabigstillrdquohesaysIndeedheboughtan800-gallonstainlesssteel

tanksecondhandfromBrownForeman(Heassuresanyonewhoasksthatalltheother work including the custom columns and the piping was done by localcraftspeople)ldquoIfIhadasmallstillIrsquodbeatcapacityrdquoAsitstandshersquosabletomakebourbonandrumforagingbringoutnewproductssuchasasecondginwithaheavierflavorandmorebotanicalsthanhisfirstandstillsatisfythe400accountshersquosdevelopedinhisfirstyearForWeldhoweveritrsquosstillthecommunitythatrsquosimportantHerecentlymet

intoamanwhohadbroughtsomeofhisGreylockGintoapartyldquoSeeingitatpartieshellipthatrsquosreallyitrdquohesaidglowing

CHAPTERSIX

BRANDYANDEAUDEVIE

ldquoNosirclaretistheliquorforboysportformenbuthewhoaspirestobeaheromustdrinkbrandyrdquo

mdashSamuelJohnsoneighteenth-centuryBritishwriterwholovedbrandyandhatedwhisky

Brandyinaclassicbrandysniftercastsashadowonalinentablecloth

THE word brandy comes from the Dutch word brandewijn (burnt wine)which is how the straightforwardDutch traderswho introduced it to northernEuropeinthesixteenthcenturydescribedwinethathadbeenldquoburntrdquoorboiledtodistillitThe origins of brandy can be traced back to the growing Muslim

Mediterranean states in the seventh and eighth centuries Alchemists in theregion experimentedwith distilling grapes and other fruits tomakemedicinalspiritsTheirknowledgeandtechniquessoonspreadbeyondthebordersof theterritorywithgrapebrandyproductionappearinginSpainandprobablyIreland(viamissionarymonks)bytheendoftheeighthcentury

TYPESOFBRANDY

Abottleofbrandydistilledfrom100percentViognierwinebyGermain-Robin

BRANDYinitsbroadestdefinitionisaspiritmadefromfruitjuiceorfruitpulpandskinMorespecificallyitisbrokendownintothreebasicgroupingsGrapebrandy isbrandydistilledfromfermentedgrapejuiceorcrushedbut

not pressed grape pulp and skin This spirit is aged inwooden casks (usuallyoak)whichcolorsitmellowsoutthepalateandaddsaromasandflavorsPomace brandy (Italian grappa and French marc are the best-known

examples) ismade from the pressed grape pulp skins and stems that remainafter thegrapes are crushed andpressed to extractmost of the juice forwinePomacebrandieswhichareusuallyminimallyagedandseldomseewoodarean acquired taste They often tend to be rather raw although they can offer afresh fruity aroma of the type of grape used a characteristic that is lost inregularoak-agedbrandyFruit brandy is the default term for all brandies that are made from

fermenting fruit other than grapes (It should not be confused with fruit-flavoredbrandywhichisgrapebrandythathasbeenflavoredwiththeextractof another fruit)Fruit brandies except thosemade fromberries aregenerallydistilledfromfruitwinesBerriestendtolackenoughsugartomakeawinewithsufficient alcohol for proper distillation and thus are soaked (macerated) in ahigh-proof spirit toextract their flavorandaromaTheextract is thendistilledonceatalowproofCalvados theapplebrandyfromtheNormandyregionofnorthwesternFranceisprobablythebest-knowntypeoffruitbrandyEaudevie(ldquowaterofliferdquo)isacolorlessfruitbrandyparticularlyfromtheAlsaceregionofFranceandfromCalifornia

Applesonthetreerawmaterialsforbrandy

Grapesenterthestillforthemakingofgrappa

BRANDIESBYREGION

FRANCE

French brandy is the catchall designation for brandy produced from grapesgrowninotherregionsThesebrandiesareusuallydistilledincolumnstillsandagedinoakcasksforvaryingperiodsoftimeTheyarefrequentlyblendedwithwine grape juice oak flavorings and other brandies including cognac tosmoothout the roughedgesCognac-likequalitydesignationssuchasVSOPandNapoleonareoftenused(seepage83)buttheyhavenolegalstanding

COGNAC

Cognacisthebest-knowntypeofbrandyintheworldabenchmarkbywhichmost other brandies are judged The Cognac region is located on the south-centralcoastofFrance justnorthofBordeauxinthedepartmentsofCharenteandCharente-MaritimeTheregionisfurthersubdividedintosixgrowingzonesGrandeChampagnePetiteChampagneBoisOrdinariesBorderiesFinsBoisandBonsBoisThefirsttwooftheseregionsproducethebestcognacandwillfrequentlybesodesignatedonbottlelabelsTheprimarygrapesusedinmakingcognac are the Ugni Blanc Folle Blanche and Colombard The wines madefrom these grapes are thin tart and low in alcohol which are poorcharacteristicsfortablewinesbutperfectformakingbrandy

Pear-in-bottlebrandy

Cognac is double distilled in specially designed pot stills and then aged incasksmadefromLimousinorTroncaisoakAllcognacsstartoutinnewoaktomellowthefieryspiritandgivethemcolorBatcheschosenforlong-termagingareafterafewyearstransferredtousedorldquoseasonedrdquocasksthatimpartlessoftheoakflavornoteswhilethebrandymaturesNearly all cognacs are a blend of brandies from different vintages and

frequently different growing zones Even those from single vineyards ordistillerieshaveamixofbrandiesfromdifferentcasksAswithchampagnetheproductsoflocalvineyardsaresoldtocognachouseseachofwhichstoresandages cognacs from different suppliers The suppliers then employ masterblenders to create and maintain continuity in the house blends drawn fromdisparatesources

BRANDYrsquoSSEASONALNATURE

Brandy like rumand tequila isanagricultural spiritUnlikegrain spiritssuchaswhiskeyvodkaandginwhicharemadethroughouttheyearfromgrainthat can be harvested and stored brandy is dependent on the seasons theripeningofthebasefruitandtheproductionofthewinefromwhichitismadeTypes of brandies originally at least tended to be location-specific (Cognacfor example is a town and region in France that gave its name to the localbrandy) Important brandy-making regions particularly in Europe furtherdifferentiatetheirlocalspiritsbyspecifyingthetypesofgrapesthatcanbeusedand the specific areas (appellation) in which the grapes used formaking thebasewinecanbegrown

Barrelsofbrandystoredforaging

INDUSTRYSTANDARDSFORCOGNAC

Because therearenoage statementsoncognacs the industryhasadoptedsomegenerallyaccepted terms todifferentiatecognacs It is important tonotethat these terms have no legal status and each cognac shipper uses themaccordingtohisorherowncriteriaVSVSPThree Star (VS very superior VSP very superior pale) A

minimumoftwoyearsaginginacaskalthoughtheindustryaverageisfourtofiveyearsVSOP(verysuperioroldpale)Aminimumoffouryearsrsquocaskagingforthe

youngestcognacintheblendwiththeindustryaveragebetweentenandfifteenyearsXONapoleon (XO extra old) A minimum of six yearsrsquo aging for the

youngest cognac in the blend with the average age running twenty years orolderAllcognachousesmaintain inventoriesofoldvintagecognacs touse inblendingthesetop-of-the-linebrandsTheoldestcognacsareremovedfromtheircasks in timeandstoredinglassdemijohns(largejugs) toprevent further lossfromevaporationandtolimitexcessivelywoodyflavornotes

ARMAGNAC

ArmagnacistheoldesttypeofbrandyinFrancewithdocumentedreferencestodistillationdatingbacktotheearlyfifteenthcenturyTheArmagnacregionislocatedintheheartoftheancientprovinceofGasconyinthesouthwestcornerof France Aswith cognac there are regional growing zones Bas-ArmagnacHautArmagnac andTenarezeTheprimarygrapesused inmakingArmagnacare also theUgniBlanc FolleBlanche andColombardBut distillation takesplaceintheuniquealambicarmagnacaisatypeofcolumnstillthatisevenmoreinefficient than a typical cognac pot still The resulting brandy has a rusticassertivecharacterandaromathatrequiresadditionalcaskagingtomellowoutanddistinguishitfromcognacThebestArmagnacisagedincasksmadefromthelocalMonlezunoakInrecentyearsLimousinandTroncaisoakcaskshavebeenaddedtothemixofcasksassuitableMonlezunoakbecomeshardertofind

DetailfromabottleofPierreFerrandReserveCognac

Most Armagnacs are blends but unlike cognac single vintages and singlevineyardbottlingscanbefoundThecategoriesofArmagnacaregenerally thesameas thoseof cognac (VSVSOPXO and soon see sidebaronpage83)BlendedArmagnacsfrequentlyhaveagreaterpercentageofoldervintagesin their mix than comparable cognacs making them a better value for thediscerningbuyer

HAVESTILLWILLTRAVEL

Until the 1970s portable alambic armagnacais mounted on two-wheelcartswerehauledamongsmallvineyards inArmagnacby itinerantdistillerscalledbouilleursdecruThesetravelingstillsalashavemostlygivenwaytolarger fixed-in-place setups operated by farmer cooperatives and individualoperators

ChristianDrouinwhoproducessomeofthefinestCalvadosstandsbesideaportablestillbuiltin1946thatisnowpermanentlystationedinfrontofthepressroomatDomaineCoeurdeLionItisprobablytheonlyportabledoubledistillationinworkingorderItisnormallyusedfromFebruarytoJuneAsecondstillnowoperatesinsidethepressroom

SPAIN

BRANDYDEJEREZ

BrandydeJerezismadebythesherryhousescenteredaroundthecityofJerezdelaFronterainthesouthwestcornerofSpainButvirtuallyallBrandydeJerezis made from wines produced elsewhere in Spain primarily from the Airengrape inLaManchaandExtremadurabecause the local sherrygrapesare toovaluable to divert into brandy productionNowadaysmost of the distilling islikewisedoneelsewhereinSpainincolumnstillsItisthenshippedtoJerezforaginginusedsherrycasksinasolerasystemsimilartothatusedforsherrywineAsolera is a series of large casks (called butts) each holding a slightly olderspirit than thepreviousonebeside itWhenbrandyisdrawnoff (racked)fromthe lastbutt (nomore thana thirdof thevolume is removed) it is replenishedwithbrandydrawnfromthenextbuttallthewaydownthesoleralinetothefirstbuttwherenewlydistilledbrandyisaddedThissystemofrackingthebrandythroughaseriesofcasksblendstogetheravarietyofvintages(somesolerashavemorethanthirtystages)andresultsinaspeedingupofthematurationprocess

Brandybottledetailfromabrandywhoseflavorprofileleansmoretowardsbourbon(HuberStarlightDistillery)

ThesamplebottlesdisplaytheeffectsofdifferenttypesofbarrelsandagingprocessesatGermain-Robin

AGINGTIMELINE

Basic Brandy de Jerez Solera must age for a minimum of six monthsReservaforoneyearandGranReservaforaminimumofthreeyears

Inpractice thebestReservasandGranReservasarefrequentlyagedfortwelvetofifteenyearsThelushslightlysweetandfruitynotestobefoundinBrandydeJerezcomenotonlyfromaginginsherrycasksbutalsofromthejudicioususeoffruit-basedflavorconcentratesandoakessence(boise)

PENEDEgraveSBRANDY

Penedegraves Brandy is from the Penedegraves region of Catalonia in the northeastcornerofSpainnearBarcelonaModeledafterthecognacsofFranceandmadefromamixof localgrapesand theUgniBlancofcognac it isdistilled inpotstillsOneofthetwolocalproducers(Torres)agesinsolerasconsistingofbuttsmade from French Limousin oak whereas the other (Mascaro) ages in thestandardnon-soleramannerbut also inLimousinoakThe resultingbrandy isheartierthancognacbutleaneranddrierthanBrandydeJerez

ITALY

Italy has a long history of brandy production dating back to at least thesixteenth century but unlike Spain or France there are no specific brandy-producing regions Italian brandies are made from regional wine grapes andmost areproduced incolumnstills although therearenowanumberof smallartisanalproducersusingpotstillsTheyareagedinoakforaminimumofonetotwoyearswithsixtoeightyearsbeingtheindustryaverageItalianbrandiestendtobeonthelightanddelicatesidewithatouchofresidualsweetness

GERMANY

GermanmonksweredistillingbrandybythefourteenthcenturyandGermandistillers had organized their ownguild as early as 1588Yet almost from thestart German brandy (calledweinbrand) has been made from imported winerather than the more valuable local varieties Most German brandies areproduced in pot stills andmust be aged for aminimumof sixmonths in oakBrandiesthathavebeenagedinoakforatleastoneyeararecalleduraltoralter(meaningldquoolderrdquo)ThebestGermanbrandiesaresmoothsomewhatlighterthancognacandfinishwithatouchofsweetness

ThetastingroomatadistilleryisapopularstoponthetourRickMoerschattheRoundBarnDistillerypourssomeapricotbrandyatthetastingroominhiswinerybrewerydistillery

UNITEDSTATES

Grape brandy production in the United States which until the advent ofmodern craft distilleries was mostly confined to California dates back to theSpanish missions in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries AsubstantialamountofpeachbrandywasmadebywhiskeydistillersinSouthernstates prior to National Prohibition however and apple brandy distillingcontinuedintomodern timesonamodestscale inNewJerseyandVirginia Inthe years following the Civil War brandy became a major industry with asubstantial export trade to Europe by the end of the nineteenth century For atimeLelandStanford founder ofStanfordUniversitywas theworldrsquos largestbrandy producer Phylloxera and National Prohibition almost shut down theindustryinthe1920s

Analambicstill

RepealstartedthingsupagainbutaswiththebourbonindustrytheadventofWorldWarIIresultedinbrandyproducersfurthermarkingtimeSoonaftertheendofthewartheindustrycommissionedtheUniversityofCaliforniaatDavisDepartment of Viticulture and Oenology to develop a prototype ldquoCalifornia-stylerdquo brandy It had a clean palate was lighter in style than most EuropeanbrandiesandhadaflavorprofilethatmadeitagoodmixerStartinginthelate1940sCaliforniabrandyproducersbegantochangeovertothisnewstyle

LabelforPotStillBrandyfromMcMenaminsEdgefieldDistillery

CONTEMPORARYBRANDIES

Contemporary commercial California grape brandies are made primarily incolumn stills from table grape varieties such as the Thompson Seedless andFlame Tokay California brandies are aged for two to twelve years in usedAmericanoak(bothbrandyandbourboncasks)tolimitwoodinessinthepalatealthough pot distillers also use French oak Several California distillers mostnotably Korbel have utilized the Spanish solera method for maturing theirbrandyCaliforniabrandiesdonotusequalitydesignationssuchasVSOPorstars The more expensive brands will usually contain a percentage of oldervintagesandpot-distilledbrandiesintheblendCraft-distilledbrandies includinggrapepomaceand fruitwere the firstof

the modern generation of craft spirits to enter the US market starting inCalifornia in the late1980swithproducers suchasRMS(aventureofcognacproducer Remy Martin) Jepson Vineyards and the idiosyncratic Santa CruzwinemakerRandallGraham atBonnyDooneVineyards From the start thesegrape brandy producers generally followed a French-themed muse withproducers such asGermaine-Robin inMendocinoCounty andOsocalis in theSantaCruzMountainsgoingsofarastousetheclassicUgniBlancColombardand Folle Blanche grapes to make their base wine They installed specialcognac-style pot stills to distill it and then aged their brandies in casksmadefromimportedLimousinorTroncaisoakTheresultingbrandiesparticularlyaslonger-agedexamplescomeontothemarkethaveinsomecasesshownlevelsof complexity and flavor intensity that put them on par with their Europeancounterparts

PiscoStyleBrandybyLeopoldBros

LATINAMERICAN

MEXICO

InMexicoasurprisingamountofwineismadebutitislittleknownoutsideof the country because most of it is used for brandy production Mexicanbrandies are made from a mix of grapes including the Thompson SeedlessPalomino andUgniBlancBothcolumnandpot stills areused inproductionwhereas the solera system is generally used for aging Brandy now outsellstequilaandruminMexico

SOUTHAMERICA

South American brandies are generally confined to their domestic marketsThebest-known type ispisco a clear rawbrandy fromPeruandChile that ismadefromMuscatgrapesanddoubledistilledinpotstillsTheresultingbrandyhasaperfumedfragranceandservesas thebaseforavarietyofmixeddrinksincludingthefamousPiscoPunch

OTHERREGIONS

Greece produces pot-distilled brandies many of which such as the well-knownMetaxaareflavoredwithMuscatwineaniseorotherspicesWinemakinginIsraelisawell-establishedtraditiondatingbackthousandsof

years But brandy production dates back only to the 1880s when the FrenchJewishphilanthropistBaronEdmonddeRothschildestablishedwhathasbecomethemodernIsraeliwineindustryIsraelibrandyismadeinthemannerofcognacfrom Colombard grapes with distillation in both pot and column stills andmaturationinFrenchLimousinoakcasksIntheCaucasusregionalongtheeasternshoreoftheBlackSeatheancient

nations ofGeorgia andArmenia draw onmonastic traditions to produce richintensely flavored pot still brandies both from local grapes and from suchimportedvarietiesastheMuscadine(fromFrance)andtheSercialandVerdelho(mostfamouslyfromMadeira)SouthAfricahasproducedbrandiessincethearrivalofthefirstDutchsettlers

intheseventeenthcenturybuttheseearlyspiritsfromtheCapeColonyearnedareputation for being harsh firewater (witblitsmdashwhite lightningmdashwas a typicalnickname)The introductionofmodernproduction techniquesandgovernmentregulationsintheearlytwentiethcenturygraduallyledtoanimprovementinthequalityof localbrandiesModernSouthAfricanbrandiesaremade fromUgniBlanc Colombard CheninBlanc and Palomino grapes produced in both potandcolumnstillsandagedforaminimumofthreeyearsinoak

POMACEBRANDIES

PoliBassanodelGrappa(Italy)

ITALY produces a substantial amount of grappa both the raw firewatervarietyandthemoreelegantartisanaleffortsthataremadefromonedesignatedgrape type and packaged in hand-blown bottles Both types of grappa can beunagedoragedforafewyearsinoldcasksthatwilltamethehardedgeofthespiritwithoutimpartingmuchflavororcolorMarcfromFranceisproducedinall of the nationrsquos wine-producing regions but it is mostly consumed locallyMarcdeGewuumlrztraminerfromAlsaceisnoteworthybecauseitretainssomeofthedistinctiveperfumenoseandspicycharacterofthegrape

OrodeMazzettiliqueurgoldsuspendedinagrappabase(Italy)

Craft pomace brandies from the United States from producers such asDomaineCharbayinNapaCountyandMosbyVineyardsinSonomaareintheItalianstyleandtheyareusuallycalledgrappasevenwhentheyaremadefromnon-Italian grape varieties This is also true of the pomace brandies fromCanada

GRAPPANOTYOURGRANDPArsquoSPHLEGMCUTTER

TheUSgovernmentcallsitpomacebrandybuteversinceimmigrantsfromwinemakingcountriesbeganarriving in theUnitedStatesandstarted tomakewine they were soon refermenting the pressed grape skins from theirwinemaking and distilling it tomake a quick and simple type of brandy TheFrench call itmarc but it is the Italian term grappa that has caught onwithdistillersofeveryethnicbackgroundCraftdistillersintheUnitedStateshavetakentothedistillingofgrappafrom

theverystartoftheindustryPioneerbrandydistillerssuchasClearCreekandSt George Spirits have developed specific varietal grappas that are carefullydistilledtocapturethesubtlearomaticnotesofthebasefruitThesearespiritstodelightthenoseasmuchasthetastebuds

GrappabyHuberStarlightDistillery

APPLEANDOTHERFRUITBRANDIES

NORMANDY is one of the few regions in France that does not have a

substantial grapewine industry Instead it is apple countrywith a substantialtradition of hard and sweet ciders that in turn can be distilled into an applebrandyknownasCalvadosThelocalciderappleswhichtendtobesmallandtartarecloserintypetocrabapplesthantomoderntableapplesThisspirithasits own appellationswith the best brands coming fromAppellationControleePaysdrsquoAugeneartheseaportofDeauvilleandtherest intenadjacentregionsthataredesignatedAppellationReglementeeMostPaysdrsquoAugeandsomeofthebetter Appellation Reglementee are produced in pot stills All varieties ofCalvados are aged in oak casks for a minimum of two years Cognac-stylequalityandage termssuchasVSOPandHorsdrsquoAgeare frequentlyusedonlabelsbuthavenolegalmeaning

Applebrandy

BottlesofkirschandframboiseeaudeviefromWestfordHillsDistillers

ExteriorshotofLairdampCompanytheoldestdistilleryintheUnitedStates

Thefruit-growingregionsoftheupperRhineRiveraretheprimeeaudevieproductionareasofEuropeTheBlackForestregionofBavariainGermanyandAlsace in France are known for their cherry brandies (kir in FrancekirschwasserinGermany)raspberrybrandies(framboiseandhimbeergeist)andpearbrandies(poire)SimilareauxdeviearenowbeingproducedintheUnitedStatesinCaliforniaandOregonSomeplumbrandyisalsomadeintheseregions(mirabellefromFranceisanexample)butthebest-knowntypeofplumbrandyisslivovitzwhich ismade from the smallblue sljivaplum throughoutEasternEuropeandtheBalkans

Applebrandylabel

IntheUnitedStatesapplejackasapplebrandyiscalledlocallyisthoughtbymanytobethefirstspiritproducedintheBritishcoloniesThiscolonialtraditionhascontinuedwithLairdrsquosDistilleryestablishedin1780inNewJerseyandtheoldest distilling company in the United States and with distilleries in NewJerseyandVirginiaArtisan fruitbrandydistillingstarted inCaliforniabut in recentyears ithas

spreadacrosstheUnitedStateswithCalvados-styledapplebrandiesfromClearCreekDistilleryinPortlandOregonleadingthewaywhileBlackStarFarmsinSuttons Bay St Julian in Paw Paw and a bevy of other Michigan artisandistillershave releasedawide rangeofdelicatehighlyaromaticcherryplumand other fruit brandies that draw an obvious inspiration from theKirsch andplumbrandiesoftheBlackForestregionofsouthernGermany

BRANDYCOCKTAILS

SIDECARFillashortglasswithiceInashakercombinebull1ounce(30ml)brandybull1ounce(30ml)TripleSecbull1ounce(30ml)lemonjuicebullIcetofillShakeandstrainintotheglass

STINGERFillashortglasswithiceAddbull1ounce(30ml)brandybull1ounce(30ml)whitecregravemedementheStirandserve

BRANDYALEXANDER

Inashakercombinebull1ounce(30ml)brandybull1ounce(30ml)darkcregravemedecacaobull1ounce(30ml)creambullIcetofillShakeandstrainintoalargebrandysnifterDustwithnutmeg

LabelforAcquadiLamponiRaspberryEaudeVie

Apricotbrandy

CHAPTERSEVEN

RUMTEQUILALIQUEURSRUMTEQUILALIQUEURSANDMORE

INCLUDINGSCHNAPPSANISEANDBITTERS

ldquoTherersquos nought no doubt so much the spirit calms as rum and truereligionrdquo

mdashLordByron

Bottlesofrumofdifferentages(youngesttooldestlefttoright)atCelebrationDistillationinNewOrleans

GRAPESANDGRAINmaybethetwomajorrawmaterialsfordistillationbut they are by no means the only ones Sugarcane provides two differentfermentables sugarcane juice and molasses which is a byproduct of sugarrefiningBothareusedasthebasisofrumproductionwhichasaspiritrangesacrossthecolorandtastespectrumfromthealmostvodkalikeBlancosofPuertoRicototheheartydeep-huedDemerarasofGuyanawithsomeverydistinctivevariationsinbetween

RUM

TheagaveplantanativeofCentralAmericaprovidesthefermentablebasis

for a varietyof distilled spirits ofwhich tequila is thebest knownbut bynomeanstheonlyexampleLiquors can refer generically to distilled spirits but they can also be

specifically flavored spirits Add a sweetener and they become liqueursAddcertainherbsandyounowhavebittersAttheendofthedayifsomethingcanbefermentedandthendistilledpeoplewilldrinkit

GROG

TheBritishnavyadoptedadailyrationofahalf-pintof160degproofrumbythe1730sThisrationwassubsequentlymodifiedbymixingitwithanequalamountofwater toproduceadrinkcalledgrogThegrogrationremaineda stapleofBritishnavallifeuntil1969

LabelforHudsonRiverRumbyTuthilltownSpirits

THEHISTORY of rum is the history of sugar Sugar is a sweet crystallinecarbohydrate that occurs naturally in a variety of plants One of those is thesugarcane(Saccharumofficinarum)atallthickgrassthathasitsoriginsintheislands of present-day Indonesia in the East Indies Chinese traders spread itscultivationtoAsiaandontoIndiaArabsinturnbroughtit totheMiddleEastand North Africa where it came to the attention of Europeans during theCrusadesintheeleventhcenturyAstheSpanishandPortuguesebegantoventureoutintotheAtlanticOcean

theyplantedsugarcaneintheCanaryandAzoresIslandsIn1493ChristopherColumbuspickedupcanecuttingsfromtheCanarieswhileonhissecondvoyagetotheAmericasandtransplantedthemtoHispaniolatheCaribbeanislandnowshared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic Portuguese explorers soon didlikewiseinBrazilTheCaribbeanbasinprovedtohaveanidealclimateforgrowingsugarcane

andsugarproductionquicklyspreadaroundtheislandsTheinsatiabledemandin Europe for sugar soon led to the establishment of hundreds of sugarcaneplantations andmills in the variousEnglish Spanish French Portuguese andDutchcoloniesThesemillscrushedtheharvestedcaneandextractedthejuiceBoiling this juice caused chunks of crystallized sugar to form The remainingunsolidifiedjuicewascalledmelazas(fromtheSpanishwordforhoneymiel)inEnglishthisbecamemolasses

BottleofThomasTewRum

Molasses is a sticky syrup that still contains a significant amount of sugarSugarmilloperatorssoonnoticedthatwhenitwasmixedwithwaterandleftoutin the sun it fermented By the 1650s this former waste product was beingdistilled into a spirit In theEnglish colonies itwas calledKillDevil (from itstendencytocauseanastyhangoveroritsperceivedmedicinalpowertakeyourchoice)orrumbullion(originsuncertain)whichwasshortenedovertheyearstoourmodernwordrumTheFrenchrenderthiswordasrhumwhiletheSpanishcallitron

PrichardrsquosCrystalRumfromPrichardsrsquoDistillery

Rumwas used as a cure-all for many of the aches and pains that afflictedthoselivinginthetropicsSugarplantationownerssolditatdiscountedpricestonavalshipsthatwereonstationintheCaribbeaninordertoencouragetheirpresenceinlocalwatersandthusdiscouragetheattentionsofmaraudingpirates

PrichardrsquosFineRumfromPrichardsrsquoDistillery

BobRyanandpartnerDaveWoodatRyanandWoodDistilleriesinGloucesterMassachusetts

This naval-rum connection introduced rum to the outsideworld and by thelate seventeenth century a thriving export tradedevelopedTheBritish islandsshippedrumtoGreatBritain(whereitwasmixedintorumpunchesandreplacedginasthedominantspiritintheeighteenthcentury)andtotheBritishcoloniesinNorth America where it became very popular This export of rum to NorthAmerica in exchange forNewEngland lumber anddried cod (still a culinarystaple in the Caribbean) soon changed over to the export of molasses todistilleries in New England This was done to avoid laws from the Britishparliamentwhich protectedBritish distillers by forbidding the trade in spiritsdirectly between colonies This law was at best honored in the breech andsmugglingsoonbecamerampantThe shipping ofmolasses tomake rum inNewEngland distilleries became

part of the infamous ldquoslavery trianglerdquo The first leg was the shipment ofmolassestoNewEnglandtomakerumThesecondlegwastheshipmentofrumtotheportsofWestAfricatotradeforslavesThefinallegwasthepassageofslaveshipstothesugarplantationsoftheCaribbeanandSouthAmericawheremanyoftheslaveswereputtoworkinthesugarcanefieldsThe disruption of trade caused by theAmericanRevolution and the rise of

whiskey production in North America resulted in the slow decline of rumrsquosdominanceastheAmericannationaltippleRumproductionintheUnitedStatesslowlydeclinedthroughthenineteenthcenturywiththelastNewEnglandrumdistilleries closing at the advent of National Prohibition in 1920 The famedrumrunners of the Prohibition era were smuggling primarily whiskey into theUnitedStates

DarkRumSpruceGinWhiteRumandHazelnutSpiceRumbyRogueDistillery

InEuropetheinventionofsugarextractionfromthesugarbeetlessenedthedemandforCaribbeansugar reducing theamountofmolassesbeingproducedandtheresultingamountofrumbeingdistilledManysmallplantationsandtheirstillswereclosedRumproductionrecededforthemostparttocountrieswheresugarcanewasgrown

ChrisWeldofBerkshireMountainDistillers

Themodernhistoryofrumowesalottothespreadofair-conditioningandthegrowth of tourism In the second half of the twentieth century modern air-conditioningmadeitpossiblefor largenumbersofpeople tomigrate towarm-weather regions where rum remained the dominant spirit Additionally theexplosiveincreaseinthenumberofNorthAmericanandEuropeantouristsintorum-drinking regions led to a steady increase in the popularity of rum-basedmixed drinks Nowadays white rum gives vodka serious competition as themixerofchoiceinanumberofdistinctivelynontropicalmarketsAgedrumsaregainingnewstandingamongconsumersofsinglemaltScotch

whiskiescognacsandsmall-batchbourbonswhoarelearningtoappreciatethesubtle complexities of these rums The pot still rums of Guyana and Jamaicahaveaparticular appeal forScotchwhiskydrinkers (It isnoaccident that theScottishwhiskymerchantandbottlerCadenheadalsoagesandbottlesDemerararum)ThesubtleandcomplexrhumsofMartiniqueandGuadeloupemirrortheflavorprofilesofthetopFrenchbrandiesinCognacandArmagnac

THEBASISOFRUM

Rumanditsfraternaltwincanespiritaremadebydistillingfermentedsugarand water This sugar comes from the sugarcane and is fermented from canejuiceconcentratedcanejuiceormolassesMolassesisthesweetstickyresiduethat remains after sugarcane juice is boiled and the crystallized sugar isextractedMostrumismadefrommolassesMolassesismorethan50percentsugarbut

italsocontainssignificantamountsofmineralsandothertraceelementswhichcancontributetothefinalflavorRumsmadefromcanejuiceprimarilyonHaitiandMartiniquehaveanaturallysmoothpalateDependingontherecipetheldquowashrdquo(thecanejuiceormolassesandwater)is

fermented using either cultured yeast or airborne wild yeasts for a periodrangingfromtwenty-fourhoursforlightrumsuptoseveralweeksforheavyfullvarieties

OldNewOrleansCrystalRumbyCelebrationDistillation

CoasterforRaggedMountainRumbyBerkshireMountainDistillersldquoThinkGloballyDrinkLocallyrdquo

DISTILLATIONOFRUM

RumcanbedistilledineitherpotorcolumnstillsThechoiceofstillshasaprofoundeffectonthefinalcharacteroftherumAllrumscomeoutofthestillasclearcolorlessspiritsBarrelagingandtheuseofaddedcarameldeterminethe final color Because caramel is burnt sugar it is true that only naturalcoloringagentsareusedLighter rums are highly rectified (purified) and are produced in column or

continuousstills thenusuallycharcoal filteredandsometimesaged inoldoakcasksforafewmonthstoaddsmoothnessMostlightrumshaveminimalflavorsandaromaandareverysimilar tovodkaHeavier rumsareusuallydistilled inpot stills similar to those used to produce cognacs and Scotch whiskies Potstills are less efficient than column stills and some congeners (fusel oils andotherflavorelements)arecarriedoverwiththealcoholTheseheavierrumsareusedformakinggoldenanddarkrumsSomebrandsofrumaremadebyblendingpot-andcolumn-distilledrumsina

mannersimilartothatofArmagnacproduction

RUMCOCKTAILS

RUMANDCOKE(CubaLibre)FillatallglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)darkrumbullJuiceofhalfalimebullColatofillStirandgarnishwithalimewedge

DAIQUIRI

FillashortglasswithiceInashakercombinebull1frac12ounces(45ml)whiterumbull1ounce(30ml)limejuicebull1tablespoon(15g)sugarbullIcetofillShakeandstrainintotheglass

PLANTERrsquoSPUNCH

FillatallglasswithiceInashakercombinebull1frac12ounces(45ml)darkrumbullfrac12ounce(15ml)limejuicebullfrac12ounce(15ml)lemonjuicebull3ounces(90ml)orangejuicebull1teaspoon(5g)sugarbullDashgrenadinesyrupbullIcetofillShakeandstrainintotheglass

RUMREGIONS

THECARIBBEAN

TheCaribbeanistheepicenterofworldrumproductionVirtuallyeverymajorislandgroupproducesitsowndistinctrumstyleBarbadosproduceslightsweetishrumsfrombothpotandcolumnstillsRum

distillation began here and the Mount Gay Distillery dating from 1663 isprobablytheoldestoperatingrumproducerintheworldCuba produces light-bodied crisp clean rums from column stills It is

currentlyillegaltoshipCubanrumsintotheUnitedStatesThe Dominican Republic is notable for its full-bodied aged rums from

columnstillsGuyanaisjustlyfamousforitsrichheavyDemerararumsnamedforalocal

riverwhichareproducedfrombothpotandcolumnstillsDemerararumscanbeagedforextendedperiods(twenty-five-year-oldvarietiesareonthemarket)and are frequently used for blending with lighter rums from other regionsNeighboringSurinamandFrenchGuyanaproducesimilarfull-bodiedrumsHaitifollowstheFrenchtraditionofheavierrumsthataredoubledistilledin

potstillsandagedinoakcasksforthreeormoreyearstoproducefull-flavoredexceptionallysmooth-tastingrumsHaitialsostillhasanextensiveundergroundmoonshineindustrythatsuppliesthevoodooreligiousritualtrade

SagatibaPuraCachaccedila(Brazil)

Jamaicaiswellknownforitsricharomaticrumsmostofwhichareproducedin pot stills Jamaica has official classifications of rum ranging from light toveryfull-flavoredJamaicanrumsareusedextensivelyforblendingMartinique is a French island with the largest number of distilleries in the

Eastern Caribbean Both pot and column stills are used As on other Frenchislands such asGuadeloupe both rhum agricole (made from sugarcane juice)and rhum industriel (made from molasses) are produced These rums arefrequently aged in used French brandy casks for a minimum of three yearsRhumvieux(agedrum)isfrequentlycomparedtohigh-qualityFrenchbrandiesPuertoRico is knownprimarily for light verydry rums fromcolumn stills

AllPuertoRicanrumsmustbylawbeagedforaminimumofoneyearTrinidadproducesmainlylightrumsfromcolumnstillsandhasanextensive

exporttrade

THEVIRGINISLANDS

The Virgin Islands which are divided between the United States VirginIslands and the British Virgin Islands both produce light mixing rums fromcolumnstillsTheserumsandthoseofnearbyGrenadaalsoserveasthebaseforbayrumaclassicaftershavelotion

CENTRALAMERICA

CentralAmericahasavarietyofprimarilymedium-bodiedrumsfromcolumnstills that lend themselves well to aging They have recently begun to gaininternationalrecognition

SOUTHAMERICA

South America produces vast quantities of mostly light rums from columnstillswithunagedcanespiritfromBrazilcalledcachaccedilabeingthebest-knownexample Venezuela bucks this general trendwith a number of well-respectedbarrel-agedgoldenanddarkrums

NORTHAMERICA

North America has a handful of traditional rum distilleries in the southernUnited States producing a range of light-and medium-bodied rums that aregenerally marketed with Caribbean-themed names Modern craft distilleriesproducingrumhavesprungupinsomemoreunusuallocationswithparticularlynoteworthy producers including Prichardrsquos Distillery in Kelso Tennessee theRogueDistillery inNewportOregonand theTriple8Distillery inNantucketMassachusetts

CANADA

In Canada the 300-year-old tradition of trading rum for dried codfishcontinuesintheAtlanticMaritimeprovincesofNewfoundlandandNovaScotiawheregoldenrumsfromAntiguaBarbadosandJamaicaareimportedandagedforfiveyearsTheresultingheartyrumisknownlocallyasscreech

DistillerStefanHafenattheWeyermannDistillery(Germany)

EUROPE

Europe is primarily a blender of imported rums Both theUnitedKingdomandFrance import rums from their formercolonies in theCaribbean foragingandbottlingHeavydarkJamaicanrumsareimportedintoGermanyandmixedwithneutralspiritata119ratiotoproducerumverschnittAsimilarproductinAustriaiscalledinlanderrum

RecipecardfromRogueDistillery

AUSTRALIA

Australiaproducesasubstantialamountofwhiteandgoldenrumsinadouble-distillationmethodutilizingbothcolumnandpotstillsRumisthesecondmostpopular alcoholic beverage in the country after beer Light rums are alsoproducedonsomeoftheislandsintheSouthPacificsuchasTahiti

ASIA

InAsia rums tend to follow regional sugarcaneproductionwithwhite andgoldenrumsfromcolumnstillsbeingproducedprimarilyinthePhilippinesandThailand

TEQUILAMEZCALANDOTHERAGAVESPIRITS

ldquoAlltequilaismezcalbutnotallmezcalistequilardquomdashTequilamarketingmantra

TEQUILA its sister spiritmezcalandotheragavespirits trace theirorigins

backatleast2000yearstowhenoneormoreoftheIndiantribesthatinhabitedwhat isnowcentralMexicodiscoveredthat the juiceof theagaveplant if leftexposed to air would ferment and turn into a milky mildly alcoholic drinkNews of this discovery spread throughout agave-growing areas The Aztecscalled this beverage octili poliqhui a name that the Spaniards subsequentlycorruptedintopulque(POOL-kay)

Blueagavetherawmaterialfortequilaandmezcal

InAztecculturepulquedrinkinghadreligioussignificanceConsumptionbythemasseswaslimitedtospecificholidayswhenlargetubsofpulqueweresetup in public squaresThe ruling elitewas not subject to the same restrictionshoweveranddrankpulque throughout theyearmdashaprivilegesharedbycaptivewarriorsjustbeforetheyweresacrificedtothegodsWhentheSpanisharrivedinMexicointheearlysixteenthcenturytheysoon

begantomakeanddrinkpulqueButthelowalcoholcontent(around3percentABV) and earthy vegetal tastemade it less popular among the conquistadorsthan European-style beers and brandies Early attempts to distill pulque wereunsuccessful and the resulting spirit was harsh and acrid It was soondiscoveredhoweverthatcookingtheagavepulpresultedinasweeterjuicethatwhenfermentedbecameknownasmezcalwineThisldquowinerdquowasthendistilledintothespiritthatweknowtodayasmezcalEarly mezcal distilleries in the Spanish colony of Mexico operated in a

mannersimilartomodern-daybrewpubsThedistillingplantwasusuallysmallanditsproductionwasconsumedprimarilyinthedistillerytavern(taberna)Asthecolonygrewthemezcalwineindustryfollowedapaceandsoonbecameanimportant source of tax revenue for the Crown Periodic attempts by Spanishbrandyproducerstoshutdownthemezcalindustrywereaboutasunsuccessfulas similar efforts by English distillers to inhibit rum production in theBritishcoloniesinNorthAmerica

THEEVOLUTIONOFTEQUILA

In 1656 the village of Tequila (named for the local Ticuilas Indians) wasgrantedacharterbythegovernorofNewGaliciaTaxrecordsofthetimeshowthatmezcalwasalreadybeingproducedintheareaThismezcalmadefromthelocalblueagaveestablishedareputationforhavingasuperiortasteandbarrelsof the ldquomezcal wine from Tequilardquo were soon being shipped to nearbyGuadalajaraandmoredistantcitiessuchasthesilver-miningboomtownsofSanLuisPotosiacuteandAguascalientesTheoldestofthestill-existingdistilleriesinTequiladatesbackto1795when

the Spanish Crown granted a distillerrsquos license to Jose Cuervo In 1805 adistillerywas established thatwould ultimately come under the control of theSauzafamilyBythemid-1800sthereweredozensofdistilleriesandmillionsofagaveplantsundercultivationaroundTequila inwhathadbecome thestateofJalisco Gradually the locally produced mezcal came to be known as tequila(justas thegrapebrandyfromtheCognacregion inFrancecametobeknownsimplyascognac)

AjimadorharvestsblueagaveformakingtequilainJaliscoMexico

MexicoachievedindependencefromSpainin1821Butuntilthe1870sitwasapoliticallyunstablecountrythatexperiencedfrequentchangesingovernmentrevolutions and a disastrouswarwith theUnited StatesMarauding bands ofsoldiers and guerillas extracted ldquorevolutionary taxesrdquo and ldquovoluntaryrdquocontributionsinkindfromthetabernasanddistilleriesIn1876ageneralnamedPorfirioDiacuteaz whowas from themezcal-producing state ofOaxaca (oah-HA-kuh) came topower andushered in a thirty-five-yearperiodof relativepeaceandstabilityknownasthePorfiriatoItwasduringthisperiodthat thetequila industrybecamefirmlyestablished

Modest exports of tequila began to the United States and Europe with JoseCuervoshippingthefirst threebarrels toElPasoTexas in1873By1910thenumber of agave distilleries in the state of Jalisco had grown to almost ahundredThe collapse of the Diacuteaz regime in 1910 led to a decade-long period of

revolutionthatinhibitedthetequilaindustryThereturnofpeaceinthe1920sledto the expansion of tequila production in Jalisco beyond the area around thetown of Tequila with growth being particularly noteworthy in the highlandsaround the village of Arandas This period also saw the adoption of modernproduction techniques from the wine industry such as cultivated yeast andmicrobiologicalsanitarypracticesIn the 1930s the practice of adding non-agave sugars to the aguamiel or

ldquohoneywaterrdquowasintroducedandquicklyadoptedbymanytequilaproducersThesemixto(mixed)tequilashadalessintensetastethan100percentblueagavetequilasButthisrelativeblandnessalsomadethemmoreappealingtononnativeconsumersparticularlythoseintheUnitedStates

THEBASISOFTEQUILAANDMEZCAL

TequilaandmezcalaremadebydistillingthefermentedjuiceofagaveplantsinMexico The agave is a spiky-leafedmember of the lily family (it is not acactus) and is related to the century plant ByMexican law the agave spiritcalled tequila can be made only from one particular type of agave the blueagave (Agave tequilana Weber) and it can be produced only in specificallydesignated geographic areas primarily the state of Jalisco in west-centralMexicoMezcalismadefromthefermentedjuiceofotherspeciesofagaveItisproducedthroughoutmostofMexico

FieldsofblueagaveinJaliscoMexico

Both tequila and mezcal are prepared for distillation in similar ways Theagave also know as maguey (pronounced muh-GAY) is cultivated onplantations for eight to ten years depending on the type of agaveWhen theplantreachessexualmaturityitstartstogrowaflowerstalkTheagavefarmerorcampesinocutsoff thestalk justas it is starting togrowThis redirects theplant growth into the central stalk swelling it into a large bulbous shape thatcontainsasweetjuicypulpWhentheswellingiscompletedthecampesinocutstheplantfromitsrootsandremovesthelongsword-shapedleavesusingarazor-sharp pike-like tool called a coa The remaining pintildea (ldquopineapplerdquomdashso-calledbecause the cross-thatched denuded bulb resembles a giant green and whitepineapple)weighsanywherefromtwenty-fivetoonehundredpoundsAt the distillery the pintildeas are cut into quarters For tequila they are then

slowly baked in steam ovens or autoclaves until all of the starch has beenconverted to sugars Formezcal they are baked in underground ovens heatedwithwoodcharcoal (whichgivesmezcal itsdistinctivesmoky taste)Theyarethencrushed(traditionallywithastonewheeldrawnaroundacirculartroughbyamule)andshreddedtoextractthesweetjuicecalledaguamiel(honeywater)

WHATBINGCROSBYANDJIMMYBUFFETTHAVEINCOMMON

Modestamountsof tequilahadbeenexported intoUSborder townssincethelatenineteenthcenturyThefirstmajorboost to tequilasales in theUnitedStates came in the late1940swhen themargarita cocktail ablendof tequilalimejuiceorangeliqueurandicewasinventedItsoriginsareuncertainbutHollywoodactorsandcocktailpartiesinCaliforniaandMexicanresortsseemtobe involved inmost of the genesis stories It is known that crooner and actorBingCrosbywassotakenwithoneparticularbrandoftequilaHerradurathatheteamedupwithfellowactorPhilHarristoimportthebrandintotheUnitedStatesThemargaritaalongwiththetequilasunriseandthetequilasourhavebecomehighlypopularintheUnitedStatesinfactitisclaimedbymanyintheliquor industry that the margarita is the single most popular cocktail in thenation In the 1970swhenballadeer JimmyBuffett sangof ldquowasting away inMargaritavillerdquothesuccessofthesongenticedmillionsmoreAmericanstosipfromthesalt-rimmedmargaritaglass

FERMENTATIONAGAVEORMIXTO

The fermentation stage determines whether the final product will be 100percent agave or mixed (ldquomixtordquo) The highest-quality tequila is made fromfermentingandthendistillingjustagavejuicemixedwithsomewaterMixtoismadeby fermentingand thendistilling amixof agave juice andother sugarsusuallycanesugarwithwaterMixtosmadeandbottledinMexicocancontainupto40percentalcoholmadefromothersugarsMixtosthathavebeenshippedinbulktoothercountriesforbottling(primarilytheUnitedStates)mayhavetheagavecontentfurtherreducedto51percentbytheforeignbottlerByMexicanlaw all 100 percent agave or aged tequilas must be bottled in Mexico If atequilais100percentagaveitwillalwayssaysoonthebottlelabelIfitdoesnrsquotsay100percentitisamixtoalthoughthattermisseldomusedonbottlelabels

Stillsusedforproducingtequila

DISTILLATIONANDAGINGOFTEQUILAANDMEZCAL

Traditionallytequilaandmezcalhavebeendistilledinpotstillsat110degproof(55percentABV)Theresultingspiritisclearbutcontainsasignificantamountof congeners and other flavor elements Some light-colored tequilas are nowbeingrectified(redistilled)incolumnstillstoproduceacleanerblanderspirit

THEBLUEAGAVESTRIKESBACK

From the1930s through the1980s thebulk of the tequila beingproducedwasoftheblendedmixtovarietyTheoriginal100percentagavetequilaswerereducedtoaminorspecialtyproductinthemarketInthelate1980stherisingsuccess of single malt Scotch whiskies and expensive cognacs in theinternationalmarketplacedidnotgounnoticedamong tequilaproducersNewbrandsof100percentblueagave tequilaswere introducedandsalesbeganasteadygrowthcurvethatcontinuestothisday

Color in tequila and mezcal comes mostly from the addition of caramelalthoughbarrelagingisafactorinsomehigh-qualitybrandsAdditionallysomedistillers add small amounts of natural flavorings such as sherry pruneconcentrateandcoconuttomanipulatetheproductrsquosflavorprofileTheseaddedflavors donot standout themselves but instead serve to smoothout theoftenhard-edgedpalateofagavespirit

Barrelssetforagingtequilainaware-housetastingroom

MEZCALANDTHEWORM

TherulesandregulationsthatgoverntheproductionandpackagingoftequiladonotapplytoagavespiritsproducedoutsideofthedesignatedareasinMexicoSome mezcal distilleries are very primitive and very small The best-knownmezcalscomefromthesouthernstateofOaxacaalthoughtheyareproducedina number of other states Eight varieties of agave are approved for mezcalproductionbut thechiefvarietyused is theespadinagave (AgaveangustifoliaHaw)

CLASSIFICATIONSOFTEQUILA

Beyond the two basic designations of tequilamdashagave and mixtomdashthere arefourcategories

ASTHEWORMTURNS

The upgrading and upscaling of tequila has in turn inspired mezcalproducers to undertake similarmeasures In the past few years an increasingnumber of high-end mezcals including some intriguing ldquosingle villagerdquobottlingshavebeenintroducedtothemarketMezcalnowseemstobecomingintoitsownasadistinctivenoteworthyspirit

Thefamousldquowormrdquofound insomebottlesofmezcal (ldquocongusanordquo) is thelarvaofoneoftwomothsthatliveontheagaveplantThereasonforaddingtheworm to thebottleofmezcal is obscureButone storywhich at least has theappealoflogictobackitupisthatthewormservesasproofofhighproofthewormremainsintactinthebottleifthepercentageofalcoholinthespiritishighenoughtopreservethepickledwormConsumingthewormwhichcanbedonewithoutharmhasservedasariteofpassageforgenerationsoffraternityboysTop-qualitymezcalsdonotincludeaworminthebottle

AbottleofAguaAzulablueagaveeaudevie

BrendanMoylanholdsupacoupleofbottlesofJBWagonerrsquos100percentBlueAgaveSpiritsinfrontofhiswell-stockedbar

NON-MEXICANAGAVESPIRITS

Federal excise tax records indicate that tequila-like agave spirits wereproducedinthe1930sinthesouthwesternUnitedStatesMorerecentlymoderncraftdistillershavebeguntoexperimentwiththeirownagavespiritssuchasJBWagonerrsquos Ultra Premium 100 percent Blue Agave Spirits by SkyrocketDistillersinTemuculaCaliforniaAguaAzulbyStGeorgeSpiritsinAlamedaCaliforniaandGoldAgavebyStJamesSpiritsinIrwindaleCalifornia

TEQUILACOCKTAILS

CLASSICMARGARITA

TakeashortglassWettherimwithlimejuicePuttheglassupsidedownincoarsesaltsothatthesaltclingstotherimInacocktailshakercombine

bull1frac12ounces(45ml)silvertequilabullfrac34ounce(23ml)TripleSecbullfrac34ounce(23ml)limejuicebullIcetofillShakeandstrainintothesalt-rimmedglassandgarnishwithalimeslice

FROZENFRUITMARGARITA

TakeashortglassWettherimwithlimejuiceandputtheglassupsidedownin coarse salt so salt clings to the rim (this step is optional) Combine theingredients for the ClassicMargarita in a blender with very ripe fruit (6 to 7ounces[170to200g]freshor4ounces[115g]frozen)Add34cupiceBlenduntilsmoothandpourintotheglass

TEQUILASUNRISEFillatallglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)silvertequilabullOrangejuicealmosttofillSlowlypourfrac12ounce (15ml)grenadine syrupover the top (As it trickles

downitcreatestheldquosunriserdquoeffect)

LIQUEURSSCHNAPPSANISEANDBITTERS

LIQUEURSschnappsaniseandbittersaretermsthatcoverawidevariety

of types of spirits What they all share in common is that they are flavoredspirits

LIQUEURS

Also known as cordials liqueurs are sweet flavor-infused spirits that arecategorized according to the flavoring agent (fruits nuts herbal and spiceblends creams and such)Theword liqueur comes from theLatin liquifacere(ldquotodissolverdquo)andreferstothedissolvingofflavoringsinthespiritsArtificialflavoringsarestrictlyregulatedinmostcountriesandwhereallowedtheymustbeprominentlylabeledassuch

BLENDEDFAMILIES

AllliqueursareblendseventhosewithaprimaryflavorAtouchofvanillais added to cregraveme de cacao to emphasize the chocolate Citrus flavor notessharpen the presentation of anise Herbal liqueurs may contain dozens ofdifferent flavor elements that a master blender manipulates to achieve thedesiredflavorprofile

MasterdistillerTedHuberpoursatHuberStarlightDistillery

Top-qualityliqueursareproducedbydistillationofeitherthefermentedflavormaterials or the spirit in which they have been infused Many liqueurs usefinishedspiritssuchascognacrumorwhiskeyas theirbaseOthersmaceratefruitorotherflavoringsinaneutralspiritCregravemes(cregravemedementhecregravemedecacao etc) are liqueurswith a primary flavor while cream liqueurs combinedairycreamandalcoholinahomogenizedshelf-stableblend

LabelforCoffeeLiqueurbyMcMenaminsEdgefieldDistillery

Liqueurs are not usually aged for any great length of time but they mayundergo resting stages during their production to allow the various flavors toldquomarryrdquointoaharmoniousblendLiqueurscanbehardtoclassifybutregardlessofflavortheycanbebroadly

dividedintotwocategoriesGenericsareliqueursofaparticulartype(cregravemedecacaoorcuraccedilaoforexample)hatcanbemadebyanyproducerProprietariesare liqueurs with trademarked names that are made according to a specificformula Examples of such liqueurs include Kahluacutea Grand Marnier andSouthernComfort

AvanWeesDeOoievaarfruitliqueurfromtheNetherlands

SCHNAPPS

Schnapps is a general term used for an assortment of white and flavoredspiritsthathaveoriginatedinnortherncountriesorregionssuchasGermanyorScandinavia Schnapps can bemade from grain potatoes ormolasses and beflavoredwith virtually anything (watermelon and root beer schnapps from theUnited States being proof of that) The dividing line between schnapps andflavoredvodkaisvagueandismoreculturalthanstylistic

ANISE-FLAVOREDSPIRITS

These spirits can vary widely in style depending on the country of originThey can be dry or very sweet low or high proof distilled from fermentedaniseedormaceratedinneutralspiritInFranceanis(asproducedbyPernod)isproducedbydistillinganiseanda

varietyofotherbotanicalstogetherPastisismaceratedratherthandistilledandcontainsfewerbotanicalsthananisInItalysambucaisdistilledfromaniseandbotanicals but it is thenheavily sweetened tomake it a liqueurOil of fennel(alsoknownasgreenanise)isfrequentlyaddedtoboostthearomaofthespiritGreecehasadriergrappa-likeliqueurcalledouzowhichisstylisticallyclosetopastis

TangerineCelloandSpicyGingerorganicliqueursfromNewDealDistillery

RosolisZiolowyGorzki(stomachbitters)fromtheLancutDistilleryinPoland

BITTERS

The modern-day descendents of medieval medical potions bitters aremarketed as having at least some vaguely therapeutic value (stomach settlershangover cures and so on) They tend to be flavored with herbs roots andbotanicalsandcontainlowerquantitiesoffruitandsugarthanliqueursAlthoughtherearespecialtyliqueurproducersmostbrandsareproducedby

generalditillersaspartofanextendedproductlineAmongthenewgenerationof craft distillers some of the standout liqueur producers include LeopoldBrothersDistilleryofDenverColoradowith theiruniquewhiskey-based fruitliqueurs (the RockyMountain Blackberry is particularly noteworthy) and theFlagHillDistillery inLeeNewHampshirewith theirdelicately tingedSugarMapleLiqueur

LabelforJohnnyZieglerBlackForestStyleAppleAuxPommeSchnapsEaudeViebyWinegardenEstateinNewBrunswickCanada

LabelforBlackberryLiqueurbyClearCreekDistillery

ABSINTHEMAKESTHEHEARTGROWFONDER

AbsintheVertebyStGeorgeSpirits

Modernpastisisthegenteeldescendentofitsmuchmoreraffishnineteenth-century ancestor absinthe a high (sometimes very high) proof anise liquor(technically not a liqueur because no sugar is added) that included extract ofwormwoodinitslistofbotanicalsWormwoodcontainsthechemicalcompoundthujonewhose allegedpsychedelic effectsmadeabsinthe very popular amongtheldquoBohemianrdquocountercultureartistsand intellectualsofFranceandEurope(Vincent vanGogh andOscarWildewere devotees of what was termed ldquoTheGreenFairyrdquo)ConverselysocialconservativesandprohibitionistscampaignedagainstitasthecrackcocaineofthedayandeventuallygotitoutlawedinmostEuropeancountriesandtheUnitedStatesModernscientificanalysishasfoundthujonersquospsychedelicpotencytobeatbestgreatlyexaggerated

LeTourmentVertFrenchAbsinthebyBrunoDelannoyofDistillerieVinetEge

Forbiddenfruitisalwaysappealingandstartinginthe1990sabsinthewhichcontinued to be commercially produced in Eastern Europe slowly started toreturn to the general marketplace initially in ldquothujone-freerdquo versions fromFrance and Switzerland and more recently from an increasing number ofAmerican craft distillers suchasNorthShoreDistilling inLakeBluff Illinoisand St George Distilling in Alameda California One thing that has notchangedaboutabsintheisitshighalcoholcontent

AbsintheVertebyLeopoldBros

ARTISANPROFILEINSIDETHEINDUSTRY

PHILPRICHARD

PrichardrsquosDistilleryKelsoTennessee

PHILPRICHARDwasstillworkingin telecomsales inMemphiswhenhereadtheclassicTheLoreofStillBuildingandstartedteachinghimselftomakerumHis first sale came in March of 2001 (thirty cases for $2929) It was the

product of four years of work His initial plan was to make a product fromTennessee sorghum but he learned that rumhad to come from sugarcaneHewasnrsquot discouraged ldquoThe transition was rather easy By that time I hadresearchedthehistoryofAmericanrumandwejustslidintothenewprofileItfitverywellrdquoSoontractor-trailerloadsofmolasseswerebeingdriveninWhatsets Prichardrsquos apart from other rum is the use of first-grade sweetmolassesrather than blackstrap Using better molasses ldquofocused our attention on theproductionofatraditionalAmericanrumrdquosaidPrichardBlackstrapaswellasbeingusedtomakerumisputoncattleandhorsefeedandPrichardsaidldquoInAfricatheyputitontheroadstokeepthedustdownItrsquos32percentsugarand68percentLordknowswhatrdquoEd Hamiltonmdashnoted scholar author and keeper ofMinistryof Rumcommdash

saidldquoByusingahigh-grademolassesastherawmaterialhereducestheneedto distill to a high proof in order to reduce the sulfur compounds that are thedistillerrsquos banerdquo The results are evident ldquoPhil hasmanaged to dowhatmostmolassesdistillersonlywishtheycoulddordquosaidHamiltonldquodistillagoodwhiterumandmakeitdrinkablewithoutagingitPhilmakesanimpressivelysmoothwhiterumthathasnrsquotbeenagedyetretainsthecoconutandbutterscotchflavorsthatareitssignaturerdquoPrichard takes some of this white rum and barrels itWhile the rest of the

industry saves money aging their product in used fifty-two-gallon whiskeybarrels Prichard ages his rum in new small barrels of fifteen gallons Thisprovidesmoresurfaceareaforthespirittointeractwiththecharredoakanditdevelopsseriousflavorsnot typicallyfoundinarumagedfor just threeyearsHamiltonhadmorepraiseldquoPrichardrsquosFineRumisanothergreatexampleofthesmalldistillerrsquosartTherelativelylowdistillationproofandhighbarrelsurfaceareatovolumeyieldarumthatremindstheimbiberoftheotherspiritsforwhichTennesseeismorewellknownrdquoPrichard is expanding He bought bourbon from Heaven Hill in Kentucky

ageditagaininnewbarrelsandbottleditasDoubleBarrelBourbonFinishingbourbonthiswayisrare(BeamandBuffaloTracehavebothexperimentedwithit) and Double Barrel Bourbon was well received Building a distillery ldquowasdifficult beyond imagination Building a nationwide distribution network hasbeenourgreatestchallengeandthemostcostlyrdquoRegardlessofthechallengesPrichardmoveseverforwardInMarchof2009thedistillerybeganproducingitsownwhiskey

CHAPTEREIGHT

AGALLERYOFARTISANDISTILLERS

ldquoDrinkingyoungwhiskey is something that isdoneonly instillhousesandbarsinItalyLetyourspiritmaturetoaproperdegreeofripenessrdquo

ndashMichaelJacksoncritiquinganearlyexampleofcraftdistilledwhiskey

WhenIowafloodedJeffQuintoftheCedarRidgeDistilleryfilledhisstillwithwatertokeepitfromfloatingawayinthedeluge

THERE is a spirit revolutionhappening in theUnitedStates one thatwillchange theentirespirit industryDistillerswithan intensepassionfor thecraftlay their hearts souls and economic futures on the line for the purpose ofmakingtheidealliquidspiritThesesmallcompaniessometimesrunbyoneortwopeoplecreateavarietyofspiritstoonumeroustomentioninasinglebreathTheircreationsandblendsarenolessvaluableorquality-driventhanbignamebrandssomeevenmoresoThesenichespiritshavetheadvantageofcreativitythat expands the scopeofwhat the liquor industryhas tooffernotonly to theUSbuttotheworldThesemicro-distillerslackthenamerecognitionandthefundingthatbignamecompaniesusetohelpmarkettheirproductsbutsomeofthemwillbecomethehouseholdnamesofthefuturemdashjustasJackDanielsandJohnnyWalkerdistillersfromthepasthavebecomeinourtime

-AdaptedfromCheriLoughlinrsquosIntoxicologistblogwwwintoxicologistwordpresscom

FOREWORD

THESECONDWhiskeyRebellionishappeningintheUnitedStatesandit

isalreadyspreadingaroundtheworldInthismarvelousbookBillOwensAlanDiktyandtheircontributorsmdashlikeintrepidwarcorrespondentsmdashtakeyoutothefront lines You will find here an up-to-the-minute report on the excitementcreativityandbrashenthusiasmoftheUnitedStatesrsquocraftdistillers

DetailofthefermentingprocessofmakingbourbonWoodfordReserveDistillery

I have known Bill Owens since his early involvement in the USrsquosmicrobrewing renaissance He was one of the movementrsquos most ferventinnovatorsHisownachievementsaremanyandhisenthusiasmfor thewholewild explosionofbrewingcreativity is evidenced inhisobvious enjoymentofthesuccessesofhisbrewingcolleaguesThe craft-brewing renaissance of course began in the 1960s By the early

rsquo90s it was inevitable that it would evolve into a craft-distilling renaissanceAnd so Bill and his cohorts are at it again now celebrating a small-distilleryrevolutionandthevarietyandcreativitythatisspringingupeverywhereYeswenow have ldquocraftrdquo whiskey distillers experimenting with all facets of graindistillingAndaswiththebrewingrevolutiontheconsumerreapstherewardsWe are entering a golden age for the spirits lover and The Art of DistillingWhiskey andOther Spirits An Enthusiastrsquos Guide to the ArtisanDistilling ofPotentPotablesisanindispensableguidebooktoitsbeginnings

CharringoakbarrelsatBluegrassCooperage

Where did the craft-distilling phenomenon originate You could say that itcamedownfromthemountainswherepot-distilledwhiskeysmadebyhandmdashinsecretfoldsmdashhaveneverentirelydisappearedOryoucouldsaythatitcameupfrom the vineyards and orchardswhere formany years there has been a tinycraft-distilling segment of superb hand-crafted fruit brandies and eaux-de-vieJustknowthatasecondWhiskeyRebellionisuponusandthatit ishappeningright now in a little building near you And if you have picked up this bookalready knowing about the great food awakening and hoping for a guide todistillingyouhavefounditWhat particularly fascinates me about the distillation of alcohol is the

enduringmysterysurroundingitsoriginsDistillationitselfisaphysicalartwitha longmdashand colorfulmdashhistory And the distilling of all sorts of materials formyriadpurposesisanancientprocessButwhendidtheproductionofdistilledspirits as a beverage beginYou arewelcome to your opinion and good luckfindinganyonetoagreewithyouNomatterwhatyouthinkIencourageyoutosavor the eternal enigma that is embodied in a distilled spirit It is a form ofmagic to take fruit or grain ferment it put it in a pot heat it and make itdisappearentirelyandthenwatchitreappeardropbydropasaclearvolatilealmostetherealliquidAnditisadangerousliquidmdashdonotkidyourselfItcancatchfireitcanexplodeandabusingitcanruinlivesItispowerfulmysteriousstuff surely one reason that it captures the imagination of the producers andconsumersswirlingandswillingaroundthecurrentawakeningSo drink deep of Bill and Alanrsquos guide get on the road with them go

exploring and learning and enjoybeing an earlyparticipant in themovementAnd takemyword for it as a distiller of whiskey since the secondWhiskeyRebellionrsquosfirstshotldquoHeadswewintailswewinrdquo

FritzMaytagAnchorDistilling

SanFranciscoApril2009

INTRODUCTION

ASAYOUNGMANinthe1970sIhadlonghairaVolkswagenBeetlea

hip wife and a career as a newspaper photographer I also published fourphotographymonographsincludingtheclassicSUBURBIA(stillinprint)andIreceived a Guggenheim Fellowship in photography and three NationalEndowment for theArtsgrantsMydreamwas towork forLIFEmagazineorNationalGeographic and I ended up stringing for the Associated Press andcoveredtheHellrsquosAngelsbeatingpeoplewithpoolcuesatAltamontWhileallthiswashappeningIwashomebrewinginthegarageBy the1980swhen I reachedmiddleage Ihada flattop sold theVWand

camerasand lostawonderfulwife In1982Iopened thefirstbrewpubin theUnited States Buffalo Billrsquos Brewery in Hayward California The beer wasgood My pumpkin ale is still being brewed by many breweries My publicimagewasldquocolorfulrdquoandthenewsmedialovedmeIstartedbelievingmyownpressclipsIopenedtwomorebrewpubsandlaunchedapublicstockofferingtofundthebuildingofalarge-scaleproductionbreweryItallseemedlikeagoodidea at the time It was after all ldquoMorning in Americardquo Reagan was in the

WhiteHouseandtheoperativephraseforthetimeswasldquoGreedisgoodrdquoIwantedsuccessmoneyIhadthreebrewpubsIgrossedamilliondollarsthat

yearbutIhadtopaysixtyemployeesandendedupwithnoprofitThingsdonrsquotalwaysworkoutasyoudreamThestockofferingnevergotoffthegroundandonebyonethebrewpubsweresoldoffwithBuffaloBillrsquosbeingthelasttogoButIrsquollalwayshaveAlimonyAle(ldquoThebitterestbeerinAmericardquo)By the 1990s I had gray hair and a new wife and I was publishing two

magazinesAmericanBrewerandBEERTheMagazineOnceagainmytimingwasgoodandtheAmericanBrewer rodethefirstgreatwaveofcraftbrewingThingswere lookinggreatbut financially the twomagazines turnedout tobenot such a great idea I soon stopped publishing BEER and sold AmericanBrewerSoonafter theAARPmailingsstartedshowingupand Iopenedanantique

store That venture lasted six months Then my agent sold some SUBURBIAphotographstoEltonJohngivingmeenoughmoneyfora(used)Lexusandthecash fora three-month tripacrossAmerica so I ranawayfromhomeOn thistrip I decided to visit some craft distilleries Iwas intrigued and the creativejuices started to flow again When I returned to California I founded theAmerican Distilling Institute (ADI) In 2003 I held the first ADI distillingconferenceatStGeorgeHangarOneDistilleryandsomeeightypeopleshowedupIn2007 Idecided tomakeanother tripacrossAmericaAgain the tripwas

fundedby sellingphotographs tomuseums anassortmentof art galleries andfriendsintheUnitedStatesandinEuropeThissecondtrip(21000miles)tookfourmonthsandfromfifty-threeDVDsofimagesweselectedahundredorsoforthisbookBy2009theADIdatabasecontained1246namesofwhich205aremembersandofthose165arecraftdistillersThefuturefortheindustryisbrightMoreandmorepeoplewanttolearntheartofcraftdistillingTheywantto learn how to run small businesses selling their handcrafted products to thepublicMyrecentldquohow-tordquobookCraftWhiskeyDistillinghassold300copiesinthreemonthsThecraftdistillingindustryisreallyaboutlifestylePeopletakegreatpridein

producingtheirproductsThisbookisalookatcraftdistillersandtherestofthewhiskeyrumvodkaandginindustryIstillhaveafootinbothcampsphotographyanddistillationButifIhadto

chooseitrsquodbedistillingbecauseitrsquosawayoflifeSpecial thanks toAlanDikty the editor of this book and a personal friend

AlanhasbeenwithmeasafriendandwriterforsomethirtyyearsAlanknowsspiritsAbigthank-youalsotoAndrewFaulknerphotographerandphotoeditorforthisbook

BillOwensHaywardCalifornia

March2009

AUTHORrsquoSNOTEONSPELLING

For reasons that have yet to be adequately explained American and Irishdistillers spell the word whiskey with an e while their Scotch CanadianJapaneseandNewZealandpeersspellwhiskywithoutit

CHAPTERONE

ABRIEFHISTORYOFDISTILLING

SINCEtheearliestknownuseofdistillationabout5000yearsagopractice

ofthearthasgrownandspreadaroundtheworldinseveralwavesthespeedandextent of each being dictated by geography trade routes and cultural andreligious influences Each successive wave gave rise to significant technicaladvances in distillation making it less expensive more efficient and morecontrollable

VeryFineWhiskeybottlecircathe1920sThisvintagebottlewasacquiredatafleamarketthenfilledwithOldForrester

PossiblytheearliestwrittenrecordofdistillationisintheEpicofGilgameshwhich describes a formof essential oil distillation practiced inBabylon as farback as 3000 BCE Herbs were placed in a large heated cauldron of boilingwater and the cauldronrsquos opening was covered with a sheepskin fleece sidedownPeriodically thesheepskinwaschangedandthecondensatesoakingthefleecewaswrungoutintoasmalljarEssentialoilsfloatedtothesurfaceofthewatercollected in the jarandwereskimmedoffMedieval textsandwoodcutsshowthesameprinciplebeingusedtoconcentratealcoholicvaporsfromboilingwine(IncidentallythisissimilarinprincipletoamethodthatthePhoeniciansusedforconsumingcannabis)

DISTILLINGMIGRATESEASTANDWEST

By 500BCE alcohol distillationwas an established industry in the ancientIndian area known as Taxila (in modern northwest Pakistan) wherearcheologistsdiscoveredaperfectlypreservedterra-cottadistillationsystemInthisprocess steam rising fromapotofboilingwaterpassed throughabedoffermented grains picking up alcohol and flavors from the grains The vaporsthen struck the bottom of a second pot filled with cold water where theycondensedanddrippedintoacollectiontubeFromTaxila knowledge spread to theEast and theWest andby350BCE

knowledgeofthedistillingprocessappearedinthewritingofAristotleinGreeceand Sinedrius in Libya The first arrival of distillation technology inChina ismisty but by 25CE bronze stills of similar designwere being produced andusedthereBytheendofthefirstmillenniumCEthepracticeofdistillationhadspread

throughout northern Africa and the Middle East The process had advancedsignificantlyoverthisthousand-yearperiodandthematerialbeingdistilledwasnowboileddirectlyinalargesealedpotwhichhadalongtubeleadingfromitsapextoasmallcollectionjarWhentheMoorsinvadedSpaintheybroughtthistechnologywiththemandsoonthegenie(orspirit)wasoutof thebottleThetechnologyspreadfromSpaintoItalyin1100CEandwasrecordedinIrelandby 1200 Germany by 1250 and France by 1300 England Scotland PolandRussiaandSwedenjoinedtheclubby1400

DISTILLINGTECHNOLOGYEVOLVES

EuropeanexplorationandconquestspreadrapidlyaroundtheworldcarryingthetechnologyofdistillationwithitThefirststillsintheAmericasappearednotlong after the conquistadores and the Portuguese brought the technology toJapanby1500This technologywas largely controlled by alchemists andmonasterieswho

continuouslyexperimentedandimprovedontheequipmentBythemid-1600sseveraltextshadbeenpublishedonthesubjectofdistillationasampleofwhichincludedthewoodcutsonthisspreadfromTheArtofDistillationbyJonathanFrench(1651)AsthisinformationspreadbeyondclericalandscientificcircleswealthyindividualsbegantoestablishstillhousesontheirestatesAs knowledge blossomed throughout theRenaissance distillation continued

to develop rapidly Distillation was removed from the exclusive province ofscientists monks and professionals and became a common household artRecipebooksabounded

ThesewoodcutsfromTheArtofDistillationbyJonathanFrench(1651)showasmallpartofthewidevarietyofformsdistillingequipmenthadtakenbytheseventeenthcenturyTwokeyimprovementsareshownmultipledistillationsinonesetup(onestillfeedingintothenext)topofpageandanimprovedvaporcondenser(acoiloftubingknownasaldquowormrdquoinabarrelofcoldwater)belowandoppositepage

ldquoThere is more refreshment and stimulation in a nap even of thebriefestthaninallthealcoholeverdistilledrdquo

mdashOvid(ancientRomanclassicalpoetandnotoriouswetblanketatbacchanals43ndash17BCE)Bythe1700sthecomplexityandsophisticationofcommercial-scaledistilling

equipmentadvancedrapidlyAdvancesintheunderstandingofhowdistillationactuallyworked led to new still designs that couldmake better quality spiritsmoreeasilyandfasterthaninthepastDistillingbecamemoreaccessibletothemasses and the monopoly held by the church and the elite classes wasthreatenedThesecentersofpower soonenacted restrictions at first toprotectthatmonopolyandlaterpurelyforrevenue

GEORGEWASHINGTONANDGERRYMANDERING

ItiswellknownthatGeorgeWashingtonwasadistillerWhatislesswellknownisthatthelawshecraftedsetthedistinctionbetweentheheavilytaxedsmalldistillersandthelightlytaxedlargedistillersthelinebeingdrawnjustbelowthesizeofhisdistilleryPoliticsworkedinmuchthesamewaythenasitdoestoday

TheGeorgeWashingtonstillrecreationattheMountVernonDistilleryinMountVernonVirginia

REGULATIONANDREBELLION

Since1700theregulationandcontrolofdistillationhasbeenmostlyastoryoflostfreedomsandrightsAfewraysofsunshinehavesincepokedthroughthecloudsTheelite andgovernmentsofEurope tried repeatedly to exploit andcontrol

distillationInEnglandforexamplethefirsttaxationofcommercialdistillationappearedin1690topayforawarwithFrancePrivatedistillationwasexemptedfrom this tax and it remained free from interference as taxes and regulationswere raised lowered abolished and resurrectedover thenext centuryPrivatedistillation in England flourished and grew significantly during this time (andperhapsnota littleof thisproduct found itsway intocommercialchannelsviathe back door) until it was outlawed in 1781 to enhance the collection ofrevenueThemassiveGinCrazeofearlyeighteenth-centuryGreatBritainhaditsrootsinpartinthisunfetteredspreadofdistillation

BlueprintofaSimpleStill

a)SteamjacketHeatsthepotandthewashb)PotHoldsthewashc)SwanNeckAllowsforseparationofthecomponentsofthemixtured)TubeinShellCondenserCondensesthealcoholvaporsinspiritse)SpigotThevaporsarecollectedfromaspigotatthebottomofthecondenser

ThreestrippingstillsandaspiritstillmadefromstainlesssteeldrumsattheNewDealDistillery

TheUnitedStatesgovernmentrsquosfirstattempttotaxdistillationresultedintheWhiskey Rebellion of 1791 which was put down by federal troops led byGeorgeWashington(whowasbroughtoutofretirementfortheconflict)FederalexcisetaxeswereabolishedaftertheendoftheWarof1812onlyto

beimposedduringtheCivilWarinthe1860s(andcontinuetothisday)Napoleon introduced regulation in France The laws variedwidely over the

nextcenturybutstabilizedin1914whentherightwasgrantedtoanyonewithavineyard or orchard to distill up to 20 liters of spirits from their fruit if theyagreedtopayataxThisrightwasoriginallyinheritablebutthatwasrevokedinthe 1950s This system led to the development of traveling stills known asbouilleurs de cru which were once very common sights in the FrenchcountrysideBecausethenumberofpermittedindividualshasshrunkwitheverypassingyearveryfewofthesemobiledistilleriesremainAustralians lost their right to distill their ownbeverages in the aftermathof

WorldWarIagainasarevenuemeasureMany African Latin American and southern European nations have

continuedtoallowprivatedistillationunderawidevarietyofrulesrangingfromnone through inspection of stills to onerous regulations and high taxation Ingeneral traditional alcoholic beverages are made in most farmhouses usingtraditional equipment (mostlypot stills ofvarious forms)without anyadverseeffectsonsocietyThemostrecentandhopefulchangeintheglobalregulationofdistillationwas

the legalization of private noncommercial distilling byNewZealand in 1996TheNewZealandgovernment found that the expenseof enforcing thebanonprivatedistillationfaroutweighedtherevenuecomingfromfinessothelawwasabolishedThischangeledtowidespreadadoptionofsmall-scaledistillingasahobby and as hobbyists always will they experimented with equipment andtechniques continuously Many significant innovations have been developedmaking small-scale distilling equipment more available much less expensiveandverymucheasiertocontrolthananythingthatcamebefore

FUTURETRENDS

Just as the appearance of microbreweries followed the renaissance ofhomebrewing increasing thechoicesand levelofquality for allbeerdrinkersmicrodistilleries are starting to thrive around theworld someusing traditionalequipmentbutmanyusingnewequipmentmethodsandtechniquesdevelopedbythenewly liberatedhomedistillersManyof thesemodernsmalldistilleriesareexperimentingwithnew typesandcategoriesof spirits creatingnovel andsometimesuniquelylocalspirits

MOONSHINE

As surely as thunder follows lightning whiskey follows beer and in the1980sthescentofwhiskeychargedtheairlikeanapproachingstorm

THEPROSPECTofmakingwhiskeyginryebrandyandotherflavorsomespirits at home is enough tomake somemodern cocktail enthusiasts and craftbrewersgrowglint-eyedEversoquietlythemoreadventuresomeofthemhavebegun tending home-sized stills to make the smallest-batch American spiritssince the Prohibition days of stove-top alky cookers Unlike unscrupulousproducers whomade rotgut that could blind cripple and occasionally kill itsdrinkersmanyoftodayrsquoshomedistillershaveadoptedhigh-techequipmentandacodeofhonorthatostracizesthosewhotrytoselltheirmakingsBecausethesedistillers are running the very best they can for their immediate friends andfamiliestheresultscanbespectacularlygood

AtombstonethatwasusedduringProhibitionforstashingmoonshinenearMorgantownWestVirginia

Theability to createpersonal stocksof liquor fromscratch falls squarely inthe modern mixologistrsquos pursuit of making what canrsquot easily be hadmdashrealgrenadinefromactualpomegranatesginger-spikedfalernumJamaicarsquospimentodramasuckerpunchofallspiceandrumandpotentaromatichousebittersmdashbutall tunedto theirpersonal tastesWhenitcomestomakingthebasespiritsforthosebittersitcouldnrsquotbeeasiermdashorcheaper

Moonshinestilldismantled

BUTISITLEGAL

Making bitters and falernum from pre-distilled spirits is entirely legalHoweverunlicenseddistillersoperatingunregistered stillsviolateanumberoffederal state and local laws but a lack of permits hasnrsquot stopped would-bedistillers from buying and building personal stills in increasing numbers sincethemid-1990sSomeofthemarecontentwithverysmoothvodkawhileothersembrace the entire concept of artisanal production and are creating fantasticsmall-batchspiritsusingthebestingredientstheycanaffordRunningthesetinybatcheswith yields of just a few liters is a practice some have callednano-distilling

DIRTTRACKDISTILLING

Students of American popular culture know that moonshine whiskey andNASCARgotogetherlikeactorBurtReynoldsandmusclecarsStartingin1973with the movie White Lightning Reynolds made a career of portrayingSoutherngoodolrsquoboysdeliveringmoonshineinfastcarswhileoutrunningthelocalsheriffThereal-lifeinspirationforsuchcinemacharacterswasRobertGlenJohnson

Jr (born in 1931 in Wilkes County North Carolina) better known as JuniorJohnsonJohnsonwasamoonshinerintheruralSouthwhobecameoneoftheearlysuper-starsofNASCARinthe1950sandrsquo60sJohnson grew up on a farm and developed his driving skills running

moonshineas a youngmanHe consistently outranandoutwitted local policeand federal agents in auto chases and he was never caught while deliveringmoonshine to customers Johnson became something of a legend in the ruralSouthwherehisdrivingexpertiseandldquooutlawrdquoimageweremuchadmiredJohnson is credited with inventing the ldquobootleg turnrdquo in which a driver

escapesapursuerbysharplyputtinghisspeedingcarintoa180-degreeturnonthehighway thenspeedingoff in theoppositedirectionbeforehispursuercanturn around Johnson was also known to use police lights and sirens to foolpoliceroadblocksintothinkingthathewasafellowpolicemanuponhearinghisapproachthepolicewouldquicklyremovetheroadblocksallowingJohnsontoescapewithhismoonshineIn 1955 Johnson decided to give up delivering moonshine for the more

lucrative(andlegal)careerofbeingaNASCARdriverUnfortunately the ldquoRevenuesrdquo had not forgotten Junior In 1956 federal

agentsfoundJohnsonworkingathisfatherrsquosmoonshinestillandarrestedhimJohnsonwasconvictedofmoonshiningandwassenttofederalprisonwhereheservedelevenmonthsofatwo-yearsentenceHereturnedtotheNASCARscenein1958andpickedupwhereheleftoffHewentontowinfiftyNASCARracesinhiscareerbeforeretiringin1966In 1965 writer Tom Wolfe wrote an article about Johnson in Esquire

magazine The article originally titled ldquoGreat Balls of Firerdquo turned JohnsonintoanationalcelebrityandledtofamebeyondhiscircleofNASCARfansInturn the articlewasmade into a 1973movie based on Johnsonrsquos career as adriverandmoonshiner titledTheLastAmericanHeroJeffBridges starredas

the somewhat fictionalized version of Johnson and Johnson himself served astechnicaladvisorforthefilm

APOScardadvertisingJuniorJohnsonrsquosMidnightMoonbyPiedmontDistillers

MorerecentlyJohnsonrsquosfamilyhaslicensedtheJuniorJohnsonnameforusein promoting a legal distilled product Junior JohnsonrsquosMidnightMoon fromPiedmontDistillersinMadisonNorthCarolina

LabelforMountainMoonshinebyMysticMountainDistillery

ApostcardfromTempletonRyeldquoProhibitionEraWhiskeyrdquo

DONrsquoTTRYTHISATHOME

(NudgeNudgeWinkWinkSayNoMore)

SoonafternationalProhibitionbeganinthe1920sapersoncouldwalkintovirtuallyanygrocerystoreintheUnitedStatesandfindforsalebrick-sizeblocksof compressed raisinsbound togetherwithcondensedgrape juiceAttached tothe block was a small container of dried yeast The wrapping contained thefollowingtext

WARNING

Donotdissolve thisfruitbrick inwarmwaterandthenaddthecontentsof theyeastpacket as this will result in fermentation and the creation of alcohol the production ofwhichisillegal

NeedlesstosaythelocalAampPsoldalotoffruitbrickswhileProhibitionwas

inforceTraditionalmoonshinestartsoutwiththeproductionandfermentationofwhat

isbasicallyasimplebeerTraditionalistswouldcreateamashofgroundcornhotwaterandenoughmaltedbarleytoprovidesufficientenzymestoconvertthestarch in the grains into simple sugars Once the starch conversion wascompleteyeastwasaddedtothemashwiththeresultingfermentationturningthesugarsintoalcoholThefermentedmashwouldthenbeboiledinthepotstilltodistilloffthealcoholAlas times and moonshine are not what they used to be Modern

moonshiners tend toskip thegrainmashingandgodirectly to fermentationbydissolvingregularsugarinwarmwaterfermentingthesugarwaterwithbakerrsquosyeast and then distilling off the resulting alcohol The results are spiritmuchinferior to a distilled grain spirit and ultimately an arrestedmoonshiner TheAlcoholandTobaccoTaxandTradeBureau (TTBalsoknownasldquotheFedsrdquo)keeps track of the sale of large quantities of bulk sugar particularly in ruralareaswithapasthistoryofmoonshiningYouhavebeenwarned

Whiskeyiswhatbeerwantstobewhenitgrowsup

VirginiaLightningCornWhiskeybyBelmontFarm

Despiteanuptickinamateurdistillingandagreaterwillingnessamongsometotalkmoreopenlyaboutthecraftthelonghistoryofsecretiveandsometimesviolentmoonshiningmeansthatuntilrecentlyreliableinformationwasscarceand difficult to verify That situation is rapidly changing and distillers fromcuriousnovices toaccomplishedhomeartisansare far fromisolatedanymoreIn less than a generation theyrsquove learned to talk to each other pool theirknowledgeandaskevermorenuancedquestionsaboutbuildingandoperatingarangeofstills

MODERNldquoMOONSHINERSrdquo

Thecurrentinterestamonghobbyistdistillersincreatingfirst-rateliquorsandthe general wholesome quality of their products tracks primarily to threeconvergenttrends

1)Craftbrewers2)NewZealand3)TheInternet

CRAFTBREWERS

Craftbrewersarenotsimplythefirstonestostudyhowtomakeoutstandingsmall-batchspiritstheyarealsogoingtoshapethefaceofmicro-andpersonaldistillingBrewers have alreadymastered three key skills how to collaboratehowtoorganizeandhowtodrivelegislationThe current interest in distilling among brewers is so widespread that it is

virtuallyimpossibletotalktocraftbrewerswhoarenrsquotalreadydistillingonthesly or working on permits or know someone who is One erstwhile brewerframed his transition from beer to liquorwith this aphorismWhiskey iswhatbeerwantstobewhenitgrowsup

ChuckMillerstandsinfrontofhispotstillatBelmontFarmDistilleryoneofadozendistilleriesintheUnitedStatedproducingalegalmoonshineproduct

DistillerBenFrisstandsnexttoacus-tom-builtone-of-a-kindpotstillatNewHollandBrewingandDistilling

Makingbeerathomehasbeengoingonformostofthetwentiethcenturybutitrsquosonlybeenlegalonafederallevelsince1978Foradecadeorsoafteritwaspermittedhomebrewers(intheUnitedStates)exploredallkindsofbeerandalestyles they could not purchase through their local stores They perfected theirtechniques competed against each other in regional and national contestspublishedtheirpersonalrecipesgaveoutawardstotheirpeersandlaterputthatknowledgetousebyopeningbrewpubsandmicrobrewerieseverywhereHomebrew supply shops everywhere were selling hops malts specialty

grainscarboysesotericscientificequipmentandlab-culturedyeaststotensofthousandsofhomebrewers tryinggood-naturedly tobesteachother in roundsofMyBeerIsBetterThanYoursBy the1990s somebrewerswerepushing the limitsof theirequipmentand

ingredientsbecomingessentiallynovicedistillersTheirhomemaderigslookedpretty much the same as brewing equipment The ingredients were the sameTheywere learning on pot stills because for hundreds of years variations onthat model had been the choice of folk distilling Most of what a casualresearcher found in popular culture referenceswere the big copper pumpkin-shaped boilers of a style that would have been familiar to eighteenth-centuryfarmersAs brewers they already knew about grains malt yeast enzymes ideal

fermentationtemperaturesfiltrationsystemsandthewaterprofilesthatleadtogreat-tastingbeveragesSomehadcometobelievethattheonlythingstoppingthem from havingwhiskeywas toomuchwater Because they had developedwidespread networks for sharing information alreadymdashbooks magazinescontests clubs festivals newsletters and rudimentary online newsgroupsmdashquestionsbegantocirculateabouthowbesttoremovethatexcesswaterSharing critiquing and judgingwere an entrenched part of the culture that

wasstartingtotakeupwhathadlongbeenasecretpracticeAnonymousonlineforums were ideal tools for vetting home-distilling questions Unlike the oldAppalachian moonshiners modern distillers with homebrewing backgroundswerealreadyusedtotalkingtoeachotheronlineandinperson

NEWZEALAND

Because few of the twentieth-century books on moonshining held muchpractical information on techniques for building and operating stills amateurdistillers without a family history in such matters learned by trial and errorThen in 1996NewZealand lawmakers scrapped legislation forbidding homedistillation InAustralasiaanexplosionof interestand innovation specificallyaround design for home-size stills that veered off from traditional stylesreverberatedwidely

AcopperstillfromCopperMoonshineStillscom(asseeninthemovieTheDukesofHazzard)

Local distilling enthusiasts were studying the physics of stills attachingprobes andmeters tomeasure exactlywhatwas goingonwhen they firedupTheylearnedhowtallandwidehome-sizestillsshouldbeTheyaffixedcolumnsto theirpotsand looselyfilled themwithceramicandcopperpackingmaterialfor maximum efficiency Those stills started looking like something out of arefinery churning out high-proof alcohol on single runs rather than themultistageprocessthattraditionalpotstillscalledfor

THEINTERNET

These innovative distillers went online and because their hobbywas legalstarted talking to each other openly Brewerswhowere getting into distillingwith theiralreadyestablishednetworksandcultureofopennessnoticedTheyseized on a wealth of new verifiable information coming out of the SouthernHemisphereandaddedtheirownexperiencesespeciallyinonlineforumsSince thenas reliable informationhasbeenvettedonlineabouthowbest to

buildandoperatesmall-scalestillshomecolumnorrefluxstillshaveevolvedbecoming more compact and efficient and able to put out as close to purealcohol as is possible outside a laboratory (in short very clean stuff) Mostrecently a specific style of distilling has evolved thatrsquos all about purityefficiency and making lots of neutral spirits in very compact column stillsEasilybuiltandeasilyoperated theyaremoreefficientandlessworkthanpotstills

MOONSHINEDEFINED

AbroaddefinitionofmoonshineisanyliquormadefromunregisteredstillsbyunlicenseddistillersThisdefinitioncoversaKentuckyfarmermakingtheliquorhis father did aNewYork imbiberwresting 10 ounces of gin from a case ofBudweiseraswellasaSanFranciscocheftweakinghergrandmotherrsquoskuumlmmeltocarryonthetraditionTodayrsquosnano-distillersdonrsquot sell their products In fact profit seemsalmost

anathema One of the quickest ways to really anger others is for unlicenseddistillers tostartselling theirmakingsSomeembrace themoonshiner identityothersavoidthetermbecauseofitsassociationwithlawlessnessRegardless of what distillers call themselves they fall into three loose

categoriesmdasheconomictechnicalandartisanalproducersEconomicdistillers

ECONOMICDISTILLERS

Economic distillers make liquor because homemade is cheaper than store-boughtAny type of stillmight be used from an inherited copper pot still tomodernrefluxmodelsorevenanaquariumheaterinaplasticbucketTheyareapt to distill sugar spirits but also grains and fruits when they may be hadinexpensivelyAlthough theirproductsareprone tobeofquestionablequalitythey are not necessarily bad liquormdashthink of marc and grappa made frompomacethatmightotherwisebethrownaway

TECHNICALDISTILLERS

Technical distillers are armchair (or even professional) engineers andchemistsgear-headswhostrivetomakethemostefficientdistillerysetuptheycan forever tweaking and adjusting their rigs creating technologicalwondersTheyrunandrerunabatchofspiritstocreatethepurestspirittheycantakingmeticulous notes of every temperature fluctuation proof variation and yieldTechnicaldistillerstendtohaveaninordinateamountofvodkaonhandbecausethe end result of their frequent experiments is often a high-proof nearly purespirit theycan supplementwithextractsandessences for theexact flavor theywant

FigADiagramofaColumnDistiller

IllustrationfromWhiskeyTechnologyProductionandMarketingEditedbyIngeRussellAcademicPress2003FigAThisflowchartillustrateshowthewashistransformedintospiritsThebottomofthestillstripsoutthewaterwhiletherectifyingsection(topofthestill)distillstheliquorstoincreasetheirspirituosity

FigBDimensionsofaTypicalSpiritsStill

FigBApotiswiderthantallallowingvaporstoescapefromthewashAtallswanneckallowsforseparationofthecomponentsofthemixtureTheshapeofthestillaffectstheflavorcomponentsofthespiritsEverypotstillisuniqueasdistillerswantdistinctiveflavorprofilesintheirfinishedspirits

ASPIRINGANDACCOMPLISHEDARTISANS

Aspiringandaccomplishedartisanscomprisethethirdgroupwhosegoalistomake authentic and great-tasting spirits While technical distillers considerunwanted chemical compounds obstacles to pure liquor artisans rightfullyregardtasteandaromaasthebackbonethatdefinestheirownpersonalstyleofdistilling They tend to use less-efficient old-school pot stillsmdashthey mightimmediately recognize thekind that a farmerused in 1740Someuse columnstillsbutwithoutthecolumnsatmaximumefficiencythuspreservingtasteandaromabynotdistillingtothehighestproofpossibleFinallytheytendtofermentgrainsandfruitsratherthansugarandnottocarewhatitcostsmdashbecauseitrsquosforthemnotforsellinrsquo

FigCAnatomyofaPotStill

FigCAsillustratedhereawhiskeystillhasfourpartspotswannecklynearmandcondenserTheshapeofeachaffectsrectificationandtheflavorofthespiritPotThepotcanbyanyshaperoundonionorconicalTheshapeofthepotaffectshowthewashisheated(alwaysto172degF[78degC])ItcanbeheatedbydirectfiresteamgasorwoodMostpotshaveasightglasssothedistillercancheckforfoamingduringthedistillationprocessSwanneckTheswannecksitsontopofthepotItcanbetallshortstraightortaperedOftentheswanneckisconnectedtothepotviaanogeeabubble-shapedchamberTheogeeallowsthedistillatetoexpandcondenseandfallbackintothepotduringdistillationMostpotstillshaveataperedswanneckallowingforbetterseparationandbetterenrichingofthespiritsduringdistillingLynearmThelynearmsitsontopoftheswanneckItcanbetiltedupordownanditcanbetaperedorstraightOftenpotstillsarefittedwithadephlegmatororapurifierItsmainpurposeistheenrichmentofspiritsbeforetheyrsquoresentontothecondenserInternalsteamcoilTheinternalsteamcoilheatsthewashto173degF(78degC)wherethealcoholseparatesfromthewashCondenserThecondenserorwormisusedforcoolingthespiritsandprovidingasmallstreamtoacollectiontankorpail

ECONOMICALINGREDIENTSFORDISTILLING

Consideraglutofplums forbackyard slivovitzora skidof dried fruit atbargain pricing that can be turned into Arabian siddiqui However ersatzwhiskeysmadefrombreakfastcerealsarenotunheardofsocaveatemptoristherule

AfruiteaudeviefermentationatStringerrsquosOrchardWildPlumWineryampDistillery

CHAPTERTWO

THEDISTILLINGPROCESS

INTHEMOSTliteralsenseoftheworddistillationmeanstheconcentration

oftheessenceofasubstancebyseparatingitfromanyothersubstancesthatitismixed with In the case of distilling alcohol this means boiling a fermentedliquidinastilltoseparatetheethanolfromthesolidswaterandotherchemicalcompoundsinthefermentedsolutionButjustasthedevilisinthedetailstheartofdistillingisinhowthedistillerachievesthatseparationandhowprecisethatseparationis

ThecondensercoolsthevaporsintoliquidspiritwhichiscollectedandbottledatAnchorDistilling

Thewide rangeof stillsdescribed in this chapter eachoriginally evolved tomeettherequirementsofproducingaparticulartypeofspiritDependingonthetype of spirit beingmade precision is not necessarily the goal of the distillerThousandsofchemicalcompoundsarecreatedbyfermentationanddistillationall of which can have for better or worse an effect on the ultimate taste orcharacterofadistilledspiritThedistillerrsquosprimaryjobis toretain thedesiredflavorelementswhilediscarding those thatarenotThis isnotassimpleas itsoundsAnddespiteallofthehigh-techcontrolsinamoderndistillerythestillmasterneverthelesshasthefinalcall

ldquoGlassofbrandyandwaterThatisthecurrentbutnottheappropriatenameaskforaglassofliquidfireanddistilleddamnationrdquo

mdashRobertHallnineteenth-centurytemperancecrusaderwhowasneverthelifeoftheparty

HOWDISTILLATIONWORKS

Distillationisaphysicalprocessinwhichcompoundsareseparatedbyvirtueof their different boiling points Two compounds with the same boiling pointoccurring together would not be separable by distillation Fortunately suchoccurrenceswiththeingredientsinliquorandspiritsarerareTheseparationindistillationoccurswhenamixtureofcompoundsinthestill

is brought to a boil Compounds with lower boiling points vaporize at lowertemperatures than compoundswith higher boiling points Thismeans that thevapororsteamrisingofftheboilingmixtureisricherinthelower-boiling-pointcompounds than in the higher-boiling-point onesNext this vapor is collectedand cooled to condense it back into a liquid The resulting liquid called thedistillate contains a considerably higher concentration of the lower-boiling-pointcompoundsthanofthehigher-boiling-pointonesInasimplifiedexample letrsquosconsideramixtureof90percentwaterand10

percentethanolWaterhasaboilingpointof212degF(100degC)andethanolhasaboilingpointof1731degF(784degC)Theethanolwillboilandvaporizewellbeforethewatersowhenthevaporsarecollectedandcondensedtheresultingdistillatewill have a high concentration of ethanol and comparatively little water ThedistillatewillnotbepureethanolbecausesomewaterwillvaporizeattheboilingpointofethanolevenifthewateritselfisnotatitsboilingpointTails (see page 36) start at 203degF (95degC) and contain a high percentage of

fuseloilsknowntodistillersaswetdogbouquetAlittlebitisactuallyneededinsometypesofwhiskeybutonlyalittlebitThinkIslayScotchWhiskyBecauseallthecompoundsinastillwillvaporizetoagreaterorlesserextent

during boiling the separation of the compounds will not be perfect so moreelaborate stills have been developed to intensify the separation of the vaporsonce theyhave left theboiler Inmodernhigh-separationstills this isdonebyemployingarefluxcolumntomanagethevaporsaftertheyleavetheboilerandbeforetheyarecondensedanddrawnfromthestill

ASTILLrsquoSBLUEPRINT

ThewhiskeystillhasfourpartspotswannecklynearmandcondenserTheshape of each section affects rectification (redistillation) and the taste of thespiritsThereisnoperfectdesigneachmanufacturersaysitspotstillmakesthebest-tastingwhiskeyAtthispointdistillingisanldquoartrdquoTomakegoodwhiskeyyouneedtohave

good ingredients (clean wash) and a good palate (nose and tongue) and youneedtoknowwhentostartandstop(makingheadandtailcuts)Whenitcomestowhiskeydistillingtheprocessiscontrolledbyadistillernotacomputeroramanual

WHATADIFFERENCEADEGREEMAKES

Between174deg(788degC)and175degF(794degC)averitablewitchrsquosbrewofnastychemical compounds (known collectively as heads) are cut and removed byproper distilling These include acetone aldehydes and methanol Lazymoonshiners tend to leave them in resulting in rotgut and a serious head-bangingheadachethenextmorningasyoulieinbedandprayfortheAngelofDeathtocomeandfinishthejob

Thepot can be any shape round onion or conical The shape of the potaffectshow thewash isheated (to172degF [778degC]) It canbeheatedbydirectfiresteamgasorwoodAllsystemshaveadvantagesanddisadvantagesThereis no right way to heat washMostmanufacturers however prefer a double-jacketedsteam-watersystemthatprovidesagentleheattothewashMainlyyoudonrsquotwant to burn thewashMost pots have a sight glass so thedistiller cancheckforfoamingduringthedistillationprocess

THECHEMISTRYOFPURESPIRITS

Even a modern high-separation still cannot produce pure ethanol This isbecausewaterformsanazeotropewithethanolAnazeotropeisamixtureoftwoliquidcompoundswhosemoleculesbecomelooselybondedsuchthattheyhaveacommonboiling point that is different from either constituentrsquos In the case ofethanolandwatertheazeotropeoccursatamixtureof965percentethanoland35 percent water and it has a boiling point of 17267degF (7815degC) This is045degF(017degC)lowerthanthe17312degF(784degC)boilingpointofpureethanolIn distillation this azeotrope is a single compound with a boiling point of17267degF (7815degC) and the still proceeds to separate it on that basis Theethanol that is purified by a fractionating column is not therefore pure 100percent ethanolbutpure965percent ethanolwith theldquoimpurityrdquobeingpurewater No amount of redistillation under the conditions discussed here willinfluence this percentage 965 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) is thetheoreticalmaximumpuritythatcanbederivedbytheaboveprocessThe temperatures stated above are at standard atmospheric pressure In a

columnstillduetoincreasedpressureatthebottomresultingfromthepressuredropover theplates the temperatureswouldbequiteabithigher thanstatedForexamplethespentwashwhichwouldhaveaboilingpointofabout212degF(100degC) at standard pressure would have a boiling point of about 220degF(1044degC)duetotheincreasedpressure

TheswannecksitsontopofthepotItcanbetallshortstraightortaperedOften the swan neck is connected to the pot via an ogee a bubble-shapedchamberTheogeeallowsthedistillatetoexpandcondenseandfallbackintothepotduringdistillationMostpotstillshaveataperedswanneckallowingforbetterseparationandbetterenrichingofthespiritsduringdistillingThelynearmsitsontopoftheswanneckItcanbetiltedupordownandit

canbetaperedorstraightMostarmsaretapereddownOftenpotstillsarefittedwithadephlegmatororwhatScottishdistillerscallapurifierThedephlegmatorisfittedwithbafflesthatusewaterplatesortubestocoolthedistillatesending90 percent of it back into the pot Its main purpose is the enrichment of thespiritsbeforetheyrsquoresentontothecondenserThecondenserorwormisusedforcoolingthespiritsandprovidingasmall

streamtoacollectiontankorpail

AsmallpotstillsimilartomanymoonshinestillsisinoperationfortouriststoseeattheGlenmorangieDistilleryScotland

WHISKEYSTILLSINDETAIL

There are severaldifferentdesignsof stillsused formakingwhiskeyThese

includethemoonshinestillgooseneckstillcontinuous-runcolumnstillFrenchCharentaisalambicstillandartisanpotstill(ThetraditionalEnglishspellingofthisFrenchwordisalembic)

FigAFlat-topMoonshineStill

FigAInthebasicmoonshinestillvaporsfromtheheatedwashriseintothecapAfterhittingtheflattopofthestillvaporsexitviathelynearmintothecondenserwheretheycondenseandbecomespirits

MOONSHINESTILL

ThemostbasicandrudimentarydesignisacrudepotstillormoonshinestillwhichisaclosedpotlikeapressurecookerwithapipeleadingfromthelidintoacondensercoilThecondensercoil caneitherbe longenough toair-cool thevaporsoritcanbeshorterandimmersedinawaterjacketSuchastillaffordsminimum separation of the vapors because there is almost no separation oncetheyleavetheboilerAlthoughthisdesignofstill isnotsuitableforproducingbeveragealcoholbymodernstandardsitwillstillconcentratean8or10percentABVwashto60percentinafairlyfastrunTherearemanyhomedistillersandillicitcommercialmoonshinersusingthis

typeofstill todayAndbecausethistypeofstill is typicallyheatedonastovetoporonagasburner it isnecessary to removeallsuspendedsolids fromthewash before placing it in the boiling pot To do otherwisewould risk burningsolidsonthebottomofthepot

FigBCross-sectionofaStillrsquoBubbleCap

FigBThebubblecapssitontrayovervaporstubesinthecolumnThecapsprovidecontactbetweentherisingvaporsanddescendingrefluxcreatingadistillingcycleandenrichingthealcoholArrowsindicatevaporsrisingfromthewashandhittingthebubblecapsApercentageofpurevaporscontinuetoriseandtheldquolesspurerdquofallbackintothestillforre-distillation

AnatomyofaCraftWhiskeyStill

GOOSENECKSTILL

Thegooseneckpot still is themost commondesignof still used toproduceScottish malt whisky Some Irish whiskies and a number of American andCanadianwhiskiesarealsodistilledinthistypeofstillThisstyleofpotstillhasbeeninuseforcenturiesforcommercialwhiskeyproductionanditisevenmorepopulartodayinmodernwhiskeydistilleriesthaneverThegooseneckstillhasalargeroundboilerandisfunctionallyverysimilarto

the crudepot still except it has a long broadneck rising from theboiler thatallows enough separation to hold back most of the fusel alcohols from thedistillatewhileretainingthedesiredflavorsinthefinishedspiritTheneckbendsatthetopandconnectstoapipecalledalynearmthatleadstoacondensercoilimmersed inwaterThe lynearmusuallyanglesdownwardslightly toward thecondenserbutinsomedistilleriesittiltsupward

AgooseneckstillclearlyshowingthelynearmatWoodfordReserveDistillery

The levelofseparation inagooseneckpotstill isaffectedby theamountofcondensation that takesplace in theneckand lynearm that fallsback into theboiler This condensation is called reflux and themore reflux the higher thelevelofseparation If the lynearm isangleddownward thenanyvapor in thelynearmthatcondenseswillfallforwardtowardthecondenserandbecomepartof the distillate passing to the receiver However if the lyne arm is angledupward condensation fallsback to theboiler andwill createadditional refluxandthereforeadditionalseparation

ModelofagooseneckForsythswhiskystill

BEVERAGESPRODUCEDINGOOSENECKSTILLS

Becausethelongbroadneckprovidesalargesurfaceareawhichresultsinalarger proportion of reflux than crude pot stills gooseneck stills are moresuitable for distilling beverage alcohol The gooseneck stills are suited to theproductionofwhiskeybrandyrumschnappsandothernon-neutralspiritsforwhichtheyarewidelyusedcommerciallyHowevertheyarenotsuitablefortheproduction of vodka gin or other spirits derived from neutral alcoholwhichrequiresahigh-separationstillcapableofproducingpureazeotropeethanolThe wash distilled in gooseneck stills is typically separated from the

suspended solids much like the malt washes used for making Scottish maltwhiskySomegooseneckstillsareheatedbyanopenfireundertheboilerwhichwould result in the burning of suspended solids if they were in the washHowever most contemporary stills are heated with steam jackets ThiscombinedwitharummagercanenablethesestillstoboilfullmasheswithallthegrainintheboilerwithoutburningthesolidsonthebottomofthepotArummagerisanagitatingdevicethatslowlyturnsaroundinsidethestillpot

dragginganetofcopperchainsalongthebottomoftheboilertopreventsolidsfromcakingupandburningduringdistilling

THECONTINUOUS-RUNDESIGNFLAW

ThereisaninherentflawinthisdesignofstillBecausethecontinuous-runstillhasaconstantflowofnewwashcomingintoitatalltimestherearealwaysheadsandtailspresentinthecolumnThisisunlikeabatchstillwhichisanyofthenoncontinuousstillsdiscussedinthistextwheretheheadsaredrawnoffatthebeginningoftherunandthentheyaregoneInacontinuous-runoperationallphasesareconstantlybeingintroducedtothecolumnbytheincomingwashThisposesnoproblemwiththetailsbecauseatthetrayswheretheheartsaredrawnoffthetailsarelowerinthecolumnandarethereforenotpresenttobedrawnoffwiththeheartsHoweverheadsarestillpresentatthesetrayssonomatterhowwellacontinuous-runstillisequilibratedtherersquollalwaysbeasmallamountofheadsintheheartsphaseHaving said this the continuous-run column is a high-separation still that

makesverypreciseseparationofthecompoundsinitscolumnThereisalwaysgoingtobeatraceamountofheadsintheheartsandthisamountisstillwithintheallowablelimitsforpotablespiritsInmostcasesitislessthantheresidualheadsfoundintheheartsfromcommercialbatchstills

CONTINUOUS-RUNCOLUMNSTILL

This type of still is used for producing enormous volumes of spirit in acontinuousoperationthatrunsconstantlyforuptoelevenmonthsstraightbeforeit is shut down for cleaning and overhauling They commonly have afractionatingcolumnthatstandsabout100feet(305m)high(similartothatofanoilrefinery)andaseriesofbubble-captraysspacedeverycoupleoffeetupthecolumnThe traysare fartherapartnear thebottomandgetcloser togethertowardthetopIthasnopotorboilerperseanditisheatedbyblastingsteamupwardfromthebottomofthecolumnwhilethewashiscontinuouslyfedintoatrayatthemiddleofthecolumnAsthewashrunsdownthroughthetraysofthecolumnitencountersthehot

steam which vaporizes the compounds in the wash and carries them up thecolumnThelower-boilingcompoundscontinuetoriseupthecolumnwhilethehigher-boilingonescondenseandarecarrieddownthecolumnThecolumnhasanexitvalveateverytraywherevaporcanbedrawnoffand

ledtoacondenserThisenablestheoperatorstoconfigurethesystemsocertaintraysleadtoacondenserthatgoestotheheadsreceiveranothersetoftrayscanbe sent to the hearts receiver andother trays canbe sent to the tails receiverWhatflowstothebottomofthecolumnisresiduethatissenttothedrainApossibleconfigurationforbourbonwouldhavethetoptwotraysconfigured

forheadsthenthenextfourconfiguredforheartsthenextfivefortailsandtherest of the trayswould refluxwith no draw off andwhat reached the bottomwouldbediscardedasresidueThe draw off rateswould be set up tomaintain a hearts phasewith say a

constant 65 percentABVBourbon thatrsquos distilled in a continuous-run columnstillisusuallydoneintwodistillationsbothwiththeheartsdrawnoffatabout65percentABVBecauseacontinuous-runstillrunsformanymonthsatatimethewashmust

befairlyclearwithaminimumofsolidsotherwisethebuildupofresidueinthesystemwouldbecomeuntenableandthesystemwouldneedtobeshutdowntobecleanedSothereisnoprocesswithacontinuous-runstillwherebytheentiremash is distilled The mash must always be strained or filtered before beingplacedinthereservoirsupplyingthestillThedistillerymusthaveabatteryoffermentersthatareinconstantoperation

ateachstageofthefermentationprocesstokeepupwiththecontinuousdemand

forwashforthestills

Thisalambicstillwascustom-builtbyDynamicAlambicbyreconfiguringaGrundigbeertank

FRENCHCHARENTAISALAMBICSTILL

This type of still is used almost exclusively for making brandy includingcognacArmagnacCalvadosandotherfamousFrenchbrandiesIt isdesignedespecially to leave a lot of the aromatics and flavor in the distillate and istherefore one of the lower-separation beverage-alcohol stills Because of thisqualityspiritsareusuallydistilledtwiceinaFrenchCharentaisalambicstillWhiskeycanalsobemadeinthisdesignofstillItisfunctionallyquitesimilar

tothegooseneckstillbutitcreatesalowerlevelofseparationmakingaricherandcreamier-tastingwhiskeybutwithalittlemorefuselalcoholTheFrenchCharentais alambic still has threemajor components theboiler

withhelmetthepreheaterandthecondenserThehelmetisthechamberjustabove the boiler and it serves as an expansion chamberwhichworkswell toholdback a lot of theheavier compounds such as fusel alcohols and furfurolswhile allowing the desirable aromatics and flavors to be carried over in thedistillateThe preheater as the name implies preheats the next batch of wine to be

distilled It is also used as a reservoir to enable a near-continuous distillationprocessSomebrandydistillerssimplyincludethemaspartofthehearts(nottheheads) In this way continuously feeding wine into the boiler is possibleBecause there is no workable way to drain the boiler during operation thecontinuous feeding of winemust stopwhen the boiler is too full to take anymorePriortoadistillationrunthepreheaterisfilledwithwinetobeheatedforthe

next distillation The preheater has the vapor tube from the boiler passingthroughitonitswaytothecondenserThistransfersheatfromthevaportothewinebeforethevaporentersthecondenserThisheatsthewineinthepreheatertonearboilingduringthedistillationrunandreducestheamountofheatthatthecondenserhastodissipatetherebymakingefficientuseofheatandreducingtheamountofcoolingwaterused

AlambicstillatJepsonVineyardsinUkiahCalifornia

AlambicstillinstallationinFrance

Thepre-heaterhasapipewithavalve leadingfromit to theboilerWhenadistillationrunisfinishedandtheboilerhasbeendrainedtheoperatorcanopenthe valve and fill the boiler with another charge of wine from the pre-heaterthatrsquosalreadyatnear-boiling temperatureThismakesefficientuseofheatandsignificantlyreducestheamountoftimetobringthenextbatchofwinetoaboil

AholehadtobecutintheceilingtoaccomodatethecolumnofthispotstillatTuthilltownSpirits

ThecondenserinaFrenchCharentaisalambicstillasinmosttypesofstillsconsistsofthecoppercoilimmersedinawaterjacketwithcoldwatercirculatingaroundit

BEVERAGESPRODUCEDINALAMBICSTILLS

These stills are invariably used to distill wine or in the case of whiskeydistillerrsquos beer They are not generally used to distill fullmasheswith all thesolids left in However design-wise the Charentais could be used to distillmasheswithsolidsbecauseitsboileristhesameasthatofthestandardalambicwhichiswidelyusedtomakegrappaandmarcfromgrapepomaceTodothisasievetraymustbeinsertedintotheboilertoserveasafalsebottomtoholdthesolidsabovethebottomofthepotandpreventburning

ARTISANPOTSTILL

ThistypeofstillisthemostversatileofallthestillsEachartisanpotstillisnearly made to order based on a distillerrsquos needs and preferences Itscomponentsincludeaspherical-shapedboileracondenserandwidevarietyofoptional components such as a steam jacket or a direct fire an agitator ahelmet one or two columns of bubble-cap trays a dephlegmator and acatalyzerThespherical-shapedboilerevenlyheatsthesubstrateparticularlyifthereis

anagitatorAndanartisanstill thatrsquos steamheatedandhasanagitatorcanbeused to distill anywash Evenwashes full of fruit pulp or grainmash can beheatedinthisconfigurationofboilerwithoutanyriskofburningonthebottomofthepotAlsobyconstantlyagitatingthewashthroughoutthedistillationrunthe distillery can save about 20 percent on the heat required to perform thedistillationTheabilitytodistilltheentirewashincludingallthesolidspurportedlygives

asuperiorflavortothespiritproducedApparentlythefruitmashesformakingschnappsyieldarichermorecomplexflavoriftheycanbedistilledwithallthefruitpulpintheboilerManywhiskeydistillerscontendthesametobetruefordistilling grain mashes and a number of the premium brands of AmericanwhiskeyaredistilledwiththegrainmashinthestillThehelmetcomponent(optional)istechnicallyanexpansionchamberandit

isusuallyanearlysphericaldomethatsitsdirectlyontopoftheboilerAsvaporrisesfromtheboileritpassesthroughacomparativelynarrowpassagewayintothelargervolumeofthehelmetThisresultsinasuddenreductioninpressurewhich helps hold back higher-boiling compounds while allowing desirablearomaticsandflavorstocontinueupthecolumnSomedistillerssaythishelmetiskeytoproducingatrulyexcellentspirit

Artisanpotstilltheshapeofthehelmetldquoheadrdquoofthestillinfluencestheflavorofthedistillate

From the helmet the vapor rises into the column In some artisan pot stillconfigurationsthecolumnismounteddirectlyontopofthehelmetWhenthereis no helmet the column is mounted directly on top of the boiler In otherconfigurationssuchastwocolumnsthecolumnispositionedbesidetheboilerThe reason for this is the still would stand too high for most facilities if thecolumnwerestackedontopofthehelmetorevenontopoftheboilerWithin thecolumnarebubble-cap traysThevapor risesup the tubesunder

the bubble caps and bubbles out fromunder the cap and through the standingliquidoneachtrayThestandingliquidoverflowsatacertaindepthtothenexttraybelowCompoundseparation takesplaceby theredistillation thatoccurswhentheheatfromthevaportransferstothestandingliquidThiscauseshigher-boilingcompoundsinthevaportocondenseandlower-boilingcompoundsintheliquid toevaporateTheoveralleffect is todrive the lower-boilingcompoundsup the column in vapor state and the higher-boiling compounds down thecolumninliquidstate

Twincolumnsofbubble-captrays

OPTIONALSTILLCOMPONENTS

Modernartisanpotstillshaveaninterestingfeaturethatallowstheoperatortobypass anyof the trays to vary the separation level for the columnThere arelevers on the side of the column connected to each tray and the operator canposition the lever to cause the tray to turn sideways and allow thevapors andliquidtopassbyOrtheoperatorcanpositionthelevertheotherwaytoputthetrayinplacesothatitisfullyengagedinprocessingrefluxThedephlegmatorresidesabovethetopbubble-captrayItisachamberatthe

topofthecolumnwithnumerousverticaltubesforthevaportotravelthroughonitswaytothecondenserThereisawaterjacketaroundtheverticaltubesthattheoperator can flood with cooling water to increase the amount of reflux ThewaterlevelinthedephlegmatorcanbeadjustedtogivegranularcontrolovertheamountofrefluxHaving the capability to dial up or down the reflux creates a great deal of

control over the compoundmix in the finished spirit For example if a givenspirit had an excellent aroma and flavor profile but a rough finish due to anexcessof fuselalcohol the refluxcouldbedialedupslightly toholdback thefusel

TheMoorrsquoscaponthisalambicstillhasadistinctivelookandgivesauniqueflavorprofiletothedistillates

The catalyzer is positioned above the dephlegmator and has an array ofsacrificialcopperCopperisanimportantmaterialinastillbecausethenoxioussulfides in thevapor instantlyreactoutuponcontactwithcopperHoweverasthisoccursovertimethecoppermaterialofthestillbecomescompromisedandexpensivestillcomponentsrequirereplacingTheideaofthecatalyzeristohaveachamberwithcopper in thevaporpath specificallydesigned to reactout thesulfidesfromthevaporOvertimethiscoppererodesfromthereactionwiththesulfidesbutitcanbecheaplyreplacedIneffectthecopperinthecatalyzerisbeingsacrificedtosavethecoppermaterialofthestill

Artisanpotstill

In summary artisan pot stills can be superb stills and are well known formaking quality spirits Unfortunately their throughput is comparatively slowanddistilleriesareoftenputinthepositionofhavingtooptforlargerthroughputstillssuchasthecontinuous-runcolumntomeetthedemandsoftheirmarkets

COLUMNCONFIGURATION

Thenumber of bubble-cap trays in the column depends on the intendeduseoftheartisanpotstillanditisthereforeoptionalSomeartisanpotstillsare used to make vodka and have two tall columns with a total of twentybubble-cap trays An excellent configuration for making whiskey howeverwouldbeastillwithahelmetacolumnwithfourtraysadephlegmatorandacatalyzer

THEBATCH-STILLPROCESSOFDISTILLATION

THE DISTILLATION process is operationally the same for all four-batch

stills discussedpreviously themoonshine still thegooseneck still theFrenchCharentais and the artisan pot still The continuous-run column still has adifferentregimenanditisdescribedinthesectionthatfollows

TheProcessofDistillationAnOverview

Atleftthemajorstepsfrombarleytobarrel1MashTunUsedtoconvertbarleygrainstarchestosugars2Fermentationofthewash3Strippingofthewashtoremovewater4Collectionofldquolowwinerdquospirits5Redistillingthespiritstoproducefinalspiritsforbarreling6Barrelingoragingofspirits

HEADSHEARTSTAILS

Indistillingparlancethecompoundsinthewashthatarenotethanolorwaterare called congeners Some congeners such as acetaldehyde methanol andcertain esters and aldehydes have lower boiling points than ethanol certainotherestersthehigheralcohols(fuselalcohols)andwaterhavehigherboilingpoints than ethanolThismeans the lower-boiling congeners comeout inhighconcentrationatthebeginningofabatchdistillationrunandthehigher-boilingones come out in high concentration toward the end of the run leaving theethanol and the most desirable compounds as the most abundant componentsduringthemiddleoftherunWhendistillation takesplace in a batch still thedistillate that comesout is

dividedintothreephasescalledheadsheartsandtails

bullTheheadscontaintheunwantedlower-boilingcongenersthatcomeoutatthebeginningoftherun

bullThetailscontaintheunwantedhigher-boilingcongenersthatcomeoutattheendoftherun

bullTheheartsarethedesiredspiritinthemiddle

Becausewhiskeyisnotdistilledatahigh-separationlevelitmeansthateachphase bleeds into the adjacent phase That is to say there is a considerableamountofethanolintheheadsphaseandtherearelate-headscongenersatthebeginningof theheartsphaseSimilarly there isasignificantamountofearly-tails congeners at the endof thehearts and there is a considerable amount ofethanolinthetailsphaseThewhiskeycomprisedmostlyofethanolandwaterhasadelicatebalanceof late-headsandearly-tailscongeners thatmakeup theflavorprofileofthewhiskeyThere are literally thousands of these congeners or chemical flavor

compoundscreatedduringthedistillingprocessallofwhichhavethepotentialofaddingorsubtractingtothedesiredfinalflavorprofileofthedistilledspiritPart of the art (asopposed to the science)of distilling is knowingwhen thesecongeners are created and when to add or remove them In flavor-specificspirits such as brandy and whiskey it is desirable to carry over selectedcongeners into the finished spirit However in flavor-neutral spirits such asvodka the goal is to remove asmany congeners as possible to end upwith a

spiritthathasacleannonspecificpalateBecause both the heads and the tails contain a lot of ethanol and residual

desirable flavor they are mixed together and saved for future recovery Theheads and tails whenmixed together are called feints Feints can be distilledseparatelytoproduceanotherwhiskeyrunortheycanbemixedinwithafuturespirit runwhere their ethanol and flavors are recovered as a part of that runHowevereachsubsequentdistillationproducesitsownsetofheadsheartsandtailsandthefeintsfromthoserunsarealsosavedforfuturerecovery

TWO-RUNDISTILLATION

When whiskey is made it is usually done in two distillation runs a beer-strippingrunandaspiritrun

bullThebeer-strippingrunisgenerallydoneinalargerhigh-volumepotstillcalledabeerstripperThebeerstripperisusedtodistillthefermentedwashandconcentratetheethanolandalltheimpuritiesintoadistillateofabout25percentethanolcalledlowwine

bullThespiritrunisdoneinasmallerwhiskeystillsuchasagooseneckoranartisanrefluxstillcalledaspiritstillThespiritstillisusedtodistillthelowwineandrefineitintothefinishedspiritTherearethetwooutputsretainedfromthespiritrunthefinishedspiritandthefeints

For a beer-stripping run the fermented wash which is typically about 8percentABVisloadedintothebeerstripperandthecontentsarebroughttoaboilBecausethisrunisjustaprimarydistillationtheheadsheartsandtailsarenotseparatedoutTheentireoutputfromthisruniscollectedinasinglelotandthe run is continueduntil the aggregate percent alcohol is down to 25percentABVThisdistillateisthelowwinewhichistheinputtothespiritrunTo produce the finishedwhiskey the spirit still is filledwith the lowwine

from thebeer-stripping run andoftenameasureof feints fromprevious spiritrunsThespiritstillisthenbroughttoaboilIt iswith the spirit run that thedistilleradjusts theboil-up rate toachievea

gentleslowflowofdistillateandcarefullyseparatesouttheheadsheartsandtails

SINGLE-RUNDISTILLATION

SomewhiskeydistilleriesproducetheirwhiskeyinasingledistillationTheydo a spirit run directly from the wash The artisan reflux stills discussedpreviously are well suited to this type of whiskey distillation but it is labor-intensiveand thedistillermustpaya lotofattention tonumeroussmaller runsratherthanonelargerrunSomepeoplefind thewhiskeyfromasingle-distillationrun tobericherand

haveamorenaturalflavorwhileothersfindittobeharshandunrefinedInthefollowingtextthemorecommondouble-distillationmethodisused

MAKINGTHECUTS

ProbablythemostelusivepartofthedistillingprocessformakingwhiskeyismakingthecutsfromheadstoheartsandthentotailsMakingacutfromonephasetothenextisthepointwherethedistillerswitchestheoutputsothatitiscollectedinadifferentreceiverthanthepreviousphaseAttheendofthespiritrun theheadswillbe inonecontainer thehearts inanotherand the tails inathirdoneThequestioniswhendoyouswitchfromonephasetothenextExperienced distillers do this by taste Even though there are measurable

parameters such as still-head temperature and percent alcohol of the incomingspirit that can be used to judge when to make the cuts taste and smell stillremainthemostreliablemethodsfordeterminingthem

ThreepotstillsatStoutridgeVineyard

Herearetheempiricalparametersforjudgingthecuts

bullThepercentalcoholof the spirit that is flowingout of the still (ie theincomingspirit)

bullThestill-headtemperature

Thesevaryfromonestilltothenextandtheyvarybasedonthepropertiesofthe low wine (eg percent alcohol and quantity) It is possible to develop aconsistentprocessusingthesamestillandthesamequantityandformulationoflowwinesuchthattheparametersremainthesameforeachrunForexampleinaspiritruninanartisanrefluxstillwithlowwinethatis25

percentABVBegin-cut(iethecutfromheadstohearts)isusuallydonewhentheevolvingdistillateisatabout80percentandwhenthestill-headtemperatureisabout180degF(82degC)End-cut(iethecutfromheartstotails)isoftendoneatabout65percentand

whenthestill-headtemperatureisabout201degF(94degC)Howeveraspiritdistilledfromastraightmaltwashcanoftenbeend-cutas

low as 60 percent Also a gooseneck still distilling the very samewashmaybegin-cut at 72 percent and end-cut at 59 percent Therefore it is because ofthesenuances that smell and taste become theonly truly reliable indicators ofwhentomakethecuts

BEGIN-CUT

When making the begin-cut the taste characteristics that the distiller islookingforareasfollowsWhenaspiritruncomestoboilandthefirstdistillatestartsflowingfromthestillthisisthebeginningoftheheadsphaseThedistillercancollectasmallsampleofthedistillateonaspoonorinawineglassandsmellitAtthisstagethedistillatewillhavethesickeningsmellofsolvents(suchasnail-polish remover or paint-brush cleaner)However before long this solventsmell diminishes and evenwhen a sample is tasted these compoundswill beveryfaintAsthesolventcharacterdisappearscompletelythedistillatewillstartto take on a hint of whiskey This flavor will increase until it becomes verypronouncedandhighlyconcentratedItiswhenthisflavorisclearlyevidentbutisstillincreasinginintensitythatthedistillercutstotheheartsphase

END-CUT

Tomake the end-cut thedistiller needs tomonitor the flavor of changes intasteAt thebeginningof theheartsphase the intensityof thewhiskey flavorwillstillbeincreasinganditwillcontinuetodosountilitbecomesverystrongHowever as the hearts continue the intense whiskey flavor will fade into asmoothsweetpleasantflavorthatwillpersistformostoftheheartsTheflavorwillchangeslightlyastheheartsprogressbutitwillremainsweetandpleasantTowardtheendoftheheartstheflavorwillstartlosingitssweetnessandatraceofharshbitternesswillbegintoappearintheflavorThisharshbitterflavoristheonsetofthetailsAlthoughasmallamountofthisbitternessisconsideredtocontribute to theldquobiterdquocharacterof thewhiskey thedistiller shouldcut to thetailsreceiverbeforemuchofitisallowedtoentertheheartsThe tails can be collected until the evolving distillate is down to about 10

percentandthestill-headtemperatureisabout206degFor208degF(97degCor98degC)Thereasonfordoing this is to renderall the residualalcohol that is left in thestillattheendoftheheartsphaseThisalcoholcanthenberecoveredinafuturespiritrunThetailsphasestartsoutbitterandthebitternessbecomesmoreintenseasthe

tailscontinuebutasthetailsprogressthebitternesssubsidesandgiveswaytoasweet-tastingwaterThissweetwateriscalledbackins

THECONTINUOUS-RUNPROCESSOFDISTILLATION

IN a continuous-run distillation process wash is constantly entering the

columnsoallthreephases(headsheartsandtails)arepresentinthecolumnatalltimesThismeanstherecanrsquotbeadiscretecutwheretheheadsaredrawnoffandtheheartsbeginorthattheheartsendandthetailsbeginAllthreephasesmustbedrawnoffatthesametimeAcontinuous-runcolumnisahigh-separationfractionatingstillthatseparates

thecompoundsverywellsooncethestillisequilibratedandfunctioninginitssteady state of operation the distillers can determine which families ofcompounds are at each tray For example they might determine that thecompounds coming out of the top two trays are heads compounds and routethose two trays to the heads receiver Similarly they might observe that thecompoundscomingoutofthenextfourtraysdownareheartsThentheymightdeterminethatthefivetraysbelowtheheartstraysareproducingtailsandroutethemtothetailsreceiverBelowthetailstraysjustwaterwouldbecomingoutandthevalveswouldbeclosedsoitwouldbelefttoflowtothebottomofthecolumnandthentoadrainBecausethistypeofstillisnotintermittentinitsoperationitmustbesetup

to constantly draw the three phases of distillate at all times Although this isdifficulttosetupitcanproduceverylargequantitiesofspirittwenty-fourhoursadayforalongtime

ContinuousrunstillatFourRosesDistillery

CHAPTERTHREE

WHISKEY

ldquoAlways carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite andfurthermorealwayscarryasmallsnakerdquo

mdashWCFieldsAmericanactorandworld-classdrinker

THIS chapter introduces the process of distilling a worldrsquos worth ofwhiskiesincludingNorthAmericanstylesofbourbonTennesseeryeblendedAmericancornandCanadianandontoScotchandIrishwhiskiesfromEuropeOfallofthebasiccategoriesofspiritswhiskeyhasspreadthemostacrossthe

world achieving ageographic and stylistic diversity that is unmatchedby anyothertypeofdistilledspiritFromthebasicgrain-baseddistilledspiritsofninth-centuryIrelandScotlandandnorthernEuropehaveevolvedtheclassicwhiskiesofScotlandandIrelandThesespiritsinturnservedasthemodelsfordistillersin thenewlysettledNorthAmericancolonies toproducewhatcametobefirstmodern rye whiskey and then in rapid succession corn bourbon blendedAmericanandCanadianwhiskiesAllofthesenowclassicstylesofwhiskeyhaveinrecentdecadesservedas

the stylistic inspiration for myriad new whiskies throughout the world fromGermany toAustralia andNepal inbetweenSomeof thesenewwhiskiesarebasedonexistingstylesJapanesewhiskydistillersforexamplehavegenerallytaken their inspiration (and malt and sometimes even their water) fromScotlandOthersareboldlygoingforthinnewdirectionsparticularlyamongthenewgenerationofAmericancraftdistillers

StranahanrsquosColoradoWhiskey

THEHISTORYOFBOURBONWHISKEY

IN the early 1700s a combination of bad economic times and religious

unrestagainsttheAnglicanChurchinGreatBritainsetoffawaveofemigrationfrom Scotland and Ireland These Scots Irish and so-called ldquoScotch-Irishrdquo(ProtestantsfromthenorthernIrishcountyofUlster)broughttoNorthAmericatheir religion their distrust of government control and their skill at distillingwhiskeyThis rush augmented by German immigrants of a similar religious and

culturalpersuasionpassedthroughtheseaboardcoloniesandsettledinitiallyinPennsylvania Maryland and western Virginia Mostly small farmers theyquickly adapted to growing rye because of its hardiness and in the westerncountiesNativeAmericancornbecauseofitshighyieldsGrainwasawkwardtoshiptoEastCoastmarketsbecauseofthepoorroadssomanyfarmersturnedtodistillingtheircropsintowhiskeyInPennsylvaniathesewereprimarilyryewhiskiesfarthertothewestandsouthcornwhiskiespredominatedBytheendoftheAmericanWarofIndependencein1784thefirstcommercialdistillerieshadbeenestablishedinwhatwasthenthewesternVirginiacountyofKentuckyFromthestarttheyproducedcorn-basedwhiskies

Whiskeybarrelsondisplay

NOT-SO-TRIVIALPURSUIT

ThefirstwavesofBritishsettlersinNorthAmericawereathirstylotItisrecordedthatthePilgrimschosetomakefinallandfallinMassachusettseventhough their original destination was Virginia primarily because they werealmostoutofbeer

The first locallymade alcoholic beveragewas beer although the limitedsupplyofbarleymaltwasfrequentlysupplementedbyeverythingfromsprucetipstopumpkinDistilledspiritssoonfollowedwithrummadefromimportedCaribbeanmolassesdominatinginthenortherncoloniesandanassortmentoffruitbrandiesintheSouth

In1794thecash-strappedfederalgovernmentimposedthefirstfederalexcisetax on distillers The farmer-distillers of western Pennsylvania respondedviolentlyFederaltaxagentswereassaultedandkilledbyangrymobsOrderwasfinally restored when the federal government sent in an army of 15000militiamenledbyGeorgeWashingtontoputdowntherevoltTheringleaderswere convicted and sentenced to be hanged But cooler heads prevailed andafterjailtimetheywerepardonedandreleased

LabelforHudsonBabyBourbonbyTuthilltownSpirits

ThissituationdidprovokeanewmigrationofsettlersthroughtheCumberlandGap and into the then-western frontier lands of Kentucky and Tennessee Inthese new states farmers found ideal corn-growing country and smoothlimestone-filteredwatertwoofthebasicingredientsofbourbonwhiskeyThenamebourboncomesfromacounty ineasternKentuckywhich in turn

wasnamedfortheBourbonkingsofFrancewhohadaidedtheAmericanrebelsintheRevolutionaryWarBourbonCountywasintheearlynineteenthcenturyacenterofwhiskeyproductionandtransshipping(Ironicallyatthepresenttimeitisaldquodryrdquocounty)Thelocalwhiskeymadeprimarilyfromcornsoongainedareputation for being particularly smooth because the local distillers aged theirproductsincharredoakcasksTheadoptionoftheldquosourmashrdquograinconversiontechniquefurtherdistinguishedbourbonfromotherwhiskeystyles

BenjaminPrichardrsquosDoubleBarreledBourbonfromPrichardsrsquoDistillery

REVIVALOFTHEFITTEST

ItmayseemoddbutScotchwhiskymaybebourbonrsquosinspirationforlong-termrevivalThesteadygrowthinsalesofsinglemaltandhigh-qualityScotchwhiskies has not gone unnoticed in bourbon country All of theKentucky andTennessee whiskey distilleries are nowmarketing high-end ldquosingle caskrdquo andldquosmallbatchrdquowhiskiesthathavefoundgreatsuccessamongupscaleconsumersMore than thirty craft whiskey distilleries have opened in the past few yearsacross the United States to cater to this increasing demand for quality overquantity The United States may yet in the words of one commentator ldquoturnawayfromforeignpotionsandreturntoitsnativespiritrdquo

LabelforPappyVanWinklersquosFamilyReserveKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskey

By the 1840s bourbon was recognized and marketed as a distinctiveAmericanstyleofwhiskeyalthoughnotasaregionallyspecificspiritBourboncametobeproducedinKentuckyTennesseeIndianaIllinoisOhioMissouriPennsylvaniaNorthCarolinaandGeorgiaalthoughtheonlylegalrequirementfor calling a whiskey ldquobourbonrdquo is that it be produced in the United StatesNowadaysbourbonproductionisslowlyexpandingtootherstatesasnewcraftwhiskeydistillerscomeonline Initiallybourbonwasmade inpotstillsbutasthe century progressed the new column still technology was increasinglyadoptedThelastold-linepotstillplantclosedinPennsylvaniain1992butthetechniquewasrevivedinKentuckyin1995whenthehistoricLabrotampGrahamDistillerywas renovatedand reopenedwitha setofnewScottish-built copperpotstillsMorerecentlymostof thenewgenerationofcraftwhiskeydistillersusepotstillsThelatenineteenthcenturysawtheriseofthetemperancemovementasocial

phenomenondrivenbyapotentcombinationofreligiousandwomenrsquosgroupsTemperancesocietiessuchastheWomenrsquosChristianTemperanceUnionandtheAnti-SaloonLeagueoperatednationallybuttheywereparticularlyactiveintheSouthernstatesThenotionoftemperancesoongavewaytoastateddesireforoutright prohibition and throughout the rest of the century an assortment ofstatesandcountiesadoptedprohibitionforvaryinglengthsoftimeanddegreesof severity This muddle of legal restrictions played havoc in the bourbonindustry because it interfered with the production and aging of stocks ofwhiskey

LabelforBlantonrsquosSingleBarrelKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskeybyBuffaloTraceDistillery

National Prohibition in 1919 had effects on the bourbon industry beyondshuttingdownmostofthedistilleriesDrinkingdidnotstopofcourseandtheUnitedStateswassoonawashinillegalalcoholmuchofitofdubiousqualityWhat did change was the American taste in whiskey Illicit moonshine andimportedCanadianwhiskeyswere lighter in taste and body than bourbon andrye The corresponding increase in popularity ofwhite spirits such as gin andvodkafurtheralteredthemarketplaceWhenRepealcamein1933anumberofthe old distilleries didnrsquot reopen and the industry began a slow consolidationthatlastedintotheearly1990satwhichtimetherewereonlytendistilleriesinKentuckyandtwoinTennessee

SouvenirbottleofEvanWilliamsKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskeybyHeavenHillDistilleries

BottleofFourRosesDistilleryrsquosSingleBarrelKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskey

ElijahCraig18-year-oldKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskeybyHeavenHillDistilleries

BuffaloTraceDistilleryrsquosKentuckyStraightBourbonWhiskey

TENNESSEEWHISKEY

Tennessee whiskey is a first cousin of bourbon with virtually an identicalhistoryThesamesortofpeopleusedthesamesortofgrainsandthesamesortofproduction techniques to produce a style of whiskey that remarkably isnoticeablydifferentTheearlywhiskeydistillers inTennessee for reasons thatarelosttohistoryaddedafinalsteptotheirproductionprocesswhentheybeganfilteringtheirwhiskeythroughthickbedsofsugar-maplecharcoalThisfiltrationremoves some of the congeners (flavor elements) in the spirit and creates asmooth mellow palate The two remaining whiskey distillers in the statecontinue this tradition which a distiller at the Jack Danielrsquos Distillery oncedescribedasbeingldquosamechurchdifferentpewrdquo

HudsonManhattanRyeWhiskeybyTuthilltownSpirits

RYEWHISKEY

The Scotch-Irish immigrant distillers had some exposure to using rye inwhiskeyproductionbutfortheirGermanimmigrantneighborsryehadbeentheprimary grain used in the production of schnapps and vodka back in northernEuropeTheycontinuedthisdistillingpracticeparticularlyinPennsylvaniaandMaryland where rye whiskey with its distinctive hard-edged grainy palateremainedthedominantwhiskeytypewellintothetwentiethcentury

AbottleofTempletonProhibitionEraRecipeSmallBatchRyeWhiskeyfromTempletonRye

Thehand-blownbottleofRendezvousRyeWhiskeycastsawavyambershadowonagiftbox

Rye whiskey was more adversely affected by National Prohibition thanbourbonwasAgenerationofconsumersweanedonlight-bodiedandrelativelydelicate white spirits turned away from the pungent full-bodied straight ryewhiskies Production of rye whiskies had vanished altogether from the Mid-Atlantic states by the 1980s A handful ofmodern rye whiskies are currentlybeingmadebybourbondistilleriesinKentuckyandIndianaTheUnitedStatesrsquosfirstindigenouswhiskeystyleistodayonlybarelysurvivinginthemarketplaceIts primary use is for blending to give other whiskies more character andbackbonealthoughasmallbutvocalgroupofryewhiskyenthusiastscontinueto champion it and a number of new craft distillers are again producing theirinterpretationsofthisclassicAmericanwhiskeystyle

LabelforRyeWhiskeyfromtheIsaiahMorganDistillery

OldPotrero18thCenturyStyleRyeWhiskeybyAnchorDistilling

BLENDEDAMERICANWHISKEY

Blendedwhiskiesdate fromtheearlynineteenthcenturywhen the inventionof the column still made possible the production of neutral spirits Distillersblended one or more straight whiskies (bourbon and rye) with these neutralspirits invaryingproportions tocreate theirownbrandedblendThe tasteandqualityof thesewhiskies thenasnowvariesaccording to the ratioofstraightwhiskey to neutral grain spirit Early blends were frequently flavored witheverything from sherry to plug tobacco Compared to straight whiskies theywere inexpensiveandblandModernblendsutilizedozensofdifferent straightwhiskiestoensureaconsistentflavorprofileBlendedAmericanwhiskieshadagreat sales boost during and just afterWorldWar IIwhendistillers promotedthem as away of stretching their limited supply of straightwhiskeyBlendedwhiskeys were considered to be too bland by bourbon and rye drinkers andconsumerswithatasteforlighterspiritssoonmigratedovertovodkaandgin

AbottleofMellowCornKentuckyStraightCornWhiskeybyMedleyCompany

CORNWHISKEY

Cornwhiskeyanunagedclearspiritwas the first trulyAmericanwhiskeyandtheprecursortobourbonScotch-Irishfarmersproduceditintheirstillsforfamilyconsumptionor to trade for storegoodsWhen state and federal excisetaxeswerepermanentlyintroducedduringtheCivilWarmostoftheproductionofcornwhiskeywentundergroundtobecomemoonshinewhereithasremainedeversinceAmodestamountofcommercialcornwhiskeyisstillproducedandconsumedintheSouthwhileanincreasingnumberofcraftwhiskeydistilleriesarenowexperimentingwiththismoreinterestingalternativetovodka

AbottleofPlatteValleyStraightCornWhiskeybyMcCormickDistillingCo

CANADIANWHISKY

Canadianwhiskies aswith theirAmerican cousins originated on the farmTheseearlywhiskiesweremadeprimarilyfromryethoughovertimeCanadiandistillersturnedtocornwheatandothergrainsCanadianscontinuetorefertotheirwhiskyasldquoryerdquoeventhoughthemashbillisnowpredominantlyamixofcorn wheat and barley Several of the new generation of Canadian craftdistillersarehowevermarketingbothall-maltandldquotruerdquoryewhiskies

FortyCreekSmallBatchReserveWhisky(Canadian)byKittlingRidgeEstateWinesampSpirits

AbottleofSnakeRiverStampedeBlendedCanadianWhisky

THEBASISOFNORTHAMERICANWHISKIES

NORTHAmericanwhiskiesareall-grainspiritsthathavebeenproducedfrom

amashbillthatusuallymixestogethercornryewheatbarleyandothergrainsin different proportions and then is aged for an extended period of time inwoodenbarrelsThesebarrelsmaybeneworusedandcharredoruncharredontheinsidedependingonthetypeofwhiskeybeingmade

Whiskeybarrelsondisplayonanantiquetruck

Most non-craft North American whiskies are made in column stills TheUnitedStatesgovernmentrequiresthatallwhiskies

bullBedistilledat90percentABVorlessbullBereducedtonomorethan625percentABV(125degproof)beforebeingagedinoakbarrels(exceptforcornwhiskeywhichdoesnothavetobeagedinwood)

bullHavethearomatasteandcharacteristicsthataregenerallyattributedtowhiskey

bullBebottledatnolessthat40percentABV(80degproof)

Acoopershootsairintoacharringbarreltostoketheflames

Acooperformsabarrelbeforeattachinghoopsaroundtheoutside

CLASSIFICATIONSOFNORTHAMERICANWHISKIES

NORTHAMERICANwhiskiesareessentiallyclassifiedbythetypeorvarietyof

grains in the mash bill the percentage or proof of alcohol at which they aredistilledandthedurationandmanneroftheiraging

Astirringpaddlesitsoveramoonshinewash

BarleygrowinginafieldinWashingtonState

PeregrineRockSingleMaltWhiskeybyStJamesSpirits

NORTHAMERICANWHISKEYREGIONS

North Americarsquos variations of whiskey are as nuanced and distinct as thecontinentrsquos regionsMost are aged innewwoodbarrels butbeyond that therehasbeenmuchexperimentinginrecentyears

UNITEDSTATES

Kentucky produces all types of North American whiskies except forTennessee andCanadian It currently has the largest concentration ofwhiskeydistilleries on the continent but may soon cede that claim to MichiganColoradooroneofthePacificNorthweststatesasnewcraftdistilleriescontinuetoopen

BarrelsofbourbonagingattheWoodfordReserveDistillery

MostWantedKansasWhiskeybyHighPlainsInc

Tennessee started out as bourbon country but today its two remainingwhiskeydistilleriesspecializeinthedistinctiveTennesseestyleofwhiskeyOther statesmdashprimarily Indiana IllinoisVirginia andMissourimdashhave large

distilleries that produce straight whiskeys although some of these plants arecurrentlymothballed

CANADA

Ontario has the largest concentration of whisky distilleries in Canada withthreeAlbertahastwoandManitobaQuebecandNovaScotiaeachhaveoneWiththeexceptionofGlenorainNovaScotiaandKittlingRidgeinOntarioalloftheothercurrentCanadianwhiskydistilleriesproduceonlyblendedCanadianwhisky although a number of new craft whisky distilleries are listed in theindex

REGIONALFLAVORS

Therearenowmorethanthirtycraftdistilleriesinat leastseventeenstatesthatareproducingsuchstandardwhiskeystylesasbourboncornandryeaswell asmany experimental variationsOne example isWasmundrsquos SingleMaltWhiskey from theCopperFoxDistilleryofSperryvilleVirginiaThisdistilleryhasitsownfloormaltingsandsoaks itsagingspirit inapple-woodchipsThissort of production twist which has its roots in craft brewing is increasinglybecomingadistinctivefeatureofAmericancraftdistillingAdditionally there are a number of distilling plants scattered around the

country that rectify (redistill) process and bottle spirits that were originallydistilledelsewhereThesedistilleriesinadditiontosometimesbottlingbourbonthat has been shipped to them in bulk may also create their own blendedwhiskiesThesewhiskiestendtoberelativelyinexpensiveldquowellrdquobrandsthataresoldmainlytotavernsandbarsformakingmixeddrinks

RickWasmundmaltsbarleybyhandattheCopperFoxDistillery

AWHISKEYLEXICON

Bondedwhiskeyisbourbonfromasingledistillerythatwasproducedinasingle ldquoseasonrdquo and then aged for at least four years in a government-supervisedldquobondedrdquowarehouseDistillersoriginallydidthistoavoidhavingtopaytheexcisetaxuntilthewhiskeywasagedandreadyformarketConsumerscameto(erroneously)regardtheldquobottledinbondrdquodesignationasastatementofqualityBondedwhiskies arenotmuchof a factor in todayrsquosmarket althoughtheystillexist

Themash is themix of crushed grain (including somemalt that containsenzymestobreakdowngrainstarchesintosugars)andhotwaterfromwhichthedistillerdrawsaliquidextractcalledwortThewortisfermentedintoasimplebeercalledthewashwhichisthendistilled

Sourmashisthefermentationprocessbywhichapercentageofapreviousfermentation is added to a new batch as a ldquostarterrdquo to get the fermentationgoing andmaintain a level of consistency from batch to batch A sweetmashmeansthatonlyfreshyeastisaddedtoanewbatchtostartfermentation

Straight whiskey is unblended whiskey that contains no neutral spiritBourbonTennesseeryeandcornwhiskiesarestraightwhiskiesThereisalsoaspiritsimplycalledldquostraightwhiskeyrdquo that ismade fromamixtureofgrainsnoneofwhichaccountsfor51percentofthemashbill

InthiswhiskeybarrelstoragebuildingablackmoldandrustthriveontheldquoangelrsquossharerdquoofevaporatedalcoholandtheKentuckyhumidity

Washbeingmadeinthemashtun

Bubblesriseduringagrainfermentation

SCOTCHWHISKYIRISHWHISKEYANDOTHERWHISKIESOFTHEWORLD

WHISKY isdefined in itsmostbasic senseasa spirit that isdistilled from

grainSometimesthegrainhasbeenmaltedsometimesnotWhatdistinguisheswhiskyfromvodkaginaquavitandothergrain-basedspiritsisthatitisagedoftenforlongperiodsoftimeinwoodenbarrels(usuallyoak)Thisbarrelagingsmoothes the rough palate of the raw spirit adding aromatic and flavoringnuancesalongwiththebaseamberhuethatsetswhiskiesapartfromwhitegrainspirits

THEHISTORYOFSCOTCHWHISKY

ThebasisofScotchwhiskyistheheather-flavoredalesmadefrombarleymaltthat thePictsand theirprehistoricancestorsbrewedArcheologistshave foundevidence of such brewing dating back to at least 2000 BCE This ale stillproducedtodaybyatleastoneScottishmicrobrewerwaslowinalcoholandnotverystableStarting in theninthcentury Irishmonksarrived inScotland toChristianize

theirCelticbrethrenTheybroughtalongthefirstprimitivestillswhichtheyhadpickedupduring theirproselytizingvisits tomainlandEuropeduring theDarkAges The local Picts soon found that they could create a stable alcoholicbeveragebydistillingheatheraleSimplestillscametobefoundinmostruralhomesteadsandhomemadewhiskybecameanintegralpartofGaelicculture

ForsythstillsatthePenderynWhiskyDistilleryinWales

Laphroaig10-year-oldSingleMaltScotchWhiskyfromtheIslandofIslay

WHYBLENDEDSCOTCHWHISKYISAGOODTHINGEVENIFYOUPREFERSINGLEMALTS

It isatruismofreligionthatconvertsfrequentlybecomethemostzealousofbelieversAmongfreshlymintedmodern-dayenthusiastsofScotchmaltwhiskiesit is a frequently heard refrain thatmalt whiskies are superior to the blendedarticle and that the latterare just notworthbotheringwithPersonal taste isultimatelysubjectiveofcourseButsinglemaltdrinkersshouldraisetheirhatsin salute whenever a Dewarrsquos or Johnnie Walker delivery truck drives bybecause without these blended brands most of the remaining malt distillerieswouldnotexistBlendedScotchwhiskiesrequireablendofdozensofdifferentmaltwhiskiestobecombinedwiththegrainwhiskytocreatethedesiredblendThe individual percentages of each malt whisky may be small but eachcontributesitsuniquecharactertotheblendAblenderwillthusneedtobuyorproducealargeamountofdifferentmaltwhiskiestomaintaintheconsistencyoftheblendThus foramaltwhiskydistillery thesinglemaltmaygetallof theglorybuttheblendsultimatepaythebills

Talisker18-year-oldSingleMaltScotchWhisky

AslongasScottishkingsruledthecountryfromEdinburghthestatusquoofwhiskyasjustanotherfarmproductwasmoreorlessmaintainedButtheActofUnion in 1707 that combined England Wales and Scotland into the UnitedKingdomalteredtheScotchwhiskysceneforeverTheLondongovernmentsoonleviedexcisetaxesonScottish-madewhisky(whileatthesametimecuttingthetaxesonEnglishgin)Theresultwasapredictableboomin illicitdistilling In1790sEdinburghitwasestimatedthatmorethn400illegalstillscompetedwithjust eight licensed distilleries A number of present-day Scottish distilleriesparticularlyintheHighlandshavetheiroriginsinsuchillicitoperations

HighlandPark12-year-oldSingleMaltScotchWhisky

BarrelsagingatthePenderynWhiskyDistilleryinWales

TheExciseAct of 1823 reduced taxes onScotchwhisky tolerablyThis actcoincided with the dawn of the industrial revolution and entrepreneurs weresoon building new state-of-the-art distilleries The local moonshiners (calledsmugglers) did not go quietly Some of the first licensed distillers in rurallocations were threatened by their illicit peers But in the end productionefficiencies and the rule of law won out The whisky that came from thesedistillerieswasmade exclusively frommalted barley that had been kiln driedoverpeatfiresThesmokefromthesepeatfiresgavethemaltadistinctivetangthatmadetheScottishproductinstantlyidentifiablebywhiskydrinkersallovertheworldThe nineteenth century brought a rush of changes to the Scotch whisky

industryTheintroductionofcolumnstillsearlyinthe1830sledtothecreationofgrainwhiskywhich in turn led toblendedScotchwhisky in the late1860sThe smooth blandness of the grain whisky toned down the assertive smokycharacterofthemaltwhiskiesThe resulting blended whisky was milder and more acceptable to foreign

consumersparticularlytheEnglishwhoturnedtoScotchwhiskyinthe1870swhen a phylloxera infestation (an insect pest that destroys grape vines) in thevineyardsofEuropedisruptedsuppliesofcognacandporttwoofthemainstaysof civilized living Malt whisky distilleries were bought up by blendingcompaniesandtheiroutputwasblendedwithgrainwhiskiestocreatethegreatblended brands that have come to dominate the market The malt whiskydistilleriestookabackseattothesebrandsandsoldmostorinsomecasesalloftheirproductiontotheblendersTherecentpopularrevivalofmaltwhiskieshasledmostofthedistilleriestocomeoutwithbottlingsoftheirownproducts

KeithTenchvisitorcentremanagerposeswithdistillerGillianHowellatthePenderynWhiskyDistilleryinWales

Bythe1970sinternationalliquorcompaniesownedmostofthemaltwhiskydistilleriesasituationthatcontinuestothisday

THEHISTORYOFIRISHWHISKEY

TheScotsmostlikelylearnedaboutdistillingfromtheIrish(thoughtheyareloath to admit it) The Irish in turn learned about it according to the Irish atleastfrommissionarymonkswhoarrivedinIrelandintheseventhcenturyTheactualdetailsareabitsketchyforthenext700yearsorsobutitdoesseemthatmonks in various monasteries were distilling aqua vitae (ldquowater of liferdquo)primarily formakingmedicalcompoundsThese firstdistillateswereprobablygrape or fruit brandy rather than grain spirit Barley-basedwhiskey (thewordderivesfromuiscebeatha theGaelic interpretationofaquavitae) firstappearsin the historical record in the mid-1500s when the Tudor kings began toconsolidateEnglishcontrolinIrelandQueenElizabethIwassaidtobefondofitandhadcasksshippedtoLondonregularlyThe imposition of an excise tax in 1661 had the same effect as it did in

Scotlandwith the immediate commencementof theproductionofpoteen (theIrish version of moonshine) This did not however slow the growth of thedistillingindustryandbytheendoftheeighteenthcenturythereweremorethan2000stillsinoperationUnderBritish rule Irelandwasexportorientedand Irishdistillersproduced

large quantities of pot-distilled whiskey for export into the expanding BritishEmpire (along with grains and assorted foodstuffs) In the late nineteenthcenturymorethan400brandsofIrishwhiskeywerebeingexportedandsoldintheUnitedStates

DistillerLanceWintersleadsagroupofotherdistillersonatourofStGeorgeSpiritsHangarOneVodkaHeretheyaremarvelingatthegleamingcolumnstills

This happy state of affairs lasted into the early twentieth centurywhen themarketbegantochangeTheIrishpotstilluserswereslowtorespondtotheriseof blended Scotch whisky with its column-distilled smooth-grain-whiskycomponent When National Prohibition in the United States closed off theirlargest export market many of the smaller distilleries closed The remainingdistilleries then failed to anticipate the coming of Repeal (unlike the Scotchdistillers) and were caught short when it came The Great Depression tradeembargoes between the newly independent Irish Republic and the UnitedKingdomandWorldWarIIcausedfurtherhavocamongthedistillersIn1966thethreeremainingdistillingcompaniesintheRepublicofIrelandmdash

Powers Jameson and CorkDistilleriesmdashmerged into a single company IrishDistillers Company (IDC) In 1972 Bushmills the last distillery in NorthernIrelandjoinedIDCIn1975IDCopenedanewmammothdistilleryatMidleton

nearCorkandalloftheotherdistilleriesintherepublicwerecloseddownwiththeproductionoftheirbrandsbeingtransferredtoMidletonForafourteen-yearperiod the Midleton plant and Bushmills in Northern Ireland were the onlydistilleriesinIreland

Thissadstateofaffairsendedin1989whenapotato-peelethanolplant inDundalk was converted into a whiskey distillery The new Cooley Distillerybegantoproducemaltandgrainwhiskeyswiththefirstthree-year-oldbottlingsreleasedin1992

YamazakiDistilleryShimamotoOsakaJapan12-year-oldSingleMaltWhisky(Japan)

THEHISTORYOFJAPANESEWHISKY

Themodern Japanesewhisky industry can trace its beginnings back to onemanMasatakaTaketsuraThesonofasakebrewerTaketsurawenttoScotlandin 1918 and spent two years studying chemistry at Glasgow University andworkingataScotchwhiskydistilleryinRothesintheHighlandsHereturnedtoJapanin1920withaScottishbrideandadeterminationtochangetheJapanesedistillingindustryTheJapanesewerethenastheyarenowmajorconsumersofScotchwhisky

Locallyproducedspiritshoweverwere limited to thefierysorghum-orsweet-potato-basedshochuandahandfulofdubiousldquowhiskiesrdquothatwerelittlemorethan neutral spirits colored with caramel Taketsura convinced the owners ofwhatbecametheSuntoryCompanytobeginproductionofbarleymaltandgrainwhiskiesbasedontheScottishmodelThesewhiskiessomeofwhicharemadefrom imported peat-smoked Scottish malt became very successful in theJapanesemarketOtherdistilleriesfollowedSuntoryrsquosleadandthesewhiskiesbased onScotchwhiskymodels (and later bourbonwhiskey) soon dominatedthemarket

KaruizawaNumberOneSingleCaskWhisky(Japan)ThedistilleryislocatedinthefoothillsofMountAsamaanactivevolcano

ModernJapanesedistillers(includingtheNikkaWhiskyDistillerywhichwasfoundedbyTaketsurain1934)havefollowedthistrendandnowadaysproduceandmarketafullrangeofmaltandblendedwhiskies

THEHISTORYOFNEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIANWHISKY

Scottishemigrantsbroughttheirwhisky-makingskillstoNewZealandinthe1840s A thriving whisky industry soon developed and operated until 1875whennewexcessivelyhighexcisetaxesandheavycompetitionfromimportedBritishwhiskies forced the local commercial distilleries to shut downA newalmostcommercial-sizedmoonshinetradequicklyreplacedthemasituationthatcontinuedforalmostacenturyIn 1968 a newwhisky distillery opened inDunedin It produces a range of

maltandgrainwhiskiesbroadlyintheScottishstylefromlocallygrowngrainEventhebarleymaltiskilnedandsmokedusinglocalpeatAustralianwhisky production has experienced a similar varied historywith

assortednineteenth-centuryproducerspoppingup in thevariousstatesonly tobedrivenoutofbusinessbyBritishimportsAbortiveattemptsinthe1990storevivewhiskyproductionhavebeenfollowedmorerecentlybyanewgenerationofmoresuccessfulcraftwhiskydistillersparticularlyontheislandofTasmania

Thousandsofbarrelsstackedoutsideacooperage

THEBASISOFSCOTCHWHISKYIRISHWHISKEYJAPANESEWHISKYAND

NEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIANWHISKY

Allofthesewhiskeystyleswhileverydifferentintasteandstylearebasedonmaltedbarleyasthedominantsourceofflavorandcharacter

SCOTLAND

TherearetwobasiccategoriesofScotchwhiskymaltwhiskywhichismadeexclusivelyfrommaltedbarleythathasbeendriedoversmokingpeatfiresandgrainwhiskywhichismadefromunmaltedwheatorcornThesewhiskiesareaged inusedwoodenbourbonor sherrybarrels for aminimumof threeyearsalthoughfivetotenyearsisthegeneralpractice

IRELAND

TherearetwobasiccategoriesofIrishwhiskeymaltwhiskeywhichismadeexclusivelyfrommaltedbarleythathasbeenkiln-driedbutnotoverpeatfiresandgrainwhiskeywhichismadefromunmaltedwheatorcornThesewhiskeysareagedinusedwoodenbourbonorsherrybarrelsforaminimumofthreeyearsalthoughfivetoeightyearsisthenorm

JAPAN

Japanese whiskies both malt and blended are broadly based on Scotchwhiskieswithsometopbrandsevenbeingmadewith importedScottishwaterandpeat-smokedbarleymaltThepeat-smokecharacterofJapanesewhiskiesisgenerally more subtle and delicate than their Scottish counterparts Japanesewhiskiesmaybeagedinbothnewandused(usuallybourbon)woodenbarrelswhichmaybeeithercharredoruncharred

NEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIA

New Zealand and Australian whiskies both draw on Scottish Irish andAmerican traditions in a cheerfully mixed manner using both peated andunpeated locally-grown barley malt to produce mostly pot-distilled maltwhiskiesthatareagedinusedbourbonandwinebarrelsforatheoreticalifnotalwaysabsoluteminimumofsixyearsformaltwhisky

Detailoffermentingbarleywashformakingwhiskey

THEDISTILLATIONOFSCOTCHWHISKYIRISHWHISKEYJAPANESEWHISKY

ANDNEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIANWHISKY

Double-andeventriple-distillationisthenormforthisfamilyofbarleymaltndashbasedwhiskies

SCOTLAND

All Scotch malt whiskies are double distilled in pot stills whereas Scotchgrainwhiskiesaremadeincolumnstills

IRELAND

Irishwhiskeysbothblendedandmaltareusuallytripledistilledthroughbothcolumnandpotstillsalthoughthereareafewexclusivelypot-distilledbrands

JAPAN

Japanese whiskies follow the Scottish tradition with malt whiskies beingdoubledistilledinpotstillsandgrainwhiskiesincolumnstills

NEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIA

BothNewZealandandAustralianmaltandgrainwhiskiesaredoubledistilledin pot stills with some Tasmanian distilleries reportedly experimenting withtripledistillation

SCOTCHWHISKYIRISHWHISKEYJAPANESEWHISKYANDNEWZEALAND

ANDAUSTRALIANWHISKYREGIONS

SCOTLAND

TheHighlandsconsistoftheportionofScotlandnorthofalinefromDundeeon the North Sea coast in the east to Greenock on the Irish Sea in the westincluding all of the islands off the mainland except for Islay Highland maltwhiskies cover a broad spectrum of styles They are generally consideredaromatic smooth and medium bodied with palates that range from lushcomplexitytofloraldelicacyThesubregionsoftheHighlandsincludeSpeysidetheNorthEastandWestHighlandstheOrkneyIslesandtheWesternIslands(JuraMullandSkye)TheLowlandsencompasstheentireScottishmainlandsouthoftheHighlands

except the Kintyre Peninsula where Campbeltown is located Lowland maltwhiskiesarelightbodiedrelativelysweetanddelicateIslay is an island off the west coast Traditional Islay malt whiskies are

intenselysmokyandpungentincharacterwithadistinctiveiodineormedicinaltangthatissaidtocomefromseasaltpermeatingthelocalpeatthatisusedtodrythebarleymaltCampbeltown is a port located on the tip of the Kintyre Peninsula on the

southwestcoastthathasitsowndistinctivespicyandsalt-tingedmaltwhiskies

IRELAND

Aseriesofcorporateconsolidationsandresultingplantclosureshavelefttheislandwithonly threedistilleries one inCountyAntrimat thenorthern tipofUlsterandtwointheRepublicofIrelandtothesouthSeveralnewandreviveddistilleriesarehowevercurrentlyunderconstruction

JAPAN

The whisky distilleries of Japan are scattered throughout Honshu andHokkaido the two main northern islands of Japan with the malt whiskydistillerieslocatedforthemostpartinmountainousregionswheretherearegoodwatersupplies

NEWZEALANDANDAUSTRALIA

NewZealandcurrentlyonlyhasoneoperatingwhiskydistillery inDunedinSouth Island At press time Australia had one operating whisky distillery inwesternAustraliaandthreeinTasmania

WHISKYCOCKTAILS

SAZERACInashortglasscombinebull2ounces(60ml)ryewhiskeybull1teaspoon(5g)sugarStirtoblendthenaddbullDashPeychaudrsquosbittersbullDashAngosturabittersbullfrac12ounce(15ml)Pernodbull2icecubesStirtoblendGarnishwithlemontwist

DEPTHCHARGE

Fill a tall glass three-quarters full of beer Pour 1 12 ounces (45 ml)CanadianwhiskeyintoashotglassDroptheshotglassintotheglassofbeeranddrinkthemtogether

WHISKEYSOURFillashortglasswithiceInashakercombinebull1frac12ounces(45ml)bourbonwhiskeybull1ounce(30ml)lemonjuicebull1tablespoon(15g)sugarbullCrushedice(halffull)Shakeandstrainintotheglass

MANHATTAN

Inashakercombinebull1frac12ounces(45ml)blendedbullfrac34ounce(23ml)sweetvermouthbullIceStirandstrainintoamartini(cocktail)glassorashortglassGarnishwitha

maraschinocherry

RUSTYNAIL

FillashortglasswithicecubesAdd

bull1ounce(30ml)Scotchwhiskybullfrac12ounce(15ml)DrambuieliqueurStirandserve

SazeracRyeWhiskey

LabelforOldGristmillAuthenticAmericanCornWhiskeybyTuthilltownSpirits

ARTISANPROFILEINSIDETHEINDUSTRY

JOHNHENRY

PipeLineBrandAgentsNewYorkNewYork

SUDDENLY it is time to open the doorsYou bought your still got yourlicensebuiltyourdistillerysourcedyourrawproductsdecidedwhattomakeandactuallymadesomeThemostimportantstepisstillaheadmdashyoursquovegottoconvincepeopletobuywhatyoursquoresellingEnterJohnHenryofPipeLineBrandAgentsabrandbuilderandmarketdeveloperThetaskofreachingcustomersisdauntingGiantcorporationscanflybevies

of representatives around the world and ply retailers and restaurants withpromotional wares but the small distiller more often than not finds himselfdrivingaroundinhisowncarwithacaseortwointhetrunkPipeLinersquosteamofbrand agents andmarket ambassadors are ldquodedicated to properly representinghigh-qualityartisanalspiritsrdquo(accordingtotheirwebsite)andtheyworkhardtobuildstrongsupportivemutuallybeneficialrelationshipsldquoI tell the storiesrdquo saidHenry ldquoWhether it is the history of a centuries-old

brewery the soil composition the site and terroir of a sugarcane field orvineyard or a cherished family recipe that goes back fourteen generations Iwanttogetoutonthestreetandtellpeopleaboutitrdquo

HenryunderstandsthatasmalldistillerrsquosproductisaworkofpassionandhewantstoinstillthatpassioninthemarketplaceandforgethesortofloyaltythatcanonlybecommandedbyacraftproductldquoIknowthepersonalitiesthehistoryandthedramaWhatrsquosbetterthanthat

Nocorporate-createdbrandlike10CanehasthishistoryandrootedstoryrdquoHenry cuts a striking figure He is a graduate ofWest Point and a former

Armyintelligenceofficerbutheleftall thatbehindtoridehisbicyclethroughthestreetsofNewYorkbottlesclinkinginhisbackpackldquoThebikeiskingItrsquosastoryuntoitselfItrsquosgreenitrsquosstreetitrsquosartisanalit

movesItrsquosahand-deliveredhand-soldwaytodobusinessandIwouldnrsquothaveit anyotherway I paraphraseOrwell lsquoWhen I see a grownmanon a bike IhavehopeforthefuturersquordquoHenrylikestosaythatheldquofarmsrelationshipsonthestreetmdashorganicallyrdquoIn

doingsothehardestpartofthejobisalsowhatmakesitpossibleldquoWhatrsquosmostdifficultaboutrepresentingthemoreboutiquecraftedbrandsis

that you have to continually tell the story from scratch The bigger brandsbombard the consumerwith imagesmdashthinkVincentGallo forBelvedereWiththesmallerbrandsyouhavetomaketheconnectiononeononeasifyouwerethedistillertellinghisstoryThatrsquoswhatmakesthemstandoutasbrandsandasdistillersIamasmuchabrandstorytellerasIamastreet-basedbrandbuilderIlookatmyjobaspartJohnnyAppleseedandpartJohnnyCarsonrdquo

CHAPTERFOUR

VODKA

ldquoThe relationship between a Russian and a bottle of vodka is almostmysticalrdquo

mdashRichardOwenBritishscientistanddrinkingbuddyofCharlesDarwin

Acolorfularayofcraftvodkasondisplayonicereadytobeenjoyedresponsibly

ASTHESTORYgoesin988theGrandPrinceofKiev(Ukraine)decideditwas time for his people to be converted from their paganways to one of themonotheisticreligionsthatheldswaytothesouthFirstcametheJewishrabbisHe listened to their argumentswas impressed but ultimately sent them awayafternoting that the followersof Judaismdidnotcontrolany landNextcamethe Muslim mullahs Again he was impressed both with their intellectualargumentsandthesuccessofIslamasapoliticalandmilitaryforceButwhenhewas told that Islamproscribed alcohol hewas dismayed and sent themawayFinallycametheChristianpriestswhoinformedhimthatnotonlycouldgoodChristiansdrinkalcoholbutalsothatwinewasrequiredforchurchritualssuchas communion That was good enough for the Grand Prince and on hiscommandhissubjectsconvertedenmassetoChristianity

THEHISTORYOFVODKA

HISTORICALLY the Slavic peoples of the north and their Scandinavian

neighborstookalcoholicdrinksveryseriouslyTheextremecoldtemperaturesofwinter inhibited the shipment of wines and beers because these low-proofbeverages could freeze during transit Until the introduction of distilling intoEastern Europe in the 1400s strong drink was made by fermenting winesmeadsandbeersfreezingthemandthendrawingoffthealcoholicslushfromthefrozenwaterThe earliest distilled spirit in Eastern Europewasmade frommead (honey

wine)orbeerandwascalledperevaraThewordvodka(fromtheRussianwordvoda meaning ldquowaterrdquo) was originally used to describe grain distillates thatwere used for medicinal purposes As distilling techniques improved vodka(wodka in Polish) gradually came to be the accepted term for beverage spiritregardlessofitsorigin

VODKAINRUSSIA

Russians firmly believe that vodka was created in their land Commercialproduction was established by the fourteenth century In 1540 Czar Ivan theTerrible established the first government vodka monopoly Distilling licenseswerehandedout to theboyars(thenobility)allotherdistillerieswerebannedandmoonshiningbecameendemicVodka production became an integral part of Russian society Landowners

operated stills on their estates and produced high-quality vodkas that wereflavored with everything from acorns to horseradish to mint The czarsmaintained test distilleries at their country palaces In 1780 a scientist at onesuchdistilleryinventedcharcoalfiltrationtopurifyvodka

ThreeHolsteinstillsatStGeorgeSpiritsHangarOneVodka

BytheeighteenthandintothenineteenthcenturytheRussianvodkaindustrywasconsideredtechnologicallyadvancedNewstillsandproductiontechniquesfrom Western Europe were eagerly imported and utilized State funding andcontrol of vodka research continued Under a 1902 law ldquoMoscow vodkardquo aclear 40 percent ABV rye vodka without added flavorings and soft ldquolivingrdquo(undistilled)waterwasestablishedasthebenchmarkforRussianvodkaThe Soviet Union continued government control of vodka production All

distilleries became government-owned and while the Communist Partyapparatchiks continued to enjoy high-quality rye vodka the proletariatmasseshadtomakedowithcheapspiritsVodkaproduction in the currentRussianFederationhas returned to thepre-

RevolutionarypatternHigh-qualitybrandsareagainbeingproducedforthenewsocial elite and for export while the popularly priced brands are still beingconsumedwelllikevoda

PuttinglabelsoverthecapsoffreshlyfilledbottlesofPrezydentVodkaatPolmosLodzinLodzPoland

VODKAINPOLAND

The earliest written records of vodka production in Poland date from the1400s thoughsomePolishhistoriansclaim that itwasbeingproducedaroundthe southern city of Krakow at least a century earlier Originally known asokowita(fromtheLatinaquavitaldquowaterofliferdquo) itwasusedforavarietyofpurposes in addition to beverages A 1534medical text defined an aftershavelotion as ldquovodka for washing the chin after shavingrdquo Herbal-infused vodkaswereparticularlypopularaslinimentsfortheachesandpainsoflifeIn 1546King JanOlbracht granted the right to distill and sell in spirits to

everyadultcitizenThePolisharistocracytakingacuefromtheirRussianpeerssoonlobbiedtohavethisprivilegerevokedandreplacedbyaroyaldecreethatreservedtothemtherighttomakevodkaCommercialvodkadistillerieswerewellestablishedbytheeighteenthcentury

By the mid-nineteenth century a thriving export trade had developed withPolish vodkas particularly those infused with small quantities of fruit spiritbeingshippedthroughoutnorthernEuropeandevenintoRussia

SpiritsdanceinthestillattheWeyermannDistilleryinBambergGermany

With the fall of Communism in the late 1980s the vodka distilleries soonreturned to private ownership Nowadays high-quality Polish vodkas areexportedthroughouttheworld

VODKAINSWEDEN

Vodkaproduction inSwedenwhichdates fromthe fifteenthcenturyhas itsorigins in the local gunpowder industry where high-proof spirit (originallycalledbraumlnnvin)wasusedasacomponentofblackpowderformusketsWhendistillerieswere licensed toproducebeveragealcohol (primarilyspice-flavoredaquavitbutalsovodka) itwaswiththeunderstandingthatgunpowdermakershadfirstpriorityoverbeverageconsumersHomedistillingwaslongapartofSwedishsocietyIn1830thereweremore

than 175000 registered stills in a country of fewer than threemillion peopleThistraditioninamuchdiminishedandillegalformstillcontinuestothisdayModernSwedishvodkaisproducedbytheVinampSpritstatemonopoly

VODKAANDTHECLASSSYSTEM

Thesocietalattitudetowardcheapspiritsmeantfortheproletariatcouldbesummed up by the curious fact that mass-produced vodka was sold in literbottles with a non-screw cap Once you opened the bottle it couldnrsquot beresealedYouhadtodrinkitallinonesession

CharcoalfiltrationusedinmakingvodkaatColoradoPureDistilling

VODKAINTHEUNITEDSTATES

Vodka was first imported into the United States in significant quantitiesaroundtheturnofthetwentiethcenturyItsmarketwasimmigrantsfromEasternEuropeAftertherepealofNationalProhibitionin1933theHeubleinCompanyboughttherightstotheSmirnoffbrandofvodkafromitsWhiteRussianeacutemigreacuteowners and relaunched vodka into theUSmarket Sales languished until anenterprisingliquorsalesmaninSouthCarolinastartedpromotingitasldquoSmirnoffWhiteWhiskymdashNotasteNosmellrdquoSalesboomedandAmericanvodkaaftermarking timeduringWorldWar IIwas on itsway tomarketing successThefirst popular vodka-based cocktailwas a combinationof vodka andginger alecalled the Moscow mule It was marketed with its own special copper mugexamples of which can still be found on the back shelves of liquor cabinetsthroughouttheUnitedStatesTodayvodka is thedominantwhitespirit in theUnitedStateshelpedalong

by its versatility as amixer and some very clever advertising campaigns Themost famous of these was the classic double entendre tagline ldquoSmirnoffmdashItleavesyoubreathlessrdquoThemajorityofAmericancraftdistillersarevodkaproducersThey are divided between those who purchase neutral grain spirit (NGS)

fromathirdpartysupplierandthenrectifyitintheirownfacilityandarelativehandful of operations that produce and distill their ownwash tomake vodkaThisisactuallyaseriouschallengeforcraftdistillerswithpotstillsbecauseitisdifficulttoproduceahigh-proofneutralgrainspiritwithoutusingacolumnstillThe best-known and bestselling craft-distilled vodka is Titorsquos Handmade

VodkafromthedistilleryofthesamenameinAustinTexas

THEBASISOFVODKA

ldquoAvodkamartinipleasePolishnotRussianShakennotstirredrdquomdashJamesBondAgent007plungingastakeintotheheartofginsales

VODKAismadebyfermentingandthendistillingthesimplesugarsfroma

mashofpalegrainorvegetalmatterwhichcanbepotatoesmolassesbeetsoravarietyofotherplantsRyeis theclassicgrainforvodkaandmostof thebestRussianandPolishbrandsaremadeexclusivelyfromaryemashSwedishandBalticdistillersarepartialtowheatmashesalthoughwheatisalsousedfarthereastPotatoesarelookeddownonbyRussiandistillersbuttheyareheldinhighesteem by some of their Polish counterparts Molasses is widely used forinexpensive mass-produced brands of vodka American distillers use the fullrangeofbaseingredients

DISTILLATIONOFVODKA

Vodkaisdistilledinthemannerdescribedintheintroductorychapterofthisbook (Seepage24)Thechoiceofpotorcolumnstillsdoeshoweverhaveafundamentaleffectonthefinalcharacterof thevodkaAllvodkacomesoutofthestillasaclearcolorlessspiritButvodkafromapotstill(thesortusedforcognac and Scotch whisky) will contain some of the delicate aromaticscongenersandflavorelementsofthecropfromwhichitwasproducedPotstillsare relatively inefficient and the resulting spirit from the first distillation isusually redistilled (rectified) to increase the proof of the spirit Vodka from amoreefficientcolumnstillisusuallyaneutralcharacterlessspirit

MaineDistilleriesuseslocallysourcedpotatoestomakeitsColdRiverVodka

Except for a fewminor exceptions vodka is not put intowooden casks oraged for anyextensiveperiodof time It canhowever be flavoredor coloredwithawidevarietyoffruitsherbsandspices

CLASSIFICATIONSOFVODKA

Therearenouniformclassificationsofvodka InPolandvodkasaregradedaccordingtotheirdegreeofpuritystandard(zwykly)premium(wyborowy)anddeluxe(luksusowy)InRussiavodkathatislabeledosobaya(special)isusuallyasuperior-qualityproductthatcanbeexportedwhilekrepkaya(strong)denotesanoverproofvodkaofatleast56percentABVIn the United States domestic vodkas are defined by US government

regulation as ldquoneutral spirits so distilled or so treated after distillation withcharcoalorothermaterialsastobewithoutdistinctivecharacteraromatasteorcolorrdquoBecauseAmericanvodkaisbylawneutralintastethereareonlyverysubtledistinctionsbetweenbrandsManydrinkersfeelthattheonlyrealwayofdifferentiatingbetweenthemisbyalcoholcontentandprice

VODKAREGIONS

EASTERNEUROPE

ThisisthehomelandofvodkaproductionEverycountryproducesvodkaandmostalsohavelocalflavoredspecialtiesRussiaUkraineandBelarusproducethefullrangeofvodkatypesandthey

are generally acknowledged to be the leaders in vodka production Only thebetterbrandsallofwhicharedistilledfromryeandwheatareexportedtotheWest

ZubrowkavodkabyPolmosBialystockaisflavoredwithbuffalograssfromtheBialowiezaforestinPolandThevodkahasayellow-greentinge(notshown)fromthegrassinfusion

FLAVOREDVODKA

AsaneutralspiritvodkalendsitselftoblendingwithflavorsandfortifyingotherbeveragesInthenineteenthcenturyhigh-proofldquoRussianspiritrdquowasheldin high esteem by sherry producers in Spain who imported it to fortify theirwines Neutral spirits are still used to fortify port sherry and other types offortified wines although the source of alcohol for such purposes these daystends to be the vast ldquowine lakerdquo that has been created by European UnionagriculturalpracticesFlavoredvodkaswereoriginallyusedtomasktheflavorofthefirstprimitive

vodkas but they were later considered a mark of the distillerrsquos skill TheRussians and Poles in particular still market dozens of flavors Some of thebetter-knowntypesare

Inrecentyearsnumerous flavoredvodkashavebeenlaunchedontheworldmarketThemostsuccessfulofthesehavebeenfruitflavorssuchascurrantandorange

LabelforKoenigrsquosFamousIdahoPotatoVodkabytheKoenigDistilleryandWinery

Polandproducesandexportsbothgrain-andpotato-basedvodkasMostofthehigh-qualitybrandsareproducedinpotstillsThe Baltic States of Estonia Latvia and Lithuania along with Finland

produceprimarilygrain-basedvodkasmostlyfromwheat

WESTERNEUROPE

ThisregionhaslocalbrandsofvodkawherevertherearedistilleriesThebaseforthesevodkascanvaryfromgrainsinnortherncountriessuchastheUnitedKingdomHollandandGermanytograpesandotherfruitsinthewinemakingregions of France and Italy Sweden has in recent decades developed asubstantialexportmarketforitsstraightandflavoredwheat-basedvodkas

NORTHAMERICA

The United States and Canada produce vodkas both from various grains(including corn) and from molasses American vodkas are by law neutralspiritssothedistinctionbetweennonflavoredbrandsismoreamatterofpriceandperceptionthantasteAnumberofflavoredvodkasarealsoproducedbothbythemajordistillersandbyanassortmentofcraftdistillers

OTHERREGIONS

TheCaribbeanproducesasurprisingamountofvodkaallofitfrommolassesMostofitisexportedforblendingandbottlinginothercountriesAustraliaproducesmolasses-basedvodkasbutfewareexportedAsiahasasmatteringoflocalvodkaswiththebestcomingfromJapan

VermontWhiteandGoldVodkabyVermontSpirits

VODKACOCKTAILS

SCREWDRIVER

FillatallglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)vodkabullOrangejuicetofillStirandserve

BLOODYMARY

FillashortglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)vodkabullDashWorcestershiresaucebullDashTabascosaucebullDashlemonorlimejuicebullTomatojuicetofillStirandgarnishwithcelerysaltontop

SEXONTHEBEACH

FillatallglasswithiceAddbull1ounce(30ml)vodkabull1ounce(30ml)peachliqueurbull1frac12ounces(45ml)orangejuicebull1frac12ounces(45ml)cranberryjuiceStirandserve

MazamaInfusedPepperVodkabyBendistillery

ARTISANPROFILEINSIDETHEINDUSTRY

LENELLSMOTHERS

FormerownerofLeNellrsquosBrooklynNewYork

WHENcraftdistillersTuthill-townSpiritsfromUpstateNewYorklaunchedtheir firstbarrel-agedwhiskey theycalled itManhattanRye and they threwapartyattheFourSeasonrsquosRestaurantintheSeagramsBuildingonParkAvenueinManhattanInabigopenroomwithbarsatbothendsandamashofpeoplelaughinganddrinkingtheytoastedtheiraccomplishmentandpouredsamplesoftheir excellentwhiskeys and vodkas (made from 100 percentNewYork Stateapples)WhenitcametimetoclinkglassesandhearannouncementsthecrowdwastreatedtoaraucoustutorialonmixingaManhattanStandingonabalconyabove the crowd like a hillbilly Juliet before a throng of devotees LeNellSmotherscackledandcrackedwiseSheworeabatteredcowboyhatbandannasaroundherwriststightjeansandamileofattitudeShetookthecrowdthroughtherecipejiggerofryeshotofsweetvermouth

dashofbittersshaketwistShetalkedvariationTheperfectManhattanishalfdryandhalfsweetvermouthIftheywantedtodrinkthemontherocksdoitIftheywantedtodrinkthemstraightupgoaheadDowhatyoulikebutdoitwithgoodbooze

Smothersmoved fromAlabama toNewYorkCity in 2000 and spent threeyearstoilinginsaleswhileherdreamtoopenupashopsimmeredHerboutiquewineandspirits shop inRedHookBrooklynopened in2003RedHook isarough hip neighborhood on thewaterfront and her place fits right in SmalleclecticandverymuchdrivenbyherpersonalitySmothersrsquosstoreneverwantedtohaveeverythingForyearshervermouthselectionwaslimitedtoonebrandVya the American vermouth made by Andy Quady of the QuadyWinery inMaderaCaliforniabecauseitwasmadebyasmallproducerSmotherswasacceptedintothebourboncommunitywholeheartedlyandher

selectionofAmericanwhiskeywasbreathtakingWhenJimmyRussellofWildTurkeydidabottlesigninginNewYorkhediditathertinyshopSmothershowevertightshegetswiththebigproducersremainsachampion

of craft distilling ldquoWhen I go Charbay Irsquove got four generations of distillersthere hands on Someplace like Stoli isnrsquot going to have the same qualitycontrolrdquoWheresomepeoplecallmicro-distillingpracticessuchasmaking100percent

barley whiskeys or making whiskey from beer instead of from mash ascontroversial Smothers believes that change and adventure are something tocelebrateldquoWhatistheAmericantraditionanywayAllwedoisourownthingrdquoInearly2009afteratryingstrugglewithherlandlordSmotherslostthelease

tohershopNexttimeshersquosgoingtobuythebuildingshesaysandexpandthewhiskeyselection

CHAPTERFIVE

GIN

ldquoTheproperunionofginandvermouthisagreatandsuddengloryitisoneofthehappiestmarriagesonearthandoneoftheshortestlivedrdquo

mdashBernardDeVotoAmericanessayistanddrinksphilosopher

ThisgooseneckstillatPhiladelphiaDistillingwascustommadebyForsythsofScotland

GIN is a juniper berryndashflavored grain spirit The word is an Englishshorteningofgenever theDutchword for juniperTheoriginsofginareabitmurky In the late 1580s a juniper-flavored spirit of some sort was found inHollandbyBritish troopswhowere fighting against theSpanish in theDutchWarofIndependenceTheygratefullydrankittogivethemwhattheysooncameto call ldquoDutch couragerdquo in battle The Dutch themselves were encouraged bytheirgovernment tofavorsuchgrainspiritsover importedwineandbrandybylackofexcisetaxesonlocaldrinks

THEHISTORYOFGIN

IN the1600s aDrFranciscusde laBoeuml in theuniversity townofLeiden

created a juniper-and spice-flavored medicinal spirit that he promoted as adiuretic Genever soon found favor across the English Channel first as amedicine(SamuelPepyswrotein1660ofcuringacaseofldquocolicrdquowithadoseofldquostrongwatermadewithjuniperrdquo)andthenasabeverageWhen the Dutch ProtestantWilliam of Orange became king of England in

1689 he moved to discourage the importation of brandy from the CatholicwinemakingcountriesbysettinghightariffsAsareplacementhepromotedtheproduction of grain spirits (ldquocorn brandyrdquo as it was known at the time) byabolishingtaxesandlicensingfeesforthemanufactureofsuchlocalproductsasginHistoryhasshownthatprohibitionneverworksbutunfetteredproductionofalcoholhasitsproblemstooBythe1720sitwasestimatedthataquarterofthe houses in London were used for the production or sale of gin Massdrunkenness became a serious problem The cartoonist Hogarthrsquos famousdepictionofsuchbehaviorinGinLaneshowsasignaboveaginshopthatstatesldquoDrunkforapennyDeaddrunkfortwopenceCleanstrawforNothingrdquoPanickyattemptsby thegovernment toprohibitginproduction suchas theGinActof1736 resulted in massive illicit distilling and the cynical marketing ofldquomedicinalrdquo spirits with such fanciful names as Cuckoldrsquos Comfort and MyLadyrsquosEyeWater

FritzMaytagrightatAnchorDistillingWithasmalloverheadcraneAchorDistillingcaninterchangethecolumnsoftheirthreestills

Acombinationofreimposedgovernmentcontrolsthegrowthofhigh-qualitycommercial gin distillers the increasing popularity of imported rum and ageneralfeelingofpublicexhaustiongraduallybroughtthismasshysteriaundercontrol although the problems caused by the combination of cheap gin andextreme poverty extended well into the nineteenth century Faginrsquos irritablecomment toachild in the filmOlivermdashldquoShutupanddrinkyourginrdquomdashhadabasisinhistoricalfact

SonjaKassebaumofNorthShoreDistillerystandsinfrontoftheldquohelmetrdquoofherginstill

Wherever the British Empire went English-style gins followed In Britishcolonies in North America such celebrated Americans as Paul Revere andGeorgeWashingtonwerenotablyfondofginandtheQuakerswerewellknownfortheirhabitofdrinkinggintoddiesafterfuneralsThe mid-nineteenth century ushered in a low-key rehabilitation of ginrsquos

reputationinEnglandTheharshsweetenedldquoOldTomrdquostylesofginoftheearly1700sslowlygavewaytoanewcleanerstylecalleddryginThisstyleofginbecame identified with the city of London to the extent that ldquoLondon dryrdquobecame a generic term for the style regardless of where it was actuallyproduced

BluecoatginleavesthebottlinglineatPhiladelphiaDistilling

Genteel middle-class ladies sipped their sloe gin (gin flavored with sloeberries) while consulting Mrs Beetonrsquos Book of Household Management (awildlypopularVictoriancrossbetweentheJoyofCookingandMarthaStewartlifestyle books) for gin-based mixed drink recipes The British militaryparticularlytheofficercorpsbecameahotbedofginconsumptionHundredsofgin-based mixed drinks were invented and the mastery of their making wasconsidered a part of a young officerrsquos training The best known of thesecocktails the gin and tonic was created as a way for Englishmen in tropicalcolonies to taketheirdailydoseofquinineaverybittermedicine towardoffmalaria(Moderntonicwaterstillcontainsquininethoughasaflavoringratherthanamedicine)

BATHTUBGIN

Gin production in theUnited States dates back to Colonial times but thegreat boost to ginproductionwas theadvent ofNationalProhibition in 1920Moonshiningquicklymovedintofillthegapleftbytheshutdownofcommercialdistilleries But the furtive nature of illicit distilling worked against theproductionof the then-dominantwhiskiesallofwhichrequiredsomeaging inoakcasksBootleggerswerenot inaposition tostoreandage illegalwhiskeyand the caramel-colored prune-juice-dosed grain alcohol substitutes weregenerallyconsideredtobevileGinontheotherhanddidnotrequireanyaginganditwasrelativelyeasyto

makebymixingrawalcoholwithjuniperberryextractandotherflavoringsandspicesinalargecontainersuchasabathtub(thustheoriginofthetermbathtubgin)Theseginsweregenerallyofpoorqualityandtasteafactthatgaverisetothepopularityofcocktailsinwhichthemixersservedtodisguisethetasteofthebase gin Repeal of Prohibition at the end of 1933 ended the production ofbootlegginbutginremainedapartoftheAmericanbeveragesceneItwasthedominantwhitespiritintheUnitedStatesuntiltheriseofvodkainthe1960sItstill remains popular helped along recently by the revived popularity of themartini

THEBASISOFGIN

SpruceGinbyRogueDistilleryandAleHouse

In Holland the production of genever was quickly integrated into the vastDutch trading system Rotterdam became the center of genever distilling asdistilleriesopenedtheretotakeadvantageoftheabundanceofneededspicesthatwerearrivingfromtheDutchcoloniesintheEastIndies(present-dayIndonesia)ManyoftodayrsquosleadingDutchgeneverdistillerscantracetheiroriginsbacktothe sixteenth and seventeenth centuries Examples include such firms as Bols(founded1575)anddeKuyper(1695)Belgiumdevelopeditsownjuniper-flavoredspiritcalledjenever(withaj)in

amannersimilartothatinHolland(whichcontrolledBelgiumforatimeintheearlynineteenthcentury)ThetwoGermaninvasionsofBelgiuminWorldWarsI and II had a particularly hard effect on jenever producers as the occupyingGermans stripped the distilleries of their copper stills andpiping to use in theproduction of shell casings The present-day remaining handful of BelgianjeneverdistillersproduceprimarilyforthelocaldomesticmarketGinmayhaveoriginatedinHollandanddevelopedintoitsmostpopularstyle

inEnglandbut itsmostenthusiasticmodern-dayconsumersare tobefoundinSpainwhichhasthehighestpercapitaconsumptionintheworldProductionofLondondryndashstyleginbeganinthe1930sbutseriousconsumptiondidnotbeginuntilthemixofginandcolabecameinexplicablypopularinthe1960s

GINanditsDutchcousingenever(jeneverinBelgium)arewhitespiritsthatareflavoredwithjuniperberriesandso-calledbotanicals(avariedassortmentofherbsandspices)Thespiritbaseofginisprimarilygrain(usuallywheatorrye)which results in a light-bodied spirit Genever is made primarily from ldquomaltwinerdquo (a mixture of malted barley wheat corn and rye) which produces afuller-bodied spirit similar to malt whisky A small number of genevers inHollandandBelgiumaredistilleddirectlyfromfermentedjuniperberrieswhichproducesaparticularlyintenselyflavoredspirit

BluecoatGinbyPhiladelphiaDistilling

Thechiefflavoringagentinbothginandgeneveristhehighlyaromaticblue-greenberryofthejuniperalow-slungevergreenbush(genusJuniperus)thatiscommercially grown in northern ItalyCroatia theUnitedStates andCanadaAdditional botanicals can include anise angelica root cinnamon orange peelcoriander and cassia barkAll gin and genevermakers have their own secretcombinationofbotanicalsthenumberofwhichcanrangefromasfewasfourtoasmanyasfifteen

THEDISTILLATIONOFGIN

Mostgin is initiallydistilled inefficientcolumnstillsTheresultingspirit ishighprooflight-bodiedandcleanwithaminimalamountofcongeners(flavorcompounds)andflavoringagentsGeneverisdistilledinless-efficientpotstillswhichresultsinalower-proofmoreflavorfulspiritLow-qualityldquocompoundrdquoginsaremadebysimplymixingthebasespiritwith

juniper and botanical extracts Mass-market gins are produced by soakingjuniperberriesandbotanicalsinthebasespiritandthenredistillingthemixtureTop-qualityginsandgeneversareflavoredinauniquemannerAfteroneor

more distillations the base spirit is redistilled one last timeDuring this finaldistillationthealcoholvaporwaftsthroughachamberinwhichthedriedjuniperberries and botanicals are suspended The vapor gently extracts aromatic andflavoringoils andcompounds from theberries and spices as it travels throughthe chamber on its way to the condenser The resulting flavored spirit has anoticeabledegreeofcomplexity

GuyRehorstoftheGreatLakesDistilleryusesawoodendipsticktomeasurethevolumeofspiritinatank

THECOLORFULORIGINSOFOLDTOMGIN

ThenameofOldTomGincomesfromwhatmaybethefirstexampleofabeveragevendingmachineInthe1700ssomepubsinEnglandhadawoodenplaqueshapedlikeablackcat (anldquoOldTomrdquo)mountedontheoutsidewallThirstypassersbywoulddepositapennyinthecatrsquosmouthandplacetheirlipsaroundasmalltubebetweenthecatrsquospawsThebartenderinsidewouldthenpourashotofginthroughthetubeandintothecustomerrsquoswaitingmouth

GINREGIONS

EUROPE

TheUnitedKingdomproducesmostlydryginprimarilyfromcolumnstillsBritish gins tend to be high proof (90deg proof or 45 percentABV) and citrus-accented from the use of dried lemon and Seville orange peels in themix ofbotanicalsBritishginsareusuallycombinedintomixeddrinksHollandandBelgiumproducegenevermostly frompot stillsGenevers are

distilledatlowerprooflevelsthanEnglishginsandaregenerallyfullerinbodyManyoftheseginsareagedforonetothreeyearsinoakcasksSomegeneverproducers now market fruit-flavored genevers the best known being blackcurrantDutchandBelgiangeneversareusuallychilledandservedneatGermanyproducesagenever-stylegincalleddornkaatintheNorthSeacoast

regionofFrisiaThis spirit is lighter inbodyandmoredelicate in flavor thanbothDutchgeneverandEnglishdryginGermanginisusuallyservedstraightupandcoldSpainproducesasubstantialamountofginallof it in theLondondrystyle

fromcolumnstillsMostofitissoldformixingwithcola

LabelforGenevieveGeneverstylegin

GreylockGin

BardenayLondonStyleDryGin

NORTHAMERICA

TheUnitedStatesistheworldrsquoslargestginmarketLondondryginaccountsfor the bulk of domestic gin production withmost of it produced in columnstillsAmericandryginstendtobelowerproof(80degproofor40percentABV)and less flavorful than their English counterparts This rule applies even tobrandssuchasGordonrsquosandGilbeyrsquoswhichoriginatedinEnglandTheUnitedStatesrsquosbest-sellingginSeagramrsquosExtraDryisararecask-ageddryginThreemonths of aging in charred oak barrels gives the gin a pale straw color and asmoothpalateAmericancraftdistillerieshavetakentogininamajorwaywithsuchnoteworthyexamplesasDistillerrsquosGin6fromNorthShoreDistillery inLakeBluffIllinoisandRehorstPremiumMilwaukeeGinfromtheGreatLakesDistilleryinMilwaukeeWisconsin

AviationGinbyHouseSpiritsDistillery

LabelforAmericanDistilledGininfusedwithRareBotanicalsbyMcMenaminsEdgefieldDistilleryClassicMartini

SarticiousGinbySarticiousSpirits

THEMARTINIANDTHEMEANINGOFLIFE

Thebestknownofhundredsofgin-basedmixeddrinksistheginandwhitevermouth combination called the martini As is usually the case with mostpopular mixed drinks the origins of the martini are disputed One school ofthoughtholdsthatitevolvedfromthelate-nineteenth-centurymartinezcocktailarathercloyingmixtureofOldTomndashstyleginandsweetvermouthAdissentingsectholdsthatitwascreatedinthebaroftheKnickerbockerHotelinNewYorkCity in theearly twentiethcenturyThe ratioofgin tovermouth startedout atabout two to one and it has been getting drier ever since The famedBritishstatesmanWinstonChurchillwhodevotedagreatdealof thoughtand time todrinkingwasoftheopinionthatpassingthecorkfromthevermouthbottleovertheglassofginwassufficientGINCOCKTAILS

CLASSICMARTINI

Inashakercombinebull2ounces(60ml)ginbullDashwhitevermouthbullIcetofillShakeand strain and into amartiniglassor a shortglassGarnishwith an

olive

TOMCOLLINS

Inatallglasscombinebull2ounces(60ml)ginbull1ounce(30ml)lemonjuicebull1tablespoon(15g)sugarStirandthenfilltheglasswithiceFillwithclubsoda

GINANDTONIC

FillatallglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)ginbullTonicwatertofillGarnishwithalimeslice

ARTISANPROFILEINSIDETHEINDUSTRY

CHRISWELD

BerkshireMountainDistillersGreatBarringtonMassachusetts

ITishardtoimagineChrisWeldinanemergencyroomwhereheworkedinCalifornia for sixteen years as a physicianrsquos assistantHe seems too young tohave sixteen years of work behind him and on his land in westernMassachusettsheisperfectlyateasewithadogathissidelightinhiseyesandmudonhisbootsHeandhiswifeTylermovedbacktotheEastCoastmdashafterhavingdeveloped

intoseriousfoodiesmdashandboughtanorchardldquoOurwatercomesfromanoldspringhereonthepropertythat thePittsfield

Sunin1901saidhadlsquofewequalsandnonesuperiorrsquordquoThe farm that isnow theBerkshireMountainDistillerywasonce in fact a

springwaterbottlingplant(Oneformerowneruseditasabaseofoperationsforasanitariumintownandithasalsobeenahotel)BuildingtheBerkshireMountainDistillerywasnoteasyWhenWeldarrived

thewould-bestillhousewasabarninshamblesWelddidasmuchoftheworkas he could himself and hired local builders and craftspeople to do the restKeepingthingslocalisimportanttoWeld

ldquoWhenIneedtoexpandIrsquollbuildanotherbarnandIrsquollhirelocalpeopletobuilditrdquoThisimpliesadirectcontrasttowhathappenswhenabiginternationaldistillerexpandsHetalksenthusiasticallyabouttheldquolocalmultiplierrdquoeffectldquoEverydollaryou

spendlocallyisworththreespentinachainstorerdquoWeldisanenthusiasticparticipant in theBerksharesprogram(localmoney

accepted by hundreds of merchants in western Massachusetts includingrestaurants)HehiredalocaldesignertodesignlabelsHesourcedhisglassoutofnearbyLenoxWeld looked further afield for help with his rum and he brought in a

consultantTogethertheyworkedontestbatchesandperfectedtherecipeHersquodhaveworkedformorethanayearhesaidsolvingtheproblemsthatanexpertsolved in a few days and the adjustments to fermentation temperatures andexpertknowledgeofdifferentflavorcompoundswaspricelessWeld describes his rum as more like Armagnac than a typical molasses

distillateHehasfiftybarrelsagingldquoIrsquovegotabigstillrdquohesaysIndeedheboughtan800-gallonstainlesssteel

tanksecondhandfromBrownForeman(Heassuresanyonewhoasksthatalltheother work including the custom columns and the piping was done by localcraftspeople)ldquoIfIhadasmallstillIrsquodbeatcapacityrdquoAsitstandshersquosabletomakebourbonandrumforagingbringoutnewproductssuchasasecondginwithaheavierflavorandmorebotanicalsthanhisfirstandstillsatisfythe400accountshersquosdevelopedinhisfirstyearForWeldhoweveritrsquosstillthecommunitythatrsquosimportantHerecentlymet

intoamanwhohadbroughtsomeofhisGreylockGintoapartyldquoSeeingitatpartieshellipthatrsquosreallyitrdquohesaidglowing

CHAPTERSIX

BRANDYANDEAUDEVIE

ldquoNosirclaretistheliquorforboysportformenbuthewhoaspirestobeaheromustdrinkbrandyrdquo

mdashSamuelJohnsoneighteenth-centuryBritishwriterwholovedbrandyandhatedwhisky

Brandyinaclassicbrandysniftercastsashadowonalinentablecloth

THE word brandy comes from the Dutch word brandewijn (burnt wine)which is how the straightforwardDutch traderswho introduced it to northernEuropeinthesixteenthcenturydescribedwinethathadbeenldquoburntrdquoorboiledtodistillitThe origins of brandy can be traced back to the growing Muslim

Mediterranean states in the seventh and eighth centuries Alchemists in theregion experimentedwith distilling grapes and other fruits tomakemedicinalspiritsTheirknowledgeandtechniquessoonspreadbeyondthebordersof theterritorywithgrapebrandyproductionappearinginSpainandprobablyIreland(viamissionarymonks)bytheendoftheeighthcentury

TYPESOFBRANDY

Abottleofbrandydistilledfrom100percentViognierwinebyGermain-Robin

BRANDYinitsbroadestdefinitionisaspiritmadefromfruitjuiceorfruitpulpandskinMorespecificallyitisbrokendownintothreebasicgroupingsGrapebrandy isbrandydistilledfromfermentedgrapejuiceorcrushedbut

not pressed grape pulp and skin This spirit is aged inwooden casks (usuallyoak)whichcolorsitmellowsoutthepalateandaddsaromasandflavorsPomace brandy (Italian grappa and French marc are the best-known

examples) ismade from the pressed grape pulp skins and stems that remainafter thegrapes are crushed andpressed to extractmost of the juice forwinePomacebrandieswhichareusuallyminimallyagedandseldomseewoodarean acquired taste They often tend to be rather raw although they can offer afresh fruity aroma of the type of grape used a characteristic that is lost inregularoak-agedbrandyFruit brandy is the default term for all brandies that are made from

fermenting fruit other than grapes (It should not be confused with fruit-flavoredbrandywhichisgrapebrandythathasbeenflavoredwiththeextractof another fruit)Fruit brandies except thosemade fromberries aregenerallydistilledfromfruitwinesBerriestendtolackenoughsugartomakeawinewithsufficient alcohol for proper distillation and thus are soaked (macerated) in ahigh-proof spirit toextract their flavorandaromaTheextract is thendistilledonceatalowproofCalvados theapplebrandyfromtheNormandyregionofnorthwesternFranceisprobablythebest-knowntypeoffruitbrandyEaudevie(ldquowaterofliferdquo)isacolorlessfruitbrandyparticularlyfromtheAlsaceregionofFranceandfromCalifornia

Applesonthetreerawmaterialsforbrandy

Grapesenterthestillforthemakingofgrappa

BRANDIESBYREGION

FRANCE

French brandy is the catchall designation for brandy produced from grapesgrowninotherregionsThesebrandiesareusuallydistilledincolumnstillsandagedinoakcasksforvaryingperiodsoftimeTheyarefrequentlyblendedwithwine grape juice oak flavorings and other brandies including cognac tosmoothout the roughedgesCognac-likequalitydesignationssuchasVSOPandNapoleonareoftenused(seepage83)buttheyhavenolegalstanding

COGNAC

Cognacisthebest-knowntypeofbrandyintheworldabenchmarkbywhichmost other brandies are judged The Cognac region is located on the south-centralcoastofFrance justnorthofBordeauxinthedepartmentsofCharenteandCharente-MaritimeTheregionisfurthersubdividedintosixgrowingzonesGrandeChampagnePetiteChampagneBoisOrdinariesBorderiesFinsBoisandBonsBoisThefirsttwooftheseregionsproducethebestcognacandwillfrequentlybesodesignatedonbottlelabelsTheprimarygrapesusedinmakingcognac are the Ugni Blanc Folle Blanche and Colombard The wines madefrom these grapes are thin tart and low in alcohol which are poorcharacteristicsfortablewinesbutperfectformakingbrandy

Pear-in-bottlebrandy

Cognac is double distilled in specially designed pot stills and then aged incasksmadefromLimousinorTroncaisoakAllcognacsstartoutinnewoaktomellowthefieryspiritandgivethemcolorBatcheschosenforlong-termagingareafterafewyearstransferredtousedorldquoseasonedrdquocasksthatimpartlessoftheoakflavornoteswhilethebrandymaturesNearly all cognacs are a blend of brandies from different vintages and

frequently different growing zones Even those from single vineyards ordistillerieshaveamixofbrandiesfromdifferentcasksAswithchampagnetheproductsoflocalvineyardsaresoldtocognachouseseachofwhichstoresandages cognacs from different suppliers The suppliers then employ masterblenders to create and maintain continuity in the house blends drawn fromdisparatesources

BRANDYrsquoSSEASONALNATURE

Brandy like rumand tequila isanagricultural spiritUnlikegrain spiritssuchaswhiskeyvodkaandginwhicharemadethroughouttheyearfromgrainthat can be harvested and stored brandy is dependent on the seasons theripeningofthebasefruitandtheproductionofthewinefromwhichitismadeTypes of brandies originally at least tended to be location-specific (Cognacfor example is a town and region in France that gave its name to the localbrandy) Important brandy-making regions particularly in Europe furtherdifferentiatetheirlocalspiritsbyspecifyingthetypesofgrapesthatcanbeusedand the specific areas (appellation) in which the grapes used formaking thebasewinecanbegrown

Barrelsofbrandystoredforaging

INDUSTRYSTANDARDSFORCOGNAC

Because therearenoage statementsoncognacs the industryhasadoptedsomegenerallyaccepted terms todifferentiatecognacs It is important tonotethat these terms have no legal status and each cognac shipper uses themaccordingtohisorherowncriteriaVSVSPThree Star (VS very superior VSP very superior pale) A

minimumoftwoyearsaginginacaskalthoughtheindustryaverageisfourtofiveyearsVSOP(verysuperioroldpale)Aminimumoffouryearsrsquocaskagingforthe

youngestcognacintheblendwiththeindustryaveragebetweentenandfifteenyearsXONapoleon (XO extra old) A minimum of six yearsrsquo aging for the

youngest cognac in the blend with the average age running twenty years orolderAllcognachousesmaintain inventoriesofoldvintagecognacs touse inblendingthesetop-of-the-linebrandsTheoldestcognacsareremovedfromtheircasks in timeandstoredinglassdemijohns(largejugs) toprevent further lossfromevaporationandtolimitexcessivelywoodyflavornotes

ARMAGNAC

ArmagnacistheoldesttypeofbrandyinFrancewithdocumentedreferencestodistillationdatingbacktotheearlyfifteenthcenturyTheArmagnacregionislocatedintheheartoftheancientprovinceofGasconyinthesouthwestcornerof France Aswith cognac there are regional growing zones Bas-ArmagnacHautArmagnac andTenarezeTheprimarygrapesused inmakingArmagnacare also theUgniBlanc FolleBlanche andColombardBut distillation takesplaceintheuniquealambicarmagnacaisatypeofcolumnstillthatisevenmoreinefficient than a typical cognac pot still The resulting brandy has a rusticassertivecharacterandaromathatrequiresadditionalcaskagingtomellowoutanddistinguishitfromcognacThebestArmagnacisagedincasksmadefromthelocalMonlezunoakInrecentyearsLimousinandTroncaisoakcaskshavebeenaddedtothemixofcasksassuitableMonlezunoakbecomeshardertofind

DetailfromabottleofPierreFerrandReserveCognac

Most Armagnacs are blends but unlike cognac single vintages and singlevineyardbottlingscanbefoundThecategoriesofArmagnacaregenerally thesameas thoseof cognac (VSVSOPXO and soon see sidebaronpage83)BlendedArmagnacsfrequentlyhaveagreaterpercentageofoldervintagesin their mix than comparable cognacs making them a better value for thediscerningbuyer

HAVESTILLWILLTRAVEL

Until the 1970s portable alambic armagnacais mounted on two-wheelcartswerehauledamongsmallvineyards inArmagnacby itinerantdistillerscalledbouilleursdecruThesetravelingstillsalashavemostlygivenwaytolarger fixed-in-place setups operated by farmer cooperatives and individualoperators

ChristianDrouinwhoproducessomeofthefinestCalvadosstandsbesideaportablestillbuiltin1946thatisnowpermanentlystationedinfrontofthepressroomatDomaineCoeurdeLionItisprobablytheonlyportabledoubledistillationinworkingorderItisnormallyusedfromFebruarytoJuneAsecondstillnowoperatesinsidethepressroom

SPAIN

BRANDYDEJEREZ

BrandydeJerezismadebythesherryhousescenteredaroundthecityofJerezdelaFronterainthesouthwestcornerofSpainButvirtuallyallBrandydeJerezis made from wines produced elsewhere in Spain primarily from the Airengrape inLaManchaandExtremadurabecause the local sherrygrapesare toovaluable to divert into brandy productionNowadaysmost of the distilling islikewisedoneelsewhereinSpainincolumnstillsItisthenshippedtoJerezforaginginusedsherrycasksinasolerasystemsimilartothatusedforsherrywineAsolera is a series of large casks (called butts) each holding a slightly olderspirit than thepreviousonebeside itWhenbrandyisdrawnoff (racked)fromthe lastbutt (nomore thana thirdof thevolume is removed) it is replenishedwithbrandydrawnfromthenextbuttallthewaydownthesoleralinetothefirstbuttwherenewlydistilledbrandyisaddedThissystemofrackingthebrandythroughaseriesofcasksblendstogetheravarietyofvintages(somesolerashavemorethanthirtystages)andresultsinaspeedingupofthematurationprocess

Brandybottledetailfromabrandywhoseflavorprofileleansmoretowardsbourbon(HuberStarlightDistillery)

ThesamplebottlesdisplaytheeffectsofdifferenttypesofbarrelsandagingprocessesatGermain-Robin

AGINGTIMELINE

Basic Brandy de Jerez Solera must age for a minimum of six monthsReservaforoneyearandGranReservaforaminimumofthreeyears

Inpractice thebestReservasandGranReservasarefrequentlyagedfortwelvetofifteenyearsThelushslightlysweetandfruitynotestobefoundinBrandydeJerezcomenotonlyfromaginginsherrycasksbutalsofromthejudicioususeoffruit-basedflavorconcentratesandoakessence(boise)

PENEDEgraveSBRANDY

Penedegraves Brandy is from the Penedegraves region of Catalonia in the northeastcornerofSpainnearBarcelonaModeledafterthecognacsofFranceandmadefromamixof localgrapesand theUgniBlancofcognac it isdistilled inpotstillsOneofthetwolocalproducers(Torres)agesinsolerasconsistingofbuttsmade from French Limousin oak whereas the other (Mascaro) ages in thestandardnon-soleramannerbut also inLimousinoakThe resultingbrandy isheartierthancognacbutleaneranddrierthanBrandydeJerez

ITALY

Italy has a long history of brandy production dating back to at least thesixteenth century but unlike Spain or France there are no specific brandy-producing regions Italian brandies are made from regional wine grapes andmost areproduced incolumnstills although therearenowanumberof smallartisanalproducersusingpotstillsTheyareagedinoakforaminimumofonetotwoyearswithsixtoeightyearsbeingtheindustryaverageItalianbrandiestendtobeonthelightanddelicatesidewithatouchofresidualsweetness

GERMANY

GermanmonksweredistillingbrandybythefourteenthcenturyandGermandistillers had organized their ownguild as early as 1588Yet almost from thestart German brandy (calledweinbrand) has been made from imported winerather than the more valuable local varieties Most German brandies areproduced in pot stills andmust be aged for aminimumof sixmonths in oakBrandiesthathavebeenagedinoakforatleastoneyeararecalleduraltoralter(meaningldquoolderrdquo)ThebestGermanbrandiesaresmoothsomewhatlighterthancognacandfinishwithatouchofsweetness

ThetastingroomatadistilleryisapopularstoponthetourRickMoerschattheRoundBarnDistillerypourssomeapricotbrandyatthetastingroominhiswinerybrewerydistillery

UNITEDSTATES

Grape brandy production in the United States which until the advent ofmodern craft distilleries was mostly confined to California dates back to theSpanish missions in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries AsubstantialamountofpeachbrandywasmadebywhiskeydistillersinSouthernstates prior to National Prohibition however and apple brandy distillingcontinuedintomodern timesonamodestscale inNewJerseyandVirginia Inthe years following the Civil War brandy became a major industry with asubstantial export trade to Europe by the end of the nineteenth century For atimeLelandStanford founder ofStanfordUniversitywas theworldrsquos largestbrandy producer Phylloxera and National Prohibition almost shut down theindustryinthe1920s

Analambicstill

RepealstartedthingsupagainbutaswiththebourbonindustrytheadventofWorldWarIIresultedinbrandyproducersfurthermarkingtimeSoonaftertheendofthewartheindustrycommissionedtheUniversityofCaliforniaatDavisDepartment of Viticulture and Oenology to develop a prototype ldquoCalifornia-stylerdquo brandy It had a clean palate was lighter in style than most EuropeanbrandiesandhadaflavorprofilethatmadeitagoodmixerStartinginthelate1940sCaliforniabrandyproducersbegantochangeovertothisnewstyle

LabelforPotStillBrandyfromMcMenaminsEdgefieldDistillery

CONTEMPORARYBRANDIES

Contemporary commercial California grape brandies are made primarily incolumn stills from table grape varieties such as the Thompson Seedless andFlame Tokay California brandies are aged for two to twelve years in usedAmericanoak(bothbrandyandbourboncasks)tolimitwoodinessinthepalatealthough pot distillers also use French oak Several California distillers mostnotably Korbel have utilized the Spanish solera method for maturing theirbrandyCaliforniabrandiesdonotusequalitydesignationssuchasVSOPorstars The more expensive brands will usually contain a percentage of oldervintagesandpot-distilledbrandiesintheblendCraft-distilledbrandies includinggrapepomaceand fruitwere the firstof

the modern generation of craft spirits to enter the US market starting inCalifornia in the late1980swithproducers suchasRMS(aventureofcognacproducer Remy Martin) Jepson Vineyards and the idiosyncratic Santa CruzwinemakerRandallGraham atBonnyDooneVineyards From the start thesegrape brandy producers generally followed a French-themed muse withproducers such asGermaine-Robin inMendocinoCounty andOsocalis in theSantaCruzMountainsgoingsofarastousetheclassicUgniBlancColombardand Folle Blanche grapes to make their base wine They installed specialcognac-style pot stills to distill it and then aged their brandies in casksmadefromimportedLimousinorTroncaisoakTheresultingbrandiesparticularlyaslonger-agedexamplescomeontothemarkethaveinsomecasesshownlevelsof complexity and flavor intensity that put them on par with their Europeancounterparts

PiscoStyleBrandybyLeopoldBros

LATINAMERICAN

MEXICO

InMexicoasurprisingamountofwineismadebutitislittleknownoutsideof the country because most of it is used for brandy production Mexicanbrandies are made from a mix of grapes including the Thompson SeedlessPalomino andUgniBlancBothcolumnandpot stills areused inproductionwhereas the solera system is generally used for aging Brandy now outsellstequilaandruminMexico

SOUTHAMERICA

South American brandies are generally confined to their domestic marketsThebest-known type ispisco a clear rawbrandy fromPeruandChile that ismadefromMuscatgrapesanddoubledistilledinpotstillsTheresultingbrandyhasaperfumedfragranceandservesas thebaseforavarietyofmixeddrinksincludingthefamousPiscoPunch

OTHERREGIONS

Greece produces pot-distilled brandies many of which such as the well-knownMetaxaareflavoredwithMuscatwineaniseorotherspicesWinemakinginIsraelisawell-establishedtraditiondatingbackthousandsof

years But brandy production dates back only to the 1880s when the FrenchJewishphilanthropistBaronEdmonddeRothschildestablishedwhathasbecomethemodernIsraeliwineindustryIsraelibrandyismadeinthemannerofcognacfrom Colombard grapes with distillation in both pot and column stills andmaturationinFrenchLimousinoakcasksIntheCaucasusregionalongtheeasternshoreoftheBlackSeatheancient

nations ofGeorgia andArmenia draw onmonastic traditions to produce richintensely flavored pot still brandies both from local grapes and from suchimportedvarietiesastheMuscadine(fromFrance)andtheSercialandVerdelho(mostfamouslyfromMadeira)SouthAfricahasproducedbrandiessincethearrivalofthefirstDutchsettlers

intheseventeenthcenturybuttheseearlyspiritsfromtheCapeColonyearnedareputation for being harsh firewater (witblitsmdashwhite lightningmdashwas a typicalnickname)The introductionofmodernproduction techniquesandgovernmentregulationsintheearlytwentiethcenturygraduallyledtoanimprovementinthequalityof localbrandiesModernSouthAfricanbrandiesaremade fromUgniBlanc Colombard CheninBlanc and Palomino grapes produced in both potandcolumnstillsandagedforaminimumofthreeyearsinoak

POMACEBRANDIES

PoliBassanodelGrappa(Italy)

ITALY produces a substantial amount of grappa both the raw firewatervarietyandthemoreelegantartisanaleffortsthataremadefromonedesignatedgrape type and packaged in hand-blown bottles Both types of grappa can beunagedoragedforafewyearsinoldcasksthatwilltamethehardedgeofthespiritwithoutimpartingmuchflavororcolorMarcfromFranceisproducedinall of the nationrsquos wine-producing regions but it is mostly consumed locallyMarcdeGewuumlrztraminerfromAlsaceisnoteworthybecauseitretainssomeofthedistinctiveperfumenoseandspicycharacterofthegrape

OrodeMazzettiliqueurgoldsuspendedinagrappabase(Italy)

Craft pomace brandies from the United States from producers such asDomaineCharbayinNapaCountyandMosbyVineyardsinSonomaareintheItalianstyleandtheyareusuallycalledgrappasevenwhentheyaremadefromnon-Italian grape varieties This is also true of the pomace brandies fromCanada

GRAPPANOTYOURGRANDPArsquoSPHLEGMCUTTER

TheUSgovernmentcallsitpomacebrandybuteversinceimmigrantsfromwinemakingcountriesbeganarriving in theUnitedStatesandstarted tomakewine they were soon refermenting the pressed grape skins from theirwinemaking and distilling it tomake a quick and simple type of brandy TheFrench call itmarc but it is the Italian term grappa that has caught onwithdistillersofeveryethnicbackgroundCraftdistillersintheUnitedStateshavetakentothedistillingofgrappafrom

theverystartoftheindustryPioneerbrandydistillerssuchasClearCreekandSt George Spirits have developed specific varietal grappas that are carefullydistilledtocapturethesubtlearomaticnotesofthebasefruitThesearespiritstodelightthenoseasmuchasthetastebuds

GrappabyHuberStarlightDistillery

APPLEANDOTHERFRUITBRANDIES

NORMANDY is one of the few regions in France that does not have a

substantial grapewine industry Instead it is apple countrywith a substantialtradition of hard and sweet ciders that in turn can be distilled into an applebrandyknownasCalvadosThelocalciderappleswhichtendtobesmallandtartarecloserintypetocrabapplesthantomoderntableapplesThisspirithasits own appellationswith the best brands coming fromAppellationControleePaysdrsquoAugeneartheseaportofDeauvilleandtherest intenadjacentregionsthataredesignatedAppellationReglementeeMostPaysdrsquoAugeandsomeofthebetter Appellation Reglementee are produced in pot stills All varieties ofCalvados are aged in oak casks for a minimum of two years Cognac-stylequalityandage termssuchasVSOPandHorsdrsquoAgeare frequentlyusedonlabelsbuthavenolegalmeaning

Applebrandy

BottlesofkirschandframboiseeaudeviefromWestfordHillsDistillers

ExteriorshotofLairdampCompanytheoldestdistilleryintheUnitedStates

Thefruit-growingregionsoftheupperRhineRiveraretheprimeeaudevieproductionareasofEuropeTheBlackForestregionofBavariainGermanyandAlsace in France are known for their cherry brandies (kir in FrancekirschwasserinGermany)raspberrybrandies(framboiseandhimbeergeist)andpearbrandies(poire)SimilareauxdeviearenowbeingproducedintheUnitedStatesinCaliforniaandOregonSomeplumbrandyisalsomadeintheseregions(mirabellefromFranceisanexample)butthebest-knowntypeofplumbrandyisslivovitzwhich ismade from the smallblue sljivaplum throughoutEasternEuropeandtheBalkans

Applebrandylabel

IntheUnitedStatesapplejackasapplebrandyiscalledlocallyisthoughtbymanytobethefirstspiritproducedintheBritishcoloniesThiscolonialtraditionhascontinuedwithLairdrsquosDistilleryestablishedin1780inNewJerseyandtheoldest distilling company in the United States and with distilleries in NewJerseyandVirginiaArtisan fruitbrandydistillingstarted inCaliforniabut in recentyears ithas

spreadacrosstheUnitedStateswithCalvados-styledapplebrandiesfromClearCreekDistilleryinPortlandOregonleadingthewaywhileBlackStarFarmsinSuttons Bay St Julian in Paw Paw and a bevy of other Michigan artisandistillershave releasedawide rangeofdelicatehighlyaromaticcherryplumand other fruit brandies that draw an obvious inspiration from theKirsch andplumbrandiesoftheBlackForestregionofsouthernGermany

BRANDYCOCKTAILS

SIDECARFillashortglasswithiceInashakercombinebull1ounce(30ml)brandybull1ounce(30ml)TripleSecbull1ounce(30ml)lemonjuicebullIcetofillShakeandstrainintotheglass

STINGERFillashortglasswithiceAddbull1ounce(30ml)brandybull1ounce(30ml)whitecregravemedementheStirandserve

BRANDYALEXANDER

Inashakercombinebull1ounce(30ml)brandybull1ounce(30ml)darkcregravemedecacaobull1ounce(30ml)creambullIcetofillShakeandstrainintoalargebrandysnifterDustwithnutmeg

LabelforAcquadiLamponiRaspberryEaudeVie

Apricotbrandy

CHAPTERSEVEN

RUMTEQUILALIQUEURSRUMTEQUILALIQUEURSANDMORE

INCLUDINGSCHNAPPSANISEANDBITTERS

ldquoTherersquos nought no doubt so much the spirit calms as rum and truereligionrdquo

mdashLordByron

Bottlesofrumofdifferentages(youngesttooldestlefttoright)atCelebrationDistillationinNewOrleans

GRAPESANDGRAINmaybethetwomajorrawmaterialsfordistillationbut they are by no means the only ones Sugarcane provides two differentfermentables sugarcane juice and molasses which is a byproduct of sugarrefiningBothareusedasthebasisofrumproductionwhichasaspiritrangesacrossthecolorandtastespectrumfromthealmostvodkalikeBlancosofPuertoRicototheheartydeep-huedDemerarasofGuyanawithsomeverydistinctivevariationsinbetween

RUM

TheagaveplantanativeofCentralAmericaprovidesthefermentablebasis

for a varietyof distilled spirits ofwhich tequila is thebest knownbut bynomeanstheonlyexampleLiquors can refer generically to distilled spirits but they can also be

specifically flavored spirits Add a sweetener and they become liqueursAddcertainherbsandyounowhavebittersAttheendofthedayifsomethingcanbefermentedandthendistilledpeoplewilldrinkit

GROG

TheBritishnavyadoptedadailyrationofahalf-pintof160degproofrumbythe1730sThisrationwassubsequentlymodifiedbymixingitwithanequalamountofwater toproduceadrinkcalledgrogThegrogrationremaineda stapleofBritishnavallifeuntil1969

LabelforHudsonRiverRumbyTuthilltownSpirits

THEHISTORY of rum is the history of sugar Sugar is a sweet crystallinecarbohydrate that occurs naturally in a variety of plants One of those is thesugarcane(Saccharumofficinarum)atallthickgrassthathasitsoriginsintheislands of present-day Indonesia in the East Indies Chinese traders spread itscultivationtoAsiaandontoIndiaArabsinturnbroughtit totheMiddleEastand North Africa where it came to the attention of Europeans during theCrusadesintheeleventhcenturyAstheSpanishandPortuguesebegantoventureoutintotheAtlanticOcean

theyplantedsugarcaneintheCanaryandAzoresIslandsIn1493ChristopherColumbuspickedupcanecuttingsfromtheCanarieswhileonhissecondvoyagetotheAmericasandtransplantedthemtoHispaniolatheCaribbeanislandnowshared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic Portuguese explorers soon didlikewiseinBrazilTheCaribbeanbasinprovedtohaveanidealclimateforgrowingsugarcane

andsugarproductionquicklyspreadaroundtheislandsTheinsatiabledemandin Europe for sugar soon led to the establishment of hundreds of sugarcaneplantations andmills in the variousEnglish Spanish French Portuguese andDutchcoloniesThesemillscrushedtheharvestedcaneandextractedthejuiceBoiling this juice caused chunks of crystallized sugar to form The remainingunsolidifiedjuicewascalledmelazas(fromtheSpanishwordforhoneymiel)inEnglishthisbecamemolasses

BottleofThomasTewRum

Molasses is a sticky syrup that still contains a significant amount of sugarSugarmilloperatorssoonnoticedthatwhenitwasmixedwithwaterandleftoutin the sun it fermented By the 1650s this former waste product was beingdistilled into a spirit In theEnglish colonies itwas calledKillDevil (from itstendencytocauseanastyhangoveroritsperceivedmedicinalpowertakeyourchoice)orrumbullion(originsuncertain)whichwasshortenedovertheyearstoourmodernwordrumTheFrenchrenderthiswordasrhumwhiletheSpanishcallitron

PrichardrsquosCrystalRumfromPrichardsrsquoDistillery

Rumwas used as a cure-all for many of the aches and pains that afflictedthoselivinginthetropicsSugarplantationownerssolditatdiscountedpricestonavalshipsthatwereonstationintheCaribbeaninordertoencouragetheirpresenceinlocalwatersandthusdiscouragetheattentionsofmaraudingpirates

PrichardrsquosFineRumfromPrichardsrsquoDistillery

BobRyanandpartnerDaveWoodatRyanandWoodDistilleriesinGloucesterMassachusetts

This naval-rum connection introduced rum to the outsideworld and by thelate seventeenth century a thriving export tradedevelopedTheBritish islandsshippedrumtoGreatBritain(whereitwasmixedintorumpunchesandreplacedginasthedominantspiritintheeighteenthcentury)andtotheBritishcoloniesinNorth America where it became very popular This export of rum to NorthAmerica in exchange forNewEngland lumber anddried cod (still a culinarystaple in the Caribbean) soon changed over to the export of molasses todistilleries in New England This was done to avoid laws from the Britishparliamentwhich protectedBritish distillers by forbidding the trade in spiritsdirectly between colonies This law was at best honored in the breech andsmugglingsoonbecamerampantThe shipping ofmolasses tomake rum inNewEngland distilleries became

part of the infamous ldquoslavery trianglerdquo The first leg was the shipment ofmolassestoNewEnglandtomakerumThesecondlegwastheshipmentofrumtotheportsofWestAfricatotradeforslavesThefinallegwasthepassageofslaveshipstothesugarplantationsoftheCaribbeanandSouthAmericawheremanyoftheslaveswereputtoworkinthesugarcanefieldsThe disruption of trade caused by theAmericanRevolution and the rise of

whiskey production in North America resulted in the slow decline of rumrsquosdominanceastheAmericannationaltippleRumproductionintheUnitedStatesslowlydeclinedthroughthenineteenthcenturywiththelastNewEnglandrumdistilleries closing at the advent of National Prohibition in 1920 The famedrumrunners of the Prohibition era were smuggling primarily whiskey into theUnitedStates

DarkRumSpruceGinWhiteRumandHazelnutSpiceRumbyRogueDistillery

InEuropetheinventionofsugarextractionfromthesugarbeetlessenedthedemandforCaribbeansugar reducing theamountofmolassesbeingproducedandtheresultingamountofrumbeingdistilledManysmallplantationsandtheirstillswereclosedRumproductionrecededforthemostparttocountrieswheresugarcanewasgrown

ChrisWeldofBerkshireMountainDistillers

Themodernhistoryofrumowesalottothespreadofair-conditioningandthegrowth of tourism In the second half of the twentieth century modern air-conditioningmadeitpossiblefor largenumbersofpeople tomigrate towarm-weather regions where rum remained the dominant spirit Additionally theexplosiveincreaseinthenumberofNorthAmericanandEuropeantouristsintorum-drinking regions led to a steady increase in the popularity of rum-basedmixed drinks Nowadays white rum gives vodka serious competition as themixerofchoiceinanumberofdistinctivelynontropicalmarketsAgedrumsaregainingnewstandingamongconsumersofsinglemaltScotch

whiskiescognacsandsmall-batchbourbonswhoarelearningtoappreciatethesubtle complexities of these rums The pot still rums of Guyana and Jamaicahaveaparticular appeal forScotchwhiskydrinkers (It isnoaccident that theScottishwhiskymerchantandbottlerCadenheadalsoagesandbottlesDemerararum)ThesubtleandcomplexrhumsofMartiniqueandGuadeloupemirrortheflavorprofilesofthetopFrenchbrandiesinCognacandArmagnac

THEBASISOFRUM

Rumanditsfraternaltwincanespiritaremadebydistillingfermentedsugarand water This sugar comes from the sugarcane and is fermented from canejuiceconcentratedcanejuiceormolassesMolassesisthesweetstickyresiduethat remains after sugarcane juice is boiled and the crystallized sugar isextractedMostrumismadefrommolassesMolassesismorethan50percentsugarbut

italsocontainssignificantamountsofmineralsandothertraceelementswhichcancontributetothefinalflavorRumsmadefromcanejuiceprimarilyonHaitiandMartiniquehaveanaturallysmoothpalateDependingontherecipetheldquowashrdquo(thecanejuiceormolassesandwater)is

fermented using either cultured yeast or airborne wild yeasts for a periodrangingfromtwenty-fourhoursforlightrumsuptoseveralweeksforheavyfullvarieties

OldNewOrleansCrystalRumbyCelebrationDistillation

CoasterforRaggedMountainRumbyBerkshireMountainDistillersldquoThinkGloballyDrinkLocallyrdquo

DISTILLATIONOFRUM

RumcanbedistilledineitherpotorcolumnstillsThechoiceofstillshasaprofoundeffectonthefinalcharacteroftherumAllrumscomeoutofthestillasclearcolorlessspiritsBarrelagingandtheuseofaddedcarameldeterminethe final color Because caramel is burnt sugar it is true that only naturalcoloringagentsareusedLighter rums are highly rectified (purified) and are produced in column or

continuousstills thenusuallycharcoal filteredandsometimesaged inoldoakcasksforafewmonthstoaddsmoothnessMostlightrumshaveminimalflavorsandaromaandareverysimilar tovodkaHeavier rumsareusuallydistilled inpot stills similar to those used to produce cognacs and Scotch whiskies Potstills are less efficient than column stills and some congeners (fusel oils andotherflavorelements)arecarriedoverwiththealcoholTheseheavierrumsareusedformakinggoldenanddarkrumsSomebrandsofrumaremadebyblendingpot-andcolumn-distilledrumsina

mannersimilartothatofArmagnacproduction

RUMCOCKTAILS

RUMANDCOKE(CubaLibre)FillatallglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)darkrumbullJuiceofhalfalimebullColatofillStirandgarnishwithalimewedge

DAIQUIRI

FillashortglasswithiceInashakercombinebull1frac12ounces(45ml)whiterumbull1ounce(30ml)limejuicebull1tablespoon(15g)sugarbullIcetofillShakeandstrainintotheglass

PLANTERrsquoSPUNCH

FillatallglasswithiceInashakercombinebull1frac12ounces(45ml)darkrumbullfrac12ounce(15ml)limejuicebullfrac12ounce(15ml)lemonjuicebull3ounces(90ml)orangejuicebull1teaspoon(5g)sugarbullDashgrenadinesyrupbullIcetofillShakeandstrainintotheglass

RUMREGIONS

THECARIBBEAN

TheCaribbeanistheepicenterofworldrumproductionVirtuallyeverymajorislandgroupproducesitsowndistinctrumstyleBarbadosproduceslightsweetishrumsfrombothpotandcolumnstillsRum

distillation began here and the Mount Gay Distillery dating from 1663 isprobablytheoldestoperatingrumproducerintheworldCuba produces light-bodied crisp clean rums from column stills It is

currentlyillegaltoshipCubanrumsintotheUnitedStatesThe Dominican Republic is notable for its full-bodied aged rums from

columnstillsGuyanaisjustlyfamousforitsrichheavyDemerararumsnamedforalocal

riverwhichareproducedfrombothpotandcolumnstillsDemerararumscanbeagedforextendedperiods(twenty-five-year-oldvarietiesareonthemarket)and are frequently used for blending with lighter rums from other regionsNeighboringSurinamandFrenchGuyanaproducesimilarfull-bodiedrumsHaitifollowstheFrenchtraditionofheavierrumsthataredoubledistilledin

potstillsandagedinoakcasksforthreeormoreyearstoproducefull-flavoredexceptionallysmooth-tastingrumsHaitialsostillhasanextensiveundergroundmoonshineindustrythatsuppliesthevoodooreligiousritualtrade

SagatibaPuraCachaccedila(Brazil)

Jamaicaiswellknownforitsricharomaticrumsmostofwhichareproducedin pot stills Jamaica has official classifications of rum ranging from light toveryfull-flavoredJamaicanrumsareusedextensivelyforblendingMartinique is a French island with the largest number of distilleries in the

Eastern Caribbean Both pot and column stills are used As on other Frenchislands such asGuadeloupe both rhum agricole (made from sugarcane juice)and rhum industriel (made from molasses) are produced These rums arefrequently aged in used French brandy casks for a minimum of three yearsRhumvieux(agedrum)isfrequentlycomparedtohigh-qualityFrenchbrandiesPuertoRico is knownprimarily for light verydry rums fromcolumn stills

AllPuertoRicanrumsmustbylawbeagedforaminimumofoneyearTrinidadproducesmainlylightrumsfromcolumnstillsandhasanextensive

exporttrade

THEVIRGINISLANDS

The Virgin Islands which are divided between the United States VirginIslands and the British Virgin Islands both produce light mixing rums fromcolumnstillsTheserumsandthoseofnearbyGrenadaalsoserveasthebaseforbayrumaclassicaftershavelotion

CENTRALAMERICA

CentralAmericahasavarietyofprimarilymedium-bodiedrumsfromcolumnstills that lend themselves well to aging They have recently begun to gaininternationalrecognition

SOUTHAMERICA

South America produces vast quantities of mostly light rums from columnstillswithunagedcanespiritfromBrazilcalledcachaccedilabeingthebest-knownexample Venezuela bucks this general trendwith a number of well-respectedbarrel-agedgoldenanddarkrums

NORTHAMERICA

North America has a handful of traditional rum distilleries in the southernUnited States producing a range of light-and medium-bodied rums that aregenerally marketed with Caribbean-themed names Modern craft distilleriesproducingrumhavesprungupinsomemoreunusuallocationswithparticularlynoteworthy producers including Prichardrsquos Distillery in Kelso Tennessee theRogueDistillery inNewportOregonand theTriple8Distillery inNantucketMassachusetts

CANADA

In Canada the 300-year-old tradition of trading rum for dried codfishcontinuesintheAtlanticMaritimeprovincesofNewfoundlandandNovaScotiawheregoldenrumsfromAntiguaBarbadosandJamaicaareimportedandagedforfiveyearsTheresultingheartyrumisknownlocallyasscreech

DistillerStefanHafenattheWeyermannDistillery(Germany)

EUROPE

Europe is primarily a blender of imported rums Both theUnitedKingdomandFrance import rums from their formercolonies in theCaribbean foragingandbottlingHeavydarkJamaicanrumsareimportedintoGermanyandmixedwithneutralspiritata119ratiotoproducerumverschnittAsimilarproductinAustriaiscalledinlanderrum

RecipecardfromRogueDistillery

AUSTRALIA

Australiaproducesasubstantialamountofwhiteandgoldenrumsinadouble-distillationmethodutilizingbothcolumnandpotstillsRumisthesecondmostpopular alcoholic beverage in the country after beer Light rums are alsoproducedonsomeoftheislandsintheSouthPacificsuchasTahiti

ASIA

InAsia rums tend to follow regional sugarcaneproductionwithwhite andgoldenrumsfromcolumnstillsbeingproducedprimarilyinthePhilippinesandThailand

TEQUILAMEZCALANDOTHERAGAVESPIRITS

ldquoAlltequilaismezcalbutnotallmezcalistequilardquomdashTequilamarketingmantra

TEQUILA its sister spiritmezcalandotheragavespirits trace theirorigins

backatleast2000yearstowhenoneormoreoftheIndiantribesthatinhabitedwhat isnowcentralMexicodiscoveredthat the juiceof theagaveplant if leftexposed to air would ferment and turn into a milky mildly alcoholic drinkNews of this discovery spread throughout agave-growing areas The Aztecscalled this beverage octili poliqhui a name that the Spaniards subsequentlycorruptedintopulque(POOL-kay)

Blueagavetherawmaterialfortequilaandmezcal

InAztecculturepulquedrinkinghadreligioussignificanceConsumptionbythemasseswaslimitedtospecificholidayswhenlargetubsofpulqueweresetup in public squaresThe ruling elitewas not subject to the same restrictionshoweveranddrankpulque throughout theyearmdashaprivilegesharedbycaptivewarriorsjustbeforetheyweresacrificedtothegodsWhentheSpanisharrivedinMexicointheearlysixteenthcenturytheysoon

begantomakeanddrinkpulqueButthelowalcoholcontent(around3percentABV) and earthy vegetal tastemade it less popular among the conquistadorsthan European-style beers and brandies Early attempts to distill pulque wereunsuccessful and the resulting spirit was harsh and acrid It was soondiscoveredhoweverthatcookingtheagavepulpresultedinasweeterjuicethatwhenfermentedbecameknownasmezcalwineThisldquowinerdquowasthendistilledintothespiritthatweknowtodayasmezcalEarly mezcal distilleries in the Spanish colony of Mexico operated in a

mannersimilartomodern-daybrewpubsThedistillingplantwasusuallysmallanditsproductionwasconsumedprimarilyinthedistillerytavern(taberna)Asthecolonygrewthemezcalwineindustryfollowedapaceandsoonbecameanimportant source of tax revenue for the Crown Periodic attempts by Spanishbrandyproducerstoshutdownthemezcalindustrywereaboutasunsuccessfulas similar efforts by English distillers to inhibit rum production in theBritishcoloniesinNorthAmerica

THEEVOLUTIONOFTEQUILA

In 1656 the village of Tequila (named for the local Ticuilas Indians) wasgrantedacharterbythegovernorofNewGaliciaTaxrecordsofthetimeshowthatmezcalwasalreadybeingproducedintheareaThismezcalmadefromthelocalblueagaveestablishedareputationforhavingasuperiortasteandbarrelsof the ldquomezcal wine from Tequilardquo were soon being shipped to nearbyGuadalajaraandmoredistantcitiessuchasthesilver-miningboomtownsofSanLuisPotosiacuteandAguascalientesTheoldestofthestill-existingdistilleriesinTequiladatesbackto1795when

the Spanish Crown granted a distillerrsquos license to Jose Cuervo In 1805 adistillerywas established thatwould ultimately come under the control of theSauzafamilyBythemid-1800sthereweredozensofdistilleriesandmillionsofagaveplantsundercultivationaroundTequila inwhathadbecome thestateofJalisco Gradually the locally produced mezcal came to be known as tequila(justas thegrapebrandyfromtheCognacregion inFrancecametobeknownsimplyascognac)

AjimadorharvestsblueagaveformakingtequilainJaliscoMexico

MexicoachievedindependencefromSpainin1821Butuntilthe1870sitwasapoliticallyunstablecountrythatexperiencedfrequentchangesingovernmentrevolutions and a disastrouswarwith theUnited StatesMarauding bands ofsoldiers and guerillas extracted ldquorevolutionary taxesrdquo and ldquovoluntaryrdquocontributionsinkindfromthetabernasanddistilleriesIn1876ageneralnamedPorfirioDiacuteaz whowas from themezcal-producing state ofOaxaca (oah-HA-kuh) came topower andushered in a thirty-five-yearperiodof relativepeaceandstabilityknownasthePorfiriatoItwasduringthisperiodthat thetequila industrybecamefirmlyestablished

Modest exports of tequila began to the United States and Europe with JoseCuervoshippingthefirst threebarrels toElPasoTexas in1873By1910thenumber of agave distilleries in the state of Jalisco had grown to almost ahundredThe collapse of the Diacuteaz regime in 1910 led to a decade-long period of

revolutionthatinhibitedthetequilaindustryThereturnofpeaceinthe1920sledto the expansion of tequila production in Jalisco beyond the area around thetown of Tequila with growth being particularly noteworthy in the highlandsaround the village of Arandas This period also saw the adoption of modernproduction techniques from the wine industry such as cultivated yeast andmicrobiologicalsanitarypracticesIn the 1930s the practice of adding non-agave sugars to the aguamiel or

ldquohoneywaterrdquowasintroducedandquicklyadoptedbymanytequilaproducersThesemixto(mixed)tequilashadalessintensetastethan100percentblueagavetequilasButthisrelativeblandnessalsomadethemmoreappealingtononnativeconsumersparticularlythoseintheUnitedStates

THEBASISOFTEQUILAANDMEZCAL

TequilaandmezcalaremadebydistillingthefermentedjuiceofagaveplantsinMexico The agave is a spiky-leafedmember of the lily family (it is not acactus) and is related to the century plant ByMexican law the agave spiritcalled tequila can be made only from one particular type of agave the blueagave (Agave tequilana Weber) and it can be produced only in specificallydesignated geographic areas primarily the state of Jalisco in west-centralMexicoMezcalismadefromthefermentedjuiceofotherspeciesofagaveItisproducedthroughoutmostofMexico

FieldsofblueagaveinJaliscoMexico

Both tequila and mezcal are prepared for distillation in similar ways Theagave also know as maguey (pronounced muh-GAY) is cultivated onplantations for eight to ten years depending on the type of agaveWhen theplantreachessexualmaturityitstartstogrowaflowerstalkTheagavefarmerorcampesinocutsoff thestalk justas it is starting togrowThis redirects theplant growth into the central stalk swelling it into a large bulbous shape thatcontainsasweetjuicypulpWhentheswellingiscompletedthecampesinocutstheplantfromitsrootsandremovesthelongsword-shapedleavesusingarazor-sharp pike-like tool called a coa The remaining pintildea (ldquopineapplerdquomdashso-calledbecause the cross-thatched denuded bulb resembles a giant green and whitepineapple)weighsanywherefromtwenty-fivetoonehundredpoundsAt the distillery the pintildeas are cut into quarters For tequila they are then

slowly baked in steam ovens or autoclaves until all of the starch has beenconverted to sugars Formezcal they are baked in underground ovens heatedwithwoodcharcoal (whichgivesmezcal itsdistinctivesmoky taste)Theyarethencrushed(traditionallywithastonewheeldrawnaroundacirculartroughbyamule)andshreddedtoextractthesweetjuicecalledaguamiel(honeywater)

WHATBINGCROSBYANDJIMMYBUFFETTHAVEINCOMMON

Modestamountsof tequilahadbeenexported intoUSborder townssincethelatenineteenthcenturyThefirstmajorboost to tequilasales in theUnitedStates came in the late1940swhen themargarita cocktail ablendof tequilalimejuiceorangeliqueurandicewasinventedItsoriginsareuncertainbutHollywoodactorsandcocktailpartiesinCaliforniaandMexicanresortsseemtobe involved inmost of the genesis stories It is known that crooner and actorBingCrosbywassotakenwithoneparticularbrandoftequilaHerradurathatheteamedupwithfellowactorPhilHarristoimportthebrandintotheUnitedStatesThemargaritaalongwiththetequilasunriseandthetequilasourhavebecomehighlypopularintheUnitedStatesinfactitisclaimedbymanyintheliquor industry that the margarita is the single most popular cocktail in thenation In the 1970swhenballadeer JimmyBuffett sangof ldquowasting away inMargaritavillerdquothesuccessofthesongenticedmillionsmoreAmericanstosipfromthesalt-rimmedmargaritaglass

FERMENTATIONAGAVEORMIXTO

The fermentation stage determines whether the final product will be 100percent agave or mixed (ldquomixtordquo) The highest-quality tequila is made fromfermentingandthendistillingjustagavejuicemixedwithsomewaterMixtoismadeby fermentingand thendistilling amixof agave juice andother sugarsusuallycanesugarwithwaterMixtosmadeandbottledinMexicocancontainupto40percentalcoholmadefromothersugarsMixtosthathavebeenshippedinbulktoothercountriesforbottling(primarilytheUnitedStates)mayhavetheagavecontentfurtherreducedto51percentbytheforeignbottlerByMexicanlaw all 100 percent agave or aged tequilas must be bottled in Mexico If atequilais100percentagaveitwillalwayssaysoonthebottlelabelIfitdoesnrsquotsay100percentitisamixtoalthoughthattermisseldomusedonbottlelabels

Stillsusedforproducingtequila

DISTILLATIONANDAGINGOFTEQUILAANDMEZCAL

Traditionallytequilaandmezcalhavebeendistilledinpotstillsat110degproof(55percentABV)Theresultingspiritisclearbutcontainsasignificantamountof congeners and other flavor elements Some light-colored tequilas are nowbeingrectified(redistilled)incolumnstillstoproduceacleanerblanderspirit

THEBLUEAGAVESTRIKESBACK

From the1930s through the1980s thebulk of the tequila beingproducedwasoftheblendedmixtovarietyTheoriginal100percentagavetequilaswerereducedtoaminorspecialtyproductinthemarketInthelate1980stherisingsuccess of single malt Scotch whiskies and expensive cognacs in theinternationalmarketplacedidnotgounnoticedamong tequilaproducersNewbrandsof100percentblueagave tequilaswere introducedandsalesbeganasteadygrowthcurvethatcontinuestothisday

Color in tequila and mezcal comes mostly from the addition of caramelalthoughbarrelagingisafactorinsomehigh-qualitybrandsAdditionallysomedistillers add small amounts of natural flavorings such as sherry pruneconcentrateandcoconuttomanipulatetheproductrsquosflavorprofileTheseaddedflavors donot standout themselves but instead serve to smoothout theoftenhard-edgedpalateofagavespirit

Barrelssetforagingtequilainaware-housetastingroom

MEZCALANDTHEWORM

TherulesandregulationsthatgoverntheproductionandpackagingoftequiladonotapplytoagavespiritsproducedoutsideofthedesignatedareasinMexicoSome mezcal distilleries are very primitive and very small The best-knownmezcalscomefromthesouthernstateofOaxacaalthoughtheyareproducedina number of other states Eight varieties of agave are approved for mezcalproductionbut thechiefvarietyused is theespadinagave (AgaveangustifoliaHaw)

CLASSIFICATIONSOFTEQUILA

Beyond the two basic designations of tequilamdashagave and mixtomdashthere arefourcategories

ASTHEWORMTURNS

The upgrading and upscaling of tequila has in turn inspired mezcalproducers to undertake similarmeasures In the past few years an increasingnumber of high-end mezcals including some intriguing ldquosingle villagerdquobottlingshavebeenintroducedtothemarketMezcalnowseemstobecomingintoitsownasadistinctivenoteworthyspirit

Thefamousldquowormrdquofound insomebottlesofmezcal (ldquocongusanordquo) is thelarvaofoneoftwomothsthatliveontheagaveplantThereasonforaddingtheworm to thebottleofmezcal is obscureButone storywhich at least has theappealoflogictobackitupisthatthewormservesasproofofhighproofthewormremainsintactinthebottleifthepercentageofalcoholinthespiritishighenoughtopreservethepickledwormConsumingthewormwhichcanbedonewithoutharmhasservedasariteofpassageforgenerationsoffraternityboysTop-qualitymezcalsdonotincludeaworminthebottle

AbottleofAguaAzulablueagaveeaudevie

BrendanMoylanholdsupacoupleofbottlesofJBWagonerrsquos100percentBlueAgaveSpiritsinfrontofhiswell-stockedbar

NON-MEXICANAGAVESPIRITS

Federal excise tax records indicate that tequila-like agave spirits wereproducedinthe1930sinthesouthwesternUnitedStatesMorerecentlymoderncraftdistillershavebeguntoexperimentwiththeirownagavespiritssuchasJBWagonerrsquos Ultra Premium 100 percent Blue Agave Spirits by SkyrocketDistillersinTemuculaCaliforniaAguaAzulbyStGeorgeSpiritsinAlamedaCaliforniaandGoldAgavebyStJamesSpiritsinIrwindaleCalifornia

TEQUILACOCKTAILS

CLASSICMARGARITA

TakeashortglassWettherimwithlimejuicePuttheglassupsidedownincoarsesaltsothatthesaltclingstotherimInacocktailshakercombine

bull1frac12ounces(45ml)silvertequilabullfrac34ounce(23ml)TripleSecbullfrac34ounce(23ml)limejuicebullIcetofillShakeandstrainintothesalt-rimmedglassandgarnishwithalimeslice

FROZENFRUITMARGARITA

TakeashortglassWettherimwithlimejuiceandputtheglassupsidedownin coarse salt so salt clings to the rim (this step is optional) Combine theingredients for the ClassicMargarita in a blender with very ripe fruit (6 to 7ounces[170to200g]freshor4ounces[115g]frozen)Add34cupiceBlenduntilsmoothandpourintotheglass

TEQUILASUNRISEFillatallglasswithiceAddbull1frac12ounces(45ml)silvertequilabullOrangejuicealmosttofillSlowlypourfrac12ounce (15ml)grenadine syrupover the top (As it trickles

downitcreatestheldquosunriserdquoeffect)

LIQUEURSSCHNAPPSANISEANDBITTERS

LIQUEURSschnappsaniseandbittersaretermsthatcoverawidevariety

of types of spirits What they all share in common is that they are flavoredspirits

LIQUEURS

Also known as cordials liqueurs are sweet flavor-infused spirits that arecategorized according to the flavoring agent (fruits nuts herbal and spiceblends creams and such)Theword liqueur comes from theLatin liquifacere(ldquotodissolverdquo)andreferstothedissolvingofflavoringsinthespiritsArtificialflavoringsarestrictlyregulatedinmostcountriesandwhereallowedtheymustbeprominentlylabeledassuch

BLENDEDFAMILIES

AllliqueursareblendseventhosewithaprimaryflavorAtouchofvanillais added to cregraveme de cacao to emphasize the chocolate Citrus flavor notessharpen the presentation of anise Herbal liqueurs may contain dozens ofdifferent flavor elements that a master blender manipulates to achieve thedesiredflavorprofile

MasterdistillerTedHuberpoursatHuberStarlightDistillery

Top-qualityliqueursareproducedbydistillationofeitherthefermentedflavormaterials or the spirit in which they have been infused Many liqueurs usefinishedspiritssuchascognacrumorwhiskeyas theirbaseOthersmaceratefruitorotherflavoringsinaneutralspiritCregravemes(cregravemedementhecregravemedecacao etc) are liqueurswith a primary flavor while cream liqueurs combinedairycreamandalcoholinahomogenizedshelf-stableblend

LabelforCoffeeLiqueurbyMcMenaminsEdgefieldDistillery

Liqueurs are not usually aged for any great length of time but they mayundergo resting stages during their production to allow the various flavors toldquomarryrdquointoaharmoniousblendLiqueurscanbehardtoclassifybutregardlessofflavortheycanbebroadly

dividedintotwocategoriesGenericsareliqueursofaparticulartype(cregravemedecacaoorcuraccedilaoforexample)hatcanbemadebyanyproducerProprietariesare liqueurs with trademarked names that are made according to a specificformula Examples of such liqueurs include Kahluacutea Grand Marnier andSouthernComfort

AvanWeesDeOoievaarfruitliqueurfromtheNetherlands

SCHNAPPS

Schnapps is a general term used for an assortment of white and flavoredspiritsthathaveoriginatedinnortherncountriesorregionssuchasGermanyorScandinavia Schnapps can bemade from grain potatoes ormolasses and beflavoredwith virtually anything (watermelon and root beer schnapps from theUnited States being proof of that) The dividing line between schnapps andflavoredvodkaisvagueandismoreculturalthanstylistic

ANISE-FLAVOREDSPIRITS

These spirits can vary widely in style depending on the country of originThey can be dry or very sweet low or high proof distilled from fermentedaniseedormaceratedinneutralspiritInFranceanis(asproducedbyPernod)isproducedbydistillinganiseanda

varietyofotherbotanicalstogetherPastisismaceratedratherthandistilledandcontainsfewerbotanicalsthananisInItalysambucaisdistilledfromaniseandbotanicals but it is thenheavily sweetened tomake it a liqueurOil of fennel(alsoknownasgreenanise)isfrequentlyaddedtoboostthearomaofthespiritGreecehasadriergrappa-likeliqueurcalledouzowhichisstylisticallyclosetopastis

TangerineCelloandSpicyGingerorganicliqueursfromNewDealDistillery

RosolisZiolowyGorzki(stomachbitters)fromtheLancutDistilleryinPoland

BITTERS

The modern-day descendents of medieval medical potions bitters aremarketed as having at least some vaguely therapeutic value (stomach settlershangover cures and so on) They tend to be flavored with herbs roots andbotanicalsandcontainlowerquantitiesoffruitandsugarthanliqueursAlthoughtherearespecialtyliqueurproducersmostbrandsareproducedby

generalditillersaspartofanextendedproductlineAmongthenewgenerationof craft distillers some of the standout liqueur producers include LeopoldBrothersDistilleryofDenverColoradowith theiruniquewhiskey-based fruitliqueurs (the RockyMountain Blackberry is particularly noteworthy) and theFlagHillDistillery inLeeNewHampshirewith theirdelicately tingedSugarMapleLiqueur

LabelforJohnnyZieglerBlackForestStyleAppleAuxPommeSchnapsEaudeViebyWinegardenEstateinNewBrunswickCanada

LabelforBlackberryLiqueurbyClearCreekDistillery

ABSINTHEMAKESTHEHEARTGROWFONDER

AbsintheVertebyStGeorgeSpirits

Modernpastisisthegenteeldescendentofitsmuchmoreraffishnineteenth-century ancestor absinthe a high (sometimes very high) proof anise liquor(technically not a liqueur because no sugar is added) that included extract ofwormwoodinitslistofbotanicalsWormwoodcontainsthechemicalcompoundthujonewhose allegedpsychedelic effectsmadeabsinthe very popular amongtheldquoBohemianrdquocountercultureartistsand intellectualsofFranceandEurope(Vincent vanGogh andOscarWildewere devotees of what was termed ldquoTheGreenFairyrdquo)ConverselysocialconservativesandprohibitionistscampaignedagainstitasthecrackcocaineofthedayandeventuallygotitoutlawedinmostEuropeancountriesandtheUnitedStatesModernscientificanalysishasfoundthujonersquospsychedelicpotencytobeatbestgreatlyexaggerated

LeTourmentVertFrenchAbsinthebyBrunoDelannoyofDistillerieVinetEge

Forbiddenfruitisalwaysappealingandstartinginthe1990sabsinthewhichcontinued to be commercially produced in Eastern Europe slowly started toreturn to the general marketplace initially in ldquothujone-freerdquo versions fromFrance and Switzerland and more recently from an increasing number ofAmerican craft distillers suchasNorthShoreDistilling inLakeBluff Illinoisand St George Distilling in Alameda California One thing that has notchangedaboutabsintheisitshighalcoholcontent

AbsintheVertebyLeopoldBros

ARTISANPROFILEINSIDETHEINDUSTRY

PHILPRICHARD

PrichardrsquosDistilleryKelsoTennessee

PHILPRICHARDwasstillworkingin telecomsales inMemphiswhenhereadtheclassicTheLoreofStillBuildingandstartedteachinghimselftomakerumHis first sale came in March of 2001 (thirty cases for $2929) It was the

product of four years of work His initial plan was to make a product fromTennessee sorghum but he learned that rumhad to come from sugarcaneHewasnrsquot discouraged ldquoThe transition was rather easy By that time I hadresearchedthehistoryofAmericanrumandwejustslidintothenewprofileItfitverywellrdquoSoontractor-trailerloadsofmolasseswerebeingdriveninWhatsets Prichardrsquos apart from other rum is the use of first-grade sweetmolassesrather than blackstrap Using better molasses ldquofocused our attention on theproductionofatraditionalAmericanrumrdquosaidPrichardBlackstrapaswellasbeingusedtomakerumisputoncattleandhorsefeedandPrichardsaidldquoInAfricatheyputitontheroadstokeepthedustdownItrsquos32percentsugarand68percentLordknowswhatrdquoEd Hamiltonmdashnoted scholar author and keeper ofMinistryof Rumcommdash

saidldquoByusingahigh-grademolassesastherawmaterialhereducestheneedto distill to a high proof in order to reduce the sulfur compounds that are thedistillerrsquos banerdquo The results are evident ldquoPhil hasmanaged to dowhatmostmolassesdistillersonlywishtheycoulddordquosaidHamiltonldquodistillagoodwhiterumandmakeitdrinkablewithoutagingitPhilmakesanimpressivelysmoothwhiterumthathasnrsquotbeenagedyetretainsthecoconutandbutterscotchflavorsthatareitssignaturerdquoPrichard takes some of this white rum and barrels itWhile the rest of the

industry saves money aging their product in used fifty-two-gallon whiskeybarrels Prichard ages his rum in new small barrels of fifteen gallons Thisprovidesmoresurfaceareaforthespirittointeractwiththecharredoakanditdevelopsseriousflavorsnot typicallyfoundinarumagedfor just threeyearsHamiltonhadmorepraiseldquoPrichardrsquosFineRumisanothergreatexampleofthesmalldistillerrsquosartTherelativelylowdistillationproofandhighbarrelsurfaceareatovolumeyieldarumthatremindstheimbiberoftheotherspiritsforwhichTennesseeismorewellknownrdquoPrichard is expanding He bought bourbon from Heaven Hill in Kentucky

ageditagaininnewbarrelsandbottleditasDoubleBarrelBourbonFinishingbourbonthiswayisrare(BeamandBuffaloTracehavebothexperimentedwithit) and Double Barrel Bourbon was well received Building a distillery ldquowasdifficult beyond imagination Building a nationwide distribution network hasbeenourgreatestchallengeandthemostcostlyrdquoRegardlessofthechallengesPrichardmoveseverforwardInMarchof2009thedistillerybeganproducingitsownwhiskey

CHAPTEREIGHT

AGALLERYOFARTISANDISTILLERS

ldquoDrinkingyoungwhiskey is something that isdoneonly instillhousesandbarsinItalyLetyourspiritmaturetoaproperdegreeofripenessrdquo

ndashMichaelJacksoncritiquinganearlyexampleofcraftdistilledwhiskey

WhenIowafloodedJeffQuintoftheCedarRidgeDistilleryfilledhisstillwithwatertokeepitfromfloatingawayinthedeluge

THERE is a spirit revolutionhappening in theUnitedStates one thatwillchange theentirespirit industryDistillerswithan intensepassionfor thecraftlay their hearts souls and economic futures on the line for the purpose ofmakingtheidealliquidspiritThesesmallcompaniessometimesrunbyoneortwopeoplecreateavarietyofspiritstoonumeroustomentioninasinglebreathTheircreationsandblendsarenolessvaluableorquality-driventhanbignamebrandssomeevenmoresoThesenichespiritshavetheadvantageofcreativitythat expands the scopeofwhat the liquor industryhas tooffernotonly to theUSbuttotheworldThesemicro-distillerslackthenamerecognitionandthefundingthatbignamecompaniesusetohelpmarkettheirproductsbutsomeofthemwillbecomethehouseholdnamesofthefuturemdashjustasJackDanielsandJohnnyWalkerdistillersfromthepasthavebecomeinourtime

-AdaptedfromCheriLoughlinrsquosIntoxicologistblogwwwintoxicologistwordpresscom