The HerKentucky Guide to Talking about Bourbon
A quick and easy guide to bourbon terms.
We Kentuckians take our bourbon seriously. Of course, Kentucky bourbon is the original and the best of all bourbon whiskeys. But, while the very best bourbon is made right here in the Bluegrass State, we aren't all experts. Some of us don't drink bourbon, or don't live in a part of the Commonwealth where the spirit is produced. Even if you don't partake in Kentucky's native spirit, or if you've never taken an interest in bourbon culture, there are times when the conversation turns to Kentucky bourbon. For the very first installation of our Whiskey Wednesday series, we're giving you a little cheat sheet that will have you talking about Kentucky Bourbon like a pro.
Bourbon: Bourbon whiskey is a uniquely American spirit which falls under strict production standards. The Federal Standards of Identity for Distilled Spirits (27 C.F.R. 5) require that bourbon made for U.S. consumption must be produced in the United States, made from a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn, aged in new charred oak barrels, distilled to no more than 160 proof (80% alcohol by volume), entered into the barrel for aging at no more than 125 proof (62.5% alcohol by volume), and bottled at 80 proof or more (40% alcohol by volume).
Kentucky Bourbon: Although we all know that the best bourbon is bottled here in the Bluegrass State where it was invented, bourbon does not have to be produced in Kentucky. Unlike French wines such as champagne or burgundy, bourbon does not carry a requirement for provenance. Kentucky distillers believe that the high limestone content in Bluegrass region water leads to a superior product. Here at HerKentucky, we tend to agree.
Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Chris Morris and Master Taster Elizabeth O'Neill char a bourbon barrel.
Barrel: Federal law requires that bourbon be aged in a new charred oak barrel. This means that the barrel is actually lit on fire in preparation. (Watch it here!) This process removes sulphur from the wood and allows the natural wood sugars, vanillin, and color of the wood to be absorbed into the whiskey, resulting in a delicious finished product.
Mash Bill: The mash bill is, basically, the recipe for a particular bourbon. Federal regulations require that the mash bill be at least 51% percent corn; many are 60-70% corn. Most mash bills contain varying percentages of corn, barley, and rye. The secondary grain mixture is an important factor in determining the bourbon's flavor.
Mash blending at Jim Beam American Stillhouse
Wheated: A bourbon which uses wheat as a secondary grain in its mash profile is often referred to as "wheated." These whiskeys are known for a soft, sweet flavor with notes of caramel or vanilla. Popular wheated bourbons include Pappy Van Winkle, Maker's Mark, and Old Fitzgerald.
Rye: A bourbon containing a notable amount of rye in its mash bill will have a bold, spicy flavor. Basil Hayden's, Bulleit, and Old Grand Dad are well-known rye bourbons.
Angels' Share: The "angels' share" is a distilling term referring to the amount of alcohol lost to evaporation during the aging process. This often leads to the
Proof: Proof refers to the strength of, or, put simply, amount of alcohol in, bourbon. In the United States, proof means twice the alcohol percentage. So, for example, 90 proof bourbon is 45% alcohol.
Barrels aging at Maker's Mark Rickhouse.
Now you can talk about bourbon with the pros! Cheers, y'all!
OMC X County Club Dinner Series + GIVEAWAY!!
One of the very best things about summer Sunday nights is long, lazy dinners with friends. A cocktail or two. Good conversation. Good food.
If you love all those things -- and seriously, who doesn't?!?! -- and will be around Lexington this Sunday night, June 12th, then you should check out the Original Makers Club and County Club Dinner Series event, which will be held at County Club Sunday night from 7-10 p.m.
Click here to purchase tickets. And if you aren't already convinced that this is the best way to spend your Sunday, 20% of the proceeds from the dinner will benefit the American Cancer Society!
Want to win two tickets to the dinner? Leave a comment with your name, email address, and your favorite place to have summer dinner in Lexington on this blog post, and we will draw a name at random Friday, June 10 at 5 p.m. EDT. Winners will be contacted via email and must respond by Saturday morning, June 11 at noon so that we can contact the OMC for guest list purposes.
Brunch at the Silver Dollar
I get a lot of questions about where to eat in Louisville. Every couple of weeks, someone texts/ emails/ facebooks me for a lunch, brunch or dinner recommendation in the Derby City. To keep up with these suggestions, I'll be updating the HerLouisville City Guide to reflect my favorite suggestions. First up is brunch at the Silver Dollar.
As you drive down Frankfort Avenue, The Silver Dollar looks like a hole in the wall you could easily pass up. That would be a huge mistake. Instead, you should stop when you see the iconic "Whiskey by the Drink" neon sign for a cocktail, dinner, or weekend brunch. The servers are friendly, the music is Bakersfield honky tonk country, the drinks are stiff, and the food... well, it's amazing.
Some of our favorites on the Silver Dollar brunch menu include the smoked chicken enfrijoladas,
the waffle and the flank & eggs,
and the shrimp and grits.
The Silver Dollar is located at 1761 Frankfort Avenue in Louisville. Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Remembering Muhammad Ali
Remembering Boxer Muhammad Ali -- the Greatest Kentuckian.
Mourners left flowers at the Muhammad Ali Center in memory of The Greatest.
This morning, we awoke to the news that Kentucky's most beloved sports legend, boxer Muhammad Ali, had passed at the age of 74.
Muhammad Ali was a superb boxer -- an Olympic gold medalist and World Heavyweight Champion by the age of 22 -- but to so many of us here in Kentucky, he was so much more. He was a cultural icon. He was a humanitarian and a peace activist. And, as Ali himself succinctly said, he was The Greatest.
As a boxer, Ali connected with legions of fans due not only to his amazing feats in the ring (he remains the only three-time lineal World Heavyweight Champion) but also his famous brand of self-promotion. He became known as The Louisville Lip due to enduring statements like "I am the Greatest" and "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee." Of course, his talent in the ring backed up his statements. Ali later said, "At home, I am a nice guy, but I don’t want the world to know. Humble people, I’ve found, don’t get very far.” Nobody ever mistook Ali for being humble. Throughout the Sixties and Seventies, he was known not only for his boxing successes and outlandish statements, but also for his political and cultural stances. His religious and social objections to the Vietnam War as well as his candor regarding race and political issues made him a counterculture icon. Ali wasn't just a boxer, he was the first true "Sports Personality", establishing the groundwork for modern sports culture. As the writer Joyce Carol Oates said in her work "On Boxing", Ali was one of the few athletes in any sport to "define the terms of his public reputation." Ali's reputation extended far beyond the realm of sports; he is a seminal figure in modern African-American culture, with popularity that has transcended racial lines for decades.
Born in the West Louisville Parkland neighborhood, Ali became a world celebrity, but remained true to his Islamic faith and his devotion to peace and social justice. His later years were spent in Arizona, but he remained devoted to his Kentucky hometown, supporting the Louisville Cardinals and establishing the Muhammad Ali Center to promote cultural and philanthropic missions.
Today, we mourn the Greatest, the Coolest, the Prettiest Kentuckian. Goodbye, Champ. You left your mark on this town.
“He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.”
The Five Best Doughnuts in Kentucky: 2016 Edition
It's National Doughnut Day! Celebrate with Kentucky's favorite doughnuts!
Here in Kentucky, we love our doughnuts. We love them so much that, a few years back, the New York Times even ran a piece tracing Kentucky's Doughnut Trail.
Doughnuts are the absolute best -- they're sweet, inexpensive little pieces of nostalgia. They make you remember the morning you got to play hooky and pick up a sugary breakfast after a doctor's appointment, or the times your grandma fried up a fresh batch, or that little bakery in your hometown that made THE BEST doughnuts.
Last year's HerKentucky National Doughnut Day post stirred up a lot of feelings from y'all -- apparently, I missed out on a lot of local gems in my hunt for the five best doughnuts in Kentucky. So, I've spent a lot of time over the past year really mulling over what makes a GREAT doughnut. Here are the five Bluegrass State bakeries that made the cut.
5. Red's Donut Shop, Paducah. A local institution that sells only doughnuts. Locals will tell you that a Red's doughnut is like a fresh Krispy Kreme, only better. (Legend has it that Paducah is the birthplace of the Krispy Kreme, so these folks know what they're talking about!)
4. Doughdaddy's, Versailles. Fluffy doughnuts in more varieties than you can possibly imagine.
Nord's Bakery's Maple-Bacon doughnut is amazing.
3. Nord's Bakery, Louisville. You can't mention Kentucky doughnuts without discussing the magic doughnut at Nord's. Of course, you know the one I mean: the maple-bacon. It's possibly the world's most perfect food. Worth the drive over to campus/ Schnitzelberg. Go ahead and buy extras; somebody will want one.
Mural at Nord's Bakery.
2. Spalding's Bakery, Lexington. With a family tradition of fried doughnuts dating back to 1929, Spalding's makes Lexington's very favorite doughnuts. Remember to take cash, as Spalding's doesn't accept credit cards or checks. When you're that good, you don't have to.
1. Hi-Five Doughnuts, Louisville. I love Annie and Leslie, who run this amazing food truck, and I can't wait for their storefront to open! Their high-end, gourmet take on doughnuts is simply amazing, and their Maker's Mark caramel glaze is one of my favorite treats ever. Hands down, my favorite doughnuts ever.
Happy Doughnut Day, y'all! Who makes your favorite doughnut?
Happy Birthday, Kentucky!
Kentucky's 224th birthday!
On June 1, 1792, The Commonwealth of Kentucky came into existence. The movement to form the state from part of Virginia had been in effect since the mid-1700s. Ten political conventions were held; the final of those was for the intent of framing a constitution. On June 1, Kentucky became the 15th state admitted into the union, with Isaac Shelby serving as governor. The Kentucky constitution was signed at what is now known as Constitution Square in Danville.
For more on Kentucky's road to statehood, read this excellent post from our friends at the Kaintuckeean and this in-depth history of the Kentucky Constitution.
Happy birthday, Kentucky!!
Maker's Mark and Ale-8 Popsicles
A bourbon and Ale-8 popsicle is the perfect warm-weather treat for Kentuckians!
I'm obsessed with popsicles. It's been oppressively hot this summer and a popsicle seems like the only reasonable option when even breathing causes you to break a sweat. Popsicles are also easy to make. You can even easily create your own unique recipes, which is what I exactly what I decided to do.
Nothing says Kentucky like Maker's Mark Bourbon Whisky. There are already a wide variation of bourbon and peach popsicles, as well as bourbon and chocolate popsicles. However, I like to keep things simple and there is nothing simpler (or more Kentucky) than Maker's Mark and Ale-8.
Bourbon and Ale-8 Popsicles
1. Determine how much your popsicle molds hold. Mine held about four ounces.
2. Keep the alcohol content below 10%. I mixed up enough for about two molds at a time.
3. Mix bourbon and Ale-8. I used one ounce of bourbon and seven ounces of Ale-8.
4. Fill your molds about 3/4 of the way full and freeze for at least four to six hours.
If you don't have access to Ale-8 or you don't really care for it, then you can use coke for a classic bourbon and coke popsicles. I actually made a batch of each. Coke has a slightly higher sugar content so I preferred the bourbon and coke combo.
Once frozen, find a shady spot, take a seat, and enjoy!
~ Sarah Stewart Holland