A sour mash whiskey can actually be classified as bourbon since both types of whiskey are made under the same restrictions (51% corn in the mash, aged in new charred oak barrels, etc).

The name came from the sourdough starter or the mixture of flour and wheat, a method used to create bread. Fun Facts This method was originally taken from J.W. Walstad's book Simple Sour Mash to Simple Alcohol Fuel! and has been modified according to my experiences.

Making the Starter Mash

The release will coincide and commemorate the War of Regulation and the Battle of Alamance—a battle in 1771 and the last during the North Carolina uprising and the journey to becoming the United States of America.

But first, let’s briefly look at how whiskey is created. Each step is crucial to ensure a quality product. American whiskey is, by definition, a distilled spirit that uses grains as a raw material. While growing, plants create sugar through photosynthesis and the energy that they don’t use immediately is stored in the form of starch (a complex carbohydrate) which is most highly concentrated in grains and seeds. Distillers take those grains, grind them up, cook them, and add some enzymes to convert those complex carbs into simple sugars that yeast can eventually use and turn into delicious alcohol. The most common bourbon mash contains: 70% corn, 15% rye, and 15% barley; or, 65% corn, 35% rye; or, 51% corn, 37% rye, and 12% barley. While not all whiskey uses the same mash bill, the final product must be made with at least 51% corn to be called bourbon.So a ranking of all the bottles of Michter’s whiskey is relevant to more than just the true aficionados. It’s for the people! In turn, this soured the mash. Lactobacillus bacteria are responsible for helping you turn milk into yogurt; the bacteria also helps us make cheese and sourdough bread. A pretty helpful microscopic critter, we’d say! Palate: That fruit becomes more dried and almost salted on the palate while bourbon vanilla and mild caramel sweetness mingle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Certain acidic compounds can occur during fermentation — either due to extended fermentation periods, the introduction of ambient yeast or other microorganisms or through an infection during the fermentation phase. In the production of sour mash, distillers may court some of these compounds — including lactic acids.

This 2002 experiment was so successful that Buffalo Trace decided to age and finally bottled their experiment. Nine years later, they released Colonel E. H. Taylor, Jr. Old Fashioned Sour Mash Bourbon Whiskey. Comparing sour mash whiskey and bourbon is kind of like comparing apples to Granny Smith brand apples. Smith, Max (March 14, 2014). "Liquor Giants Battle Over Tennessee Whiskey, Barrels". The Tennessean. USA Today . Retrieved October 29, 2014. Helpfully, though, yeast can survive in environments where bacteria can’t — specifically, environments that are more acidic. Which is where the “sour mashing” comes in.

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As early as the 17th century Peter Shaw advocated that English distillers acidify or their washes using the juice of lemons, tamarinds or oranges to improve the taste of the resultant spirit. The use of spent wash (called dunder) was commonplace in Jamaica around 1700 for rum production. By the 19th century dunder was prepared, infected with bacteria, wild yeasts and microflora, to create new congeners, amino acids and esters. It is entirely possible that this production process is the origin of the sour mash process. Benefits of the Sour Mash process Elijah Craig is a popular brand of sour mash whiskey that is known for its smooth, rich flavor. This brand is named after the man who is credited with inventing bourbon, and it is made using a traditional recipe that has been passed down for generations. Old Elk Small Batch