Early Times is a brand of Kentucky whiskey produced by the Sazerac Company , one of the two largest spirits companies in the United States, which purchased the brand in mid-2020. Before the brand purchase, it was distilled in Shively, Kentucky , by the Brown-Forman Corporation , another of the largest North American -owned companies in the spirits and wine business.
107-505: While Early Times is marketed outside the U.S. as bourbon , the whiskey does not meet all the U.S. regulated criteria for bourbon – and hence, is marketed within the U.S. as whiskey rather than as bourbon whiskey. It also uses the Scottish spelling instead of the Irish spelling, and labels itself as a whisky. The Early Times Whisky brand production started at Early Times Station, Kentucky , and
214-422: A theoretical plate ) will yield a purer solution of the more volatile component. In reality, each cycle at a given temperature does not occur at exactly the same position in the fractionating column; theoretical plate is thus a concept rather than an accurate description. More theoretical plates lead to better separations. A spinning band distillation system uses a spinning band of Teflon or metal to force
321-512: A 100-day "distillers' holiday" to replenish the medicinal stock. After the end of Prohibition at the federal level in late 1933, it continued in various places at the state , county and local level, and liquor sales are still prohibited or restricted in many jurisdictions in Kentucky, the primary bourbon-producing state (and in Tennessee as well, where Tennessee whiskey is made). Production
428-405: A batch distillation setup (such as in an apparatus depicted in the opening figure) until the mixture is boiling results in a vapor above the liquid that contains a mixture of A and B. The ratio between A and B in the vapor will be different from the ratio in the liquid. The ratio in the liquid will be determined by how the original mixture was prepared, while the ratio in the vapor will be enriched in
535-439: A boiling point, although this is because its composition changes: each intermediate mixture has its own, singular boiling point. The idealized model is accurate in the case of chemically similar liquids, such as benzene and toluene . In other cases, severe deviations from Raoult's law and Dalton's law are observed, most famously in the mixture of ethanol and water. These compounds, when heated together, form an azeotrope , which
642-483: A cheaper alternative to French cognac . Another proposed origin of the name is the association with the geographic area known as Old Bourbon , consisting of the original Bourbon County in Virginia organized in 1785. This region included much of today's Eastern Kentucky, including 34 of the modern counties. It included the current Bourbon County in Kentucky, which became a county when Kentucky separated from Virginia as
749-516: A current major producer), Frankfort Distillery (including the George T. Stagg distillery now called the Buffalo Trace Distillery and owned by Sazerac ), James Thompson and Brothers (later called Glenmore Distillery , now owned by Sazerac), and Schenley Distillery (now owned by Guinness ). Prescriptions were required to buy medicinal whiskey. In 1928 or 1929 when stocks ran out, there was
856-474: A distinct form of whiskey is not well documented and there are many conflicting legends and claims. For example, the invention of bourbon is often attributed to Elijah Craig , a Baptist minister and distiller credited with many Kentucky firsts (e.g., fulling mill , paper mill , ropewalk ) who is said to have been the first to age the product in charred oak casks, a process that gives bourbon its brownish color and distinctive taste. In Bourbon County , across
963-691: A dough made of rye flour. These alembics often featured a cooling system around the beak, using cold water, for instance, which made the condensation of alcohol more efficient. These were called pot stills . Today, the retorts and pot stills have been largely supplanted by more efficient distillation methods in most industrial processes. However, the pot still is still widely used for the elaboration of some fine alcohols, such as cognac , Scotch whisky , Irish whiskey , tequila , rum , cachaça , and some vodkas . Pot stills made of various materials (wood, clay, stainless steel) are also used by bootleggers in various countries. Small pot stills are also sold for use in
1070-449: A large scale to extract bourbon from its used barrels, mixing the extract with a 6-year-old Beam bourbon to create a 90-proof product that it sells as "Devil's Cut". The bottling operation for bourbon is the process of filtering, mixing together straight whiskey from different barrels (sometimes from different distilleries), diluting with water, blending with other ingredients (if producing blended bourbon), and filling containers to produce
1177-408: A lower concentration in the vapor. Indeed, batch distillation and fractionation succeed by varying the composition of the mixture. In batch distillation, the batch vaporizes, which changes its composition; in fractionation, liquid higher in the fractionation column contains more lights and boils at lower temperatures. Therefore, starting from a given mixture, it appears to have a boiling range instead of
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#17328559633271284-463: A movable liquid barrier. Finally, the entry of undesired air components can be prevented by pumping a low but steady flow of suitable inert gas, like nitrogen , into the apparatus. In simple distillation, the vapor is immediately channeled into a condenser. Consequently, the distillate is not pure but rather its composition is identical to the composition of the vapors at the given temperature and pressure. That concentration follows Raoult's law . As
1391-545: A new state in 1792. Numerous newspaper articles reference whiskey from Bourbon County, Kentucky dating as far back as 1824. According to the whiskey writer Charles K. Cowdery, When American pioneers pushed west of the Allegheny Mountains following the American Revolution , the first counties they founded covered vast regions. One of these original, huge counties was Bourbon, established in 1785 and named after
1498-451: A particular age duration is often the goal, as over-aging bourbons can negatively affect the flavor of the bourbon (making it taste woody, bitter, or unbalanced). After maturing, bourbon is withdrawn from the barrel and is typically filtered and diluted with water. It is then bottled at no less than 80 US proof (40% abv). Although most bourbon whiskey is sold at 80 proof, bourbon can be bottled much higher. All " bottled in bond " bourbon
1605-442: A result, simple distillation is effective only when the liquid boiling points differ greatly (rule of thumb is 25 °C) or when separating liquids from non-volatile solids or oils. For these cases, the vapor pressures of the components are usually different enough that the distillate may be sufficiently pure for its intended purpose. A cutaway schematic of a simple distillation operation is shown at right. The starting liquid 15 in
1712-571: A superior taste because it was shipped in barrels, using water transport wherever practical. To test this theory, Jefferson's cofounder Trey Zoeller sent two barrels of the company's signature product to New York City via barge, first down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers and then along the Intracoastal Waterway . As a control, he brought a batch of the same whiskey that had remained in Louisville during
1819-488: A symbol of urbanization and sophistication due to a large percentage of consumers belonging to the middle- to upper-class, including business and community leaders. Bourbon was recognized in 1964 by the U.S. Congress as a "distinctive product of the United States". Bourbon sold in the U.S. must be produced within the U.S. from at least 51% corn and stored in a new container of charred oak . This distinctive American liquor
1926-508: A traditional alembic (or pot still ) or the much less expensive continuous still . Most modern bourbons are initially run off using a column still and then redistilled in a "doubler" (alternatively known as a "thumper" or "retort") that is basically a pot still. The resulting clear spirit, called "white dog", is placed in charred new oak containers for aging. In practice, these containers are generally barrels made from American white oak . The spirit gains its color and much of its flavor from
2033-424: A vacuum pump. The components are connected by ground glass joints . For many cases, the boiling points of the components in the mixture will be sufficiently close that Raoult's law must be taken into consideration. Therefore, fractional distillation must be used to separate the components by repeated vaporization-condensation cycles within a packed fractionating column. This separation, by successive distillations,
2140-709: A water-cooled still, by which an alcohol purity of 90% could be obtained. The distillation of beverages began in the Southern Song (10th–13th century) and Jin (12th–13th century) dynasties, according to archaeological evidence. A still was found in an archaeological site in Qinglong, Hebei province, China, dating back to the 12th century. Distilled beverages were common during the Yuan dynasty (13th–14th century). In 1500, German alchemist Hieronymus Brunschwig published Liber de arte distillandi de simplicibus ( The Book of
2247-726: A wide column with a large holdup. Conversely, a column with a low reflux ratio must have a large number of stages, thus requiring a taller column. Both batch and continuous distillations can be improved by making use of a fractionating column on top of the distillation flask. The column improves separation by providing a larger surface area for the vapor and condensate to come into contact. This helps it remain at equilibrium for as long as possible. The column can even consist of small subsystems ('trays' or 'dishes') which all contain an enriched, boiling liquid mixture, all with their own vapor–liquid equilibrium. There are differences between laboratory-scale and industrial-scale fractionating columns, but
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#17328559633272354-483: Is MGP of Indiana , which primarily wholesales its spirits products to bottling companies that sell them under about 50 different brand names – in some cases, misleadingly marketed as "craft" whiskey, despite being produced at a large wholesaler's factory. To be legally sold as bourbon, the whiskey's mash bill requires a minimum of 51% corn, with the remainder being any cereal grain. A proposed change to U.S. regulations will expand allowable "grains" to include seeds of
2461-412: Is straight bourbon, which has a minimum aging requirement of two years. In addition, any bourbon aged less than four years must include an age statement on its label. Bourbon that meets the above requirements, has been aged for a minimum of two years, and does not have added coloring, flavoring, or other spirits may be – but is not required to be – called straight bourbon. Bottled in bond bourbon
2568-453: Is 100 proof. Some higher-proof bottlings are marketed as " barrel proof " or "cask strength", meaning they have not been diluted or have been only slightly diluted (less than 1% ABV dilution) after removal from the barrels. Bourbon whiskey may be sold at less than 80 proof but must be labeled as "diluted bourbon". A very small number of bourbon bottlings have been released with exceptionally high proof, sometimes exceeding 140 proof (70% ABV). In
2675-490: Is a distillery of alcohol . These are some applications of the chemical separation process that is distillation: Early evidence of distillation was found on Akkadian tablets dated c. 1200 BCE describing perfumery operations. The tablets provided textual evidence that an early, primitive form of distillation was known to the Babylonians of ancient Mesopotamia . According to British chemist T. Fairley, neither
2782-416: Is a flow from the condenser back to the column, which generates a recycle that allows a better separation with a given number of trays. Equilibrium stages are ideal steps where compositions achieve vapor–liquid equilibrium, repeating the separation process and allowing better separation given a reflux ratio. A column with a high reflux ratio may have fewer stages, but it refluxes a large amount of liquid, giving
2889-406: Is a sub-category of straight bourbon that must be produced by a single distiller at a single distillery in a single season, aged at least four years in a bonded warehouse under federal control, and bottled at 100 proof (50% ABV). Bourbon that is labeled blended (or as a blend ) may contain added coloring, flavoring, and other spirits, such as un-aged neutral grain spirits, but at least 51% of
2996-454: Is also referred to as rectification. As the solution to be purified is heated, its vapors rise to the fractionating column . As it rises, it cools, condensing on the condenser walls and the surfaces of the packing material. Here, the condensate continues to be heated by the rising hot vapors; it vaporizes once more. However, the composition of the fresh vapors is determined once again by Raoult's law. Each vaporization-condensation cycle (called
3103-499: Is an optional ingredient in several pie recipes traditional to American cuisine , including pumpkin pie , where it can be combined with brown sugar and pecans to make a sweet and crunchy topping for the creamy pumpkin pie filling. It can also be used as a flavoring in sauces for savory dishes like grit cakes with country ham served with bourbon mayonnaise , Kentucky bourbon chili , and grilled flank steak . Distilled Distillation , also classical distillation ,
3210-486: Is heated, the vapor pressure of each component will rise, thus causing the total vapor pressure to rise. When the total vapor pressure reaches the pressure surrounding the liquid, boiling occurs and liquid turns to gas throughout the bulk of the liquid. A mixture with a given composition has one boiling point at a given pressure when the components are mutually soluble. A mixture of constant composition does not have multiple boiling points. An implication of one boiling point
3317-479: Is home to other major bourbon makers, although most prefer to call their product " Tennessee whiskey " instead, including giant Jack Daniel's . It is legally defined under Tennessee House Bill 1084, the North American Free Trade Agreement and at least one other international trade agreement as the recognized name for a straight bourbon whiskey produced in Tennessee. It is also required to meet
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3424-478: Is marketed as the "official bourbon" of the Kentucky Derby. Old Forester , a bourbon also made by Brown-Forman, replaced Early Times starting May 2, 2015 as the standard Kentucky Derby whisky for the lower-priced mint juleps. Bourbon whiskey Bourbon whiskey ( / b ɜːr b ən / ) (or simply bourbon ) is a barrel-aged American whiskey made primarily from corn (maize). The name derives from
3531-417: Is prescribed – only that the product has been "stored at not more than 62.5% alcohol by volume (125 proof) in charred new oak containers". Bourbons gain more color and flavor the longer they age in wood. Changes to the spirit also occur due to evaporation and chemical processes such as oxidation . Lower-priced bourbons tend to be aged relatively briefly. Even for higher-priced bourbons, "maturity" rather than
3638-414: Is that lighter components never cleanly "boil first". At boiling point, all volatile components boil, but for a component, its percentage in the vapor is the same as its percentage of the total vapor pressure. Lighter components have a higher partial pressure and, thus, are concentrated in the vapor, but heavier volatile components also have a (smaller) partial pressure and necessarily vaporize also, albeit at
3745-504: Is the norm. They may not be reused for bourbon, and most are sold to distilleries in Canada, Scotland, Ireland, Mexico, and the Caribbean for aging other spirits. Some are employed in the manufacture of various barrel-aged products, including amateur and professionally brewed bourbon barrel-aged beer , barbecue sauce, wine, hot sauce, and others. Since 2011, Jim Beam has employed barrel rinsing on
3852-467: Is the process of separating the component substances of a liquid mixture of two or more chemically discrete substances; the separation process is realized by way of the selective boiling of the mixture and the condensation of the vapors in a still . Dry distillation ( thermolysis and pyrolysis ) is the heating of solid materials to produce gases that condense either into fluid products or into solid products. The term dry distillation includes
3959-500: Is used as animal feed. The acid introduced when using the sour mash controls the growth of bacteria that could taint the whiskey and creates a proper pH balance for the yeast to work. Although many distilleries operated in Bourbon County historically, no distilleries operated there between 1919, when Prohibition began in Kentucky, and late 2014, when a small distillery opened – a period of 95 years. Prohibition devastated
4066-399: Is when the vapor phase and liquid phase contain the same composition. Although there are computational methods that can be used to estimate the behavior of a mixture of arbitrary components, the only way to obtain accurate vapor–liquid equilibrium data is by measurement. It is not possible to completely purify a mixture of components by distillation, as this would require each component in
4173-527: The Angel's share during aging. Although only the focus of special attention for bourbon since the mid-2010s, very-high-proof products are not especially novel in general, as evidenced by the well-known Bacardi 151 brand of rum , which was available on the U.S. and Canadian markets from about 1963 until 2016 and was bottled at 75.5% ABV. After processing, barrels remain saturated with up to 10 U.S. gallons (38 liters) of bourbon, although 2–3 U.S. gallons (8–11 liters)
4280-561: The French House of Bourbon , although the precise source of inspiration is uncertain; contenders include Bourbon County, Kentucky , and Bourbon Street in New Orleans , both of which are named after the House of Bourbon. The name bourbon might not have been used until the 1850s, and the association with Bourbon County was not evident until the 1870s. Although bourbon may be made anywhere in
4387-574: The French royal family . While this vast county was being carved into many smaller ones, early in the 19th century, many people continued to call the region Old Bourbon . Located within Old Bourbon was the principal port on the Ohio River , Maysville, Kentucky , from which whiskey and other products were shipped. "Old Bourbon" was stencilled on the barrels to indicate their port of origin. Old Bourbon whiskey
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4494-560: The Manhattan , the Old Fashioned , the whiskey sour , and the mint julep . Bourbon is also used in cooking , and it was historically used for medicinal purposes. Bourbon can be used in a variety of confections such as a banana bourbon syrup for waffles , a flavoring for chocolate cake , and fruit-based desserts like grilled peach sundaes served with salted bourbon- caramel or brown sugar shortcake with warmed bourbon peaches . It
4601-494: The caramelized sugars and vanillins in the charred wood. Straight bourbon must be aged at least two years, and blended bourbon must contain at least 51% straight bourbon on a proof gallon basis (i.e., most of the alcohol in the blend must be from straight bourbon). The remainder of the spirits in a blended bourbon may be neutral grain spirits that are not aged at all. If a product is labeled merely as bourbon whiskey rather than straight or blended, no specific minimum aging period
4708-407: The vapor pressure of the liquid equals the pressure around the liquid, enabling bubbles to form without being crushed. A special case is the normal boiling point , where the vapor pressure of the liquid equals the ambient atmospheric pressure . It is a misconception that in a liquid mixture at a given pressure, each component boils at the boiling point corresponding to the given pressure, allowing
4815-486: The 1964 resolution did not contain such a statement; it declared bourbon to be a distinctive product identifiable with the U.S. (in a similar way that Scotch is considered identifiable with Scotland). The resolution was passed again in 2008. As of 2018 , 95% of all bourbon is produced in Kentucky, according to the Kentucky Distillers' Association. As of 2018 , there were 68 whiskey distilleries in Kentucky, this
4922-616: The 3rd century. Distillation was practiced in the ancient Indian subcontinent , which is evident from baked clay retorts and receivers found at Taxila , Shaikhan Dheri , and Charsadda in Pakistan and Rang Mahal in India dating to the early centuries of the Common Era . Frank Raymond Allchin says these terracotta distill tubes were "made to imitate bamboo". These " Gandhara stills" were only capable of producing very weak liquor , as there
5029-609: The Art of Distillation out of Simple Ingredients ), the first book solely dedicated to the subject of distillation, followed in 1512 by a much expanded version. Right after that, in 1518, the oldest surviving distillery in Europe, The Green Tree Distillery , was founded. In 1651, John French published The Art of Distillation , the first major English compendium on the practice, but it has been claimed that much of it derives from Brunschwig's work. This includes diagrams with people in them showing
5136-651: The Brown-Forman Distillery in Shively, Kentucky . Most of the Early Times which is now sold in the U.S. cannot legally be labeled as a bourbon whiskey within the U.S., so it is labeled as "Kentucky Whisky". Some of the spirits in Early Times are aged in used barrels , while bourbon must be aged in new barrels according to the legal requirements for bourbon sold within the U.S. It is bottled at 40% alcohol by volume . In 2010, Brown-Forman introduced Early Times 354 in
5243-537: The Greeks nor the Romans had any term for the modern concept of distillation. Words like "distill" would have referred to something else, in most cases a part of some process unrelated to what now is known as distillation. In the words of Fairley and German chemical engineer Norbert Kockmann respectively: The Latin "distillo," from de-stillo, from stilla, a drop, referred to the dropping of a liquid by human or artificial means, and
5350-590: The Kentucky Bourbon Festival organizers who have registered the phrase as a trademark . The Kentucky Bourbon Trail is the name of a tourism promotion program organized by the Kentucky Distillers' Association that is aimed at attracting visitors to the distilleries in Kentucky, particularly Four Roses ( Lawrenceburg ), Heaven Hill ( Bardstown ), Jim Beam ( Clermont ), Maker's Mark ( Loretto ), Town Branch ( Lexington ), Wild Turkey ( Lawrenceburg ), and Woodford Reserve ( Versailles ). Tennessee
5457-511: The U.S, it is strongly associated with the Southern United States , particularly Kentucky . One reason for this strong association is the romanticized advertising of bourbon as a product of Kentucky with rural, Southern origins in the 90s. There is a common misconception that bourbon can only be distilled in Kentucky. Even though bourbon was strongly associated with the South, it was also
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#17328559633275564-404: The U.S. Congress declared bourbon whiskey as a "distinctive product of the United States" by concurrent resolution. Bourbon may be produced anywhere in the U.S. where it is legal to distill spirits, but most brands are produced in Kentucky, where bourbon production has a strong historical association. The filtering of iron-free water through the high concentrations of limestone that are unique to
5671-749: The U.S. following the law of the country. However, in other countries, products labeled bourbon may not adhere to the same standards. For example, U.S.-produced products with somewhat lower alcohol content than the level required in the United States can be sold in Australia as bourbon, with Cougar Bourbon being an example of an export-only brand produced in the U.S. for the Australia market. The Federal Standards of Identity for Distilled Spirits, codified under 27 CFR §5 Subpart I states that bourbon made for U.S. consumption must be: Bourbon has no minimum specified duration for its aging period. Products aged for as little as three months are sold as bourbon. The exception
5778-492: The U.S. may be labeled bourbon or sold as bourbon inside the U.S. Various other countries have trade agreements with the U.S. to recognize bourbon as a distinctive product of the U.S., including Canada and Mexico, the United Kingdom, Chile, and Brazil. A 2016 experiment by Louisville craft distiller Jefferson's Bourbon suggests that in the era before whiskey was routinely bottled at the distillery, Kentucky bourbon developed
5885-503: The U.S., generating almost $ 2.7 billion in wholesale distillery revenue. U.S. exports of bourbon whiskey surpassed $ 1 billion for the first time in 2013; distillers hailed the rise of a "golden age of Kentucky bourbon" and predicted further growth. In 2014, it was estimated that U.S. bourbon whiskey exports surpassed $ 1 billion, making up the majority of the U.S. total of $ 1.6 billion in spirits exports. Major export markets for U.S. spirits are, in descending order: Canada,
5992-515: The U.S., which meets the regulated criteria for straight whiskey . In 1987, Brown–Forman contracted with Churchill Downs to market Early Times mint juleps as the "official drink" of the Kentucky Derby . Until 2015, Early Times Mint Juleps were sold during Derby Week each year. The highest-priced mint juleps at the event use bourbon from the Brown-Forman sister brand, Woodford Reserve , which
6099-581: The United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, and France. The largest percentage increases in U.S. exports were, in descending order: Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Bahamas, Israel, and United Arab Emirates. Key elements of growth in the markets showing the largest increases have been changes of law, trade agreements, and reductions of tariffs, as well as increased consumer demand for premium-category spirits. Bourbon's legal definition varies somewhat from country to country, but many trade agreements require that
6206-431: The United States , in 2018 U.S. distillers derived $ 3.6 billion in revenue from bourbon and Tennessee whiskey (a closely related spirit produced in the state of Tennessee ). Distilling was most likely brought to present-day Kentucky in the late 18th century by Scots, Scots-Irish , and other settlers (including English, Irish, Welsh, German, and French) who began to farm the area in earnest. The origin of bourbon as
6313-468: The area is often touted by bourbon distillers in Kentucky as a signature step in the bourbon-making process. On August 2, 2007, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution sponsored by Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY) officially declaring September 2007 to be National Bourbon Heritage Month , commemorating the history of bourbon whiskey. Notably, the resolution claimed that Congress had declared bourbon to be "America's Native Spirit" in its 1964 resolution. However,
6420-446: The barge trip led to a dramatic improvement in smoothness and taste. Chemical analysis of the two samples revealed significant differences in molecular profiles, with the sample transported by water having a greater diversity of aromatic compounds. Bourbon is served in a variety of manners, including neat ; diluted with water; over ice ("on the rocks"); with cola or other beverages in simple mixed drinks; and in cocktails – including
6527-423: The boiling flask 2 is heated by a combined hotplate and magnetic stirrer 13 via a silicone oil bath (orange, 14). The vapor flows through a short Vigreux column 3, then through a Liebig condenser 5, is cooled by water (blue) that circulates through ports 6 and 7. The condensed liquid drips into the receiving flask 8, sitting in a cooling bath (blue, 16). The adapter 10 has a connection 9 that may be fitted to
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#17328559633276634-430: The boiling point of the mixture to rise, which results in a rise in the temperature in the vapor, which results in a changing ratio of A : B in the gas phase (as distillation continues, there is an increasing proportion of B in the gas phase). This results in a slowly changing ratio of A : B in the distillate. If the difference in vapour pressure between the two components A and B is large – generally expressed as
6741-532: The bourbon industry. With the ratification of the 18th amendment in 1919, all distilleries were forced to stop operating. Six companies were granted permits to bottle medicinal whiskey from existing stocks: A. Ph. Stitzel Distillery (later called the Stitzel–Weller Distillery ), American Medicinal Spirits (producer of Old Crow and Old Grand-Dad , sold in 1929 to National Distillers , now owned by Suntory Global Spirits ), Brown-Forman (still
6848-410: The composition of the source material, the vapors of the distilling compounds, and the distillate change during the distillation. In batch distillation, a still is charged (supplied) with a batch of feed mixture, which is then separated into its component fractions, which are collected sequentially from most volatile to less volatile, with the bottoms – remaining least or non-volatile fraction – removed at
6955-537: The county line from Craig's distillery in what was then Fayette County , an early distiller named Jacob Spears has been named as the first to label his product as Bourbon whiskey. Although still popular and often repeated, the Craig legend is apocryphal . Similarly, the Spears story is a local favorite but is rarely repeated outside the county. There likely was no single "inventor" of bourbon, which developed into its present form in
7062-488: The definition of bourbon for whiskey to only include spirits produced in the U.S. In recent years, bourbon and Tennessee whiskey , which is sometimes regarded as a different type of spirit but generally meets the legal requirements to be called bourbon, have enjoyed significant growth in popularity. The industry trade group Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) tracks sales of bourbon and Tennessee whiskey together. According to DISCUS, during 2009–2014,
7169-846: The development of accurate design methods, such as the McCabe–Thiele method by Ernest Thiele and the Fenske equation . The first industrial plant in the United States to use distillation as a means of ocean desalination opened in Freeport, Texas in 1961 with the hope of bringing water security to the region. The availability of powerful computers has allowed direct computer simulations of distillation columns. The application of distillation can roughly be divided into four groups: laboratory scale , industrial distillation , distillation of herbs for perfumery and medicinals ( herbal distillate ), and food processing . The latter two are distinctively different from
7276-434: The difference in boiling points – the mixture in the beginning of the distillation is highly enriched in component A, and when component A has distilled off, the boiling liquid is enriched in component B. Continuous distillation is an ongoing distillation in which a liquid mixture is continuously (without interruption) fed into the process and separated fractions are removed continuously as output streams occur over time during
7383-403: The domestic production of flower water or essential oils . Early forms of distillation involved batch processes using one vaporization and one condensation. Purity was improved by further distillation of the condensate. Greater volumes were processed by simply repeating the distillation. Chemists reportedly carried out as many as 500 to 600 distillations in order to obtain a pure compound. In
7490-535: The early 19th century, the basics of modern techniques, including pre-heating and reflux , were developed. In 1822, Anthony Perrier developed one of the first continuous stills, and then, in 1826, Robert Stein improved that design to make his patent still . In 1830, Aeneas Coffey got a patent for improving the design even further. Coffey's continuous still may be regarded as the archetype of modern petrochemical units. The French engineer Armand Savalle developed his steam regulator around 1846. In 1877, Ernest Solvay
7597-418: The end. The still can then be recharged and the process repeated. In continuous distillation , the source materials, vapors, and distillate are kept at a constant composition by carefully replenishing the source material and removing fractions from both vapor and liquid in the system. This results in a more detailed control of the separation process. The boiling point of a liquid is the temperature at which
7704-543: The experiment may have been an important step towards distillation. Early evidence of distillation has been found related to alchemists working in Alexandria in Roman Egypt in the 1st century CE. Distilled water has been in use since at least c. 200 CE , when Alexander of Aphrodisias described the process. Work on distilling other liquids continued in early Byzantine Egypt under Zosimus of Panopolis in
7811-441: The final product that is marketed to consumers. By itself, the phrase "bottled by" means only that. Only if the bottler operates the distillery that produced the whiskey may "distilled by" be added to the label. Labeling requirements for bourbon and other alcoholic beverages (including the requirements for what is allowed to be called bourbon under U.S. law) are defined in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations. No whiskey made outside
7918-448: The former two in that distillation is not used as a true purification method but more to transfer all volatiles from the source materials to the distillate in the processing of beverages and herbs. The main difference between laboratory scale distillation and industrial distillation are that laboratory scale distillation is often performed on a batch basis, whereas industrial distillation often occurs continuously. In batch distillation ,
8025-497: The industrial rather than bench scale of the operation. As alchemy evolved into the science of chemistry , vessels called retorts became used for distillations. Both alembics and retorts are forms of glassware with long necks pointing to the side at a downward angle to act as air-cooled condensers to condense the distillate and let it drip downward for collection. Later, copper alembics were invented. Riveted joints were often kept tight by using various mixtures, for instance
8132-444: The late 19th century. Essentially, any type of grain can be used to make whiskey, and the practice of aging whiskey and charring the barrels for better flavor had been known in Europe for centuries. The late date of the Bourbon County etymology has led historian Michael Veach to dispute its authenticity. He proposes the whiskey was named after Bourbon Street in New Orleans , a major port where shipments of Kentucky whiskey sold well as
8239-535: The legal definition of bourbon under Canadian law. Although some Tennessee whiskey makers maintain that a pre-aging filtration through chunks of maple charcoal, known as the Lincoln County Process and legally mandated since 2013, make its flavor distinct from bourbon, U.S. regulations defining bourbon neither require nor prohibit its use. Bourbon also was and is made in other U.S. states. The largest bourbon distiller outside of Kentucky and Tennessee
8346-429: The liquid state , and a receiver in which the concentrated or purified liquid, called the distillate, is collected. Several laboratory scale techniques for distillation exist (see also distillation types ). A completely sealed distillation apparatus could experience extreme and rapidly varying internal pressure, which could cause it to burst open at the joints. Therefore, some path is usually left open (for instance, at
8453-484: The mid-2010s, some sources began referring to these as "hazmat" bourbons, alluding to the ban in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations on air travel passengers and crew members carrying such high-proof beverages due to their highly flammable nature. Such high proof levels are very uncommon even among "barrel proof" bourbons, as bourbon must enter the barrel at no higher than 125 proof and thus can only reach higher concentrations by disproportionate evaporation of water in
8560-411: The mixture to have a zero partial pressure . If ultra-pure products are the goal, then further chemical separation must be applied. When a binary mixture is vaporized and the other component, e.g., a salt, has zero partial pressure for practical purposes, the process is simpler. Heating an ideal mixture of two volatile substances, A and B, with A having the higher volatility, or lower boiling point, in
8667-411: The more volatile compound, A (due to Raoult's Law, see above). The vapor goes through the condenser and is removed from the system. This, in turn, means that the ratio of compounds in the remaining liquid is now different from the initial ratio (i.e., more enriched in B than in the starting liquid). The result is that the ratio in the liquid mixture is changing, becoming richer in component B. This causes
8774-431: The name "bourbon" be reserved for products made in the U.S. The U.S. regulations for labeling and advertising bourbon apply only to products made for consumption within the U.S.; they do not apply to distilled spirits made for export. Canadian law requires products labeled bourbon to be made in the U.S. and also to conform to the requirements that apply within the U.S. The European Union also requires bourbon to be made in
8881-505: The next 30 years made Early Times the best-selling whisky in the country. It later became sold in over 40 countries. It ranks as one of the top four selling Kentucky whiskeys in the world, and in 2005 it became the top selling Kentucky whisky in Japan. In mid-2020, the brand was sold to the Sazerac Company. Before the sale to Sazerac, the brand was owned by Brown-Forman and was produced at
8988-432: The operation. Continuous distillation produces a minimum of two output fractions, including at least one volatile distillate fraction, which has boiled and been separately captured as a vapor and then condensed to a liquid. There is always a bottoms (or residue) fraction, which is the least volatile residue that has not been separately captured as a condensed vapor. Continuous distillation differs from batch distillation in
9095-413: The principles are the same. Examples of laboratory-scale fractionating columns (in increasing efficiency) include: Laboratory scale distillations are almost exclusively run as batch distillations. The device used in distillation, sometimes referred to as a still , consists at a minimum of a reboiler or pot in which the source material is heated, a condenser in which the heated vapor is cooled back to
9202-467: The product must be straight bourbon. "High rye bourbon" is not a legally defined term but usually means a bourbon with 20–35% rye in its mash bill . High-wheat or "wheated" bourbons are described as more mild and subdued compared to high-rye varieties. Bourbon that has been aged for less than three years cannot legally be referred to as whiskey (or whisky) in the European Union . On May 4, 1964,
9309-424: The pseudocereals amaranth, buckwheat, and quinoa. A mash bill that contains wheat instead of rye produces what is known as a wheated bourbon. The grain is ground and mixed with water. Usually mash from a previous distillation is added to ensure consistency across batches, creating a sour mash. Finally, yeast is added, and the mash is fermented . It is distilled to (typically) between 65% and 80% alcohol using either
9416-434: The receiving flask) to allow the internal pressure to equalize with atmospheric pressure. Alternatively, a vacuum pump may be used to keep the apparatus at a lower than atmospheric pressure. If the substances involved are air- or moisture-sensitive, the connection to the atmosphere can be made through one or more drying tubes packed with materials that scavenge the undesired air components, or through bubblers that provide
9523-428: The respect that concentrations should not change over time. Continuous distillation can be run at a steady state for an arbitrary amount of time. For any source material of specific composition, the main variables that affect the purity of products in continuous distillation are the reflux ratio and the number of theoretical equilibrium stages, in practice determined by the number of trays or the height of packing. Reflux
9630-422: The same period. According to Popular Mechanics writer Jacqueline Detwiler-George, who documented the test, the sample that made the waterborne journey "was mature beyond its age, richer, with new flavors of tobacco, vanilla, caramel, and honey. It was some of the best bourbon any of us had ever drunk." It was theorized that the action of gentle sloshing of the whiskey in barrels for a period of 2 to 4 weeks during
9737-418: The separation process of distillation exploits the differences in the relative volatility of the component substances of the heated mixture. In the industrial applications of classical distillation, the term distillation is used as a unit of operation that identifies and denotes a process of physical separation, not a chemical reaction ; thus an industrial installation that produces distilled beverages ,
9844-443: The separation processes of destructive distillation and of chemical cracking , breaking down large hydrocarbon molecules into smaller hydrocarbon molecules. Moreover, a partial distillation results in partial separations of the mixture's components, which process yields nearly-pure components; partial distillation also realizes partial separations of the mixture to increase the concentrations of selected components. In either method,
9951-421: The solution and 2) the fraction of solution each component makes up, a.k.a. the mole fraction . This law applies to ideal solutions , or solutions that have different components but whose molecular interactions are the same as or very similar to pure solutions. Dalton's law states that the total pressure is the sum of the partial pressures of each individual component in the mixture. When a multi-component liquid
10058-421: The twelfth century, recipes for the production of aqua ardens ("burning water", i.e., ethanol) by distilling wine with salt started to appear in a number of Latin works, and by the end of the thirteenth century it had become a widely known substance among Western European chemists. The works of Taddeo Alderotti (1223–1296) describe a method for concentrating alcohol involving repeated distillation through
10165-400: The vapors of each component to collect separately and purely. However, this does not occur, even in an idealized system. Idealized models of distillation are essentially governed by Raoult's law and Dalton's law and assume that vapor–liquid equilibria are attained. Raoult's law states that the vapor pressure of a solution is dependent on 1) the vapor pressure of each chemical component in
10272-430: The volume of 9-liter cases of whiskey increased by 28.5% overall. Higher-end bourbon and whiskeys experienced the greatest growth. Gross supplier revenues (including federal excise tax ) for U.S. bourbon and Tennessee whiskey increased by 46.7% over the 2009–2014 period, with the greatest growth coming from high-end products. In 2014, more than 19 million nine-liter cases of bourbon and Tennessee whiskey were sold in
10379-529: The word distillare (to drip off) when used by the Romans, e.g. Seneca and Pliny the Elder , was "never used in our sense". Aristotle knew that water condensing from evaporating seawater is fresh: I have proved by experiment that salt water evaporated forms fresh, and the vapour does not, when it condenses, condense into sea water again. Letting seawater evaporate and condense into freshwater can not be called "distillation" for distillation involves boiling, but
10486-557: The works attributed to Jābir, such as in the Kitāb al-Sabʿīn ('The Book of Seventy'), translated into Latin by Gerard of Cremona ( c. 1114–1187 ) under the title Liber de septuaginta . The Jabirian experiments with fractional distillation of animal and vegetable substances, and to a lesser degree also of mineral substances, is the main topic of the De anima in arte alkimiae , an originally Arabic work falsely attributed to Avicenna that
10593-466: Was applied to any process where a liquid was separated in drops. To distil in the modern sense could only be expressed in a roundabout manner. Distillation had a broader meaning in ancient and medieval times because nearly all purification and separation operations were subsumed under the term distillation , such as filtration, crystallization, extraction, sublimation, or mechanical pressing of oil. According to Dutch chemical historian Robert J. Forbes ,
10700-426: Was different because it was the first corn whiskey most people had ever tasted. In time, bourbon became the name for any corn-based whiskey. A refinement often dubiously credited to James C. Crow is the sour mash process, which conditions each new fermentation with some amount of spent mash. Spent mash is also known as spent beer, distillers' spent grain , stillage, and slop or feed mash, so named because it
10807-400: Was granted a U.S. Patent for a tray column for ammonia distillation, and the same and subsequent years saw developments in this theme for oils and spirits. With the emergence of chemical engineering as a discipline at the end of the 19th century, scientific rather than empirical methods could be applied. The developing petroleum industry in the early 20th century provided the impetus for
10914-498: Was heavily consumed by Americans in the 1990s. In 1964, Americans consumed around 77 million gallons of bourbon. Bourbon has been distilled since the 18th century. As of 2014 , distillers' wholesale market revenue for bourbon sold within the U.S. was about $ 2.7 billion, and bourbon made up about two thirds of the $ 1.6 billion of U.S. exports of distilled spirits. According to the Distilled Spirits Council of
11021-492: Was introduced in 1860. The Kentucky water surrounding the "Station" was used for making the whiskey. The water naturally filtered through limestone springs. Early Times was not popular until 1920 when Congress passed the Volstead Act and Prohibition began. The brand prospered due to its maker having a license to continue production for medicinal purposes. The Brown–Forman Company acquired the Early Times brand in 1923, and over
11128-572: Was no efficient means of collecting the vapors at low heat. Distillation in China may have begun at the earliest during the Eastern Han dynasty (1st–2nd century CE). Medieval Muslim chemists such as Jābir ibn Ḥayyān (Latin: Geber, ninth century) and Abū Bakr al-Rāzī (Latin: Rhazes, c. 865–925 ) experimented extensively with the distillation of various substances. The fractional distillation of organic substances plays an important role in
11235-635: Was shut down completely again in 1941 to reserve production capacity for making industrial alcohol during World War II . A concurrent resolution adopted by the United States Congress in 1964 declared bourbon to be a "distinctive product of the United States" and asked "the appropriate agencies of the United States Government ... [to] take appropriate action to prohibit importation into the United States of whiskey designated as 'Bourbon Whiskey'." A U.S. federal regulation now restricts
11342-492: Was translated into Latin and would go on to form the most important alchemical source for Roger Bacon ( c. 1220–1292 ). The distillation of wine is attested in Arabic works attributed to al-Kindī ( c. 801–873 CE ) and to al-Fārābī ( c. 872–950 ), and in the 28th book of al-Zahrāwī 's (Latin: Abulcasis, 936–1013) Kitāb al-Taṣrīf (later translated into Latin as Liber servatoris ). In
11449-519: Was up 250 percent in the past ten years. At that time, the state had more than 8.1 million barrels of bourbon that were aging – a number that greatly exceeds the state's population of about 4.3 million. Bardstown, Kentucky , is home to the annual Bourbon Festival held each September. It has been called the "Bourbon Capital of the World" by the Bardstown Tourism Commission and
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