Tennessee Myths and Legends". Tennessee State Library and Archives. Archived from the original on December 24, 2013 . Retrieved July 23, 2012. Four Roses is a sour mash whiskey that is made using a traditional recipe that has been passed down for generations. This brand is known for its rich, complex flavor and is perfect for sipping on a cold winter night. Frequently Asked Questions Sour mash whiskey is a type of whiskey that uses a “sour mash” in its production process. This means that a portion of the mash from a previous batch is used to start the fermentation process for the new batch. The sour mash helps to control the pH level and prevent unwanted bacteria from growing, resulting in a more consistent and predictable product. Is sour mash whiskey sour? For any sufficiently annoyed food scientists reading this vastly oversimplified description, that’s “modification”, “gelatinization”, and “enzymatic hydrolysis”, respectively. )

Those who studied our Alcohol Distillation 101 course understand that distilled spirits begin as a fermented alcoholic solution. To make whiskey, the distiller must produce a type of beer. So, before we explore how the sour mash process influenced bourbon whiskey in the 19th century, it makes sense to explore a brief recap of brewing history. Bourbon whiskey must be distilled to no more than 160 proof (80% alcohol by volume) and bottled at no less than 80 proof (40% alcohol by volume content). It typically has an alcohol content of between 40% and 50% at bottling time. The sour mash process also helps maintain a constant tasting profile for every batch of releases. It produces the highest quality spirits with tangy and strong flavors. Does Sour Mash Make Whiskey Taste Sour? The bourbon is aged for six years and bottled by hand. Each bottle has a vintage label with two horses. Fun fact – these were real horses who existed on the original plantation in Nashville.Jim Crow was born in Inverness, Scotland, and graduated in medicine from Edinburgh University in 1822. Jim Crow used his scientific training to elevate the whiskey world.

In the sour mash process, the mash – a mixture of grain, malt and water – is conditioned with some amount of spent mash (previously fermented mash that still contains dead yeast, a good food source for live yeast). Spent mash is also known as spent beer, distillers' spent grain, and slop or feed mash because it is also used as animal feed. The acid introduced by the sour mash controls the growth of bacteria that could taint the Bourbon. An established and active strain of live yeast is introduced into the mash to be fermented. By using an established and known fermented "sour", this fermentation process controls the introduction and growth of foreign bacteria and yeasts that could damage the Bourbon and improves the consistency and quality of the liquor, ensuring every bottle tastes as similar as possible. Fast-forward to the early 19th century. A scientist from Inverness, Scotland, began to apply his doctoral knowledge of chemistry to the field of whiskey making. These are exciting, fascinating times in the world of American single malt whiskey. In the wake of the category receiving its first genuine definition and outline from the TTB, we’re seeing new distilleries queue up to enter this particular niche, and some building their entire portfolios around it. At the same time, though, there are quite a few major distilleries out there that have been exploring the world of American malt whiskey for a long time, whether their experiments had resulted in commercial products–that is, after all, how we ended up with American single malt as an official category, by essentially codifying what people had already been doing for several decades. Now, however, we’re starting to see distilleries truly pushing this category in advanced directions (maturing and premiumizing) as a result of years of investment, and the newly released New Riff Sour Mash Single Malt Whiskey is a perfect example. This is a product that only exists following nearly a decade of labor.The second type of pot distillation is performed in a reflux still equipped such that the column can be cooled during distillation. This type of still is far more efficient and can produce a high proof, high quality spirit in a single run. Sour mash whiskeys combine the spent mash from a previous batch and a new mash to control the growth of bacteria that can alter the taste of the liquor. The old mash is a previously fermented mash containing dead yeast, a good food source for live yeast. They began this journey more than 20 years ago. While much of the information is for personal use and knowledge, they do release select bottles of their experiments every so often. This is always exciting for fans of the brand as the new bottle will inevitably be different from the last.