Notes from the Bourbon Trail

Bourbon always reminds me of one my favorite professors in graduate school. He called me "Ms. Kitts" which in his deep, rich Southern drawl came out as "Mizz Kiiitts." He always carried his hip flask with him, which he would sip from occasionally, and on one memorable evening offered to share with me. I adored him. He, like bourbon, was a distinctly Southern citizen.

Bourbon is on my mind - and my palette - today. Charles and I took some time this weekend to travel Kentucky's Bourbon Trail, a collection of distilleries that showcase Kentucky bourbon making. It's an interesting industry, full of tradition, chemistry, and rivalry. We visited Woodford Reserve and Maker's Mark, learning about the intricacies involved in making bourbon and sampling some fine spirits at both locations.

At Woodford Reserve, in front of their signature triple copper stills:


Charles in front of the cypress vats, full of a fresh batch of mash. All he needs is a straw.


The requisite white oak barrel, before and after the charring process.


A barrel of fresh bourbon at Woodford Reserve, barrelled the day before our visit. It should be ready to bottle in roughly six to nine years.


Me with Elijah, the Woodford distillery cat,


and at Maker's Mark with some samples.


Perhaps the most interesting tidbit of information on both tours involved what happens to the byproducts of the distilling process. The semi-solid, frothy material left over during the creation of the mash is skimmed from the liquid and given to local farmers to use as cattle feed. While not a high percentage, it does contain some alcohol. And you thought California cows were happy...