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Thursday, March 29, 2012

Kentucky Bourbon

Kentucky is famous for its bourbon 
and for good reason,
95% of the world's bourbon is produced in Kentucky.
We decided to visit Maker's Mark
 which makes all their bourbon whiskey in small hand made batches.
Makers Mark is off the beaten path near the tiny town of Loretto, KY
and is in a lovely country setting.

Free tours are available.
A ground mixture of corn, red winter wheat & malted barley
is mixed with the distinct limestone water found in Kentucky 
and cooked into a sour mash with a "starter" taken from the previous batch.

The mash is mixed with yeast and poured into large vats to
heat & bubble until properly fermented.

The liquid is then distilled twice in shiny copper stills,
coming out clear and 130 proof.

Now the alcohol, known as white lightening, white dog or moonshine,
 is poured into new oak barrels with charred interiors
and aged from 4 to 9 years in a warehouse.

When it is deemed ready, it is bottled

and each bottle is hand dipped into wax,
giving it the signature Maker's Mark wax seal.

The tour concludes with a bourbon tasting.

The grounds are lovely & serene
and there is a slightly yeasty scent similar to baking bread in the air.
Its a fun informative stop.


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