DISTILLATION PROCESS

Step 1.

The master distiller first determines the "mash bill" which is the percentage of each grain he will use during production of a particular batch of bourbon. Bourbon must be made with a minimum of 51% corn. The mash bill typically includes corn, rye and barley malt but may vary.

Step 2.

After confirming the mash bill, the grains are combined and mixed with water at a high temperature. This creates a fermentable base that is cooled and mixed with distillers yeast. The exact strain of yeast may vary.

Step 3.

The base mixture now goes through the fermentation process, the process where the yeast convert the available sugars to alcohol. This typically takes as little as three days and as much as a week to fully ferment, meaning all of the available and useful sugars have been converted.

Step 4.

Once the fermentation process is complete, the mash, or the results of the fermentation process, are put through the still. The still separates the solids from the liquids and separates the alcohol from the water.

Step 5.

Once the bourbon reaches the correct proof, typically around the 125 proof mark, the liquid is transferred into new charred oak barrels. It must be aged in these very barrels for two years in order to be called straight bourbon. Bourbon can be aged for ten years or more, however, over time some amount of the liquid in the barrel will evaporate, The older it is, the more it will evaporate. It is not uncommon for older barrels to yield less than half of the volume of liquid that was originally placed in the barrel.

Step 6.

To dilute or not to dilute. It is a common practice to use water to cut (dilute) the product to get the bourbon to a standard proof. For example, if the barrel comes out of the barrel at 115 proof, a distiller might add enough water to get this down to 90 proof. Bourbon that is noted to be "barrel strength" or "cask strength" are bottled without being diluted. Note that the bourbon will be filtered or chilled prior to bottling to remove particulate matter.

Step 7.

The final step is the bottling process and labeling process. Bottles cannot exceed 1.75 litres of volume. The typical format is the 750 ml bottle. Labels must also comply with federal guidelines. Each individual label must be approved by the TTB.