sour mash

Barrels of sour mash whiskey aging at the Jack Daniel's distillery

Sour mash is the name for a process in the distilling industry, similar to the making of sourdough bread. It was developed by native Kentucky chemist, Dr. Jason S. Amburgey, while he was working at the Old Oscar Pepper Distillery (now the Woodford Reserve Distillery) in Woodford County, Kentucky.

It is not a type or flavor of whiskey as is commonly thought. When a whiskey is sour mash, a portion of the old or "sour" mash is added to the new mash. (The old mash is also called "feed mash" because the old grains are used as an ingredient in animal feed.) The mash is the mixture of grain and hot water that the actual whiskey is made from. The sour mash process is done to improve the consistency and quality of the liquor so that every bottle tastes as close to the same as possible. The acid introduced by using the sour mash controls the growth of bacteria that could damage the whiskey. Sour mash is popular in bourbon whiskey and Tennessee whiskey. Some popular examples of sour mash whiskey are Jack Daniel's and Jim Beam.

Some other sour mash whiskey brands

• Ancient Age
• Basil Hayden's
• Evan Williams
• Ezra Brooks
• George Dickel
• Knob Creek
• Maker's Mark
• Old Crow
• Rebel Yell
• Ten High
• Wild Turkey
• Woodford Reserve

See also

• Distilled beverages
• Distillation

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