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Questions and Answers
What is the minimum proof required for whiskey to be labeled as 'labeled' whiskey?
What is the minimum proof required for whiskey to be labeled as 'labeled' whiskey?
What is the maximum proof allowed for the final distillation of whiskey?
What is the maximum proof allowed for the final distillation of whiskey?
What is the minimum percentage of corn required in the mash for bourbon?
What is the minimum percentage of corn required in the mash for bourbon?
What type of oak containers are required for aging whiskey?
What type of oak containers are required for aging whiskey?
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What is the minimum age requirement for a whiskey to be labeled as 'straight whiskey'?
What is the minimum age requirement for a whiskey to be labeled as 'straight whiskey'?
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What is the term for a blend of straight whiskey and cheap, unaged grain neutral spirit?
What is the term for a blend of straight whiskey and cheap, unaged grain neutral spirit?
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What is the requirement for labeling the age of a whiskey?
What is the requirement for labeling the age of a whiskey?
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What is the requirement for bottled-in-bond bourbon?
What is the requirement for bottled-in-bond bourbon?
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What is the primary purpose of the standards of identity set by the government in the code of Federal Regulations?
What is the primary purpose of the standards of identity set by the government in the code of Federal Regulations?
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Which agency is responsible for enforcing the standards of identity in the spirits industry?
Which agency is responsible for enforcing the standards of identity in the spirits industry?
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What is the minimum proof required for a distillate to be considered whiskey?
What is the minimum proof required for a distillate to be considered whiskey?
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What is the primary factor that gives whiskey its flavors, aromas, and color?
What is the primary factor that gives whiskey its flavors, aromas, and color?
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What is the classification of whiskey that includes bourbon, rye, wheat, and malt whiskeys?
What is the classification of whiskey that includes bourbon, rye, wheat, and malt whiskeys?
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What is the result of distillation above 190 proof?
What is the result of distillation above 190 proof?
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What is the purpose of the third part of the standards of identity?
What is the purpose of the third part of the standards of identity?
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Who is the whiskey writer who has made a specialty of interpreting the rules and has brought inaccuracies to the attention of the TTB?
Who is the whiskey writer who has made a specialty of interpreting the rules and has brought inaccuracies to the attention of the TTB?
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What is the characteristic of wheated bourbon whiskeys?
What is the characteristic of wheated bourbon whiskeys?
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What is the primary difference between bourbon and rye whiskeys?
What is the primary difference between bourbon and rye whiskeys?
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What is the purpose of toasting the heads of oak barrels in whiskey production?
What is the purpose of toasting the heads of oak barrels in whiskey production?
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What is the primary factor that affects the aging of whiskey in a warehouse?
What is the primary factor that affects the aging of whiskey in a warehouse?
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What is the term used to describe the process of adding backset to the fermenter in whiskey production?
What is the term used to describe the process of adding backset to the fermenter in whiskey production?
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What is the characteristic of Mellow Corn whiskey?
What is the characteristic of Mellow Corn whiskey?
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What is the primary difference between Tennessee whiskey and bourbon?
What is the primary difference between Tennessee whiskey and bourbon?
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What is the benefit of using a specific yeast strain in whiskey production?
What is the benefit of using a specific yeast strain in whiskey production?
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What is the primary reason why whiskey barrels in stone and brick warehouses age more quickly?
What is the primary reason why whiskey barrels in stone and brick warehouses age more quickly?
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What is the primary benefit of the 'breathing' of the barrel during the change of seasons?
What is the primary benefit of the 'breathing' of the barrel during the change of seasons?
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Why do some distillers prefer warehouses located on hills?
Why do some distillers prefer warehouses located on hills?
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What is the primary role of the Whiskey Team in the distillation process?
What is the primary role of the Whiskey Team in the distillation process?
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What is the 'Lincoln County process' in Tennessee Whiskey production?
What is the 'Lincoln County process' in Tennessee Whiskey production?
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What is the purpose of the white wool blanket in the mellowing vats?
What is the purpose of the white wool blanket in the mellowing vats?
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What is the effect of the 'mellowing' process on the whiskey?
What is the effect of the 'mellowing' process on the whiskey?
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What is the characteristic of the whiskey after it has been filtered through the charcoal?
What is the characteristic of the whiskey after it has been filtered through the charcoal?
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What is the result of the process that the third sample underwent?
What is the result of the process that the third sample underwent?
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Where are both distilleries mentioned in the text located?
Where are both distilleries mentioned in the text located?
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What is the name of the only distillery making whiskey in Lincoln County?
What is the name of the only distillery making whiskey in Lincoln County?
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What is the characteristic of rye that makes it distinct from other types of whiskey?
What is the characteristic of rye that makes it distinct from other types of whiskey?
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Why did rye whiskey fall on hard times?
Why did rye whiskey fall on hard times?
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What is the earliest American whiskey that launched the Whiskey Rebellion?
What is the earliest American whiskey that launched the Whiskey Rebellion?
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Who convinced bartenders to try rye in cocktails and demand distillers make more?
Who convinced bartenders to try rye in cocktails and demand distillers make more?
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What is the result of the process that the third sample underwent, in terms of the spirit's flavor?
What is the result of the process that the third sample underwent, in terms of the spirit's flavor?
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Study Notes
Whiskey Standards
- Whiskey standards are set by the government in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 27, Part 5
- The standards are enforced by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)
Defining Whiskey
- Whiskey is a distillate made from a fermented mash of grain
- Final distillation must be to less than 190 proof (95% ABV)
- Whiskey must be bottled at no less than 80 proof
Whiskey Classes
- Whiskey classes include bourbon, rye, wheat, and malt whiskeys
- Final distillation must be under 160 proof
- If aged in oak, whiskey must go into the barrel at no more than 125 proof
- Bourbon must be made from a mash that is at least 51% corn
- Rye must be made from a mash that is at least 51% rye
Straight Whiskey
- If whiskey conforms to standards and is stored in oak containers for at least 2 years, it is "straight whiskey"
- Label must state the age if the youngest whiskey is under 4 years old
- If an age statement is used, all whiskey in the bottle must be at least that old
American Whiskey
- Distilled from a fermented grain mash
- Distilled to a proof no higher than 159 (79.5% ABV)
- Aged in charred, new oak barrels
- Bottled at no less than 80 proof
- No coloring or flavoring added
Bottled-in-Bond
- Whiskey must be at least 4 years old
- Bottled at no more or less than 100 proof
- No additives other than pure water
- Labeled as the product of the distillery where it was made and bottled
- Product of only one distillery and made by the same master distiller in one distilling season
Bourbon
- At least 51% corn
- Aged in new charred oak barrels
- Made and aged in the US
- Traditional bourbons made with corn, rye, and barley
- Spicy, fiery, and powerful flavor
Rye
- At least 51% rye
- Spicy, herbal, and grassy flavor
- Fiery when young
Innovations in Bourbon
- Corn is more uniformly high quality
- Chemistry of stills, warehouse construction, and wood management have improved
- All made with a majority of one grain
- All distilled to roughly the same proof
- All aged in the same new charred oak barrels
The Mashbill
- Ratios of grains in the mash
- Increase the base grain, and bourbon becomes sweeter
- Increase the rye, and bourbon becomes spicier
- Use wheat instead of rye, and bourbon becomes smoother and mellower
The Yeast
- Use a different yeast or run it at a different temperature, and you get variations in esters
- Bourbon distillers are particular about their yeasts and preserve the strains
The Barrel
- Distillers are specific about the wood in their barrels
- Wood science advances, and more changes are being made in how barrels are made
- Toasting the heads of the barrels is becoming more common
The Warehouse
- Warehouse will age whiskey differently depending on how they're built
- Ironclad warehouses are the most common
- Stone and brick warehouses have less air movement
- The "breathing" of the barrel comes from the change of the seasons
Tennessee Whiskey
- "Lincoln County process" involves filtering the unaged spirit through 10ft of hardwood charcoal
- Both Jack Daniels and George Dickel do everything necessary to be labeled as "straight bourbon whiskey"
Resurgent Rye
- Rye has a hot herbal rush and a flame of bitter, oily rye grass
- Rye had fallen on hard times after Prohibition, but has seen a resurgence in popularity
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Description
Learn about the government regulations and standards for whiskey, including its definition, classes, and production requirements. Explore the rules set by the Code of Federal Regulations and enforced by the TTB.