It’s September and We’re Celebrating National Bourbon Heritage Month

Bourbon is a barrel-aged spirit made primarily from corn. In the United States, it’s been distilled since the 18^th century and is the country’s only native spirit. It has deep roots in the American South.

Over 200 years ago, farmers harvested their corn and made it into whiskey. They accidentally learned that barrels used for aging created a distinct character and gave the spirit a smooth, richer taste. It was a Baptist minister named Elijah Craig, known as “The Father of Bourbon,” who came up with the idea of aging the whiskey in the charred oak casks that give bourbon its amber color and distinctive taste.

The bourbon industry makes up about two thirds of America’s $1.6 billion distilled spirits exports. In 1964, the country declared bourbon America’s Native Spirit under the 1964 Act of Congress. To reinforce this, in 2007 the US Senate declared the month of September “National Bourbon Heritage Month.”

Bourbon can be made anywhere in the US (as decreed by several trade agreements), but Kentucky manufactures 95 percent of the world’s bourbon. Every September, Bardstown, Kentucky hosts the Kentucky Bourbon Festival to celebrate the history and art of distilling the spirit. If you visit the area, you can also visit the nine distilleries under the Kentucky Bourbon Trail (visit www.kybourbontrail.com). The tour was formed by Kentucky Distillers’ Association in 1999 and in the last five years over 2.5 million visitors have flocked to the area to learn firsthand the art and science behind crafting bourbon.

The nine distilleries of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail

1. Bulleit Frontier Whiskey Experience, Stitzel-Weller Distillery in Louisville
2. Jim Beam Distillery in Clermont
3. Evan Williams Bourbon Experience in Louisville
4. Heaven Hill’s visitor’s center in Bardstown
5. Maker’s Mark Distillery in Loretto
6. Four Roses Distillery in Lawrenceburg
7. Wild Turkey Distillery in Lawrenceburg
8. Woodford Reserve Distillery near Versailles
9. Alltech’s Lexington Brewing and Distilling Company in Lexington

Celebrate this month with our bourbon-based recipes Angels & Devils and Rattan Sour