How to make bourbon at home with this beginner recipe – Still'n The Clear (2024)

FAQs

What are the 5 rules of bourbon? ›

To be bourbon, whiskey must be (1) made and aged in the U.S., (2) made from a mash that is at least 51% corn, (3) distilled to a proof no higher than 159 (79.5 percent ABV), (4) aged in new charred oak barrels and put into the barrel at no more than 125 proof (“entry proof”), and (5) bottled at no less than 80 proof, ...

Sprout and dehydrate corn kernels to prepare a corn malt for your whiskey base. Ferment your malt with champagne yeast for 7-10 days, then strain it into a still. Distill your whiskey and collect it with a condensation tube, discarding the first and last batches, which aren't safe for consumption.

The Recipe - Bourbon is distilled from a fermented mash of grain, yeast and water. The “mash bill” must have a minimum of 51% corn. For most bourbons, the average is about 70%. Other grains such as rye, malted barley, and wheat are considered “flavor” grains.

On the Rocks

While bourbon stands great on its own, some prefer to add ice. Bourbon or any spirit served over ice is referred to as "on the rocks." If you're new to the bourbon game, this can help tame it down and make it easier to acclimate yourself to drinking this spirit.

Specifically, Crown Royal is a Canadian whisky, and even though this technically uses a bourbon mashbill (64% corn, 31.5% rye, 4.5% malted barley), bourbon can only be made in America. Though the TTB originally approved the label, they reversed their decision and forced the brand to stop using the name 'Bourbon Mash'.

It gets even more complicated than this. To be considered “straight Bourbon,” it must be aged for a minimum of two years in new charred oak containers.

Bourbon whiskey has typically aged a minimum of two years, though most brands are aged at least four years and often longer than that. The drastic change in flavor profile comes from how temperature affects the barrels. Typically, there is no temperature regulation in aging warehouses.

To create a still, you need 4 essential components: a kettle, a heat source, a condenser, and a collecting vessel. That is it! That is all you need to build the simplest distillation system. Let us break it down for you to see what each item is and how methodically it functions.

How to make the best whiskey at home? ›

Instructions for homemade whisky

All grains used should be crushed or finely cracked. Add 4kg grain into a suitable large pan and add cold water to a final volume of 10 litres and bring to the boil. Add the contents of the Still Spirits 4g amylase sachet and gently simmer for 30 minutes stirring frequently.

Bourbon must be produced from a mash of not less than 51% corn, but typically, a bourbon mash contains ~ 70% corn, 15% rye, and 15% malted barley. A rye whiskey mash can contain 51% rye, 39% corn, and 10% malted barley. The Tennessee whiskey can be made from a mash of 80% corn, 10% rye, and 10% malt.

Bourbon does not expire, it can last indefinitely. The key is to make sure it's stored in a cool, dark place. If you have an unopened bottle of bourbon that's been sitting in your cabinet for years, it's still good to drink.

These keys represented the five steps of crafting bourbon—grains, yeast, fermentation, distillation and aging. But more importantly, they grew to symbolize the southern traditions of hospitality, warmth and enjoying the finer things in life.

🥃 Quick summary. Whiskey is a general term for an alcoholic liquor made from fermented mashed grains. Bourbon is the term for a whiskey made from a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn. Bourbon was traditionally made in Bourbon County, Kentucky, and most bourbon is still produced in the state of Kentucky.

As long as bourbon is barrelled correctly, aging really has no requirement for how long or less. It can go for any amount of time. But, there are two exceptions to this – straight bourbon whiskey has to be aged for a minimum of two years, and bottled-in-bond must be aged for at least four years.

Bourbon fermentation typically takes three days, during which the yeast converts the grain sugars into alcohol (ethanol or ethyl alcohol) and carbon dioxide. The liquid produced through fermentation is known as distiller's beer, or simply beer, which reaches an alcoholic content of around 8% to 9.5% ABV.