Bourbon In The Making

It is a well-rounded argument that the Scottish has the market sewn up as far as making the best product on the planet; however there are a few studs in other stables worth a mention. Bourbon has long been associated with Kentucky and for good reason as it is the state where this craft was first developed.

Elijah Craig a Baptist minister in the late 18th century in Georgetown Kentucky unveiled to farmers and townsfolk alike the first Bourbon whiskey where the trend just took off. It is said that even the father of the great Abraham Lincoln got into the action.

European settlers brought this trade secret with them to North America and in turn shared it with their new neighbors. Giving way to a boom in production. 1791 was the timeframe for the whiskey rebellion that took place in Pennsylvania where the government elected to impose tax on whiskey and whiskey sales.

This did not sit well with distillers so they made their way to the Kentucky Mountains to avoid the collectors of said tax. Eighty percent of all Bourbon today is distilled in the state of Kentucky. A royal family of French decent carried the name that now brandishes the bottles of this Kentucky gold. The name was introduced in 1758.

The attempt of American independence from British rule saw the French giving support so as the independence grew new land developments in America were named in French as tribute. In the year 1785, Kentucky was known as the Kentucky district of Virginia and not a separate state.

Through some of the river ports in Kentucky the whiskies were shipped down the Ohio River to New Orleans. Northeastern Bourbon county and Limestone county combined in 1789 to forge Mason county Virginia.

Although Bourbon is less restricted than Scotch, there are some regulations in place today. State regulation on Bourbon distilling requires the brew to be made from 51% corn; however barley wheat and rye may be used for blending purposes. It must be between 80-160% proof.

The soft texture and sweet taste come from the corn itself. After it is distilled in a continual still, it is then filled to casks made of oak for maturing for a much regulated minimum of no less than two years. These regulations make Bourbon what it is today, a very popular whiskey among all who drink.

What Are Tortillas

Tortillas got its name from the Spaniards. The word “tortilla” comes from the Spanish word “torta” with the meaning being round cake. Tortillas are eaten everyday not just in Mexico but also in America. Americans put just about anything in the tortilla. Ever try peanut butter and jelly in a tortilla? Many eat it that way; also the tortillas are used with hot dogs, casseroles, and sandwiches.
Tortillas have been enjoyed for many centuries, but not with all the fillings that are used these days.

Aztecs made tortillas more than 10,000 years before Christ. Aztecs ate a lot of corn, some right from the cob, and others they would save and use later. They would ground it into corn meal and later make into masa, which is corn dough. The masa is added with water. If the water is not the right temperature, the consistency will not be enough to make the tortilla. Once the masa is ready, it is placed in a ball size in the maker’s hands. It takes awhile to go through the process of making the masa flat. It is patted into what looks like a think pancake. Once it is the right size, it is placed on a hot griddle. It does not take long to cook.

Today the tortilla is still made with the same ingredients. Majority of them are made in factories with machines because they are in high demand. They come in many flavors. Anyone can still make them from scratch if they prefer. You can find tortillas in a variety of Mexican foods. Tacos use them as the shell. Enchiladas consist of the tortilla being filled and then rolled, afterwards being cooked. Quesadillas use tortillas as turnovers which are filled and then fried.

If you think that tortillas are just for eating, think again. There is a type of art that is called “tortilla art”. It is fine art that uses tortillas as the canvas. First the tortillas are baked and then acrylic. After that they are painted. Tortilla art is made to represent the culture of Latino artists.

Tortillas are also what are used to make the tortilla chips. The tortilla is cut into wedges and fried. Corn tortillas are made from corn, vegetable oil, salt and water. The chips first became popular in the 1940s in Los Angeles, California where the chips were mass-produced, but it is still considered a Mexican food.

Americans use tortillas for a lot of their foods. It is most common found in burritos, which started long ago in northern Mexico. Tortillas are a traditional food of many people from northern states of Mexico and also Native tribes that are found in the Southwestern United States. Just about any restaurant will carry tortillas. You can try many different foods that include them. They are easy to find in the grocery store. You can use your taste buds and imagination to make your own foods which include the tortillas.

There are many different recipes available to search, so join in on a tasty convenient food that many Americans have already discovered.

A Timeless Secret

It is said that the art of distilling was discovered somewhere in Asia in approximately 800 B.C. The assumption was that this technique was merely used to make perfumes, however this has been refuted.

The method by which the processes found its way to the British Isles is uncertain; however we do know that the Moors brought the art of distilling to Europe. It is believed that the art was then refined in monasteries throughout central Europe. Apparently the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick, carried this trade into the monasteries in 432 AD on a Christian mission. Regardless, the Celts did attain the secret eventually and made their water of life that in Gaelic is pronounced Uisge Beatha.

This simple yet not well-known name is how the scotch whiskey came to be, as Uisge means whiskey. The millstone year for whiskey in history would have to be 1494 as a Sir Friar John Cor of Scotland ordered eight bolls of malt. It was reportedly to be used for aqua vitae which is the first accountable proof of production of whiskey in Scotland.

The skill of distilling soon left the monasteries for the farms where just about everyone was making whiskey up until about 1820 this is when the government decided they were going to shut down personal and private distilleries making them illegal. The rough and sometimes brutal taste differs greatly from today. It was not until the eighteenth century that it was discovered that with aging came a mellower brew. The findings of the aging process was practically tripped upon when an old cask long forgotten was found full of the good stuff.

The uniting of the two parliaments one from England and one from Scotland in the year 1707 is what drew into effect the Union Act. Realizing that it would pay off for both sides, they came up with an unheard of plan for making the malt.

By the year 1725 the English malt tax was forged however not without bloodshed. At this time every second bottle of malt distilled in Scotland was of the illegal kind due to roving excise men, illicit distilleries, and the fashion of smuggling.

In 1820s much trouble arose in the form of crime and tough taxing policies which eventually became completely unmanageable. To solve the problem, the government ordered the Excise Act which allowed the government to track which distilleries were legal and those which were not by using labels.

Whisky started out as a product for the British market in the 1820s, but today it has become a drink that is appreciated and loved around the world. Much of this incredible development is the result of the introduction of blended whisky. Even today approximately 90 percent of all whisky that is produced in Scotland is used in blended whisky. However the interest of single malt whisky has increased in recent years and this development is likely to continue.

A Manly Drink

When you think of a mans drink, what comes to mind? Baileys? Vodka? To many, scotch seems to be the drink of choice for grown men and seemingly this choice has been made for many, many years. There is most probably not a spirit, more endeared by men than scotch.

Scotch is made here in America, but the finest scotch is made in the Isles of Scotland. Scotch from Islay Scotland, can cost you a pretty penny. The scotch mentioned here from Scotland is from the Bruichladdich distillery in Islay Scotland, which is at the most southern of all Hebridian islands. The scotch made there is so rare that it can only be purchased at the distillery.

Here in America, scotch is not so hard to come by. A bottle of Wild Turkey costs, on average, about $22.00. Whereas a high end whiskey can cost up to $50.00 a bottle. Compare that to a fine scotch from is isles at around $120.00 per bottle and you will see the difference isnt so much in the bottle, but in the spirit itself.

A Bottle of Their Own

The majority of fine scotch distillers sell casks of their product as a whole for blending purposes as well as to private buyers. Usually the distiller name will be placed on a blended product however not the logo. This is an indication that the product is indeed blended and not single malt.

Most independent bottling companies will bottle products from single casks and may or may not be from the original bottling source. At this time many renowned distillers are trying to end the open market of bottling operations as it is infringing on their overall sales.

Some malt companies will incorporate more than one batch of their scotch into the cask selling to ensure the independent bottlers from selling it as a single malt product. Many independent bottlers will use merely a geographical region or an alias of the distiller, as to avoid any legal repercussions. This method of legal sneakiness is known as bastard bottling. Either way the society of scotch malt whiskey can still track the product by the distiller number.