"whiskey" news and stories

With the legalization of making beer at home, microbrewing took off as homebrewers figured out how to sell their beer in the commercial marketplace. Whiskey is distilled beer, so it only makes sense that the passion of some of these brewers led them to diversify their business to also include distilled products, as well.

With home distilling still illegal, craft distilling isn't necessarily following the same growth pattern as craft brewing, but you will find small brewers such as Oregon's Rogue Ales and California's Anchor Brewing distilling innovative spirits such as single malt high proof rye and spruce gin. Like the craft brewers, many craft distillers are unfettered by tradition and shareholder profit pressure so they explore and create adventurous spirits that the big corporate distillers don't have the freedom to.

For years whiskey lovers like me have begged the big bourbon distilleries to bottle their unaged whiskey. Sometimes when taking a tour, the distilleries will allow you to taste the spirit right off the still. This fiery, high-proof liquor destined to be bourbon cannot legally be called bourbon until it hits the new charred oak barrel. Up to that time, you'll hear it called a variety of things: white dog, new make spirit, bourbon distillate. You won't hear the distiller call it moonshine.

The term moonshine supposedly goes back to a time when folks avoiding liquor authorities made their booze by the light of the moon. This illicit spirit has also been called mountain dew (yes, now you understand the soda reference) and white lightning. For some reason, though, the term "moonshine" has a romantic, naughty ring to it that reminds you of two strappin', good lookin' country boys in a souped-up orange car called The General Lee helping out poor ole moonshinin' Uncle Jesse. I guess this sexy outlaw connotation is why so many in the press these days are using the term moonshine incorrectly to refer to legal unaged spirit made by licensed distilleries. Moonshine ain't legal and is often made from granulated sugar and not even grain.

A handful of bourbons -- known as "wheaters" -- are made with corn, barley and wheat instead of the traditional recipe of corn, barley, and rye. These wheated bourbons offer a softer, gentler flavor with a lot more caramel and vanilla than those made with rye. The most well known wheater today is Maker's Mark, with its signature red wax seal.

While many distilleries offer a variety of whiskeys, Maker's Mark has boasted that they make one whiskey only. While the red wax 90 proof version is commonly seen in the U.S., bourbon lovers often scolded them for making other versions only available outside the U.S. Aficionados clamored for the other expressions that had been released for export only, such as the black wax version bottled at 95 proof, and the gold wax bottling labeled as 101 proof.

Now Maker's has released a different version that goes beyond just proof and wax color. Perhaps feeling the heat from various experimental bottlings done by other distilleries, Maker's finally listened to customers pleas for something new.

Master Distiller Kevin Smith worked with Brad Boswell -- president of Independent Stave Company, a fourth generation "wood chef" -- to create the new Maker's 46. The whiskey is based on the same mashbill (that's whiskey talk for recipe). What sets it apart is the influence of French oak that has been seasoned for 18 months in northern France. The regular Maker's Mark spends additional time in contact with this seared French oak to bring out more toasted oak aroma and to give a stronger backbone of flavor. The oakiness of this expression of Maker's Mark may appeal more to Scotch drinkers and spicy rye whiskey lovers. The flavor is full enough to not get lost when poured over ice.

It's bottled at a slightly higher proof (94 instead of the regular red wax 90) for about $10 bucks more.

Each Thursday, we round up a selection of scrumptious links from our friends over at YumSugar. Here's what they've got cooking this week:

• Has all the green food coloring numbed your mind enough to fail a St. Patrick's Day food and drink quiz?
• These bags promise to prevent your favorite carb from turning into stone -- for up to two weeks.
• Translate Irish into Italian with corned beef and cabbage pizza.
• Or, have breakfast for dinner with this hash recipe.
• Hard-boiled eggs are the new calendars.
• Before the next holiday, brush up on your matzo knowledge.
• What are you thoughts on whiskey the day after? We thought so.

Bourbon, Scotch, Irish and Canadian whiskies just begin our adventure with grain spirit. All whisk(e)y must be distilled from grain. You can find whiskies made with wheat, rye, barley and corn -- not to mention the rare uses of oats and buckwheat.

Bourbon is a minimum of 51 percent corn by law. Scotch and Irish styles use barley as their base. Canadian whisky is often mostly corn, but you can find some brands with a stronger rye base.

Scotch and Irish whiskies are made in beautiful copper stills often called pot stills. American whiskey is usually made in more modern stills -- known as column stills -- containing copper plates inside. This type of still is sometimes called a Coffey still, after Aeneas Coffey who patented his super efficient invention in 1831.