WT New Distillery

[mark fleetwood]

Visited WT's new distillery yesterday and am reminded of a line our dads or granddads might have said... "They done good." Assuming the whiskey comes out the same as the old facility, a new $100million dollar factory is a nice thing to have. They say it'll double production (a nice share of which goes overseas... who says we don't export?), and it puts them in a good place for the next 75 years, assuming bourbon doesn't tank again.

I'm as much a fan of history as anyone, and hate to admit that the old distillery's fate probably ain't good (I told them to sell pieces to fans like cities sometimes do with old stadiums), but it's better that WT has a parent willing and able to invest than not. Think of it now: WT's snuggly in Camperi's arms, Beam & MM report up to a corp that is focusing solely on spirits, Barton got bought by Sazerac which has consistenly shown its devotion to spirits, HH is opening another new warehouse. Things are bullish for the major players these days aren't they?

BTW, on the tour, someone declared that bourbon's regs had an upper limit on corn at 79%, and that corn whiskey began at 80%. I didn't think bourbon had an upper % limit but didn't want to argue with someone who appeared to know so much. Can't a producer produce bourbon above 79% corn if he wants? Are any current day bourbon mash bills 80%+ corn?

[kickert]

BTW, on the tour, someone declared that bourbon's regs had an upper limit on corn at 79%, and that corn whiskey began at 80%. I didn't think bourbon had an upper % limit but didn't want to argue with someone who appeared to know so much. Can't a producer produce bourbon above 79% corn if he wants? Are any current day bourbon mash bills 80%+ corn?

Part is partially correct. Corn whiskey does begin at 80%, but there is no cut off for bourbon. The difference between corn whiskey and bourbon is that corn whiskey can use used cooperage.

[barturtle]

Part is partially correct. Corn whiskey does begin at 80%, but there is no cut off for bourbon. The difference between corn whiskey and bourbon is that corn whiskey can use used cooperage.

More accurately: must use either used cooperage or new uncharred cooperage.

[kickert]

More accurately: must use either used cooperage or new uncharred cooperage.

More accurately: If stored at all in cooperage (not required) it must be in either used cooperate or new uncharred cooperage.

[craigthom]

And bourbon can be 100% corn if they want, although they'd either have to add that enzyme stuff or malt some of the corn.

[White Dog]

Visited WT's new distillery yesterday and am reminded of a line our dads or granddads might have said... "They done good." Assuming the whiskey comes out the same as the old facility, a new $100million dollar factory is a nice thing to have. They say it'll double production (a nice share of which goes overseas... who says we don't export?), and it puts them in a good place for the next 75 years, assuming bourbon doesn't tank again.

I'm as much a fan of history as anyone, and hate to admit that the old distillery's fate probably ain't good (I told them to sell pieces to fans like cities sometimes do with old stadiums), but it's better that WT has a parent willing and able to invest than not. Think of it now: WT's snuggly in Camperi's arms, Beam & MM report up to a corp that is focusing solely on spirits, Barton got bought by Sazerac which has consistenly shown its devotion to spirits, HH is opening another new warehouse. Things are bullish for the major players these days aren't they?

BTW, on the tour, someone declared that bourbon's regs had an upper limit on corn at 79%, and that corn whiskey began at 80%. I didn't think bourbon had an upper % limit but didn't want to argue with someone who appeared to know so much. Can't a producer produce bourbon above 79% corn if he wants? Are any current day bourbon mash bills 80%+ corn?

Check out LDI's website. They offer a Bourbon mashbill of 99% Corn, 1% Barley. Who knows where that juice is ending up, but you could make a Bourbon from it.

[tmckenzie]

There are a bunch of micros that let the germans still builders tell them how to make whiskey who use 100 percent corn. I am not a fan of them. Very unbalanced. It takes 3 grains to make it taste right. If not, then why in the world is Kentucky bourbon so popular? I think jd and George Dickel both are 80 percent corn and Old Charter is over 80 too I think. All 3 fine products. You should see the trouble the micros go through to make it from 100 percent corn. A nightmare.