???'s on Bellows Club Bourbon est. 1830

[giobi]

I recently came upon a 1963 ad for Bellows Club bourbon. It was advertised as "the light bourbon", established in 1830. Does anyone know who made this and where, Frankfort or Louisville?

Also, the ad mentioned a 1/4" barrel char. Is this a normal amount of char, a deep or shallow char? Are there standards that regulate the amount of char? Any info is appreciated.

giobi <font color="black"> </font>

[Gillman]

I know only that around 1980 (and maybe for some time after) Bellows Club bourbon was still available. I used to buy it occasionally in Plattsburgh, New York when I lived in Montreal. The taste was light and struck me at the time as "dusty" or "barnyard". That was probably due, in part at least, to a decent amount of rye grist in the mashbill. Today I have an appreciation for rye-oriented bourbons that I lacked at the time, so I might well like it more today.

It was a "price brand", i.e., priced lower than most bourbons, an economical buy. Some price brands of the time were worth more than the price asked, e.g., Old Yellowstone. Bellows Club was lower shelf in taste as well as price, good for mixing with soft drinks but a little ... robust taken straight (although no doubt it had its devotees). Still, I recall it fondly as one of the many then available brands - now much diminished in number and production source - one could experiment with.

I will let others more knowledgable than I discuss barrel charring and who manufactured Bellows Club.

I have not seen the brand on store shelves for many years now.

Gary

[WEG3]

My Dad's Pour was Bellows Club Bourbon , and was my first taste for bourbon ... I have not seen it for years now and for old times I miss it ...Will Watch this thread to see where it leads ...
Bill G

[tlsmothers]

I sell Bellows (80pf) in my store for $11.75/1L. On the front label, it says it's from Clermont*Frankfort, KY. The top of the label reads, "MELLOWED FOUR YEARS IN OAK BARRELS." I haven't tried it, yet. It does look kinda light in color.

[Gillman]

Good to hear the brand is still with us. Sounds like Jim Beam or Buffalo Trace is filling the bottles at present. Interesting the label would mention two localities associated with different companies..

Gary

Gary

[jeff]

I'm guessing it's probably Jim Beam. Sounds like it is distilled in Clearmont then aged and/or bottled at their plant in Frankfort.

[Gillman]

Thanks, Jeff, I was thinking of Trace in Frankfort but I am sure you are right.

Gary

[boone]

Clermont, Frankfort that's a Beam product. This "ad" was in 1963. Labels have swapped hands and swapped hands and swapped hands and what may have belonged to one Distillery 25 years ago would belong to another distillery today. Typical exampe, is T.W. Samuels, everyone knows that T.W Samuels is Bill Samuels (Maker's Mark) but it was sold. The name went with it. Today that label belongs to Heaven Hill.

I think, Bobby calls these labels "cat and dog labels". All distilleries have em. Good Grief, we have bunches and bunches of em.

I don't know what 1/4 barrel char is but today they char barrels in numbers. They list them as #1, #2, #3 and #4. Elijah Craig uses char #3.

I hope this helps .

Bettye Jo

[Gillman]

Bettye Jo, or Bobby, what is the market for these small regional labels?

Do some people just have their favorite brand and stick with it ("my family always bought Bellows?").

Or are these "well brands" used mostly by bars and restaurants?

Or are they true price brands so that people buy them (or any others similarly priced) for reasons of economy?

Gary

[cowdery]

I'm neither Bobby Jo nor Bettye Jo, but the answer is "all of the above."