Is Jack Daniel's Drying Up?

[Hyperspace]

Here is an article about Jack Daniel’s that some may find interesting...


"Drought conditions can be felt all over the country and locally as well. The drought is also impacting Tennessee, with no signs of letting up and it’s hitting businesses right where they make their living.

Jack Daniels water supply is running low and putting the century-plus whiskey business in jeopardy



...this year there is a problem - that water supply is starting to flow less and less. Hamilton said the drought Tennessee is in is taking a toll on Cave Spring.
“Water flow is down substantially. I would say at least one third to half of what we normally see,” Hamilton said.

To the people who make Jack Daniels, all water is not created equal. It takes a special kind to make this whiskey and they say it’s only here in this cave. For that reason they have started conserving as much as they can. Using the water only for the whiskey and nothing else and even finding ways to cut back on the amount used in the process.
What will happen if the spring goes dry?

“If we can’t use what it takes to make Jack Daniels I suspect we won’t make Jack Daniel’s until we get all the ingredients we need,” Hamilton said"


Source


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[TNbourbon]

I can confirm that it's dry here in Middle Tennessee -- the grass crunches when you walk on it, and the dry season is about upon us. But, I don't give a damn if Jack Daniel's produces any whiskey this year or not. Sorry -- just not the most important thing regarding the drought, locally.

[Sweetmeats]

I say bull that they wouldn't use some other water. Their client base wouldn't know the difference.

[bobbyc]

I don't give a damn if Jack Daniel's produces any whiskey this year or not. Sorry -- just not the most important thing regarding the drought, locally.

Tim, I'd like to know what else is at stake, crops come quickly to mind and later there could be significant loss of property in the event of fire.

It's dry here as well.

[TNbourbon]

Tim, I'd like to know what else is at stake, crops come quickly to mind and later there could be significant loss of property in the event of fire.

It's dry here as well.

Crops are very much in jeopardy around here, a sort of double-whammy after the earlier loss of fruit and vegetable crops to premature warmth followed by late, hard frosts. The winter wheat crop was essentially a bust this spring. In turn, the poor grain crops encourage the thinning of livestock herds, which deprives farmers of potential future assets. Corn, in particular, looks pitiful right now -- still green, but way too small and thin at this point after the late start to the growing season. It needs water, yesterday! And many farmers are knocking down too-thin hayfields because if they don't there's too little time for a good second cutting. Hopes for a late third cutting, not that unusual, are already by the boards by now.
Communities are already asking for voluntary cutbacks in lawn-watering and unnecessary water usage. River levels are already down noticeably (Remember -- Tennessee has no natural lakes, just dam-provided reservoirs; virtually every town's water supply comes from steams and rivers.). Traditionally, it's pretty early for that. April through mid-June is the time we generally get ahead of the game for the following three months, when rain can be sporadic, at best. Instead, we've had almost no rainfall in those months.
It's still early enough a week-long rain could cure all that. But, we're within a week or so of the start of a period during which that would be just as aberrational as the current lack of rain.

[CrispyCritter]

Maybe they should raise the proof so that they can use less water.

[mier]

Maybe they should raise the proof so that they can use less water.

The best idea i`ve read so far!!!!! .Eric.

[HighTower]

Maybe they should raise the proof so that they can use less water.

Back to 90 proof. Amen.

[ILLfarmboy]

Back to 90 proof. Amen.

Would that it were so!

As things stand now, I keep a bottle of single barrel around for when I'm fealing nostalgic and want a taste of the past. I don't much care for Woodford Reserve or Old Forester. So, Brown-Forman dosn't get much of my money. And that's the way I like it!!

[Gillman]

I've found the SB quite excellent, especially with ice. Somehow, the ice takes the little away I don't like about JD (the "banana" part) and accentuates the good parts.

I can't foresee that B-F would cut production for reasons of water shortage. Process water can be obtained elsewhere, I can't imagine if it was tanked in and adjusted if necessary (chemically), the final result would differ from what we know as JD today. Also, once water is distilled, how much of its mineral qualities remain in the condensate? If we are speaking of water used to cut proof, is in fact local water used for this purpose, untreated, or some type of deionised water?

This problem seems to be addressable and I doubt production would intentionally be reduced for reasons of local water shortage.

Gary