Rocket Science

[tdelling]

Linn, I hereby accuse you of being a damn good writer.
That post is better than anything you'll get from a glossy
magazine. There's nothing like a well-informed, highly
opinionated writer. I propose that we put that post in a
"Best of StraightBourbon" archive.

As to the ideas expressed: I agree wholeheartedly.
To quote my own post (Re: storage of Bourbon Tue Jan 29 10:50:36 2002)

"Personally, I'm very much in the "purist" camp that is absolutely against
chill filtering, especially for high end spirits. chill filtering removes some
of the flavor!

Does anyone know when bottlers started the unholy practice of chill filtering?

(Dr. Crow would be ashamed... it's a reduction in quality in order to appease
the ignorant masses who are afraid of a little cloudiness. We need Bourbon
Education, not chill filtering!)"

The "single batch" idea is a marvelous one. I think every distillery should
be tinkering with new variations on the bourbon-making process in order
to produce interesting small batch bourbons.

Tim

[bourbonmed]

Tim and Chuck,

I believe Julian gets special orders from clients in Europe or Japan requesting NO chill filtering. I don't know how frequent this is, maybe just a boutique request here and there.

Julian, if its not too much trouble, could you bring a tasting sample to the gazebo and satisfy our curiosity?

Cheers,
Omar

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Why thank you Mr.Dellinger. I have been accused and convicted of worse. I can't tell you when chill filtering came into common usage by distillers. It more than likely was a gradual shift with first one distiller and then another until all of them were doing it. I do know that Woodford Reserve is unfiltered. Their bottling operation at Labrot & Graham is very small. The barrels are dumped into a trough where the whiskey is runs through a series of seives. I saw no filtration apparatus, but I will make sure this September at our tour & tasting event at L&G.

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[ratcheer]

".... brown vodka (i.e., Canadian Whisky)."

Heh, heh, heh. Nice shot, Chuck.

[boone]

Make sure you look up........some chillers are attached to the ceiling to save on floor space..............

Bettye Jo

[boone]

I just talked to Mike Sonne, Quality Control manager for Heaven Hill Distilleries....I asked him when did they start chill filtering? He said he did not know the exact date but he would find out for me.....

I asked him why do we chill filter and some don't ----Linn said that W R told him that they did not chill filter.......Mike said.......If they don't chill filter then they are adding lots and lots of carbon to it................He said you have to do something either .....chill or carbon.......if you don't you are going to have problems....... especially in export cause it will flock.......that bourbon is going to come back on you.......I told him the ones that have said they don't chill filter.............I told him that I was gonna post it here...............................

I have talked to Chris Briney (our chemist) in debth about this subject.....he explained how the entire process works and why we do it.........At the time I knew very little about Chillin.......... NOW I KNOW.......... I know that whenever I have a question that Mike or Chris will answer it.......very quick....and in terms that a regular person can understand.......TWO REALLY SUPER GUY'S!

I ride my bicycle by the Old Seagrams plant in Aterhtonville.....it burned in 1972.....
.......Chuck Cowdery did a story on the plant in the Bourbon Country Reader....they make barrels there now....I looked inside......shouldn't have but Miss Nosey did............got outta there real quick........ANYWAY....the door that I entered there was a sign that said.......... CHILLER ROOM...........So I know that that particular plant was a chillin befor 1972.

I'm done

Bettye Jo

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Good work Miss Nosey! That is why we love you so. "The rooster may crow, but the hen delivers the goods." Thanks Bettey Jo for your down to earth insights into the work-a-day world of the bourbon industry.


Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

So this bottle of Sunny Brook, Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Bottled in Bond 100 Proof, Made in 1917 and bottled in 1932 fits the bill. it was distilled by Harry E. Wilken ( whoever he may be), a single distiller and B i Bond, Distillery #368 so they were doing this years ago. Why the change?

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Do tell chas! Just what were they doing, and how do you know? Don't think me flip as I realy want to know your take on this and why you think this is true.

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[cowdery]

Since the Sunny Brook was bottled in bond, we know it was the product of one distiller, one distillery and one season -- i.e., single batch -- and we know it was at least four years old and 100 proof.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://cowdery.home.netcom.com>--Chuck Cowdery</A>