PennyPacker

[rich68]

Having done a search I noticed that it's been a while since PennyPacker was discussed. Has anyone tried it lately? According to the previous posts it's not bad. I have seen it in Germany and it is very cheap. It distinguishes itself by the claims of 70% corn (or maize as we call it in Europe).

http://www.thedrinkshop.com/products/nlpdetail.php?prodid=2825

I have also seen a brand called Mason's blended American whiskey. Does anyone know anything about this one?

http://www.spritovin.eu/product_info.php?products_id=1288

[craigthom]

I don't think 70% corn is unusually high. The legal minimum is 51%, but the maximum is 80%, and corn is the least expensive of the grains used. I would guess that the Pennypacker uses the same mashbill as most Heaven Hill bourbon.

[barturtle]

Actually there in no maximum amount of corn, you can go past 80%.

[craigthom]

My mistake. I guess if you malt corn or use chemical means of denaturing the starch you eliminate the small grain and go 100% corn.

[rich68]

Thanks guys, that's interesting to know. Maybe I'll try it at some point.

I've just tried Four Roses Yellow label and I think Jim Beam white is better, although it's growing on me.

Thanks

Richard

[cas]

I had a glass of Pennypacker when I was in Sweden 2 years ago. It was pleasant, but nothing really special. If I remember correctly it was only 80 proof, so it wasn't very full-bodied or flavored.

Craig

[cowdery]

Is it even labeled as bourbon? I can't tell from the ad.

This product is not, to the best of my knowledge, sold inside the USA. I would also point out that the American Standards of Identity only apply within the USA. Something sold in the EU is governed by EU standards. American blended whiskey for example, may in the United States contain up to 80% neutral spirits, whereas in EU states it must be 100% whiskey, according to the EU's definition of whiskey. Seagram's Seven and other US blends sold in Europe are reformulated to comply with EU rules.

Seventy percent maize (corn) is slightly on the low side for a bourbon recipe, or on the low side of average. Although none of the majors make a 100% corn recipe, the people who do don't malt corn, they just use commercial enzymes.

The nearest recipe to all-corn by the majors is the Heaven Hill recipe for its corn whiskeys such as Georgia Moon and Mellow Corn, which is 90% corn, 5% rye and 5% malt.

[rich68]

Thanks again for the info. Yes it is labeled as bourbon and I think it is indeed 80 proof. I wasn't aware of the differences between the EU and US standards so that is very useful to know.

[cowdery]

I believe the EU standard re bourbon is that it has to be bourbon according to U.S. standards to be labeled bourbon in the EU, so if it is labeled bourbon you're probably safe, at least as far as it being authentic. If it's just labeled whiskey you get the EU standard but that's still good, because the EU standard for mere whiskey is higher than the U.S. standard.