Labrot and Graham update

[tdelling]

A cut-n-paste from the Institute & Guild of Brewing (Scottish Section) 's

convention review of the Worldwide Distilled Spirits Conference, 8-11 Sept 2002,

Edinburgh, Scotland, as published in The Brewer International, Vol 2, Issue 10.

(www.igb.org.uk)

Theo Lioutas of Brown-Forman

related the development of the

Labrot and Graham Distillery in

Kentucky. Distilling on the site

began in 1812 and the distillery has

been rebuilt to revert to the original

style of pot still using triple

distillation – a process which is

unique for bourbon today.

The stills, which were

manufactured in Scotland, operate

without a mash tun so all grains enter

the wash still. The challenge has

been to produce a quality premium

bourbon using pots rather than

continuous stills. Comparisons

show the pot still spirit to be higher

in fatty acid esters but lower in fusel

oils and phenylethyl alcohol.

Dr Lioutas went on to describe

work based on his company’s Blue

Grass Cooperage. The heat profile

during toasting and the flavour

potential of the oak have been

studied and are now harmonised.

These changes and the introduction

of automated stave jointing mean

that casks arriving in Scotland in a

few years time are going to be

slightly different.