Ivy Mountain Georgia Sour Mash Whiskey

[GaryT]

Curious if anyone has tried this yet.

http://ivymountaindistillery.com/products

Can't recall what brought it to my attention (thought maybe a post here, but can't find one - maybe a tasting notice from Tower?), but I e-mailed them with some questions several weeks back. Here are the questions followed by their response:

1. Where can one find your products?

A: Ivy Mountain products are found in various places throughout the state. Most people in the Atlanta area seem very familiar with Tower locations.

2. What is the Georgia Sour Mash Whiskey aged in? (ie - is it aged in a new, charred white oak barrel? a new barrel of some other type? a first-fill, used bourbon barrel?)

A: Our aged whiskey resides in used American oak barrels purchased from Jack Daniel's.

3. How long is the whiskey aged? If there is no age statement, or the age differs based on the barrels used in a batch, can you provide some estimate as to the age range?

A: Presently, we have close to six hundred barrels aging. That is a lot of work to accomplish in 1 1/2 years! Each batch is labeled on the bottle. The longer it ages, the better.

4. Does your mashbill more closely resemble a corn whiskey (ie - 85% or more corn), or a bourbon whiskey (51-70% corn with rye or wheat grain, along with barley)?

A: Daddy makes his own mash - it is an authentic sour mash. Yes, it resembles very closely a bourbon. He himself sprouts his corn, grinds it at the spring (where we have the best spring water!), and adds barley and/or rye and wheat.

5. Everyone perceives taste differently, but would you say the taste profile of the product is more closely aligned with a corn whiskey (ie - Mellow Corn, Southern Corn Whiskey) or a bourbon whiskey (ie - Evan Williams, etc)?

A: Taste is a personal matter. A true whiskey connoisseur will comment that Ivy Mountain Sour Mash Whiskey (86 proof) is smooth and comparable to a good Kentucky bourbon.

Their response to the aging makes me wonder if they're releasing some now, but holding some back to age longer.

Anyone try or see this, or hear anything else about it?

[squire]

Don't know anything about it but 'sprouting' your own corn is pretty ambitious.

[cowdery]

I'm suspicious because (1) no distillery pictures on the web site, (2) lots of throwing the words 'sour mash' around but zero mention of the process itself, (3) citing barley as an alternative to rye in a recipe that always uses corn and wheat, (4) using barley "for color and taste."

Moonshiners almost never use the sour mash process.

It reminds me of the "Moonshiners" TV show, where they throw words around that suggest they don't understand the process they are supposedly carrying out. There is so much fakery out there, don't believe anything until you or someone you trust sees it with their own eyes.

[Rarnold]

It's just one source, but it looks like they are mashing, fermenting, distilling, and aging at their distillery.

http://www.ajc.com/news/lifestyles/georgia-moonshine-makers-back-in-business-and-this/nSQ4C/

[Josh]

The answer to every question except #2 is a dodge. Seems shady to me.

[cowdery]

In the AJC article, they at least explained sour mash correctly. Their still is tiny. He lost me with the "second thumper barrel" and what appeared to be a second trip to the beer heater, which makes no sense, but they do seem to actually be making something. We can give them that.

[squire]

Thanks Rarnold, that was informative.

[Rarnold]

It seems the second thumper is what is sometimes called a relay barrel. It catches mash that may have boiled over from the thumper (or the still, depending on where you position it in the system) and returns it back to the system, therefore keeping mash out of the condenser.

I believe what he is trying to explain with the second trip to the beer heater is a technique used for energy conservation. The hot vapors from the still pass through the beer heater and provide a "free" form of energy to heat the beer before they make their way to the condenser.

But this is all speculation as I've never actually spoken with the Ivy Mountain Distillery team.

[GaryT]

Thanks for sharing that Rarnold! I know some of the GBS folks know Casey who was mentioned in the AJC article, so I'll have to put some feelers out there way to see if anyone's had first hand experience with the product.

[DaveOfAtl]

GBS road trip ...

[smokinjoe]

GBS road trip ...

I was thinkin' the same thing. Get Boris on the horn...

Seriously, let's discuss on Saturday.

[cowdery]

They won't know what hit them.

[squire]

They won't know who hit them.

[smokinjoe]

All I know is, they're really close to where they filmed Deliverance. So, if I hear banjos I'm bailin' on y'all...And, another reason we have Boris drive...

Actually, I have a bottle of the Apple Brandy. It's OK. It appears to be unaged. Nice enough nose to it, but hard to discern anything beyond a hint of apple flavors over the palate. Would like to try it with some decent time in a barrel.

[GaryT]

Road trip! Sounds like fun! I was honestly just impressed that I e-mailed them a list of questions, and they responded (at least made an effort at it). I'm sure if we explain that the Georgia Bourbon Society respectfully requests a private tour of the distillery and a rickhouse, they'll roll out the red carpet

[Lost Pollito]

I'm sure if we explain that the Georgia Bourbon Society respectfully requests a private tour of the distillery and a rickhouse, they'll roll out the red carpet

Hopefully a Banjo will be playing for Joe.

[squire]

Gary you guys should get some business cards printed up.

[Lost Pollito]

Gary you guys should get some business cards printed up.

Business cards, hell they should roll in with the GBS flag.

[smokinjoe]

Business cards, hell they should roll in with the GBS flag.

On a pole from the bed of a beat up pick-up truck!!

[squire]

And a Georgia Peach to raise the colors.

[GaryT]

Business cards . . . nice touch! Now we just need to find who has a beat up pick-up truck (which here in Georgia, you'd think wouldn't be a tall order). My Prius wouldn't be very intimidating - and I think the flag is bigger than it is

[tanstaafl2]

I couldn probably supply that in the form of my '95 GMC pickup. Of course it has spent the last few years of its life down on the farm with little in the way of long road trips! It might not be able to make it up yonder into the hills.

[DaveOfAtl]

The Smokey and the Bandit song is already playing in my head. Eastbound and down

[squire]

You boys gonna be in a heap 'o trouble.

[smokinjoe]

You boys gonna be in a heap 'o trouble.

Squire, we've discussed, and overwhelmingly decided that you're coming with us...