bourbon the rise fall and rebirth of an american whiskey

In response, some bourbon distillers started making a product called light whiskey to compete.

In the ’60s, vodka and white spirits nearly pushed bourbon completely out of the market. “It’s the immaculate ‘char-ception,’” he says.Ħ. “They wanted to make bourbon feel as American as possible.” The institute embellished the story of the barn fire, in which barrels were charred, rendering whiskey’s signature smokey essence when Craig allegedly aged his whiskey in them anyway. “He’s always been connected to, but they created in great detail the legends,” says Minnick. The Bourbon Institute created the legend of Elijah Craig. The Bourbon Institute also worked to lower tariffs and improve trade for bourbon.ĥ. This was, in part, the work of The Bourbon Institute, a group headed by Lewis Rosenstiel, who was CEO of Schenley Distillers Corporation. In 1964, bourbon legally became an exclusive product of the United States. But the bourbon companies prevailed, with large companies retaining control of numerous brands.Ĥ. In the 1940s, the bourbon industry faced the federal government’s shakedown on monopolies. This wasn’t financially feasible for many of the smaller distillers, making them susceptible to purchase by larger distilleries.ģ.

During WWII, bourbon distillers were obliged to create industrial alcohol. World War II was largely responsible for the conglomeration of bourbon brands. “Bourbon was a matter of national health and security for the time.”Ģ. “During Prohibition, everyone was ‘sick’ and they needed medicinal whiskey,” Minnick says. In the same era, the Spanish Influenza was spreading rampantly, and whiskey was believed to be the only treatment.

While alcohol was outlawed in the U.S., you could still get your hands on it in some states by claiming a medical need. In some ways, Prohibition made illness seem widespread. Here are just a few of the things we learned.ġ. Last week, in an exclusive chat with Tales 365 members, he spoke with us about bourbon’s past, present and future. Writing with style and expertise, Minnick’s extraordinary knowledge of all things bourbon has warranted numerous awards and accolades. His books, “Whiskey Women,” “Bourbon Curious,” and most recently, “Bourbon: The Rise, Fall and Rebirth of American Whiskey,” are esteemed collections of in-depth whiskey history, culture and insights on enjoying the spirit. Fred Minnick is perhaps the foremost name in bourbon writing.

Bourbon the rise fall and rebirth of an american whiskey