It was an inspired moment in 1999 when 12th & 13th Generation Distillers Miles & Marko Karakasevic tasted a micro-brewed Pilsner and envisioned the whiskey it could become.

They decided to distill 20,000 gallons of the Pilsner in their classical Alambic Pot Still - enough to create just 22 barrels of whiskey. Little did they know that they were making distilling history by doing so.

Technically, all whiskey is distilled beer - proprietary combinations of fermented grains referred to by various names such as “distiller’s beer,” “low-wash,” and “wort.” Using a finished, great-drinking beer is a first.

“There is no other whiskey out that you can really taste the beer that it’s made from,” said Marko Karakasevic. “Our goal was to balance the spice from the hops and the barley flavors with just the right amount of oak.”

“Holy wow,” said Stephen Schuler, buyer at Morrell Wines & Spirits in New York City. “This seriously might be one of the best made American Whiskies I have ever laid my lips on, and just ask my liver, I have had quite a few.”

The whiskey is being released as a collector’s series. Release I, which debuted at just 3 years old, is sold out. Release II, which debuts this month, is 9 years old.

The whiskey’s Pilsner lager base was made from two-row malted barley, grown and malted in British Columbia, considered the finest grain available for its intense flavors. Miles and Marko added additional hops before double-distilling in their classical Alambic Charentais Pot Still. The whiskey was aged in new American oak barrels, charred to #3 - affectionately called “Gator skin” for its striped appearance.

Charbay’s distillers believe in allowing the whiskey to age in various ambient temperatures for added complexity.

^{Article courtesy of Oregon Live}

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A single rare bottle of George Washington’s Distillery Straight Rye Whiskey signed by former president George H.W. Bush, fetched $35,000 for Historic Mount Vernon’s educational programs at a gala auction on the mansion grounds last night sponsored by the Distilled Spirits Council.

The winning bidder was John R. Frank, Vice Chairman of Sidney Frank Importing Co., Inc. of New Rochelle, NY, whose company imports JÄGERMEISTER and Tommy Bahama Rum, and developed the luxury vodka Grey Goose.

The bottle of George Washington’s Straight Rye whiskey, number five of a limited edition of 24 bottles, was the first ever made at the distillery of one President and signed by another. It was produced on October 21, 2003 on the distillery grounds by a team of master distillers according to the historic recipe found in George Washington’s mansion records, and hand-bottled on September 26, 2006.

“There has been no better way to highlight the rich heritage of distilling in America and to increase cultural acceptance of the industry than by supporting the George Washington’s Distillery,” said Frank.

The Council’s annual heritage dinner on the lawn at Mount Vernon, supported by the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America, raised in total over $300,000 to support Mount Vernon’s education programs and was attended by over 700 Washington notables including the Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne and over 30 members of Congress.

Separately, the distilled spirits industry has donated over $2.1 million for the archaeology and reconstruction of the first President’s distillery, which is now open to the public from April through October, and is the only site in North America to accurately showcase 18th century distilling techniques. Britain’s Prince Andrew cut the ribbon at the distillery dedication ceremony in the Fall of 2006, where the rare whiskey was first bottled.

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Bourbon lovers around the USA are raising a glass to the U.S. Senate today for passing a resolution, just before it adjourned, officially declaring September 2007 “National Bourbon Heritage Month,” according to the Distilled Spirits Council.

“At a time when consumer preferences have led to a renaissance for premium bourbons, it’s great news that the Senate has recognized America’s distilling heritage by designating September as Bourbon Heritage Month,” said Distilled Spirits Council Senior Vice President Frank Coleman.

“America’s distilling heritage is intertwined with the history of the nation,” Coleman noted. “This legislation will help bring that history back into focus for many Americans, and help us celebrate our bourbon heritage — responsibly!”

Senate Resolution 294, sponsored by Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY), and passed unanimously, calls on consumers who enjoy bourbon to do so responsibly and in moderation.

“The bourbon industry is a source of pride for Kentucky and its heritage and has served as a major part of the commonwealth’s economy for over 200 years,” Senator Bunning said in a statement.

Bourbon business is booming in the United States. Since 2003, high-end bourbons have seen revenue grow from $450 million to over $500 million, some 2.2 million cases, in the United States. High-end bourbon sales accounted for eight percent of total spirits growth in 2006. (more…)

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Kentucky bourbon whiskey is commonly mixed with water or soda, but wine?

Brown-Forman Corp. has put a new twist on its premium Woodford Reserve bourbon with a limited edition variation distinct for spending a few months aging in the company’s Sonoma-Cutrer wine barrels.

The experiment blends California chardonnay with Kentucky whiskey culture.

The result is called Woodford Reserve’s Sonoma-Cutrer Finish, produced at the Woodford Reserve distillery in the heart of Bluegrass country near Versailles.

It’s the second time Brown-Forman has dabbled in a special whiskey that’s an offshoot of its small-batch Woodford Reserve brand. The goal is to build a bigger following for Woodford Reserve in the competitive super-premium bourbon category, and this time perhaps win crossover business from wine drinkers.

“We certainly believe this has a nice connection back to Woodford Reserve, and it would have interest to (more…)

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17 Gold and Double Gold Medals Awarded to Beam Global Portfolio

Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc., a global leader in premium spirits and wine, announces its best performance ever from the 2007 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, with 31 medal wins. Beam Global’s portfolio of brands won an impressive 17 Gold and Double Gold medals, achieving its highest volume of Gold and Double Gold medals in company history.

“With 17 Gold and Double Gold medal wins, this news will inspire a lot of conversation among our various constituents around the world, from business partners and customers to employees,” said Tom Flocco, president and CEO of Beam Global Spirits & Wine. “More than half of the medals awarded to Beam Global were Gold and Double Gold which is a testament to the quality of the entire portfolio. Our ranking in the categories of bourbon, Scotch whisky, cognac, Canadian whisky and tequila are superb.”

“Our employees are the people we have to thank for these results. A great deal of craftsmanship and artistry go into producing our brands. But the ingredient that perhaps distinguishes us the most from everyone else is the passion that our people bring to their roles,” continued Flocco.

The following Beam Global Spirits and Wine brands received Double Gold or Gold medals in the 2007 San Francisco World Spirits Competition: (more…)

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