The Booze Cruzer Blog

Exploring the world and enjoying the wonderful world of distilled spirits, wines, and beers

Category: Destination

Alaska Cruising MS Zaandam July 2018 Week 1

The Booze Cruzer

My wife and I had the privilege of taking a 2 week cruise along the coast of Alaska aboard Holland America’s MS Zaandam in July 2018. This was our fourth Alaskan cruise, and we’re already planning on our next trip to this incredible part of the world. Seems like no matter how much we see and do, there’s still plenty more to see and do. As always, Holland America’s crew took care of us and we were very comfortable and happy on board.

The Cruzin’

Our port of departure was Seattle, WA. We arrived the day before to ensure we didn’t miss the boat due to flight delays. Our flight arrived late at night so we stayed at a hotel near the airport. We slept in a bit the next morning, then used the hotel shuttle to return to the airport where we linked up with Holland America’s transfer bus to the port. Check in with Holland America was quick and efficient as usual and we were soon on board the Zaandam. This was our first cruise on this ship, so we spent the first hour of so learning the layout, and finding our cabin. Then, time for the first of many delicious and way too filling meals on board.

Shortly after leaving the dock and heading our to sea we made our way to the main dining room where we met the two other couples and one single traveler with whom we’d be sharing most of our evening meals with for the next two weeks. We are always nervous about meeting our assigned table mates for the first time. Will we be comfortable with them, or, as has happened in the past, will we need to find other dining options in order to avoid the table. Fortunately, as is usually the case, everyone came together extremely well, as if we were old friends meeting up again after a long hiatus. We spent Day 1 of the cruise at sea on our way from Seattle to Ketchikan. This gave us an opportunity to rest and recuperate from pour long flight to Seattle from the east coast.

Ketchikan Alaska

Misty Fjord

First port of call on our recent Alaskan cruise was Ketchikan, Alaska. This was our fourth visit to Ketchikan. Nevertheless, it was easy to find a great excursion we had not yet experienced; a four and a half hour boat trip to Misty Fjords National Monument. We were blessed with perfect weather, clear and cool, and we saw lots of beautiful scenery. The sights we enjoyed on this trip included an active bald eagle’s nest, a Tlingit pictograph, and New Eddystone Rock; an immense volcanic spire rising from the emerald sea. We also saw numerous float planes overhead carrying other tourists who chose to take a short aerial tour of Misty Fjords. While I am sure they had a memorial experience we were happy with our choice. I believe we saw more scenery and animals on our trip, and had the opportunity to take many more photographs.

Our tour boat, named the Wilderness Explorer, is operated by Allen Marine Tours. Allen Marine Tours is a family-owned business, and one of the oldest tour companies in Alaska. We would enjoy their cruise tours over and over again on this cruise at different ports of call.  The Wilderness Explorer, like all of Allen’s boats, was custom built in their shipyard in Sitka. Since we would be cruising near various wild animals in the water, Allen chose to power their boats with water jets instead of propellers. Attention to details, like the water jets, were evident throughout the boat and ensured a safe and comfortable cruise tours. The crew was well trained and dealt with the passengers in a courteous manner that helped make for a wonderful tour experience.

Tracy Arm Alaska

Perfect conditions to view the glacier

After leaving Ketchikan, we cruised Tracy Arm to view Sawyer Glacier. As we sailed through the night on our way to the entrance of Tracy Arm the fog closed in reducing visibility to about 50 yards. The ship’s fog horn serenaded us every two minutes all night long. We went to bed that night fearing we would not be able to see anything but fog the next day. However, as we approached Tracy Arm, the fog lifted and we had perfect weather for the rest of the day. This was our second trip into Tracy Arm, but we were wowed just as much as we were the first time.

Sawyer Glacier carved Tracy Arm, a narrow fjord, out of the surrounding rock by the over a period of hundreds of thousands of years. Tracy Arm is about 30 miles long and culminates at the face of South Sawyer Glacier. Towering mountains and cliffs as high as 3000 feet flank the channel. The depth of the fjord is about 600 feet in many places. The Captain took advantage of the clear weather to slowly navigate the ship very close to face of the glacier, much closer than we were able to get on our first visit. Other, smaller tour boats were able to get even closer. We spent about an hour watching the glacier and did see a few piecing calving off the glacier.

Juneau Alaska

Dog Sledding on Mendenhall Glacier

This was our fourth visit to Juneau, and we spent a long day in port. So long in fact, that we had time to take two tours. We took a helicopter up to the top of Mendenhall Glacier for a dog sledding excursion in the morning. We went on a whale watching tour in the evening. The dog sledding trip was a blast, and was the highlight of the entire cruise. The helicopter trip took about 20 minutes each way and the scenery was spectacular. Soon after we arrived on the glacier, a ten dog team with guide whisked we away on a circular tour around the dog camp. The dogs were excited and love running and pulling the sled.  We had a great time and highly recommend this excursion. Absolutely unforgettable.

In the evening we boarded an Allen Marine Tour boat for whale watching. Unfortunately, the whales did not cooperate, so we didn’t see much. Nevertheless, it was an enjoyable outing, and once again, the crew was friendly and helpful. Although some folks groused about the lack of significant whale activity, we did see a few, it’s important to remember that these are wild animals in their natural element. We weren’t at Sea World.

Icy Strait Point Alaska

Look Ma; People.

Our day in Icy Strait Point was very short. We arrived at 7am and departed at 2pm. Although this was our first visit to this port of call, it has claimed a spot on the top of our list of places we’ll return to sometime in the future. We decided to split up at this port. My wife took a cooking class, and I took a combination sea and land tour. My wife enjoyed her class, especially learning about how the locals not only survive Alaskan winters, but thrive. I had an unbelievable tour, witnessing humpback whales feeding using the bubble net technique and a breach, and getting within 30 feet of a Coastal Brown Bear sow with two cubs. One thing that makes this such a wonderful port is that it’s docking facility and on shore activities are small. So small, that it cannot accept large ships of more than one ship at a time. This fact, combined with the friendly people and and diversity of available excursions makes this a do not miss Alaskan port of call.

Anchorage Alaska

What a Train Ride

We spent Day 6 of our cruise at sea sailing around the Kenai Peninsula on our way to Anchorage. Once we arrived in Anchorage on Day 7 we took the Spencer Glacier – Grandview Train excursion. It was a long ten hour day, but well worth the time and money. We left Anchorage on board the train at 9:45am. We were assigned to Car B and Seats 15 C & D. Unfortunately, this put us at the front edge of a picture window that spanned two rows. This restricted our view and often forced us to move about the cabin or out to the tiny platform between cars to take good photos.

This is a regularly scheduled Alaskan Railroad itinerary, not a special tourist excursion. As such, it makes stops to allow passengers to get on and off at several stops along the way. Some tourists don’t like the time wasted at these stops, but, for us, it’s all part of the experience. Our journey took us along the shore of the Turnagain Arm, with stops at Girdwood and Portage before traveling through the tunnel to Whittier. After a short stay in Whitter, the train retraced its route to Portage, then went to the Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop and beyond through the Placer River Valley to the Grandview stop. The scenery was fantastic and we caught quick glimpses of wildlife as we rolled along to include a moose and a black bear.

The Boozing

We purchased the 8 bottle Cellar Number 2 Wine package which lasted us for the entire two week cruise. Our favorites from the package were the Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling and the Meiomi Pinot Noir. I purchased beer from time to time to accompany some meals, usually when we chose hamburgers for lunch. My go-to beer was the Alaskan Amber from the Alaskan Brewing Company. At one time or another while cruising Alaska I have tried all of the beers and ales from Alaskan Brewing Company, so I did not feel compelled to try anything besides the amber.

While we were in Juneau I stopped in at the Almalga Distillery and the Red Dog Saloon. The Almalga Distillery is a very small operation that makes a very nice gin using neutral grain spirits (NGS) purchased from a distillery in Anchorage. Almalga cuts the proof of the the NGS by about half, then re-distills it along with a botanical basket to make their gin. The Red Dog is an iconic saloon that dates back to the gold rush days. It serves good food and good drinks, and has a souvenir shop with a wide variety of Red Dog merchandise.

I’ll publish Week 2 of our Cruising and Boozing trip soon. Stay tuned.

Maker’s Mark – Behind the Mark Tour

The Booze Cruzer
Spirits safes at Maker's Mark

This was the second distillery tour we enjoyed on our Kentucky Thoroughbred and Bourbon Land Cruise in May 2018. The tour cost us $40 apiece and, unfortunately, wasn’t worth the price. I expected this would be a deep dive into the technical and production details of Marker’s Mark along the lines of the Woodford Reserve tour. Alas, it was little more than a standard consumer tour that lacked technical details and was more about marketing talking points. The only bonus was two commemorative Maker’s Mark wax dipped rock glasses. Otherwise, it was a basic consumer tour.

Maker’s Mark Ingredients

Barrel Number 1
The very first barrel of Marker’s Mark.

Maker’s Mark uses the same four basic ingredients as every other distiller, namely water, grain, yeast, and the barrels. However, unlike most other bourbons, Maker’s Mark uses wheat as their flavoring grain instead of rye. The mash bill for all Maker’s Mark bourbons is 70% corn, 16% soft red winter wheat from Peterson Farms in Kentucky, and 14% malted barley from Wisconsin. Using wheat results in a sweeter and milder final product, which many people find appealing. My father introduced me to this bourbon and it was the first bourbon I tried drinking without any ice, mixer, or water. It was immensely smooth and easy to drink and quickly became my favorite bourbon. However, over time, my preferences have evolved to more flavorful and robust choices such as Henry McKenna Single Barrel Bottled in Bond. Maker’s Mark propagates its own yeast using a strain our guide told us dated back to 1844. Once again, consistency is the driving force behind the use of this in house propagated yeast. The water source for Maker’s Mark is a nearby 10 acre lake. The water is filtered for mashing and demineralized for adjusting the whisky’s proof for barreling and bottling. Like most Kentucky distilleries, Marker’s Mark purchases its barrels from the Independent Stave Company. The white oak barrels are not toasted and are charred for about 40 seconds. This results in a char of between # 2 and # 3.

The Whiskey Making Process

The process begins with grinding then cooking the grains. All grains are ground on site to the Master Distiller’s specifications using a roll mill instead of a hammer mill. Our guide explained that the roll mill produces a more consistent ground product than the hammer will, which helps produce a more consistent final product. Product consistency is one of the hallmarks of that Maker’s Mark says sets it apart from other bourbons. Once the mash is cooked it is pumped to one of the distillery’s many fermentation tanks. Although Marker’s Mark does use 8 old fashioned cypress wood tanks, most of the mash ends up in one of its 62 modern stainless steel tanks. Like most bourbon distillers, Maker’s Mark uses the sour mash technique. So, as the cooked mash is added to the fermenting tank, some of the back-set, or sour mash, from an earlier distilling run is added. Like so many parts of the Marker’s Mark process, using the sour mash technique leads to product consistency. After fermenting for three days, the resulting distiller’s beer is pumped into one of three identical Vendome column stills.

Sampling New Make
I get to sample new make right off the pot still. Two thumbs up.

Each of these 38 foot stills contain 17 plates and produce low wine whisky at about 120 proof. The low wines from each column still are pumped to their matching Vendome pot still, also known as a doubler. The finished new make or white dog from the pot stills is about 130 proof. Generally speaking, the higher the proof the less the flavor. Distilling to 130 proof means they are keeping more of the flavors they worked so hard to create during fermentation than if they distilled up to the legal limit for bourbon of 160 proof. As the new make comes off the pot still a bit of demineralized water is added to bring the proof down to 110. This is a lower proof than many of its competitors, and means that the whisky is extracting fewer tannins from the barrel during aging. Fewer tannins means less wood flavors, and leads to the smoother, easier drinking final product for which Maker’s Mark is known. The barrels of new make are stored in the top of one of the distillery’s 7 story rickhouses where they stay for about 3 years. The distillery then rotates the barrels to the middle of bottom of the rickhouse to finish aging. Most barrels are removed from the rickhouse for bottling after aging somewhere between 5 ½ years and 6 ¾ years. Most distilleries do not rotate their barrels, preferring instead to mix barrels from various parts of different rickhouses to get to their desired flavor profile. Marker’s Mark takes this labor intensive and therefore costly approach in order to achieve that prized consistent color, taste, and aroma profile. Our last stop on the tour was the bottling line where we watched the bottles being hand dipped into Marker’s Mark signature wax.

The Tasting

Wax Dipped Rock Glasses
Wax Dipped Rock Glasses

No distillery tour is complete without a tasting. Our tasting consisted of six different samples; standard Maker’s Mark, their premium Marker’s 46, immature or green Maker’s Mark, over mature or spoiled Marker’s Mark, fresh new make, and their Mint Julip specialty drink. I was underwhelmed with both Marker’s Mark products. There is nothing wrong with them, I just have grown to enjoy bourbons with stronger taste and aroma profiles. I didn’t enjoy the immature or over mature samples and wondered why we were even presented with them. Perhaps they just wanted to get rid of some mistakes. The new make was interesting since it will one day grow up into full mature Marker’s Mark. Like it’s older and ready to drink siblings, it was smooth, but without much flavor. I was also underwhelmed by the Mint Julip, preferring to ask a friendly bartender to make one from scratch.

Overall, this was a positive tour experience and I learned quite a bit about Marker’s Mark. However, unless you really want those wax dipped glasses, I recommend the standard tour instead of the Behind the Mark tour.

Woodford Reserve Distillery – Corn to Cork Tour

The Booze Cruzer

Corn to Cork Tour

The Booze Cruzer at the Woodford Reserve Distillery
The Booze Cruzer at the Woodford Reserve Distillery

As I mentioned in my Kentucky trip overview post a few weeks ago, I paid $30 for the two hour Woodford Reserve Corn to Cork Tour and tasting. The tour was definitely worth the $30 and I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in making whiskey. Our guide, a young woman named Stacy, was extremely well versed in the details of the distillery and its operation. She was able to answer all but one question which made this tour the most informative tour of all the tours we enjoyed on this trip.

The only question she left unanswered concerned the production split between the Woodford Reserve Versailles facility and the Brown-Forman distillery in Louisville. In case you were not already aware, much of the distillate that ends up in a Woodford Reserve bottle comes from the Louisville facility. The details of that production split appear to be a closely guarded corporate secret. Also, while the Versailles facility uses cypress fermentation tanks and copper pot stills, the Brown Forman Louisville facility uses stainless steel tanks and a column still.

The Ingredients for Woodford Reserve

The four essential ingredients for any whiskey are the water, the mash bill, the yeast, and the barrels. The Versailles facility uses filtered well water for distilling. This allows the master distiller to take advantage of the minerals in Kentucky’s famous limestone filtered water during fermenting. Later, when it’s time to dump the whiskey from the barrels and bottle it, Woodford Reserve uses purified water from a reverse osmosis machine to cut the whiskey to the desired bottle proof. Using this demineralized water ensures the water doesn’t affect the whiskey’s flavor or aroma profiles.

The Versailles facility uses three primary mash bills; one for bourbon, one for rye whiskey, and, one for their newest product, malt whiskey. The bourbon mash bill consists of 72% corn from a single source in Kentucky, 18% rye from suppliers located in northwest United States, and 10% malted barley also sourced from northwest US. This very high corn mash bill tends to result in a sweeter final product than bourbon with mash bills with a higher rye content such as Jim Beam Old Granddad Bourbon at 63% corn and 27% rye. The rye mash bill, at 53% rye from northwest US, 33% corn from Kentucky, and 14% malted barley from the northwest US produces a very bourbon like rye whiskey. Woodford Reserve’s newest major product is its Straight Malt Whiskey with a mash bill of 51% malted barley from northwest US, 47% Kentucky corn and 2% rye from northwest US.

Woodford Reserve propagates its own jug yeast at the Versailles facility. This yeast, which dates to 1929, is used to obtain their desired fruit and floral flavor profile. The Versailles facility receives one teaspoon of frozen stock from Brown-Forman every 3 months to ensure consistency. During the Corn to Cork Tour we were allowed into the Quality Control room and shown how they propagate the yeast. All Woodford Reserve barrels are produced at the Brown-Foreman Louisville Kentucky cooperage. The barrels are toasted before receiving a medium char.

The Whiskey Making Process at the Versailles Facility

The grain is cooked in the mash tun

All grains received at the Versailles facility are ground on site using a hammermill. The ground grains, along with well water and some of the backset from a previous distilling run, are added to the mash tun for cooking. Adding the backset, known as the sour mash technique, helps maintain the Ph of the water, adds nutrients beneficial to fermentation, and reduces water and utility costs. Once cooked, the mash is pumped into one of their 7500 gallon cypress fermentation tanks. The yeast is added and the mash is allowed to ferment for up to seven days. While Woodford Reserve’s marketing highlights the importance of the cypress to their whiskey, it is important to not lose sight of the fact that much of the Woodford Reserve product is distilled in the Louisville facility where stainless steel fermentation tanks are used. The cypress tanks have coiled steel tubes running along the inside to cool the fermenting mash to a temperature of about 85o. The folks at Woodford Reserve believe the longer fermenting duration, most distillers use three days, results in a more flavorful final product. The fermentation tanks are steam cleaned after every batch. Once fermentation is complete, the fermented mash, called distiller’s beer, is pumped to the beer well and it’s time to start distilling.

The mash is triple distilled using the three gorgeous copper pot stills. The first, called the beer still, produces a distillate at about 30 proof. As the alcohol vapor condenses it moves into a holding tank. Once a batch is ready in the holding tank, the distillate is pumped into the high wine still which raises the distillate up to about 100 proof. Some cuts are made as the distillate comes off the high wine still, but most of it is passed along to spirits still. The spirits still produces distillate at about 158 proof, which is quite high for bourbon. Most other distillers go no higher than 140 proof. Woodford Reserve cuts out most heads and cuts deeply into the tails, focusing on the hearts to give the final product its strong fruit and floral notes. The heads and tails are recycled into the next batch run to ensure the distillery extracts as much usable alcohol from each fermented batch of mash.

The finished distillate is pumped to the gauging tank where water is added to bring the proof of the product to the desired strength for barreling. The barrels of raw whiskey, whether from the Versailles or Louisville facility, are stored in Woodford Reserve’s rickhouses. Unlike most distilleries, Woodford Reserve uses steam to heat the rickhouses in cycles during winter to improve maturation. After the whiskey has aged sufficiently, the barrels are brought to the bottling line where they are dumped and the whiskey placed into a batching tank. The number of barrels, and whether they originated at the Versailles or Louisville facility, is managed by the distillery to achieve a consistent product that meets their standards. A typical batch contains between 120 to 140 barrels. The whiskey is chill filtered to remove compounds which can cause the whiskey to become cloudy during storage and transportation.

The Tasting

After the Corn to Cork tour was complete we returned to the visitor center to taste three Woodford Reserve products; Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Bourbon, and Woodford Reserve Straight Rye. I was underwhelmed with the bourbon and rye, but absolutely loved the Double Oaked Bourbon.

This was a fantastic tour experience, due in large part to our guide Stacy’s deep and broad knowledge of the distillery. I highly recommend taking this tour instead of the standard consumer tour. It’s well worth the $30 fee.

Executive Bourbon Steward Course at Moonshine University

The Booze Cruzer
Booze Cruzer at Moonshine University

I attended the Stave and Thief Society’s Executive Bourbon Steward class at Moonshine University in May 2018 as part of my Kentucky Thoroughbred and Bourbon Land Cruise. This is an all-day course consisting of classroom instruction and hands-on opportunities in the university’s working distillery.

Moonshine University at the Distilled Spirits Epicenter

The university is housed in the former Hagan Auto and Tire Shop, and is co-located with the Distilled Spirits Epicenter. The single story building is fairly small, about 4,500 square feet, and parking is very limited. The classroom area comfortably accommodated our class of 23 students. However, the still house was a bit cramped, with considerable jockeying around so we could all see what was going on.

The university’s official mission statement is to “Provide technical training and business management education for start-ups, industry professionals, and those looking for careers in the distilling industry.” What that means to me, based on my day there, is achieving two key objectives.

  1. Supporting the emerging craft distilling industry with educational and mentoring opportunities. As an example, the 6-Day Distiller Course at $6,250.00 covers a wide range of topics from how to get started in the craft distilling industry to how to distill rum, whiskey, vodka, and more.
  2. Supporting the overall bourbon industry, i.e., the mega producers and the craft distillers, by educating individuals in the hospitality industry.

As I noted in last post, my day at MU was fun and educational. Everyone involved in teaching us were experts in the field, and ensured all of us had the opportunity to earn our Executive Bourbon Steward credentials.

Becoming a Stave & Thief Society Executive Bourbon Steward

       Photo Credit: Stave & Thief Society

This certification program is the official bourbon education course of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association and is designed to support the association’s goals and objectives. To me, an Executive Bourbon Steward is a bourbon advocate with the knowledge and yearning to spread and promote the good word about bourbon. Being an Executive Bourbon Steward is all about helping others enjoy and buy more bourbon.

The Executive Bourbon Steward certification builds upon the Certified Bourbon Steward course. However, the lower level certification is not a prerequisite for becoming an ESB. Our primary instructor was Colin Blake, the university’s Director of Spirits Education. He was assisted in the still house by the university’s Operations Manager Tyler Gomez-Basauri. Both men did a fantastic job of teaching us about bourbon and distilling.

The day’s instruction was broken down into three separate, but very interrelated subject areas; the Stave and Thief Society’s Bourbon Body of Knowledge, practical experience in the still house, and sensory training.

Stave and Thief Society’s Bourbon Body of Knowledge

Our Instructor Colin
Colin Blake, the university’s Director of Spirits Education, was our primary instructor

Colin was our classroom instruction throughout the day, and led us through the entire body of knowledge. Major topics areas included the various classifications of whiskey and their differences, the science and art of producing bourbon, to include aging and mingling or batching from different barrels to produce a finished product, and the history of bourbon and Kentucky’s important role in that history.

Colin provided much more detail and information about each topic than is contained in the Stave and Thief Society’s Certified Bourbon Steward book. Plus we were able to ask questions; lots and lots of questions. So many in fact that the class ran about an hour over our allotted time. Colin was very patient and answered all questions, and did not seem to mind staying late to do so.

Tastings were sprinkled throughout the day, which added variety and kept things interesting. My favorite tasting was a blind tasting of three bourbons that were distilled on the same day at the same distillery with the same mash bill then stored in identical charred oak barrels that sat side by side in the rickhouse for three years. Each smelled and tasted different, demonstrating the variability of the bourbon aging process. This also highlighted the distillers’ or blenders’ challenges in producing a consistent product that customers want to buy and drink over and over again throughout the years.

Basics of Distilling Whiskey Hands-On Experience

Dumping Grain
I get to add corn to the hammermill

Throughout the day we stepped out of the classroom and into the still house for demonstrations and hands-on work with the distilling process. Each time we went to the still house we observed one step in the distilling process, and some of us were given the opportunity to participate.

First up was the hammermill to grind corn, rye, and barley. Some members of the class, including me, poured the grain into the mill. All of us had the opportunity taste and smell each grain as after it was ground to the right size. As the grain was coming off the hammermill we observed it being added to the water in the mash tun. Once the grain was sufficiently cooked, we connected a pump to the mash tun and pumped the mash over into the fermenter.

Prior to the start of the class, Tyler had placed a low wine distillate into the still, which was now heated to begin the distilling process. As the fresh whiskey flowed up through the parrot’s beak and into the collection tank we were able to smell and taste the distillate. This allowed us to differentiate between the heads, hearts, and tails and make the cuts are the right moment (or at least close to it, give or take a bit).

Sensory Training at Flavorman

          Photo Credit: Flavorman

The classroom work was interesting and informative, and the hands-on experience in the distillery was great. I especially enjoyed tasting and smelling the fresh white dog and helping to decide when to make the cuts. However, our ability to appreciate and make sense of the tastings, and to know when to cut was enabled by our sensory training.

Our sensory training was provided by Flavorman, a separate but associated business right next door to Moonshine University. A short walk brought us to the Flavorman lab where some of the staff introduced us to the company. They then introduced us to our Bourbon Steward Sensory Training Kit, which was ours to take home. This kit retails of $250.00 in the Moonshine University or Stave and Thief Society online stores, so the $500 tuition for the day is a bit less painful. The kit is packed with 36 vials of different scents covering distillate odors such as acetaldehyde and acetone, “bourbon” aromas such as various fruits and woods, and the primary components of a bourbon mash bill such as corn and rye.

Our Flavorman sensory guides led us through the process of sampling each vial; ensuring we sniffed only – “No Sipping!”. They also helped us understand what we were smelling. A key part of this training was differentiating the distillate’s heads, hearts, and tails based solely on their unique smell. Our graduation exam was to identify each during a blind sniff test of the three samples. The staff told us that usually only 1 in 3 students would be able to pass this exam after the short sensory training we had that day. They advised us to practice at home with our kit. I am proud to say I passed the exam while there at Flavorman.

The Final Exam

Moonshine University is in this building, the Distilled Spirits Epicenter

No university course is complete without a final exam, and the Executive Bourbon Steward course is no exception. The exam contained 50 multiple choice questions that covered the full range of the day’s activities and classroom work. I passed with a 98% score. Everyone who completed the day’s activities and passed the exam received a Stave & Thief Bourbon Steward lapel pin and an Executive Bourbon Steward challenge coin.

My day at Moonshine University was a blast, and my knowledge of bourbon was tremendously enlarged and deepened. Although at $500, plus travel and lodging expenses, it was expensive, it was totally worth every penny. Colin, Tyler, the Flavorman staff, and Christin Head, the university’s Registrar, were wonderful and completely committed to ensuring all of us were entertained as well as educated. I highly recommend this course to anyone who wants to gain a significantly better understanding of America’s native spirit.

Kentucky Thoroughbred and Bourbon Land Cruise May 2018

The Booze Cruzer

 

This was my third trip to visit Kentucky, and was significantly more fun than my first two. My first, in the summer of 1974 for six weeks, was to Fort Knox. I was 17 and at the mercy of two Army Drill Sergeants. The second, in the summer of 1992 and also to Fort Knox for six weeks, was much better since I was older and a Major, but still not a fun time. They say the third time is the charm, and, for me, this trip on the Bourbon Trail certainly was.

My wife and I have traveled extensively throughout the United States, and quite a bit around the world. Kentucky is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful places we have been, filled with friendly and welcoming people. To say we had a great time is an understatement. While there we toured several horse and bourbon venues. The horses for my wife, the bourbon for me. We both enjoyed everywhere we toured. We are already planning a return visit in the not too distant future.

Horsing Around

Our base of operations for all but two nights was the Kentucky Horse Park Campground. This is a wonderful, well run facility, with 260 RV campsites. However, these sites only have power and water hook-ups. None have a sewer hook-up, so plan accordingly. They also offer RV sites with no hook-ups and primitive sites for tent campers. Campground amenities include a store, pool, bathhouses, and laundry. Everything was neat and clean, and even over the Memorial Day weekend, quiet at night.

Kentucky Horse Park

Statute of Man o' War at the Kentucky Horse Park
Statute of Man o’ War at the Kentucky Horse Park

We spent two days touring the Kentucky Horse Park (KHP), and could have spent more time there. In short, the KHP is Disneyland for horse people. The Parade of Breeds, offered twice a day, showcases various breeds from around the world. We were introduced to many breeds we had never seen before, including the Marwari. At the Hall of Champions show, also offered twice a day, we got up close and personal with retired champions such as Thoroughbreds Funny Cide, and Go for Gin, American Quarter Horse Be A Bono, Standardbred Trotter Mr. Muscleman, and Standardbred Pacers Staying Together, Won The West. We learned about draft horses and their harness at the Big Barn, and saw how Mounted Police train and operate at the Mounted Police Demonstration. We also toured the Saddlebred Museum and stopped at the numerous Memorials and Statues throughout the Park such as Man o’ War. Saturday night we watched Kentucky Spring Classic, FEI Open Jumper show, which brought in top tier competitors from around the world. The highlight however, was the International Museum of the Horse. We spent hours inside this well done museum, and could have spent even more time there. Going back is definitely on our to-do list.

Churchill Downs and Keeneland Race Tracks

Churchill Downs
Churchill Downs

No trip to Kentucky is complete without visiting at least one of these two magnificent thoroughbred racing venues, so we did both. We toured Churchill Downs visiting the paddock area and going trackside, and toured the Kentucky Derby Museum. Both are well worth the money. Keeneland wasn’t open for racing during our visits, but we were able to drive around the property and snap a few photos of this beautiful facility.

On the Bourbon Trail

Seeing and learning more about horses was wonderful, but the reason the Booze Cruzer was in Kentucky was … BOURBON. First stop, Moonshine University, yes gentle reader, there really is a Moonshine University.

Moonshine University – Executive Bourbon Steward Course

The Pot Still at Moonshine University
The Pot Still at Moonshine University

The the Executive Bourbon Steward Course is offered under the auspices of the Stave and Thief Society and in partnership with the Kentucky Distillers Association. This is an all-day course consisting of classroom instruction and hands-on opportunities in the university’s working distillery. As soon as I returned to our hotel room after class was over my wife asked me if I had a good time – yes I did – and if the day was worth the $500 tuition – yes it was. Yes, it was expensive, but I learned so much, and I’m sure the other 22 students did as well. The day’s coursework covered a deep dive into the Stave and Thief Society’s bourbon body of knowledge, the basics of distilling whiskey, and sensory training. I’ll provide many more details in future blog post.

Woodford Reserve Distillery – Corn to Cork Tour

Our guide, Stacy, shows us the deep color of Woodford Reserve straight from the barrel
Our guide, Stacy, shows us the deep color of Woodford Reserve straight from the barrel

I took the $30 Corn to Cork tour at Woodford Reserve. This was a very informative two hour tour that culminated in a tasting session back at the Visitor Center. This was without a doubt the most information filled tour of all the tours I took on this trip. The three gorgeous copper pot stills in the old stone still house are an impressive sight. Our guide, Stacy, was extremely knowledgeable and able to answer almost any technical or production question I posed. The only question she left unanswered concerned the production split between the Woodford Reserve Versailles facility and the Brown-Forman distillery in Louisville. In case you were not already aware, most of the distillate that ends up in a Woodford Reserve bottle comes from the Louisville facility. The highlight of the tour for me was the tasting since I had never sampled any Woodford Reserve product. I wasn’t overly impressed by the standard Woodford Reserve Bourbon, or their Rye whiskey. However, the Double Oaked Woodford Reserve Bourbon blew my socks off. Even my wife, who normally shuns whiskey, liked the Double Oaked. I’ll provide many more details on this tour in future blog post.

Maker’s Mark – Behind the Mark Tour

Maker's Mark Spirits Safes
Maker’s Mark Spirits Safes

At Maker’s Mark I opted for the $40 Beyond the Mark tour. I expected this would be a deep dive into the technical and production details of Marker’s Mark along the lines of the Woodford Reserve tour. Alas, it was little more than a standard consumer tour that lacked technical details and was more about marketing talking points. The only bonus was two commemorative Maker’s Mark wax dipped rock glasses. The highlight of the trip was tasting fresh off the still new make aka white dog from a dipper that the tour guide passed around. I’ll be providing more details on this tour in future blog post.

Jim Beam – Behind the Beam Tour

Fred Noe Speaks to our Group
Fred Noe Speaks to our Group

This tour is only offered a few time each year, and at $199 per person is downright expensive. However, Fred Noe the Master Distiller himself and his son and heir apparent Freddie Noe, spent about 2 1/2 hours with our group. The tour of the distillery, conducted by Jessica, the Trade and Hospitality Manager, was informative and extremely well done. Fred and Freddie Noe joined the group at the rickhouse. Both were down to earth, plain spoken, willing to share personal and business stories, and just plain fun to be around. Each guest on the tour came away with a bottle of bourbon signed by Fred and Freddie, and some of us purchased a second bottle which was also signed.

I learned a lot about the distillery, their product line, and their family. Really a great visit and well worth the money. I’ll be providing more details on this tour in future blog post.

Wild Turkey – Standard Consumer Tour

Master Distiller Jimmy Russell signs my bottle of Rare Breed
Master Distiller Jimmy Russell signs my bottle of Rare Breed

I hadn’t planned on touring Wild Turkey, but it was on our way home from touring historic Fort Boonesborough State Park, and we still had time to catch the last tour of the day. This tour is free for military, a nice touch that I really appreciated. The tour is your usual basic consumer tour, i.e., herd the tourists along from point to point, imparting marketing gems at each stop, with samples of three products at the end. No complaints, this tour achieves what it ought to do. The surprise bonus was the opportunity to meet Jimmy Russell, the Master Distiller, in the visitor center where he was signing bottles. Jimmy was accommodating to everyone who came to him with a bottle, signing and posing for photos. He seemed the genuinely enjoy interacting with everyone.

Buffalo Trace Distillery

Some of the many Buffalo Trace Products
Some of the many Buffalo Trace Products

Like Wild Turkey, this was a last minute addition to our itinerary, and we took the basic consumer tour. Buffalo Trace offers all of its tours free of charge, which combined with touring on a Saturday meant the place was packed with tourists eager to see the distillery and taste their products. We waited almost an hour after getting our tickets before our tour started. Our tasting was limited to two of the four products they offered, and was a cattle call at the bar affair. Not my cup of tea, or glass of bourbon, but the tour achieves what it ought to do, and the price cannot be beat.

Touring the Jack Daniels Cooperage in Trinity, Alabama

The Booze Cruzer
Barrel Number One from the Jack Daniels Copperage

Touring the Jack Daniels Cooperage

I recently had the privilege of touring the Jack Daniels Cooperage in Trinity, Alabama for two hours, as part of a group from the Alabama Forest Owners’ Association. Brown-Forman opened this cooperage in July 2014. It is designed to produce 1200 barrels a day for a total of 285,000 barrels each year. All of the cooperage’s output is shipped to the Jack Daniels Distillery in Tennessee. Compare this to the output of the Jack Daniels Distillery in the 1890s when they produced 8 barrels a day and had only 6,000 barrels aging in their warehouses.

The Plant Manager, Darrell, gave us an introductory briefing, and showed us a short video that provided a good overview of the role the cooperage plays in the production of Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey, and the basic steps in barrel making. Bryon, one of the Team Leaders, then took us on a guided tour of the plant. He showed us every step in the process, except for the toasting process, which is proprietary and protected from prying eyes. Both men were gracious and extremely informative. It was also evident that both men were extremely proud of their plant and its role in producing Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey.

We were very fortunate to be able to tour the plant. Unlike the distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee, the cooperage is not open to the general public for tours. Our group was allowed to tour the plant due to our role in providing the white oak timber the plant uses to make the barrels.

This cooperage is one of two cooperages owned and operated by the Brown-Foreman Corporation, the owner of the Jack Daniels brand and distillery. The firm’s other cooperage, the Brown-Foreman Cooperage, is located in Louisville, KY, and provides barrels to Jack Daniels as well as other Brown-Foreman distilleries. The Jack Daniels Cooperage in Trinity exclusively supports the Jack Daniels Distillery.

Role of the Barrel in Making Whiskey

The Whiskey Line
The Whiskey Line

Aging whiskey in new charred oak barrels is what turns the clear, raw alcohol that comes out of the still, with all its rough edges, into the amber colored smooth tasting drink we love. In fact, many people believe the barrel is the most important ingredient in making American whiskeys. One caveat however, when talking about Tennessee Whiskey, such as Jack Daniels. In Tennessee, they believe, and in my opinion rightfully so, in the value of the Lincoln County Process in making smooth sipping Tennessee Whiskey. Nevertheless, the barrel adds one hundred percent of the color to whiskey, and the majority, perhaps as much as eighty percent, of the flavor. In other words, without aging the alcohol in a charred oak barrel you wouldn’t have whiskey, you’d have a liquid commonly known as White Dog.

Sitting in the warehouse, known as a rickhouse in the whiskey industry, the barrels and their contents, are subjected changes in weather. It is these seasonal changes, with alternating cooling and warming periods that drive the whiskey into and out of the wooden staves of the barrels. Sometimes the whiskey seeps all the way out leaving marks on the sides of the barrel and giving the angels their share. However, typically, the whiskey only moves part way into the wood leaving a discernible “whiskey line”, as shown in this photo of a stave from a used whiskey barrel. As the whiskey moves in and out, it leaves behind undesirable flavors and picks up good tasting flavors such as vanilla and caramel. I’ll cover the miracle of barrel maturation in a future blog post.

Barrel Components

"J" Rivets on the Hoops to Designate the Barrel was Made at the Jack Daniels Cooperage
“J” Rivets

A standard 53 gallon whiskey barrel produced at this cooperage is a rather simple object. They consist of only a few major components; two barrel heads, 31 to 33 staves, and six steel hoops. One stave has a bunghole, into which a maple bung is hammered once the barrel is filled with raw whiskey. In a bit of an unusual twist the Brown-Forman Cooperages use especially marked rivets to identify its barrels. Each rivet head on a Jack Daniels Cooperage barrel is marked with a “J”. Barrels from the Brown-Forman Cooperage are marked with a “B”.

Steps in Barrel Making

These steps are mostly in order, as performed at the Jack Daniels Cooperage. Most steps are accomplished sequentially, in a serial fashion, but some are performed in parallel.

The first step is to season the raw staves the plant receives from the stave factory. The staves are stored outside in large stacks for up to nine months. This ensures that the staves are dry and free from sap which would impart an unpleasant taste to the whiskey. The seasoned unfinished staves are brought inside the cooperage and milled either into barrel staves or pieces for the barrel heads. During this process, the staves are repeatedly inspected throughout the milling process to reject any stave that would result in a leaky barrel.

A Barrel Raiser at Jack Daniels Cooperage Adds Two More Staves to the Barrel He is Making
A Barrel Raiser Adds Two More Staves to the Barrel He is Making

Once the head is formed one side is charred in a special oven. In a separate part of the cooperage, raw steel coil is cut to size, shaped into hoops, and riveted to form the hoops. The milled staves are brought to a barrel raiser, the worker who will build the barrel. The raiser selects each stave and places them, two by two, into the barrel making jig. (see photo). The last stave is the most important. It must fit snugly to prevent leakage, but cannot be too tight which would result in an oversized barrel which would cause storage problems in the rickhouse. The raiser places temporary bands around the top and bottom of the barrel. At this point, only the staves at the bottom of the barrel touch each other. The staves must be steamed to allow them to be bent into the full barrel shape and to prevent microscopic cracks from forming which would result in leaks.

Once the staves are steamed, the top of the barrel is bent into shape, and secured with a temporary band. At this point, the incomplete barrel has that familiar barrel shape, but is open at top and bottom, and no permanent hoops have yet been applied. It is now time to run the barrel through the toaster. The Jack Daniels Cooperage uses a proprietary toasting process that, they say, increases the barrel’s impact on the flavor of the whiskey during aging. During toasting the barrel is slowly and carefully heated over an extended period of time. This ensures the barrel doesn’t catch fire – that will come later. Toasting permanently sets the bend into the staves, and produces a compound called lignin that helps to flavor the whiskey. According to Jack Daniels, the deeper the toast, the more flavors the whiskey can extract from the wood.

Charring the Barrel at Jack Daniels Cooperage
Charring the Barrel

After toasting, the barrel moves on to the char station. The barrels are placed over a gas flame that heats the inside of the barrel to over 1500oF. After burning for about 13 seconds the barrels move over a water jet that extinguishes the flames. This results in the optimal layer of carbon, and the “red layer” just below the char, which combine to produce all of the color and most of the flavor you enjoy when sipping Jack Daniels.

Once charred, the barrels move to the Cozier machine which shaves the barrel staves to the correct length. An angled groove, called a chime, is then cut into the top and bottom edges of the barrel into which the heads are then set. At this point the first two permanent hoops are applied, one at each end of the barrel. The remaining four hoops, the quarter and bilge hoops, are now applied. The worker at the next workstation drills the bunghole and inserts a temporary rubber plug. He then injects a few gallons of water and air pressure into the barrel to test for water tightness. If all is well the barrel, still with the temporary bung and water, is loaded onto a truck for shipment to the Jack Daniels Distillery where it is filled with about 53 gallons of raw Jack Daniels whiskey and laid to age in one of their many rickhouses.

My visit to the Jack Daniels Cooperage has given me new insights into the importance of the barrel aging process in making American whiskey, especially Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey. I am grateful to Brown-Forman and the Alabama Forest Owners’ Association for arranging this tour for those of us who attended the association’s recent annual conference at Joe Wheeler State Park in Rogersville, AL.

Cheers – The Booze Cruzer

Distilled spirits, wines, and beers are a delight to enjoy, but when misused can destroy lives.

Please drink and enjoy responsibly.