About Jim Beam Black Label Bourbon Whiskey

Jim Beam Whiskey is one of the most recognizable American bourbons in the world. Drawn from a late 18th-century recipe, Jim Beam symbolizes the smooth taste and unique experience of a good bourbon. Further refinement, including longer aging, has improved Jim Beam's product into what it calls "Black Label" whiskey.

History

Bourbon is a member of the whiskey (or whisky) family and a distant cousin to Scotch whisky. Whiskey is a distilled spirit derived from the fermentation of a grain--usually corn, wheat, barley or rye. The resulting spirit is clear in color when it is drawn into wood, usually oak casks or barrels. The product is then aged for a period of time (as short as two years or as long as eight or more years) where it begins to lose some of its alcoholic concentration, pick up its signature brown color and acquire its distinctive tastes. Whiskey is typically spelled with the "e" when it is an American or Irish product, and without the "e" when it is a Scottish or Canadian product, but there are some variations. Jim Beam Black Label is a Bourbon Whiskey.

Significance

In order for a whiskey to be called a Bourbon, it must meet U.S. legal requirements. First, distillers must use at least 51% corn in the fermentation process, though most bourbons are higher than that--up to 75% corn. Second, the spirit distilled from the corn must be aged at least two years in white oak barrels that have been charred on the inside. Charring acts as a filter and a mellower for the rough spirit as well as facilitates the penetration of the spirit into the wood. Jim Beam Black Label Bourbon Whiskey includes a portion of the previous batch's fermenting corn and grain mix, called the "mash," in the next batch's fermentation process. This held-back portion is called a "sour mash," and operates on the same principle as sour-dough bread; it produces a more unique flavor, the yeast tends to have the same DNA strands and therefore is more consistent in producing a good bourbon. The yeast used for Jim Beam Black Label is 75 years old.

Function

Though not specified in the law, every bourbon producer distills their bourbon twice. When the mash is first introduced to the water and yeast, the result is a "distiller's beer" which is light, foamy and very yeasty. The temperature of the "brewer's beer" is warm enough to cause the alcohol vapors to rise out of the mix but not so hot as to cause the beer to boil. The vapor travels up a copper tube and is cooled. This process results in what is called a "low wine" and is a 125 proof (62.5% alcohol by volume) clear liquid. The second distillation produces a 135 proof (67.5% alcohol) product called "high wine," which is then drained into the barrels for aging. Up to this point, Jim Beam's Black Label is produced the same way any other bourbon is produced.

Types

The U.S. Law also requires aging of bourbon for at least two years in a charred, white oak cask. Typically, Jim Beam's regular batch bourbon, also called the "White Label" bourbon, is aged in oak casks for four years and the result is a caramel brown with an orange tinge liquid that is 80 proof (40% alcohol) when bottled. The premium bourbon Jim Beam produces, the "Black Label," is aged twice as long: eight years. When it is bottled, the alcohol content is 86 proof (43% alcohol) with a deeper color and more distinct flavor.

Misconceptions

It is a misconception that all bourbon whiskeys must be produced in Bourbon county, Kentucky. While it is true that the beverage gains its name from that region, distilleries of Jim Beam whiskey operate outside of the county and in some cases, outside of the state. Kentucky, however, is unique in the properties it conveys to the ware; the natural limestone shelf that most of Kentucky sits upon produces a water that has a high calcium content. While most people would not want hard water for their home or business, calcified water is excellent for distilling bourbon as it adds certain characteristics to the beverage, such as sweetness. 95% of Jim Beam's distilleries operate within Kentucky for this reason.

Resources

• Jim Beam website
• What is Bourbon? website
• Wise geek web page for Whiskey