Author: sharring

Six Jefferson’s Bourbon Recipes That Are Great For Spring

Posted on by sharring

Everyone loves bourbon in the winter season. Hot toddies will give your ears a warming effect on cold and snowy nights. There isn’t anything like using a little bit of rye or bourbon to beef up your coffee on a snowy morning, but bourbon can also be used in a drinks for warmer weather as well.

Spring is coming soon with warmer months and we can almost have a taste of the rainy days of March and April. This season pairs well with with bourbon. You’ve likely been drinking Jefferson’s spirits throughout the winter, stirred into cozy-looking cocktails or warmed in hot drinks, but it deserves continuous attention even in the sunnier months. So, we have provided some recipes of Jefferson’s Bourbon to anticipate for the spring.

1. American Relay

Type of Drink: Martini

Ingredients

  • Three and a half oz. of Jefferson’s Bourbon

  • One and a half oz. of peach liquor

  • Two dash(es) of bitters

How to prepare

All you need to do is to pack ice into a glass. Pour all the ingredients into a shaker, then add the ice into the shaker. After it is set, strain the mixture into a martini glass.

2. Barefoot Tom

Type of drink: cocktail

Ingredients

  • Two oz. of Jefferson’s Bourbon

  • Six Concord grapes

  • One dash simple syrup

How to prepare

Muddle all the Concord grapes into a rock glass. Pack ice into the glass, then add simple syrup and Jefferson’s Bourbon. You can strain and serve up, or you can serve in the rocks.

3. Jefferson’s Brown & Stormy

Type of drink: cocktail

Ingredients

  • Two oz. of Jefferson’s Bourbon

  • Eight oz. of ginger beer

How to prepare

Put ice into a glass, pour Jefferson’s Bourbon over the ice. After that, add ginger ale, then stir the mixture.

4. Jefferson’s Declaration

Type of drink: cocktail

Ingredients

  • Two oz. of Jefferson’s Bourbon

  • Three-quarter oz. of peach liquor

  • Three-quarter oz. of sugar cane rum

Instructions

Add ice into a mixing glass. Pour Jefferson’s Bourbon, the peach liquor, and the sugar cane rum into the glass. Stir the mixture, then strain into a chilled flute glass.

5. Jefferson’s Old Fashioned

Type of drink: cocktail

Ingredients

  • Three dash(es) bitters

  • One teaspoon of water

  • One cube of sugar

  • Three oz. of Jefferson’s Bourbon

  • One slice of orange

  • One Maraschino cherries

How to prepare

Put the sugar cube in the old fashioned glass, then muddle the water and bitters into it with the use of a teaspoon’s back. Add some ice cubes into the glass (not too full), then pour Jefferson’s Bourbon. You can then garnish the mixture using the cherry and the orange slice. Serve the drink with a swindle stick.

6. Allegheny Cocktail

Type of drink: cocktail

Ingredients

  • Three oz. of Jefferson’s Bourbon

  • One oz. of dry vermouth

  • One oz. of blackberry brandy

  • One oz. of lemon juice

  • Lemon peel

How to prepare

Add all the ingredients into a shaker, apart from the peel. Shake the mixture well, then strain it into a glass. After that, garnish it using a lemon peel twist.

All You Need to Know About Jefferson’s Bourbon

Posted on by sharring

Jefferson’s is a brand that was established by Trey and Chet Zoeller in the year 1997. They had the intention of continuing the tradition of their family, which goes back to the eighth generation of Trey’s grandma in the year 1799 for the “making and sales of spirituous liquors.” Jefferson’s has the dedication of moving the barriers of the way bourbon is defined, while still making their tradition stand.

This brand bottles a lot of different types of rye and bourbon, and they constantly experiment with new processes and blends, which challenges the classic thinking of what bourbon and rye can be.

Jefferson’s Bourbon has not had a home until quite recently. They’ve been able to create pretty cool barrels of bourbon in these years, and this makes it one which brand loyalists love. Presently, they have a home at Kentucky Artisan Distillery (KAD), which is in Crestwood, Kentucky.

The partnership between Jefferson’s and Kentucky Artisan Distillery has allowed Jefferson’s to start bottling and batching many of their products there. Many of the Jefferson’s experimental products are aged at KAD. Even though a majority of the distillation at Kentucky Artisan Distillery will go to Jefferson’s, they’ll still go to other distilleries to source for whiskey. The corn and the rye that is used for the barrels produced at KAD are grown at a Waldeck Farm, less than a mile away from KAD.

Literally, since Kentucky Artisan Distillery became the home of Jefferson’s, one of the biggest changes is the fact that they now offer tours of the facility. There’re also several fantastic things that you can see, which will make your inner bourbon geek delighted. They give tours 7 days a week at different prices.

Kentucky Artisan Distillery is proud of doing several parts of Jefferson’s brand’s process, which includes distilling, blending, aging, bottling, and also assisting in ensuring that most of their experimental projects become a success. The partnership between Jefferson’s and Kentucky Artisan Distillery is actually a perfect one.

Jefferson’s products you can learn about at Kentucky Artisan Distillery:

Foundation

  • Jefferson’s Very Small Batch
  • Jefferson’s Presidential Select
  • Jefferson’s Reserve
  • Jefferson’s Rye Whiskey

Innovation

  • Jefferson’s Ocean
  • Jefferson’s Chef’s Collaboration
  • Jefferson’s Ocean, Cask Strength
  • Esquire and Jefferson’s Barrel-Aged Manhattan
  • Jefferson’s Wood Experiment

Cask Finishes

  • Jefferson’s Pritchard Hill Cabernet Cask Finished
  • Jefferson’s Grand Selection Chateau Pichon Baron Cask Finish
  • Jefferson’s Grand Selection Chateau Suduiraut Sauternes Cask Finish
  • Jefferson’s Groth Cask Finish

What to expect on a typical tour of Kentucky Artisan Distillery?

Posted on by sharring

If you want to have a kentucky trail experience, the best start for you is in Oldham County, Kentucky at the Kentucky Artisan Distillery, based in Crestwood, Kentucky. This distillery serves as the home for Jefferson’s Bourbon, Whiskey Row, and Billy Goat Strut, and you’ll be able to have a taste of many bourbon blends while you’re on the KAD tour.

While you’re on this tour, you’ll have an experience of an authentic bourbon distillery, just like you’re a distiller yourself. Kentucky Artisan Distillery was established initially as only a distillery; then they later added tours. Each tour gets an up-close and personal experience of the original equipment, including some from the pre-Prohibition-era. You won’t get a view of everything from a glass window – you will get the chance to walk through their lab, which will give you the opportunity to ask their distillers questions you need answers to. As a guest, you’ll get the chance to have an interaction with the brains behind these brands which call Kentucky Artisan Distillery home. A number of guests get the chance to meet their owner, Steve Thompson, their head distiller, Jade Peterson, and even the founder of Jefferson’s, Trey Zoeller.

On your tour of this place, you’ll see the whole process of making bourbon. You’ll have a view of their milling area, malting room, lab, tasting room, bottling room, and their distillery (the place where all the stills, fermenter, and cookers are placed). You should be aware that they’re a contract distillery, so they may not always have the bottling machines running during the period you visit. If you would rather have a private tour, you can just reach out to them, and they’ll put you through the process.

Even though this place is smaller compared to other distilleries, they’re equipped with an incredibly knowledgeable and friendly staff, and the place is enjoyable, which will make you forget about the size of the distillery. You also get the chance to buy high-quality bourbon to take home with you.

The tour guides here will provide you with an excellent overview of the bourbons you sample and also explain the precise story behind each expression that you taste. The tastings will help you learn and develop your tastes to very high-quality bourbons.

The scheduled time for their tours are:

  • Mondays to Saturdays between 10 am – 4 pm
  • Sundays between 12 pm – 4 pm.

You should note that tours begin at the peak of each hour, the last tour is one hour prior to closing and the tours last about 45 minutes to one hour.

Pricing

  • Adults – $12
  • Veterans and Active Military – $6
  • Children – Free.

Even though you can bring your children on the tour, anyone below the age of 21 would obviously not be allowed to have tastings, but they will receive their choice of a soft drink.

They recommend that every tour guests wear closed-toe shoes, because the tour will guide you around their working distillery. You should be aware that the distillery is very warm in the summer season, so you should plan accordingly.

This distillery also has a gift shop where you can purchase souvenirs featuring Kentucky bourbon and branded merchandise. You can also buy bottles of bourbon to take home with you. Please note that the bottles available are determined by the product release schedule and the time of the year.

When it comes to Kentucky tourism, this is a tour experience you wouldn’t want to miss, and your bourbon tourism will not be complete without a visit to KAD. Take a tour of this place, and you’ll be glad you did!

What makes Kentucky Artisan Distillery such a unique place in the world of bourbon distilleries?

Posted on by sharring

Kentucky Artisan Distillery houses several brands of bourbon, which makes them a fantastic place to visit if you are interesting in trying several different types of bourbon in one visit. Apart from making Whiskey Row Bourbon, they presently keep busy with a brand of bourbon that’s named after the 3rd president – Jefferson’s Bourbon.

Jefferson’s Bourbon is a brand that was established in 1997 by Trey Zoeller, who is a native of Louisville, Kentucky. Even though this brand has not had any home till quite recent, over the years, they’ve had the chance to purchase some barrels of bourbon, which are pretty impressive, thereby making the brand the choice of brand loyalists. They’ve now found a home, which is at the Kentucky Artisan Distillery in Crestwood, Kentucky.

Kentucky Artisan Distillery was established in the year 2012, which was after Brown-Forman alum Steve Thompson thought about helping people “bottle their dreams.”

This distillery doesn’t only house Jefferson’s Bourbon, but it also houses Whiskey Row and Billy Goat Strut. When you go on a tour in this distillery, you’ll have the chance to taste these three blends, as well as several other varieties of Jefferson’s bourbons. The tour of this distillery is different from other craft tours in Kentucky. You will belly up to a vintage Pewee Valley bank teller window to do your tasting as you study several barrels of distinctive bourbon concoctions like the Chef’s Collaboration with Ed Lee, the famous chef, restaurateur, and TV star.

In the industry of craft distillery, Kentucky Artisan Distillery is a unique place. When you visit KAD, it’ll show you the true side of Kentucky craft distilling. This distillery is led by Jade Peterson, who is their Head Distiller. Their team of distillers operates a distillery that doesn’t make use of iPads or other technology; instead, they make use of their senses to be aware of the moment a particular batch is finished.

Their several variants of historic spirits items vary from moonshining stills and pre-Prohibition bottles to old cooperage tools to a turn-of-the-century travelling still. These pieces come right from here in Kentucky, and other parts of the world, and span from the early 18th to modern production. A number of their historical pieces are actually used in production at the KAD distillery.
KAD is one of the prettiest stops on Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour. Immerse yourself into the details of the technical, chemical, mechanical, and “sensory” steps of making Kentucky bourbon whiskey the traditional way.

This is all available to see in their distillery, that is open to the public. Tours run between Monday and Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, and on Sundays from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Tours begin at the start of every hour, which is free for children, $12 for adults, and costs $6 for veterans, active military and first responders.

The environment is well decorated, it is very quaint, and a beautiful place in general. They also have a friendly staff, great distillers, awesome liquor, and a neat bottling area. You might even get a chance to sample bourbons in their hidden “speakeasy” room.

Their tour guides are bourbon experts who can guide people through their distillery and answer all questions asked about their distillery, their brands, or Bourbon in general.

Classic Holiday Drinks with Bourbon

Posted on by sharring

It isn’t the holidays without a few classic holiday drinks. They have a special way of putting people in the holiday mood plus they’re undeniably delicious. When it comes to the classics like cider, eggnog, hot toddy, and hot chocolate, selecting the right spirit to add is key.

Bourbon & Apple Cider

Bourbon and apple cider never fail to make a delicious cocktail and Jefferson’s Very Small Batch is an excellent choice. Its complex approachability pairs perfectly with the robust apple flavor of a quality cider. Alternatively, you can make a cocktail reminiscent of cider mulled wine with Jefferson’s Grand Selection Chateau Suduiraut Sauternes Cask Finish.

Egg Nog

For egg nog, you want to go with a spirit that plays up the warmth of the spices used in the rich beverage. Chef’s Collaboration does just that thanks to the spice fueled burst it delivers upfront. The combination of bourbon and rye works equally well in a hot buttered whiskey (a play on hot buttered rum) or a hot toddy.

Hot Chocolate

As for spiking hot chocolate, a bourbon with espresso notes is ideal since it enhances the natural bitterness of the chocolate. For this holiday drink, give Jefferson’s Reserve Pritchard Hill Cabernet Finish a try. In addition to having notes of espresso and chocolate, there’s a hint of dark berry which helps brighten the chocolatey drink just a touch.

Salted Caramel Old Fashioned

Adding a bit of salted caramel to a traditional old fashioned recipe makes for an amazing holiday drink for your next cozy get-together. For the ultimate taste, use Jefferson’s Ocean Aged At Sea Bourbon, a unique bourbon that is matured in American oak casks for approximately seven to eight years on land, before the casks are placed on a ship and allowed to rest for another five to ten months at sea.

Hot Toddy

If you’re feeling a bit under the weather during this cold winter season, the best medicine is a traditional hot toddy. This drink can be made with honey, lemon, cloves, and cinnamon, and then finished off with some Jefferson’s Reserve, which delivers a deep, wonderful finish with big, sophisticated flavor.

No matter which holiday drink you mix up, you’re in for a treat when you use Jefferson’s Bourbon — your secret ingredient to a delicious holiday season!

Great Bourbon Destinations To Visit In Kentucky

Posted on by sharring

There are quite a lot of things you might not know about Kentucky, and we are sure these three places would be part of what you don’t know. Of course, you know about the Kentucky Fried Chicken, but maybe you don’t know that the song “Happy Birthday To You” originates from Kentucky. Being a scenic state, Kentucky is surrounded by hills, forest, swampland, meadows, and rivers.

Kentucky is also famous for bluegrass music, horse racing, college football and BOURBON! There’s quite a lot the 15th state to join the union has to offer, and that includes these three hidden secrets, sitting right outside of Louisville. Just a short trip away, in Oldham County, are the Kentucky Artisan Distillery, Hive and Barrel, and Yew Dell Botanical Gardens. If you find yourself in Louisville, Kentucky during the upcoming holidays, or anytime in the future, these three places are a must-visit to your itinerary.

Kentucky Artisan Distillery
This is the home of Jefferson’s Bourbon, where distilling is more of art than science. This is where you’ll learn the history of how bourbon came to be what it is today. There’s nowhere else in the world that shares the passion Kentucky Artisan Distillery has for bourbon.

You will see how bourbon is made without the need for new scientific techniques, as KAD is reliant on generations-old craft of making bourbon. You can even see the 700-acre Waldeck Farms, just a minute up the road, where you’ll see tractors hauling through corn and rye used in Jefferson’s bourbon. Immerse yourself into the craft, and you’ll fall in love with bourbon even further.

Hive and Barrel
Do you love honey-based drinks? Then you should visit the Hive and Barrel to see how it’s done. However, even if you don’t have a thing for mead, visiting this meadery will give you a change of heart. This is how it works — Hive and Barrel is a winery, but rather than using grapes for the beverages, it uses honey as the base.

Honey is used when fermenting the wine, and the beauty has to been seen. If you can spend time at the Hive and Barrel Meadery, you’ll learn how this drink is made out of honey, water and yeast. Plan ahead and you may be lucky enough to visit on a day a batch is being made.

Yew Dell
End your tour of Kentucky with this internationally recognized center of gardens, trees, and plants. Did you know that Yew Dell is on the National Register of Historic Places? It’s also one of the most exceptional gardens nationally. Take in a fresh breath at the Yew Dell, far away from the hustle and bustle of the city life.

Yew Dell is an excellent way to spend your day while learning about new plants. While touring Yew Dell, you might get dozens of ideas on how to improve your garden’s look and feel. All year round, something is blooming at the Yew Dell, and you have to be there to have a feel of it.

Holiday 2019 Bourbon Gift Guide

Posted on by sharring

Gifts For Each Bourbon Lover On Your List

There are those that prefer a glass of good old American bourbon over beer or rum. That means if you have a bourbon lover in your life, you may have to get them something special along with their favorite bottle of bourbon.

We are not going to be recommending another “I LOVE BOURBON” T-shirt; instead, we’ve created something memorable for the bourbon-obsessed.

A gift guide that has items that are incredible, unique, and personalized. All of those gifts that will get a bourbon lover thrilled. Don’t disappoint your bourbon lover friends this holiday, check out our Holiday 2019 Bourbon Gift Guide:

1. Kentucky Artisan Distillery Tours

There’s no better way to show your love to your favorite bourbon lover than getting them on the Kentucky Artisan Distillery tour. This tour will give them a behind the scenes experience of an authentic working bourbon distillery.

You will feel like a distiller yourself at the end of the tour as you get close and personal to the distillery equipment and the people who make the bourbon. On tour, you’ll get to ask the questions that have always mattered to you as a bourbon lover. The tour even gets better if they get to meet Jade Peterson, the head distiller, or the owner, Steve Thompson. 

2. Bourbon Tails

Don’t be surprised; a bourbon lover will still appreciate this book, especially when combined with their drink. The book paints the images of the role played by dogs in different Kentucky distilleries. 

In the book, there is a description of how these dogs made life better in their different bourbon loving homes. This could even be perfect if your bourbon loving friend is also a dog lover. 

3. Bourbon Sipping Glasses

Every bourbon lover cherishes their drinking tools, and this is why it will mean a lot to a bourbon lover if you get them sipping glasses. While bourbon can be drunk as a shot or cocktail, top-shelf blends have to be sipped slowly and carefully to be enjoyed. 

Look for sipping glasses that fits into the hand with a broad base and rim funnel to help a bourbon drinker savor all the taste of their favorite drink. With a perfect sipping glass, you get to take in both the aroma and feel the taste of the bourbon. 

4. Bourbon Stirrer

There’s rarely a bourbon lover that would not want this stirrer in their collection. Even if they have one already, adding this to their collection would score a big goal in their heart. Look closely at this stirrer; it’s adorable, classy, and of course, dishwasher safe. 

It does no matter if you have a young or old as a bourbon lover, this bourbon stirrer would still make a huge mark on them. A gift they will cherish even beyond the holidays. 

5. Bourbon Can Cooler

Bourbon is best served chilled, and if you help a bourbon lover to keep their drink cold, they will forever love you. If you’re not sure of what you should get as a gift, you cannot be wrong with this option. 

It’s a gift that transcends race and generation. When the hot summer comes, you’ll be better appreciated for this thoughtful gift. 

5. Bourbon

You really can’t go wrong when you buy your favorite friend or family member a bottle of Jefferson’s Bourbon. Whether you choose the Jefferson’s Ocean, a unique bourbon that is aged at sea, or Pritchard Hill, which is aged for an additional 12 months in French Oak casks that once held Pritchard Hill® Cabernet Sauvignon, your gift will be the best at the party — especially if the recipient chooses to share!

Bourbon Basics – What is Bourbon?

Posted on by sharring

All bourbon is usually said to be whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon. Therefore, it can be said that bourbon is a type of whiskey that must be made of at least 51 percent corn, aged in new, charred oak barrels/containers. It can be made in any state in the U.S., but Kentucky makes about 95 percent, while other states produce the remaining 5 percent. Still, it is a distinctive product of the United States, as recognized by the United States Congress in 1964.

The bourbon industry has experienced great development and growth over the years. They are of high class, quality and value. There are also lots of producers and recipes to choose from, alongside with ages and prices specifications. But the question remains, how is bourbon made? By providing answers to this question, we will have an understanding of what bourbon truly is.

Let’s consider the basics…

Mash bill of at least 51 percent corn

This is the first basis. If this isn’t fulfilled, there will be no production of bourbon. The mash bill is the grain make-up in any whiskey. For bourbon, the grain make-up must be 51 percent or more. This is the standard identity throughout history for bourbon. Other grains that makes up the mash bill can include wheat or rye, and also a small portion of about 5 percent of malted barley, as it aids in the fermentation process.

Aged in new, charred oak barrels

To make bourbon, barrels that had not previously been used or charred, should be used. Though, this legislation was initially passed to protect the timber industry, yet, it also helped to ensure a quality and rich character of the spirit. It can also be in containers. It used to be sold by the barrels.

Distilled to not more than 160 proof

Bourbon must not be involved with the process of separation for more than 160 proof, 80 percent alcohol-by-volume (ABV). If this is not followed closely, it becomes a neutral grain spirit; as it retains less flavor, when distilled with an higher proof. Some types of whiskey allows up to 95 percent ABV, but not bourbon.

Barrelled to not more than 125 proof

Bourbon should enter the barrel at no more than 125 proof. It cannot go into a barrel at above 62.5 percent ABV. Since bourbon increases in proof as it ages, some distilleries may choose to barrel at a lower proof than this, as long as it isn’t above 125 proof, there is no problem.

Bottled no lower than 80 proof

Bourbon should be bottled at 80 proof, 40 percent ABV or higher. This is its minimum.

No minimum age requirement

As long as bourbon is barrelled correctly, aging really has no requirement for how long or less. It can go for any amount of time. But, there are two exceptions to this – straight bourbon whiskey has to be aged for a minimum of two years, and bottled-in-bond must be aged for at least four years.

These are the basics of bourbon discussed above. Want to be sure of the right thing? Kentucky Artisan Distillery is one of the few that produces bourbon and spirits literally from the roots to the bottle, all by hand and not computer. Kentucky Artisan Distillery is the official home of Jefferson’s Bourbon.