Whisky Folklore - What Is Bourbon? Where Did It Come From?

Bourbon Whiskey is as American as Hamburgers or the 4th of July. Where did it come from? Where did the tradition start? This episode digs into the history of Bourbon and tries to answer the questions behind this traditional American spirit.
Special thanks to the Victorian Barroom / thevictorianbarroom
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[@WafflesMgee]

This guy is fantastic, I'd love to see more of him! Brilliant episode.

[@matthewickman]

Yeah really!

[@keamu8580]

Yeah, he has a great attitude for this type of content. Would love to see him visit Mr. Townsend more often

[@ilari90]

@@keamu8580 He is part of the Townsends team.

[@JGratsch]

Agree!

[@mraaronhd]

@@keamu8580Ryan is part of the Townsends team. I think he’s been working for them even before they started making videos for KZbin, but I might be wrong on that.

[@BiggCliph]

For a next video, I’m really curious how crops and forageable goods native to the americas became integrated into the recipes carried over from Europe. Maybe that’s too big of a topic, but I’m very interested in how native foods became mainstays in the colonial diet

[@townsends]

Great suggestion!

[@RaspK]

Same way other ingredients do the same in other cuisines: primarily as substitutes, and eventually by displacing the original ingredients' roles. For instance, Southern European stews did not have tomatoes, but progressively tomatoes introduced themselves by readjusting how sauces were used, and now lots of Southern European stews use a tomato sauce base.

[@petergray7576]

It's called the Columbian Exchange. Basically, the Spanish were introduced to Native American staples through feasts and normal contact firstly, and then were acquired via trade and conquest. In return Native American tribes that had survived both conquest and the introduction of Eurasian diseases adopted Old World domesticated animals like horses, sheep, and chickens. The introduction of these plants into Eurasia was a tricky and uneven process, and some took unusual paths of introduction. Potatoes, for example, weren't commonly eaten by Europeans until the last half of the 18th century. Chocolate, however, became widely accepted by the mid 16th century after the Spanish added sugar to its recipe. Chile peppers and maize (among other crops) were traded to Portuguese traders in Eastern Asia via the Spanish "Manila Galleon" voyages and passed on to China, India, and Japan. And sunflowers were eaten in two forms, as roots ("Jerusalem Artichoke") in Western Europe and as oil-bearing seeds in Russia (introduced from Spain in the early 18th century, and reintroduced into North America in the second half of the 19th century by the Volga Germans) It is, as you say, a complicated and massive topic.

[@RaspK]

@@petergray7576 IIRC, Jerusalem artichokes are only related to sunflowers, not their roots; like, it is a sunflower *_species_* but not what most people refer to as a sunflower. Point of note: Jerusalem artichoke, as a term, is derived from the Italian name for a sunflower, girasole.

[@markd8508]

Maybe the stories of Whisky and Whiskey might make a good topic. I don't know how each played (if they did) a part in the 18th century.

[@stickychocolate8155]

Ryan is really coming into his own as a presenter. I wasn't sure about him at first and I still love John but I'm pleased to see him shining in these videos.

[@David-xd3hw]

Shining! Harhar

[@mjmaccabee7252]

He's got a pleasant style. This clip is a little slow, slightly repetitive -- I hate seeing stock shots reused in the same -- could have been trimmed to 7.5-8 minutes without losing the pleasantly relaxed feel.

[@greensombrero3641]

there are two types of people who don't drink bourbon/whiskey - those who don't like it and those who shouldn't. I'm allergic - I break out in handcuffs. great video!

[@1337Jogi]

And those who drink Scotch

[@JohnClark-tt2bl]

​@@1337JogiIt's all good, bourbon is made in large part in areas settled by the scots-irish anyway. 😀

[@devilslamp7306]

Another note: before the development of improved roads, a farmer could only carry so much corn to town to sell. But by turning it into whiskey, you can fit the entire year's crop into a single cart.

[@riograndedosulball248]

Pretty much what my grandpa did in the 40's down here in Brazil, but with other crops. Roads were absolute hell for his oxcart to go through in winter, so he had to mind carefully what he would put in to sell in town. His crops were sugar cane, cassava and... Firewood. He made them into molasses, cassava meal and charcoal. All more valuable and weight efficient, if laborious to cook

[@SymphonyZach]

@@riograndedosulball248I can imagine the efficiency by breaking them down into those kinda goods. Probably a quarter of the weight from the same amount of original material.

[@andeluvianspeeddemon4528]

Also, lower quality foodstuff could be used. Moldy grain wouldn't sell well but as long as it ferments it's good for distillation.

[@Kelnx]

@@andeluvianspeeddemon4528 I'd be pretty careful about introducing moldy anything into a ferment. At least from my years of brewing, if you get mold in it, you pretty much have to toss it out. That's not to say people in the past didn't ferment that stuff, but best case scenario even the distillate will taste and smell bad. Worst case scenario it could be toxic. You really don't want to be that farmer known for selling "rot gut" liquor.

[@thomassherer5962]

@devilslamp7306 , you have identified the farmers' of PA solution that led to the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794. Add an Excise Tax on their 'soup' from John Marshall, enforced by President and General Geo Washington, the largest distiller in the nascent USA, and some hard-headed, hard scratch farmers. The result was a mass migration on the Mining shelf River Run to haven in KY, OH, & in along the Ohio where a Baptist minister Elijah Craig and others had begun distilling their forerunners of Bourbon in 1791 & 2. Imagine. Fast River rafts came before fast cars to avoid the 'revenoors'!

[@BJHinman]

Baseball, Apple Pie, Bourbon and Townsends. Now that’s Americana.

[@SymphonyZach]

You can mix apple pie and bourbon also to make it even more American. And it tastes great

[@Shards-of-Narsil]

You forgot mom.

[@sn1000k]

Don't forget the slaughter of the indigenous population

[@TC-rc1zf]

Blue jeans And now Japan loves all these. I recommend

[@TheJorgSacul]

If you've ever enjoyed a drink of bourbon, and haven't taken a deep breath inside a decades-old Kentucky rickhouse, you truly owe yourself the trip. I've rarely been at a loss for words, but I'll just say that it's incredible, you're experiencing and partaking in the "Angels Share", and leave it at that.

[@scottbaker3659]

Kentuckian here.. no one but the Angels partake in their share .. it is theirs to sip... although the Angels Share actually is speaking of what evaporates in the aging process..

[@ianfinrir8724]

I used to work in maintenance at Barton's 1792. That was a fun job.

[@shanehansen3705]

would love to do it part of the retirement list a trip of a lifetime coming from Aus

[@ageofsagittarius]

The clear unaged whiskey is what we refer to now as moonshine. It's a little harsh and bright. Similar to Beaujolais in wine. I was in Bourbon country a few years ago and found an old guy who did it (questionably legally). It was some of the best I have ever tasted.

[@wayneantoniazzi2706]

When I was in the Marines a good ol' boy from Georgia brought back some genuine Georgia moonshine. Certainly it was as clear as the 18th Century stuff demostrated by Ryan but it had a lot more kick since Ryan didn't have much of a reaction! When I tried it the stuff went down smooth until it got to the area of my breastbone, THEN is went off like a depth charge! WOW!

[@keithmoore5306]

no it's known as white dog in the trade moonshine is just untaxed liquor!!!

[@champgnesuprnva]

Unaged whiskey is called White Dog. Moonshine is anything illegally distilled.

[@kmoecub]

Moonshine is, and always has been, a spirit that was made on-the-sly (at night, by the light of the moon), and goes back to well before the Americas were coonized. It was made to avoid the ire of the landlord, or to avoid the tax man. A clear whisky is referred to as New Make. The "moonshine" you can buy in the liquor store is just New Make.

[@JohnClark-tt2bl]

Aka, white lightning.

[@Hato1992]

As a home mead maker. I was always wonder how honey collecting and mead production looked like outside of Poland. Poland have a thousand years long tradition of mead making, theres even special names for person who make mead and a building that is used for making and storage it, so I wonder how it looked in other countries.

[@pheart2381]

In Britain it was usually made by monks. Lindisfarne mead is one of the best.

[@paulhood7316]

I wonder if the Mead making tradition of lindisfarne what something that was picked up and then spread throughout the danelaw during that age

[@pheart2381]

@@paulhood7316 thats very possible as mead making by monks goes back way before the viking invasions.

[@ultramagnus8349]

Any resources to Polish practices or recipes?

[@Hato1992]

​@@ultramagnus8349 There's polish channel Kings of mead, they also have videos in enligsh. They also want to release a book about meads. Myself I'm just starting with meads, I can't do any work during summer, because it's too hot to make it, so I'm waiting for fall. My first mead was simnple, just boiled water with buckwheat honey, 3.5 to 1 proportion. And when mead finished fermenting, I added about 1.5 table spoon of acacia honey per 1 liter, before bottling because mead was too acidic.

[@ST0AT]

Hell yeah, more food lore!

[@johnathonpedersen9844]

Whiskey is my favorite food

[@peaceandwealthseeker4504]

@@johnathonpedersen9844double rations for ya this week

[@TheZabbiemaster]

I didn't expect to get a lesson in Bourbon from Mr. Smee today. Excellent

[@jakolinguini1179]

Really stoked with this gentleman's presentation. We like him as an addition to the channel and think he has a lot of charisma in front of the camera. Hope to keep seeing him in videos alongside John and the others.

[@robzinawarriorprincess1318]

Excellent video, Ryan! I'm a lifelong Tennessean, and this was all new information to me. Thanks for your research.😊

[@davidwoolsey2135]

'"uisge beatha" where we get the word "whisky" or "whiskey", is made from barley malt, which is then aged in charred barrels. This is what is meant by "single malt" whiskey. When it is freshly made, it is called Poitín. When the immigrants came over from the British Isles, they brought the distilling craft with them. BUT...., barley wasn't very often grown, because malt houses were few and far between. There was, however, Maize, aka Indian corn, and this responded well to the malting, mashing, fermenting, and distilling techniques used for barley distilling. Freshly distilled liquor from Maize, is called "Moonshine" or "corn liquor". This was then placed into a charred barrel, made from local oak, and stored. After storage it was found to have altered in a very pleasant manner just as Poitín is aged into single-malt Whiskey, and this aged beverage from corn is what we today call "Bourbon Whiskey". The term "Whiskey" was applied simply because the same procedure was used as was in making malt-Whiskey, though necessity caused a shift in the ingredients and storage container materials. During the 18th century, it was discovered that using a majority of Rye grain, mixed with Maize, and run through the fermentation and distilling process made a smooth liquor in less time than straight bourbon, thus allowing the distiller less time from beginning the process to selling the product..., and this is Rye Whiskey, which my state of Maryland made famous. George Washington produced Rye whiskey at Mount Vernon, likely because of the short time involved compared to bourbon, and Washington had land holdings in Maryland and had a connection thus to folks who knew about Rye distilling. OH btw, when rum is freshly distilled it is called, "Tafia", and when aged, it becomes rum. Part of the 18th century aging process for rum was the transportation by ship to the 13 Colonies, the time and agitation of the rum in barrels accelerating the aging process.

[@ChuckThompsonTTCMedia]

Nice research but a little off. Barely was brought here as a crop in roughly 1620. It did not do well at all so attempts at production ceased. The lack of malt houses was inconsequential as barely didn't take as a crop. Maize was in fact malted but it's own diastatic powers were and are very weak. Rum was purposely aged prior to shipping in the 18th century as it was well understood that aging created a superior product that commanded a higher price. George Washington only ordered aged rum when he held parties.

[@dukewoolsey6052]

@@ChuckThompsonTTCMedia Yours is a rather broad brush statement, but mine was equally broad, I based it upon ..., " The richer sort [of colonists] brew their beer with malt, which they have from England, though barley grows there [in Virginia] very well ; bur for the want of convenience of malt-houses, the inhabitants take no care to sow it. The poorer sort brew their beer with molasses and bran, with Indian corn malted with drying in a stove ; with persimmons dried in a cake and baked ; with potatoes and with the green stalks of Indian corn cut small and bruised ; with pompions [pumpkins], with the Jerusalem artichoke, which some people plant for that use, but this is the least esteemed." The Virginia Gazette 1720 While Maize might be weak, it was the procedure for starting the distilling process of the "beer" into the liquor that is aged to make bourbon. Later, sugar would be added, but not at first while it was so expensive, eh?

[@illmade2]

My parents were from Ky as a kid in the 70s we would go back, Dad would go into the local sheriff, it was a dry county, ask who was still making shine and that would be our first stop. A couple of days later, the whole family would be recovering. Good stuff.

[@KairuHakubi]

hahaha. prohibition works like a charm, doesn't it?

[@MapleRhubarb]

Very informative as always! Loved that it was shot in the tavern, and special mention to the lighting! Very intimate and cozy.

[@kr0mium]

Your whole crew is an American treasure. Should get a presidential medal.

[@cnam1258]

Actually I agree. Good call. These guys are great.

[@BookerBaker]

I enjoyed this video, just as I have enjoyed the videos of Townsends for a long time. I am a tour guide at a bourbon distillery in Central Kentucky. About the origin of the naming of this wonderful drink that we call bourbon, it's okay to say, "it's complicated." There are a lot of stories about how it happened, but I don't think anyone knows for certain what caused the tipping point of how it became known as bourbon whiskey. Elijah Craig was a real person, and the accomplishments in his life are far more interesting than the truth or understanding of what he did with bourbon. It was in 1906 that Straight Bourbon Whiskey was defined by the US Government as being made in the United States, 51% corn (dominant grain), aged in a one-time used oak container, along with a few other requirements. It's okay to not know the exact reason for this drink to be called bourbon. I like to focus on what is currently known, and to enjoy the fact that this wonderful product of the United States and that it has so much history behind it.

[@robertkoons1154]

Daniel Boone was from Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania had the Whiskey rebellion. Bourbon County KY was named in honor of the French royal family who supported the American revolution, and had recently been murdered in France. New Orleans had been Spanish controlled from the American revolution until just before the Louisiana purchase. T h e French quarter in New Orleans is really Spanish architecture not French because New Orleans burned down just after the Spanish took it over and was reconstructed along Spanish lines. So Kentuckeyans (who mostly came from PA and VA) in Bourbon County invented Bourbon.

[@SquireWaldo]

An interesting story, but whiskey was being made in the colonies long before any of that happened. George Washington made whiskey that was a mix of a lot of different grains -- and if what they sell at Mt Vernon is anything like what he made it was very good! As you traveled west, roads became scarce and transportation more expensive. So farmers would turn their crops into flour and alcohol to increase the value of the goods to sell and reduce the cost of transportation. It also provided them with an unofficial but very useful currency. Maybe the idea of calling some whiskey bourbon came about that way, but it was certainly not the origins of American whiskey. Again, interesting.

[@chavaira]

And Maryland! That’s where a whole lot of the early Catholics in KY immigrated from. Maryland has a strong rye whisky tradition.

[@kyrieeleison2793]

@@chavaira God bless the Catholics who gave us not only whiskey, but beer! Truly a gift from God to ease the stress of a long day working in the fields...not to drunkeness or the loss of reason of course, all things in moderation. :)

[@Sun-ut9gr]

@@kyrieeleison2793 Beer was around before Jesus. Catholics didn't invent it lol

[@andrewvierling5839]

My understanding is that Whiskey was brought to the colonies by Scotch-Irish immigrants, and Rye was the premier American whiskey (up until prohibition). The epicenter of Rye production is in Pennsylvania’s Monongahela Valley, which is under British rule and subject to British taxation. When the tax burden became too great, many colonial whiskey makers pulled up stakes and went to Kentucky where there were no British taxes to be paid, and where corn was a more viable crop than rye.

[@robertbrown3064]

Over the last several years, you guys have almost single-handedly rekindled my love of history. When I was a boy, I *loved* reading stories about other places, times, and cultures. It all felt connected, like a beautiful, never-ending dance passed down from generation to generation, ultimately finding its way to me, a young boy sitting under a tree reading about cowboys and Indians or pirates and smugglers. But school almost killed that passion off with their insistence on joyless, rote memorization. It all faded to black and white, into a collection of meaningless data points to be regurgitated onto a flat piece of paper. So I'm grateful for you all, and this channel. Your passion for the humanity and *feeling* of that time period, your desire to really dig in and know what it was like to live in those times, is contagious, and I'm happy to report that I've caught the bug again, at last!

[@YillanTheVillain]

It's so fascinating how a single sip can have so much complexity and rich history to it. Thanks for the entertaining video!

[@Plueschtroll]

I have an anecdote with bourbon: I am German and used to work with a guy from LA, and one day, I said him that I think that there are a lot of interesting whiskeys, also some bourbons. He was very perplexed, because for him, bourbon was that cheap booze that the strange uncle drinks, but not something to enjoy. I think in the states, you have to embrace that piece of culture more; everyone in Scotland knows that scotch can be of high grade, and the same should be true with bourbon.

[@frogdeity]

Bourbon is the only liquor I like. I don't see how someone can like liquor and not bourbon.

[@davechalton6708]

Sitting at home in Aberdeenshire, Scotland and enjoyed this video a lot - yes it's got a bit to go before it's going to catch up with a decent single-malt Scotch but that's ok, you've only been making it for a wee while so I am sure the future holds a lot of promise 😜 And yes, my tongue is firmly in my cheek! 👍

[@Plueschtroll]

@@davechalton6708 Bourbon is simply in a different direction, don’t you think? Personally, I enjoy Islay whiskeys the most, but that is, again, another story. But I would never dismiss Bourbon as just cheap booze, there are quality ones as well.

[@spwicks1980]

@@frogdeity Biggest issue is all we tend to get in the uk is Jack Daniels. Its good with mixers but i cant drink it alone. Same can be said for the blended scotch whiskeys. I reckon if we had access to the good stuff, we'd think a bit differently.

[@davechalton6708]

@@Plueschtroll definitely, it's just taking it down a slightly different path. Had a few bourbons and they have been very pleasant but like you I prefer a nice smoky, peaty dram though a good Speyside is also very enjoyable 👍

[@Greybeard1357]

Well done, thank you!

[@TheVictorianBarroom]

Great video, Ryan! Loved talkin' with you about it, looking forward to future projects!

[@RobertHunley]

Kentucky native here. The Bourbon origination story that I have heard is the whiskey coming out Kentucky was barreled up for transport from Maysville and other Ohio River ports for the trip downstream to New Orleans. During that trip the whiskey would take on the Bourbon like qualities. Eventually someone (Elijah Craig?) started producing Bourbon on purpose and the there ya go.

[@suppersready]

I used to work at a liquor store in Kentucky and once was talking to a customer who referred to Fireball (the vile cinnamon liqueur that is somehow allowed to call itself whiskey) as bourbon. I didn't bother correcting them as I didn't really see the point, but I was dying inside.

[@greensquall2264]

You can't walk one city block around here without seeing a fireball nip on the ground. I don't understand how people can stomach that garbage.

[@evanf1443]

Legally speaking I don’t think it is considered whiskey. The proof is too low. I think a distinction is made between whiskey and “flavored whiskey” and the latter is a broader category that’s allowed to be a lower proof. I think whiskey has to be 40% ABV or 80 proof.

[@keamu8580]

@@greensquall2264 We're all young at some point, and the young have yet to refine their tastes. Younguns like the spicy sweet nip of fireball. As we get older we learn to appreciate a good neat whisky or bourbon for its mature, wooden, spicy flavor.

[@suppersready]

@@evanf1443 you are correct, although 'flavored whisky' is really just a type of liqueur but I guess marketing suggests that calling it whisky makes it seem more "manly" or some BS.

[@loverlei79]

The mouthwash you can drink🤢🤮

[@McRootbeer]

A video on the history of distillation in early America would be cool. What were the original stills like and how were they constructed? When did distilling move from a household activity to a commercial one and how did the stills change when that happened?

[@ChuckThompsonTTCMedia]

The original stills in 1607, at Jamestown were glass. We have 4 reproductions at 8 Shires Distillery in Williamsburg, VA. We specialize in recreating Colonial spirits. In fact those are the only spirits we create. We even have a replica of the first still ever made here in North America. It's the Thomas Ward still named after the maker. Circa 1621. Earthenware.

[@McRootbeer]

@@ChuckThompsonTTCMedia thanks for the info 👍.

[@ChuckThompsonTTCMedia]

Distilling moved from home distilling to commercial in the early part of the 18th century in New England with the manufacture of Rum.

[@patrickbush9526]

I've made thousands of gallons of it in my lifetime. Really enjoyed the video Thanks

[@HugsXO]

Wow Ryan, this was such a great episode. I loved your passion and enjoyment of subject matter. You really brought it to life in the perfect setting. ❤❤❤

[@paulbrandon5735]

I loved this episode. As a young man from Indiana I toured the Makers Mark distillery. It was 1976 and they were a pretty small operation. The storage sheds and the aquifer springs really made an impression. I had explored a number of caves, including Mammoth. I remember the guide explaining how these were often used for the original storage of casts. Another reason for Kentucky bourbon… a number of caves , including

[@brianritchie8920]

Usige Beatha is Gaelic for water of life. This is where the word whisky comes from. Distilling practices came across the sea with the Scots and Irish, but the grain availability was different. This is where we run into Corn and Rye mash being used. I personally prefer Whisky to Whiskey (and there’s a difference) but I’ve had some fine bourbon also. Very nice video.

[@keamu8580]

I like trying different ones, I try not to get stuck on a "favorite" because life is short and there are many different spirits to try!

[@brianritchie8920]

@@keamu8580 sound advice. Slàinte mhath!

[@jamesellsworth9673]

RYAN! Thank you for another fine food and beverage video. Several thoughts came to mind: The Whiskey Rebellion during Washington's Administration involved farmers from 'Western' Pennsylvania. Preservation of grain was ONE issue: grain was a bulk commodity and the distilled spirits were easier to ship from the frontier to a market. The charred white oak barrels added vanillin to the alcohol and the charcoal purified some of the undesirable compounds in the beverage. The result was a more complex flavor and aroma. I FELT A TUG OF THE HEART in seeing the Tavern set on Townsends again.

[@Steve-1269]

I'm born and raised in Canonsburg, Washington County PA. (Aka guntown) Where the whiskey rebellion was said to have started in the blackhorse tavern. There's a lot of history in this town.

[@Very_Bord]

Loved hearing about the actual historical importance of bourbon, especially in regards to the longevity of crops and being a by-product of that. I genuinely think that bourbon is one of the most culturally significant products that the US produces, and the heritage and care that goes into bourbon crafting is astounding. Thank you as usual Townsends for this fantastic piece of knowledge.

[@Daniel_Scott89]

Nice video! As someone who owns 100+ bottles of bourbon and various whiskies, this video was right up my alley. I own everything from Pappy, EH Taylor Barrel Proof, all the way down to bottom shelf bottles. And you SHOULD definitely branch out from just Kentucky bourbon! There’s some fantastic bourbon from other states, like John Bowman from Virginia. It’s fantastic. Thank you for this video!

[@ChuckThompsonTTCMedia]

John Bowman does have excellent bourbon. The base comes from Buffalo Trace. Both distilleries are owned by Sazerac.

[@kevinmathis1278]

You should actually try DRINKING the Bourbon. It's quite a treat.

[@QuarterSwede]

Bowman is from my hometown. Did the tour for the first time this summer and it was fun. Virginia is, indeed, for Bourbon lovers. It’s also excellent for the price and damned hard to get out west.

[@snpnme2]

Love that you used video of Bryan and his distillation reconstruction here! He and his wife are truly gifts to the reenactment community and I'll eventually get to work (play?) with some of my favorites, Townsend included! (Keeping my eyes out for that opportunity!) Great video!

[@perciusmandate]

The story as I know it is that whiskey made in the Kentucky territories of 18th century Virginia, particularly in the Bourbon county area, gained an almost mythical status in New Orleans as being the best quality in North America. The reason for which being the extended period of time it took to ship the whiskey from Kentucky down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to the port. Though it likely wasn't anything close to what we know as bourbon today, the long periods in wooden shipping casks had enough of an aging effect to round off the harsher, greener edges of the new-make or "white dog" whiskey that nearly everyone was used to at the time. As such, it wasn't long before every whiskey drinker in New Orleans insisted on only drinking that "bourbon whiskey".

[@Staupostek]

I was born in east-central Indiana and grew up in north-central Indiana, so I'm Hoosier through and through. But I lived in Kentucky for nearly 17 years and when I moved back to east-central Indiana ten years ago I brought with me a love of Kentucky, and more specifically, a love of Kentucky bourbon and a love of Ale-8-One. And, thankfully, I can buy both of those here in Indiana now. So I get the best of both worlds. Thanks for another great episode.

[@marjoe32]

AMAZING video. Loved the host and the video concept

[@TexasWench]

I've come to find, after seeing him doing his stand alone videos, that I really am enjoying them thoroughly. This was an especially good one, I find the history of alcohol fascinating for some reason. Keep on being seriously hands down one of the best KZbin channels out there.

[@Steve-1269]

Perfect video for 10am on the Sunday before 4th of July 🍻

[@gtbkts]

Thanks for the awesome video and great content!!

[@Cyan1deSandwich]

This video is such a treat. I love this channel

[@PBurnsZM73]

Awesome episode. Well done, bro!!

[@philipkuzmicz5397]

Good video Ryan, Keep them coming, Thanks.

[@johndayan7126]

Great program! Interesting, informative, and entertaining. Well done!

[@IceLynne]

Your set looks awesome today! Very informative vid 🙂

[@chrisanderzon699]

fantastic video as always

[@anikihistory]

Cozy and informative, classic Townsends content!

[@howesfull8]

Thanks for that. Greetings to you and the whole Townsends crew from KY.

[@peterott-tn6pf]

That was outstanding, Ryan! I love bourbon and to get some history behind it is just awesome. Great work my friend!!!

[@jd9119]

Eventhough I've never had a drink of alcohol, I've always been fascinated with the making of it.

[@eddiea3782]

Excellent video. I really enjoyed this. Thank you.

[@shawneeiacono2542]

Good to see you. Great episode.

[@martykrausse]

Thanks for the info!! Love it, great job

[@rodneybaldwin2278]

Elijah Craig who is credited as being the first distller of Bourbon was a Bapptist minister and a noted preacher. I can think of nothing better to hold a congregation's attention than giving them all a small glass to sip during a sermon. Greetings from Ireland😃🥃

[@ChuckThompsonTTCMedia]

George Thorpe is credited with the First Bourbon in 1620, Charles City, Virginia at Berkeley hundred. This has documentation.

[@rodneybaldwin2278]

@@ChuckThompsonTTCMedia Sadly we'll probably never know who first deistilled Bourbon but let's raise a glass to him/her🥃. Thanks for the information as I fervently believe there's no such thing as "useless information"🥂😊

[@ChuckThompsonTTCMedia]

@@rodneybaldwin2278 We do know who, where and when the 1st Bourbon was made and there is full documentation for it all. 1620. Berkeley hundred, Charles City, Virginia. Barrel aged too.

[@Seronu]

Wasn't Elijah Craig credited with putting whiskey in charred, white oak barrels? That in itself is disputed amongst scholars.

[@ChuckThompsonTTCMedia]

Lacks documentation. Urban legend.

[@PhilWurth25]

Interesting stuff, a fine job by the historian on this one and the consistently high quality editing and camerawork Townsends is known for. An enjoyable watch on a lazy Monday evening.

[@randomations11]

Excellent vid as always

[@meganlalli5450]

Great video, Ryan!

[@petergammell5599]

loved the episode!

[@nickdonaghy6360]

Excellently produced and presented video.

[@lanecountybigfooters5716]

What a neat episode. I had no idea about whiskey's history, except that I like it! Nicely done. Now that's added value from your crops!

[@hogkillerjp]

Excellent video, I always love learning the history behind all that y'all show, thanks for sharing

[@agimagi2158]

Great episode thank you!

[@josephmaschari1073]

Great research, keep this kind of video coming.

[@BigPawTivald]

I’ve followed this channel for years, love the variety. As a bourbon junkie/magnificent bastard, I would love to see a collab/history lesson with the Whiskey Tribe.

[@kellimbt]

This was great, Ryan!

[@remmingtoncruzoe8282]

Very informative and interesting. Thank you!

[@erens-basement]

Love the incorporation of paintings

[@NickShawnFX]

Ryan - Love when you host videos, man. Great job as always 💪

[@dillabetes]

Great episode! I love these historical alcohol-centric ones. Keep them coming!

[@Robobagpiper]

As someone who does Highland reenacting (mostly the '45, but I also do Scottish music of the period), the issue of unaged 18th century whisky is of interest to me. When I discovered that the Irish still made unaged whisky under the name poitín (little pot), I grabbed some as the closest I can get to 18th century uisge-beatha as I could without distilling it myself. This ended up becoming the basis for an 18th century Drambuie (an dram buidhe) recipe - fennel, rosemary, angelica root, lemon zest, heather honey. What I find most interesting about unaged whisky - and mind you, modern poitín is filtered - is that it lacks any of the flavors we associate with whisky, and instead resembles a super-alcoholic saké. (This same drive to drink what my impression had access to has also led me to Cahors Malbecs, the closest one gets to a period Claret, and in the process found my household a new favorite wine)

[@pmichael73]

Thank you! Fascinating video. Rye and bourbon were the first popular American whiskeys. Generally, it tended to be rye in the North and bourbon in the South. Not until the 20th century when Scotch malt whisky came in in bulk did rye get pushed way down the list of preferred spirits in the US.

[@RaspK]

Rye was first, even, as it was hardier crop that did best in the North; corn started being used later as the colonies started expanding more into the South.

[@keamu8580]

Rye is really robust and grumpy. I love it for that

[@ChuckThompsonTTCMedia]

Whiskey became a necessity as rum and Molasses were cut off from America during and after the Revolution. Part of the reason why we won the Revolution is because a large part of the English fleet remained in the Caribbean islands to protect the sugar, rum and Molasses trade.

[@minuteman4199]

Canadian whiskey is rye whiskey.

[@ChuckThompsonTTCMedia]

@@RaspK You do know that the first English settlement was in the South right? The first distillations here used corn as it's base. That's well documented and dates 1620. The year the Pilgrims came to Massachusetts, Virginia was already way ahead.

[@billmiller4972]

Good to see you back Ryan! Was already a bit anxious that you might not be well.

[@4stringz.]

GREAT video Ryan! Although I don’t drink hard alcohol, I loved this. Townsends is so rich in American history. Hope y’all had a GREAT 4th 🇺🇸

[@claytoncarter4765]

Full circle I LOVE your presentation style! This channel has never ceased to intrigue me as I am from from a similar passion as a former member of both the S.C.A. and B.O.T.N. and associated with the A.C.L. . Both yourself and Mr. Townsend have enthralled me to explore more than the marshal context and application of said context of our rich history , and shared lineage, I get to explore my epicurean side as I continue my exploration down your rabbit hole of nuanced expertise as I sit back , and enjoy my Tennessee whiskey light corn liquor , and applaud your divulgence!

[@unknow3437]

Nice video from Kentucky . Thanks for making this video

[@jandasalovich6469]

Great video. I learned so much. Thank you.

[@leidabird]

Something a little different! Really enjoyed this piece of history! Well done!

[@JD-ou2ce]

This guy likes his whiskey 😃

[@candlelitpeppermintcarniva8509]

I loved this episode!! Felt refreshing and now all I want is alcohol, and more episodes like this!

[@kinjiru731]

Cool video idea. I really had no idea about the bourbon culture until I moved to Kentucky about 12 years ago. Well done, Ryan.

[@jamesvatter5729]

Good stuff, Ryan. When you started that list of ingredients, I thought you'd skip nutmeg, but you didn't disappoint.

[@chapter4travels]

And he did it perfectly straight faced.

[@ericmgw]

Great video. I enjoyed the historical context.

[@Mark723]

Really enjoying the Tavern bent to this week's installment - nice to have all aspects of 18th-Century life flushed out. Thanks, Ryan!

[@denomdemon]

You all are very inspiring. So inspiring in fact that I needed a shot of bourbon myself!

[@Jiuhuashan]

Totally agree with your final conclusion Ryan! Great episode, thanks.

[@iforbach4003]

Great episode.

[@Kelnx]

With how dependent bourbon is on proper aging, it's pretty difficult to find the exact climate conditions outside of those particular counties in KY where the top bourbons are made, so there is some truth to "it has to come from KY". I can think of some areas in states around KY that have similar summers and winters, but the temperature/humidity gradient throughout a year is pretty key to what happens in the barrel.

[@paulring4267]

You did an excellent job.

[@johnwright6706]

First time watching a Townsend video without Townsend. It was good, good job.

[@DredgeUp]

Great work.

[@laurencerushton3544]

An enlightening summary. I definitely feel that a DOC system for bourbons would be suitable: Those of us in Europe are familiar with a system which restricts labelling based on materials used, techniques employed and the region where it is made - It's why we find the American term French Champagne a bit odd and why we can buy Feta or Greek Salad Cheese as separate things.

[@natviolen4021]

I agree. Before I watched this video I thought bourbon was a synonym for US whiskey 😳

[@Rocketsong]

@@natviolen4021 Bourbon must 1) be made in the USA, 2) be at least 51% corn, and 3) aged in new charred oak barrels. (Federal law just says oak, but using white oak is essentially universal). It also cannot be higher than 160 proof.

[@nicknason2804]

That was a good show thanks

[@zackmagnusson8583]

Great video!

[@lencarter1460]

What a wonderful history lesson! Thank you

[@dansharpe2364]

Thanks Ryan, I have been waiting for this one for years. Would you consider doing an hour long in-depth examination and discussion?

[@midwestkayaker3471]

Awesome, enjoyed the history lesson

[@Purdymike]

Great job. Thank you

[@bossb2539]

I appreciate your presentation! Born and raised in Kentucky, the Cumberland gap to be precise. We are very proud of our bourbon heritage!