Title: What is the difference between Bourbon and Sour Mash? | Yahoo Answers
Headings: What is the difference between Bourbon and Sour Mash?
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What is the difference between Bourbon and Sour Mash?
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Content: Mash is a mixture of grain, yeast and hot water that the actual whiskey is made from. The sour mash process is done to improve the consistency and quality of the liquor, so that every bottle tastes as close to the same as possible. Also, the acid introduced by using the sour mash controls the growth of bacteria that could damage the whiskey. Sour mash is popular in bourbon whiskey and Tennessee whiskey. Some popular examples of sour mash whiskey are Jack Daniel's and Jim Beam. On the other hand, Bourbon is an American form of whiskey made from (pursuant to US trade law) at least 51% corn, or maize, (typically about 70%) with the remainder being wheat, rye, and malted barley. It is distilled to no more than 160 (U.S.) proof, and aged in new charred white oak barrels for at least two years- usually much longer. It must be put into the barrels at no more than 125 U.S. proof; in this way it is similar to Scotch Whisky, which is also aged in charred barrels. Most of the time it is then adjusted to 80–100 proof and bottled, although some are bottled at “cask strength”.