The Musings of Ron Kapon:

It was recently announced by the International School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at Fairleigh Dickinson University that the Discovering the World of Wine On-Line Wine Course developed for FDU by Professor Ron Kapon & Pat Savoie has been accepted by the NY Times for their Knowledge Network site, effective January 2012. Part of the 26 lesson course was filmed at FDU. Students, former students, administrators, faculty members as well as wine writers took part in the 12 tasting videos, which were led by Philippe Newlin.

The course is organized mainly by grape varietal including Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Chardonnay, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. There are also lessons dealing with The Wines of Bordeaux., Burgundy, Tuscany, Spain, Dessert and Fortified Wines, Champagne and Sparkling Wines. One will learn How Wine is Made, How to Taste Wine, Wine & Food Pairings, Ordering Wine in Restaurants and in Retail Stores as well as Wine and Health, Storing Wine and Buying Wine at Auction.

The course includes many short videos of winemakers along with links to NY Times wine articles. Completion of the course and answering a 25 word quiz will result in receiving a Certified Wine Authority Certificate from FDU's ISHTM. The course will be accessable from any device--computer, IPad or smart phone. The price of the course is $149. There will be group discounts available.

I will post details on signing up for the course in a few weeks.

According to the late Perry Luntz author of Whiskey & Spirits For Dummies (Wiley), “Most people who know anything about Bourbon distilling know the story of the Baptist minister Elijah Craig who established a distillery in Bourbon County, thus giving a name to his whiskey. It's a good story, but it's not exactly true. In 1780, as the Ohio Territory was cut into smaller units, the Virginians claimed a piece of it. They named it Bourbon County after the then-current French ruling family to honor the support of the French during the American Revolution. In 1792, when Kentucky became a state, Bourbon County was divided into 34 of the present existing Kentucky counties. (In fact, no Bourbon is actually made in Bourbon County today.) One of which was Bourbon, with its famous whiskey.” In 1840, Mr. E.G. Booz, a liquor dealer in Philadelphia gave his name to alcoholic products and they became known as booze. Now you know the whole story.

By law Bourbon whiskey can be produced anywhere in the United States where it is legal to distill spirits. True, 95% of the world's Bourbon is distilled and aged in Kentucky and Bourbon production has grown by more than 50 percent since 1999. In 1964, Congress declared Bourbon America's only native spirit. It must be produced from a grain mixture containing a minimum of 51% corn. It must be 100% natural with nothing besides water added. It must be aged in new, charred oak barrels for at least two years in order to be called “Straight Bourbon” whiskey. Any Bourbon aged less than four years must list its age on the label. Bourbon must be distilled at less than 160 proof (80% alcohol by volume). Almost all Bourbons sold today are made from more than 2/3 corn (the remainder being wheat and/or rye) and have been aged at least four years. This mixture, called the mash, is fermented using the sour mash method. This means the mash saved from a previous distillation is added to ensure consistency from year to year and batch to batch. The fermented mash is then distilled which produces a clear liquid. When placed in charred oak barrels, at no more than 125 proof, the clear liquid soon imparts color. After aging the Bourbon is removed from the barrels, diluted with water and bottled.

The Kentucky soil is rich in phosphates, perfect for growing grain. The water is filled with calcium and is very pure. Hot Bluegrass summers and cold winters are ideal for aging whiskey in cask. Most whiskey is sold at 80 proof but there are 86, 90, 94 and 100+ proof examples. Higher proofs than these are often called “barrel proof” and have not been diluted when removed from the barrels. Small Batch Bourbon refers to craft distilling. It is similar to the wine term Reserve. The term originated in the 1980's by the Jim Beam Company, but every distiller has his or her own interpretation of what constitutes a “small batch.” I received answers of less than 100 barrels to more than one barrel. Single Barrel Bourbon is bottled from one particular cask. When tasting, look for hints of banana, burnt sugar, caramel, honey, butterscotch, hazelnuts, leather, hay, cedar, tobacco leaf, and tar. Remember, all Bourbon is whiskey but not all whiskey is Bourbon.

The Kentucky Bourbon Trail® tour

You can use Louisville, Bardstown or Lexington as your headquarters while visiting the six distilleries that make up The Kentucky Bourbon Trail® experience. Bardstown is about 40 miles south of Louisville & 54 miles west of Lexington. Louisville is the home of the Kentucky Derby & Churchill Downs, Louisville Slugger and Mohammad Ali.

The six Kentucky Bourbon Trail® distilleries are:

Jim Beam is located in Clermont, about 25 miles south of Louisville. It is the world’s largest Bourbon distiller with its eponymous Jim Beam the world’s number one selling Bourbon. Fred Noe is the seventh generation member of the Beam family and has taken over as distiller and Bourbon ambassador after the passing of his father, Booker Noe. Beam visitors also come for the 1800 Cooperage Museum and to visit the Jeremiah Beam home. Their Small Batch Collection includes: Booker's, Baker's, Knob Creek and Basil Hayden's. Look for a new Jim Beam visitor’s experience to open in September 2012.

Heaven Hill is located in Bardstown. Fire destroyed the distillery in 1996. They purchased the Bernheim Distillery in Louisville where their products are now distilled. This is America’s largest independent family-owned distillery. The aging warehouses located here hold the second largest supply of Bourbon (Beam in #1). The Bourbon Heritage Center in Bardstown has interactive exhibits of the birth of Bourbon and the distillation process. Their gift shop is very impressive and worth a visit. Some of their brands include: Evan Williams, Elijah Craig, Henry McKenna and Old Fitzgerald.

About 1/2 hour from Bardstown is Maker's Mark Distillery in the town of Loretto. It is the oldest working Bourbon distillery on its original site (1805) in the nation and is a National Historic Landmark. If you need lunch, the tiny Toll Gate Café is right outside the distillery. Make sure to try the Bourbon cookies. To die for. This is a small distillery producing only two brands - Maker’s Mark and Maker’s 46. The family of founder Bill Samuels, Sr. (bought the site in 1953) is still involved although the company is under the Beam umbrella. His son Bill Samuels, Jr. recently retired as CEO and handed the reins to his son, Rob. They draw over 100,000 visitors annually. They still hand-dip every bottle in that distinctive red wax. It is not a misprint but they spell whisky without the E, as do the Scots and Irish. They use more winter wheat (16%) that adds sweetness, instead of rye, plus 70% corn and 14% malted barley. The tour takes visitors through every step of the distilling process. You are so close to the actual process that it might seem the visitors are actually the workers.

Three more distilleries are all within 1/2 hour of Lexington.

Woodford Reserve in Versailles is owned by Brown-Forman (Jack Daniels, Early Times, Old Forester) and receives over 100,000 visitors annually. They claim to be the smallest distillery in America, and started using copper pot stills in 1812. It's a National Historic Landmark and uses the only surviving stone aging warehouse in the US. Their blend is 72% corn, 18% rye and 10% malted barley. If you want to learn more about Bourbon, why not sign up for the Woodford Reserve Bourbon Academy? The cost is $150 and it includes a Bourbon-inspired lunch. Spend a day with Master Distiller Chris Morris learning the art of production. There is an interactive behind-the-scenes production tour and a series of tastings.

Wild Turkey and Four Roses are both in Lawrenceburg, and each is unique. The legendary Master Distiller at Wild Turkey, Jimmy Russell (57 years working here), took us on a tour of this scenic distillery that is now owned by Gruppo Campari. Jimmy told me his formula for Wild Turkey is less corn and more rye and barley malt. Campari recently launched a $50 million, state-of-the-art distillery that is believed to be the first built from the ground up in Kentucky since Prohibition.

Four Roses has an interesting history. Most easterners knew it as a blended whiskey that Seagram’s bought. Master Distiller Jim Rutledge has worked here for 40 years (distillery built in 1910) and told me that they always produced Bourbon that was not sold in America due to Seagram’s push to sell the less expensive blend. Owned by Kirin Brewery Company of Japan since 2002 they have reintroduced the Four Roses Bourbon slowly to the US. On the National Register of Historic Places, they use spring-fed Salt River famed for its limestone water. They have had the same grain source for 50 years.