Let’s examine bourbon whiskey in particular, and how various mash bills contribute to such a variety of flavors and finishes. Bourbon mash bills, or recipes, typically call for corn, malted barley, rye, and/or wheat. How the bourbon finishes will depend in part on the grains they use, how long it’s aged and, in fact, the ratios they use. Many bourbons are sweet, with a smooth finish and notes of buttery and/or caramel. Others can be more complex and are smokey or peppery. Finding a bourbon that suits your particular palate will be a lot simpler once you understand how various mash bills affect the final product.
Not All Mash is Created Equal
Grain, water, and yeast make up the mash, which is initially fermented to make alcohol. Making mash is the initial first step in the alcohol production process. Not all mash is created equal because the final character and flavor of the whiskeys produced are significantly influenced by the combination of various grain types. In order to produce a spirit that is as consistent as possible, each distillery has its unique Mash Bill recipe, which is carefully protected and rigidly followed.
Now let’s delve a little deeper and discuss how each grain in a mash bill influences the final flavor of a bourbon. A sharper, smokier bourbon is preferred by some individuals, while others want theirs sweeter and smooth. Finding your perfect bourbon will be much simpler if you understand which grains add sweetness, which give off spicy undertones, and which mellow out the flavors. Here’s a brief rundown of the essential components of a mash bill and the grains that make them up.
Corn So Sweet – The Main Component
Most bourbons employ between 60 and 75 percent corn, even though legally a bourbon must only have a mash bill that contains at least 51 percent corn. However, some producers have been known to use up to 84% corn, likewise, we use 80% in our Flagship Bourbon! Corn contributes to the sweetness and potency of bourbon due to its high sugar content. Freshly distilled whiskey, sometimes known as “New Make Whiskey” or “White Dog,” still has a noticeable corn flavor, while the other grain flavors are more subdued. However the longer the whiskey is aged in oak casks, the more the other grains and the characteristics of the oak wood show through, and the corn taste diminishes.
During the aging process, corn adds buttery notes to bourbon, with caramel, vanilla and nutty overtones that perfectly convey the distinctive essence of bourbon. Therefore I guess you could say that corn helps bourbon develop its future flavors throughout the maturing process rather than contributing any initial or unique flavor characteristics of its own.
Barley – Enzymes In Action
Although barley is popular in Scotland, it receives far less attention here in the USA, which we believe is a great shame! It is common for bourbon whiskey manufacturers to incorporate 10–12% barley into their mashes, some, us specifically, using up to 20% barley in our mash. The addition of malted barley to the mash gives the bourbon whiskey malty scents and a chocolate, nutty, smokey and pastry-like flavors that we adore.
Barley is also essential to the creation of all bourbon whiskey for its special enzymes which aid in the conversion of the mash’s starch to sugar ultimately creating the so-called “Distiller’s Beer,” which is used to distill the whiskey. In Bourbon, barley has been traditionally more significant for its enzymes used in the whiskey-making process than for its flavor, that is, unless you up the percentage! Accordingly, it is included in practically every distiller’s mash bill for bourbon in some percentage because of these enzymes.
Rye – Spicier Peppery Notes
Prior to prohibition, rye was the most often used ingredient in the distillation of whiskey in the United States. These days rye is most often the secondary grain used in whiskey because it is more difficult to grow in some areas.Rye is still usually the second most crucial component in a bourbon whiskey mash bill in spite of this, frequently added for flavor because corn and barley only serve as the essential starting components for bourbon.
A bourbon must contain at least 18% rye in order to be qualified as a “high rye” bourbon. A bourbon with a higher rye content usually has a slight peppery taste, however, the sweetness of the corn and the rye’s spice make the ideal combination. Higher rye content bourbons typically feature peppery, spicy characteristics, with the rye frequently imparting flavors like peppercorn, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, and allspice.
Wheat – So Soft & Sweet
Compared to other whiskeys, bourbon whiskey distillation does not use wheat as frequently. This is due to the fact that wheat typically balances and softens the flavors of bourbon. The finish of bourbons made with wheat as the secondary grain is significantly mellower, sweeter, and smoother.
For instance, the mash bill of a very well-known red-wax-using distiller is composed of 14% barley, 16% wheat, and 70% corn. This results in a smooth and creamy finish with ice cream, honey, butterscotch, vanilla, and toffee flavors. Strong wheat-based bourbons are smoother, frequently sweeter, have a wonderful mouthfeel, and have less burn and spicy undertones.
Water – The X Factor
The water used in a mash bill significantly impacts the final taste of a distilled spirit by acting as a solvent, extracting flavors from the grains during mashing, and contributing its own mineral composition, with elements like calcium, magnesium, and iron influencing the taste and aroma of the finished product. Essentially, the quality and mineral content of the water can greatly affect the character of the mash and the resulting liquor. The smoothness and delicate flavors of bourbon are enhanced by the use of pure mineral rich water, like limestone or mountain spring water.
Kentucky distillers, the home of bourbon, utilize their local Limestone water due to its high mineral content, particularly calcium and magnesium, to significantly impact mash bills by raising its pH level, creating a more alkaline environment which can promote better yeast activity and contribute to a smoother, richer flavor profile in the final product. Similarly, our water here in Colorado is quite elite as well! The smoothness and delicate flavors of our bourbon is greatly enhanced by the use of Rocky Mountain spring water, which is also renowned for its purity, freshness and exceptional iron-free mineral content.
Colorado Water Is Elite
We are lucky enough to have access to our own system of local wells out on the plains that are fed by the Arapahoe aquifer that provides us with mineral infused perfection! This underground water source is nourished by Rocky Mountain snow melt, and we even went so far as to obtain special permission to drill deeper into the earth to pull the freshest, most mineral-rich water possible.
We are talking pure, high-mineral water, that helps the enzymes in our mash break starch down into simple sugars and affects both the fermentation and flavor of our spirits. This water has the added benefit of being iron-free, and is a huge part of why our finished spirits have such a clean, crisp character. Our water source plays a major role in the viscosity and flavor of our bourbon, from the mash used in production to the amount added when it’s bottled.
B&B – Local Grain To Glass
Branch & Barrel’s Colorado craft bourbons are made grain-to-glass from local corn, wheat, barley, rye and pure Rocky Mountain water, and we have a very unique mash bill for our Flagship bourbon. Our highly-awarded bourbon is made using a relatively high 80% corn mash, supplemented with a healthy amount of 20% barley, all sourced locally for a high-malt recipe that forgoes the wheat or rye typical of most bourbons. With prominent notes of caramel, vanilla, butterscotch, toasted oak flavors, as well as undertones of dark berries, we think we are onto something special!
Known for our innovative and experimental approach, for a recent limited winter seasonal release that sold out really fast, we combined corn, malted barley, malted rye, and unmalted wheat. This wonderful 4-Grain had notes of caramel, honeysuckle, milk chocolate, hazelnut, sandalwood, vanilla buttercream, allspice, and eucalyptus. It quickly became a local crowd favorite! Stay tuned for more upcoming limited releases!
The water used for distilling comes from our own high-quality, mineral-rich wells on the Colorado plains. These crucial components combined bestow much of the flavor and character you’ve come to know and love in our spirits, and we believe they’re a huge contributor to the accolades we’ve accumulated through the years. Make plans to visit our tasting room, or better yet, book a tour and experience the best damn whiskey in Colorado for yourself, made 100% from Colorado grains and water!