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Bourbon Stories
A Master Taster’s Guide To Tasting Kentucky Bourbon
Mentally walk yourself into your kitchen. That’s normally the direction I give someone when they ask me about the how-tos of tasting and identifying flavors in Bourbon. As a Master Taster, I’ve had many years to hone in on the flavor descriptors of Bourbon and how they tie in to food pairings.
Peggy Noe Stevens
Peggy Noe Stevens,
August 20, 2021
Bourbon’s Five Sources of Flavor
When it comes to making great Bourbon, five sources of flavor determine its future. Some argue six or seven, but really these five are the core. If you’re planning to take the next step into Bourbon, understanding how it’s made is crucial.
Fred Minnick
Fred Minnick,
August 7, 2021
Pairing Food With Your Bourbon Creates The Ultimate Taste Adventure
Want to make your Bourbon taste even better?....Yes, that really is possible. You do that by pairing it with food. If you’re thinking, “Isn’t food always supposed to be paired with wine?” the answer is, not always. Trust me, Bourbon and food are made for each other. Keep reading.
Steve Coomes
Steve Coomes,
August 4, 2021
Five Reasons Bourbon Outshines Vodka
When you buy a bottle of vodka, you’re paying for the packaging, marketing and the hip celebrity endorsing it. You’re certainly not paying for flavor. The U.S. government defines vodka “to be without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color,” according to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau (TTB), the federal arm that regulates alcohol.
Fred Minnick
Fred Minnick,
July 30, 2021
Your Next Game Night Just Got Way More Spirited
While William Faulkner famously quipped that “civilization starts with distillation,” he easily could have added board games to the beginnings of the ‘modern’ world. Games like Senet and Backgammon go back thousands of years, and picturing ancient cultures thoughtfully analyzing moves and pawns with a libation close at hand isn’t difficult to do. 
Adam Johnson
Adam Johnson,
July 29, 2021
Summer in a Warehouse
When I worked at Stitzel-Weller as an archivist, I always liked the summer. Walking between the warehouses brought that wonderful aroma of the angel’s share – Bourbon that was literally in the air. I admit, I had an air conditioned office and did not have to work in that heat, moving barrels to the upper levels, so I did have some sympathy for those men and women doing so in the heat of summer.
Michael Veach
Michael Veach,
July 27, 2021
Train Before You Trail: How to Train Your Senses for the Ky Bourbon Trail® Tour (Part 2)
The Kentucky Bourbon Trail® adventure is about more than just tossing back a few ounces at distilleries. If you want to truly experience the wonders of America’s native spirit, take some time to train for the experience. You wouldn’t head to a marathon without training beforehand, would you?
Heather Wibbels
Heather Wibbels,
July 24, 2021
Train Before You Trail: How to Build Your Own Bourbon Sensory Kit (Part 1)
You’d train for a marathon, right? So, any two, three or four day trip to Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail deserves a little training as well. The bonus side: you’ll be training with Bourbon. You won’t be tracking split speeds and durations, rather, we’re going to exercise the senses instead – your sense of smell and taste. Did I mention you get to practice with Bourbon?
Heather Wibbels
Heather Wibbels,
July 24, 2021
6 Tips to Use Cocktail Bitters Better
After making so many cocktails at home, there are some cocktail bitters tips I’ll pass on to you. Some of these I’ve learned the hard way. Some are just common sense. All of these are practices I use every single time I create a cocktail with bitters. None of these are rocket science, but forgetting any of these can ruin a great cocktail. 
Heather Wibbels
Heather Wibbels,
July 22, 2021
Enjoy Like a True Kentuckian: Responsibly
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