Think of bourbon as the "soul" of American whiskey. While it shares roots with Scotch and Irish whiskey, it’s bound by a set of strict, federally mandated laws that give it that unmistakable sweet, oaky profile.
At BottleStork, we believe the best way to enjoy a spirit is to understand the craft behind it. Here is the step-by-step journey of how your favorite bottle of bourbon comes to life.
The 6 Steps of the Bourbon Process
1. The Recipe (The Mash Bill)
Everything starts with the "Mash Bill"—the specific ratio of grains used. To be legally called bourbon, the mixture must contain at least 51% corn. The remaining 49% is usually a combination of:
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Rye: Adds a peppery, spicy kick.
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Malted Barley: Helps convert starches into sugars.
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Wheat: Creates a softer, "breadier" flavor profile (like Maker's Mark or Weller).
2. Mashing & Cooking
The grains are ground into a coarse meal and mixed with water. Most Kentucky distilleries use limestone-filtered water, which is rich in calcium and low in iron—perfect for yeast health. The mixture is heated to break down the starches into fermentable sugars.
3. Fermentation (The "Sour Mash")
Yeast is added to the cooled mash to convert the sugars into alcohol. Most distillers use the Sour Mash process, where a portion of the spent mash from a previous batch is added to the new one. This ensures pH consistency and a uniform flavor profile across every bottle. After a few days, you're left with "Distiller’s Beer" (around 8–10% ABV).
4. Distillation
The "beer" is heated in a still. Because alcohol boils at a lower temperature than water, the alcohol vapors rise, are captured, and condensed back into a liquid.
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The First Pass: Usually happens in a column still, creating "Low Wine."
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The Second Pass: Happens in a copper "doubler" or pot still, resulting in a clear, high-proof spirit known as White Dog.
5. The Barrel (The "Magic" Step)
The White Dog is poured into brand-new, charred American oak barrels. This is where bourbon gets 100% of its color and about 60-70% of its flavor.
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The Char: The inside of the barrel is literally set on fire. This caramelizes the wood sugars, which eventually seep into the whiskey as notes of vanilla, toffee, and caramel.
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The Seasons: As temperatures change, the whiskey expands into the wood and contracts back out, picking up complexity with every cycle.
6. Bottling
Once the Master Distiller decides a barrel is ready, it is filtered and usually diluted with water to reach its bottling proof (at least 80 proof). If it's Barrel Strength, it goes straight from the wood to the glass with no water added.
Top Bourbons to Explore in 2026
Ready to taste the result of all that hard work? Here are our top picks available at BottleStork:
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Buffalo Trace: The gold standard for a "classic" profile. Rich, balanced, and remarkably smooth.
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Wild Turkey 101: A high-rye, high-proof heavy hitter. Bold, spicy, and stands up perfectly in an Old Fashioned.
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Michter’s US*1 Small Batch: For those who appreciate precision. This is a nuanced, "chef-grade" bourbon with deep caramel notes.
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Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond: The ultimate value play. 100 proof, aged at least 4 years, and under $30.
