Chad Berkey - The North American Whiskey Guide from Behind the Bar: Real Bartenders’ Reviews of More Than 250 Whiskeys--Includes 30 Standout Cocktail Recipes

THE NORTH AMERICAN

WHISKEY GUIDE

FROM

BEHIND THE BAR

REAL BARTENDERS REVIEWS OF
MORE THAN 250 WHISKEYSINCLUDES
30 STANDOUT COCKTAIL RECIPES

CHAD BERKEY
GENERAL MANAGER OF THE AERO CLUB BAR
and JEREMY LEBLANC
HEAD MIXOLOGIST AT THE ALTITUDE SKY LOUNGE AND AUTHOR OF THE BEST CRAFT COCKTAILS & BARTENDING WITH FLAIR

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TO AVA AND GAVEN LEBLANC.
TO BOONE HARTLEY BERKEY WELCOME TO THE WORLD, SON.

North American whiskeys are more popular than ever. The whiskeys we cover in this book are produced in either the United States or Canada. They are made from a variety of different grains produced from a mash bill that usually mixes together rye, wheat, corn, malted barley and oats. The legal requirements for production vary by the type of grains, the percent or proof of alcohol and the length and manner of their aging. Regulations vary above and below the Canadian border, but heres our take on it.

For bourbons, ryes, wheats, malts and Tennessee whiskeys to be labeled Straight, they must have a mash bill consisting of at least 51% of their particular grain, be distilled no more than 80% ABV (160 proof) and be aged for at least two years in new charred oak barrels. Tennessees number one difference is that most of them perform a process that filters their whiskey through sugar maple charcoal, unique to their state.

Blended American Whiskey is required to contain at least 20% straight whiskey. Blended whiskey that contains the minimum of 51% straight whiskey of a particular grain can legally use that grain in its label descriptionfor example, blended bourbon or blended rye. Note that these are the ones your bartender is probably going to offer you if you order a whiskey and Coke.

Corn whiskeys must contain 80% or more corn and be distilled at no more than 80% ABV (160 proof). Their hillbilly cousins, white whiskeys and moonshine, are distilled from a variety mix of corn and sugars and are bottled right off the still.

Our neighbors from the north have some different rules and regulations when it comes to making whiskey. Their versions are mostly blended with a minimum age of three years, but most brands spend a little more time in the barrels.

In this book we have chosen 250 North American whiskeys from the back bar of the Aero Club Bar in San Diego. These brands were selected from a wall of over 900 whiskeys because they are among the most frequently ordered by our patrons. Our goal is to taste, review and report our findings from a combined 40 years of experience from behind the bar. We have spent countless nights interacting, observing and questioning our patrons and peers trying to answer questions such as Whats a good whiskey? or What whiskey do you recommend? We as service providers do our best to please our customers who simply say, Give me something good. Answering these questions can be quite difficult as each individual has different tastes and styles. Our strategy and solution was to combine our wealth of knowledge along with blind tastings from four professional bartenders. Our team was not influenced by brands or labels and wrote their reviews on what they honestly thought after smelling and tasting the whiskey. As bartenders, its important for us to satisfy our guests, and nothing pleases us more than to help them find that perfect whiskey that suits their taste and pleases their palates.

In addition, we added a variety of unique whiskey craft cocktails, along with some classics with a twist. These rare libations were all handcrafted by mixologists from around the country and are perfect for mixing up behind the bar or in the comfort of your own home.

Furthermore, our selected four bartenders picked some of their favorite whiskeys, and we paired them up with premium cigars for your enjoyment.

Last, but not least, we included our bucket list of whiskeys. At one time or another, these extraordinary products graced our shelves and are a must try if you come across them. We hope that you enjoy this valuable resource, as we wanted to provide you with some material that you ordinarily might not see in a whiskey guide.

Cheers,

Chad and Jeremy

ANNIE HOBBS

JEFF DELOY

JOHN WRIGHT

BRANDON JOSEFOSKY

Bourbon is easily the most popular whiskey in America. Stroll into any bar in the country and order a whiskey and chances are the bartender is going to pour you a delicious amber-colored liquid that is made primarily from corn. Contrary to popular belief, bourbon can be produced anywhere in the United States. It must, however, be made from a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn. Other requirements include aging in new, charred oak barrels. It must be distilled no more than 160 proof or 80% alcohol by volume, and enter the barrel for aging at no more than 125 proof or 62.5% alcohol by volume. It also must be bottled at 80 proof or more (40% ABV). If the whiskey reads straight bourbon, the whiskey must be aged at least two years. There can be no funny business of mixing in any coloring or adding flavor enhancers, so if youre looking for the real McCoy, make sure the label doesnt say blended whiskey.

Kentucky produces over 90% of the bourbon on the market, but there are many great smaller craft distilleries across the country that are making a name for themselves by distilling quality whiskey. Many of them use organic products and take great pride in their farm to bottle small batch whiskeys. They are experimenting with different ages and styles that produce many different flavor profiles.