All whiskeys are made from at least one type of grain. When we’re talking about single malt Scotch whisky, we’re talking about malted barley. Meanwhile, bourbon—American’s native spirit—is often made with several types of grains, but corn must be in the majority. A bourbon’s grain recipe is known as a mash bill. A traditional bourbon mash bill is made from corn, rye and malted barley, but sometimes wheat replaces the rye in this recipe. More often than not, a bourbon is made with just three of the aforementioned four grains. However, there are bourbon producers, particularly craft distillers, who are throwing their hats in the whiskey ring with a four grain bourbon. That’s certainly one way to make your brand stand out in the crowd.
As we’ve mentioned before, bourbon can be made anywhere in the US, not just Kentucky. Yes, bourbon is being made from Maine to California and nearly every state in between. These four grain bourbon bottles below will provide a little added dimension to your glass. Make sure to feature at least one of these bottles at your next blind bourbon tasting. It’ll be sure to surprise even the most experienced tasters.
Deerhammer Straight Bourbon
Deerhammer Distilling Company, founded in 2010, is a grain-to-glass distillery located over 8,000 feet above sea level in Buena Vista, Colorado. The distillery’s Straight Bourbon is made from a unique four grain mash bill consisting of 65% Colorado corn, 20% San Luis red spring wheat, 10% cold-smoked oats and 5% roasted barley. The bourbon is direct-fire pot distilled and matured for a minimum of two years in heavy toasted, #2 char virgin American oak.
District Made Straight Bourbon
This straight bourbon is produced at Washington D.C. based One Eight Distilling—a grain-to-glass distillery. It’s made from a mash bill of corn, wheat, rye (both malted and unmalted) and malted barley. Aged for a minimum two years in new, charred American oak, this four grain bourbon is bottled at 95 proof.
Black Button Four Grain Bourbon
This bourbon is made with 60% corn, 20% wheat, 9% rye and 11% malted barley. The grains are all grown in New York State from Edgewood Farms in Groveland, a 1,600-acre farm just south of Rochester. This straight bourbon is aged mostly in 30-gallon barrels for at least 40 months before it’s bottled at 84 proof.
Frey Ranch Straight Bourbon
Frey Ranch Straight Bourbon is made entirely—from the farming of the grain to the bottling and all steps in between—on the brand’s estate in Fallon, Nevada. This inaugural bourbon release is a four grain bourbon made from non-GMO corn, winter cereal rye, winter wheat and two-row barley. Aged for at least 4 years, it is bottled without chill-filtration at 90 proof.
Balcones Texas Pot Still Bourbon
Balcones Texas Pot Still Bourbon is made from a four grain mash bill of roasted blue corn, Texas wheat, Texas rye and malted barley. This straight bourbon ages for 24 months in new charred barrels. It’s bottled at 46% ABV.
Laws Four Grain Straight Bourbon
Laws Whiskey House is a grain-to-glass distiller located in Denver, Colorado. Its Four Grain Straight Bourbon is made with a mash bill of 60% corn along with 20% heirloom wheat, 10% heirloom rye and 10% heirloom malted barley, all sourced from Colorado family farms. The bourbon ages for three years in new, 53 gallon charred American oak barrels.
Jeptha Creed Four Grain Bourbon
Of the four grains used here, the most notable is Bloody Butcher corn which comprises 70% of the mash bill. The remaining grains are all malted: 15% malted rye, 10% malted wheat and 5% malted barley. This straight Kentucky bourbon is bottled at 98 proof.
Spirit Works Four Grain Bourbon
This bourbon is made from all organic grains including corn and wheat grown in California along with rye and barley. It ages a minimum of 4 years in 53-gallon new, charred oak barrels and is bottled at 90 proof. Spirit Works Distillery is a grain-to-glass distillery located in Sonoma County, California.
Split Grass Organic Straight Bourbon
Split Rock Distilling is a grain-to-glass distillery located in Newcastle, Maine. Its Organic Straight Bourbon is made using four grains: 60% corn, 20% wheat, 15% malted barley, and 5% rye—all certified organic. It is aged in 30-gallon new, charred American oak barrels for 3 years before bottling at 88 proof.
Rabbit Hole Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Rabbit Hole Distilling, founded by Kaveh Zamanian, makes its Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey from four grains: 70% corn, 10% malted wheat, 10% honey malted barley, and 10% malted barley. It is aged in toasted and charred new American oak barrels (char #3) and is bottled at 47.5% ABV.
Ready to grab a bottle of four grain bourbon?
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