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Number 711, 2003 by Suzan Herzeg, Bryan Rund and Jim Lee |
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General Information Legal Cluster Bio-Geographic Cluster Trade Cluster Environment Cluster Other Clusters |
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Number 711, 2003 by Suzan Herzeg, Bryan Rund and Jim Lee |
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General Information Legal Cluster Bio-Geographic Cluster Trade Cluster Environment Cluster Other Clusters |
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I. Identification1. The Issue
2. Description
The pioneer farmers of Kentucky made the original Kentucky bourbon out of
the corn grain that they could not sell and had to use before it went rotten.
The name "bourbon" came from the name of the Kentucky County where
most of the whiskey was produced. It was the purchasers down river that dubbed
it so.
There are certain key ingredients and processes to Kentucky bourbon.
One is the iron-free, mineral free, limestone water from Kentucky springs
that lacks the impurities that would affect the taste of the finished product.
Two is the ingredients. Law mandates that the bourbon recipe consist of at least
51% corn, and the distiller has the choice of percentage of barley malt, rye
or wheat. The grains are ground and mixed at certain intervals with water. The
mixture is then cooked, and a strain of yeast is added once the mixture produces
grain sugar, to start the fermentation.
Each distillery has its own strain of yeast, which is a carefully guarded secret.
The "sour mash" is then transferred to a large cypress or steel tub
for distilling. The third key ingredient is actually the container. The high
wine bourbon is then poured to the brim into the new, white oak barrels that
are charred on the inside. It is legally mandated that the bourbon be stored
in such a container. As the temperature and seasons change, the bourbon expands
and contracts through the charred wood, which gives it its characteristic and
distinctive mellow flavor and color.
Warehouses are usually buildings "built on hilltops or in a staggered format
in open fields," with several barrel racks that allow for airflow. Kentucky
bourbon must be aged for at least two years, though most are aged between 4-8
years. If the bourbon is aged for less than four years, the producer has to
put the age on the label.
Source: Kentucky Distillers' Association - www.kybourbon.com/english/pages/history.html
3. Related Cases
4. Author and Date: Suzan Herzeg, Bryan Rund and Jim Lee
II. Legal Clusters5. Discourse and Status: Agreement and InProgress
6. Forum and Scope: US and Multilateral
7. Decision Breadth: NAFTA and EU (18)3
8. Legal Standing: Treaty
III. Geographic Clusters9. Geographic Locations
a. Geographic Domain: North America
b. Geographic Site: Eastern North America
c. Geographic Impact: US
10. Sub-National Factors:
11. Type of Habitat: Temperate
IV. Trade Clusters12. Type of Measure: Culture
13. Direct v. Indirect Impacts: Indirect
14. Relation of Trade Measure to Environmental Impact
a. Directly Related to Product: Yes, Spirits
b. Indirectly Related to Product: No
c. Not Related to Product: No
d. Related to Process: Yes, Culture
15. Trade Product Identification: Kentucky Bourbon
16. Economic Data
17. Impact of Trade Restriction: Ban
18. Industry Sector: Food (and Drink)
19. Exporters and Importers: US and many
V. Environment Clusters20. Environmental Problem Type: Culture
21. Name, Type, and Diversity of Species
Name:
Type:
Diversity:
22. Resource Impact and Effect: High and Regulation
23. Urgency and Lifetime: High and 100s of years
24. Substitutes: Like Products
VI. Other Factors25. Culture: Yes
26. Trans-Boundary Issues: No
27. Rights: Yes
28. Relevant Literature