Grand River Baby Bourbon A Youngster Of A Whiskey

Grand River Spirits out of southern Illinois is another in the long parade of craft whiskey outfits releasing young batches of spirit aged in small barrels. These guys focus upon using local grains in their whiskey, which is cool, and recently announced a new batch of their Baby Bourbon was in stock at the distillery (though you can also buy it through a few retailers – see below).

The Grand River Baby Bourbon, according to the distillery, is a young American whiskey, apparently aged six months or less, that was matured in new, charred 15 or 30 gallon white oak barrels. Owing to the smaller barrel size it is said to be aged for less time “because of the increased surface contact ratio” with the container it is housed in.

The bourbon, like other spirits such as brandy, rum and seasonal liquor (i.e. grappa, schnapps), was distilled in “a 80-gallon Kothe craft potstill with three plates column, a custom German-engineered technology proven over centuries.” Bottling strength tends to vary batch to batch, ranging typically in the lower 80s, and as for the mash bill, it is 100 percent corn.

Should you want to pick up a bottle of it, this very young bourbon I’ve found is pricing between $45 and $50, not including shipping.