Kings County Distillery is New York City oldest, largest and premier whiskey distillery. They started the business in 2010 in a tiny spot in Bushwick and then moved to the Brooklyn Navy Yard in 2012. At the Navy Yard I took the 3pm tour the distillery offered for 16 dollars. The first part of the tour was the experiment wall. This wall shows all the spirits that they tried that were successful, as well as the ones that never made it on the market. Then we proceeded with the whiskey war history. Where the tax distiller Clinton Gilbert was shot and killed (Poleman & Haskell 2015) page 72. Kings County distillery has 9 years of service since prohibition.

Spirits and Ingredients:

Straight Bourbon: is their main type of whiskey. The technique Kings County Distillery uses are the grain mixture which is made up of 80 percent of New York State corn and 20 percent U.K barley. It is combined with the fresh corn and then stored in the oak barrels. It has 45 percent alcohol. Aged for 2 years.

Chocolate flavored whiskey: is infused with moonshine. The flavor and the aroma  from the nose comes from the shell or the husk of the coco beans, then sits 3 to 4 months in stainless steel pot still.

Moonshine: Other known as whiskey before aged in a barrel. The moonshine corn whiskey ingredients are corn make from 80 percent New York State corn and 20 percent malted barley. The moonshine is double distilled. It has 40 percent alcohol.

Peated Bourbon whiskey: Is made from malted barley that has been exposed by peat smoke. It is made up of 45 percent alcohol, from 75 percent corn and 25 percent Scottish grown peated malt.

Grape fruit jalapeno flavored moonshine: Both fruits are processed in a separate thank. However the seeds from the jalapenos are removed. The moonshine is infused with citrus, bitterness and heat on the palate.

Farming, Fermenting and distilling practices:

Kings county whiskeys are process includes mash,fermenting straining, stripping run, spirit run, proofing and aging on site. (Poleman & Haskell, 2013) page 130 to 144. Using 24 liters stainless steel stills and 5 oak fermenters made from roof tops water top which holds 40 gallon each. The straight bourbon is distilled twice in copper pots still and aged in new charred oak barrels. First they must choose the barley or corn, then malt the desired grain, extraction of the sugar (corn or barley). They are then combined with warm water also known as the mash, the reduction of carbohydrates creates sugar to activate the yeast. The result is called wort. The draff is the husk or any particles which is used for farming. Follows by fermentation which is yeast + sugar + alcohol = coz+ ethanol + heat. The yeast is then doubled to help absorb the sugar which creates the beer . It is then fermented in oak barrels.  Then comes distillation where the uses copper still known spirit run as to help extract contaminants from the spirit. There are 3 alcohol that is produced from this process foreshots high in alcohol followed by the head, feints very low in alcohol and heart which is high proof alcohol right before the heart is 70 percent proof the tail is distilled water at the end. The transformation from beer to whiskey, maturation of the whiskey is where the spirit sits in charred oak barrels. Then aging in the oak barrels which adds flavor, texture on the palate and color in the appearance. Over all the experience was knowledgeable because the tour guide was familiar with his history and the AVA’s, his spirits, the fermenting process and he was able to answer random questions connecting the question to the lesson in the tour.

Reference list:

Poleman, C., & Haskell, D.,(2015). Kings County Distillery: Dead Distillers.

In-text reference:        (Poleman & Haskell, 2015)

Poleman, C., & Haskell, D.,(2015). Kings County Distillery: Guide to Urban           Moonshining.

In-text reference:       (Poleman & Haskell, 2013)

Wall of experiment

Hospital ticket

stainless steel pot still

Wooden Fermenter

Premium whiskey stored in smaller sized barrels.

Myself

3 main types of whiskey: Moonshine, bourbon and Chocolate flavored

source number 1.

source number 2