The ABCDEFGs of Bourbon

To make the rules of bourbon easy to remember, I created a quick guide. The A through G of bourbon.

A is for America

Bourbon must be made in the United States. About 95% of the world’s bourbon is made right here in Kentucky, including most of the premium brands you know and love.

B is for Barrel

Bourbon has to be aged in a brand-new, charred white oak barrel. One barrel can last 80 to 90 years, and a single four-year-old tree can provide enough wood for two barrels.

C is for Corn

The mash bill must include at least 51% corn. This isn’t sweet cookout corn. It’s field corn, and it brings out that signature sweetness.

D is for Distilled Proof

The spirit can’t come off the still higher than 160 proof. Keeping the proof lower allows more flavor from the grains to stay in the spirit.

E is for Entry Proof

The distillate must enter the barrel at no more than 125 proof. That’s why you’ll see some bottles labeled “barrel proof” or “full proof.”

F is for Finished Proof

What ends up in the bottle has to be at least 80 proof. Kentucky’s traditional finished proof was 84, and some distilleries still honor that.

G is for Genuine

Nothing can be added to bourbon. No artificial flavors, no added color, and no second-barrel finishing. It has to be genuine.

Angelique Rison Founder, Sipping in the South

Learn the Rules of Bourbon in Person

The rules of bourbon make more sense when a distiller walks you through them. Read the official definitions from the Kentucky Distillers' Association, learn bourbon terminology, and see the rules of bourbon in action on Bourbon Curious. Our Bourbon Education page goes deeper into the rules of bourbon.