Bourbon Empire

The Past and Future of America's Whiskey

By: Reid Mitenbuler

Narrated by: Brian O'Neill

Length: 10 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

How bourbon came to be, and why it's experiencing such a revival today.

Unraveling the many myths and misconceptions surrounding America's most iconic spirit, Bourbon Empire traces a history that spans frontier rebellion, Gilded Age corruption, and the magic of Madison Avenue. Whiskey has profoundly influenced America's political, economic, and cultural destiny, just as those same factors have inspired the evolution and unique flavor of the whiskey itself.

Taking listeners behind the curtain of an enchanting - and sometimes exasperating - industry, the work of writer Reid Mitenbuler crackles with attitude and commentary about taste, choice, and history. Few products better embody the United States, or American business, than bourbon.

A tale of innovation, success, downfall, and resurrection, Bourbon Empire is an exploration of the spirit in all its unique forms, creating an indelible portrait of both bourbon and the people who make it.

©2015 Reid Mitenbuler (P)2015 Recorded Books

A must Listen!

Any one who enjoys bourbon and also has a love for history, this book is for you! Great listen on long drives!!

Fascinating

I like a bit of bourbon now and then but had no idea it had such an interesting history. I learned a lot very enjoyably!b

great content, very well presented

a very informative and entertaining book, with a perfect narrator for the content. know yoir whiskey to know America.

Bourbon: The men, the myths, and the legends

I have spent the last seven years exploring the Bourbon Trail, meandering country roads at Loretto, and dodging traffic in Louisville to get the "flavor" of bourbon. I would recommend to anyone about to start that journey today, that they read Bourbon Empire first. Kind of like knowing that "first downs are good" for the first time football watcher, this book will give the hints on how to enjoy and indeed anticipate the experience for the first time. Now that I have read the book, I am going to travel The Bourbon Trail again.

I Absolutely LOVE This Book! And I don't drink!!!

I got this book because my husband is a spirits guy and a good friend is a chemist and the two of them convinced me of the mystique and attraction of the drink. I just couldn't experience it myself because I don't like spirits, but I was intrigued enough to listen to this book.

Firstly, the narrator - he's absolutely a dream narrator. His voice is pleasant enough that sometimes I'll play this book for myself while I sleep. But, he can also nuance voices and inflections in a natural way to convey different personalities and the humor of the writing. What a gem!

Secondly, the writing is fascinating. Mitenbuler doesn't buy into any the of the hype around the rock-star bourbons and their hype but he's no critic. He simply exposes the industry and the marketing machinations behind them that separate some brands from their popularity and the actual integrity of their processes and ingredients and qualities. It was so enlightening.

I listened to a book titled "Get Well Soon" recently and it was so sophomoric and written like a blogger vs. a historian's or journalistic style like this book is written that I just kept longing to go back to this book, just to have the pleasure of listening to exquisite writing.

Highly, Highly Recommended!

Very Interesting History of Whiskey in the US

I learned a lot about the history of whiskey in the US, recommend to anyone interested in whiskey.

Great whiskey history great American history

I knew very little about the history of bourbon and other spirits in the U.S. This book captured the essence of the important milestones as the whiskey industry grew and as we grew as a nation. I highly recommend this book to people who love American history and a shot of bourbon. And the narration was phenomenal.

Excellent Book, great story, well read.

Great detail, comprehensive story on Bourbon done in a fantastic storyline and told very well by the narrator.

Clear eyed history of pre and post-prohibition

I grew up in a non-drinking stream of Christianity. And then I went to Wheaton for college, which included a pledge not to drink. And from there to University of Chicago Divinity School, which was nearly the opposite (although I worked for a Drug and Alcohol rehab program through part of my grad school years so I mostly didn’t drink there either.) I was not particularly comfortable with alcohol personally, although I did not have any theological issues with it.

Slowly I become more comfortable with alcohol over time and tend toward the snobbish side of drinking, because it is more about the taste than the nostalgia. I have never acquired a taste for the non-craft beer. It seem natural that wine and bourbon, as well as some other spirits have been added to my repertoire.

Midtenbuler tells a fascinating story about Bourbon. And I use the ’story’ language intentionally. There is a line in the book where he says, ‘Even though reality is often less romantic…’. That is much of the story of the book. Bourbon likes to bill itself as an old drink and it’s naming and labeling is mostly trying to point to how old the recipes are or at least how old the name is.

But Bourbon is really a pre-prohibition and post-prohibition story. Prior to prohibition there were few brand names. Bourbon (and presumably most other alcohol) was a commodity. Brands were not particularly well known and in many cases there simply was no way of knowing what you were getting because individual bottling only started a bit before prohibition. Before that you brought your own containers to the store and filled them up with what the store had.

Today there are lots of different names on the bottles, but about 90% of the bourbon is made by one of eight companies that own virtually all of the big names. Like beer, the new craft distillers have helped renew interest and variety, but the economics of bourbon and other aged and distilled spirits require significant capital and time.

Bourbon Empire was interesting to me, because it told a good story about a drink that is fueled by its story. That may not be enough for other readers.

Informative

The book is very informative. It starts from the birth of burbon and ends up to present day. Very detailed from production all the way to the consumer. Has the ups and downs of the industry, and how the "farhers" of burbon coped with it. Great listen!