History of Bourbon

By: Ken Albala, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Ken Albala

Is bourbon the quintessential American liquor? Bourbon is not just alcohol—the amber-colored drink is deeply ingrained in American culture and tangled in American history. From the early days of raw corn liquor to the myriad distilleries that have proliferated around the country today, bourbon is a symbol of the United States.

This course traces bourbon's entire history, from the 1700s, with Irish, Scottish, and French settlers setting up stills and making distilled spirits in the New World, through today's booming resurgence.

On their tour of bourbon's fascinating, turbulent, and uniquely American evolution, listeners will explore the mysterious origins of the whiskey’s name and meet the men and women who have been championed as its inventors and made it so popular - from Daniel Boone's cousin and Baptist minister Elijah Craig to Jacob Beam and Evan Williams.

In this 10-lecture journey through the story of an undeniably American libation, listeners will:

• Hear the stories behind the earliest bourbon whiskies right up to the current "bourbon bubble"
• Learn how a contemplative spirit went from agricultural product to industrial commodity
• Explore how - and why - bourbon played such a large role in the years of the early republic
• Get the facts on when and why Congress passed whiskey-protection laws
• Discover the surprising importance of bourbon distilleries during World War II, when the spirit became war material
• Go inside the Golden Age of Bourbon - a remarkable proliferation of new brands and niche markets happening now
• Witness the growth of brands like Jim Beam, Heaven Hill, Bulleit Bourbon, and Old Taylor
• Gain insights into why distilled spirits, like clothes and cars, project a message about who we are and the cultures to which we belong

Join Dr. Ken Albala, a history professor who has written numerous books on food, as he lays out in expert detail the critical role bourbon has played throughout the cultural and political history of the nation.

©2019 Audible Originals, LLC (P)2019 Audible Originals, LLC.

Informing.and engaging

I really enjoyed this look at the history of Bourbon. the author did a great job of summariizng key milestones from each century. And he's a good reader. He really enjoyed the research and it shows in the narration.

interesting topic with a great deal of detail

I truly enjoyed the book and learn a lot. I enjoy bourbon so that may have been part of the driver

not laser focused on bourbon, but good

performance is very good. not exclusively focused on bourbon and very much an "intro" course, but I enjoyed it and found it informative for my basic bourbon knowledge.

Informative and Interesting

I've enjoyed my share of bourbon back many years ago when Jim Beam and Coke was the preferred fraternity drink at Cornell. This short class explored how bourbon differed from other alcoholic beverages as well as went into great depth about the history and marketing. I have now added the Bourbon Trail in Kentucky to my bucket list! Since finishing the book, I have since purchased two varieties of higher end bourbon to experiment with after hearing them mentioned in the lecture series. Worth the listen!

About Bourbon

It is best enjoyed with a glass if Bourbon! Jim Beam in my case. Quite a nice listen.
Also was perfect to listen to after Hamilton, the musical.