March 16--Grain alcohol, the stuff of ill-advised college parties, takes on a different meaning when you consider that grains are the foundations of most distilled spirits.
Steeping grains -- from corn to rye to wheat and more -- in hot water releases the sugars required for fermentation. Those grains impart their flavors to the finished spirits, with whiskey and bourbon boasting the broadest array of grain flavor expressions. As our palates continue to turn to the browns (whiskey, rye, bourbon, etc.), we take a look at the grains behind them.
"It's helpful to compare the flavor grains provide in whiskeys with something more familiar -- bread," says Julia Momose, head bartender of GreenRiver Chicago, where the cocktail menu is organized by grain, rather than spirit. "Wheat bread is light and softly sweet; cornbread, rich, full and sweet; barley, dark and slightly nuttiness; rye bread, sharp and spicy; and oat bread, soft, mildly nutty and fruity."
Much-sought-after single malt whiskey is generally made entirely from barley (American single malts only require 51 percent barley), which imparts that roasted, nutty toffee-flavored cereal quality. Whereas corn is the dominant grain used in American bourbon (at least 51 percent), and aficionados relish its sweeter, robust flavors of vanilla and maple syrup, with a hint of leathery earth. Some spirits called "corn whiskey" are either unaged, or aged in used barrels letting more of the true taste of corn come through. They have a rich, syrupy sweetness that many enjoy -- Balcones True Blue is a good example.
For less sweetness and a bite of pepper, rye brings spicy, fruity flavors with more complexity. Traditionally, it's been blended with malted barley and other grains (again, with at least 51 percent rye). High-end brands, in this popular rye renaissance, shoot for an even drier, sharper and spicier spirit opting for 100 percent rye, such as High West or Rittenhouse.
Someone who prefers a smoother, milder flavor might veer toward oats (think hot cereal). The more sharply flavored barley and rye are frequently blended with oats to even out any harshness. Let's not forget about wheat. Buffalo Trace's Pappy Van Winkle has built quite a following for its wheat bread and honey flavors that come from, what else, a wheat-based mash.
Koval Distillery in Chicago even makes a limited edition single-barrel organic millet whiskey, sourced from a Midwest farmer collective. The millet imparts an anise note, adding an interesting dimension. Grain experimentation has moved beyond the craft distiller, with even giant Jim Beam dabbling with alternative grains for its Signature Craft Series bourbons, such as triticale (a wheat-rye hybrid) and brown rice, adding a nuttier flavor with an oilier texture.
Millet? Triticale? There's a lot to think about when pondering your next Manhattan.
Laura Levy Shatkin is a freelance writer.
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