Book Review:Bourbon Whiskey, Our Native Spirit

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Book Review:Bourbon Whiskey, Our Native Spirit

Unread postby bourbonv » Sun Nov 02, 2014 11:11 am

Bourbon Whiskey, Our Native Spirit: Sour Mash & Sweet Adventures. Bernie Lubbers. Indianapolis, In.: Blue River Press, 2011. Table of Contents, Forward, Illustrations, Appendix. 218 pp

Bernie Lubbers is a whiskey ambassador for Heaven Hill. Before that he was with Jim Beam. Before that he spent many years as a stand up comic touring the country. He writes that when he got the job as a whiskey ambassador for Jim Beam, he needed to learn as much as he can about Bourbon and a teacher once told him the best way to learn about a subject is to write about it. This book is the result of this learning experience. Lubbers has written a very good book about Bourbon. It is aimed more towards the person who is just learning about Bourbon than the seasoned Bourbon drinker, but the old hand will still enjoy the book. Lubbers was a stand up comic for many years and this is reflected in his writing. He manages to tell very informative stories in an entertaining manner. The author is particularly passionate about Bonded Bourbon and makes a compelling case as to why the reader should explore this category further.

The book is laid out in a manner that reflects Lubber's own learning process. It begins with Lubbers' own background story, then goes into what is Bourbon, how is it made and how to read a whiskey label. This is followed by some history which is very interesting, but not ground breaking. Lubbers is a story teller and not a historian so expect some of the same stories that he heard while researching Bourbon, but anything new or exciting historically. It ends with chapters on visiting distilleries, hosting a Bourbon tasting, and favorite cocktails and recipes. The book is well illustrated with photographs, drawings and maps that help Lubbers tell his story. The one big problem with the book is a lack of an index for quick reference.

This book is an excellent book for any Bourbon Library. It is informative and entertaining. It makes the reader want to go to one of Bernie Lubbers' tastings and to drink some Bonded Bourbon.
Mike Veach
"Our people live almost exclusively on whiskey" - E H Taylor, Jr. 25 April 1873
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