This is an old thread which I think is the right place to post this entry today from my blog,
http://www.beeretseq.com:
http://www.beeretseq.com/the-bourbon-so ... ames-crow/Interested parties are requested to read the last three posts to see the chronology. Basically I discuss that sour-mashing for E.H. Taylor (Colonel Taylor of Old Taylor fame) meant, not just using spent beer (backset, slops) to mix the mash, but also to ferment the mash. He didn't use any fresh yeast, the fermenting power was in his backset despite that it had been boiled in a previous distillation. You need to go back as I said a few posts, to where I talk about dunder, the rum analogy, to get the whole story.
Also, my post today shows that James Crow was doing sour mashing in exactly same way and of course Crow came first. And there is a connection between Crow and Taylor, explained in the post.
I thought some old hands here would like this including Mike from Georgia who is back I understand, something I thought he would never do as it was a very long while between appearances.
My best to all.
Gary Gillman