Seagram's and the wheat recipe

There's a lot of history and 'lore' behind bourbon so discuss both here.

Moderator: Squire

Seagram's and the wheat recipe

Unread postby bourbonv » Thu Oct 21, 2004 9:20 am

I was talking with Sam Cecil the other day at the Heaven Hill Bourbon Heritage Center Grand Opening. We were discussing the origin of the wheat recipe and he pointed out that one of the reasons that Stitzel-Weller probably kept their wheat recipe a secret for so long is that Seagram's was publishing material about the dangers of making wheat whiskey. They were saying it could be poisonous. He did not recall all of the details but recalls that there were several articles in trade magazines in the late 30's and 40's by Seagram's discussing this subject. Has anyone seen these articles?
Mike Veach
User avatar
bourbonv
Registered User
 
Posts: 4086
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2004 7:17 pm
Location: Louisville, Ky.

Unread postby tlsmothers » Thu Oct 21, 2004 10:49 pm

I have never heard of such. What would make it poisonous?
"Drinking just to get drunk is like having sex just to get pregnant." --Robert Hess
User avatar
tlsmothers
Registered User
 
Posts: 353
Joined: Sun Oct 10, 2004 2:31 pm
Location: New York City

Unread postby bourbonv » Fri Oct 22, 2004 9:00 am

I would assume it has something to do with wood alcohol levels.
Mike Veach
User avatar
bourbonv
Registered User
 
Posts: 4086
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2004 7:17 pm
Location: Louisville, Ky.

Unread postby Squire » Sun Jul 31, 2005 12:40 am

Probably more attributable to the grain mold ergot. When infected grains are made into a foodstuff and injested they can cause symptoms ranging from halucination to death.

More common to rye or barley, there is a school of historical thought that believes a similar infection was the root cause of the Salem witch scare and trials in 17th century Mass.

The few Menonite farmers in my humid home state of MS who grow wheat for comsumption have to rotate fields annually to avoid this mold.

Regards,
Squire
Squire
Moderator
Moderator
 
Posts: 772
Joined: Tue Nov 23, 2004 9:04 pm
Location: Jackson, MS

Unread postby gillmang » Sun Jul 31, 2005 8:56 am

Squire, isn't ergot potentially a concern with rye grain also?

Gary
User avatar
gillmang
Vatman
 
Posts: 2173
Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2005 4:44 pm

Unread postby Squire » Sun Jul 31, 2005 8:01 pm

Gary,

Yes, more common to rye or barley though less with oats. My point is unless the grain crop was infected there should be no objection to its being used in whiskey making just because it was wheat.

Regards,
Squire
Squire
Moderator
Moderator
 
Posts: 772
Joined: Tue Nov 23, 2004 9:04 pm
Location: Jackson, MS


Return to Bourbon Lore

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 50 guests