Ep. 214: From Barrels to Beakers – The Evolution of American Whiskey

What do you get when you take rye and ferment it with yeast, concentrate that yeast urine into a liquid, take that liquid and stick it in a burned barrel for two years?  If you said ‘whiskey’ you would be correct!  Yes that golden brown drink of the wild west is basically old barrel juice, but a very influential juice indeed.  This week I discuss the historical significance of whiskey with Dr. Harris Cooper, and we explore quite a few interesting areas, including how neo-nerds are taking whiskey out of the barrel and putting it into a lab, how ‘Popcorn’ Sutton embodied the modern bootlegger spirit, how the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair is once again involved in the story, and how NASCAR has it’s roots in running moonshine. Harris Cooper on Social Media Website Facebook Instagram To Purchase: America Through a Whiskey Glass Fascinating Nouns on Social Media Facebook Twitter YouTube