ModernThirst
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    ModernThirst
    • HOME
    • News & Views
      1. Podcasts
      2. Videos
      3. Events
      4. Links
      Featured

      Four Gate Whiskey Announces Release 15.1, 15.2, & 15.3: The Bluegrass Trilogy

      By BillNovember 30, 20210
      Recent

      Four Gate Whiskey Announces Release 15.1, 15.2, & 15.3: The Bluegrass Trilogy

      November 30, 2021

      Old Forester 21st Release of Annual Birthday Bourbon

      August 24, 2021

      Press Release: Old Forester’s Next Release in the 117 Series Features a Blend of Barrels Aged Solely in Warehouse K 

      August 20, 2021
    • Bourbon & Whiskey
      • Bourbon and Whiskey Reviews
      • Bourbon and Whiskey Mash Bills
      • Bourbon Information & Resources
      • All Whiskey Content
        • Bourbon
        • Rye Whiskey
        • Scotch
        • Irish Whisky
      • Distillery Visits/Kentucky Bourbon Trail
    • Food, Beer, & Lifestyle
      • Pepperheads: Hot Sauce
      • Lifestyle & Features
      • Cocktail Corner
      • Food
      • Barware
      • Other Distilled Spirits
      • All Beer Content
      • Recipes
    • Hot Sauce
    • Shop
    • About Us
      • About Us
      • Patrons and Supporters
      • Sample Policy
      • Get in touch with ModernThirst
      • Advertise with ModernThirst
    ModernThirst
    Books

    The Essential Bourbon Reading List

    BillBy BillJuly 6, 2015Updated:January 22, 2018No Comments4 Mins Read
    [amazon_link asins=’B00H143UXW,B06Y1VGMH2′ template=’MT-product-carousel’ store=’modernthirstc-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’89cd9de4-ff80-11e7-ad0b-b3d612b3a656′]

    Congratulations on your enrollment in Modern Thirst University’s Bourbon Appreciation program!  We believe you will enjoy your time at MTBU, and find it rewarding both educationally and socially.  We here at the University encourage social interaction between students, as well as between faculty and students, and faculty and faculty.  After all, this is about drinking.

    Please make use of all our facilities, including our applied science labs (bars), research stations (distilleries), and our numerous athletic fields (beer pong tables nation-wide).

    But it’s not all fun and games at MTBU (I’m looking at you, intramural leagues!) There are, of course, studies to be completed.  Please read below for your list of required textbooks and optional reading materials.  Because we are a modern University, and saving you money on books allows you to buy more research product (bourbon), we have provided Amazon Kindle buying options whenever possible.

    Required Reading

    These are the essentials.  There are a lot of options for those who want to take their knowledge of bourbon to the next level, but these are the standard textbooks that you need to read.

    The first is by Bourbon Historian Michael Veach.  Mike is not only the single most knowledgeable man I’ve ever met on the topic of bourbon, he’s a genuinely nice guy. His book “Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey: An American Heritage” is the standard by which others are most often judged.

    If Michael’s book is the #1 required piece of reading material, Charles “Chuck” Cowdery’s “BOURBON, STRAIGHT: The Uncut and Unfiltered Story of American Whiskey” is #1A.

    Michael Veach also suggested these be added to the required reading list, and as he is the foremost bourbon professor in the country, we will follow his curriculum:

    And for our American Literature department, instructors have reminded us that Bourbon-Centric Fiction is still part of the curriculum.  Please enjoy James Markert’s “The Angel’s Share.

    So you’ve got the basics down from the required textbooks, eh?  Ready to focus your studies?  Think of these as required reading for your specific fields of study.

    Specific Histories and Anecdotes:

    Fred Minnick is another of the more well-known bourbon writers.  In addition to being one of the premier American whiskey judges on the planet, he’s an accomplished, active writer who tackles very interesting, sometimes neglected topics of bourbon lore.  “Whiskey Women” illustrates the incredible roll women played and continue to play in the birth and growth of the American Whiskey industry.  I highly recommend reading this, if you read no others beyond the required list.

    You like Chuck Cowdery’s required book listed above?  He’s not done, and you’re not done with Chuck.

    Another excellent source:

    This one is a little pricey, and not available in Kindle format, but it’s a fantastic compilation of known histories of Kentucky Bourbon Distilleries:

    Lest we forget, Bernie Lubbers is actually known as the “Whiskey Professor:”


    Think of this as the ‘applied science’ part of your studies.

    Bourbon Curious is a recent release by Fred Minnick.  While there may be some parts you skim over, there are countless facts and figures about mash bills, entry proofs, etc. that are invaluable resources:

    And more reading:

    Lastly, we highly encourage our students to make use of the reading materials on hand.  In addition to a huge array of reviews, we also have a wide selection of reference materials here at the MTBU Campus Library.   We have reading materials touching on everything from proper glassware, to hosting a bourbon tasting in your own home, to different bourbon and whiskey mash bills.

    So congratulations on enrolling in Modern Thirst Bourbon U, we hope you enjoy your studies!

    Thank you,

    The Dean

    Library Resources:

    Unboxing the Ultimate Whiskey Sampler from TheBroBasket.com

    Posted: December 6, 2019

    Looking for the perfect holiday gift for the whiskey lover in your life? Check out TheBroBasket.com. It’s like giving flowers, but for whiskey drinkers!

    0 comments

    Twenty Whiskies for the Shelf – Part 2

    Posted: November 26, 2018

    Part 2 of our “Twenty whiskies to have on your shelf” series

    0 comments

    Twenty Whiskies for the Shelf – Part 1

    Posted: November 25, 2018

    Part 1 of 2- Twenty whiskeys we believe you NEED to have on your shelf.

    0 comments

    Book Review: Bourbon Justice: How Whiskey Law Shaped America

    Posted: October 19, 2018

    Bourbon Justice: How Whiskey Law Shaped America is the first book by Brian Haara. Highly recommended for bourbon fans and legal-beagles alike.

    0 comments

    Video: Tasting Bourbon 101

    Posted: July 17, 2018

    Tasting Bourbon is a simple art. Want to know how we do it? Check it out.

    0 comments

    Video: Barrel Char in a Jar Kit

    Posted: November 13, 2017

    ModernThirst takes a look at Barrel Char in a Jar home aging and flavoring kit.

    0 comments

    Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Guide to releases and batches

    Posted: May 11, 2017

    A handy guide to navigating through all the releases of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof.

    0 comments

    Buffalo Trace Antique Collection Stagg/WLW/Handy Releases by Year and Proof

    Posted: August 5, 2016

    A handy guide for George T. Stagg, William Larue Weller, and Thamas Handy Sazerac Releases by year and proof.

    0 comments

    Bourbon Sample Bottles

    Posted: December 11, 2015

    Ever wondered where to get those little glass bottles everyone seems to be using to store and trade whiskey samples? Here’s our quick run down on standard bourbon & whiskey sample bottles with purchase links.

    4 comments

    Bourbon and Whiskey Mash Bills – September 2015

    Posted: September 14, 2015

    ModernThirst’s list of bourbon and whiskey mash bills updated for September, 2015

    0 comments

    The Essential Bourbon Reading List

    Posted: July 6, 2015

    [amazon_link asins=’B00H143UXW,B06Y1VGMH2′ template=’MT-product-carousel’ store=’modernthirstc-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’89cd9de4-ff80-11e7-ad0b-b3d612b3a656′]Congratulations on your enrollment in Modern Thirst University’s Bourbon Appreciation program!  We believe you will enjoy your time at MTBU, and find it rewarding both educationally and socially.  We here at the University encourage social interaction between students, as well as between faculty and students, and faculty and faculty.  After

    0 comments

    Old Crow Distillery- Historical Notes

    Posted: June 17, 2015

    Old Crow Distillery  DSP-KY-25 About a month ago, I was contacted by a representative of the Discovery Channel about speaking on camera for a proposed documentary about the history of the Old Crow distillery. My first inclination was to say “My handsome face on television? ABSOLUTELY!” After some careful thought, I didn’t want to portray

    4 comments

    Essential Bourbon Glassware

    Posted: January 14, 2015

    Some of the better vessels to sip your favorite dram.

    2 comments

    A Glencairn glass by any other name? Bellemain Whiskey Glass

    Posted: November 20, 2014

    When is a Glencairn Glass not really a Glencairn Glass? When it’s a Bellemain Glass. By now, I’m sure you’ve seen the Glencairn Glass in any number of photos on this site or others discussing bourbon and whiskey. It has become the standard whiskey glass for those who sip their whiskey neat. The glass was

    3 comments

    Hosting a Bourbon Tasting in your Home

    Posted: October 27, 2014

    So you’ve discovered this wonderful nectar of the gods we call Bourbon. You may be an expert in sipping the juice, or you may be entirely new to it. Either way, the next step from enjoying bourbon is to make it a social focus. Just as Wine Tastings have been en vogue for decades, Bourbon

    0 comments

    The Bourbon Flavor Wheel and Tasting Sheet

    Posted: August 6, 2014

    [amazon_link asins=’B00H143UXW,B06Y1VGMH2′ template=’MT-product-carousel’ store=’modernthirstc-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’89cd9de4-ff80-11e7-ad0b-b3d612b3a656′]We’ve had a lot of requests lately to re-post the Bourbon Flavor Wheel for readers who want to conduct their own tastings. I created the wheel back in April for my “Tasting Bourbon 101” post, and I suppose it has been a useful tool for some of our readers.  So

    2 comments

    Bourbon Primer

    Posted: April 29, 2014

    What is bourbon? What makes it unique? Check out our beginner’s guide to bourbon.

    0 comments

    Tasting Bourbon 101

    Posted: April 21, 2014

    Did you know there is a difference between tasting your bourbon and drinking it? The correct way to drink bourbon is however you like to drink it;  mixed or on the rocks on a hot summer day, straight up next to the fire in the dead of winter, or with a twist of lemon with

    10 comments

    How do you drink it?

    Posted: February 7, 2014

    So a bourbon question I’ve heard quite a bit lately is ‘How do you drink your bourbon?’ I usually sip it neat, or on the rocks. Why on the rocks? Simple: I like cold drinks, and I prefer high proof bourbons. That makes things like the large ice spheres the perfect way to drink them. The

    1 comment

    Home Bourbon Bar Basics

    Posted: January 10, 2014

    What are the necessities for a good home bourbon bar? It’s no secret, we’re witnessing an explosive boom in the growth and popularity of American Whiskey, and that boom is being led by Kentucky Bourbon.  Bourbon sales increased almost 12% in 2012, and bourbon has become the hottest new “it” liquor worldwide.  It’s so popular

    3 comments
    Facebook Comments
    Previous ArticleHigh West Double Rye! Whiskey Review
    Next Article Whiskey Row Fire Update
    Bill
    • Website
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    Bill is the Co-Founder, Editor-in Chief, and official Bourbon-o-Phile for ModernThirst.com, and Founder and Chief Blending Officer for Four Gate Whiskey Company. He is a native of Louisville, KY in the heart of Bourbon Country. He attended the University of Kentucky in the mid to late 1990s. He has also been published on Liquor.com. He has conducted various bourbon and whiskey tastings in cities across the country, and consulted for multiple national labels. He is married with two daughters, and lives in east Louisville. You can follow him on Facebook and Twitter @BillStraub and email him at Bill@ModernThirst.com.

    Related Posts

    Four Gate Whiskey Announces Release 15.1, 15.2, & 15.3: The Bluegrass Trilogy

    November 30, 2021

    Old Forester 21st Release of Annual Birthday Bourbon

    August 24, 2021

    Press Release: Old Forester’s Next Release in the 117 Series Features a Blend of Barrels Aged Solely in Warehouse K 

    August 20, 2021

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Shop
    Bourbon/Whiskey Reviews

    © 2020 ModernThirst. Please be responsible. Don’t drink and drive.

    © 2020 ModernThirst. Please be responsible. Don't drink and drive.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.