317 – The Science of Whiskey Webs with Stuart Williams from the University of Louisville


About twice a year we have a guest on the show that just amazes us with the science behind bourbon. Stuart Williams is a professor that directs the microfluidic systems laboratory at the University of Louisville. He discovered that when bourbon begins evaporating, it creates a web that resembles constellations in the dark sky. Stuart was able to document his findings and show how bourbons that come from the same distillery create similar webs. Pictures speak louder than words so make sure you check out his website at WhiskeyWebs.org to see the stunning representations.

Show Notes:

  • This week’s Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about sourced whiskey.
  • How did you become so passionate about this research?
  • Tell us about fluid dynamics.
  • What is a whiskey web?
  • Talk about filtration.
  • Is it good to have more colloids vs. less?
  • Tell us about the physics of evaporation.
  • What proof were you testing at?
  • Will 3 different bottles of the same whiskey have the same pattern?
  • Which bourbon didn’t show a web?
  • What other things could you test with this research?
  • Could you use the whiskey web to determine taste?
  • WhiskeyWebs.org

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