The bourbon boom has sparked intense interest in America’s native spirit, but has also raised complex questions for longtime aficionados and novices alike. With so many new releases and labeling tactics, it can be difficult to discern what defines a quality bourbon. Producers walk a fine line between innovation and tradition, while consumers struggle to separate marketing hype from honest craftsmanship. To help me dive into a bunch of topics I’ve invited Kris Hart to be on the show. He’s the co-creator of The Prideful Goat, an organizer for the Houston Whiskey Social, a contributing member of the Houston Bourbon Society and former guest on the show. We talk about balancing innovation with integrity because that are signs of disenchanting consumers in an increasingly crowded market. We touch on more fun TTB loopholes that I’m sure you will find interesting as well.

Show Notes:

• Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about getting the first sample to review.
• Have you memorized the entire TTB manual?
• How do you promote education without coming off critical?
• Do you feel like today’s new whiskey connoisseur doesn’t know what good bourbon tastes like?
• Why doesn’t Four Roses do more special releases?
• What happens to experiments that don’t make it to market?
• Is it possible to turn aged whiskey into bourbon?
• How do we keep companies honest with the labels they are filing to match the whiskey?
• How far have the rules been bent on bourbon?
• Do you feel as a producer that you have to put names to your releases for differentiation?
• Is adding coloring in scotch pretty common?
• What’s on the horizon for the prideful goat?
• Have we seen more consumer burnout?
• @whiskypete
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