🥃 Michter's US★1 Sour Mash
Michter's US★1 whiskey that by its grain mix is neither bourbon nor rye; sour mash method, 43% ABV (86 proof).
Michter's US★1 Sour Mash is a whiskey from Michter's, part of the US★1 line, that by its grain mix falls under neither bourbon nor rye. It is released in small batches at 86 proof, which is 43% ABV. There is no age statement. The producer describes its taste as starting like bourbon and finishing like rye.
Sour mash means that part of an already fermented mash is added to the start of the next one, like a starter in dough. Breaking Bourbon writes that the mash contains a lot of rye and corn, plus a little barley malt. It matures in new charred American white oak barrels. The old Michter's Sour Mash was a hit in the 1970s and 1980s, disappeared in 1989, and returned in 2012.
Why this matters to you. Compare it with US★1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon and US★1 Kentucky Straight Rye: by grain mix, this whiskey sits between them. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe amount of alcohol.
Facts
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 43% ABV (86 proof) |
|---|---|
| Raw material | rye, corn, barley malt (exact shares not disclosed) |
| Distillation method | sour mash method: part of the fermented mash is the starter for the next batch |
| Cask type | new charred American white oak barrels |
| Year founded | in the US★1 line since 2012 (the older version: until 1989) |
| Legal basis | 27 CFR § 5.143 (USA), whisky category (not bourbon and not rye) |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Michter's US★1 Sour Mash → kind of → 🥃 Whisky → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🐝 American white oak, 🍷 Barrel toasting
- Made from
- 🥃 Rye and corn in whisky
- What it contains
- 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Michter's, 🥃 Whisky
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Michter's US★1 American Whiskey, 🥃 Michter's US★1 American Whiskey, 🥃 Michter's US★1 Kentucky Straight Rye, 🥃 Michter's US★1 Kentucky Straight Rye, 🥃 Sour mash
Frequently asked questions
Is Michter's Sour Mash a bourbon?
No. According to the producer, its grain mix means it cannot be called a bourbon or a rye; Breaking Bourbon suggests that it contains less than 51% corn.
What does sour mash mean?
Part of an already fermented mash is used as a starter for the next batch.
What is the strength of Michter's US★1 Sour Mash?
86 proof, which is 43% ABV.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Barrel toasting — Heating the inside of a barrel over fire; the degree of toast shapes the wine's taste.
- 🥃 Michter's US★1 Kentucky Straight Rye — Michter's US★1 rye: a Kentucky straight rye bottled from a single barrel, matured in new charred barrels; 42.4% ABV (84.8 proof).
- 🍷 Drunk driving — Never drive after drinking wine: alcohol slows your reactions.
Similar
🥃 Michter's US★1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon · 🥃 Michter's US★1 Kentucky Straight Rye · 🥃 Michter's US★1 American Whiskey · 🥃 Jack Daniel’s Gentleman Jack · 🥃 Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium Aged Whiskey · 🥃 Jim Beam Rye
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Michter's: US★1 Sour Mash (43 % ABV / 86 proof; grain selection that is neither bourbon nor rye; new fire-charred American white oak; best seller of the 1970s–80s, off the market 1989, back in 2012)
- Breaking Bourbon: Michter's US-1 Original Sour Mash Whiskey review (15.04.2022; 86 proof; NAS; mash with rye, corn and barley malt, likely under 51 % corn)
- 27 CFR § 5.143 Whisky — standards of identity (USA, TTB), text via Cornell LII
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)