You don’t have to dig deep into the history of bourbon before you will come across the name of Dr. James Crow. There may not even be a bourbon history without Dr. Crow. His contributions to the distilling process set the standard for producing good, consistent bourbon and these processes, for the most part, have not changed in almost 200 years. It’s no wonder that he’s often referred to as the “father of bourbon.”
Dr. Crow graduated from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland as a doctor and chemist. He arrived in Kentucky in 1823 and went to work at the Glenn’s Creek distillery for a short time. He then went to work at the Old Oscar Pepper distillery where he remained for most of his career. It was there that he applied the scientific method to making whiskey and thus changed the course of bourbon history.
The basic formula for whiskey is this: beer and steam go into the still, and alcohol and spent mash come out. Early distillers made whiskey as consistently as possible, but in the end, it didn’t make much difference. It was sold by the barrel and ended up in the hands of rectifiers who would add colors and flavors and water to make more profit. Crow, on the other hand, approached distilling as a scientist and began to look at the many variables of the whiskey-making process. He wanted to know why some whiskeys were good and some were bad. Armed with a thermometer, a hydrometer to check proof, and litmus paper to measure acidity, he began to meticulously record all of this data until he learned what made consistently good whiskey. He also was extremely concerned with cleanliness in the distillery. Dirty equipment, vats and tanks could harbor bacteria and even unwanted yeasts that would make whiskey taste bad.
It is worth noting that Dr. Crow is often credited with ‘inventing’ the sour mash process. This involves adding some of the spent mash from a previous batch of whiskey to start fermentation of the next batch. The sour mash process keeps ph levels and yeast strains consistent with each run of the still, ensuring a consistent product and controlling the growth of unwanted bacteria that could taint the whiskey. It is more likely that Dr. Crow learned the method elsewhere and became responsible for its use in almost all bourbons.
After experimenting with batch after batch, his bourbon was so good that people began to ask for ‘Old Crow’ by name. It was one of the first bourbons to be referred to by brand and was enjoyed by many of his contemporaries, including Andrew Jackson, William Henry Harrison, Ulysses S. Grant, Walt Whitman, Henry Clay, Jack London and Mark Twain. According to legend, Grant’s critics complained to president Lincoln about Grant’s excessive drinking, to which Lincoln replied ‘Find out what kind of whiskey he drinks and send a barrel to my other generals.’
Doc Crow died in 1856 but his contributions live on in every drop of delicious bourbon that passes your lips. Almost 50 years after his death, the New York Times wrote that “to him, more than to any other man, is due the international reputation that Kentucky whiskey enjoys, and the vast distilling interests of the country are largely the result of his discoveries.” With that in mind, Doc, I drink one to you. Cheers.