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Fred Minnick
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Bourbon: The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of an American Whiskey Hardcover – Illustrated, October 1, 2016

by Fred Minnick (Author), Sean Brock (Foreword)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 586 ratings
Editors' pick Best History
See all formats and editions
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Best New Spirits Book, 2017 Tales of the Cocktail's Spirited Awards  Smithsonian Magazine: One of the  "Best Books About Food of 2016"

Once and for all, America learns the likely inventor of its beloved bourbon.
Bourbon is not just alcohol -- this amber-colored drink is deeply ingrained in American culture and tangled in American history. From the early days of raw corn liquor to the myriad distilleries that have proliferated around the country today, bourbon has come to symbolize America. In Bourbon: The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of an American Whiskey, award-winning whiskey author Fred Minnick traces bourbon's entire history, from the 1700s with Irish, Scottish, and French settlers setting up stills and making distilled spirits in the New World through today's booming resurgence. He also lays out in expert detail the critical role this spirit has played throughout the cultural and even political history of the nation -- from Congress passing whiskey-protection laws to consumers standing in long lines just for a glimpse of a rare bottle of Pappy Van Winkle -- complemented by more than 100 illustrations and photos. And most importantly, Minnick explores the mystery of who most likely created the sweet corn liquor we now know as bourbon. He studies the men who've been championed as its inventors over time -- from Daniel Boone's cousin to Baptist minister Elijah Craig -- and, based on new research and never-before-seen documentation, answers the question of who deserves the credit.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    240 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Voyageur Press
  4. Publication date
    October 1, 2016
  5. Dimensions
    6.25 x 1 x 9.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0760351724
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0760351727
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

No matter how it is served--in mint juleps, manhattans, neat, or on the rocks--bourbon has long been enjoyed across the American and global landscapes. A unique descendant from early Irish and Scotch whiskeys, bourbon became a distinctly American whiskey with the use of a high-corn mash bill and charred oak barrels. Here, Minnick details the rich history of bourbon by illustrating its intricately complex impact on American social and political realms from rebellions to laws to the myriad ad campaigns promoting this seductive liquor. Minnick's engaging text is even further illuminated by the introductions to the people and distilleries that played a part in what bourbon is today. Numerous images and informative sidebars throughout along with a bibliography and index are included to further the reader's education and enjoyment of all things bourbon. -- Becca Smith, Booklist

"Drinking bourbon is great, but when you know how much history is in that glass of brown liquid, it raises the level of appreciation. This book is a must read for any bourbon fan and history buff." --AdventuresInWhiskey.com

"Minnick traces the entire tumultuous history of bourbon from the dawn of our nation to the present-day boom....fascinating." -- BourbonAndBanter.com

"Minnick takes the reader on a freewheeling, informative and, at times, scholarly and chronological trip through the history of this intoxicating liquor, which is most associated with the beautiful Bluegrass State, since more than 90 percent of bourbon produced comes from Kentucky." -- Red Dirt Report

"Kentuckian Fred Minnick is a little bit obsessed with whiskey -- this makes his third book on the topic. It's a comprehensive history of America's homegrown spirit, beginning with a list of the 18th-century distillers who might have invented bourbon and continuing through the spirit's commercial success in the 1800s, the horror of Prohibition and efforts to rebuild the category afterward, and finally today's bourbon renaissance. It's an entertaining and fast-moving read, full of vintage photos and archival ads that make the story come to life." -- Playboy.com

From the Author

"The book is a visual delight, sprinkled with hundreds of photos, side stories and Fast Facts ("In a 1921 American Medical Association survey, 51 percent of US physicians were in favor of prescribing whiskey."). You can ingest the book cover-to-cover or skip around, reading one day about the World War II "War on Slop" - distiller slang for grains left over from distillation - and the next day learning how terms like "bourbon" and "distiller" evolved." -- Wine Buzz

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Voyageur Press; Illustrated edition (October 1, 2016)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0760351724
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0760351727
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.64 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 1 x 9.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 586 ratings

About the author

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Fred Minnick

Fred Minnick

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Since returning home from Iraq as a soldier in 2005, Fred Minnick shifted his passion for writing into distilled spirits, becoming a leading media personality for all things whiskey. With appearances on Top Chef, Today Show, Moonshiners, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning and more, the Wall Street Journal-bestselling author has written seven books, including Whiskey Women, Rum Curious, Bourbon Curious, MEAD, and Bourbon: The Rise, Fall & Rebirth of An American Whiskey, which won the Spirited Award for Best Spirits Book. He has written about spirits for Forbes, New York Times, Scientific American, Parade Magazine and multiple appearances on CBS This Morning, NPR and CNBC. Minnick is a co-founder to Bourbon & Beyond, Bourbon+ Magazine, and is an advisor to the Spirits Network. But most importantly, he wears ascots.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
586 global ratings
Great book but…..
3 Stars
Great book but…..
This is the second attempt at this book and like the first one the book is damaged. The spine on both books was damaged probably because the book is shipped in a box and not wrapped. Im a collector and I’m not paying for damaged books. It’s a shame because it’s a great bourbon book to add to my room. Unfortunately I will return this one as well. I don’t have time to keep doing this so I will not reorder.
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Top reviews from the United States

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Book Review: Bourbon: The Rise, Fall and Rebirth of an American Whiskey
Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2016
Verified Purchase
Fred Minnick is a Louisville, Kentucky based writer and his fourth book is Bourbon: The Rise, Fall and Rebirth of an American Whiskey. Since he’s from Kentucky you may think he’s biased towards his subject matter, but he stays objective like any historian throughout the book. Through his insights on bourbon you can see how the liquor industry has adapted and changed over 200 years in developing, maintaining and growing America’s spirit – bourbon.

The book focuses on bourbon’s beginnings and includes a discussion on who actually possibly created the first bourbon – was it really Elijah Craig or another individual? This is one of the more engaging chapters of the book since the author is more of an investigative reporter taking the reader along on a journey as opposed to lecturing to them about an outcome. The rest of the book focuses on bourbon’s travails – from the 1800’s through Prohibition, through the Second World War, through the upwards trend in the 1960’s, the downward spiral through the 1980’s until the resurgence of bourbon in present day. Minnick has presented the reader with a treasure trove of historical information that has been carefully researched and for any bourbon enthusiast provides an in-depth look into the spirit they enjoy.

Bourbon is definitely Minnick’s passion and it’s a detailed read for anyone interested in bourbon’s history and how it got so popular today. I only with he could have spent more time diving into the luminaries of the bourbon world like Booker Noe and Bill Samuels, Jr. but that may be in the future for Fred as he possibly dives deeper into bourbon’s heritage.

Chris Mielke | Editor of Southern Distilling News
Twitter: @SDistillingNews
[...]
6 people found this helpful
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J. Victor
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Fantastic! Pour a dram and get to reading!
Reviewed in the United States on October 18, 2016
Verified Purchase
Fred Minnick has compiled in one volume an erudite approach to the history of bourbon. Impeccably researched, he is not afraid to blaze new trails of discovery in things like "who is the father of Bourbon". The book is dense, rich, and demands to be read and reread. It is a must for anyone interested in getting the advanced course in bourbon whiskey and the people who have shaped it into what it is today. I recommend the hard cover book as it is beautifully put together. Something gets lost in translation to the kindle version. Its not as pretty to look at. Keep up the great work Fred!
4 people found this helpful
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Coolie G
5.0 out of 5 stars Many layers of detail
Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2023
Verified Purchase
This book works for me on several levels. At its core, the factual information covered in the book is well researched and cited. Next, the writing style of the author injects moments of humor into an informative and engaging narrative about the role that whiskey has played in the development of our nation. Sidebar photos, facts, and snippets of information pepper the book with invitations to self-guided rabbit-holes of research. Lastly, in the hardback edition the pages have coloration and markings meant to evoke a sense of history, of old information seeing the light of day for the first time in decades.
2 people found this helpful
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Ramman
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book for a bourbon drinker
Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2017
Verified Purchase
Great Book! I read it pretty quickly and enjoyed the different sections. The historical part wasn't too long and will suffice for most, if you want a deep dive you can get another book. I actually got two other book on bourbon. I liked the tasting section also and how to train your nose and taste buds. It helps you to understand how some descriptions come to be. If you want a first book on this American Wiskey I think this is the one.
5 people found this helpful
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D. Houser
5.0 out of 5 stars Bourbon! That says it all, and this book tell you what you need to know.
Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2019
Verified Purchase
Great little book about the history of bourbon and its place in American culture. I'm a huge fan of whiskies from all around the world, and it's great to understand a bit more about one of our own American contributions. Not that American whiskey is limited to bourbon, of course, but it clearly leads the pack. Grab the book and check it out yourself.
One person found this helpful
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TimMc
3.0 out of 5 stars Great book but…..
Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2023
Verified Purchase
This is the second attempt at this book and like the first one the book is damaged. The spine on both books was damaged probably because the book is shipped in a box and not wrapped. Im a collector and I’m not paying for damaged books. It’s a shame because it’s a great bourbon book to add to my room. Unfortunately I will return this one as well. I don’t have time to keep doing this so I will not reorder.
Customer image
TimMc
3.0 out of 5 stars Great book but…..
Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2023
This is the second attempt at this book and like the first one the book is damaged. The spine on both books was damaged probably because the book is shipped in a box and not wrapped. Im a collector and I’m not paying for damaged books. It’s a shame because it’s a great bourbon book to add to my room. Unfortunately I will return this one as well. I don’t have time to keep doing this so I will not reorder.
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B
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting with lots of little touches
Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2016
Verified Purchase
In Bourbon the author connects the political history of America to bourbon, discussing the recent failed "Bourbon Summit" with Obama and McConnell and outlining why Thomas Jefferson's Whiskey Tax Repeal was not a popular move. Bourbon is every bit of an American history book as it is a bourbon history book. There are no tasting notes, but the photography, illustrations, and sidebars break up the narrative into an easy-to-read book. You can as easily flip through it and read the captions and sidebars to get the gist of the book. It's extremely interesting. I pre-ordered the hardcover and was offered the Kindle edition for a few dollars more. For a couple of extra bucks you get both (bonus to have on hand for the beach and one for the coffee table).
14 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Lee
5.0 out of 5 stars !!! PARFAIT – VIVEMENT RECOMMANDE !!!
Reviewed in France on November 4, 2019
Verified Purchase
!!! PARFAIT – VIVEMENT RECOMMANDE !!!
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on December 31, 2016
Verified Purchase
Excellent :)
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Elissa May Peake
5.0 out of 5 stars I bought this book as a Christmas gift and am very happy with it indeed
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 18, 2016
Verified Purchase
My wife and myself are big bourbon fans dating back from our honeymoon in the states. I bought this book as a Christmas gift and am very happy with it indeed. Quick dispatch and delivery and a really asthetically pleasing book as well as informative and fun for something we both love to learn about as well as enjoy!
One person found this helpful
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the wnfc
5.0 out of 5 stars very good intro to bourbon for the novice
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 14, 2021
Verified Purchase
very good intro to bourbon for the novice, which I was (arguably still am)
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Linda
4.0 out of 5 stars Great but arrived damaged
Reviewed in Canada on January 13, 2020
Verified Purchase
Love the book but it arrived damaged so a little disappointed.
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Linda
4.0 out of 5 stars Great but arrived damaged
Reviewed in Canada on January 13, 2020
Love the book but it arrived damaged so a little disappointed.
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