Did You Know? Bourbon Heritage Month

September is Bourbon Heritage month and in celebration, we offer you some fun facts about bourbon.

1. Kentucky is home to more bourbon barrels than people.

2. Bourbon is America’s only native spirit.

3. During Prohibition, patients could legally purchase a pint of bourbon every 10 days if prescribed by a doctor.

4. It’s illegal to make bourbon in the comfort of your own home, but not to age it.

5. By law, bourbon must be aged in barrels for at least two years.

6. All bourbon is whiskey but not all whiskey is bourbon.

7. “White dog” refers to bourbon that has not yet been aged.

8. Bourbon distillers in Kentucky pay over $14 million in property taxes annually to store aging barrels.

9. For a spirit to be called “bourbon,” it must be made in the U.S.

10. Bourbon receives its color from the barrel its aged within.

11. Bourbon is the only product in the world you can’t legally add color or flavor additives to.

12. During World War II, many bourbon distilleries were converted to produce penicillin.

13. Bourbon barrels can only be used once.

Fun facts courtesy of the following articles: 
#1: http://chilledmagazine.com/cool_products-detail/10-fun-fact-about-bourbon
#2: http://kybourbon.com/bourbon_culture-2/key_bourbon_facts/
#3, #10: www.smartertravel.com/2015/10/19/9-fun-facts-youll-learn-on-kentuckys-bourbon-trail/
#4, #8, #11, #12: www.bromygod.com/2015/07/15/fun-facts-about-bourbon-and-its-american-history/
#5, #6, #9: www.cnbc.com/2013/09/24/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-kentucky-bourbon.html
#7: www.thrillist.com/drink/nation/15-things-you-didn-t-know-about-bourbon
#13: www.bonappetit.com/recipes/article/15-very-important-things-you-should-know-about-bourbon