Bourbon: no longer a man's drink
In March, members of the Bourbon Women Association were presented with a survey asking how they preferred to drink bourbon.
Was their favorite drink a Mint Julep? A Whiskey Sour? A bourbon slushie?
The male masters student conducting the survey was probably surprised by the results to the question — which has long plagued the male-dominated industry, association president Susan Reigler said.
Overwhelmingly, the women said they preferred their bourbon one way: straight.
"You don't have to have any special anatomy to enjoy a good whiskey," Reigler said.
That line of thinking seems to have always been prevalent in Kentucky, where about 75 percent of the association's members are located and bartenders don't bat an eyelash at women ordering bourbon and females routinely hold top positions at distilleries.
But with the current bourbon boom, the notion that bourbon is a man's drink also seems to be dispersing nationwide. According to statistics provided by Heaven Hill, about 30 percent of bourbon drinkers are women, and the total number of women who drink bourbon increased about 50 percent between 2011 and 2014.
There's no one reason for the change. A Heaven Hill representative attributes it to a younger generation looking for options. Whiskey freelance writer Fred Minnick says it could be women have more societal freedom than in the past. Reigler says it might just be the industry finally catching up to modern gender views.
"We've seen a lot of changes in aspects of our culture," she said. "'Oh gee, women can be CEOs? Wow, women can run for President?' Why are we still asking this? ... Of course women like bourbon."
The Bourbon Women Association, which formed in 2011, is one of at least two female-oriented bourbon groups in Kentucky, along with newer addition Whisky Chicks.
The association was created as a way to give professional women an opportunity to meet other women who enjoy bourbon and a place to feel comfortable asking questions. So far, it's succeeded — with more than 600 members in 23 states and four countries, and two recently formed branches in Indianapolis and Chicago.
"Women enjoy interesting flavors and complex products," Reigler said. "...We're reaching out to women to say, 'It's OK, you don't have to feel like it's off limits.'"
Minnick, author of "Whiskey Women: The Untold Story of How Women Saved Bourbon, Scotch & Irish Whiskey," said the notion that women couldn't drink bourbon likely stems from a connection between the spirit and prostitutes that was common about a century ago.
"In the 1800s era, prostitutes were big time whiskey salesmen," Minnick said. "They were selling whiskey to johns in the brothel. Distilleries would use illustrations of prostitutes in their advertisements. Whiskey was very intertwined with prostitution. This, of course, was a big part of the movement that led to Prohibition."
Prior to the unfortunate affiliation, women were actually a large part of the bourbon industry, Minnick said. The first known sour mash recipe is credited to Catherine Spears, a woman distilling in Kentucky in the early 1800s. Mary Myers gave money to help start Jim Beam. And many women held prominent roles on bottling lines. Their fingers were delicate; a man's hands were too clumsy.
"Women have remained in the industry," Minnick said. "They just haven't been a part of the stories that the distilling community wants to present."
Josh Hafer, communications manager for Heaven Hill brands, said the company has noticed an increase in female bourbon drinks over the years, but it doesn't try to separate them from the general bourbon-drinking population. Instead, the company — home to Evan Williams and Elijah Craig — tries to see whiskey drinkers as simply whiskey drinkers.
"The message is no different based on gender," Hafer said. "Because really there's no distinction there to be made in terms of interest."
Hafer said the number of female bourbon drinkers might be increasing because millenials in general are looking for more options. Where people used to stick with their same drink of choice for life, drinkers now are searching for spirits with different flavors.
"There's an exploration element particularly for distilled spirits right now that is very relateable to everybody," Hafer said.
Joy Perrine, a bartender at Equus & Jack's Lounge, knows about experimenting with bourbon. Since she moved to Louisville in 1978, she's pushed the boundaries in creating bourbon cocktails, branching out from the typical Old Fashioned or Manhattan.
Perrine used to work with rum while living in St. Croix and said that, since it's similar to bourbon, she thought she'd try combining Kentucky's famous spirit with more tropical drinks. People thought she was crazy, at first. But now, Perrine is nationally known with a list of award-winning cocktails under her belt — one of which, the Bourbonball, is Reigler's favorite.
"Bars around here seem to be making more cocktails now," Perrine said. "I like to think I was part of that."
Reach reporter Bailey Loosemore at (502) 582-4646. Follow her on Twitter at @bloosemore.
THE BOURBONBALL
Susan Reigler said her favorite bourbon cocktail recipe is one created by Joy Perrine with Equus & Jack's Lounge. It's featured in the pair's book, "The Kentucky Bourbon Cocktail Book."
1 part Woodford Reserve
1 part Tuaca
1 part dark creme de cacao
Combine, shake over ice, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a fresh strawberry.
BOURBON SHAKE UP
2 ounces Kentucky bourbon of your choice
1 ounce simple syrup
1 whole lemon cut into 4 wedges
1 ounce water
Combine bourbon and simple syrup in the glass. Squeeze and drop in the lemon wedges and water. Shake, shake, shake, shake!
DARK & BLOODY BOURBON MARY
1 teaspoon salt/pepper/paprika mix
2 ounces Kentucky bourbon
2 large lemon wedges
1 tablespoon Bourbon Barrel Aged Worcestershire Sauce
1 can (6 ounces) Campbell's tomato juice
To prepare the seasoning mix, combine in a mortar one part each smoked sea salt and smoked pepper and two parts smoked paprika, all from Bourbon Barrel Foods. Finely crush with a pestle and shake together in a jar. To a pint glass or large mason jar filled with ice, add the bourbon, squeeze and drop in the lemon wedges, and add the teaspoon of seasoning mix and Worcestershire sauce. Shake. Add more ice and the can of tomato juice. Shake again. Garnish with a long straw, baby corn, a large pitted black olive and a cherry pepper, all on a stick.
Source: Joy Perrine
BOURBON BASICS
Susan Reigler, president of the Bourbon Women Association, made some suggestions for men or women looking to get into drinking bourbon.
✓ Don't go straight for barrel proof. Start with something more approachable, such as a bourbon between 85 and 90 proof.
✓ Pour a splash in a glass and nose it to detect the various scents, such as vanilla and caramel, before taking a sip.
✓ Add water to the bourbon. The water will change it's flavor, possibly bringing out the drink's fruitier side.
✓ Try it as a cocktail. If you can't handle straight bourbon, an Old-Fashioned or Manhattan may be the way to go.
✓ Get advice at a well-known bourbon bar, such as Equus & Jack's Lounge, Bourbons Bistro or the Village Anchor.