History

Michter's Distillery – a short history

Michter's Distillery manufactures Kentucky bourbon and related whiskies and markets itself with the slogan "Where science meets art". The brand was revived in the 1990s under the leadership of Joseph J. Magliocco, who together with his mentor Dick Newman helped restart Michter’s after the previous Michter’s in Pennsylvania. Today Michter’s is operated from several facilities and works with historical elements from Michter’s past, including the reconstruction of Shively Distillery and Fort Nelson Distillery in Kentucky.

Development and facilities

Michter's has built a production and bottling facility in Shively, Louisville, as well as Fort Nelson Distillery in Kentucky. Fort Nelson’s distilleries are equipped with legendary copper stills and cypress fermenters from the original Michter’s operation in Pennsylvania. The Shively facility is described as a 12.8 acre (about 5.2 ha) property on 87,000 square feet, DSP KY-20003, housing all processes and packaging as well as two small copper column stills and a specially built 32-inch diameter, 46-foot-high copper column with a column-still doubler.

Production area and agriculture

Michter’s describes a strategy of locally sourced grain from within the USA, where the grain is non-GMO and USDA grade #1. They test daily deliveries via samples to ensure compliance with USDA #1 specifications and maintain an advanced Quality Control Laboratory to ensure high quality throughout the process.

Vision and family orientation

The brand is centered around close collaboration with local farmers and a culture that prioritizes science and craftsmanship in whiskey production. Production methods and process descriptions are expressed through sections on grain, processing, distillation, evaluation and maturation, signaling a holistic approach to quality development.

Products and style

Michter’s produces several whiskeys under the labels Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Sour Mash, US1 American Whiskey and US1 Kentucky Straight Rye (see the Products section). The products appear with ABV values on their individual product pages.

Production

Grain

Michter's emphasizes high quality grain: the grain is non-GMO, USDA grade #1 and sourced in the USA. Daily grain samples are taken on arrival via pneumatic sampling and analyzed to ensure compliance with USDA #1 specifications. Their quality control laboratory equipment and instruments support detailed quality assurance throughout the production process.

Milling

Two specially made cage mills are placed beneath the grain storage: one for corn and one for smaller grains such as rye and malted barley. Cage mills were chosen because they can grind the grains to the desired particle size without scorching the grain, contributing to consistently high quality.

Cooking & Fermentation

Michter's facility features a copper and brass construction of a boil kettle and mash tun from Vendome Copper & Brass Works – recognized as one of the leading producers in the USA. The boiling and fermentation are adjusted to achieve the desired mash and optimal fermentation over a specified number of days under monitored temperatures to create beer for distillation.

Distillation

A 100% copper column still at 46 feet tall and 32 inches in diameter with 19 plates and 4 levels of special copper grates for an even more refined distillation process is used. The column and a 250 gallon copper pot still-doubler are made of about 11,000 pounds of copper and were constructed by Vendome Copper & Brass Works. First distillation develops flavor, while second distillation removes certain impurities to achieve the desired character.

Quality

The quality system combines quantitative and qualitative methods. They use GC-MS (gas chromatography–mass spectrometry) and HPLC to identify specific compounds in the distillate and its maturation products. An experienced sensory panel also assesses aromas and flavor nuances. Before aging in oak, the distillate must undergo two tests: chemical analysis and human organoleptic assessment.

Maturation

All Michter’s whiskeys mature in Kentucky aging houses. Kentucky's dramatic seasonal temperature fluctuations are considered optimal for aging, and Michter’s takes it a step further by aging in heat cycling houses, which increases extraction from the oak and thus flavor development, despite higher “angel’s share” and higher cost.

Products (Produkter/Whiskey-series)

• Kentucky Straight Bourbon – 45.7% ABV
• Sour Mash – 43% ABV
• US1 American Whiskey – 41.7% ABV
• US1 Kentucky Straight Rye – 42.4% ABV

Products/Whiskey-series

Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Description and alcohol strength appear on the product page with 45.7% ABV. This is a straight bourbon included in Michter’s bourbon range.

Sour Mash

Sour Mash performance with 43% ABV; presented as one of Michter’s products in the range.

US1 American Whiskey

Product list includes US1 American Whiskey with 41.7% ABV. This is an American whiskey in the range.

US1 Kentucky Straight Rye

US1 Kentucky Straight Rye has 42.4% ABV and is a straight rye in Michter’s selection.

Visits/Experiences

Facilities and processes

Michter's describes their facilities as areas where one can gain insight into production: “Production Process – Where science meets art” and an invitation to take a look around. In addition, descriptions of how they test and evaluate products and how they further develop the processes to ensure the high quality of Kentucky’s best whiskey are included.

Philosophy

Where science meets art

Michter’s notes that their production combines both quantitative and qualitative methods. They use advanced analytical tools such as GCMS and HPLC to identify specific compounds in the distillate and maturation, and they have a sensory panel to assess aroma and taste. They also emphasize the importance of grain quality, non-GMO raw materials and an extensive testing program before aging in oak barrels. The aging practice includes heat cycling to maximize flavor development from the barrel.

Sources and contact

This summary is based on Michter's Distillery’s product pages and sections on production and team, as illustrated by their sectional structure – without external information beyond the material scraped from their pages.