Insight—008 The Building Science of Bourbon

name bourbon comes from the place a lot of it was

Insight first made, Bourbon County, Kentucky.

I have loved bourbon for a long time. I like the

history. And I like the independent spirit of the folks
The Building who make it, their sense of tradition, and their
willingness to continue to experiment. Even now
after two hundred years of history, they experiment

Science of mostly by trial and error rather than by computer

simulations. I have often thought that if engineers
were in the liquor business, bourbon would be the
liquor they would make.

Bourbon
An edited version of this Insight first appeared in the ASHRAE Journal.
There is a great deal about making bourbon that I do
not understand, but I do know that the barrels are a
big deal. The unique flavors of bourbon come from
By Joseph W. Lstiburek, Ph.D., P.Eng., Fellow the barrels. Without aging the liquor in a charred oak
ASHRAE barrel, all you have is a “clear liquid sprit,” fermented
grain that is distilled, or “moonshine.” I am not into
The reason we go to Kentucky for bourbon and not moonshine. It makes you want to drive very fast
to Pennsylvania is because of the Revolutionary War constantly making left turns. It seems to me that the
debt. The new republic started off in a lot of debt conditions the liquid “sees” in the barrel “makes” the
because of the Revolutionary War. I know it is hard to bourbon. The barrel, how the barrel is made and how
believe but war is expensive. How to deal with the it is stored, is the key to bourbon.3
debt? Today, we just print more money (that is how
we get inflation) but that hadn’t been figured out yet. Contrary to popular belief the unique shape of oak
In those days, taxes were the only way to deal with barrels used for bourbon making has nothing to do
debt. What to tax? Old politicians, just like new with “flavor” and everything to do with mobility.
politicians, like to tax sin. Barrels are easy turn (rotate) around their “bulging
middle”4 and are easy to roll on tracks (Photograph 1).
The fastest way to pay of the Revolutionary War debt Size, that surface area to volume thing, is something
was to tax whiskey – or so it was thought. Not else. After 200 years, there is absolutely no size
everyone was happy about that, especially the folks consensus according to the bourbon folks. Some
being taxed. Ever since, avoiding paying taxes on bourbon is made in larger than “standard” sized
liquor has been a national tradition. It’s how we got barrels, some bourbon is made in smaller than
bourbon in Kentucky and NASCAR. NASCAR’s roots “standard” barrels, but most is made in “standard”
are in running moonshine1 in fast cars on back roads sized barrel.5
avoiding the “revenuers.”
Oak barrels used in the manufacture of bourbon are
The Whiskey Rebellion of 1794 was about taxes and “charred” to varying degrees in processes that are
the distillers in Pennsylvania not wanting to pay them. closely held “secrets” (Photograph 2). The particular
Good old George Washington sent in the army to type of oak, where it is grown, how old, and what part
collect the taxes. The folks making the whiskey of the tree the oak comes from are even more closely
“moved lock, stock and barrel”2 out of the held “secrets.” The “clear liquid spirit” that is
Governments reach. They moved out of Pennsylvania obtained from the distillation of a “secret mixture” of
to Kentucky. At that time, Kentucky was a rugged, 3 The corn, water, wheat, rye and malted barley and proportions do matter, but not
wild place where even the army wouldn’t go. The as much as folks seem to think, in the opinion of this engineer who has absolutely
no qualifications to make such a statement.
4
1 Not true for bulging middle-aged engineers.
”Moonshine” gets its name because it was typically made at night under 5
This sounds like consensus to me since most of it is made this way.
the moonlight to avoid being spotted by the tax collectors. Apparently I do not understand the concept of consensus. I think I have
2
“Lock, stock and barrel” actually refers to muskets – a musket has a been going to ASHRAE meetings for too long. I have been intrigued by
flintlock, stock and barrel, but I often use it incorrectly as I did here as a small “craft” bourbon makers who are experimenting with barrel size and
phrase that refers to all of ones possessions – especially the “barrel” time of aging. I think size matters, and smaller to me seems better, but
reference – because it sounds so cool - call it literary license or just plain most folks aren’t too impressed. Maybe I am starting the conversation
making things up…I am a consultant after all… incorrectly.

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Insight—008 The Building Science of Bourbon

grains in a process called “sour mash fermentation” is

stored for varying periods of time under varying and
variable conditions in these charred barrels and the
result is bourbon. The varying periods of time under
varying and variable conditions is where building
science comes in.

Bourbon makers are pretty logical folks. They make

stuff, keep track of how they make the stuff, taste the
stuff, and if they like it, they make more. They then
change things, one at a time, and compare the effect of
the changes to the taste of the stuff they like. They
also don’t share the information with other folks who
make bourbon. Secrets are big in the bourbon Photograph 1: Bourbon Barrel Railroad—The shape of the
business. But you can tell a lot from how bourbon barrels allows them to easily roll on parallel rails.
makers store their barrels – and by asking questions
such as “what’s with the thermometer in the barrel?”
during distillery tours (Photograph 3).

The temperature–time regime of barrel aging

apparently is a very, very big deal. In every warehouse
there is a location where the resulting bourbon tastes
better than bourbon from anywhere else. Clever
bourbon makers want to understand why. Measuring
the temperature profile of the liquid over daily,
weekly, monthly and yearly cycles of the “sweet spot”
barrel is helping manufacturers create more “sweet
spots” and build warehouses with bigger sweet spots.
How do you know if it is the “sweet spot” barrel?
Each barrel is tasted and an “expert” bourbon taster
says what is what. The goal is to have an entire Photograph 2: Charring of Barrels—Un-charred, medium
warehouse of “sweet spots.” charred, heavily charred barrels. The charring leads to
distinctive flavors as the “clear liquid spirit” changes its
color due to the charring to a deep amber color and
It should come as no surprise that the construction of changes its taste and smell into a uniquely American
the warehouse in which barrels are stored has a huge experience.
impact on the temperature-time regime. So, what
should the temperature-time regime be for good below 90 degrees in the summer so that the reactions
bourbon? I happen to be a “traditionalist” on this do not progress too quickly. And you need time,
matter: not too hot in the summer, not too cold in many years. Some folks believe two or more decades
the winter, with gentle temperature swings between to get the “really, really good stuff.” Now folks, being
seasons so the bourbon does not get too stressed as it folks have figured out that you can “goose” the
gently ages to perfection. Most people in buildings process by raising the temperatures and increasing the
expect and want varying and variable temperature, temperature cycles to get you “okay stuff.” What can
depending on outdoor weather, dress and where they take decades can be compressed into a couple of
were last. Only a computer simulated engineer could years.
think that a fixed, constant uniform temperature and
humidity is the most desirable . . . people are like Let’s look at what the “old masters” used to do – to
bourbon … establish a base of comparison. They constructed
high mass warehouses coupled to the ground
You want it to remain above 40 degrees in the winter (Photograph 4). Tin roofs were installed over heavy
so that the magic chemical reactions continue to timber decks, supported by thick stone walls. The
happen during the winter and you want it to stay foundation systems were dirt crawlspaces. The
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Insight—008 The Building Science of Bourbon

Photograph 3: Barrel Location “Sweet Spot”—In every

warehouse there is a location where the resulting bourbon
tastes better than bourbon from anywhere else. Clever
bourbon makers want to understand why. Measuring the
temperature profile of the liquid over daily, weekly, monthly
and yearly cycles of the “sweet spot” barrel is helping
manufacturers get more “sweet spots” and build more Photograph 5: High Mass Warehouse—Metal roof over
warehouses with bigger sweet spots. How do you know if it timber deck, stone walls, dirt crawlspace, cross ventilation
is the “sweet spot” barrel? Each barrel is tasted and an and stack ventilation. The temperature of the ground and
“expert” bourbon taster says what is what…. I wonder if the thermal resistance and thermal mass of the walls
they are hiring? moderate the temperature swings within the building. The
metal roof is cooler than asphalt shingles or a built up roof.

Photograph 4: A Beautiful Sight—Notice that the barrels

are stored in a manner that allows air circulation. Photograph 6: High Thermal Resistance and High Mass
Warehouses don’t have “floors” in the typical sense. They Wall—Not too shabby for a bunch of Cohee’s – I bet
have “catwalks” between stacks of barrels that are both around R-5 – with a huge hygric buffer to boot (“hygric
cross-ventilated and stack (air flow from down low to up buffer” is consultant babble speak for moisture absorption,
high) ventilated. moisture storage, and moisture desorption).

exposed dirt provided humidification in the winter A lack of money and resources leads to innovation
and temperature moderation throughout the year. and also to compromises. Low cost uninsulated wood
Cross ventilation and stack ventilation (air flow from frame buildings clad with metal cladding and metal
down low to up high) further moderated conditions roofs began to be used for bourbon warehouse aging
(Photograph 5 and Figure 1). The high mass of the (Photograph 7).
construction and high thermal resistance of the
construction (Photograph 6) slowed temperature Typically, the metal cladding and metal roofing was
swings. This resulted in beautiful, but expensive “shiny”. The resulting high solar reflectivity of the
buildings. You can guess the next question: “can we wall and roof “knocks” the peaks off the high
get kind of similar results with less money?” temperature extremes – rejecting solar radiation in the
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Insight—008 The Building Science of Bourbon

summer. The low emissivity of the wall and roof warehouse, because temperature control was not as
“fills” the valleys in the low temperature extremes – good, barrels were moved over time (Figure 2). They
reducing radiation heat loss during cold weather. started up at the top of the warehouse and moved
Cross ventilation and stack ventilation further down over time as the aging process progressed and
moderate the temperature. Translation, the building then to market.
does not get as hot as it could in the summer and as
cold as it could in the winter. Add a little bit of heat
in the winter and you almost, but not quite get an
“old” warehouse.

Photograph 7: Low Thermal Resistance/High Reflectivity

Warehouse—“Shiny” metal cladding, “shiny” metal roof,
open wood frame, no thermal insulation. The thermal control
is radiation and ventilation based. High solar reflectivity of
the wall and roof “knocks” the peaks off the high
temperature extremes – rejecting solar radiation in the
summer. Low emissivity of the wall and roof “fills” the
valleys in the low temperature extremes – reducing radiation
heat loss during cold weather. Cross ventilation and stack
ventilation further moderate the temperature. Translation,
building does not get as hot as it could in the summer and
as cold as it could in the winter.

Figure 1: Older is Better—The exposed dirt provides

humidification in the winter and temperature moderation
throughout the year. Cross ventilation and stack ventilation
(airflow from down low to up high) further moderate
conditions. Crawlspaces should be well drained (a crown in
the middle with perimeter drains) so that the crawlspace
does not reflect only the last rain event. Figure 2: Stacking Bourbon Barrels—Because temperature
control is not as good in new warehouses, barrels are
In newer warehouses, you have to get clever with how moved over time. They start at the top of the warehouse
to store the barrels. In old warehouses you didn’t and move down as the aging process progresses before
move the barrels around much if at all. In newer going to market.

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Insight—008 The Building Science of Bourbon

To “goose” the aging process you can deliberately Today you just make the HVAC system whatever size
increase the temperature swings (“amplitude”). This you need and buy whatever amount of energy you
can done by constructing low thermal resistance – need in order to create the controlled interior
low reflectivity warehouses. Warehouses are interior environment you want. The problem with
constructed with open wood frames, no thermal today is that it soon becomes tomorrow and things
insulation. They are clad with dark (painted) metal change—maybe the energy will no longer be available
sheets and dark (painted) metal roofs. The warehouse – maybe oil will one day go over $100 a barrel? I am
is deliberately designed to get hot in the summer and betting that some of those old lessons can be distilled
cold in the winter. The roof and wall have high solar for tomorrow’s buildings.
absorption gaining heat in the summer. The roof and
the wall have high emissivity – increasing radiation
heat loss during cold weather. This is the opposite of
the approach taken for Low E window glazing – this
is a “High E wall and roof.” Now, I have to come
clean here, I can’t taste much of a difference between
the “goosed” stuff and the “really, really good stuff,”
but something about doing it this way bothers me. I
guess if you are going to mix it with Coke anyway it
probably does not matter, but for the “sippin stuff” I
think it makes a difference. Photograph 8: Low Thermal Resistance/Low Reflectivity
Warehouse—Dark (painted) metal cladding, dark metal roof,
The wood oak barrels seem to not mind the open wood frame, no thermal insulation. The warehouse is
deliberately designed to get hot in the summer and cold in the
conditions they are exposed to in either of the two winter. The roof and wall have high solar absorption gaining
approaches used. Wood is pretty amazing stuff. The heat in the summer. The roof and the wall have high
barrels made out of it are water tight, water resistant, emissivity – increasing radiation heat loss during cold
and vapor resistant. I heard that folks used to make weather. This is the opposite of the approach taken for Low
boats out of it that sailed around the world. Over E window glazing – this is a “High E wall and roof”.
time, even as good as wood is, some outward
diffusion of water vapor and alcohol occurs along
with inward diffusion of oxygen. Through trial and
error the balance of diffusion and chemical reactions
and temperature and time lead to a pretty amazing
result.

Legend has it that the mold growth on the exterior of

old bourbon warehouses is due to the evaporation of
alcohol from the barrels and the subsequent diffusion
of this alcohol through the walls providing nutrients
to support mold growth. The “missing” alcohol from
the barrels is called the “angels share.” Of course
sometimes mold is just mold (yes, sometimes a cigar is
just a cigar…).

Today we tend to use mechanical systems and energy Photograph 9: “Angels Share”—Legend has it that the mold
to create specific interior environmental conditions. growth on the exterior of old bourbon warehouses is due to
the evaporation of alcohol from the barrels and the
It is sometimes helpful to go back and look at what subsequent diffusion of this alcohol through the walls
was done before mechanical systems and energy providing nutrients to support mold growth. The “missing”
consumption ruled the building comfort Universe. alcohol from the barrels is called the “angles share”. Of
course sometimes mold is just mold (yes, sometimes a cigar
is just a cigar…).

October 2008 www.buildingscience.com 5