Bourbon at its Best: The Lore and Allure of America's Finest Spirits [Hardcover]

Ron Givens (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 18, 2008

Whether they drink it straight, on the rocks, or in classic cocktails, Americans love their bourbon. Bourbon at Its Best is the most comprehensive guide to this drink available, with detailed descriptions of these elixirs, from the tried and true ways in which they are made to the amazing range of flavors they deliver. Bourbon at Its Best reveals the flavorful history of this red-white-and-blue spirit, from its rural origins as "corn likker" to its rough- and- tumble days as moonshine to its downright genteel status as a premium liquor. Readers will find out what makes bourbon different from other whiskeys of the world and how to truly savor all of its better qualities. They'll experience the magic of bourbon-making first-hand, traveling to classic distilleries in America's heartland. Perfect for both newcomers and connoisseurs, Bourbon at Its Best is an entertaining, informative tour of this intoxicating world.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Clerisy Press (March 18, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1578603048
• ISBN-13: 978-1578603046
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 8.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #547,407 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A 'must read' for anyone who has ever sipped a glass of one of America's finest whiskies, May 7, 2008

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bourbon at its Best: The Lore and Allure of America's Finest Spirits (Hardcover)

Bourbon is a favored beverage whose enduring popularity in the American bars and homes continues from generation to generation. Now bourbon expert Ron Givens has written a fascinating, descriptive, and informative book focusing exclusively on this alcoholic masterpiece in all its varied subtleties in "Bourbon At Its Best: The Lore & Allure Of America's Finest Spirits". Beginning with a succinct introduction, Given's continues with describing the process of how bourbon is made from mashing, fermentation, and distillation, to barreling, aging, and mingling. There are chapters devoted to the major distillers, legendary brands, the diversity of drinks that incorporate bourbon as an ingredient, and so much more. Enhanced with the inclusion of an Index and a Bibliography, "Bourbon At Its Best" is profusely illustrated throughout and includes such historical oddities as why all but one of the makers of 'straight bourbon' are located in a small region of Kentucky. A highly recommended addition to community library collections, "Bourbon At Its Best" should be considered a 'must read' by anyone who has ever sipped a glass of one of America's finest whiskies.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not the Best Bourbon Book, June 29, 2009

By 

Matthew Foster "Movie Lover" (Northwest Arkansas) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Bourbon at its Best: The Lore and Allure of America's Finest Spirits (Hardcover)

This book provides a good overview of bourbon, the various distilleries that make it, and Kentucky's history and culture. However, after reading both Whiskey (EYEWITNESS COMPANION GUIDES) and American Still Life: The Jim Beam Story and the Making of the World's #1 Bourbon this book came up in a distant third place. Two of the major things that caused me to rate it as a 4 instead of a 5 were the consistency of information within the book, and the quality of many of the pictures. For example, when talking about "Old Rip Van Winkle" bourbon, Givens mentions that there is no distiller (p. 113); however, a simple Google search will indicate otherwise. Second, many of the photos in the book are very poor quality, almost like they were taken using a cell phone or "borrowed" from Web sites and then blown up to full book page images (pp. 31, 124, 136, 137, etc.). Shame on the editor for not resolving this! All-in-all still an enjoyable read on bourbon.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book on Bourbon, May 17, 2010

By 

D. Sanderson (Ohio) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Bourbon at its Best: The Lore and Allure of America's Finest Spirits (Hardcover)

This book is exactly what I was looking for. A well written, comprehensive book on bourbon. It covers the history of bourbon, the whiskey making process, bios on the key players over the years, and many bourbon reviews. To top it off the book is filled with pictures on nearly every page, making this an excellent coffee table book (or one left out next to your chair in the study).