GEOLOGIC CONSTRAINTS OF PRE-INDUSTRIAL ERA TENNESSEE WHISKEY DISTILLERIES

The distribution of and longevity of Tennessee whiskey distilleries in the pre-industrial era appear to have been influenced by the geochemistry of karst waters, the average ambient temperatures of fermentation, and the source of natural waters used in whiskey production within the watershed. Low Fe and elevated Ca content seem to play an important roll in successful amylase conversion of starches into fermentable sugar. These specific chemical characteristics would have been difficult to manipulate in pre-industrial, rural America and therefore are attributed to natural sources, primarily the bedrock of south-central Tennessee. The geochemistry of these waters is sufficiently unique that three pre-industrial whiskey distilleries in Tennessee, two of which are in operation today, share similarities in bedrock and location within their respective watersheds.