Washington Monthly - September/October 2015 - 123

on political books But quality is only one metric of a healthy industry. While the illusion of choice may be, in Mitenbuler's view, largely innocuous so long as the product tastes good, it's still an illusion, one that has most consumers fooled. Sure, there are more whiskey distilleries today than there were five or ten years ago. But most consumers, especially those outside of urban centers, can't avoid choosing a bottle produced by one of the big eight, if not the big four. And those biggest corporations can use their monopolistic power to change the product's recipe, proof, distribution, or price without much obstacle or transparency for consumers. The dominance of these giants also makes it more difficult for new distillers to produce and market their whiskey, limiting our options as we peruse the liquor store shelves. Attempting to discuss both the history and the contemporary context of bourbon is difficult, and Mitenbuler handles the tension gracefully. Bourbon Empire is a page-turner, and not only for the incredible number of party facts you will accumulate in the course of turning those pages. (For instance, did you know that a spirit's "proof " was originally determined by mixing it with gunpowder and setting it on fire? If the mixture burned too low it was "under proof," and a flareup meant it was "over proof." An even flame meant the whiskey was about 50 percent alcohol by volume, and therefore "100 percent proved." Now you can tell your friends why dividing the proof in half determines a spirit's alcohol percentage.) The more cynical bourbon drinker might disagree with Mitenbuler's optimistic conclusions about the shape of today's industry. But whether you're a bourbon nerd curious to know what distilling techniques your favorite brand prefers, or a history buff interested in the faces and names behind one of our country's iconic industries, Bourbon Empire offers a perspective you haven't encountered before. Students come to SUNY-ESF not only because they want to get a good education and a good job. They also want to make a difference. ESF graduates find professionally rewarding and personally satisfying careers developing a cleaner, greener future. Take a close look at one of America's best colleges for the science, engineering, design and management of our environment and natural resources. You'll find world-class value in our small classes, unique relationship with Syracuse University, and affordable SUNY tuition. Visit our Web site at www.esf.edu or contact our Admissions Office at 315-470-6600 esfinfo@esf.edu State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry Syracuse, New York Leah Douglas is a food and agriculture policy reporter at the Open Markets Program at New America. Washington Monthly 123 http://www.esf.edu http://www.esf.edu http://www.ollusa.edu http://www.ollusa.edu

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Washington Monthly - September/October 2015