Many bourbon enthusiasts have read the claims that Elijah Craig was the first distiller to age his whiskey in charred barrels. This claim dates back to 1789. Clever marketing often calls him the father of bourbon. This statement is almost certainly false. After much study, I am confident bourbon evolved from dozens of small distillers who eventually crafted a product close to modern bourbon. But who was the real father of bourbon?
Distilling in 1620
Evidence shows that whiskey distillers operated in North America around 1620. This early product wasn’t bourbon; it edged toward a beer/whiskey combination. At the time, people may have called it corn beer, and it likely represents one of the earliest verified uses of stills to distill corn. Early colonists encountered corn through Native American Indians. They planted several vineyards in Virginia, but the results fell short. However, drinking water often posed safety risks, so many colonists drank beer, cider, and a more potent spirit known as “aqua vitae.” The spirits they brought from England quickly ran dry, but they also carried copper stills on their long voyage and were prepared to make their version of distilled spirits.
George Thorpe
George Thorpe most certainly did not create or name bourbon. He fermented and drank corn beer, an early predecessor to what would evolve from corn whiskey to bourbon whiskey. His early fermented corn resembled moonshine or clear spirits since aging played no role. While some may call George Thorpe the father of bourbon, distilling didn’t represent his first calling; he aimed to bring education to North America, especially for Indigenous people. He also held a deep enthusiasm for converting them to Christianity.
Befriending the Indians
Thorpe sought to befriend a chief of the Powhatan tribe named Opechancanough. This Indian leader seemed to appease Thorpe and showed interest in conversion. Thorpe built a home for Opechancanough using his own money. Their friendship quickly ended when the chief realized Thorpe wanted to move Indian children to educate them. In 1622, the Indians attacked the colonists throughout the area, ultimately killing more than 347 men, women, and children in a coordinated strike. George Thorpe became a target in the massacre and suffered dismemberment during the furious fighting.
The Reckoning
Opechancanough eventually faced capture after failing to drive the colonists from his territory. During captivity, a soldier in Jamestown shot him. Thorpe could rank among the earliest distillers in America because he first documented the process. Thorpe’s estate inventory from 1634 mentions liquor and a copper still. They found casks containing liquor that may have aged for as much as twelve years—perhaps not bourbon as we know it, but a very early version of American whiskey made with corn.
Was George Thorpe the Real Father of Bourbon?
We cannot verify that George Thorpe made whiskey resembling modern bourbon. However, his documentation of distilling corn in early America represents our earliest evidence. This narrative offers a fascinating perspective that challenges modern marketing fables. I hope you enjoyed this relatively unknown version of American distilling history.
