Mary Dowling - "Mother of Bourbon"
Mary Dowling"Mother of Bourbon"
Happy Mother's Day to all who celebrate. Today, I'm posting a little bit about Mary Dowling.
Mary Dowling is sometimes referred to as the "Mother of Bourbon." Obviously, that's a lot of pressure (and a bit of historical simplification) to place on a person. Not to mention, the mother archetype exists across multiple cultures and histories: Cybele (Greece), Gaia (Greece), and Nut (Egypt). So while Mary Dowling didn't birth Gods like Osiris, Isis, Seth, or Nephthys (Happy Mother's Day, Nut!), she made significant contributions to the evolution of Bourbon in the era of Prohibition. Or as I like to think of it, Mary Dowling helped mother the elixir-of-the-Gods: Bourbon!
Early Life
Mary Dowling, was born Mary Murphy in1858 in Kentucky. At the young age of 17, in 1875, she married John Dowling, who was 37 (and might as well have been 100-years-old for that time). John Dowling was a partner in the Waterfill & Frazier whiskey brand (established in 1810, later sold to Jim Beam in 1974). Mary became involved in the business, gaining knowledge and experience in the whiskey world. When John passed away in 1905, Mary took charge of the distillery at the age of 47.
Some sources say that she is credited with creating the "sour mash method." But these "sources" are on the "Internet" and that's not always to be believed. Not to take away from her contributions, but it's more likely that multiple persons were using the "sour mash method" and not one single person is responsible for its creation. However, she did seem to use it with the distillery at Waterfill & Frazier, and that certainly contributed to its popularity and adoption.
And if you don't know, the "sour mash method" is a technique that uses a portion of previously fermented mash ("sour mash") to kickstart fermentation in a new batch. The "sour mash method" is to whiskey-nerds as is a sour-dough starter for people who are homemade-bread-nerds. This is an efficient process because it kicks fermentation into "high gear" from the get-go, but it also is useful in maintaining flavor consistency across batches. You will find the method used in Michter's US*1 Original Sour Mash Whiskey and George Dickel #12 Sour Mash Tennessee Whisky. It is also worth noting "The Sour Mash Method" is not a Chicago-based long form improv team, but it definitely could be.
Despite being a woman in a male-dominated industry, Mary proved to be a shrewd and capable businesswoman. However, her journey wasn't smooth sailing. A fire destroyed the distillery in 1904, forcing her to rebuild. She not only managed the new distillery but also expanded their operations between 1905 and 1910, significantly increasing production capacity.
Prohibition
Then, in 1920, Prohibition, the ban on alcohol production and sale, came into effect. By law, Mary Dowling's distilleries were shut down. Mary wasn't one to back down. While I won't accuse her of "bootlegging," the US government did, and she and four of her children (Happy Mother's Day!) were convicted of violating the Dry Laws. She defied Prohibition by moving the Waterfill & Frazier distilling operations to Juarez, Mexico, ensuring steady production of her bourbon. This bourbon was often smuggled back into a very thirsty United States.
A fun page in the history archives, is that this was technically "Bourbon" at the time, despite being made in Mexico. It wasn't until 1964 when Congress passed a Concurrent Resolution that Bourbon was a "distinctive product of the United States" that the definition changed. And it appears that lobbying occurred on behalf of the Kentucky Bourbon makers who were angry at the D&W Distillery in Mexico who made the Waterfill & Frazier brand.
An appeal to the Supreme Court was "declined to be heard," and the family conviction stood (the more things change, the more they stay the same). Mary eventually paid a fine in the amount of $10,000 (a bazillion dollars in today's money) and her two sons did time in an Atlanta jail.
Mary Dowling died at the age of 71 (thanks to a lifetime involved with Bourbon, medically speaking) in 1930.
The Mother of Bourbon
Mary Dowling's legacy extends far beyond her life. She stands as a remarkable figure who defied expectations in a male-dominated industry. While the exact details might be debated, her influence on American whiskey, particularly bourbon, is undeniable. By keeping bourbon production alive during the challenging time of Prohibition, she ensured its survival and paved the way for its future success. Today, the Mary Dowling Whiskey Company, founded in 2023, honors her name, and her story continues to inspire. They didn't pay me or sponsor this post, but I would encourage you to check out their website for more detail on Mary Dowling and her history. They also have whiskeys. Which she would have liked.
This Mother's Day, let's raise a toast to the "Mother of Bourbon"-- Mary Dowling!
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