Reviewed by Mathew Benoit, COO of Learn Brands · October 2026
A customer asks if a whiskey made in Texas can be called bourbon. Another picks a bottle because it says small batch. A regular's favorite is sold out and they want something close. Every one of those questions has a clear answer, and most of them come back to a handful of rules and a barrel.
Bourbon: America's Whiskey is a free bourbon course that covers what makes a whiskey bourbon, where it came from, how it's made and aged, how to read a label, how to taste it, and how to serve, recommend, and sell it. It takes about 25 minutes, self-paced, across seven short narrated lessons.
What you'll learn
Seven lessons that move from the law to the barrel to the bar.
What makes it bourbon (Lesson 1). The six rules every bottle has to meet under U.S. federal law: made in the United States (any state counts, Kentucky just makes the most), a mash bill of at least 51% corn, off the still at no more than 160 proof and into the barrel at no more than 125, aged in new charred oak, and nothing added but water, bottled at 80 proof or more. Plus what straight bourbon means and how Tennessee whiskey differs.
From frontier to boom (Lesson 2). How a frontier corn whiskey became America's whiskey: the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, Prohibition, and the boom that has demand for many bottles outrunning supply.
Grain, mash, and still (Lesson 3). Corn, rye, and wheat and what each one brings, high rye and wheated bourbon, sour mash, and the white dog that comes off the still.
The barrel and the rickhouse (Lesson 4). Where bourbon gets its color and most of its flavor: char levels, the red layer, how heat on different floors of a rickhouse changes aging, the angel's share, and single barrel bottlings.
Reading a bourbon label (Lesson 5). Which words are legal promises (straight, bottled in bond, age statements) and which ones are marketing (small batch, hand selected), on a sample label you tap through.
Tasting bourbon (Lesson 6). A simple way to look, nose, and taste, the four flavor families (sweet, spice, fruit, and wood), when a few drops of water help, and how to set up a flight.
Serving and selling (Lesson 7). The Old Fashioned, Manhattan, Whiskey Sour, and Gold Rush, when to stir and when to shake, three questions that lead any guest to the right bottle, what to hand over when a favorite is sold out, and how many standard drinks are in a barrel proof pour.
How the course works
Each lesson is a short narrated walkthrough with photos and drawn diagrams of the barrel, the label, and the still. Five games keep it moving: call bourbon or not, build a mash bill to match a flavor, match barrel terms in a memory game, sort law from marketing on the label, and mix four classics behind the bar. At the start you pick your role, store staff, bartender, whiskey fan, or distributor rep, and the course adds tips for that role in every lesson plus a scored practice scenario made for it, from the sold out bottle at the store to pitching a new bourbon for the shelf.
It closes with a 15-question final quiz. Twelve correct passes. It is online and self-paced, and it works on a phone, tablet, or desktop.
Who this is for
Liquor store staff who get bourbon questions every shift, bartenders who pour and mix it, and distributor sales reps who sell it to stores and bars. It also fits anyone who loves a good pour and wants to know what the label really promises.
What you walk away with
You'll be able to explain the rules that make a whiskey bourbon in one breath, describe how grain, barrel, and time shape the flavor, tell a legal label term from a marketing one, taste and describe bourbon with real words, make four bourbon classics, and find a customer the right bottle, even when their favorite is gone.
Free to enroll. Self-paced. Certificate on completion.
Who built this course
Bourbon: America's Whiskey was created by the Learn Brands education team under the direction of Mathew Benoit, COO and Creative Director of Learn Brands. Mathew grew up working in his family's liquor store and spent more than ten years on the distributor side of the beverage alcohol business, including eight years as a marketing director and work representing national brands. The course is built from what store staff, bartenders, and sales reps actually get asked on the floor.
How we checked the facts
The rules in this course were checked against the federal standard of identity for bourbon set by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (27 CFR 5.143) and its labeling rules, including the Bottled-in-Bond requirements. History was checked against primary dates, and well-known stories with no contemporary evidence are labeled as stories. Cocktail specs follow common bar recipes, and every photo was checked by eye to make sure it shows what the lesson says.
Responsible service
The course covers responsible service as general education. Alcohol service laws vary by state and city, and many states require an approved seller or server permit. Check your local requirements before you sell or pour.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Bourbon FAQ
Is this course free?
Yes. Bourbon: America's Whiskey is part of the free Core Education Suite, free to take and free to assign to your team. No cost, no subscription, no card required. A certificate is issued on completion.
How long does it take?
About 25 minutes, self-paced: seven short narrated lessons, five games, and a 15-question final quiz. You can stop and pick up where you left off.
Do I need to know anything about whiskey first?
No. The course starts with the basics and builds from there. Experienced staff use it to tighten up how they explain bourbon and to train new hires the same way every time.
Does bourbon have to come from Kentucky?
No. Bourbon can be made anywhere in the United States. Kentucky makes most of it, but there is bourbon from Texas, New York, Colorado, and beyond. Lesson 1 covers all six rules.
What does small batch mean on a bourbon label?
There is no legal definition, so each brand uses it its own way. Terms like straight and bottled in bond are legal promises with set rules. Lesson 5 shows which words on a label you can count on.
What's the difference between bourbon and Tennessee whiskey?
Tennessee whiskey follows nearly the same rules as bourbon, plus one extra step: it is filtered through sugar maple charcoal before it goes into the barrel.
Can I enroll my whole team?
Yes. Create a free company account, assign the course, and track who has started and finished from the Learn Brands dashboard.
Get certified
Selling or serving whiskey? TIPS Off-Premise Alcohol Server Training covers responsible sales for liquor stores, and TIPS On-Premise Alcohol Server Training is the responsible service certification many bars and restaurants require. Buying for a team? Register your business free and assign seats across your whole staff.
Related courses
Keep going with Scotch Whisky: From Barley to Dram, Irish Whiskey: The Water of Life, and Whiskeys of The World 101, build your bar skills with Mixology 101, and sharpen your palate with The Professional's Guide to Alcohol Tasting. Browse the free Core Education Suite.
About the reviewer
Mathew Benoit is COO of Learn Brands. He has a family liquor store background, spent more than eight years as Marketing Director at the distributor Vinocopia, and has represented brands nationally. Read Mathew's full bio.
