Which process is NOT involved in the initial stages of bourbon production?

Caramelization is not involved in the initial stages of bourbon production. In bourbon production, the initial stages typically include processes such as cooking the grains, fermentation, and distillation.

Cooking refers to the heating of the grain mixture (mash bill) with water to convert the starches into fermentable sugars, which is a crucial step before fermentation can occur. During fermentation, yeast is added to the cooled mash, which then consumes the sugars and produces alcohol. Distillation follows fermentation, where the alcohol-rich liquid is heated to separate the alcohol from the water and other components, resulting in a spirit that will ultimately become bourbon.

Caramelization, on the other hand, is a cooking process that involves heating sugar to create a brown, sweet substance with a rich flavor. While caramelization can play a role in flavor development for some spirits or in whiskey maturation, it does not occur during the initial production stages of bourbon. This is why caramelization is not part of the bourbon production process at the early stages where the focus is primarily on the transformation of grains into alcohol.