Who’s Putting Local Grain in Local Spirits?
Several of the pioneering craft distilleries popped up in the United States a few decades ago. Here in Illinois, though, it was 2004 when North Shore Distillery in Lake Bluff, Illinois (north suburban Chicago) became the first hard liquor producer since the Prohibition era, with Koval Distillery in 2008 becoming the first craft distillery in Chicago since that time.
I was a craft spirits early adopter, which helped me get some of my first writing gigs after I gave up political journalism in D.C. and moved to Chicago with hopes of writing about food and drink.
And for years, the annual World of Whiskies event put on by Binny’s, the area’s biggest adult beverage chain, was one of my favorite events, an opportunity to catch up on what’s new and say hi to friends I’d made in the business. After having to cancel it in each of the past two years because of the pandemic, Binny’s brought World of Whiskies back on May 11-12, and I was pleased to receive credentials to attend their media event on the latter date.
As a veteran of spirits tasting events, I determined a long time ago that you need to go in with a particular focus (lest you learn that lesson the hard way). So you might laser-focus on single malt Scotches or Irish whiskey or nothing aged less than 12 years.
For me, that focus year after year has been on craft spirits in general and local (Chicago region) spirits in particular. This still gives me plenty to work with as there now more than 40 craft distilleries in Illinois and dozens more relatively close by in Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa and Indiana.
And as the publisher of Local Food Forum, I am especially pleased to highlight distillers who source their grain and other ingredients locally. I have written at Koval in the recent past, and got to mention Two Eagles, a very new distillery in suburban Mt. Prospect, in my story about the grain panel discussion at Elawa Farm Foundation on May 5. Here are several more that I spent some time with at Binny’s last week.
Whiskey Acres, DeKalb, Illinois
You don’t get more farm-to-glass than Whiskey Acres (seen in the photo above). The distillery is located on the farm that grows the corn that goes into the whiskey.
Mississippi River Distilling, LeClaire, Iowa
Located just across the mighty Mississippi from Illinois, this distillery has highlighted its sourcing from local farmers since it opened in 2010. Most of its products are sold under the Cody Road label. I sampled their experimental bourbon finished in Merlot barrels (which company rep Sam Bergren is holding in his left hand) and found it so sumptuous at such a reasonable price that I bought a bottle on my way out.
Traverse City Whiskey, Traverse City, Michigan
Traverse City Whiskey is in farm country in the far north of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula (“the Mitten”). So it’s only natural that they would source locally for both grain and fruit. Traverse City bills itself the Cherry Capital and that fruit goes into one of its whiskey expressions (as well as those jars full of premium cocktail cherries). There is also a local peach-flavored whiskey to go along with the straight bourbons and ryes.
Best part: The three young owners are all fellow Michigan State alums. Go Green!
Journeyman Distillery, Three Oaks, Michigan
I first visited Journeyman and founder Bill Welter about a decade ago for one of the first stories I wrote about craft spirits. Journeyman sources organic grain and other ingredients locally and is a short 80-mile field trip from downtown Chicago.
LaCrosse Distilling, LaCrosse, Wisconsin
Founded in 2017, LaCrosse Distilling is all-in on local, sourcing organic grain from farmers in its home Driftless Region of Wisconsin. The company’s logo describes it as Farmer Forward and Driftless Pure.
So when you drink local-focused brands such as these, you can truly toast, “To your health!”
That's the Spirit for Local Grain
I first learned about local grain—in this case, wheat—when reading Bill Buford's "Dirt," a spellbinding insider's tale about baguettes in Paris and what it takes to make a memorable one, plus loads of other delights.