From the Field to the Distillery

Every April we wait for the spring rains to clear long enough to plant our crop.  The soil temperature and conditions need to be just right to ensure a proper seed bed.  Getting started off right is the best way to ensure a successful crop.

All summer we care for the crop by applying crop protection, irrigation on some fields, and hoping for plenty of natural rain and sunny days.  By August, we are prepping for harvest.

By the second week of September the beans are turning from green to gold to brown and the corn leaves are just beginning to turn.  We usually start our bean harvest around the third week of September, weather permitting.

We use semis and tractors and wagons to transport the crop to the local elevators and back to the home farm for drying and storage.  

Grain dried and stored at the home farm in grain bins until it is either sold at the elevator or milled for the distillery.  We grind for the distillery usually every two weeks and take it to Rochelle to be distilled immediately. Fresh ground grain that is inspected carefully is one way our product stands above others.

Once the grain reaches the distiller Adam Kennay takes over.  With a chemistry and biology background he is meticulous with his distillation methods.  Everything from cook time to fermentation temperature is expertly moderated for the best quality product.

Depending on the product it is either bottled for immediate use in the Tasting Room or Gift Shop or barreled to age in the Rickhouse.  Clear, unaged products like vodka and gin are bottled.  Brown products such as bourbon and whiskey are barreled in new, white oak charred barrels to sit in the Rickhouse for many years.

Over the past 5 years we have produced vodka, gin, rye whiskey, double oaked rye whiskey and bourbon. Since a family member oversees every step of the process we are able to say with confidence we product the best quality spirit we possibly can.  No corners are cut; even if it would be cheaper or easier.