From Rebellion to Rye: See How a Love of History Comes Through at Liberty Pole Spirits - Whisky Flight 25

Ethanology Distillation (Elk Rapids, MI) WF0031 If you're into creativity and you love distilleries that push the boundaries, today's distillery has you covered. Nick and Geri Lefebre made gin and Bourbon, but they also make a pretty amazing spirit (2 ways) out of honey. Single malt and brandy fans might find this episode fascinating. Nick and I sit outside, enjoying samples and talking about creative distilling, Michigan grain, B Corp Certification, and the search for flavor. The conversation was so fascinating, time flew by - so enjoy this extended interview as we say goodbye to Michigan with a special visit. whiskey-lore.com/flights

Mammoth Distilling Co (Bellaire, MI) WF0030 A big thank you to Mammoth for inviting me to South Manitou Island for the Rosen Rye project. What an amazing experience. You'll hear about some of it in this episode with my guest, farmer, brewer, and distiller Collin Gaudard. He'll talk about how Rosen Rye got to America, how popular it was, how it went away, and how we got it back. Also during this episode, we'll go back to the gangster era and hear how a little Tennessee town earned a nickname worthy of the most famous gangster. And don't forget to add your favorite distilleries from the show to your Whiskey Lore distillery wish list. https://www.whiskey-lore.com/travelguide

Traverse City Whiskey Co (Traverse City, Michigan) WF0029 Way back in 2019 I was in my favorite Tennessee whiskey shop when I saw a bottle I'd heard about but hadn't seen in the wild. It was a bottle of XXX Traverse City Straight Bourbon Whiskey. I bought it and really enjoyed the flavor and the idea I was sipping something from the state I was born in. Today, Traverse City is growing the spirits its making and focusing on the local cherry scene. Join me as I chat with Chris Fredrickson, co-founder of Traverse City Whiskey Company, meet the company dog, and get a sense of what's to come. Extended tasting audio available on Patreon version at patreon.com/whiskeylore

Grand Traverse Distillery (Traverse City, MI) WF0028 When I started this journey to Michigan, I have to say, I knew very little about the distilling history of my birth state. Come to find out, this modern craft boom might just be the very start of its reputation in the world of fine spirits. And one of the first to fire up a still was Kent Rabish. Inspired by a trip to Oregon and his grandfather's still, hear the story of the early days of Michigan distilling, the thought process that goes into building a distillery, and why Grand Traverse is big in Michigan, but not really too far outside of it. Plus, on The Week In Whiskey Lore, we will look back 150 years to learn how Cincinnati found itself taking the blame for flames in a pair of New Orleans distilleries. And if you're interested in planning a trip to Michigan to visit distilleries and you want to get a wish list together, visit whiskey-lore.com/michigan and sign up for a free account. Then create the ultimate wish list.

Iron Fish Distillery (Thompsonville, MI) WF0027 It's time to visit distillery 2 on my journey through the great distilleries of the Midwest. The one stands as Michigan's first post-Prohibition farm distillery. Here grain-to-glass can be seen first hand, after a drive down one of Michigan's patented easy driving dirt roads. Find out what makes this particular distillery tick, how they are handling sustainability, and what inspired these owners to attempt both farming and distilling - something they had zero experience with when they started. And This Week In Whiskey Lore will focus on a battle between moonshiners and revenuers that locals went to calling a war. And if you're interested in planning a trip to Michigan to visit distilleries and you want to get a wish list together, visit whiskey-lore.com/michigan and sign up for a free account. Then create the ultimate wish list.

Journeyman Distillery (Three Oaks, MI) WF0026 Welcome to the first episode of The Midwest Great Lakes Tour 2024! After a 692 mile drive from Greenville, SC, I arrived in Southwest Michigan ready to start a great 10+ distillery adventure through the Midwest. My first stop was perfect. After an extremely long drive, I felt right at home with the Midwestern hospitality provided by Bill and Johanna Welter, the founders of the Journeyman Distillery. I have to say, I've seen their whiskey on the shelf, but hadn't given it a try. After my 4 hours at the distillery, I was enamored with the story, the building, the founders, and the experience. I captured an hour of that meeting here and an excited to share it with you. Enjoy my return to the state of my birth and hear the story that starts in Scotland and ends with not one, but two distilleries between Michigan and Indiana. And if you're interested in planning a trip to Michigan to visit distilleries and you want to get a wish list together, visit whiskey-lore.com/michigan and sign up for a free account. Then create the ultimate wish list.

Liberty Pole Spirits (Washington County, PA) WF0025 A historical rye, peated Bourbon, and tons of history - you know I'm there. Join me this week as I stop off at a distillery where turning your Alexander Hamilton painting upside down is considered the appropriate way to display it. It's time to meet Jim Hough and learn about his family based distillery, focused on bringing back Monongahela Rye. We'll chat about this historic spirit and dive into some Whiskey Rebellion history. And, I'll give you tips on some cool things to pair with a visit to the distillery, including a sandwich topped with something quite unexpected. Plus, on The Week in Whiskey Lore, I'll look at a famous single malt first and see if it holds up. And if you're interested in planning a trip to Pennsylvania to visit distilleries and you want to get a wish list together, visit whiskey-lore.com/pennsylvania and sign up for a free account. Then create the ultimate wish list.

Stoll & Wolfe Distillery (Lancaster County, PA) WF0024 Since I first heard the story of how Dick Stoll, formerly of Michters, and Erik Wolfe partnered to keep alive a Pennsylvania rye distilling tradition, I've wanted to have him on the show. Today it happens. We'll dig into the history of a local distillery with roots back to when the British and French were fighting over the Colonies. Then we'll look at how a legendary distillers, who began his distilling career with Michter's when it was in Pennsylvania, joined with a passionate whiskey enthusiast, to carry these stories and spirits into the future. We'll also revisit a sad day in Bourbon County history, on This Week in Whiskey Lore. And we'll mix in some great side trips with our travels, including pretzels and chocolate. Check it out. And if you're inspired to visit Stoll & Wolfe and other Pennsylvania distilleries, there are now 23 listed at whiskey-lore.com/pennsylvania in the Whiskey Lore Travel Guide.

Laws Whiskey House (Denver, Colorado) WF0023 Welcome to a special edition of Whiskey Lore's Whisky Flights. This is the "pilot" episode (no pun intended) that I recorded as a proof of concept back in the early summer, for this theater of the mind program surrounding trips to distilleries around the globe. This is a chance to hear my original ideas for the structure of the show, while also hearing parts of the interview I did with Al Laws, founder of Laws Whiskey House. See if you can spot the differences from the more recent episodes. And listen up, because I've got a couple of big announces in the intro of the show. And watch for a Colorado series coming up later this fall.

Ahascragh Distillery (Ahascragh, Ireland) WF0022 From the day I first saw them post on Instagram about their conversion of a 19th Century corn mill into a distillery, I've been waiting for a chance to see it and hear the story behind it. Well, in 2022, I stopped by, but the construction was still underway and the stills had not yet arrived. Today, you'll get to meet Gareth McAllister, one part of a husband/wife team that has taken a derelict mill, abandoned for 70 years, and turned it into the first fully sustainable distillery in Ireland's 700 known years of distilling. Join me as we learn how this modern facility is helping to bring a small village in East Galway back to life. Plus, it's the 230th anniversary of George Washington's proclamation to the rebels of Western Pennsylvania. We'll celebrate with the details on This Week In Whiskey Lore. Plus all the travel tips you need to plan out a great Irish adventure. See all the great craft distilleries we've visited so far: whiskey-lore.com/flights