Sourced with the same rare dedication to quality + holistic ethics from seed to service as WORKHORSE RYE
Our MODERN ANCIENT heirloom corn whiskeys are a vibrantly delicious and sustainably produced example of how diverse and grain-forward American whiskey could be.
Whiskey Advocate in 2020 called Rob Easter’s spirits “a highlight of the inventiveness among America's craft distillers”
99% of distilled spirits globally come from industrially grown and modified, environmentally problematic grains. This is not done for the drinker or the farmer’s benefit. We offer an alternative to the status quo in both flavor and impact.
We directly source our grain from our farmers who treat their soil, environment and workers with respect. We engage with the whole system and learn from our farmers as to offer our drinkers interesting stories and facts rather than fantastic marketing tales.
Southwest Heirloom Grain Blend
A greatest hits of the coolest grains from the hottest weather. At first it sounds like a miracle that grains can be grown in the desert; but in fact when planted with companion plants and compost/mulch is employed the grains thrive and because of the dryness there is little or no concern for mold.
Tehachapi Grains Project in Southern California, Arevalos Organic Farm and Grain R&D in Southern AZ are the stars of the show here.
When drinking this delicious whiskey, you are supporting the most diehard farmers who use natural compost instead of fossil fuel fertilizers, integrated pest management instead of costly/toxic pesticides, and most impressive of all, low-irrigation methods.
Our distiller’s inspiration for this slowly blended grain whiskey comes from over a decade of appreciating, mixing with, and learning about Japanese whisky blending. Distillers in Japan are no monolith, however, it is fair to say that in Japan, spirit artisans appreciate blending many types of grains and many types of casks together to form beautiful textures that didn’t previously exist.
Oaxacan Corns
As ancient as it gets. The genetics of all corn come from Southern Mexico and surrounding areas, so why not find out what the most ancient corns taste like? There is always more savory depth and more nutrients in ancient corns, but each type will have wildly different high notes.
Here’s one of the many reasons to drink heirloom grains: not only are they more delicious than industrial grains, you get to be the crucial catalyst of regenerating soil and seed. Until 10 years ago, there are thought to have only been dozens of these seeds, until Masienda funded projects with Oaxacan families and subsequently sold this corn to restaurants and Modern Ancient.
The traceability of our base ingredient is paramount, if one obsesses over their fundamentals and treats their ingredients with great honor, the product can only be gorgeous.
Unlike Bourbon, we do not use new oak; we age in used oak as to not add bold typical woody, caramel, spice tones on top of this delicate and ever evolving spirit. Ancient grains literally have more flavor compounds than modern industrially stripped grains; over time they evolve in the bottle and certainly react with oxygen when poured in your glass. This is chemistry at work right in front of you.
Floriani Red Flint Corn
An umami event like none other. This corn is so protein and fat rich that when we brew it, the top of the ferment forms a solid rubbery pink and copper layer that is the physical manifestation of the impending flavor density of the spirit.
The richness in this corn translates to length of palate and nougat/nut/chocolate/buttered bread flavors.
Grown by a real CA regenerative farming hero, Fritz Durst, distilling this corn is a statement of California cuisine; get out of the way of quality grown expressive ingredients. It is great for the soil and although nutrient rich, it is low in starch and therefore alcohol. Not only are we proudly paying the farmer about 40X the commodity corn price, we are getting less spirit than the normal Monsanto corn that virtually everyone else uses. It is worth doing things in an analog and small way to us for all these reasons surrounding both flavor, labor ethics, and environmental health. We are the environment, we are not separate.
ROB@WORKHORSERYE.COM
WE HAND SHUCKED THIS “PAINTED MOUNTAIN” CORN FOR A VERY SPECIAL SMALL BATCH AWAITING RELEASE
This is an unknown Baja Arizona blue corn that is believed to be related to, but clearly not the same as, Hopi Blue. Just like winemakers will grow the types of grapes they want to work with, we grow out heirloom corns ourselves to then give to our farmers for further growing. We do this because so few heirloom corns are actually available so in 2018 we decided to contribute to not only growing out corn for our own use but also to give to food banks, to share with organizations like Native Seed Search, and to keep in our own seed archive.
