Finger Lakes Distilling

New from FLD: McKenzie Pure Potstill Whiskey

2011-11-28T13:05:00.014-05:00

Introducing... McKenzie Pure Potstill Whiskey!

On Black Friday, when many shoppers were waking up early for the best deals on holiday gifts, FLD was having a Thanksgiving celebration of our own. We celebrated with free tastings, live music by local band Miller's Wheel, and the premiere of a brand new McKenzie whiskey.

McKenzie Pure Potstill Whiskey, just $39 a bottle, is an Irish-style whiskey with a smooth, mellow taste. Bottled at 80 proof, it is incredibly sippable both neat and on the rocks. The whiskey is distilled from a mash of both locally-grown unmalted barley and malted barley, then aged in used Bourbon and Rye barrels for just over two years. Says Master Distiller Thomas Earl of the newest McKenzie whiskey, "Our Potstill is a richer version of the commercial Irish whiskies on the market. It's full of flavor, but smooth as silk stockings."
With the holiday season just around the corner, a bottle of McKenzie Pure Potstill is a great gift for the inexperienced whiskey drinker looking for an accessible entrance into the world of whiskey, or for the veteran whiskey drinker on the lookout for something new and different. Or, for the real whiskey buff, go the whole nine yards and treat them to the full McKenzie line.
Although the cold season is upon us, FLD will be open 7 days a week all winter long. So stop by our tasting room for just the thing to warm you up!

FLD scores well in 2012 Whiskey Bible

2011-10-29T11:07:00.003-04:00

Jim Murray, one of the most revered whiskey writers in the world, just released the 2012 edition of his Whisky Bible. Thomas and I had the pleasure of meeting Jim at a conference in Kentucky a few years ago where he conducted a tasting of unique whiskies from around the world. Jim is passionate, witty, and at times, brutally honest about whiskey.

So it was with a little trepidation that we submitted a range of FLD whiskies for review in this year's edition. Our Bourbon, Rye, Wheat and Corn whiskies were amongst the 1,210 new whiskies Mr. Murray tried for the 2012 Bible.

So how did we do?

We did pretty well. Scores are based on a 100 point scale.

On top of the list was our Glen Thunder Corn Whiskey which scored a 92.5 or a "Brilliant" on Mr. Murray's scoring guide. Some comments: "Beautifully distilled...absolutely classic corn white dog."

Mr. Murray also was very kind to our McKenzie Rye rating it a 85.5 or "Very good to Excellent." He writes: "for sheer content and charisma it is a great whiskey to find...Big oils, but then a wall of firm, fruity muscovado sugars and light liquorice. Some superb spices and chocolate, too."

We also sent a bottle of our first batch of McKenzie Wheat, which is now sold out. It scored an 82 or "Good Whiskey Worth Trying." He offered the following: "A few heads and tails certainly up the body and make the sugar-honey notes sing."

Surprisingly, our McKenzie Bourbon rated the lowest of the FLD products (surprising, because it is our best seller here at the distillery). Still, we received a respectable score of 78 ("Average") and comments included: "Gets off to an oily, rocky start...But once it gets going...the compensation is worth the wait as the toffee honey becomes a real chewathon. Good late spice too."

Overall, we are proud of the ratings. For the first time, Mr. Murray included a special section devoted to American craft distillers. In looking through the other reviews, the FLD line-up scored very well in comparison.

While comments from our fans and customers are most important to us here at FLD, it's also good to receive some praise from someone as well respected as Jim Murray. We hope to have the latest version of the Whisky Bible for sale in the tasting room in the next few weeks. Be sure to stop by to get a copy (and some of the great FLD whiskies that are included in it!).

Cocktail Ideas from the Tasting Room

2011-10-07T13:19:00.011-04:00

Some more cocktail ideas from our tasting room! Two whiskey lovers and long-time FLD employees talk about their experience at FLD and their favorite ways to drink our spirits.

Tom is an encyclopedia of all things whiskey-related. Originally from Wisconsin, he's been working at FLD since October of last year. "My favorite part about working here," he says, "is that I get to educate and inform customers about the intricacies of whiskey." At home, he brews his own beer, and he and his wife will be returning to Wisconsin in May to work with his wife's family at their winery. His favorite FLD spirit? McKenzie Rye. "I like to drink it neat," he says, "or in a Sazerac."

Cody, meanwhile, comes to FLD from Texas. "I love learning about the process of distilling, and the fact that there are so many different varieties of whiskey." His favorite FLD spirit is our un-aged corn whiskey, Glen Thunder. "it's simple, and yet you can mix it with a variety of things- or just drink it straight!" When it comes to cocktails, Cody's got some interesting ideas- like this one, which mixes our Riesling Grappa, Stirrings Brand Sangria Mixer, and Fee Brothers Rhubarb Bitters.

Tom's McKenzie Rye Sazerac Recipe

Coat a lowball glass with absinthe
muddle a sugar cube and five dashes of Peychaud's bitters (Tom uses Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters as a substitute)
Fill glass with a few ice cubes
Add 1.5 ounces of McKenzie Rye Whiskey, stir
Garnish with an orange peel

Cody's Grappagria

Muddle strawberries in the bottom of a highball glass
Fill glass with ice
Add 1 ounce of FLD's Riesling Grappa and 3 ounces Stirrings Brand Sangria Mixer
Finish with a few drops of Fee Brothers Rhubarb Bitters
Garnish with a strawberry or orange peel

From the Ground, Up: Bourbon Production Part II

2011-08-31T16:12:00.019-04:00

[the previous installment discussed the grains, the preparation of the mash, and the fermentation process used in the making of McKenzie Bourbon]

The fermentation process for our bourbon takes about three days— that's when the yeast converts the sugar produced from the mashing process into alcohol, carbon dioxide, and heat. During this time, the creation of carbon dioxide causes the mash to bubble and froth. When the yeast has fully metabolized the sugar, the mash, which is now termed a distillers beer, is pumped through a hose into the pot still.

Our beautiful still is a pot and a column still and was designed by our Master Distiller and made by Holstein in Markdorf, Germany. It can hold 300 gallons of bourbon mash, which translates into roughly 30 gallons of bourbon per run. To distill bourbon mash, we use only the pot still; the column is used for some of our other spirits like vodka and gin.

The science behind distillation is simple: the boiling point of alcohol is lower than that of water. So when the pot is surrounded by a hot jacket of steam, the alcohol evaporates while the mash liquids and solids are left behind. When the vapors are then chilled, the alcohol re-condenses into a very concentrated, clear whiskey (also called white dog) of 120 proof, or 60% alcohol. The whole process of double-pot distillation takes about 7 hours.

After the mash is distilled twice it is ready to be transferred to barrels for aging. Left behind in the still is the spent corn/rye/barley and water mixture, which is no longer alcoholic. We give some of this to a cattle farmer up the road to feed to his livestock, while we save some to use as backset to use in the sour mash process (see the Bourbon Production Part I for an explanation of this process).

So, the barrels. In bourbon production, the specifics of the barrels used for aging are extremely important. In order for a whiskey to be legally classified as bourbon, it needs to be aged in new, charred, American oak barrels. What that means is that once we've used our barrels once for bourbon, we cannot re-use them for whiskey and still call it bourbon. Many large-scale American distilleries will sell their once-used bourbon barrels to Scotland, where distilleries can use them to age Scotch. We use ours a second time to age our Maplejack, as well as for other products that are in the works. Our barrels are hand-crafted by coopers in Missouri and Minnesota.

The newly distilled whiskey is mixed with some water to lower the proof, and is then transferred into barrels. Right now we are using mostly 10-gallon barrels to age our Bourbon, so that the aging process is expedited and we can produce a nicely aged whiskey in less than 2 years. After about 12-18 months in the barrels, we transfer the now caramel-colored whiskey into Chardonnay casks from local wineries, which gives the bourbon a chance to breathe. We are also putting up several standard 53 gallon barrels for extended aging. Some of this whiskey is now going on 3 years old and is showing lots of promise (yes, we check in on it routinely!)

After a month in Chardonnay, we smell and taste the nearly-complete McKenzie Bourbon to make sure it is ready to be bottled, labeled, and put on the shelves. At this point it will have the tasting components that you're already familiar with, our signature buttery, smooth bourbon. And voila, there you have it- McKenzie Bourbon, from the ground up!

Summer in the Finger Lakes

2011-08-03T17:29:00.017-04:00

There are lots of ways to enjoy the summer months- but in the Finger Lakes region in particular, it seems like a crime not to take in the beauty of the season with some outdoor adventures. As you plan your summer visit to our tasting room (of course!), check out some of these other wonderful Finger Lakes attractions right outside our doors—

On your way to the Windmill Farm and Craft Market in Penn Yan, just 30 minutes from FLD, you are more likely to see horse and buggy traffic than hear the impatient honking of car horns. The market is open every Saturday from April through December, and is frequented by Amish and Mennonite vendors from around the state.The maze of tented shops feature everything from fresh food and produce to handmade crafts. And if you really want to get into the spirit of the market, you can even take a ride on a horse-pulled buggy! (Check 'em out online: http://www.thewindmill.com/)

There's nothing quite as refreshing as cooling down from the summer heat with some fun on Seneca Lake. There are numerous agencies offering kayaks, jet skis, and boats for rent, in addition to various cruises around the lake. The True Love Schooner, which has been sailing the Caribbean since 1950 and was featured in the 1956 film "Love Boat" with Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly, has hung up its pioneering jib and is now available for daytime, sunset, and private sails around the Lake. (http://www.schoonerexcursions.com/)

As you may have heard, the Finger Lakes are gorges. Bad puns aside, the entire area is covered with deep and winding gorges, complete with walking and biking trails, waterfalls, and swimming holes. In Watkins Glen State Park, just a few miles away from FLD, you'll find the tremendous Glen gorge and all the walking trails and camp grounds that go with it- perfect for a break from the wine trail, for a day hike or picnic.

Similarly, Taughannock Falls sits 25 miles from FLD and boasts one of the highest falls east of the Rockies. There you can hike and swim, as well as bring in some food to grill and picnic. And Saturday nights during the summer, a $5 parking pass gets you into the park for weekly concerts! (see the schedule: http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/62/details.aspx)

And speaking of live music, Wagner Vineyards, a winery and brewery just up the road from FLD, has a great Friday night concert series, called Friday Nights on the Brewdeck. From 8-11pm you can dance the night away to the fun bands that play on the brew deck overlooking the lake, and you can buy some Wagner wine or beer to sip while you sway. A fun Friday night for the whole family. (http://www.wagnervineyards.com/)

The bottom line: there is tons to do in the Finger Lakes right outside the Distillery's doors, aside from the Seneca Lake Wine Trail. If you're headed this way, check out some of these awesome outdoor activities, and find more suggestion online at http://www.fingerlakes.org/things-to-do.

And of course, between outings and wine tastings, stop by our tasting room to 'un-wine'!

From the Ground, Up: Bourbon

2011-07-12T22:11:00.032-04:00

When you visit our tasting room, or purchase a bottle of our spirits at a liquor store or in a cocktail at a restaurant, you might admire the playful bottle designs, or the smoothness of our products on your tongue. But this is only half of the picture- most of the work happens behind the scenes. In order to fully appreciate the flavor in your glass, we think it's important that you understand what happens downstairs on the production side of our operation. To that end, we will be walking through the production for several of our spirits in short installments. This inaugural installment in From the Ground, Up will feature the first step in producing McKenzie Bourbon.

We start the process with locally grown corn, rye, and bring in the finest malt obtainable. A little about the grains. The corn we use is grown about 3 miles from the distillery. It needs to be dry, and have a good bushel weight, meaning it will produce a good amount of alcohol. But it also must have a good flavor. The rye is grown across the lake from us in Dundee, New York, and also by a farmer in Big Flats, NY. The rye must be dry as well, but most importantly, it must have a good flavor. When mashed in a bourbon mash, the rye is called the flavoring grain. It lends a spicy component to the finished product. We also bring in fresh malted barley, which is barley that has been partially germinated to produce enzymes that convert the starch found in the corn and the rye into sugar, which is then converted into alcohol (more on this later). We use only the natural enzymes in the malted barley to convert our starch into sugar— it's possible to skip this step and use commercial enzymes, but we think that natural enzymes make a better bourbon. (Pictured above: corn, rye, and malted barley. Below: Thomas adds the ground corn to boiling water.)

Once we have our grains, the first step in bourbon production is grinding the corn into a coarse meal. We add this corn meal to boiling water, which makes the starch readily available to the malt. After a long hot cook, the corn is cooled down to around 180 degrees, and we add our rye, which has been milled into a fine flour. After a few minutes we begin cooling again to around 140 degrees, and at that point we add our finely ground barley malt. We maintain this temperature for a little while, giving the malt enzymes a chance to convert the starch in the corn and rye into sugar.

At this point, we add backset to the cooker. Backset is mash that has been stripped of its alcohol in the still. It is necessary in order to drop the pH of the mash, so that it can ferment properly. This is what is meant by the term "sour mash bourbon whiskey". (Pictured right: the mash boils. Close up video below.)

After the backset goes in, the mash is cooled to around 80 degrees so that we can pitch our yeast. We don't want the mash to be too hot or else the yeast will be killed, but if it's too cool the mash won't ferment properly. We then transfer the mash to an open top fermenter to ferment for around 3 days. Fermentation is the process that occurs when the yeast metabolizes the sugar that was created in the mashing process. It produces 3 things: alcohol, carbon dioxide and heat. After about 3 days, we transfer the fermented mash, now termed beer, to the still.

More on the distillation process next time...

Happy July 4th!

2011-06-28T14:31:00.019-04:00

Meet some of our tasting room staff and friends of FLD! They hail from all over the country, from New York to Alabama to Texas, and represent many different backgrounds and aspirations. We will periodically feature staff members on the blog, so even if you can't literally make it into our tasting room, you can at least meet us virtually. In honor of July 4th, a couple staff members share their favorite Independence Day memories and some awesome cocktail ideas to help you and your friends and family celebrate the holiday.

This year on the Fourth, Loretta will be holding down the fort in the tasting room, helping customers decide the best way to celebrate the holiday with her creative cocktail concoctions. For the Fourth, she recommends the RED, WHITE, AND BLUEBERRY (came up with the name m'self, thank you very much!). This fruity cocktail is a perfect party drink, and a great complement to Loretta's favorite part of the Fourth— watching fireworks.

Red, White, and Blueberry
1 part Vintner's Wildberry Vodka
2 parts Stirrings Wild Blueberry Martini Mixer
A few drops of Fee Brothers Rhubarb Bitters

Pour, stir, and enjoy!

Loretta has worked in the tasting room part time for about a year, and works as a paralegal as well. Her favorite part of FLD? The people. "My favorite part about working here is being able to find the right spirit for every customer," she says, "and making a connection with the people who come into the tasting room through the spirits." After work this Fourth of July, Loretta plans to watch fireworks on the beautiful Seneca Lake.

While Loretta helps keep things running smoothly at FLD, Jerry will be traveling downstate to visit friends and family for an annual Fourth of July celebration. You might find him around the pool with his cousins, a glass of McKenzie Bourbon on the rocks in hand. "I won't be drinking anything fancy," says Jerry— "no martini glass or anything." Jerry recommends drinking his favorite spirit on the rocks or in an Old Fashioned.

McKenzie Old Fashioned

2 oz McKenzie Bourbon
A few drops Fee Brothers Angostura bitters
1 splash water
1 tsp sugar
1 maraschino cherry
1 orange wedge

Muddle sugar, bitters, cherry, and orange in a glass. Fill glass with ice, and add bourbon and water. Stir, and enjoy!

Jerry is a rising senior at Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration, and hopes to someday work as a restaurant's beverage manager. Like Loretta, his favorite part of the Fourth is firework-related— although he prefers to set them off himself rather than just watch! He too has been at FLD for a year, and his favorite part is educating customers about the spirits, and also learning about them himself. "I love that I can learn new things every day, and talk about it with interested customers," he says.

For another festive cocktail idea, check out the FLD spotlight on the Edible Finger Lakes Blog!

Happy Independence Day, from all of us at FLD!

The Spirit of Our Spirits

2011-06-16T15:42:00.029-04:00

Since we have been a bit negligent about maintaining this blog for the past several months, we feel it's necessary to introduce ourselves and our spirits so you all can get a sense of who we are and what we do here. To start out the reintroduction process, some notes on our spirits from our Master Distiller, Thomas Earl.

(To get the real spirit of the spirits, try saying all of the following with an Alabama accent to truly emulate our Distiller Extraordinaire!)

Vintner's Vodka, or the winemaker's vodka, is made from a blend of local grapes. It is fruity and floral, with notes of orange blossom, cantaloupe, vanilla, and lychee. Says Thomas: "As a whiskey guy, I never understood why somebody would want to drink a totally tasteless liquor. That's why we've created a vodka with taste. These local grapes sure do make some fine stuff!"

Vintner's Wild Berry Vodka is made by macerating local strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries in our Vintner's Vodka before a second distillation. Aromas of fresh-picked berries rise from the glass. Thomas says, "Boy, we took what was already good and made it even better, by adding fresh fruit. This stuff is so jammy, I believe you could put it on biscuits."

Peach, Pear, and Currant Brandies are European style eaux-de-vie. We capture the true essence of the base fruit through distillation in our copper still. We were proud to be selected to re-create George Washington's Peach Brandy at Mt. Vernon in October 2010. "We think George would be proud of our Peach Brandy," says Thomas. "Our Pear Brandy has a butteriness to it that makes me want to put it in my grits, while the Currant has a nice flowery aroma to it, almost like lilacs."

Muscat, Gewurztraminer, and Riesling Grappas are unaged pomace brandies made from locally-grown white grapes. We crush and ferment the entire grape- seeds, skins, and all- then distill to concentrate the flavors typically associated with those varietals. From our Master Distiller: "A lot of people think grappa is harsh and tastes like gasoline. Not ours. Each grappa is a true representation of the grape it came from."

Seneca Drums Gin is an award-winning London-style dry gin, distilled from our own local grape spirit and a signature blend of 11 botanicals, including citrus peel, juniper, cucumber, clove, and anise. "I do not know how we got this stuff to taste so good," muses Thomas. "It is extremely smooth and reminds me of a walk in the woods."

Glen Thunder is a true American corn whiskey. The aroma of this whiskey is reminiscent of pulling back the husk from an ear of sweet summer corn. Thomas says, "Corn whiskey is a true Southern favorite. This is an honest, true corn whiskey, made like they do it in the hills and hollers of south Alabama. It smells like Duncan Hines cake mix comin' off of the still. Yankees beware, put some south in yo mouth!"

McKenzie Bourbon Whiskey is a very rich, double pot-distilled bourbon. It is aged in 10 gallon new charred barrels and finished in local Chardonnay casks, which gives the bourbon a round, buttery finish. "Some folks think you can only make bourbon in Kentucky. Bull. We went way back for this bourbon, double pot-distilling it and aging it at a lower proof for that good old fashioned bourbon flavor," says Thomas.

McKenzie Rye Whiskey is made from local rye grain, aged in new charred oak quarter casks, and finished in sherry barrels from local wineries. Notes of orange peel, cardamom, mint and butterscotch stand out on the palate. Says Thomas, "A fine, old-fashioned rye: spicy and full of character. See what ya'll think; I ain't feelin' too poetic today."

Maplejack Liqueur starts as an apple brandy made from New York State apples. It is aged in oak barrels and local maple syrup is added for just a touch of sweetness. "I just love our apple brandy," Thomas says. "And then Brian said, let's put some maple syrup in it. I thought he was crazy, but it made it even better. Tastes like pancakes with apples on top."

Cassis, Raspberry, Cherry, and Blueberry Liqueurs are made in the same manner, by soaking the fruit in a neutral spirit, then sweetening to taste. Each remains true to the character of the fruit, with no added or artificial flavors.

For the full official descriptions of our spirits, check out the "Our Products" section of the website- or stop by our tasting room in Burdett, New York and see for yourself!

aaaand we're back!

2011-06-14T09:53:00.015-04:00

Well, it sure has been awhile since our last update. The weather is getting warmer, and business at FLD is heating up too. We're going to try to update our blog more regularly, to keep you all informed of the new and exciting goings-on around here!

As summer on Seneca Lake sparkles into the tasting room, Father's Day is right around the corner. If you are still searching for the perfect gift, look no further than these FLD gift ideas for the spirit-loving dad in your life:

If dad likes spice in his life, he'll love a bottle of McKenzie Rye Whiskey paired with Brooklyn Brine's Whiskey Sour Pickles, made with our White Dog un-aged Rye. Both share the signature spicy bite of our Rye, and we can hardly keep em on the shelves.

Get dad ready to play some golf this Father's Day, with FLD golf attire and tools, all featuring our snazzy logo. With a new FLD polo, hat, ball, and divot tool, he'll be all set to spend a day out on the course!

Enjoy some of Dad's stories while sipping on a G & T together this Father's Day. Pair Seneca Drums Gin (voted New York's #1 spirit by the NY Wine & Food Classic) with the smooth and fizzy Q Tonic to top off story time. This simple set is sure to show dad how much you appreciate all of his fatherly wisdom! (not to mention his hilarious jokes, of course...)

For the whiskey-loving dad, a couple of trios:

Top: the FLD whiskey package, complete with McKenzie Rye, Glen Thunder un-aged corn whiskey and McKenzie Bourbon. A perfect set for the man who loves his whiskey!

Bottom: On the rocks? This set includes smooth McKenzie Bourbon, an FLD rocks glass, and a set of soapstone whiskey rocks (pop em in the freezer and then into his drink— he will never complain about watered down whiskey again!). This combination is everything dad needs for a perfect whiskey on the rocks.

For the dad who hates asking for directions:

Hand him the reigns and let him create his own aged rye with the White Dog aging kit, complete with a barrel and two bottles of our un-aged rye whiskey. After adding the White Dog to the oak barrel, he can be his own Master Distiller and age it according to his own taste.

The gift possibilities are endless. The best Father's Day gift might be to let dad choose for himself with a visit to our tasting room in Burdett, New York, open 11am-5pm. Here he can try up to three of our spirits for himself, and check out all of our awesome accessories, while enjoying a beautiful day on Seneca Lake with the family.

Now that's what dad really wants.

Newsletter & Gift Guide

2010-12-15T08:40:00.004-05:00

If you didn't catch our December newsletter, here it is. We included a great gift guide, so if you're looking for a last minute idea, come see us at the distillery.

Holiday Gift Guide

If you are looking for a unique gift this holiday season, FLD might be the place to shop. Whether it's for your dad who loves whiskey or for your co-worker who loves to entertain, check us out for that perfect present. Happy shopping!

For the Foodie
Try our very popular Brooklyn Brine products. Now offering:

Whiskey Sour Pickles featuring McKenzie Rye Whiskey
Fennel Beets
Chipotle Carrots
Lavendar Asparagus

Know someone addicted to snacks that are both sweet and salty? Better Brittle is always a favorite. Made locally, it has the perfect crunch and satisfies every sweet tooth!

For the Entertainer
Hand-crafted granite cheeseboards make great gifts and come in many different sizes, shapes and shades. No two pieces are the same.

Also, check out the hysterical cocktail napkins and coasters that we offer to liven up any happy hour!

Brandy Gift Pack
Buy each of the 3 fruit brandies (Pear, Black Currant, and Peach) and receive 15% off. Our fruit brandy is closer to a European style eau de vie - we capture the true essence of the fruit.

The Whiskey Lover

FLD is where it's at for whiskey connoisseurs that love to try something new or have enjoyed McKenzie Whiskies in the past. Chose your whiskey- Rye or Bourbon. Add a set of Whiskey Rocks to guarantee a perfect chill without diluting the whiskey with ice. Don't forget to purchase the Glencairn official whiskey glass with the FLD logo to complete the gift.

For the Do-it-Yourselfer

Don't forget about our Age-your-own-Rye kits for the person that might like to try their hand at whiskey aging. The kits include a 2-liter lightly charred barrel with stand, two 1-liter bottles of McKenzie Rye White Dog, and all the information you'll need to make a great barrel of whiskey. $99.

For the Breakfast Boozer

Try Longhorn Bloody Mary Mix with Fee Brothers Celery Bitters and our Glen Thunder Corn Whiskey to your holiday morning started right! Well, it isn't just for breakfast. It's also a great cocktail to warm you up on cold winter evenings.

Stocking Stuffers!

Logo golf balls and divot tools

Cocktail lip balm and Seneca Drums soap

Barware - muddlers, flasks, shakers, jiggers

FLD playing cards

Lots of apparel - hats, tees, hoodies, etc.

October newsletter

2010-10-15T22:36:00.002-04:00

Click here to read the latest.

Peach brandy will be on the shelf tomorrow at the distillery. Come get a bottle - tastes very similar to the brandy we helped make at Mt. Vernon.

Making George Proud

2010-10-08T04:24:00.008-04:00

The past few days have been filled with some of the most memorable experiences we've had since starting Finger Lakes Distilling. As I mentioned in our last newsletter, we were recently asked to participate in the re-creation of George Washington's peach brandy down at his reconstructed distillery in Mt. Vernon.

It's not common knowledge, but our founding father was, at one time, the largest commercial whiskey producer in the U.S. After fighting for our independence and serving as our first President, Washington re-focused his energy into entrepreneurial ventures, the distillery being one example, after being talked into it by his plantation manager, James Anderson (a Scot, of course). Below is a picture of the cornerstone of the historic distillery.

While rye whiskey was the main output from the distillery at Mt. Vernon, the records show that other spirits were produced. Peach brandy was produced in small quantities (~60 gallons per year), and was consumed primarily by guests at Washington's Mt. Vernon Estate.

Our task began back here in Burdett, NY where we brought in over 500 gallons of fresh peach juice in early September. We fermented and distilled the juice into peach low wines (1x distilled) which we donated to the project. After completing the necessary paperwork, we transferred the liquid to Mt. Vernon Distillery, a functioning distilled spirits plant at the historical site.

Thomas and I set out for the DC area this past Sunday. After the usual stops at some breweries and distilleries along the way, we settled in Monday night after some dinner with representatives from the Distilled Spirits Council and reporters covering the story.

Work began first thing Tuesday morning. We transferred the low wines over to the distillery, blended with another distiller's contribution and cut down to 40 proof. The liquid was then divided into two of the five stills that would have been functioning in Washington's day. Below is a picture of the FLD truck backed up to the distillery entrance so we could transfer the low wines.

We were honored to be part of a very prestigious group of distillers working on this project. We were chosen as 1 of 3 craft distillers involved in the project - the others: Ted Huber of Huber-Starlight Distillery in southern Indiana and Lance Winters of St. George Spirits in California. We were also joined by Dave Pickerell, former Master Distiller at Maker's Mark, currently a consultant in the industry, and Joe Dangler, Master Distiller at A. Smith Bowman Distillery in Virginia. Dave and Joe have been involved with previous distillations at Mt. Vernon so were very valuable contributors to the effort. Standing below, L to R, Steve Bashore (Manager of Distillery and Gristmill), me, Ted Huber, Thomas, Lance Winters and Dave Pickerell.

The stills at Mt. Vernon were a little trickier to run than what we're used to at FLD. While utilizing the same concept, the potstills are heated with direct flame, so controlling the heat of the fire is essential. The condensers are made from whiskey barrels that house a copper coil. Water is continually fed into the barrel allowing it to cool the vapors running through the coil. Patience is definitely required in running these stills. While we can run 30 gallons of brandy in a few hours at our distillery, we distilled less than 15 over a 5 hour span on Tuesday. Pictured below is Thomas resting against one of the condensers.

As the stills were up and running, we decided to make a fresh peach fermentation for the media to see on Wednesday. This entailed getting our hands a little dirty by pitting and mashing some peaches into small oak containers.

Everything is absolutely pristine at Mt. Vernon. Here is a picture of the mill with stream running through it. The distillery is set on the right beyond it. After work on Tuesday, Steve took us through the mill and actually set everything in motion showing the brilliant engineering behind this one-of-a-kind Evans milling system.

Tuesday night was spent having dinner with the whole crew as well as some more folks from DISCUS and Mt. Vernon. Of course, we had to sample each others' wares after dinner which made Wednesday morning come awfully early.

We re-charged the still and got things up to boil before the media started showing up. We had a few minutes to kill, so Thomas and I used some items from my costume closet to get a few amusing shots (below).

The media started arriving around 11 a.m. I'll post some of the resulting stories in the next few days, but it was very apparent that this was a national news story. Reporters from the AP, Fox, PBS, etc were all there to learn about Washington's ties to the distilling industry and the current interest in craft spirits. The highlight for me was a piece that aired on PBS News Nightly Business Report. The segment begins at 21:18, or just click on the barrel on far right below the screen.

After interviews and film footage, we all moved upstairs for a small press conference led by DISCUS and Mt. Vernon's, Dennis Pogue. The conference concluded with a toast to Washington led by a James Anderson reenactor using the very peach brandy we had been distilling.

How did it come out? The consensus was that we achieved what we were looking for. The distillate is very smooth and while peach is not an easy flavor to extract through distillation, it certainly shines through in what we collected. The end result was about 50 gallons of cut spirit that will now rest in uncharred American oak barrels for 1 or 2 years. The barrels will not add much oak to the spirit, which will help preserve the peach flavor. The spirit will change over time through oxidation, hopefully picking up even stronger peach flavors.

Our work was essentially done. We spent some time that afternoon touring the grounds at Mt. Vernon and then got ready for Wednesday night's gala celebration. Over 700 people came together to honor George Washington and his contributions to our industry. We mingled with executives from the large spirits companies, politicians, and others. Of course, the bar was well stocked and even included some products from FLD and the other craft distillers.

In addition to a silent auction of celebrity-signed liquor bottles, a live auction yielded $25,000 for a small bottle of rye that was one of the first distilled at the reconstructed distillery (maybe the peach will bring the same someday). The night also included one of the best fireworks shows I've ever seen while listening to patriotic music on the portico of Mt. Vernon, overlooking the Potomac. All monies raised will benefit the educational programs at Mt. Vernon.

Here are a couple of photos from the gala event: Thomas and me in front of the main mansion and Jenny with General Washington himself. Stay tuned for more information about our involvement in this historic project and news about our own peach brandy release in the next couple of weeks.

September newsletter...

2010-09-04T11:26:00.001-04:00

Click here to read about what's going on at FLD this month.

Seneca Drums Gin - Best NY Spirit

2010-08-18T09:50:00.003-04:00

Great news yesterday: our Seneca Drums Gin was named Best NY Spirit at the NY Wine & Food Classic. The esteemed panel of judges selected Seneca Drums over 17 other NY-produced brands. Read on for the full press release.

Watkins Glen, New York, AUGUST 17—Swedish Hill Winery Riesling Cuvee from the Finger Lakes won the coveted “Governor’s Cup” trophy at the 2010 New York Wine & Food Classic competition, held on August 16 & 17 at the Glen Harbor Hotel in Watkins Glen, NY. The “Winery of the Year” award went to Sheldrake Point Vineyards, another Finger Lakes winery, for the second year in a row.

The elegant Governor’s Cup, a large silver chalice, recognizes the “Best of Show” or top prize of all 850 entries in the Classic, known as “The Oscars” of New York wine. The “Winery of the Year” award is presented to the winery with the best overall showing based on the level and number of awards in relation to entries.

This year’s competition included 850 New York wines and 17 spirits from the Long Island, Hudson Valley, Finger Lakes, Niagara Escarpment, Lake Erie, and other regions of New York State. The Swedish Hill Riesling Cuvee was also voted Best Vinifera Sparkling and Best Overall Sparkling on its way to the ultimate award. Sheldrake Point Vineyards received 2 Double Golds, 2 Gold, 4 Silver, and 2 Bronze awards on its way to the Winery of the Year award.

A “Specialty Wine Champion” award was added in 2008 to recognize consistent quality among the increasing number of wines made from fruits other than grapes, or honey. The 2010 winner was ELF’s Farm Winery and Cider Mill with 1 Double Gold and 2 Silver awards. A new “Best New York Spirit” award went to Finger Lakes Distilling Seneca Drums Gin.

The awards were based on blind tastings by 24 expert judges—4 from California, 12 from New York, 6 from other states and 2 from the United Kingdom. Judges included prominent wine writers, restaurateurs, retailers, and wine educators. Four-judge panels determined the initial awards, with top-scoring wines evaluated by all 24 judges for Best of Category and Governor’s Cup awards.

Celebrating its 25th year, the Classic is organized by Teresa Knapp of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation, and is open to all 280 New York wineries from all regions. In 2010, a total of 32 Double Gold, 74 Gold, 284 Silver, and 250 Bronze medals were awarded. In addition, “Best of Category” and “Best of Class” designations were awarded to wines rated as the finest in various areas. Double Gold medals require unanimity among a panel’s judges that a wine deserves a Gold medal, whereas Gold medals require a majority vote.

The “Best of Category” awards, all eligible for the Governor’s Cup, went to:

Best Sparkling Wine Swedish Hill Winery Riesling Cuvee
Best White Wine Keuka Lake Vineyards 2009 Semi Dry Riesling
Best Rosé Wine Arbor Hill Grapery Coriesa Hill Iona Rose
Best Red Wine Bedell Cellars 2008 Cabernet Franc
Best Dessert Wine Casa Larga Vineyards 2007 Fiori Delle Stelle Vidal Ice Wine
Best Specialty Wine Torrey Ridge Winery Scarlet Red
Best New York Spirit Finger Lakes Distilling Seneca Drums Gin

The “Best of Class” awards went to:

Best Vinifera Sparkling Swedish Hill Winery Riesling Cuvee
Best Unoaked Chardonnay Coyote Moon Vineyards Naked Chardonnay
Best Overall Chardonnay Coyote Moon Vineyards Naked Chardonnay
Best Dry Riesling McGregor Vineyard 2008 Riesling
Best Medium Dry Riesling Keuka Lake Vineyards 2009 Semi Dry Riesling
Best Medium Sweet Riesling Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars 2009 Semi Dry Riesling
Best Overall Riesling Keuka Lake Vineyards 2009 Semi Dry Riesling
Best Niagara Schulze Vineyards & Winery Thirty Mile Point Sweet Niagara
Best Gewürztraminer Sheldrake Point Vineyards 2008 Gewürztraminer
Best Cayuga White Swedish Hill Winery 2009 Cayuga White
Best Traminette Bet the Farm Winery 2009 Traminette
Best Vidal Blanc Swedish Hill Winery 2009 Vidal Blanc
Best Vignoles Lucas Vineyards 2009 Vignoles
Best Hybrid White Thousand Islands Winery Wellesley Island White
Best Diamond Torrey Ridge Winery Diamond
Best Native White Blend Niagara Landing Wine Cellars 2009 Rosebud Gold
Best Vinifera Rosé McGregor Vineyard 2009 Rosé D’Cabernet Franc
Best Native Rosé Arbor Hill Grapery Coriesa Hill Iona Rosé
Best Cabernet Franc Bedell Cellars 2008 Cabernet Franc
Best Other Vinifera Red Varietal Fulkerson Winery 2008 Dornfelder
Best Vinifera Red Blend Peconic Bay Winery Nautique Esprit De Rouge
Best Native Red Blend Penguin Bay Winery Tuxedo Red
Best Concord Eagle Crest Vineyards 2009 Canal Boat Red
Best Fruit Wine ELF’s Farm Winery and Cider Mill 2009

Appalachian Trail Apple Wine
Best Mead Torrey Ridge Winery Scarlet Red
Best Late Harvest Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars 2008

Bunch Select Late Harvest Riesling
Best Ice Wine Casa Larga Vineyards 2007 Fiori Delle Stelle Vidal Ice Wine

The following wines were awarded Double Gold medals:

Winery Vintage Wine
Barrington Cellars 2007 Frosty Niagara
Billsboro Winery 2008 Apres
Casa Larga Vineyards 2007 Vidal Blanc Ice Wine
Coyote Moon Vineyards NV Naked Chardonnay
Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars 2008 Riesling
ELF's Farm Winery & Cider Mill 2009 Appalachian Trail Apple Wine
Finger Lakes Distilling 2010 Seneca Drums Gin
Heron Hill Winery 2008 Semi-Sweet Riesling
Hosmer Winery 2008 Chardonnay
Hosmer Winery 2008 Cabernet Franc
Imagine Moore Winery 2009 Passion
Keuka Lake Vineyards 2009 Dry Riesling
Keuka Lake Vineyards 2009 Semi Dry Riesling
Keuka Spring Vineyards 2008 Vignoles Dessert Wine
King Ferry Winery 2008 Treleaven Dry Riesling
Lakewood Vineyards 2008 Cabernet Franc
Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars 2009 Yellow Dog Riesling
Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars 2009 Semi-Dry Riesling
Leidenfrost Vineyards NV Niagara
Lucas Vineyards 2009 Vignoles
Niagara Landing Wine Cellars 2009 Rosebud Gold
Paumanok Vineyards 2009 Riesling Late Harvest
Penguin Bay Winery NV Tuxedo Red
Red Newt Cellars 2009 "Circle" Label Riesling
Rock Stream Vineyards NV Grappa
Schulze Vineyards & Winery NV Thirty Mile Point Sweet Niagara
Sheldrake Point Vineyard 2008 Gewurztraminer
Sheldrake Point Vineyard 2008 Late Harvest Riesling
Swedish Hill Winery 2009 Cayuga White
Swedish Hill Winery 2009 Vidal Blanc
Thousand Islands Winery NV Wellesley Island White
Torrey Ridge Winery NV Scarlet Red

The following wines were awarded Gold medals:
Winery Vintage Wine
Americana Vineyards & Winery 2009 Crystal Lake
Anthony Road Wine Company 2009 Vignoles
Arbor Hill Grapery NV Coriesa Hill Iona Rose
Atwater Estate Vineyards 2008 Gewurztraminer
Bedell Cellars 2008 Cabernet Franc
Belhurst Estate Winery 2009 Gewurztraminer
Bet The Farm Winery 2009 Traminette
Billsboro Winery 2009 Sauvignon Blanc
Bloomer Creek Vineyards 2008 Riesling
Bouke and Bouquet 2009 Bouquet White Dessert Wine
Casa Larga Vineyards 2008 Cabernet Franc Ice Wine
Cascata Winery 2008 The Professor's Classic: Dry Riesling
Cascata Winery 2009 Cascade Riesling
Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars 2009 Sauvignon Blanc
Eagle Crest Vineyards 2009 Canal Boat Red
Earle Estates Meadery NV Honey Mead Contemporary
Earle Estates Meadery NV Autumn Harvest
Fox Run Vineyards 2008 Tierce Dry Riesling
Fulkerson Winery 2008 Dornfelder
Glenora Wine Cellars 2009 Dry Riesling
Glenora Wine Cellars 2009 Signature
Glenora Wine Cellars 2008 Meritage
Goose Watch Winery NV Classic Cream Sherry
Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards 2008 Homstead Reserve Riesling
Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard 2008 Dry Riesling
Hudson-Chatham Winery 2008 Baco Noir Reserve
Imagine Moore Winery 2009 Joy
Imagine Moore Winery 2008 Inspiration
Jamesport Vineyards 2007 Petit Verdot
Johnson Estate Winery 2009 Concord
Keuka Spring Vineyards 2009 Riesling
King Ferry Winery NV Gilded Lily
King Ferry Winery 2008 Treleaven Eis Late Harvest Riesling
Knapp Winery and Restaurant 2009 Dry Riesling
Knapp Winery and Restaurant 2008 Vidal Blanc
Knapp Winery and Restaurant NV Limoncello
Lakewood Vineyards 2009 Vignoles
Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars 2006 Blanc de Blanc
Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars 2009 Dry Riesling
Lucas Vineyards 2009 Cayuga White
Lucas Vineyards 2007 Limited Reserve Cabernet Franc
Martha Clara Vineyards 2009 Riesling
McGregor Vineyard 2008 Riesling
McGregor Vineyard 2009 Rosé D'Cabernet Franc
Montezuma Winery & Hidden Marsh Distillery NV Semi-Sweet Mead
Montezuma Winery & Hidden Marsh Distillery NV Maple Liquer
Osprey's Dominion Vineyards 2007 Reserve Chardonnay
Paumanok Vineyards 2009 Sauvignon Blanc
Paumanok Vineyards 2007 Merlot Tuthills Lane Vineyard
Paumanok Vineyards 2007 Assemblage
Peconic Bay Winery 2007 La Barrique Chardonnay
Peconic Bay Winery 2009 Riesling
Peconic Bay Winery NV Nautique Esprit De Rouge
Pellegrini Vineyards 2007 Vintner's Pride Chardonnay
Penguin Bay Winery NV Percussion
Red Newt Cellars 2008 Dry Riesling - Reserve
Rock Stream Vineyards NV Make Me Blush
Rooster Hill Vineyards 2008Estate Cabernet Franc
Sheldrake Point Vineyard 2007 Reserve Riesling
Sheldrake Point Vineyard 2009 Dry Riesling
Silver Springs Winery 2009 Blueberry Bliss
Sparkling Pointe 2004 Blanc de Blancs
Standing Stone Vineyards 2008 Gewurztraminer Ice
Swedish Hill Winery NV Riesling Cuvee
Swedish Hill Winery 2009 Dry Riesling
Swedish Hill Winery 2009 Riesling
Thirsty Owl Wine Company 2009 Dry Riesling
Thirsty Owl Wine Company 2009 Vidal Blanc
Thirsty Owl Wine Company 2007 Meritage
Torrey Ridge Winery NV Diamond
Ventosa Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Franc
Wolffer Estate Vineyard 2007 Chardonnay
Zugibe Vineyards 2008 Dry Riesling
Zugibe Vineyards 2007 Zenith

Complete results of the 2010 Classic will soon be posted under “New York Gold” at http://www.newyorkwines.org/, which also includes Gold medal New York wines from other major competitions.

Media Contact: Jim Trezise, 585-394-3620, ext. 203

2010 New York Wine & Food Classic Judges

Julie Arkell
Freelance Wine & Spirits Writer & Author,
London, England

Mollie Battenhouse, DWS
Wine Director & Educator, International Wine Center, New York, New York

Dan Berger
Wine Journalist and Publisher,
Santa Rosa, California

Jill Blume
Enology Specialist, Purdue University,
Executive Director, Indy Int’l Wine Competition
West Lafayette, Indiana

Rene Chazottes
Wine Director, Maitre Sommelier, The Pacific Club, Newport Beach, California

Jim Clarke,
Wine Writer and Director, MEGU,
New York, New York

Michael Feil
General Manager, Westchester Country Club
Rye, New York

Doug Frost, M.W., M.S.
Wine Writer and Educator,
Prairie Village, Kansas

Chris Gerling
Enology Extension Associate, Cornell University College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station,
Geneva, New York

Louisa Hargrave
Journalist and Consultant, Wine Wise, LLC,
Long Island Wine Pioneer
Southampton, New York

Lorraine Hems, CS, CWE
Lecturer of Wine Studies, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY & Instructor, NYWCC,
Canandaigua, New York

Linda Lawry
Director, International Wine Center,
New York, New York

Fred LeBrun
Columnist, Albany Times Union,
Albany, New York

Marquita Levy
Wine Associate and Wine Buyer, Vino Volo Wine Bar, John F. Kennedy Airport
New York, New York

Ann Littlefield
Direct Wine Marketing Brand Champion,
Napa, California

Bill Mahoney
Wine Manager, Premium Wine & Spirits,
Williamsville, New York

Anna Katharine Mansfield, Ph.D
Assistant Professor of Enology, Cornell University College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station,
Geneva, New York

Ann Miller
Marketing Specialist, Missouri Wine & Grape Board, Jefferson City, Missouri

Jerry Pellegrino
Chef/Owner, CORKS & Abacrombie Fine Foods, Baltimore, Maryland

Maggie Rosen
Independent Journalist & Author,
London, England

Coke Roth
Wine Consultant & Attorney,
Kennewick, Washington

Dr. Bob Small
Professor Emeritus, Collins College of Hospitality Management, Cal Poly University & Chairman, Los Angeles Int’l Wine & Spirits Competition,
Pomona, California

Phil Ward
Brand Manager & Wine Educator, American B.D. Co./The Opici Wine Group, Board of Directors, International Riesling Foundation
Glen Rock, New Jersey

Eric White
Wine Consultant & Store Manager, The Winery,
New York, New York

July/August Newsletter Just Released

2010-07-30T09:58:00.001-04:00

Click here to check it out.

Happy Birthday FLD.

2010-07-23T07:36:00.004-04:00

1 year ago on July 17, we opened the doors of our tasting room without a lot of fanfare. Since then, we've hosted thousands of visitors, perfected the quarter ounce pour, and had a great time along the way. We'd like to thank all of you for your support in Year #1.

With the craziness of the season upon us again, we haven't had time to plan a proper celebration for our fans and customers (perhaps something this fall?), but we did want to recognize the contributions of our excellent staff in making our first year a success.

Those of you that have visited our tasting room know how lucky we are to have personable, well educated staff members. We constantly get comments from customers about what a great experience they've had meeting with our people.

Last night we celebrated with a cruise aboard the Malabar VII Schooner - True Love. It was a perfect night for a sail - mix of sun and clouds with a nice wind. Great food, lots of laughs and of course, a few cocktails, were enjoyed by all.

Anyone visiting our area should make a charter on True Love part of the experience.

Thanks again to all of you for making it a memorable year!

The FLD crew getting ready to board

Some of the FLD girls on the deck of True Love

Thomas and Bill discussing something very important, I'm sure

Glenn & Mike

Docking for the night back in beautiful Watkins Glen

More good reviews, including another mention in NY Times

2010-07-19T22:18:00.003-04:00

Top NY Times Wine Critic, Eric Asimov, recently dined at ABC Kitchen, a great new restaurant featuring our products in NYC. He kicked off the evening with a McKenzie Rye Manhattan and seemed to really enjoy the experience. Click here for the article and recipe. My favorite line: "What makes this Manhattan so good...is the combination of superb ingredients in it."

We've also gotten some great press/reviews on several of our other products. About.com whiskey writer, Lance Mayhew, is rethinking his aversion to vodka after tasting Vintner's (did he really compare us to Biggie Smalls?). Bill Dowd is enjoying gin season with some Seneca Drums in some pretty interesting cocktails.

We're also getting lots of great comments on our recently sold-out McKenzie Bourbon: read here and here.

Don't take the critics' word for it - come out and see for yourself. We're open every day 11-5 and now available in about 150 retail locations.

The Whiskey Situation

2010-07-10T11:50:00.003-04:00

Sad to say, we are officially out of Bourbon. The last 3 cases moved out of our tasting room yesterday afternoon.

Fortunately, Rye Batch #2 is here to save the day. We are bottling it fast and furiously and have some available in the tasting room today. It tastes very similar to Batch #1. One subtle difference is a strong note of honey. When we were fermenting the grains that went into this batch almost a year ago, we noticed a honey smell. Apparently, this continued through our distillation and barrel aging program.

Like Batch #1, we also finished in local sherry barrels which gives a little sweetness and a raisin-like quality to this otherwise spicy whiskey.

We're really happy with the result and hope you can find some time to come out and try (and buy!) it.

Martha likes our whiskey!

2010-06-11T23:39:00.003-04:00

This month's newsletter

2010-06-09T16:26:00.000-04:00

Click here to read the latest.

Manhattan Cocktail Classic Recap

2010-05-26T00:24:00.006-04:00

Why would I be posting about an event that happened over a week ago? If you attended the Manhattan Cocktail Classic, you would understand. It was the type of event that might put you out of commission for a period of time...a five-day festival centered around "The Cocktail", parties 'til the wee hours, pouring tastings for 7-8 hour stretches, all located in the heart of NYC.

The event got widespread media attention. Here is an article that appeared in the Wall St Journal and here is a clip that appeared on CBS News.

The weekend kicked off with the gala event held at the NY Public Library on Friday night. We were greeted by Oompa Loompas at the door.

(photo courtesy of Nikola Tamindzic)

If that didn't give you the impression that things were a bit over-the-top, it was very apparent when you saw "Queen Victoria" enjoying a martini over the Hendrick's display.

(photo courtesy of Nikola Tamindzic)

Probably one of the best parties I've been too. The setting was incredible, cocktails were on the money, and we made some great contacts. Pictured below (L to R) Alexis Kahn (our NYC sales representative), me, Jenny, Noah Shannon (Alexis's husband) and our good friend Steve Shaw, who represents several high-end spirits brands while also supporting one of our favorite Finger Lakes wineries, Shaw Vineyards.

(photo courtesy of Eric Strauss)

We were back at work on Sunday from 1 to 9 p.m. at the Micro Spirits Odyssey. The venue (Butter) was packed all day and the staff from Hush Cocktails came up with some incredible drinks. I also sat on a panel at the event, discussing the benefits of our industry to NYS agriculture. Below is a picture of Jenny and me pouring our wares for a serious spirits enthusiast (he liked them).

(photo courtesy of Phil Anema)

What an incredible event. Kudos to Lesley Townsend and all the people that made it a success. Can't wait until next year!

Latest FLD newsletter...

2010-05-11T21:53:00.002-04:00

Click here for the latest news at Finger Lakes Distilling - recap of our Bourbon release, info on the latest products, and some great cocktail recipes.

Come pick up a bottle of Pear or Currant Brandy this weekend!

63 hours 'til Bourbon

2010-04-28T20:18:00.003-04:00

And down the stretch...Bourbon release (and KY Derby) are just a couple days away. Can't wait to see everyone and see the reactions at the tasting bar. We're really proud of Batch #1 which is almost completely bottled at this point.

Getting some nice pre-release buzz.

John Hansell, our friend at Malt Advocate, posted this on his blog today.

There was also this great piece in the new Ithaca Post today.

See you Saturday!

6 days 'til Bourbon

2010-04-25T21:29:00.002-04:00

It's been way too long since our last post, but we've been busy working hard at the distillery. In addition to getting things spiffed up for spring, we've got new batches of corn whiskey (100% corn and malted corn), vodka, and blueberry (even better than before).

The biggest news, however, is the event scheduled for this upcoming weekend. On May 1, we'll be releasing our first batch of McKenzie Bourbon. This extremely limited release is expected to sell out very quickly, so plan on joining us to celebrate this Saturday.

We thought it was appropriate to launch Batch #1 on Kentucky Derby Day, seeing as though bourbon and horse racing go together so well. There are lots of people that insist bourbon can only be made in Kentucky, but we're ready to prove them wrong.

McKenzie Bourbon is made from local corn and rye. It's aged a total of 18 months - mostly in new charred 10 gallon barrels before finishing in local chardonnay casks.

The end result is a very rich and old-fashioned tasting bourbon. It will be priced at $45 for a 750 ml bottle.

Guests on Saturday will enjoy the music of Long John and the Tights from 2-5 pm. Wear your Kentucky Derby hat for a free tasting. We're also holding a small Derby Party for customers after regular business hours. Please call the distillery at 607.546.5510 if you are interested in learning more.

Go Big Red!

2010-03-22T15:36:00.003-04:00

It was a huge weekend for Cornell sports. The men's basketball team is on a roll, beating both Temple and Wisconsin to reach the Sweet 16 for the first time in history. The men's hockey team also had a big weekend, taking the ECAC Championship and securing a #2 seed in the NCAA tournament.

To celebrate, we whipped up an impromptu Big Red Martini:

2 ounces Vintner's Wildberry Vodka

1 ounce FLD Raspberry Liqueur

1 ounce simple syrup

splash of fresh lime juice

shake, strain into martini glass and garnish with cherry

Happy St. Patty's Day!

2010-03-17T08:56:00.002-04:00

Back in my college days, I would have already been out celebrating at this hour. Tipping back some artificially colored (green, of course) cheap domestic beer and having the time of my life.

Well now that we are all much more mature and the purveyors of fine spirits, what recommendations do we have for St. Patty's Day cocktails?

I really don't think you can go wrong with beer on a day like today - Guinness, Murphy's, or Smithwicks being my favorites. Irish whiskies seem appropriate, but the major brands that are most commonly available never have enough taste for me. Irish cream liqueurs? No thanks.

How about trying our McKenzie Rye in an Irish coffee? The spicy characteristics shine through and make a delicious dessert-style coffee when adding sugar and some fresh whipped cream. Also seems very worldly to have a Scottish-named, American whiskey used in an Irish coffee. Try it out.

For those of you that insist on making all things green today (I've even seen St. Patty's undergarments on the market), we recommend the following:

Chartreuse Martini

3 ounces Seneca Drums Gin

0.5 ounce Green Chartreuse (French herbal liqueur)

Shake or stir with ice and strain into martini glass. Garnish with a twist or fresh mint leaf.

Whatever you choose, here's hoping the wind is always at your back and that you have a happy and safe St. Patty's.

Joining the DISCUS Craft Distillery Advisory Council

2010-02-23T22:36:00.004-05:00

For years, the Distilled Spirits Council (DISCUS) has helped the largest spirits companies in the world shape public policy and perception with regards to high proof alcoholic beverages. A few weeks ago, it became clear to me that the growing craft distilling industry had caught their attention. I received a call regarding the formation of a Craft Distillers DISCUS membership. I also had the honor of being asked to sit on the 11-member Advisory Council for Craft Distillers. I consider this a testament to what we're doing at Finger Lakes Distilling, as there are now over 200 small distilleries they could have chosen from to serve in this capacity.

This news was released today and I'm thrilled to be involved. I believe we can help DISCUS achieve their goals of promoting the responsible enjoyment of spirits. We can also attest to the economic benefits of the craft distillation movement - new jobs, tax revenues, value-added use for agriculture products, tourism, etc.

I'm looking forward to getting involved with this organization, learning from its more established members, and helping to promote our industry in any way we can.

Nice McKenzie Rye review on Spiritsreview.com

2010-02-16T22:22:00.002-05:00

What you should do this weekend

2010-02-04T22:49:00.005-05:00

2 suggestions:

1. If you are in the vicinity of FLD, stop in to try our newly-released grappa. We offer 3 varieties - Gewurztraminer, Riesling, and Muscat. Each has its own distinct character, but all are highly aromatic and a lot smoother than most grappa on the market.

2. If you live in the NYC area, come see us at one of our tastings this weekend.

We'll be pouring our McKenzie Rye at Crush Wine & Spirits on Friday from 5:30-7:30.

On Saturday, we'll be mixing up classic martinis and a specialty cocktail at Martinibowl from 2-5 pm at Union Square Wines.

We'll also be tasting our full range of spirits from 4-7 on Saturday at Bowery & Vine.

Hope to see you out and about.

NY Distillers show off their wares at industry tastings

2010-02-01T22:33:00.002-05:00

Last week, we joined 6 other NYS distilleries to showcase the high quality spirits made in our state. The NY Wine & Culinary Center (NYWCC) sponsored two industry tastings (one in Saratoga Springs and the other at the Culinary Center in Canandaigua), as well as an evening seminar that was open to the public. In addition to giving the attendees some background on NY Farm Distilleries and the processes we use, 15 spirits were sampled. We poured our Seneca Drums Gin and McKenzie Rye which were both very well received.

It was great to see such positive reactions from those in attendance. While most were in the business as liquor store or bar/restaurant owners, there were a few media folks.

Renowned spirits journalist, Bill Dowd, had this to say about the event. He also took a liking to our Rye - click here to see his review.

Another blogger from the Albany area wrote this about the seminar and described our Rye as "haunting...so distinctive and delicious...(he) kept imagining the taste the following day."

I hope we get more opportunities to promote NY craft spirits a group. I think we opened a lot of eyes and can be proud of the products we're putting out. So, next time you're in your local liquor store, keep NYS spirits in mind.

The Young Guns on the Whiskey Trail

2010-01-24T21:38:00.004-05:00

Great article about the distillery in American Public House Review...

About.com's Whiskies of the Year

2010-01-21T14:32:00.002-05:00

Wow - just learned about some nice recognition for our distillery. Lance Mayhew, accomplished mixologist and contributing writer for About.com named our McKenzie Rye best Rye under $50 and our Glen Thunder Corn Whiskey best Corn Whiskey in his list of Best American Whiskies.

Click here for the article.

Thomas Earl Interviewed at WhiskyFest NY

2010-01-19T22:13:00.000-05:00

Hello 2010!

2010-01-04T13:13:00.003-05:00

It's been a while since we posted. Hope everyone enjoyed the holiday season. Thanks for all your support in our first year of business and we hope to see lots of you during 2010.

Things are fairly quiet in our tasting room now that the holidays are over, but it's a great time to come out and visit. Our spirits help take the edge off these cold days we've been having. It also gives us a chance to talk about our process a little more and perhaps even show you around the production facility.

Thomas is still busy making hooch, as our wholesale business continues to grow (please ask your retailer if they are carrying our brands yet). Grappa should be out very soon and we've also got some delicious fruit brandies on the way.

We've got some great events coming up in January. Hope to see you out and about.

Winter Harvest Dinner
Saturday, Jan 23, 5 pm at Finger Lakes Distilling:

Please join us for a wonderful evening of great local food and drink. We begin at 5 pm at Finger Lakes Distilling where we will offer samples of our unique spirits and tour our production facility. At 6 pm, the party moves to Red Newt Bistro for hors d'oeuvres and dinner/wine pairings. All ticket sales benefit the Health Food for All Program. Click here for more details.

NY Spirits Class
Thursday, Jan 28, 6:30 pm, NY Wine & Culinary Center (Canandaigua):

NY State is well known for its wine production, but is also becoming a hotbed for the emerging craft distilling industry. In this class you will learn about how NYS micro-distillers are using high quality, local raw materials to create world-class spirits. Finger Lakes Distilling President, Brian McKenzie, will be teaching the class and will offer tastings of several NYS spirits including vodka, gin, whiskey, brandies, and liqueurs. Visit NYWCC.com for more details.

Between the Lakes
Saturday, Jan 30, 11-5, Area wineries, distilleries, etc

Shake off the winter blahs by visiting businesses on the east side of Seneca and west side of Cayuga for wine, spirits, food, and music. No tickets necessary, just plan on having a good time.

McKenzie Rye mention on maltadvocate.com

2009-12-11T08:27:00.002-05:00

Lew Bryson, Managing Editor of Malt Advocate, posted a guest blog piece yesterday that included a mention of McKenzie Rye. Lew had this to say about our Rye: "it was sweet, brittle, and water-of-life fresh, with a grassiness and mint character that brought a smile to my lips."

Article in the NY Cork Report

2009-11-20T07:47:00.004-05:00

Click here to read an article on FLD that appeared on Lenn Thompson's NY Cork Report.

Awesome blog post

2009-11-15T22:21:00.002-05:00

Do it for the children...

Click here to read on.

Rye Available at the Distillery Today!

2009-11-14T08:39:00.002-05:00

It's on the shelf. Here's a brief description, but you've got to get up to the distillery to try it for yourself:

McKenzie Rye Whiskey is made from NYS grain and is distilled using old-time techniques. We age in new charred quarter casks and finish in sherry barrels from local wineries. The sherry balances the spiciness of the rye and also gives a nod to the wine region where this whiskey is produced. Notes of orange peel, cardamom, mint and butterscotch. Exceptionally smooth for a young whiskey.

Whiskyfest NY

2009-11-14T08:13:00.003-05:00

Trying to recover this morning from a crazy few days in NYC. We headed out of Elmira early Tuesday morning for a couple of sales calls and to set up our booth at the Marriott Marquis. The event started at 5:30 for the VIPs. We felt we were in pretty good company: Jimmy Russell, Master Distiller at Wild Turkey was at the booth right across from us and Willie Tait, MD from The Dalmore even came over to pay us a visit.

Our booth was well staffed with myself, Thomas (he even got a haircut for the event), my uncle Mike, and our new sales rep in NYC, Alexis Kahn.

So how did they like our stuff? We got some nice praise on our newly-released Rye. Some even called it the biggest surprise of the show. Everyone seemed to be impressed that it was just a year old. The sherry finish also got a lot of positive compliments.

Glen Thunder Corn Whiskey was unlike most of the aged spirits being poured, but also was appreciated by the attendees. I think it surprised a lot of folks that were expecting it to taste like a fiery moonshine. We also had our gin available, but didn't go through too much. This was WhiskyFest afterall.

Here's a good recap of the event, with mention of our products, written by our new friends at whisk(e)yapostle.com.

Wednesday consisted of more sales calls and a tasting of our products at the Brandy Library. Thanks to Ethan at B.L. for setting this up and to all of you that attended.

As always, we keep our list of retail partners updated on our website. We hope to see several NYC locations added in the next few weeks. Get out and try some McKenzie Rye before we sell through this first batch.

Here are a few photos from the week.

Who wants some Rye?

2009-11-08T23:38:00.004-05:00

We set an ambitious target, but it looks like things are coming together for the release of our Rye Whiskey this week. Last weekend, Thomas and I selected the barrels that are going into Batch #09-01. On Thursday, we got official word from the State Liquor Authority that our label was approved. On Friday, we blended and cut the whiskey to bottle strength (91 proof). Lots of labeling this weekend.

We're thrilled with the results. The whiskey is very mature for its age. It has the spicy characteristic that Rye is known for, but finishes exceptionally smooth. You'll taste notes of butterscotch, cardamom, and black licorice. Something about it reminds me of a big fruitcake.

We've got a great week lined up. We're pouring the Rye (as well as our Corn Whiskey and Gin) at WhiskyFest NY in Manhattan on Tuesday. On Wednesday, we're pouring at the Brandy Library in Tribeca.

For those of you in the Finger Lakes, the Rye will be available for sale on Friday afternoon. We're also moving some out to retailers for sale later this week.

I've posted some pictures from the past week below. The first one is a picture of us blending the selected barrels. We pump into the big tank, but I wanted to make sure we got every ounce. Meryl (pictured on the right) is taking copious notes. The second photo is of the first aged whiskey ever bottled at Finger Lakes Distilling and the third sums up how excited we are to make our Rye available to the public. Hope you enjoy it!

November Newsletter

2009-11-08T23:31:00.002-05:00

In case you didn't get it...here is the link.

Which one is Thomas Earl?

2009-11-01T12:06:00.002-05:00

Hope everyone had a good Halloween. It was great to see some people come out to the distillery in costume. We had some fun our ownselves. I dressed up(?) like our Master Distiller, Thomas Earl. We're both pictured above - can you tell who is who?

Cherry Liqueur Now Available!

2009-10-25T16:45:00.004-04:00

We bottled our first batch of cherry liqueur last week and based on this weekend's sales, I think we have a winner. The liqueur is made by soaking fresh local cherries in our grape neutral spirit. We then dilute to 48 proof, sweeten it up a little, and then filter it. It remains very true to the flavor of the fruit, with a natural tartness that gives it some complexity.

Have any ideas for cocktails with this liqueur? If so, please submit them through our website. We'd love to hear from you. I've tried it along with our Seneca Drums Gin and lemon in an Aviation. I also think it might do well in some whiskey cocktails.

As with most of our cordials, Cherry Liqueur is only available at the distillery. We have begun distributing our Cassis (black currant liqueur), however, so look for that at your favorite retailer.

Grappa

2009-10-01T23:05:00.009-04:00

I can't believe the number of people that have come into the tasting room asking for grappa. Grappa is very special to me, as it was one of the first spirits I ever enjoyed. My Aunt Jo and I were travelling in Italy and one of my fondest memories of the trip was sitting at a cafe on St. Mark's square in Venice sipping on some delicious grappa. Still, I can't believe how many people are asking about grappa.

Grappa, or pomace-brandy, is made by fermenting grape skins, seeds, etc. It is traditionally made with the leftovers from the winemaking process. The result is a very aromatic spirit that can also be a little rough around the edges. Until recently, it has been difficult to find high quality grappa in the U.S., so many people have been turned off by the "lighter fluid" options on the shelves. When grappa is done right, however, it can be complex and delectable. It makes an excellent digestivo after a big meal and also can be a great addition to morning coffee.

We began grappa production this past week with some local Muscat grapes. Not a lot of Muscat is grown in the Finger Lakes, but we made a point to find some as its floral and citrus aromas translate well into distillates. We also plan on making grappa from some other varietals.

Below are some pictures of us processing the grapes and of the skins fermenting. We hope to have our first grappa bottled for the holidays.

Rye Whiskey

2009-09-30T20:24:00.005-04:00

We've been working hard trying to get ready for our first aged-whiskey release. We are targeting the release of McKenzie's Rye Whiskey to coincide with WhiskyFest NY in Manhattan on Nov 10.

We were pleased to see a mention of our Rye on Lew Bryson's blog this a.m. Lew is a renowned whiskey and beer writer and the managing editor of Malt Advocate.

Here's a sneak peak at our Rye label. Be on the lookout for this handcrafted, old fashioned American whiskey in mid-November.

Picture in Malt Advocate

2009-09-22T21:47:00.002-04:00

You whiskey lovers out there may have seen this...Thomas and I (and our Holstein still) showed up on the back page in this quarter's issue of Malt Advocate. Someday soon, we hope to see our whiskeys featured there too!

Some dates for your calendar...

2009-09-09T07:15:00.002-04:00

Thurs, Sept 10: Tasting at Felicia's Atomic Lounge, Ithaca, NY 7-8:30 pm

Fri, Sept 11: Tasting at Northside Wine & Spirits, Ithaca, NY 4-7 pm

Wed, Sept 16: Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce Mixer at the Distillery 5-7 pm (call (607) 535-3003 for reservations)

Fri, Oct 2: Tasting at Lisa's Liquor Barn, Rochester, NY 4-7 pm

Sat, Oct 10: Tasting at Hogan's Octoberfest, Mandells Restaurant, Elmira, NY 4:30-7:30

Sun, Oct 18: Live music at the Distillery 1:30-4:30

Please come out to see us!

Update

2009-08-22T21:52:00.002-04:00

Things have been crazy busy at the distillery, but no excuse for neglecting our blog posts. We've expanded our product line to 8 items now: Vintner's Vodka, Vintner's Wildberry Vodka, Seneca Drums Gin, Glen Thunder Corn Whiskey and 4 different liqueurs, Cassis, Maplejack, Blueberry and Raspberry. We've got some aged whiskeys coming out this fall and a number of other liqueurs in the works.

We are distributing throughout the Finger Lakes from Elmira/Corning up through Rochester.

We have had a lot of local press in Rochester lately.

Here is a story that was featured in the Democrat & Chronicle.

Also, check out this piece that aired on Wham-13 News.

Finally, Michael Warren Thomas interviewed me on his weekly radio show, The Grapevine. You can download the program here.

Race Week!

2009-08-04T22:00:00.002-04:00

Heading up to the Glen for this weekend's big NASCAR race? Make sure you've got some of our recently-released corn whiskey on hand.

It's available in pint-sized bottles for $12 at the distillery and at several retailers in the Elmira-Watkins area.

Glen Thunder is a fine-tuned, true American corn whiskey, made to honor one of America’s greatest raceways, Watkins Glen. For more than 60 years, the world’s best drivers and most die-hard fans have come to "The Glen." Its legendary road course has seen everything from the early days of racing in the streets, to the wild spectacle of the Grand Prix, to today’s high-tech open-wheel and stock car races.

Racing at The Glen is all about balance and power, and the same goes for Glen Thunder. The mellow corn flavors give it the feel of a smooth ride, but don’t be fooled, because under the hood, it’s still got plenty of horsepower. Enjoy Glen Thunder over ice, mix it in your favorite cocktail, or take it how we recommend, straight out of the bottle.

Coverage by Finger Lakes Wine Country

2009-07-30T10:33:00.003-04:00

Finger Lakes Wine Country listed our distillery as one of the top 100 places to visit in the region this summer. This organization has done a fantastic job promoting the Finger Lakes as a destination and we are fortunate to have their support.

I also spoke to Morgen McLaughlin on her weekly web-based radio show yesterday morning. You can check it out here:

Listen to Morgen Mclaughlin on Blog Talk Radio

Tasting @ GCP in Elmira tomorrow night

2009-07-30T10:30:00.002-04:00

Thomas and I will be doing a tasting at GCP in Elmira tomorrow night from 3-6 pm. Stop by to try some of our Vintner's Vodka, Vintner's Wildberry Vodka, Seneca Drums Gin, and Glen Thunder Corn Whiskey.

FLD comes to Rochacha

2009-07-29T00:06:00.003-04:00

The Rochester Democrat & Chronicle ran a small blurb on our opening today.

We have just started distribution in that market and our products can now be found at Century-Pittsford Wines, Lisa's Liquor Barn, and Marketview Liquors. We hope to make our products more widely available in the coming months.

FLD on Eating Ithaca

2009-07-28T06:57:00.003-04:00

We spent a morning last week with Dave Cameron, host of Eating Ithaca, a blog and podcast about local eating in the greater Ithaca area. Dave has been a great supporter of our business from the beginning. Tune in to this episode as Dave interviews me about the origins of Finger Lakes Distilling and Thomas Earl conducts a tasting of our current product line.

Blueberry Liqueur is now available!

2009-07-25T11:39:00.004-04:00

Everyone's been waiting for our latest product release. Well, we hustled yesterday (bottling, labelling etc) to make it available for the weekend. It's our Blueberry Liqueur, made from our own grape spirit and fresh local blueberries. It has a natural sweetness and works well as an after dinner drink or over some ice cream. Come try it out - our tasting room is open 11-5 daily.

Grapehounds

2009-07-25T11:28:00.003-04:00

We've had a bunch of four-legged visitors here at the distillery this weekend. It's the annual Grapehound Wine Tour weekend, where greyhound owners from all across the country gather here in the Finger Lakes to celebrate this unique breed. All the dogs have been very well behaved and have enjoyed our complimentary martini-glass dog treats.

The Big Weekend

2009-07-16T23:54:00.003-04:00

Construction is finally complete and product is ready, so we're opening the doors at 11 a.m. tomorrow. We'll be sampling and selling our initial product line (Vintner's Vodka, Vintner's Wildberry, Seneca Drums Gin, Glen Thunder Corn Whiskey, Maplejack liqueur and Cassis liqueur). We'll be open daily from 11-5 through the rest of the tourist season.

We're also going to have a presence at the Finger Lakes Wine Festival this weekend. Unfortunately, we can't pour our spirits, but we'll be selling FLD merchandise and will also have some great daily raffles.

Hope to see you this weekend, either at the distillery or over at the track.

Gin cocktail idea from A Thirsty Spirit

2009-07-09T22:32:00.002-04:00

Gotta try this out...

CUCUMBER COOLER W/ SENECA DRUMS GIN

Enjoyed a couple over 4th of July weekend. Nice summer drink.

Tasting at Red Feet this Thursday

2009-07-07T23:12:00.003-04:00

Thomas and I will be doing a tasting this Thursday (7/9) from 5-7 pm at Red Feet Wine Market & Spirits Provisions. Red Feet is located at 435 Franklin St in Ithaca. If you are in the area, please stop by to say hello and to taste some of our award winning vodka and gin.

Join our team.

2009-07-06T16:21:00.002-04:00

We're looking for some high energy, well spoken individuals to join our tasting room staff. A passion for well crafted spirits is a big plus. A desire to give our visitors a meaningful experience is essential. Most positions will be part-time: a few days a week, 7-8 hour shifts.

If you're interested in being a part of this exciting new addition to Finger Lakes Wine Country, please email us at brian@fingerlakesdistilling.com.

Vintner's Vodka and Seneca Drums Gin - Award Winners at NYSA!

2009-06-30T22:15:00.002-04:00

We entered our first spirits competition a few weeks ago, the newly-founded New York Spirits Awards. The competition was open to international brands, large and small. The judging panel consisted of some very well respected people in the industry - mixologists, top retailers, and spirits sommeliers. They evaluated each entry on a 100 point scale with points awarded for appearance, aroma, taste, mouthfeel and finish.

So how did we do? Pretty damn well. Our two entries, Vintner's Vodka and Seneca Drums Gin were both awarded Best in Class Awards. These awards went to the top 20% of all entries in each category. We were thrilled to get the news over the weekend.

If you want to see all the results, click here. Be sure to head out to your local retailer this weekend to pick up some of these award winning spirits.

Wine Guy Column

2009-06-25T08:20:00.003-04:00

Jeff Richards ran a follow-up article on our business in 3 local papers yesterday: the Elmira Star Gazette, Ithaca Journal, and Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin. Check it out here.

He also included a number of recent pictures of our production space and tasting room.

Visit from former Master Distiller at Michter's

2009-06-17T18:04:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, we had a great visit with Dick and Elaine Stoll. Dick worked for the old Michter's Distillery in Schaefferstown, PA and was Master Distiller when the plant closed in 1990. He had a lot of insight into the business, as did Elaine who spent some time with Michter's, as well.

Dick sampled a bit of our Bourbon and Rye, and much to our delight, thought it was right on track to be some pretty good whiskey.

They were also very gracious visitors and brought some of the good old-time Michter's Rye that
was produced in the mid-1960s and bottled in the 1980s. If you can't tell by the giddy look on Thomas's face in the picture below, we were pretty excited to sample some Pennsylvania Rye that was made over 40 years ago. Also pictured from L to R are my uncle, Mike Matera, Dick Stoll, and my dad, Bill McKenzie.

Upcoming Tastings

2009-06-13T08:12:00.002-04:00

Today (6/13): Lighthouse Liquors, Elmira, 3-6 pm

Friday (6/19): Wright's Beverages, Watkins Glen, 4-6:30 pm

Landmark Liquor, Penn Yan, 5-7:30 pm

Saturday (6/20): Bottles & Corks, Corning 2-5 pm

Please come out to sample and buy some newly-released vodka and gin.

First Product Releases

2009-06-12T06:37:00.010-04:00

We are happy to announce that we now have 3 products available for distribution. As with everything we do at Finger Lakes Distilling, these products are handcrafted and are made predominately from ingredients found in our region. We have been working to get the products out to retailers in the following markets: Watkins Glen, Ithaca, Elmira, Corning, and Penn Yan. You can find them in many liquor stores in those areas and a select number of bars/restaurants. They are also available at the New York Wine and Culinary Center in Canandaigua, both for sale by the bottle and on their innovative new cocktail menu. Please contact us at brian@fingerlakesdistilling.com if you need information about where to find us.

We will continue to expand our retail outlets (hopefully in Rochester next week) and are working to get our tasting room open in early July. In the meantime, we have several tastings planned at liquor stores and will provide information about times and locations through our blog and Facebook page.

Here is some info about the products. All sell at a suggested retail price of $29.

Vintner's Vodka is made using a unique process that combines the ancient practices of the winemaker (the Vintner) with the age-old methods of the Master Distiller. In our custom-built copper still, we distill our signature blend of local grapes, including those that are hand-harvested from our own vineyard. The finished product is a vodka that's deeply rooted in the land and people from which it came. Each sip of Vintner's Vodka should be smooth, yet unabashedly full of character.

Vintner's Wild Berry is made using a unique process that combines the ancient practices of the winemaker (the Vintner) with the age-old methods of the Master Distiller. In our custom-built copper still, we distill our signature blend of local grapes, including those that are hand-harvested from our own vineyard. The spirit is then infused with native strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries before a final distillation to further refine the taste and balance.

On warm summer evenings, the legendary Seneca Drums rumble over the deep, still waters of Seneca Lake. Some believe the distant booms are a message from the Iroquois who inhabited the area hundreds of years ago, while others believe they are simply the result of geothermal reactions.

Seneca Drums Gin, like the phenomenon for which it is named, is an expressive, yet harmonious, London-style dry gin, distilled from our own local grape spirit and a signature blend of 11 botanicals. The end result is a gin that is legendary in its own right, sure to resonate with both new gin drinkers and traditionalists.

Product available soon (like within the week)!

2009-06-04T00:01:00.002-04:00

We're starting to move some product out to retailers in the following markets: Watkins Glen, Elmira-Corning, Ithaca, Penn Yan, Geneva, Canandaigua, and Rochester. Stay tuned for an announcement of what will be available. In the meantime, be sure to ask your liquor-shop-of- choice whether or not they will be on board. Thanks for your support.

Article in Syracuse Post Standard

2009-06-01T10:30:00.002-04:00

This morning's paper included a piece on how craft distilling is taking off in our region. As the only stand-alone distillery of the group, we were featured prominently in the story.

You can read it here.

FLD on Facebook!

2009-05-29T00:25:00.003-04:00

We've had a presence for a few months now. We intend to keep our fans posted on all new developments relating to the distillery. Please check our page out by clicking here.

Tune in Saturday morning...

2009-05-14T22:19:00.002-04:00

For those of you in the Elmira area, be sure to tune in to WETM (Channel 18) on Saturday morning, May 16, at 9 a.m. We were interviewed by Henry Dormann, host of the Friends & Neighbors program. The feature will include a behind-the-scenes tour of the whiskey making process and some light-hearted banter with Mr. Dormann.

Article in Edible Finger Lakes Magazine

2009-05-11T21:49:00.001-04:00

Edible Finger Lakes Article

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Magazines & Newspape Distillery finger lakes

One more from syracuse.com

2009-05-08T22:22:00.003-04:00

In addition to the blog post and pictures, the folks from the Syracuse Post-Standard also took some video footage. It gives a pretty good summary of the whiskey-making process.

You can see it here.

Photos on syracuse.com

2009-04-30T21:31:00.002-04:00

There were some photos posted on syracuse.com today that are associated with Don Cazentre's blog post from yesterday. Click here to see them.

Coverage on syracuse.com

2009-04-29T10:51:00.003-04:00

On Monday, we spent some time with Don Cazentre who writes for the Syracuse Post-Standard. Don is preparing an article on our distillery for May. He also writes a blog where he mentioned our distillery and the upcoming article. Click here to read his post.

Malt Kiln Destroyed by Fire

2009-04-21T21:31:00.003-04:00

Through this blog, we've shared a lot of the exciting milestones in our quest to start Finger Lakes Distilling over the past year or so. As with any business, we've also had our rough spots and this weekend marked one of those moments.

Many of you may have noticed the small black and white structure on our property when driving down Rte 414. This 4 x 8 building was our malt kiln that we designed and built ourselves last summer. The kiln was used to dry and smoke grains that we were malting by hand in the distillery. We were very proud of our efforts, as it was one-of-a-kind, and up until this weekend was doing a fine job.

We're not sure exactly what happened, but on Sunday we learned that the kiln had gone up in flames. Thanks to the Burdett Fire Dept for dealing with this unfortunate circumstance and not allowing it to create any further damage.

We are committed to continuing our malting operation. We have done a fair amount of malting for our whiskies and have had luck with grinding the malt green, or without drying. We are also planning to rebuild the kiln sometime in the near future.

The pictures below show the remains of the malt kiln and what it looked like upon completion last fall.

A peach picking party

2009-03-29T21:30:00.003-04:00

400 lbs of peaches to pit. Seemed pretty intimidating, but we finished them off in a couple hours this past Saturday. Also had time to get started on our first flavored vodka using local berries. More info on that soon.

The peaches were from a local supplier that froze them for us at the end of the season last summer. What will be the finished product from our efforts? You'll have to visit this summer to find out.

A visit from Felicia

2009-03-24T10:22:00.002-04:00

On Saturday, Thomas and I spent some time with Amelia and Leah from Felicia's Atomic Lounge in Ithaca. We had a great time discussing distillation, the local food movement and well crafted cocktails.

You can read about their experience here.

We're looking forward to working with our new friends to create some great concoctions for - what we hope to be - mutual cocktail-loving customers.

Next time you're in Ithaca, stop by Felicia's at 508 West State Street.

Distillery mentioned in NY Magazine

2009-03-22T14:11:00.002-04:00

We were mentioned in the recent 5-Point Weekend Escape plan on NY Magazine's website. The feature which focused on Seneca Lake, was written by travel writer, Jean Tang, who visited us a couple of months ago. You can see it here.

Interview - Rochester Democrat & Chronicle Wine Blog

2009-03-18T16:45:00.002-04:00

We were recently interviewed by Sheila Livadas who writes a wine blog for the Rochester newspaper. You can see it here.

A visit from a Spiritual Advisor

2009-03-18T00:24:00.002-04:00

Chris Carlsson from www.spiritsreview.com dropped by a couple of weeks ago to see our set-up. Chris has visited numerous distilleries, is an expert mixologist, and also is very knowledgeable about the history of distilling.

He also is a pretty good photographer - here are the photos from his visit:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/spiritsreview/sets/72157614406736866/

SCOPED Award

2009-02-23T23:20:00.002-05:00

The local paper in Watkins Glen featured a story about an award we received at the recent SCOPED dinner, the Entrepreneur of the Year Award. I was honored to receive the award and also very surprised since there is so much left to do before we even open the doors. SCOPED is the local economic development agency in Schuyler County - they have been incredibly helpful in getting our business started.

The article can be found here.

Ron White

2009-02-22T22:37:00.004-05:00

We just caught Ron White of Blue Collar Comedy Tour Fame at the Clemens Center in Elmira tonight. Ron didn't disappoint and had the sold out crowd laughing hysterically for almost an hour and a half. That's my wife Jenny and me pictured with Ron, below. We put together a little care package from Finger Lakes Distilling that included a sample of our upcoming corn whiskey release and a few FLD-branded cigars. For those of you that haven't seen Mr. White, he likes to indulge in scotch and cigars during his comedy routines. Pretty awesome night.

Thomas Earl's Distilling 101 - Part 3

2009-01-22T22:06:00.002-05:00

All spirits - whether they be vodka, gin, whiskey, tequila, rum, etc - come off the still as a clear liquid. This may come as a surprise to a lot of people because they are accustomed to drinking "brown" spirits such as whiskey and brandy. The spirit starts as a clear liquid because regardless of what the raw material is that is distilled, it is vaporized and re-condensed in the still. The color does not carry over in this vaporization.

So where does the spirit pick up its color? In the case of whiskey, brandy, or dark rums, the color comes from time spent in a charred oak barrel. The clear spirit, or white dog, is barrel aged for a period of time that can range from months to decades. While in the barrel, the spirit interacts with the wood picking up new flavor profiles from the tannins and vanillin in the wood.

The spirit also oxidizes and some will be lost to evaporation. This is commonly known as the angel's share.

A home for our whiskey

2009-01-22T21:36:00.003-05:00

This past weekend we raised our first barrel rack. It will accommodate 30 barrels and stands at just over 12 feet tall. We are working quickly to get it filled up with a variety of whiskies and brandies.

Still Installation

2008-12-21T22:10:00.002-05:00

It's been a pretty incredible week. Last weekend we started uncrating the still which was a major undertaking in and of itself. The actual installation started Tuesday morning under the guidance of our sales person from Bavarian Holstein. Andrea insisted that it wasn't going to be too bad, but I was not looking forward to taking heavy (200+ lb) pieces of copper up 20 ft in the air.

The whole process was exhausting, but proved to be a lot of fun, as well. Everything turned out fine and we tested the still for leaks before the end of the week. Ed and Cindy Atwill at Seneca Springs Resort provided just the hospitality we needed after long days at the distillery.

The equipment really is a piece of art and it looks fantastic in our gable window overlooking Seneca Lake. Take a look at the slide show below to see how it all went together.

The Still arrives

2008-12-09T23:15:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was a BIG day. In addition to getting septic approval, our propane tank installed, and water line bored under SR 414, we received a 4,000+ lb shipment. The centerpiece of our operation, our pot still and rectification column, arrived after a long trek from the Holstein factory in Markdorf, Germany.

It was a nerve-wracking day, as we had to pull 2 enormous crates off of a tractor trailer. Our excavation crew from KRP helped us get the largest (8x10x16') crate off. It took almost 6 hours to move the crates from the truck to our building.

We cracked open one of the crates and saw the copper column gleaming. Our next adventure will be erecting the still - hopefully sometime next week. More pics to follow.

Equipment move

2008-12-07T22:24:00.004-05:00

We spent the weekend moving tanks and kettles over to the building in anticipation of setting things up over the next week or so. Big day tomorrow, as the still is set to arrive.

Getting the word out

2008-12-06T01:07:00.003-05:00

I had an opportunity to speak to the Watkins-Montour Rotary Club yesterday about our distillery. Met some great folks, several that were very excited about our opening. We got some nice coverage in the Odessa File - www.odessafile.com.

Thomas Earl's Distilling 101 - Part 2

2008-11-15T15:56:00.002-05:00

Last time we discussed the process of making our grape-based vodka. We also plan on making whiskey in a variety of styles. Where the vodka is distilled from grape wine, whiskey is distilled from a grain mash, at a much lower proof, so as to maintain the flavors of the grain.

The spirits category of “Whiskey” encompasses several different products, including:

Bourbon – Bourbon must be made from a mash of at least 51% corn, the remainder split between either wheat or rye, and barley malt. It also must be aged in a new charred oak barrel.

Corn whiskey – Corn whiskey must be made of at least 80 percent corn and can be sold without any barrel aging.

Rye whiskey – this is probably the oldest type of whiskey produced. Rye fell out of favor with the American public, but has seen a resurgence in popularity over the last few years. Rye must be made from a mash of at least 51 % rye grain, the remainder being corn and barley malt.

Canadian, Irish or Scotch Whiskey – These Whiskies are distinct to their countries of origin and subject to their respective laws regarding the methods for manufacturing them.

What is Malt?
Malt is grain (most often referring to barley, but can be other grains) that has been soaked to make it germinate. Then it is dried and ground. Malt contains enzymes that when added to cooked corn, rye, or wheat in a mash, converts the starch into sugar. The yeast then turns this sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide.

Our process…
We will bring in the raw whole grains from local farms. Some will be malted and dried or smoked in our malt kiln. We will then mill them into a fine meal. After milling, we will cook the grain in our mash cooker using water from the spring on our property. We will cook the grains to produce a thick starchy mash. As the temperature falls in the mash, we will add barley malt, to turn the starch into sugar. After the mash has cooled, we will put it into our fermentation tanks, and add our jug yeast, that has been previously prepared. After about 3 days of fermentation we will pump it into our pot still, where it is distilled and condensed making unaged whiskey or “white dog” as they say in Kentucky. We then cut it with spring water and age it in charred white oak barrels.

What sets our whiskey apart from other microdistilled whiskies?

There are a lot of whiskies being produced by microdistilleries today. We believe ours will be distinctive for several reasons. We intend to control most of the process ourselves by taking it from raw grain to finished whiskey, all onsite. We will avoid using commercial enzymes. We have also designed our still so that we can distill our whiskey in small batches using a true old fashioned pot still. Our methods will be more time consuming , but we will adhere to traditional methods and be doing true craft distillation.

Whiskey Fest

2008-11-15T07:08:00.002-05:00

Earlier this week we attended Whiskey Fest in NYC. It was a great opportunity to taste some new product offerings and mingle with some of the legends of whiskey making like Parker Beam (Heaven Hill) and Jimmy Russell (Wild Turkey). We also attended a seminar on the art of Japanese whiskey held by Suntory. It was an incredible event and something we hope to be a part of in the future. Pictured below (l to r) are my dad, Bill, Thomas, and my Uncle Mike.

Building Update

2008-11-15T06:57:00.004-05:00

It's been a busy couple of weeks - I apologize for not keeping up with the blog. Let's start with some of the latest construction photos. As you can see they are making a lot of progress with siding and sheetrock.

Edible Finger Lakes Magazine

2008-10-26T21:44:00.002-04:00

On Friday, Thomas and I attended the launch party for an exciting new publication: Edible Finger Lakes. The quarterly magazine will feature stories about the local food scene in Central NY. It was great getting to know some of the folks involved in this movement and everyone seemed pretty excited about the distillery opening up.

Pagoda roof added

2008-10-14T15:40:00.001-04:00

The builders recently added our cupola with pagoda top making our building even a little taller...

More spirits from the Finger Lakes

2008-10-12T15:12:00.000-04:00

Montezuma Winery (on the Cayuga Wine Trail) just opened their distillery - Hidden Marsh Distillery this past weekend. We wish Bill Martin and his family well in this new venture and look forward to collaborating with them to offer great distilled spirits from the region.

The Rochester Democrat & Chronicle ran a story on the grand opening and included a mention about Finger Lakes Distilling (and photo of our family).

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008810120330

Thomas Earl's Distilling 101

2008-10-01T21:21:00.002-04:00

Educating people about distillation - the process, science and tradition of distilling - is a big part of our game plan at Finger Lakes Distilling. This is the first in a series of blog posts where we'll try to enlighten our readers (and hopefully future customers) about the products we are going to be crafting. These informative posts will be provided by our Master Distiller, Thomas. So whenever you see his smiling face (below), class is in session...

We have had a lot of people say, "wow, we're excited about the new distillery. When will we be able to taste some of the wine you will be making?" We have to explain the difference between a winery and a distillery. A winery crushes and presses grapes and ferments them into a wine. We too will make a wine in the case of our vodkas and brandies. However, we will take it a step further.

The definition of distillation- to take a liquid and heat it to the point of evaporation and condense the vapor back into a liquid. Here at Finger Lakes Distilling we will make a wine from locally grown grapes, then put it into our column still. By heating the wine with a steam jacket surrounding the pot, it will begin to vaporize. Because alcohol has a lower boiling point (172 degrees) than water (212 degrees) the vapors at the beginning of the run will have a higher concentration of alcohol. That is how we can take a liquid like wine with around 12% alcohol up to spirit strength.

We'll implement a similar process with other fruit mashes and in the case of whiskey, with grain-based mashes. But we'll save that for next time.

Latest construction photos

2008-10-01T16:06:00.001-04:00

1st Annual Great Grape Pick-a-rama

2008-09-23T22:39:00.000-04:00

Our first harvest was held this past weekend. Who needs a grape harvester when you've got 35-40 friends and family members that are looking to enjoy a beautiful day overlooking Seneca Lake (free beer and food helps too)? Thanks to all of you that participated.

My cousin, Sarah, and Uncle Mike having a good time in the vineyard.

My mom, Carol, put in a good 5 or 6 hours of steady pickin'.

Thomas instructs the guys from NYC in proper grape pickin' technique.

Lisa Navone (far right) hanging out w/ the a group of McKenzies. From left: Erin, Aja, Jenny, Colin, and Lucie.

Brian, Bill, Thomas, and Pierce McKenzie (L to R) loading up the fruits of our labor.

Still is ready to ship

2008-09-19T15:35:00.000-04:00

The folks at Bavarian Holstein have completed the fabrication of our custom still design and it will be shipping in the next week or so. We anticipate arrival of the still during the week of October 20.

Aspiring vineyard manager

2008-09-11T15:51:00.000-04:00

My little girl, Lucie (left), and my wife, Jenny (right), stopped by to check out this year's crop. Lucie was happy with the Brix reading, as you can see.

Roof trusses went up today...check out the video

2008-09-10T11:45:00.001-04:00

Still in production

2008-09-05T10:50:00.004-04:00

We received the first photos of our still yesterday. Everything is right on schedule to ship later this month. Below, you'll see pictures of the helmet, pot still, and sections of the rectification column. The still is being manufactured by Arnold Holstein GmbH in Markdorf, Germany. We'll post more photos as they become available.

Building taking shape

2008-08-28T15:36:00.003-04:00

Lots of visible progress at the site this week, as our exterior walls are going up. We now have a sense for how the building will look on the property and the bottom picture gives you an idea of the great views we'll have from the tasting room floor upstairs. We'll post more next week.