New Whiskey From Iowa Drawn From Popular Brown Ale Wash

Mississippi River Distilling Company out of Iowa, besides its mainstream bourbon and rye releases, is also known for its monthly seasonal spirit releases, often of which are whiskey. In the past, for example, we’ve taken note of its Six Shooter Smoke Whiskey and its Stone Fence Apple Cider Whiskey expression. Recently joining these is another offering, known as Farmer Brown Whiskey.

The new Farmer Brown Whiskey, according to Mississippi River Distilling (MRD), emerged as a result of a collaboration between the distillery and a local brewery named Great River Brewery. Farmer Brown Ale is one of Great River’s more popular beer offerings apparently, and in the past some of it had been barrel aged in whiskey barrels from MRD. Turn about is fair play, the distillery thought, because now with Farmer Brown Whiskey MRD made use of over 3,000 gallons of the ale’s wash as a base ingredient.

The Great River ale had the alcohol distilled out of it, and the fresh spirit was put into MRD’s bourbon barrels to age for over two years. What’s resulted in bottle is described taste wise as offering “rich chocolate, a snip of hops and mild barrel flavors.” Only 1,000 bottles of this are being released, both at the distillery and also at local retailers in Iowa and Illinois.