Corn

Berkshire Mountain New England Corn Whiskey

Berkshire Mountain New England Corn Whiskey

Berkshire Mountain Distillers was founded in 2007 and has been producing a large variety of gins, vodkas, rums and other spirits ever since. As many craft distilleries have done across the United States, BMD have looked to the markets and resources around them to help guide their creative process. The New England Corn Whiskey is made from area farms within miles of the distillery, aged using cherry wood and white oak. We note with interest the term “aged over” as opposed to “aged in” and wonder if barrels are used in the aging of this spirit.

Liberty Pole Corn Whiskey

Liberty Pole Corn Whiskey

Corn Whiskey is not an offering usually seen by name on store shelves, as much of the corn-based whiskey is bourbon. But corn whiskey as a category is a little different than bourbon per the US federal regulations. Corn whiskey has to be at least 80% corn and can be stored in either new or used oak barrels. The Liberty Pole Corn Whiskey is is fermented with an American ale yeast and aged for 18-24 months in medium-toasted oak quarter casks formerly housing Liberty Pole’s own bourbon and rye. The Bloody Butcher Corn used as the base is a heirloom grain from southwest Pennsylvania, similar to the kind of corn grown there during the late 18th century Whiskey Rebellion.

Liberty Pole Peated Bourbon

Liberty Pole Peated Bourbon

Mingo Creek Craft Distillers was founded in 2017 by Jim and Ellen Hough. The name of their distillery and their whiskey, Liberty Pole, references the Whiskey Rebellion (1791-1794) that has its roots in Western Pennsylvania, where the Liberty Pole was raised by farmers to proclaim their resistance to the whiskey tax levied against them by a fledgling federal government. The rebellion collapsed after federal militia arrived but memory of it still lives in Washington, PA. The distillery offers six core whiskies, including a bourbon cream, and have recently upgraded their still size to increase production. In 2019, they worked with all the other Pennsylvania distilleries to create a special cask strength rye containing whiskey from each distillery for the Whiskey Rebellion Festival. The Liberty Pole Peated Bourbon is double pot distilled and aged 13-18 months.