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Streams of Whiskey are (soon to be) flowing at Three Oaks Distillery
By Mike Petrucelli - SouthBendTribune.com | August 26, 2010
With wineries being a long-established industry here and craft beer making plenty of long strides, it was only a matter of time before distilleries began to take root in Michiana.
Just across the state line in Three Oaks, look for Journeyman Distillery, which will focus primarily on whiskey, to open soon (a batch of Journeyman Rye is already aging).
This adds to the number of local distilling operations, which include Mishawaka's Virtuoso Distillers (18 Vodka), Round Barn Winery, Brewery and Distillery (DiVine Vodka, Whiskey and Rum) and St. Julian Winery (Grey Heron Vodka and A&G Brandy).
According to an email from Journeyman co-owner Nick Gurniewicz, a purchase agreement has been signed for the old Featherbone factory in Three Oaks (although of the 16,000 square feet in the Featherbone, the distillery only needs 4,000 square feet).
Inside that 4,000 square feet, though, will be two German copper pot stills: "a 1,000 liter still for our production runs and a 150 liter still for experimental runs," Gurniewicz wrote. And while whiskey is prime, it's not all. Gurniewicz went on:
Gurniewicz and Welter spent two years researching distilling as well as training at Koval distillery in Chicago (where that first batch of rye is maturing now in new, charred, American oak barrels of varying sizes).
They initially looked in northwest Indiana, but found that Michigan laws would allow them to have a tasting room and retail, whereas Indiana laws would not, Gurniewicz wrote. Now, with input from various professional contacts and continued advice and guidance from Ramsay, things are coming together fairly quickly, according to Gurniewicz.
It's always encouraging when a new business opens locally. It's even better when it's food or drink. Indiana and Michigan have a lot to offer in terms of ingredients (grains, fruits, you name it), and it only makes sense that small distillers, brewers and vintners, as well as chefs, cooks and purveyors would locate here. My only hope is that the local economies and business climate will sustain them all, giving us all plenty to brag about (not to mention make gift-giving to friends and relatives elsewhere in the country easily unique).
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With wineries being a long-established industry here and craft beer making plenty of long strides, it was only a matter of time before distilleries began to take root in Michiana.
Just across the state line in Three Oaks, look for Journeyman Distillery, which will focus primarily on whiskey, to open soon (a batch of Journeyman Rye is already aging).
This adds to the number of local distilling operations, which include Mishawaka's Virtuoso Distillers (18 Vodka), Round Barn Winery, Brewery and Distillery (DiVine Vodka, Whiskey and Rum) and St. Julian Winery (Grey Heron Vodka and A&G Brandy).
According to an email from Journeyman co-owner Nick Gurniewicz, a purchase agreement has been signed for the old Featherbone factory in Three Oaks (although of the 16,000 square feet in the Featherbone, the distillery only needs 4,000 square feet).
Inside that 4,000 square feet, though, will be two German copper pot stills: "a 1,000 liter still for our production runs and a 150 liter still for experimental runs," Gurniewicz wrote. And while whiskey is prime, it's not all. Gurniewicz went on:
"(W)e will be producing other spirits along with the whiskey: Gin made with organic botanicals, an applejack-style spirit (made with MI apples), and white whiskey are among other things ... in the works. The small 150 liter still provides us an opportunity to experiment and gives us a great deal of flexibility."Journeyman came together after Gurniewicz and his business partner, Bill Welter, who are both in their 30s and both from Valparaiso, "fell in love" with whiskey after spending time in Scotland (where it's whisky, note the dropped "e"). They went on to different careers but have now, with the help of a distiller from Tasmania named Greg Ramsay, decided to establish what they hope will be the first "organically-certified, whiskey-focused distillery" in the country.
Gurniewicz and Welter spent two years researching distilling as well as training at Koval distillery in Chicago (where that first batch of rye is maturing now in new, charred, American oak barrels of varying sizes).
They initially looked in northwest Indiana, but found that Michigan laws would allow them to have a tasting room and retail, whereas Indiana laws would not, Gurniewicz wrote. Now, with input from various professional contacts and continued advice and guidance from Ramsay, things are coming together fairly quickly, according to Gurniewicz.
It's always encouraging when a new business opens locally. It's even better when it's food or drink. Indiana and Michigan have a lot to offer in terms of ingredients (grains, fruits, you name it), and it only makes sense that small distillers, brewers and vintners, as well as chefs, cooks and purveyors would locate here. My only hope is that the local economies and business climate will sustain them all, giving us all plenty to brag about (not to mention make gift-giving to friends and relatives elsewhere in the country easily unique).
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