A Rye from Ashland, OR

[jinenjo]

Just happened upon this one from Hansell's blog.

http://blog.maltadvocate.com/2008/12...e-from-oregon/

I don't know, but releasing it after a year in a light char barrel seems pretty young to me. Also, I don't understand this statement from the company consultant:

"I set the rye up to be made in the traditional manner, unlike what most of the micros are doing with making any whiskey they make from a wash, they were set up to ferment the whole mash and distill in a pot, on the grains."

Here's the company, they do vodka and gin:
http://www.cascadepeakspirits.com/vodka.htm

[ILLfarmboy]

.. Also, I don't understand this statement from the company consultant:

"I set the rye up to be made in the traditional manner, unlike what most of the micros are doing with making any whiskey they make from a wash, they were set up to ferment the whole mash and distill in a pot, on the grains."

column stills pump the fermented mash with the grain solids into the top of the still where steam hits it. The solids fall through the stripping plates and out the bottom of the still. I take it this is called "distilling on the grain".

Distilling in pot stills generally requires the solids to be separated from the liquid wort prior to being loaded into the first pot still for the stripping run. Otherwise the solids would stick to the bottom of the still and scorch. Although I do remember seeing pictures of the inside of a pot still in Scotland which used a series of chains, copper chain-mail if I recall, that continually scraped the bottom of the still in order to prevent this scorching and allow distilling "on the grain". I think Jono may have posted the link recently.

[Jono]

http://www.thewhiskystore.de/experts/copper.htm

http://www.thewhiskystore.de/dist/gfarclas/w0693_2.jpg

http://www.thewhiskystore.de/experte/images/for4.jpg

"Rummager chain"

[cowdery]

Brad is correct.

Woodford Reserve uses a pump to keep the mash circulating. At Huber in Indiana, they had the manufacturer install an agitator in their still for the same purpose. Most micro-distillers, however, come from a brewing background and are most comfortable distilling from a wash.

[jinenjo]

Now it makes sense. Thanks fellas. The pictures helped too.