New Iowa Micro Bourbon

[sku]

Cedar Ridge winery/distillery in Iowa announces that they will release a Bourbon (distilled in '08) on July 1.

http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/96496319.html

[IowaJeff]

I've had their vodka, gin, lemoncello, rum, and apple brandy--all seem to me to be good alternatives to similar priced large brands (I'm not much of a drinker or judge of the above spirits). I'll be anxious to try a bourbon. I've always hoped for an Iowa bourbon with Iowa corn. 2-2.5 years is young, but I'm not willing to dismiss it based on age alone. Smaller barrels combined with Iowa weather, who knows, I'll give it a shot.

If I can get a bottle I'll post my thoughts.

[IowaJeff]

I picked up a bottle of the Iowa Bourbon yesterday. It was 29.99, I split it with someone else. It's a very light yellow color. Tastes nothing like bourbon. I don't mean that it tastes like a young bourbon, which it is. I mean it has none of the cornerstone flavors of bourbon. No vanilla, no oak, no rye spice, no caramel, etc. It tastes like corn whiskey, but a unique corn whiskey at least. Not much on the nose, just a touch of corn / honey sweetness. The taste is very light, another touch of sweetness. It says its 40%, but there is no alcohol harshness. I don't like describing things a 'smooth,' but this is smooth.

I will not be buying another bottle in the near future because I prefer stronger flavors than what the Iowa Bourbon provides. But, it is better than the white dogs I have tried and better than corn whiskies I have had (which I often find to have a corny/honey sweetness, as with the Iowa Bourbon, but accompanied by a harshness and an undefined 'funky' flavor). This is probably the mellowest spirit I have ever had.

[Jono]

The "Corona" of bourbons. Maybe they will set aside some product for decent aging.

[sku]

I picked up a bottle of the Iowa Bourbon yesterday. It was 29.99, I split it with someone else. It's a very light yellow color. Tastes nothing like bourbon. I don't mean that it tastes like a young bourbon, which it is. I mean it has none of the cornerstone flavors of bourbon. No vanilla, no oak, no rye spice, no caramel, etc. It tastes like corn whiskey, but a unique corn whiskey at least. Not much on the nose, just a touch of corn / honey sweetness. The taste is very light, another touch of sweetness. It says its 40%, but there is no alcohol harshness. I don't like describing things a 'smooth,' but this is smooth.

I will not be buying another bottle in the near future because I prefer stronger flavors than what the Iowa Bourbon provides. But, it is better than the white dogs I have tried and better than corn whiskies I have had (which I often find to have a corny/honey sweetness, as with the Iowa Bourbon, but accompanied by a harshness and an undefined 'funky' flavor). This is probably the mellowest spirit I have ever had.

[p_elliott]

I picked up a bottle of this on Saturday. I didn't think it came off as being as young as it is. It's does not taste like bourbon to me taste like an Irish blended whiskey. Not so much the pear flavor of the Jameson 12 and the Blackbush but the general flavor of them. It's drinkable but a bit much at the $32 I paid for it, I would have priced this more in the $15 range. But with all that said these guys could have done much worse with their first try at making bourbon, I prefer this over Stranahan's whiskey which I gave away. If I can I'll bring a bottle to the KBF for the gazebo for everyone to try.

[MoeCizlak]

I tried a glass of this last night and agree with what has been mentioned. If it had more of a rye taste to it I would've sworn I was drinking Templeton Rye, the bottle even looked identical. I probably wouldn't recommend this for avid Bourbon drinkers as there are no tell-tale Bourbon flavors present. If you know someone who wants to try drinking Bourbon straight, try this as there is literally no alcohol burn.

[lrochau]

I've got a bottle of Cedar Ridge as well but I haven't opened it yet. Been drinking a ORVW 107 a lot lately so I'm sure I would be bummed with Cedar. Will drink in time, I'll do my share to help out the Iowa distillers along the way.

[ILLfarmboy]

This must be what a liquor store manager/employee recently made mention of while I was asking him about unrelated stuff. I was picking up stuff for a Christmas party and was in a hurry.....probably should have payed more attention......

Anyhow, cudos to them for actualy distilling their own stuff. Too bad its only 80 proof

Maybe, just maybe, someday locally produced bourbons, ryes and malt whiskies will be more widly available, perhaps even as a side venture to an established brewpub.

As a side note, I ate recently at the Granite City brewpub in Davenport IA. I tried their Brother Benedict's Bock. I'm a non beer drinker but I got a wild hair up my ass and wanted to try beer again, something with significant malt flavor and very little hoppiness. Afterwords I checked out their website. They ship the sweet wort from a central location to each individual restaurant. Something about avoiding the laws that prohibit shipping alcohol across state lines or something. It seems like an established chain like that could make a malt whiskey like Stranahan's easier than someone could do the same starting from scratch. Much of the infrastructure is already there.

By the by, I like Stranahan's.

[p_elliott]

If I had known that you liked Stranahan's Brad I would have waxed a seal on that bottle and shipped it to you.

[cowdery]

How confident is anyone that this is real and not a Potemkin like Templeton?

[squire]

Perhaps one of our Iowa members could drop by for a tour and post their findings. I'd like to see the distilling process and aging barrels myself.

[cowdery]

At just two years old it might very well be real, but there are some other two-year-olds that aren't.

[sku]

How confident is anyone that this is real and not a Potemkin like Templeton?

You never know, but they are claiming to have distilled it. From their website:

Made from nearly 75% corn, Cedar Ridge Bourbon Whiskey is crafted in small batches in our European-engineered 80-gallon pot still for a high-quality, smooth, premium bourbon that is receiving rave reviews at tasting events across the Country and selling off the shelves.

[callmeox]

How confident is anyone that this is real and not a Potemkin like Templeton?

If they are like Templeton, the ruse runs deep as they are a winery who also sells a number of clear spirits.

The other home-spun lines give them more street cred.

[cowdery]

Just want to make sure my peeps are doing their due diligence.

[lrochau]

Here are a few links to Quad City Times articles on the three Iowa distilleries if your looking for some reading:

Cedar Ridge

http://qctimes.com/business/article_d0178894-0596-11e0-9605-001cc4c03286.html

Mississippi River Distillery (LeClaire, IA)

http://qctimes.com/business/article_b12a4d3c-0a59-11e0-a76a-001cc4c03286.html

Templeton

http://qctimes.com/business/article_3f44c9d6-05a4-11e0-8e01-001cc4c03286.html

[White Dog]

Here are a few links to Quad City Times articles on the three Iowa distilleries if your looking for some reading:

Cedar Ridge

http://qctimes.com/business/article_d0178894-0596-11e0-9605-001cc4c03286.html

Mississippi River Distillery (LeClaire, IA)

http://qctimes.com/business/article_b12a4d3c-0a59-11e0-a76a-001cc4c03286.html

Templeton

http://qctimes.com/business/article_3f44c9d6-05a4-11e0-8e01-001cc4c03286.html

[kbrighton]

Sorry to bring this back from the dead, but I just joined the forum and thought I would respond to some questions/concerns.

Thanks for the great report. Sounds like yet another overly young and overly diluted craft whiskey.

Two part response:

One persons opinion. After reading this forum, I take most of the members here to be "snobs" about their bourbon. This is not a problem, and am myself a snob of many of life's pleasures. I don't see this forum as a good indication of the average US bourbon drinker, rather this is the top 2% or so who are very particular. If our product does not appeal to sb membership, I won't loose sleep because I know we can sell it out every month to the other 98%.

Part 2 - "overly diluted" meaning only 80 proof? Sure we bottle at 80. Reason here is simple economics. The US alcohol producers are taxed by the buzz they provide. A can of 5% abv beer costs the producer 5 cents tax. A 750ml bottle of wine is closer to 10 cents. Fed tax on a 750 of 80 proof is $2.14. Higher proof=higher taxes. In our market, which happens to be a control state, I don't think we could justify the higher tax. The state if Iowa takes control of our product before going to retailers, they mark it up 50%. Then the retailers mark it up another 25-30%. Because we are a young and small company we are using 15 and 30 gallon barrels to get this stuff on the market faster. Happens that small barrels are more expensive then their 53 gallon brothers. So we are putting up a big investment up front in order to get the cash flow sooner. Granted, we have also been filling the standard barrels for 3 years, so eventually we will phase out the small barrels and use the 53 gal only with a proper aging period. But until then, its coming out of the small guys.

Perhaps one of our Iowa members could drop by for a tour and post their findings. I'd like to see the distilling process and aging barrels myself.

Anytime. I am here at the distillery from 8-5 M-F. If any of the members here want a tour let me know a day ahead of time. I will show you everything from the pallets of grain, mash tun, fermenters, still, barrels, and bottling line.

Here are a few links to Quad City Times articles on the three Iowa distilleries if your looking for some reading:

Cedar Ridge

http://qctimes.com/business/article_d0178894-0596-11e0-9605-001cc4c03286.html

Mississippi River Distillery (LeClaire, IA)

http://qctimes.com/business/article_b12a4d3c-0a59-11e0-a76a-001cc4c03286.html

Templeton

http://qctimes.com/business/article_3f44c9d6-05a4-11e0-8e01-001cc4c03286.html

Scott Bush states that they've been operating for 10 years, and that they were one of the first micos.

I wonder what Maytag, Rumpf, Robin, and McCarthy would say to that, since they all began 25 years ago.

He should have said, I was the first to put LDI Rye on the map! :lol:

Templeton the company may have been in existance for 10 years, but they have only had a license to distill since 2005. Cedar Ridge was the first distillery in the state, 3 months ahead of Scott. They don't own a still, they don't have any mashing equipment. They have a room with barrels and a bottling line. A local liquor store here in Iowa put a big sign in front of their Templeton display reading "Indiana's finest Whiskey"

Also, if you click the first link above, you will see my smiling face in front of the still.

[sku]

Thanks for your post Kolin. We are always happy to have distillers comment on the site.

Just to be clear, the comment you quoted from me was a reaction to another poster's review. I've never tried your whiskey.

[CaptainQ]

Kolin, thanks for posting and welcome aboard!

"I don't see this forum as a good indication of the average US bourbon drinker, rather this is the top 2% or so who are very particular." Damn straight!

[kbrighton]

Thanks for your post Kolin. We are always happy to have distillers comment on the site.

Just to be clear, the comment you quoted from me was a reaction to another poster's review. I've never tried your whiskey.

I know. No hard feelings here. Like I said, I don't mind if I get a few bad reviews here. I have been making whiskey for less than 2 years, ive got some tricks to learn to impress people like you. But your average drinker, ive got them lining up in stores, putting their names on a waiting list for my bourbon.

[cowdery]

My reaction to kbrighton's post? Worst producer-to-consumer communication ever. Well, there was that guy in Cincinnati who essentially posted "LEAVE ME ALONE" on his front door, but even he wised up.

Note to kbrighton and any other producers, regardless of size, who choose to respond to something posted here. Don't be so defensive. Instead, just introduce yourself nicely, tell your story, and correct factual errors if you feel that's necessary, but don't make some poster's commentary the template for your first post on the site.

For example, you come right out of the box calling us snobs. I know you sort of took it back by effectively saying you're a snob too, but snob, really? Do you think most people understand the word "snob" to mean something positive? Yet in your introduction to this community, it was one of the first words out of your mouth.

How would you react if somebody came into your home and started to talk to you that way?

Straight Bourbon is a diverse community but one thing we all have in common is a passionate interest in American-made whiskey. Making friends here cannot possibly be contrary to your business plan. It may be contrary to Scott Bush's business plan, because he doesn't want anyone to pay too much attention to what he's really about, but presumably you do. You're actually making something. The people here love that.

I'm calling you out because part of making a product you intend to sell to the public is learning how to talk to that public, and you have a lot to learn.

[kbrighton]

My reaction to kbrighton's post? Worst producer-to-consumer communication ever. Well, there was that guy in Cincinnati who essentially posted "LEAVE ME ALONE" on his front door, but even he wised up.

Note to kbrighton and any other producers, regardless of size, who choose to respond to something posted here. Don't be so defensive. Instead, just introduce yourself nicely, tell your story, and correct factual errors if you feel that's necessary, but don't make some poster's commentary the template for your first post on the site.

For example, you come right out of the box calling us snobs. I know you sort of took it back by effectively saying you're a snob too, but snob, really? Do you think most people understand the word "snob" to mean something positive? Yet in your introduction to this community, it was one of the first words out of your mouth.

How would you react if somebody came into your home and started to talk to you that way?

Straight Bourbon is a diverse community but one thing we all have in common is a passionate interest in American-made whiskey. Making friends here cannot possibly be contrary to your business plan. It may be contrary to Scott Bush's business plan, because he doesn't want anyone to pay too much attention to what he's really about, but presumably you do. You're actually making something. The people here love that.

I'm calling you out because part of making a product you intend to sell to the public is learning how to talk to that public, and you have a lot to learn.

I mean snob in the nicest way. It just means you like excellent whiskey, and won't give credit to a product that doesnt deserve it. It was by no means a slam to anyone here.

I did introduce myself, in the correct section. I see now that this "newb" section does not get much traffic, since I only got a few replies.

I am here to learn, and also to answer any specific questions regarding my specific product. I don't see this as much of a customer reach-out since you arent able to buy it unless you are in Iowa or Chicago. I invited anyone within driving distance to come visit my distillery, I think ive been pretty polite so far.

[craigthom]

My reaction to kbrighton's post? Worst producer-to-consumer communication ever. Well, there was that guy in Cincinnati who essentially posted "LEAVE ME ALONE" on his front door, but even he wised up.

I'm with you, Chuck. It struck me as very defensive, almost childishly so, especially since, if he had really read more of the forum, he would have realized that the comments in this thread have been, for the most part, positive. There are plenty of negative reviews around SB, but those weren't among them.

If you meant "snob" in a good way, then be assured when I call you a "defensive jerk" that I mean it in a good way, too.