Come by the winery to try the new barrel : 12C03. Oh boy, did we get the fruit and spice thing going on this one.
Oh, wait – we’re open by appointment only right now. Well, to be honest, we’re doing a lot of winter work right now – so give a call and see if we’re there.
262.878.5345
Wisconsin grown grapes in Wisconsin White Oak.
This brandy is a varietal brandy – just one kind of grape went into it. LaCresent grapes grown at Vernon Vineyards. LaCresent is known for it’s aroma, and this brandy is nearly perfume. It’s brilliant and floral and very not Korbel.
In keeping with our historic inspiration, our Brandy was aged in new, charred oak, as we believe all early American spirits would have been. That adds a certain smoky/spiciness that is unusual for a brandy.
Why ‘Immature’? No, it doesn’t spend its time whinging. Sorry – whining. Federal regulation say that ‘brandy’, unadorned, must be at least two years old. But we didn’t want that much oak infusion. Or to loose any more aroma to oxidation through the wood grain. So we bottled it early.
Wisconsin Apples distilled and aged in new, charred Wisconsin White Oak.
Warm apple and spice notes. Less heady than French Calvados.
Intentionally made to show off fruit and wood.
A modern interpretation of colonial ‘apple jack’.
Out of the barrel, Charles’ favorite. Into the barrel, Milissa’s favorite, as our Distillatrix isn’t fond of oak and prefers white spirits off the still. Bottled by the barrel – and each one is a little different. There is just so much going on in this spirit that it’s hard to decide what to do with it – first. Neat? An ice cube? A little raw sugar and bitters? Oh, I know, a champagne cocktail!
Bottled in 375mL at 80 proof.
We had a great appearance on Wisconsin Foodie, along with our orchard partner, Bill Stone of Brightonwoods. We also had a lot of fun playing host to Bittercube.
Enjoy!
http://wisconsinfoodie.com/2013/01/04/new-episode-brightonwoods-orchard/
(No, we haven’t named the cocktail we made yet.)
Brown Dog Whiskey is distilled from sweet sorghum grown in Elkhart Lake, WI. It’s aged for at least a month in Wisconsin White Oak barrels – lightly charred and often previously used for apple brandy. Then it’s steeped with chips and planks of Wild Cherry, American Chestnut, Apple and more American White Oak.
Sorghum is an unusual grain choice for whiskey. We chose it because we can get it ready in a syrup form that looks superficially like molasses. Since AEppelTreow is primarily a Cidery, and Cider Is Wine Not Beer, we don’t have the brewing equipement that would be used for a more standard whiskey mash. Also, since sorghum is naturally gluten free, as is cider, we can keep the whole site gluten free – and still make whiskey.
AEppelTreow Yeast Herder, Charles, runs the original fermentation slow and easy. It may take 10 to a fortnight to complete. That’s much slower than typical in the industry. Our Distillatrix, Milissa, runs little batchs in our still and carefully cuts spirit hearts from tail by taste for a spirit that nice, and even better after the brief aging we employ.
The result is a bit like Scotch, without the smoky peat notes.
If moonshiner slang for unaged whiskey is ‘White Dog’, and our young whiskey is a light amber color, it’s naturally… ‘Brown Dog’.
Bottled at 375mL at 80 proof.
And 750mL at Cask Strength – usually about 104 proof.
Thanks for the love, Ira.
http://www.jsonline.com/features/food/milwaukees-many-beverages-are-bountiful-em5bvcb-151443145.html