Good Grain + Good Water = Good Spirits

Good Grain + Good Water = Good Spirits CROPS New Crops Jay Retzer’s motivation for turning grain into spirits was to make more profit from the 500 acres of corn wheat and soybeans on his Fond du Lac Wis farm But he admits he also just really wanted to learn to make whiskey After four years of research and study and learning to meet regulations to obtain a federal permit Ledgerock Distillery opened on his farm in June Visitors to the open house sampled 100 percent corn-based Traditional Vodka Back 40 Moonshine and Frostbite Gin which includes herbs from the garden The recipe and distilling process is the same as for other brands but what sets Ledgerock apart is the water The farm is on the Niagara Escarpment that has water with no iron and low sulfur - ideal for making spirits The water runs through a softener and reverse osmosis to remove calcium before going into the distilling equipment Grain is stored in the bins ready to be conveyed to the masher then fermented and distilled He anticipates that about 10 percent of his corn will be used for making spirits as the business grows About 10 percent of his wheat crop will go for bourbon which is aged Leftover mash goes to a farm with a methane digester that provides energy to a local power company Being located on the farm has its advantages such as no shipping and minimal overhead costs Being off the beaten path is a challenge however Retzer’s wife Heidi handles marketing and part of that is offering regular visitor hours to the farm where people can see the process sample the spirits and purchase bottles to take home “We are shopping for a distributor ” Retzer says ” As a farmer Retzer says he has always recognized the need to be business oriented to be successful With help from his son Bryce and employee Don Daun and his wife it works to manage both the farm and distillery work Though the distillery is rural it is already gaining a reputation as a place to visit The attractive distillery includes a copper and glass cupola with colored LED lights The Retzers have some fun with that and tell people that when they are making vodka the lights are blue and the lights are green when distilling gin Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Ledgerock Distillery N5287 Grandview Rd Fond du Lac Wis 54937 ph 920 238-9588; www ledgerockdistillery com; jay@ledgerockdistillery com

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