James Reece, head distiller at Sideshow Spirits, stands in front of the 250-gallon custom copper column still.
Like the craft brewing boom of decades past, microdistilleries are taking off in the Midwest, and corn farmers stand to benefit.
For the first time, the Nebraska Corn Board has opted to take part in a national microdistilling competition in an effort to further propel Nebraska’s corn industry.
The contest is expected to kick off sometime this spring, with judging held in Louisville, Kentucky, in July during the Heartland Whiskey Competition.
Participants must use corn as the main ingredient.
Microdistilleries have increased tremendously over the past several years, nearly doubling in number over a four-year period. It's similar to the growth of local wineries and craft brewers.
Nebraska claims 55 craft breweries. In 2019, they had a combined impact of $600 million, according to the Brewer’s Association. Local distillers are hoping to ride that trend.
Currently, there are seven distilleries operating in Nebraska, with three more in the planning stages.
“So, that’s 10, which has definitely grown, especially in the last five years,” said Zac Triemert, owner and head distiller at Brickway Brewery & Distillery in Omaha's Old Market district since 2013.
Nebraska's first microdistillery opened its doors in 2006 and the growth in the industry has been steady, but not nearly as rapid as with the breweries, Triemert said.
“I expect distilleries to grow at a decent rate, but not as fast as breweries,” he said.
Starting a distillery takes more capital and equipment than a brewery, said Triemert, who earned his master's degree in Scotland in brewing and distilling.
Another Nebraska distillery also grew out of a brewery. Kinkaider Brewing Co. is a community farm craft brewery based in Broken Bow, with locations also in Grand Island and Lincoln.
At the Broken Bow brewery, visitors can stay on the farm and enjoy the restaurant and bar. Its Grand Island location focuses more on the restaurant, while the Kinkaider location in Lincoln’s Historic Haymarket has a taproom. Its menu features 30 styles of beer.
The Schmick family, which owns Kinkaider, opened Sideshow Distillery last fall. Sideshow features vodka, whiskey and a soon-to-be released jalapeno vodka. It is also barrel-aging several different bourbons. It uses homegrown Nebraska grains and partners with in-state farms for other ingredients needed to make its beer.
The Sideshow Cocktail Bar offers spirits produced by Lincoln's first legal distillery.
“We purchase all of our corn, rye and wheat locally in Nebraska for the distillery. For the brewery, we buy the honey from McDonald Aviary near Chadron and some of the berries. We also partner with Season View Farms near Lincoln,” said Barry Fox, Kinkaider marketing spokesman.
Triemert also uses Nebraska grain and products.
“I use as much local raw material as possible, but there’s not a very big malting house in Nebraska, which is about 5% of my production,” he said.
With that, he's seeking a good source of Nebraska malted corn, since Brickway is currently creating a lot of bourbon.
Triemert, who is very active in the Nebraska Craft Brewers Guild, helped write the legislation for the state’s craft distilling bill, which passed in the Nebraska Legislature in 2006.
"I wanted to start a distillery in Nebraska,” he said.
Originally, he was permitted to create 21,000 gallons, but the volume was knocked to 10,000, he said. Triemert testified before the Legislature this winter to increase production capability to 100,000 gallons, and he feels confident the Legislature will approve the increase.
“Right now, Nebraska has the smallest cap in 50 states, by half. The next-smallest state has 25,000 gallons," said Triemert, whose brewery and distillery team has won a dozen spirits and beer awards in the last 30 years.
LINCOLN BREWERIES:
White Elm Brewing Co.
The taproom of White Elm Brewing Co. at 720 Van Dorn St. Its website says White Elm was "built around a shared passion for handcrafted ales and a willingness to defy logic and pursue our love."
Code Brewing
Matt Gohring (left) and Adam Holmberg check Code Beer's boil kettle and mash tun. The brewery is located at 200 S. Antelope Valley Parkway.
Backswing Brewing Co.
Backswing Brewing Co., 500 W. South St., opened April 6. The brewery is "the brainchild of three friends whose mediocre golf games gave way to great craft beer," the company's Facebook page boasts.
Boiler Brewing Co.
The details in the taproom's design, including exposed brick, open ceilings, custom tap handles and industrial lighting, lend to the speakeasy atmosphere designer Jessica Lindersmith and Boiler Brewing Company aim for in the basement of the Grand Manse. Boiler Brewing Co. is at 129 N. 10th St.
Zipline brews
Some of the craft brews offered by Zipline, 2100 Magnum Circle.
Empyrean Brewing Co.
Brewing tanks hold a batch of wort ready to ferment into beer at Empyrean Brewing Co. in the Haymarket, 729 Q St., in April 2015.
Cosmic Eye Brewing
Sam Riggins opened Cosmic Eye Brewing at the old Laser Quest location near 70th and O streets.
5168
5168 Head Brewer and Brewery Manager Brian Hoesing presents a flight of 5168 beers:(left to right) Hiro 88, Apricot Lager, New Beginnings IPA and Hawaiian Porter. The brewery is located at 5730 Hidcote Drive (56th and Pine Lake).
April 01, 2021 at 09:15AM
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Distillery trend puts Nebraska corn growers in high spirits - Lincoln Journal Star
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