Cheers to Locally Grown Spirits
BLOOMINGTON, Ill., Dec. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The holidays are upon us and many of us are wondering what to give to those "impossible to shop for" people on our list. Before you buy another pair of socks or piece of jewelry, consider shopping local and lifting their spirits with whiskey made right here in Illinois!
Illinois corn farmers had a successful harvest, which is good news for all of us. Corn fuels everything from our cars to our local and national economies, but perhaps more importantly this season, corn fuels our holiday spirits – whiskey, in particular.
Luckily for us, some of the corn grown on Illinois farms gets distilled into local spirits. "A few years back, my father and I decided to take a portion of the corn we sustainably grow here and turn it into high-end spirits. Our business is called Whiskey Acres, and it's a true seed-to-spirit distillery," said Jamie Walter of DeKalb, Illinois.
For Illinois in particular, high corn yields come in part from the nutrient-rich soils. "This may come as news to many Chicagoans, but Illinois is blessed with some of the best soil and water on earth, which is great at growing corn for great-tasting whiskey," said Walter. "We don't take that for granted."
Walter isn't the only one taking advantage of the demand for local goods and great-tasting whiskey. You can find distilleries making spirits from Illinois-grown corn all over the state.
- Whiskey Acres in DeKalb is a "seed to spirit" farm where they grow and distill their corn into bourbon, rye whiskey and corn vodka.
- Stumpy's Spirits Distillery in Columbia turns corn into vodka and a variety of flavored whiskeys.
- Fox River Distilling Company in Geneva distills a variety of products, including a 100 percent corn whiskey.
- Grand River Spirits in Carbondale uses locally grown corn to create a variety of "Red Eye Moonshine" flavors.
No matter what part of the state you're from, find a distillery near you and celebrate the holidays with an Old Fashioned or Whiskey Sour made from Illinois corn. Cheers to good spirits!
The Illinois Corn Marketing Board was established in 1982 to manage the voluntary checkoff investment that corn farmers in the state agreed to implement that year. The farmers that make up ICMB are elected by their peers to serve unpaid, three year terms. These ICMB farmer leaders are tasked with developing and maintaining markets for corn which is Illinois' highest valued agricultural commodity. Find out more about ICMB at http://www.ilcorn.org and the family farmers who contribute to the checkoff at http://www.watchusgrow.org.
SOURCE Illinois Corn Marketing Board
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