vibrant spirits from living soil in california & arizona
A community effort for inspirational deliciousness… agriculturally focused beverages conjured by ancient techniques with a curious and inclusive vision of what could and should be… marketing hooks do not obscure the farmers and makers, instead they are the focal point and teachers directly interacting with both the public and the industry… fresh, true plant flavor is the pinnacle of this art, quality old oak barrels are used instead of new (distinct from Bourbon) as to not add sugar or wood flavor to delicate rare grain flavors… as the best chefs say “get out of the way of the ingredient”…
Floriani Red Flint Corn Whiskey
An umami event like none other. This corn is so protein and fat rich that when we brew it, the top of the ferment forms a solid rubbery pink and copper layer that is the physical manifestation of the impending flavor density of the spirit.
The richness in this corn translates to length of palate and nougat/nut/chocolate/buttered bread flavors.
Grown by a CA regenerative farming hero, Fritz Durst, the photo shows him and some of the best regenerative farming practices: no-till and use of green compost by way of leaving the roots and stems in the ground post-harvest. Distilling this corn is a statement of California cuisine; get out of the way of quality grown expressive ingredients. It is great for the soil and although nutrient rich, it is lower in starch and therefore alcohol. This price of this corn is about 30X+ the commodity corn price, and yet the joy of making, eating, and drinking this corn is worth every cent.
Ute Blue Corn and Purple Barley Whiskey
Heirloom blue corn of the Ute Mountain Ute tribe harvested near Four Corners with a dash of Tibetan purple barley harvested near Phoenix. 4 years in used oak. Clean and mineral, with a lingering flavors.
We have sourced many blue corns over the years… all of them are unique; however, we’ve learned that blue corn, in general, offers a lot of mineral and fruit depth.
Our favorite blue corns so far have been Buttonwillow Blue (Dark Sky Farm, CA), Ute Blue (Ute Mountain Ute Tribe), and Conico (sourced from families in Oaxaca by Masienda).
Sometimes we blend them; sometimes we keep them single-source, depending on the desired flavor profile.
Good Grain Vodka tastes like grains. The narrative of vodka has been muddled over the years. So much lore for a clear, bracing beverage that most prominently jumped on the scene after the repeal of prohibition. The US government dumped oceans of aged spirits in the 1920s, and to recover, distilleries needed a non-aged spirit that could be made quickly to be in fashion. Between the excess-forward marketing of top-shelf vodka and some of the understandable but oversimplified perspective “it’s all the same” or “there’s no taste to it”… we miss that vodka is like any other beverage or food in that it can be made with any intent whether as a commodity or as something beautiful. Once again proving that organic grains taste better than commodity grains, it starts that simple. The category is meaningless and like any other product it can benefit from artful technique and non-corporate quality ingredient sourcing. Producing spirit from quality grains that benefit the soil (and the farm's workers who tend that soil) changes everything and always leads to a more delicious and lower-impact drink. Good Grain is from 100% organic grains with none of the additives which are common in vodka. The proof is a bit higher than the norm which adds to the flavor and allows for a less diluted Martini. Yes, you can keep it in the freezer if you like.
Up Next
HIGH RYE
Luscious, textured, umami red corn with deeply earthy and spicy Farmer Mai heirloom rye; a Bourbon in recipe only—used oak rather than new oak is employed as to not add any wood flavor or sugar to the delicate heirloom grains. After years of baking and distilling this particular corn Floriani by itself and in multi-grain blends, Rob found a sweet spot by adding elegant, black sesame and pine resin evoking rye to balance and elevate the savory olive oil, lemon curd, truffle profile.
Blue Blend
A rosy California vision of a Japanese highball whiskey; velvety mineral, citrus, and savory depth from a blend of only corn and malt (no rye), centered around an evolving cast of rare blue corns with Admiral Maltings’ antique-style malted heirloom barley. We work with two small distilleries in community fashion to both distill from scratch and blend young spirit with old and distinct blue corn whiskey casks. This is a progressive and inclusive blend designed to be a go-to whiskey for sipping or mixing.
Seasonal & Custom Projects
