Early in the Revolutionary War the British blockaded colonial ports, and Americans were denied easy access to their favorite alcoholic beverage, rum. Not willing to ‘go dry’, the resourceful colonists turned to distilling the most plentiful domestic grain…rye. After the war, with rum still in short supply, Americans turned to other grain-based alcohols. Corn and wheat, in particular, could be distilled to produce beverages that appealed to the American sweet tooth. Moreover, any excess grain converted to alcohol could be stored for years with little threat of decay or pest infestation.
Unfortunately for farmers/distillers, the Federal government, seeking a means of increasing the tax base, viewed the stored grain as a taxable ‘luxury’. American farmers responded with The Whiskey Rebellion (1790s). The rebellion collapsed, but the tax was so unpopular, and the difficulty in finding and taxing ‘bootleg’ stills so severe, the Federal Government repealed the tax in the early 19th century.
Rye was more difficult to grow than wheat or corn, but it was once again in demand. European immigrant distillers, unable to grow barley, their grain of choice, turned to rye as an alternative. Then came Prohibition. The legal distilling market came to a halt. During Prohibition, seeking easier grains to grow, farmers increasingly turned to wheat and corn. Rye was largely used as ground cover.
Following Prohibition, the market for distilled rye almost completely disappeared. There had been 7 million acres in 1919. By the turn of the 21st century there were less than 280,000 acres of rye cultivated. By comparison, there are 50 million acres of corn. The minimal rye distilled throughout the remainder of the 20th century was found in the ‘well’ of bars as the base spirit for Manhattans. By the late 1980s only four American distilleries were producing rye…all of them in Kentucky.
The past decade has seen a change in the fortunes of rye. U.S. consumers have sought new flavors in distilled spirits. They rediscovered rye, and since 2009 grain production has increased by more than 900%. By 2017 a million cases of distilled rye reached the market. Unfortunately, there was not enough American rye grain available. Canada “came to the rescue”. The grain has a two-century history of agricultural success for our Northern Neighbor, and American distillers (like Dave Pickerall of Vermont’s Whistle Pig) developed a pipeline for excellent Canadian rye.
There has been an increase in U.S. rye production over the past decade with most of that ‘growth’ north of Interstate 80 (Minnesota and the Dakotas). Growers are looking into new hybrids. Rye has traditionally been at risk of insects and disease and tends to lodge…fall over because it grows very tall. New strains of rye have resolved many of these issues. Also, unlike other grains, growers and distillers have discovered that decreasing yields actually improves the quality of remaining rye.
Rye, much like grapes, models terroir. However, unlike Bourbon, which has moved toward ‘heirloom single-varietal’ grains, there are still very few heirloom ryes. Pennsylvania’s Dad’s Hat has been successful in developing a program of heirloom grains. I suspect we soon see others.
A few distinctions between Bourbon and rye. Rye can be produced anywhere in the world…Bourbon can only be produced in the United States. Rye is the secondary grain for Bourbon, and corn is the secondary grain for rye. A spirit labeled as a rye must contain a minimum of 51% rye. Bourbon must be a minimum of 51% corn. Most U.S. rye is distilled with between 60% and 70% grain content.
Two ryes for you to consider.
Templeton Rye is distilled and aged for two years at the MPG (Midwest Grain Products) facility in Indiana. MPG custom distills for more than 50 different brands including Angel’s Envy, Redemption, Bulleit, and High West Rye.
The Templeton Rye, distilled from 95% rye and 5% barley, is then shipped to Templeton, Iowa for additional aging in new American Oak barrels before bottling. Templeton Rye, known during Prohibition as bootlegged ‘The Good Stuff’, has been in the market since 2006.
If you are looking for a classic ‘spicy’ rye with hints of honey this is a bottle to try. You can find the 4-Year version for around $25 and the 6-Year for $45 nationwide.
A second rye to consider is Minor Case.
Minor Case is also distilled at MGP. The distillate is then shipped to Steve and Paul Beam’s Limestone Distillery in Kentucky for additional aging in Sherry Casks. This is 51% rye (with 45% corn and 4% malted barley) and offers a hint of spice underlying the “port-like flavor” from the palate and through the finish. The Minor Case is a very soft spirit that offers floral notes throughout the flavor package.
Look for the Minor Case Rye in a new package (with painted lettering reminiscent of 19th century ‘bar back’ bottles) nationwide for around $40.