66 Gilead Distillery & Carriage House Cooperage

[dbk]

On Saturday, my "special lady" and I took a tour of Prince Edward County, ON. Besides some nice wines and excellent food, we stumbled upon the nearly one-year-old 66 Gilead Distillery. At the moment, the only spirits they have on the market are clear ones: some interesting vodkas (whole wheat, rye, and pine)—I know, "interesting" is not a word that usually precedes "vodka" in this forum, but they were surprisingly flavourful—a lovely gin, and a shochu. They also make their own tonic concentrate syrup, for homemade G&Ts or the like.

Of particular interest to this crowd, however, is that 66 Gilead is currently aging Canadian rye and "bourbon-style" whiskies. Even more interesting, the rye is composed of 100% rye grain and the "bourbon" is a mash of 51% corn plus both rye and wheat (I didn't get the proportions). Finally, and perhaps most exciting, the barrels are virgin Canadian oak from a Canadian cooperage: the Carriage House Cooperage, just adjacent to the 66 Gilead property. This cooperage has been supplying wineries in the area with barrels as well, constructed out of a variety of species, including a mix of white oak and cherry and a five-wood mix that also includes ash and hickory. Finally, the cooperage makes their own barrel aged vinegars.

The mighty Davin de Kergommeaux was actually running a tasting at 66 Gilead that same day—sorry to have missed you, Davin, but so glad I could pick up a signed copy of your book!—and has apparently tasted from the barrels that hold the will-be-whisky. Perhaps, if we all ask nicely enough and click our heels together three times, he can give us some more detail about the distillery, cooperage, and their respective products?

[Pudge72]

, dbk! Keep us posted on this one. What would their water source be for their products? Would it be the Moira River (I think that's the one that eventually goes through Belleville)?

[Card Player]

Interesting. Is this "bourbon" just an experiment or has the mash and aging already been done? Is it a four grain or just corn, rye and wheat?

[dbk]

8-) , dbk! Keep us posted on this one. What would their water source be for their products? Would it be the Moira River (I think that's the one that eventually goes through Belleville)?

Good question, to which I have no answer at this time. The area is rich in limestone, however, so it's possible that one of the virtues of Kentucky is available to distilleries in PEC, too.

Interesting. Is this "bourbon" just an experiment or has the mash and aging already been done? Is it a four grain or just corn, rye and wheat?

The spirit is in barrels and is aging as I write this, and in time we might all get a taste. I had asked about the barley and was told that there was none. So it'll technically be a "three grain" spirit, but a rare mash nonetheless. Besides, it's my understanding that the amount of malted barley in the mash of a typical bourbon is minor—a vast minority, even—that's to help with fermentation rather to impart any flavour. I doubt anyone will miss it, assuming the fermentation went off all right. And since 66 Gilead is also making a 100% rye, I'm guessing they've solved this problem.