2020 Q3 Iowa Spirits - 31

Rumcoqui coconut cream liqueur, Gray Duck
vodka, Crafthouse cocktails, Sneaky Fox vodka.
And then comes Blue Ox Spirits. Blue Ox products-vodka, cinnamon whiskey, aged whiskey,
silver and spiced rum, 151 and gin-are also made
by Red Boot Distilling, and Stuart Oxer owns and
operates both.
As to what's new, "We are seeing a big shift to
premixed cocktails in cans using real spirits as consumers today live in a grab-and-go market, and
the category is upscaling from just malt-based
drinks," says Oxer. "We just hired a senior R&D
scientist with a Ph.D. with 15 years developing
branded spirits products, which will help us greatly
in product development. We are one of the fastest
BLUFF CREEK DISTILLERY
growing liquor companies in the Midwest."
Red Boot has already
produced ready-to-drink
S&B's Sarah Winkleman went
cocktails, including Moscow
down to moonshining country,
Mule, Paloma and Whiskey
Sour. Now Blue Ox has
since moonshine is the classic
released its own canned
cocktail series, called
corn-based spirit, and learned
Oxtails. Look for Oxtails
about production.
Rum Punch and Vodka
Lemonade with Gin and
Tonic on the horizon as well
as other flavors. Follow along at RedBootDistillery She also recommends it in a mule, to
and BlueOxSpirits.com.
replace the vodka, or mixed with Blue
Moon (or other wheat beer) and orange
juice.
S&B FARMS DISTILLERY, BANCROFT
This seed-to-spirit distillery starts with grains grown
S&B Farms Distillery products can be CENTURY FARMS
on their own farm. In fact, so does the story of the found throughout Iowa, and the S&B
business. Owner Sarah Winkleman was inspired by storefront in Bancroft also offers beer breads and
the corn that she and her husband grew on their cakes, dips, salsas, dipping sauces as well as décor
farm. She went down South, to moonshining coun- and distillery merchandise. Check them out at
try, since moonshine is the classic corn-based spirit SBFarmsDistillery.com.
and many Southern bootleggers perfected the art.
There, she learned about the production of whis- CENTURY FARMS DISTILLERY, SPENCER
key, and S&B Farms Distillery was born.
To understand what's new at Century Farms
From the farm, the distillery and Winkleman's Distillery, it's helpful to understand what's old-
creativity have sprung six products, including especially what's old and valuable. Notably,
unique flavored spirits: Sir Winston White Whiskey, hard-working farmers whose land has been susSir Winston Bourbon, Private First Class spiced taining the family farm for 100 years or more. As
spirit, Hog Wild Cinnamon spirit, Field Fire of early 2020, more than 20,000 farms from across
Jalapeno Pineapple Moonshine and Sir Winston the state have received this recognition. These are
Peach, which is S&B's newest creation.
the people that Century Farms Distillery founders
"This sweet, delightful fusion of ripe peach fla- and owners Ryan and Amanda Bare honor with
vors and a hint of vanilla is not only fragrant but their products.
savory and smooth," says marketing manager Kelly
"The corn used to create our Prairie States
Steenhard. "We have heard a lot of great feedback Whiskey and Open Gate Vodka is grown by many
on it, including that it's great by itself but also as different farmers, from those who work the same
a mixer with orange juice and pineapple juice." land as their ancestors, to those new to this way

Bluff Creek Distillery
began with Y-not Vodka,
(left), and has recently
added the state's only
cinnamon vodka (below
left).

Below: Century Farms
Distillery will release its
first barrel-aged
whiskey this year.

At S&B Farms Distillery,
the newest creation is
Sir Winston Peach
Whiskey.

LATE SPRING | SUMMER 2020 31

http://www.BlueOxSpirits.com http://www.SBFarmsDistillery.com

2020 Q3 Iowa Spirits

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