The Good Stuff is all about Templeton Rye, our fans, our employees, our industry and our history.
We invite you to join the conversation by sharing your comments and stories.
Templeton Rye Whiskey
When Prohibition outlawed the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages in 1920, many enterprising residents of a small Iowa town chose to become outlaws – producing a high caliber and much sought-after whiskey known as Templeton Rye.
Scott Bush, Herb Eckhouse and Michael Killmer at La Quercia in Norwalk, Iowa
We recently visited one of our favorite Iowa companies, La Quercia in Norwalk, Iowa, producers of premium quality American prosciutto and other products. Our friends Herb and Kathy Eckhouse founded the company because they knew they could make a world class product right here in Iowa. La Quercia has been incredibly successful to date and has shocked many of the taste makers in their industry. Their product takes a long time to produce, and they have had trouble keeping up with demand because they have refused to sacrifice quality. If some of this sounds familiar, you will understand why we, and especially Mr. Killmer, are big fans of La Quercia.
The TR team recently attended the John Stoddard Rally Against Cancer benefit at Hy-Vee Hall in Des Moines. We donated an Ultimate Templeton Experience to the auction, which generated $3,500 for this great cause.
TR Distiller Keith Kerkhoff had a chance to catch up with one of his old coaches from the Dallas Cowboys, the one and only Mike Ditka.
Keith and Coach Ditka shared some old training camp and Coach Landry stories over a glass of The Good Stuff.
Greetings from Templeton. We are a ways into a long winter here in Iowa, but spring is in sight and it is officially 2010, the year when our expanded inventory starts to come on-line.
As many of you know, our product is aged in oak barrels for more than four years so we are only able to sell today what we distilled in 2006. We refused to rush our product or sacrifice quality, which has led to a long game of hurry-up-and-wait.
We started to expand production at the end of 2006 and that product begins to come on-line late this year. The bad news is that inventory will continue to be very lean until then. The good news is that we hope and expect to have a much larger and more stable inventory in place for Iowa and Illinois in time for Christmas and after the first of next year.
Until then, we will continue to ask for your patience. We currently sell about 70% of our product in Iowa and will continue to send product to the State Liquor Warehouse each month. You can see our actual Iowa case allocation for 2010 and early 2011 below. And, yes, we’ll be giving thanks in November that December and beyond looks much better.
Thank you all for your continued support. We are just getting started and are very excited about the future of Templeton Rye.
Keith and I had the privilege to host some very special visitors at the distillery on Monday, February 15th. Lieutenant Colonel Greg Hapgood and Captain Chris Johnson of the Iowa National Guard didn’t let mother nature ruin their trip to the Templeton Rye Distillery on President’s Day. Lieutenant Colonel Hapgood recently returned from Kuwait, and Captain Johnson is getting ready to leave on his fourth deployment, returning to Afghanistan in the fall. On behalf of everyone at Templeton Rye, we thank you and all of the men and women of the armed forces for doing what you do and giving us the freedom to do what we do. God bless you all, and we will see you soon!
Dan Deoliveria, Michael Killmer, and Peter Vestinos at Shift Drinks at Pops for Champagne
Last night’s Shift Drinks at Pops for Champagne to raise money for Shawn Koch of Paramount Room was a great success. Peter Vestinos from Wirtz Beverage Group, Dan Deoliveria and I banged out some classic cocktails for the hard working industry folks of Chicago. All of our tips went to our friend Shawn at Paramount Room who is recovering from brain cancer. We had a great time at this week’s Shift Drinks at Pops for Champagne.
Be sure to stop in at Pops every Monday night to enjoy a local chef or mixologist highlighting his/her skills. All tips go to charity of their choice. Here’s a short video of Colleen L. Healy from Pops for Champagne talking about why she likes Templeton Rye Whiskey during “Shift Drinks” the Monday Industry Night in Chicago, IL:
Hey folks, Jason Walsmith here. “Hard to find, just not looking in the right places.” This was a text I received from a friend last week accompanied by the above image. I replied, “Where did you find all that TR?” and he said “In the dining room of my restaurant.” I will keep the location anonymous, so they aren’t ransacked in the middle of the night by thirsty Templeton Rye fans, but I would like to use this as an illustration that there is Templeton Rye out there - you just have to look for it, and luckily, our fans know that Templeton Rye tastes better when shared. By now, everyone is getting into the habit of checking the shelves of the stores where they procure their whiskey. At any time, if you see a few bottles on the shelves, you mentally check your inventory and pick up a bottle if you’re running low. You might buy two bottles, so you can give one to a friend as a gift and save one for that special occasion that’s coming up.
One of the biggest trends we continue to see on Facebook and Twitter amongst Templeton Rye fans is their willingness to help other fans find The Good Stuff. If you’re on Twitter, you might have noticed Templeton Rye Twitter fans using what’s called a hashtag in their updates that looks like this: #TRspotting(s). This hashtag tells Templeton Rye fans that they’ve spotted a bottle (or multiple bottles) of Templeton Rye at their local grocery or liquor store. Sometimes fans even include photos in their tweets to prove that it’s on the shelves. The same trend has carried over to Facebook, allowing fans of our Facebook fan page to easily locate Templeton Rye when their stock is running low.
These days, if a person finds more than one bottle at any given location, they might feel inclined to buy it all. I understand that many of you are afraid that we might run out, and you won’t be able to get your supply of “The Good Stuff.” I just want to remind you that we will not run out. We have a steady and growing supply. I would also like to remind you that Templeton Rye does indeed taste better when shared. That applies to a single bottle amongst friends, or leaving a bottle or two behind the next time you find the motherload at your retailer of choice. It’s kind of like leaving a pile of dry firewood at the campsite in the woods for the next cold and wet campers that happen upon it in need of warmth. Spread the love.
Chef Andrew Meek of Sbrocco in Des Moines, Iowa, talks about cooking with Templeton Rye whiskey. Chef Meek likes to incorporate local ingredients into his dishes as much as possible, including his Chocolate Walnut Torte.
Kevin Boersma, Distillery Manager, here with a little winter storm news. Not only has this been a long, snowy winter, but we were recently pummeled with a crippling ice storm. This storm left thousands without power for several days including the distillery, which was out of power for nearly four days. We received close to an inch of ice in the area, which led to downed power lines, poles and many, many trees. Crews from Missouri, Kansas, Illinois and Nebraska were in the area trying to restore power so everyone could try and get back to normal. Clean-up of trees is still going on and will continue into the spring. I thought I would share a few photos with you from around the distillery. Here’s to warmer weather!
Cheers,
Kevin
A view of the distillery from behind the snow piles.
Snowfall totals in Iowa have exceeded 3.5 feet this winter (that’s twice as much as the average snowfall per year)
Power lines outside of the distillery were coated with an inch of ice.
Tree branches covered in ice after the freezing rain ice storm.
This week marks the 50th anniversary of the miracle Minneapolis Lakers corn field landing in Carroll, Iowa. On January 17, 1960, the Minneapolis Lakers departed St. Louis after losing to the St. Louis Hawks 135-119. Shortly after takeoff, the DC-3 charter plane began experiencing electrical problems, and eventually lost all electricity, including the fuel gauge. Unable to turn back because of air traffic in St. Louis, the plane flew for three to four hours above a massive winter storm. Eventually the plane started to veer off-course and the pilots decided they were going to have to make an emergency landing. Co-pilots Vernon Ullman and Harold Gifford managed to catch sight of Highway 71 in the snowstorm and land safely in a corn field (the Emma Steffes farm).
Carroll resident John Steffes, whose parents owned the farm where the plane landed, described the story behind the landing on Mouth of Midwest on 1700 the Champ this week. Listen to John’s story here. After landing on the Emme Steffes farm, the players were transported to a hotel in Carroll. The pilots and team were pretty shaken up by the whole incident, and rumor has it that one of the players ripped off the liquor cabinet door at the hotel and poured himself a big glass of whiskey. “The Good Stuff” perhaps?
On January 17th, 2010, the good people of Carroll, Iowa, remembered the miracle landing of the Minneapolis Lakers 50th anniversary with a ceremony. A monument was unveiled by 86-year old co-pilot Harold Gifford in Carroll’s Veteran’s Memorial Park, less than 100 yards from where the plane stopped.
Terry Wessel of Carpentersville, Illinois, shared his story with us about a bottle of The Good Stuff that was gifted to him by his good friend Don Burkett of Algonquin, Illinois, in celebration of Terry’s recovery after a successful but serious heart surgery. Don is an amateur photographer who enjoys sharing his vision and experiences with others. He wanted the bottle of Templeton Rye to develop some character before giving it to Terry, so he took it on a road trip and documented the bottle’s adventures, sending the photos to Terry during his recovery.
Below are few photos from the bottle’s adventures. Follow the entire journey of Terry’s bottle and see more images from Don’s galleries here. We’re glad to hear that Terry is feeling better and wish him a full recovery.
“The boys at the Carpentersville Fire Department thought this whole thing was great fun and contributed both the equipment and some great ideas to the project.” - Don Burkett
“Since rye whiskey is aged in charred oak barrels, I couldn’t resit a shot with the bottle sitting inside the hollow of an old tree.” - Don Burkett
We’re sure a few of you will find yourselves lugging packages up and down Michigan Avenue this holiday season. Be sure to stop in and see our friends at Hard Rock Hotel’s Base Bar. The bartenders really know how to mix up some amazing cocktails with their favorite house whiskey, Templeton Rye. Of course, they have many creations to satisfy a weary shopper.
Staying true to one of the Hard Rock mantras (”Save the Planet”) - Base Bar offers hand-crafted specialty libations with a focus on high-quality, sustainable ingredients and a beer and wine list showcasing products of organic and biodynamic practices. So, get your holiday shopping done and stay in good cheer by joining our friends at the Hard Rock Hotel. Tell them Templeton Rye sent you.
Here is Autumn (a bartender at Base Bar) talking about Templeton Rye on YouTube:
We are proud to announce that Twisted Spoke at 501 N Ogden in Chicago is the only bar in America to have Templeton Rye on tap! Come in on Whiskey Wednesdays when all whiskey is half price. Here is a photo of Killmer and the staff christening the new barrel.
Jeff Allen of Solon, Iowa, recently shared his Templeton Rye inspired painting entitled “Templeton Still Life” on our Facebook Wall. We thought it was really cool and wanted to share it with all of you. Jeff explains the story behind the painting and his inspiration below. Enjoy!
When I was working on set up for the Templeton Rye painting, I was looking for objects that represented travel and adventure, exploring places that lie far from the run-of-the-mill tourist traps that most people visit. What would such a traveler take along with him? What would remind him of home, of the familiar in an unfamiliar place? That’s where the Templeton Rye comes into the picture. Templeton Rye represents an old friend; a traveling companion who’s never out of reach and reminds the traveler to stop and enjoy the best life has to offer.
For the composition of the painting, I placed objects that one would normally take along on a long trip on top of a wooden ammo box (my daughter picked it up at a garage sale). The hat and camera are common accessories for most travelers. The vase adds a touch of class to a bare-bones motel room and it adds a touch of mystery, makes you ask, “Why would someone bring a simple brass vase along on a trip? Maybe he’s not be traveling alone?” I wanted the viewer’s eye to move around the painting and have the viewer’s mind ask questions.
I painted this still life over the course of about a month. I set up the still life in my studio under cool north light where I could leave it up without being disturbed. I prefer the solitude of my studio with only the company of my German Shepherd, Tanner, when I paint. And, of course, a tumbler of Templeton Rye when I’ve done.
Thank you for sharing your story, Jeff. Do you have a Templeton Rye inspired creation that you would like to share with us? Feel free to tell us all about it in the comments below, or post your photos or video to our Facebook Page.
A Templeton Rye fan sent us this video he saw on Comcast Sports last week, featuring Chicago Bears’ Israel Idonije wearing a Templeton Rye t-shirt during a Game Time Dine segment.
Ilina from Raleigh, North Carolina featured this Templeton Rye cocktail recipe on her blog Dirt & Noise a few weeks ago as part of her 5:00 Fridays cocktail series. Ilina’s recipe was inspired by a neighborhood tradition called “Brown Liquor Night,” and features a homemade basil simple syrup.
Many of us have outdoor fire pits or fireplaces so we engage in porch pyrotechnics on a regular basis. Brown Liquor Night just begs for some rocks glasses clinking fireside. So far the drinks flit between whiskey on the rocks or bourbon on the rocks. It’s high time to jazz things up a bit, no?
So for the gentlemen (and occasional gentle women who join the par-tay) here’s my contribution to Brown Liquor Night:
Porch Rye
1 ounce Templeton Rye
3 ounces ginger ale
2 teaspoons basil simple syrup (or a tish more if you like it sweeter like I do)
For the simple syrup:
Stir together 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup torn basil leaves in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir frequently and heat until sugar is dissolved. Strain into a container and chill about 30 minutes. This should keep up to a month in the fridge, but I bet you’ll use it up before then.
Mix all the ingredients together in a rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with a basil leaf or two. If you are feeling particularly industrious, add basil leaves to an ice tray, fill with water and freeze. Voila, basil ice cubes! Go on and go all Martha Stewart on your friends.
Cheers Llina! I love the “Brown Liquor Night” - it sounds like something every neighborhood should start up! Drinking American whiskies straight up or mixed in cocktails is a growing trend as palates change and a quest for domestic products increases.
Nothing says I am a cocktail person more than ordering a rye whiskey cocktail. Rye whiskey offers the perfect combination of dry spicy notes that can stand up to the sweet, herbaceous or fruit juices you might be mixing it with. Making your own different syrups with local seasonal products is easy, just follow the 50/50 water to sugar ratio, steep your creation and strain. Don’t be intimidated.
You might remember bikers Troy Cobb and Zach Snavely from their visit to the Templeton Rye distillery back in July. After graduation, they set out on a cross country biking adventure from Pennsylvania to Oregon, passing through Iowa along the way. We welcomed them to Templeton, Iowa with a tour of the distillery, treated them to lunch and gave them some Templeton Rye gear for the road. The guys completed their trip to Oregon in mid-August and recently sent us this “thank you” note and photos from their trip. Congratulations to the guys for completing their tour. We love meeting people who are doing cool things and were excited to be a part of their journey.
Hey Scott,
Wanted to thank you so much for the generosity you and the rest of the
Templeton Rye crew showed us as we were passing through. We concluded
that Iowa was the most fun state that we passed through, mainly
because of the great people that we met there. Troy and I completed
our trip to the Oregon coast in mid August. I’m attaching a few
pictures we took along the way with our TR gear including Mount
Rushmore, Bighorn Mountains, Yellowstone National Park, and our
continental divide crossing in Idaho. Have been telling everyone here
in PA about the uniqueness of your product; hopefully someday we’ll be
within your sales area! Hope to visit Iowa again soon. Thanks again
and best wishes!
Many of you have been asking about our increased allocation during the holidays so I wanted to take a minute to explain this to you. As you may know, our product spends at least four years aging in the barrel. We can’t go back in time and make more so we “have what we have” until some of our scaled-up production becomes available late next year. We’ve chosen to allocate the product we have until then, and we send product to Iowa and Illinois at the beginning of every month. In Iowa, we have basically sent 400 cases per month to the State from Jan-Sep of 2009. We backloaded our allocation around the holidays and sent 1,200 cases to the State for October last week, and we’re following that up with another 1,200 cases in November and 600 cases in December. The good news is that it should be a little bit easier to find a bottle of The Good Stuff for the next few months. We will return to a lower allocation in January but are quickly approaching November of 2010, the date when our scaled-up production starts to come on line. We sincerely appreciate your patience as we move toward that milestone date.
We recently hosted some of our friends from Wirtz Beverage in Templeton. They were treated to a uniquely Iowa experience complete with golf carts, apple pie and bowling. You can see some highlights of the visit here:
Michael Killmer, Templeton Rye Brand Manager and Brand Ambassador for Chicago, demonstrates how to make a cocktail he created called The First Lady in honor of Michelle Obama.
Templeton Rye bottler Pat Zubrod talks about writing the labels and other aspects of working at the distillery. If you are a fan of The Good Stuff, you would probably recognize Pat’s handwriting as she fills out the batch, barrel and bottle numbers on the back of each bottle.
“Templeton Still Life” by Jeff Allen
