This thermometer and hydrometer were given to Templeton Rye founder Scott Bush by his maternal grandmother, Mary Margeret Blum Schroeder. They were given to Grandma Schroeder by her mother, Mava Bennett Blum.

Mava, who is Scott’s great-grandmother, was born in 1903 and was one of the first female graduates from Creighton University in 1924. During her teens, she would accompany her father Jess Bennett, on various “runs.” Jess, born in the 1870′s, was an entrepreneur and owned at least one bar in Omaha. His other business was bootlegging, particularly around Defiance, Iowa.

Mava had many stories about these times but told only a few, including being chased and shot at by the Feds and abandoning several cars. Jess was apparently also quite a card player with winnings including a wheat farm in South Dakota, a gold tooth and a beautiful diamond ring still worn by his granddaughter Mary today.

Photo credit: Mandy Miller Photography
Templeton Rye President Scott Bush and his grandmother Mary Margeret Blum Schroeder

Ron Hodne from Manning, Iowa, talks about his Chicago connections to Templeton Rye during the Prohibition Era.

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Sandra Hines talks about her memories of Templeton Rye growing up in Carroll, Iowa, and how the telephone operators would warn the local tavern owners of raids during the prohibition era.

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Larry Brunning talks about his uncle who used to bootleg Templeton Rye into Chicago.

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Templeton Rye President Scott Bush and Master Distiller Meryl Kerkhoff

Eighty years ago, when bootleg Templeton Rye was in the height of its
production, a very important event happened in tiny Templeton, Iowa. Our
Master Distiller, Meryl Kerkhoff, was born and started a course of
history that would eventually bring The Good Stuff to your glass.

A large group of friends and family came together at the VFW in Manning,
Iowa on Saturday night to celebrate. There was plenty of Templeton Rye
being poured, as well as the traditional cold sandwiches, potato salad,
beans, baked goods and enough birthday cake for the entire town.
Meryl is a living treasure for our company and everyone who knows him.
Happy Birthday, Meryl!

Pictured from left to right: Distillery Manager Kevin Boersma, President Scott Bush, Master Distiller Meryl Kerkhoff, Assistant Master Distiller Keith Kerkhoff and Creative Director Jason Walsmith

Pictured from left to right: (front) Dan Kerkhoff, Scott Kerkhoff, Ron Kerkhoff (back) Keith Kerkhoff, Mary Bertelsen, Imelda Kerkhoff, Meryl Kerkhoff and Marty Kerkhoff

We tracked down and interviewed Shane Smith about his Great Grandfather, who distilled whiskey on the farm, and his Great Uncle who sold lots of sugar at his store in Halbur, Iowa.

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In 1931, a cardboard cutout of a little brown jug with the words X-Mas Spirits was raised along with the holiday lights above Main Street in Templeton. Many claim it was done with the aid of at least one person who occupied an important position in the civic and municipal affairs of the town. A picture of the little brown jug ended up on the front page of the Des Moines Register, which led to the most intense and sustained period of federal raids on booze-making around the town of Templeton, ever.

This holiday season, a little brown jug hangs once again in Templeton. Replicas of the original X-Mas Spirits jugs can be seen hanging at the St. Peters Castle jail and on the Templeton Rye Main Street display at the Des Moines International Airport.

A little brown jug hangs at the St. Peters Castle jail in Templeton.

Another X-Mas Spirits jug hangs on the Templeton Rye Main Street display at the Des Moines International Airport.

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Templeton Rye’s founder, Scott Bush, was recently featured on Iowa Public Radio’s The Exchange with Ben Keiffer. We’ve posted the audio file in its entirety below. Click the play button to begin listening.

Jim Schumburg of Rockford, Iowa, talks about meeting Al Capone’s driver at a mortuary in the 1960s, and the ties back to Templeton Rye Whiskey.

For those of you interested in an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at the history of Templeton Rye, we are now offering The Ultimate Templeton Experience: an exclusive trip for groups of up to 20 people aboard our private TR shuttle bus. We’ll pick up your guests at a designated meeting spot, provide transportation to and from Templeton, Iowa, and treat your group to lunch and refreshments — both aboard the bus and at the distillery.

The experience is perfect for groups of friends or corporate outings, and can be customized to include any of the following activities:

Please e-mail us at templetonexperience@templetonrye.com for more details and available dates.