Don Westoff of One North in Chicago talks about Templeton Rye whiskey.

Want to see more videos? Please visit our YouTube channel.

We continue our 4-part TR story series this week with part 3 of Happy Hour at The Plaza. In this video, a resident of The Plaza named Hilda shares a few stories involving the revenuers, drunk hogs and her father hiding Templeton Rye under the swing set.

Want to see more videos? Please visit our YouTube channel.

Back in April, our blogger friends Marshall Fawley and SeanMike Whipkey announced a contest on Scofflaw’s Den that challenged their readers to create and submit spring-inspired rye whiskey cocktail recipes. Each submission was graded on a ten point scale for the following categories:

-Does the cocktail have a spring theme?
-Is it a rye whiskey base?
-Taste
-Color/Presentation
-Uniqueness

A big congratulations to to the winners, Craig, Jeff, and Gabe. See all three winning cocktail recipes here. We’d like to thank Marshall and SeanMike for creating the contest in our honor and for sharing The Good Stuff with their first place winner, Craig “Dr. Bamboo” Mrusek, who received a bottle of “Marshall’s Mountain Moonshine Bitters” and a bottle of Templeton Rye. Here’s his winning cocktail recipe.

Jetpack by Craig “Dr. Bamboo” Mrusek

1 oz Rye
1 oz Zubrowka Bison Grass vodka
.5 oz Schladerer Kirschwasser (I used Clear Creek)
.5 oz simple syrup
.5 oz lime juice
1 dash Fee’s Mint Bitters

Shake all with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

For more Templeton Rye recipes, be sure to check out the Barkeep page on our website.

Staff from Trostel’s pose for a photo with Templeton Rye team members

We were pleased to welcome various members of Trostel’s Dish and Greenbriar staff to Templeton for a visit in June.

It was a great day, with a lively bus ride and great tour focusing on the history of Templeton Rye and the production, aging and bottling process. We really appreciate the enthusiasm for Templeton Rye shown by these great restaurateurs.

We highly recommend these great spots for drinks and/or dinner. Dish is located at 12851 University Avenue, Suite 400 in Clive, Iowa, and Greenbriar is located at 5810 Merle Hay Road in Johnston, Iowa.

Templeton Rye bottlers Gin Knobbe and Anna Mae Irlmeier show the Trostel’s staff members how to label the bottles

Trostel’s staff learning about the Templeton Rye production, aging and bottling process

Autumn Griffith, bar manager at the Hard Rock Hotel Chicago talks about how Templeton Rye fits into their company mantra and their bar.

Want to see more videos? Please visit our YouTube channel.

The bartender at Reggie’s in Chicago talks about their Templeton Rye wall of fame.

Scott Wegner from Salt Lake City, Utah, sent us a TR cocktail recipe for a concoction he created last spring called The Wall Street. He wrote us again this spring to share this story and remind everyone that The Wall Street makes for a great summer cocktail.

To those at Templeton Rye,

I have been drinking Templeton Rye for over a year now and continue to enjoy every sip. I grew up in Des Moines but now live in Salt Lake City. A few of my lucky friends have had the opportunity to try Templeton and fell in love. Unfortunately I can’t get Templeton in Utah so every trip home to Iowa I “bootleg” as many bottles as I can back to Utah. My friends demand for your whiskey far surpasses what I can fit in my suitcase. Anyhow, I work as a bartender and this is a recipe I invented and everyone seems to enjoy, especially during the summer. Hopefully in the future Templeton will be available in Utah so I can pour my favortie whiskey for my bar patrons and not just friends at my house. I hope you enjoy my recipe…

Scott Wegner

Click here to view Scott Wegner’s recipe for The Wall Street.

For more Templeton Rye recipes, be sure to check out the Barkeep page on our website.

Last night I had the pleasure of sponsoring a BBQ book release party for one of Chicago’s famous BBQ experts Gary Wiviott. Paramount Room  (415 N Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago, IL) graciously hosted the event.  Paramount Room featured classic cocktails made with Templeton Rye, along with Paramount’s own creations The Daisy and the Carroll County Fair Sour.  

Gary teamed up with author Colleen Rush to share his impeccable attention to detail and his gift for keeping it simple.  Colleen waded through Gary’s boisterous personality and helped breakdown his methods and expertise.  This book breaks down the basic techniques of BBQ and will make any novice into a pro.  Gary also shares some of is time tested recipes for sauce, rubs and all things BBQ. It was a great night and I had the opportunity to talk with some of Chicago’s media and some of Gary’s companions at LTH Forum.  

I think everyone is excited for warm weather BBQ and refreshing Templeton Rye drinks this summer.  Please feel free to create some of your own cocktails this summer and share them with us.  Bartenders all over the country are enjoying the spicy notes of Templeton and combining them with fresh and interesting ingredients.  

Happy tippling,

Michael Killmer, Brand Manager

Templeton Rye Brand Manager Michael Killmer demonstrates how to make the classic cocktail The Manhattan.

Click here for The Manhattan recipe (plus others), and don’t forget to follow Brand Manager Michael Killmer on Twitter to keep up to date on Templeton Rye events and classic cocktail tutorials in Chicago.

Want to see more videos? Please visit our YouTube channel.

Photo courtesy of the Downtown Des Moines Farmers Market Facebook Page

The Downtown Des Moines Farmers Market kicks off this Saturday, May 2nd with Opening Day at the Historic Court Avenue District. The Downtown Farmers Market goes rain or shine every Saturday 7 a.m. - noon, May 2nd through October 31st, 2009. You can expect to see nearly 200 vendors from 47 counties at the Farmers Market this year.

Templeton Rye is excited to return to the Downtown Des Moines Farmers Market again this season. You can find our booth at the Farmers Market on the following Saturdays: May 23rd, June 13th, June 20th, June 27th, July 11th, August 15th and September 12th. Be sure to stop by and say “hello” to the Templeton Rye team.

We’re excited to share this photo with you of our new sign at the Templeton Rye Whiskey Distillery in Templeton, Iowa.
From left to right: Meryl Kerkhoff, Kevin Boersma, Scott Bush and Keith Kerkhoff

It appears that someone has already stumbled upon it. Check out this photo that @mebreton of Des Moines, Iowa, captured and posted to Twitter via Twitpic.

Be sure to drop by the distillery this summer and check it out. Here’s the link to our distillery tour dates.

We’ve received a few inquiries about our inventory in response to many of you having a hard time tracking down a bottle of The Good Stuff in Iowa, so we thought we’d fill you in on the details. As for our inventory, here’s the scoop: Our product takes over four years to make, so we only have available for sale what we made four-plus years ago. We’re still a small company and were a very small company back then, which is why we’re only currently selling in two states (Iowa and Illinois).

Some of you may remember that we sold our first year’s worth of product in three-and-a-half months, and then we were totally out of product for over eight months. Rather than finding ourselves in that position again, we’ve made a strategic decision to do a monthly allocation. We put together our allocation plan for Iowa based on our previous year’s experience, but yes — it’s tight, as we simply do not have a lot of whiskey.

April - 400
May - 500
June - 400
July - 500
August - 400
September - 400
October - 1,200
November - 1,200
December - 600

We also wanted to take a moment to thank all of our fans out there. We truly appreciate all your support (and patience)! If you have further questions or comments about our allocation strategy, please leave a comment below or reach out to us via email.

Cheers,
Scott Bush
President, Templeton Rye

We’re excited to be a part of this great event. Templeton Rye President Scott Bush will be a guest judge at Cochon 555 in Des Moines, Iowa, this Sunday, April 19th.

WHAT: A group of Iowa chefs will each prepare a heritage breed hog from head to toe for this competition. Cochon 555 is the only national chef competition promoting heritage pigs and breed diversity and is currently on a ten city tour. Guests and professional judges will determine a winner based on creative, classic preparation and overall best flavor. The winner will be crowned the “Prince of Porc”. In addition, five family-owned wineries will showcase their wines. The event is presented by Diversified Financial Group, Inc.

WHO: Taste Network presents
Andrew Meek, Sage
Matt Steigerwald, Lincoln Café
Jamie Monaghan, The Des Moines Embassy Club
Tag Grandgeorge, Le Jardin
Bill Overdyke, Centro

Wineries: Elk Cove, Patz & Hall, Lioco, Four Vines and Jasper Winery

WHEN: Sunday, April 19th, 5:00 p.m.
Chef & Judges Reception 3:30 p.m. For VIP ticket information contact: brady@tastenetwork.com.

The VIP features the reserve wines of Elk Cove and artisan cheese reception by Gateway Market with special guest Herb Eckhouse of La Querica, this portion is $125.

WHERE: STICKS 3631 SW 61st Street, Des Moines.

WHY: To benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: Iowa Chapter in honor of Will Krueger.

HOW: For Friends and Family of Iowa the cost is $80 per person. This is an exclusive price to those who are involved in “preserving and revitalizing the flavors of the heartland.” Advance ticket purchase required for this discount. Password: buylocal

Hi folks,

We wanted to say thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth and came to see my presentation at WhiskeyFest. It was a great week for Templeton Rye in Chicago, and we really appreciate all of the enthusiasm and support. We are just getting started, and every bit of encouragement is a big deal to us.

Our team had a long week, but we really enjoyed the time we spent with fans, friends, bartenders and fellow distillers. Also, thank you to our friends at Malt Advocate for putting together another tremendous event.

All the best,

Scott Bush
President, Templeton Rye

Last night we attended an event hosted by our friends at Binnys. We had a great time pouring for folks and catching up with some of our friends in the industry. There are a lot of really cool whiskies being developed right now.

The best part about last night was that Master Distiller Meryl Kerkhoff and wife Imelda arrived in town. They joined Keith and I at Binnys, and then our team all went to dinner at Ditka’s. Iron Mike was a coach for the Cowboys when Keith played so we got to hear several of the old training camp stories and how guys used to smoke at halftime back then.

After Ditka’s we went and watched our friends Hello Dave at Stanley’s (Jason even sang a song) and then for a nightcap or two at the Drawing Room where Templeton Rye is featured in their Manhattan. It was a great end to a great night. Below are some pictures of our evening.

Cheers,
Scott Bush
President, Templeton Rye

Meryl sharing secrets with Jimmy Russell from Russell’s Reserve

Keith and Scott with our friend David Perkins from Rendezvous Rye

The TR team at Mike Ditka’s Restaurant

Last night I trekked over to Galena, IL, for the Wine Lovers Weekend celebration where I set up the Classic Cocktail bar and shared a little of The Good Stuff with the sold-out, 600+ crowd. The Old Fashioned was popular as usual and the Shirley Templeton was on fire, which was appropriate because I met a really cool lady who’s name is actually Shirley Templeton.

It was a great event and a beautiful city. I just wish I did not sit parked on I-90 for 40 minutes on the way home.

Cheers! Stay tuned for more whiskey week updates, and don’t forget to follow me on Twitter: @Killmer

Michael Killmer, Brand Manager

We just finished giving a Virtual Distillery Tour to our friends at In Fine Spirits, 5420 N Clark Street in Andersonville.  

Scott and I with our friends at In Fine Spirits: Shane, Jill, Paul and Johnny

Tonight, Scott and I taught 35-40 of our closest friends about the history of Templeton, Iowa, walked them through production of Templeton Rye, and a classic cocktail demonstration.  We were pleased with the turnout and overwhelmed with the enthusiasm for Templeton Rye. In attendance were a couple of friendly faces from past events and a lot of new fans - everyone walked away happy.

We did a simple tasting of White Dog (unaged TR) Templeton Rye, tastes of the Sazerac cocktail, The Capone, and master mixologist Benjamin ended with a full Manhattan served straight up with a healthy shot of bitters and good swirl of Antica Carpona sweet vermouth. Tonight was a great kick off to an event-filled week with a crescendo happening on April Fool’s day for Malt Advocate’s Whisky Fest Chicago. Chicago has completely embraced this event, and distillers from all over the world embark on Chicago for the week surrounding Whisky Fest.

I invite you and your friends to join us at one of the many upcoming Templeton Rye events in Chicago this week. Check out the itinerary below:

Friday, March 27th
Classic Cocktail Bar at Galena Wine Lovers Weekend
Galena, IL

Saturday, March 28th
5:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Classic Cocktail Bar at Junior League Poker Night (Germania Place)

Sunday, March 29th
Sunday Funday (first ever) at 3rd Coast Cocktail Club
Chicago bartenders contact Killmer

Monday, March 30th
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Tasting Event at 1 North Kitchen and Bar (1 North Wacker Drive)
Whiskey tasting: Enjoy a sample from distilleries around the world.
RSVP: Call Don - 312-750-9700

7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Rye Education at 5-Star (1424 W. Chicago Ave.)
Guests will learn about the history of rye whiskey from Mt. Vernon to today, as well as the benefits and challenges of working with this unique grain. Templeton Rye founders Scott Bush and Keith Kerkhoff will be on hand to discuss the unique history of Templeton Rye ranging from humble beginning during Prohibition, to great fame as the center of the Capone bootlegging empire, to near obscurity, to an award winning brand today.
RSVP: info@fivestarbar.com

8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Classic Cocktail Demonstration at Fizz Bar & Grill (3220 N. Lincoln)
A representative from Templeton Rye will be on hand to discuss the history of this great American brand and the proper method for making various classic cocktails made famous in the speakeasies of America - including the classics traditionally made with rye whiskey: the Manhattan, the Old Fashioned and the Sazerac.
RSVP: 773-348-6088

12:00 am - 2:00 am
American Whiskey Night at Delilah’s
Pouring Templeton from Midnight to 2 am. Come out and hang with the Templeton crew and rock til closing time!

Tuesday, March 31st
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Whiskies of the world at Binnys South Loop

For a breakdown of all WhiskeyWeek Chicago 2009 events, visit maltadvocate.com

Cheers!

Michael Killmer
Brand Manager at Templeton Rye

You may have noticed a recent rise in the popularity of rye whiskey. It seems that more and more people are discovering their favorite rye whiskey through cocktail menus, good ol’ word-of-mouth and, even pop culture references like the whiskey-drinking Don Draper on the Emmy-winning television series Mad Men.

Washington Post writer Jason Wilson recently wrote an article called Give Me a Hot Trend on Rye about the current trends in rye whiskey. In the article, he compared the mystery of rye to that of the hit television series Mad Men:

Rye whiskey has an awful lot in common with the cool, Emmy-winning television series “Mad Men.” Both are critically acclaimed, significantly different from the usual fare and raved about by a relatively small number of devoted fans.

At Templeton Rye we can attest to the devotion of our fans, and despite all the mystery, one thing is for sure - people love to share the story about how they discovered our rye. Last week we asked our Twitter friends how they discovered Templeton Rye, and here are just a few of their responses:

jhimm i believe i had my first Templeton at Kuma’s, the metal burger bar in Chicago. neat, of course, for a first taste.

Jake431 Had it at Violet Hour in Chicago. Michael the bartender introduced my girlfriend and I to it.

Peteness via a family xmas list (Carroll, IA). saw lots of entries for “Templeton Rye (legal)” - the “legal” part stirred my interest.

Let’s keep this conversation going. Readers: How did you discover TR? Please add your responses to the comments area below.

Chas from Redding, California, sent us this story about discovering Templeton Rye during his visit to Ames, Iowa.

Nov. 08, in Ames, Iowa. Just finished up a short week-long contract teaching thing for a Fed agency and it was time to eat and revel in the successful class. For several years prior, I have gone on the track of a rye whiskey semi-fanatic. You have to understand, I don’t like bourbon. Something about mixing a big-name 60’s bourbon and root beer to excess made a lasting impression, and I haven’t liked any that resembled bourbon or whiskey since. Well, maybe some real expensive Scotch stuff.

My partner and I went to an Irish pub in Ames. I don’t do much beer/ale, so I ordered my normal “Perfect Manhattan”, a rye whiskey drink I really like and have come to enjoy immensely. But, as a west coaster living in a town with of questionable demographics, plain, pure rye is hard to find. The mixologist was a semi-rookie and didn’t know if they had any rye. Surprise, surprise, not many bars have stocked up on rye. So boring, I guess. In short order, I was told that they had a Rye, Templeton, would that be okay? I told them I never heard of it but to bring it on, “a Perfect Manhattan”, of course. Quickly the owner came over and inquired as to what was a “Perfect Manhattan”. My recipe is 2:1 with the 1 being 50/50 sweet/dry vermouth. What a super cocktail. It made for an enjoyable evening, basking in a job well-done.

Next morning early, like 5:30 am at the airport, I’m wandering the concourse waiting my flight when a wall display catches my eye. Rye whiskey, Al Capone, Templeton Rye is there, all over the wall. What a story, on the wall ! What a good rye! And, I can’t find here on the west coast. Please help, because it is a damn fine rye.

Got a TR story of your own to share? Please leave a comment below, or click here to tell us all about it.

Drink your whiskey on the sly with this Templeton Rye-engraved flask, now available on our online merchandise store. If you order two or more items, you qualify for a discount of $5.00 off each item. To take advantage of this discount, just type the coupon code 5OFF when prompted on the shopping cart screen.