We recently opened our distillery doors to area media and state and local elected officials in conjunction with the Templeton and Carroll Area Development Corporations.

The luncheon was catered by The Still, and Templeton Mayor Ken Behrens, TADC President Nick Romey, CADC Executive Director Jim Gossett and Templeton Rye President Scott Bush shared remarks with the crowd of approximately 75 people. Guests toured the facility and had an opportunity to label a bottle of TR, see our new tasting room and try a little of The Good Stuff straight out of the still.

Pictures from the event can be viewed here. After pitching in with the daily distillery duties, we all landed in the tasting room for a sample and some shopping. We definitely need to put in an order for some more TR gear — it was flying off the shelves!

Steve Long from KPTV Fox 44 in Sioux City did a segment on the event, which you can view below:

If you’ve traveled through the Des Moines International Airport lately, you may have stumbled upon what looks like Main Street Templeton, Iowa. That’s our new airport display, which includes a special Templeton and Prohibition Era history section.

Next time you make it through airport security, reward yourself by stopping by the display and taking a stroll down the historic streets of Templeton. If you happen to work up a thirst, just stop at the Capitol City Brew Pub next door — now serving Templeton Rye. We promise you that your flight will be much more enjoyable afterwards.

As always, please enjoy responsibly.

Scott Bush, president of Templeton Rye, and Jason Walsmith of The Nadas stopped by KXNO’s The Jon Miller Show to talk about the storied history behind TR. At 25:12 into the video below, Jason plays an “unplugged” version of Templeton Rye, The Nadas’ musical homage to the infamous whiskey and small Iowa town.

Barry Kusel talks about coming across lots of rye crop during harvests in the 1960s, and Templeton’s secret that wasn’t so secret.

To view more TR stories on YouTube, please visit our channel.

We’ve posted a video tour of our distillery in Templeton, Iowa. Enjoy!

Harry W. Harmeyer discusses the Chevy getaway car used to escape from revenue agents in Templeton, Iowa, back in the 1930s.

To view more TR stories on YouTube, please visit our channel.

Below is a personal message from Scott Bush, President of Templeton Rye, regarding the Iowa Native Distillery Bill currently being debated in the Iowa Legislature.

We built the Templeton Rye Distillery in Templeton, Iowa. Currently we are expanding from 1,500 to nearly 12,000 square feet. An integral piece of our expansion plans is to be able to sell Templeton Rye to distillery visitors. In order for this to happen, the Iowa Native Distillery Bill will need to pass through the Iowa Legislature.

This bill will allow craft distilleries located in Iowa to sell up to 5,000 proof gallons of spirits to tourists visiting their distillery for home consumption. Distillers would pay a fixed $14.50 per proof gallon directly to the State of Iowa.

Currently in the U.S., there are 17 states that allow (or are considering allowing) native distilleries to sell product on-site, including our neighbors Nebraska and Wisconsin.

Lynchburg, Tennessee, has a population of 350 people and receives 250,000 visitors annually due to the presence of the Jack Daniel Distillery. At Templeton Rye, we feel the State of Iowa should support native distilleries, or risk missing out on a great tourism, economic development and value-added agricultural opportunity.

You may show your support of the Iowa Native Distillery Bill by contacting your legislator today.

Fay Irlbeck Schleisman, a Templeton native, shares the story of Al Capone’s visit to the small town to arrange shipments of TR to Chicago:

View more stories on YouTube at our Templeton Rye channel.

One of our goals at Templeton Rye is to document all the classic TR stories, as told by the people who lived them. We’re now proudly sharing these videos on YouTube. Please visit our channel at YouTube.com/templetonryewhiskey.

Above is a story from Wilfred “Bud” Irlmeier. His granddaughter, Tracy Olberding, recently wrote to us with the following note:

My Grandpa Bud (Wilfred Irlmeier) passed away on November 25, 2007; he was born in Templeton and was married to my Grandma Toni for 62 years. He enjoyed spending time with his family and will be missed greatly by all of us. We had many wonderful family memories including several about Templeton and Templeton Rye.