Recently there have been a few questions posed to us via Twitter about our production and distillation process, and whether or not we work with outside partners. Because it’s difficult to address those inquiries in 140 characters or less, we wanted to use our blog to follow up.

First off, it is no secret that we – like almost every new spirits brand – originally worked with production partners. We tell this story as part of our Templeton Rye distillery tours, at industry events, and it was even mentioned in our profile story in the Des Moines Register last fall.

Over the last several years we have taken on the serious process and great expense required to establish (and ramp up) production, and we’ve built a 12,000 square foot facility in Templeton, Iowa. We have been distilling in Templeton since 2005 and have sold product distilled in Templeton. Every drop of Templeton Rye has been processed and bottled at our facility and we are trying to grow rye in Templeton this year with the hope of eventually growing all of our grain locally. We’ve invested over $1 million in the local community and brought serious attention and excitement to the town of Templeton.

Keep in mind: had one of the big boys done Templeton Rye, there would have never been so much of a shovel of dirt moved in Templeton. We could have outsourced every aspect of this company as well, but felt that wasn’t the right thing to do.

Finally, the real underlying motivation for doing this in the first place, and for me moving back from Boston, is because it’s a cool thing for Iowa. Keith Kerkhoff and I are both small town Iowa guys and we love the fact that we are building a company and a product that the State of Iowa can be proud of.

The most satisfying compliments we get are from people who say “thank you” for making something that they are proud, as Iowans, to take to their friends in Chicago, New York, or wherever.

We have lots of hard work ahead of us, and we’ll continue to focus on building our company and being positive contributors to the State and local community. For those who are curious about our production process, I personally invite you to tour our distillery in Templeton, or just email us at info@templetonrye.com if you have further questions.

Cheers,
Scott Bush
President, Templeton Rye