Newsletter No. 2
Fall at Silver Brothers
On the Farm: Fall Planting and a Seasonal Shift
Earlier this month we planted our rye and barley, seeding nearly 40 acres, including a new field on the north side of the farm just brought into production this year. As we mentioned in last month’s newsletter, our grains are “winter” varietals, meaning they are planted in the fall and over-winter, going dormant during the cold months and resuming growth when days are warmer in the spring.
Each acre yields roughly 3,000 pounds of grain, and it takes about 1000 pounds of grain to make one barrel of whiskey. Our ultimate goal is to produce enough grain for our total production needs. Currently, our estate-grown grain makes up about two-thirds of our total production. The remaining grain is sourced from New York State growers, including Migliorelli Farm, in nearby Dutchess County.
Some of our fields are not “tillable acres,” meaning they are not suitable for grain planting, either because they are too rocky, too steep, or both. While not suitable for grain, these are excellent grazing fields. In years past, sheep grazed throughout the property when it was operating as one of the largest sheep dairies in the country. Today the sheep are gone, and instead we have the Angus cows from Trowbridge Farms in Ghent grazing the fields.
The cows are typically onsite from May through September and then are brought back to their home farm for the winter. The cows have now gone home for the calving season, but they continue to receive the nutrient rich spent mash - a by-product of the distilling process - as well as the hay harvested from our fields.
At the Distillery: About Barrels
It is said that 50% or more of the flavor of whiskey comes from the barrel. And while we believe grain, yeast, and the fermentation & distillation processes are perhaps more significant flavor contributors overall, the barrel is clearly an important component of the finished product. As such, we take great care in our barrel selection.
The majority of our rye whiskey barrels are sourced from Adirondack Barrel Cooperage (ADK), an artisanal cooperage in Amsterdam, NY. We visited ADK last year and the orchestrated chaos of fire, saws, hammers in motion was a sight to behold. ADK uses premium, air-seasoned oak from the upper-Midwest, and crafts their barrels made to order. They have a waiting list many months long for their barrels, but we are fortunate to have a monthly allocation sufficient for our production needs.
Rye whiskey, by law, must be aged in a charred new oak barrel (unlike single malt, which is typically aged in used bourbon or sherry barrels). At present we are experimenting with different barrel char levels to assess the impact on our whiskey as it ages. It will be several years – more, in some cases – before we fully understand the resulting spirit.
The Silver Brothers Reference Library
We have been slowly building out a reference library that includes all our favorite trade publications as well as books related to spirits, distilling, cocktails, hospitality, design, and the history of the Hudson River Valley. We think the following books are worthy additions to any library:
The Terroir of Whiskey: A Distiller's Journey Into the Flavor of Place, by Rob Arnold
Spirit of Place: Whisky Distilleries of Scotland, by Charles MacLean
Richard Dorsey’s series of books of the Chatham area, including Old Chatham, Chatham Center, Malden Bridge, Rider’s Mills, and North Chatham.
The Ice Book: Cool Cubes, Clear Spheres, and Other Chill Cocktail Crafts, by Camper English.
*If you like the idea of using premium ice in your home bar, but don’t have time to make it yourself, our friends at The Kinderhook Bottle Shop sell a selection of vacuum packed cubes, spears and spheres from @twinlakesiceco, suppliers to many Hudson Valley restaurants.
In and Around Old Chatham and the Hudson River Valley
This year, the Old Chatham Hunt Club celebrates their 70th year of beagling. On October 1, over a hundred of our friends, neighbors, and club members gathered at the historic Shaker Museum site, directly across the road from the distillery, for the annual blessing of the hounds. Along with the blessing of the foxhounds, this Old Chatham tradition marks the unofficial start of fall in this part of the county.
Autumn is one of the best times in Columbia County; here are some additional upcoming events in our area:
Samascott Garden Market Corn Maze
7-acre Corn Maze open daily through October, 11:00 am - 4:00 pm. Samascott Garden Market, Kinderhook.
Families and Farms of Columbia County Lecture Series: Birge Hill Farm, a Family Legacy
The final lecture in a series focusing on family farms, agricultural tools and outbuildings, and the shift from subsistence to commercial farming in the Hudson Valley from the 18th to the 20th century. October 21, 2:00 pm, Columbia County Historical Society, Kinderhook.
Columbia County Historical Society’s Drive Through History Series: Legends & Folklore
A self-guided driving tour that “… explores the legendary folk tales, strange occurrences and larger-than-life legends that once roamed this region of the Hudson Valley,” including the legend of Spook Rock, Washington Irving’s inspiration for the character of Ichabod Crane, and the Claverack Giant.
FilmColumbia
Crandell Theatre, Chatham, October 20 - October 29. Chatham.
Hudson Valley Cider Symposium
Join over one dozen of the Hudson Valley’s cider makers for talks, walks, workshops, and lectures on October 29, 11:00 am - 4:00 pm. Rose Hill Farm, Red Hook.
https://ediblemanhattan.com/event/hudson-valley-cider-symposium-2023/
We hope you enjoyed our free newsletter. Be sure to subscribe and please share with a friend if you think they would enjoy it as well. For more information about Silver Brothers, visit silverbrothers.com and follow us on Instagram @silverbrotherswhiskey.