Newsletter No. 3
On the Farm
It’s mid-November and the leaves are gone, save a few hold-outs on the Red Oaks and Willows. And the hay fields and corn fields are going dormant for winter. There are several fields, however, that are very much alive, asserting themselves in a striking, bright green, in stark contrast to the dusty browns and yellows of late-fall. These are fields of winter rye.
Rye is a cold-hardy crop that is highly resilient and can be planted late into the fall (we recently learned of a farmer in Wisconsin who plants rye as late as December). As such, it is often used as a cover-crop, planted after fall harvest to prevent winter soil erosion. Rye has another benefit in soil health as well: Its roots can grow up to six feet deep, acting like tiny plows breaking up deep soil to aid in drainage and prevent soil compaction. Many organic farmers introduce rye into their annual crop rotation for the soil benefits alone. These farmers cut their rye in the spring, prior to the grain heads maturing, and then plant a more traditional cash crop, like corn or soy.
At Silver Brothers, rye is our primary crop, and our fields will continue to grow through late June or July until the rye grain is ready for harvest. The rye will maintain its bright green hue through winter, and into spring, providing a welcome contrast to the muted shades of the winter landscape.
At the Distillery
We have started regular barrel samplings when each barrel hits six months of age. At six months, this whiskey is still very young, but starting to show elements of its true character. We typically sample five to six barrels at a time and record our impressions of color, scent, taste and mouth-feel.
We are currently finishing up samples for barrels we laid down in April, all of which are rye whiskey with the same mash bill (that’s distiller-talk for “recipe”). Though all are similar in flavor and style, each barrel is different. In fact, we recently tasted two different barrels from the same distillation - identical in every respect except barrel number - and noticed significant variations in flavor and scent that we can only attribute to the barrel itself. We will sample these barrels again at the one-year mark and gauge their progress.
And in other distillery news… we now have a sign! We recently installed a sign featuring our new logo which was designed by the creative team from Polonsky and Friends. The symbol used in our logo and mark is the alchemical symbol for silver.
Further Afield: Rye Summit at Glynwood
At this summit, New York distillers producing under the “Empire Rye” designation gathered at Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming to share information, align on standards for the Empire Rye designation, and invigorate the marketing and promotion of this distinctive and unique New York State product.
Empire Rye is an industry designation, defined as follows: rye whiskey made from 75% New York State-grown grain, distilled at no more than 160 proof, barreled at no more than 115 proof, and aged for a minimum of two years in charred, new American oak barrels. Empire Rye must also be mashed, fermented, barreled and aged at a single New York State distillery. Every barrel of rye whiskey in our barrel house will meet this designation once it crosses the two-year age mark.
If you are curious about how the Empire Rye designation was created, watch this fascinating documentary released in 2023 by Ryan Balas and Alec Balas, Fire, Water & Grain: The Story of Empire Rye.
Ex Libris: Silver Brothers Reference Library
More titles from our distillery reference library (all of which would make excellent holiday gifts):
The Complete Whiskey Course: A Comprehensive Tasting School in Ten Classes, by Robin Robinson. A nicely illustrated guide to the whiskey making styles throughout the world and instructive lessons for how to taste, enjoy and select whiskeys.
The Whisky Dictionary: An A–Z of whisky, from history & heritage to distilling & drinking, by Ian Wisniewski. A helpful reference covering the history of whisky production, distilling techniques, and the many expressions of whisky produced around the world.
Country, by Jasper Conran. An exploration of what makes the romance of the countryside such a powerful draw for artists and designers.
Wm Brown. Matt Hranek’s stylish print magazine. We always look forward to “The Happy Hour” and “Shopkeepers” features.
In and around Old Chatham, the Hudson River Valley and the Berkshires
We are very excited that the team at the Aviary has used our young rye whiskey to make cherry bitters, and that the bitters are included in the “Ichabod Crane” cocktail. Made with local applejack from Golden Harvest Distillery in Valatie, cherry brandy, cherry bitters, and cider, this cocktail hits all the right autumnal notes.
November and early December is the time for celebratory events and holiday craft markets throughout our area. Here’s a few events that we are looking forward to in the coming weeks:
Basilica Farm & Flea ~ Holiday Market, Hudson, November 24 - 26, 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm (ticket required).
Winter Walk, Saturday, Warren Street, Hudson, December 2, 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Troutbeck Holiday Bazaar, Amenia, December 2 and 3, 11:00 am - 5:00 pm (free with Rsvp).
Candlelight Night, Kinderhook Village, December 8, 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Berkshire Botanical Garden Holiday Marketplace, Stockbridge, MA, December 9-10, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm.
Churchtown Dairy Annual Holiday Market, just outside of Hudson, Sunday, December 10, 2023, 1:00 pm 4:00 pm.
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.