whiskeys stretch back to the 19th century . Closer to home , there ’ s Kentucky bourbon , charcoal-filtered Tennessee whiskey , and robust craft scenes in the Bay Area , Oregon , Colorado and beyond . The Capital Region craft distillery scene is starting to catch up with the rest of the country , although only a handful of local spirits producers have brought housemade whiskeys to market . However , those whiskeys range from classic to innovative , representing a wide range of sub-styles , techniques and philosophies . Meanwhile , the local environment , agriculture and climate make the region ideal for whiskey production and maturation .
Malt of the earth
The housemade whiskeys at the familyowned and -operated Patio29 Spirits Company in Winters gain inspiration and identity from the agricultural bounty of Northern California . Patio29 ’ s Yolo Brothers Bourbon uses only locally sourced grains , including corn , barley , rye and wheat . Craft malting company Admiral Maltings in Alameda provides the Merced rye for Patio29 ’ s Buckeye Rye .
“ When you ’ re talking about wine , you ’ re always talking about where the grapes are grown ,” says Adam Boone , who co-owns Patio29 along with his brother Eric Boone and his parents Anita and Jeff Boone . “ With whiskey , people barely ever talk about the species of grain that was used , where that grain was grown . But we believe it does impart a certain quality to the whiskey .” The Boones see local grains as a way for craft distilleries to stand out from large producers who need to source their grain from multiple states .
Local grains also take center stage at Gold River Distillery in Rancho Cordova , especially in the Wheel House Malted Rice Whiskey . Gold River CEO and distiller Greg Baughman uses locally grown rice toasted at different levels to give the whiskey a bourbon-like flavor upfront and a scotch-like smokiness on the finish . It ’ s such a unique product that it took the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau several months to approve the use of the word “ whiskey ” on the label .
Ed Arnold , owner and distiller at California Distilled Spirits in Auburn , is one of a a handful of local entrepreneurs who have brought housemade whiskeys to market .
“ With whiskey , people barely ever talk about the species of grain that was used , where that grain was grown . But we believe it does impart a certain quality to the whiskey .”
Adam Boone , co-owner , Patio29
“ They didn ’ t want me to call it whiskey because it was made of rice ,” Baughman says . The TTB offered up soju and rice wine as acceptable designations , but Baughman dug in his heels . “ I said , ‘ No , it ’ s a whiskey because it ’ s made using malted grains .’” Besides the Malted Rice Whiskey , Gold River also offers a classic , grain-to-glass bourbon . Baughman believes that the Sacramento climate is perfect for aging spirits in small- to medium-sized barrels .
“ When you plug up the barrel and make it airtight , the heat from the outside heats up the fluid on the inside , and it causes the fluid to press into the staves ” ( the wooden planks that make up the barrel ), Baughman says . “ As it cools down , it shrinks back from the staves , and it ’ s that capillary action that gives you 100 percent of your spirit ’ s color and up to 85 percent of its overall flavor profile .” Those large temperature swings help the barrels work on the spirit a little bit faster , but also more thoroughly .
The low humidity found in the Capital Region also assists with whiskey maturation . Barreled whiskey inevitably evaporates over time , so a certain amount of the liquid gets lost during the aging process , a debit colloquially known as the “ angel ’ s share .” In humid regions , distillers lose a larger percentage of alcohol , but in areas with low humidity a greater share of water evaporates . “ We ’ re concentrating the spirit in
August 2021 | comstocksmag . com 29