Back-to-Back Barrel-Proof Whiskey Tastings at Lewis Station Winery & Distillery

 

Today was a first for me: I hosted back-to-back whiskey tastings at Lewis Station Winery & Distillery in Lake Mills, Wisconsin, for its Blues, Booze, and BBQ event. It was the first ticketed whiskey event for Lewis Station and turned out to be a huge success!

Rob Lewis drew the whiskeys directly from the barrels while folks watched. Then, we got to taste them at barrel proof. The first two were Bourbons distilled from the same batch in 2021. One aged in a 30-gallon #3-charred barrel, the other from a 15-gallon showed the attendees that barrel sizes can significantly impact how the whiskey ages.

 

Next was an American Rye, made from a mash of 86% rye and 14% malted barley and aged just past four years in new, charred oak. The high malt content was eye-opening for many who found it sweeter than anticipated.

 

Last up was a Tennessee Whisky made from a mash of 70% corn, 15% rye, and 15% malted barley. It aged over four years.

I polled both groups, and the shocker (to me) was the 15-gallon Bourbon, the clear winner, followed by the Tennessee Whisky. There was an almost even split between the 30-gallon Bourbon and the Rye.

 

In all, this was a lot of fun. The attendees enjoyed themselves and left learning something new.

 

I love hosting whiskey events; each one is customized to the client’s desires. If you want to do something a little different, let’s talk. Cheers!