J. Carver Distillery earns high marks in 2021 Heartland Whiskey Competition
A Waconia grain-to-bottle distillery has received top honors in a biennial competition for craft whiskeys made at least partially out of corn.
J. Carver Distillery earned a gold medal in the 2021 Heartland Whiskey Competition for its Brickyard Straight Bourbon, a whiskey in which corn is the main ingredient. The competition is run by the American Craft Sprits Association and sponsored by 17 state corn grower associations, including the Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA). Just eight gold medals were awarded to the 140 whiskies entered into the competition by 64 distilleries.
Three Minnesota whiskies were entered into the contest, including two from J. Carver. Brickyard Straight Bourbon received the highest marks of the three to earn the “best in state” award.
J. Carver founding partner Gina Holman said the distillery is grateful for the awards and its partnerships with local farmers, retailers and mixologists.
Founded in 2013, J. Carver has been distilling spirits since August 2014. Its menu features a variety of bourbons, single-malt whiskies, gins, vodkas and more, which are aged for years before they are served.
The distillery offers tours on Saturdays and has a cocktail lounge where guests can order craft cocktails, and its spirits can be found in scores of stores across Minnesota and Wisconsin. Its products are also featured in cocktails sold at restaurants and retailers across Minnesota.
Holman said J. Carver hasn’t deviated from its business strategy over its eight-year history, continuing to produce its spirits on site and work with local farmers.
Brickyard Straight Bourbon, named in honor of Carver County’s historic brickyards, includes corn, malted barley and red winter wheat. Holman said it has a softer mouth feel and is beloved as a sipping bourbon. It’s the featured spirit in J. Carver’s old fashioned, the distillery’s best-selling cocktail among its restaurant partners.
MCGA proudly supports the Heartland Whiskey Competition and other efforts to raise awareness about the various uses of corn. To learn more about J. Carver’s award-winning bourbon, visit jcarverdistillery.com. To learn more about the 2021 Heartland Whiskey Competition, visit americancraftspirits.org.
A classic J. Carver Distillery fan favorite cocktail, this Brickyard Old Fashioned is elevated by using J. Carver’s award winning Gold Medal and Best in State Brickyard Straight Bourbon while highlighting the rich and intriguing flavors from Cruella Amaro made from J. Carver Straight Rye Whiskey which includes 30% local corn in the mash bill as well. Cheers!
Brickyard Old Fashioned:
2 oz J. Carver Brickyard Straight Bourbon
.25 oz Cruella Amaro
.50 oz simple syrup
1 dash old fashioned bitters
Pour over a large format ice cube and garnish with a cherry and orange peel.
