Dry Fly Distillery

[wildrover]

Got a chance to tour Dry Fly Distillery this weekend and had a blast. Things I learned while there:

1.) They grind their grain to a powder/flour not just crack it.
2.) They use enzymes during the mash to help convert.
3.) Their ferments take about 5-6 days.
4.) They distill on that mush (on the grain) and do a stripping run. Then if it's going to be vodka or gin they run it through the big 21 plate tower.
5.) They dump heads, and can reuse tails (sounded like sometimes they rerun tails)

I tried their vodka, gin, and 100% wheat whiskey.

I'm not good at reviews but here's what I tasted:

Vodka -- Neutral on the front of the tongue and nice grain type after tasted. I don't like vodka but I did enjoy this one. Most vodkas taste to me like they've been scrubbed with carbon hard and it's masking some evil flavors but this was genuinely nice tasting.

Gin -- My wife is very sensitive to alcohol but did enjoy the gin the most. The balance of flavors (Corriander/hops/juniper/couple other things) was very nice and not overly junipery. It's the best gin that I've tasted, but I don't go around tasting gins. They have their hops basket in the vapor path vs. macerating and they claim it's less harsh tasting that way.

100% Wheat Whiskey -- They whiskey was very light flavored (as you'd expect with 100% wheat) with an aftertaste of chemicals to me? I was very dissapointed because I have great respect for the owners and what they've accomplished. I had read some great reviews about it so I'm not sure if this was just a bad batch or what. Maybe I need try other wheat whiskeys but the taste was off enough for me not wanting to purchase a bottle of the whiskey when I fully went in intending to buy it. My wife whispered that mine was better which was a nice complement from someone who hates whiskeys .

One of the owner's, Don, was real nice and answered a lot of questions I had and answered questions about starting a micro-distillery and any tips he had. He also gave us a 50ml bottle of Vodka and Gin to take with us.

I do look forward to trying their bourbon and single malt when they come out.

[wildrover]

Forgot to mention that stripping run on their 450 Liter still took 2 hours. That's pretty bad ass. I always wondered how running times scale up.

[LWTCS]

Nice post

Vodka -- Neutral on the front of the tongue and nice grain type after tasted. I don't like vodka but I did enjoy this one. Most vodkas taste to me like they've been scrubbed with carbon hard and it's masking some evil flavors but this was genuinely nice tasting.

This reminds me of how Dunderhead has talked about the vodka of yesteryear from time to time.

Wonder how far they reach out?

[Bushman]

Nice post

Vodka -- Neutral on the front of the tongue and nice grain type after tasted. I don't like vodka but I did enjoy this one. Most vodkas taste to me like they've been scrubbed with carbon hard and it's masking some evil flavors but this was genuinely nice tasting.

This reminds me of how Dunderhead has talked about the vodka of yesteryear from time to time.

Wonder how far they reach out?

Thanks for the review wildrover I was going to PM you to see how it went!
I also went through their distillery a while back and thought the whiskey was better than most I taste that are commercially done. Their price is a bit steep at $50.00 a bottle but their gin and vodka are very good and at a reasonable $30.00. Dry Fly owners are the ones that got the laws changed in Washington and we are now starting to see more micro distilleries through out the state. Larry they are a small distillery but do sell outside the state you can probably check them out online if your interested. They also teach one on one classes for people learning or trying to get into the distillery business commercially.

[LWTCS]

Dry Fly owners are the ones that got the laws changed in Washington and we are now starting to see more micro distilleries through out the state.

Really! Thats good to know.
During my conversation with one of my states ABC lawyers........he had recommended that i should find other states with statutes that have similar/favorable language that may help with my particular inquiries.

I recon these fellers at dry fly may have some pretty good insight regarding these types of matters.

ABC lawyer also recommended that I need a champion.....I wonder if Dry Fly used a champion?

Likely no money,,,,,,,,,,no champion

[wildrover]

Dry Fly owners are the ones that got the laws changed in Washington and we are now starting to see more micro distilleries through out the state.

Really! Thats good to know.
During my conversation with one of my states ABC lawyers........he had recommended that i should find other states with statutes that have similar/favorable language that may help with my particular inquiries.

I recon these fellers at dry fly may have some pretty good insight regarding these types of matters.

ABC lawyer also recommended that I need a champion.....I wonder if Dry Fly used a champion?

Likely no money,,,,,,,,,,no champion

When I talked to one of the owners he said the key to getting micro-distillery friendly legislation passed is to make it about agriculture. People don't vote down ag. So in Washington they made it required that the micro-distiller had to use 51% Washington grown products, and that was a very important part. Here is the bill that they helped pass: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdo ... 9-S.PL.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[LWTCS]

Thanks for that.
My issues/beef is more to do with the point of sale.

[wildrover]

Thanks for that.
My issues/beef is more to do with the point of sale.

With selling from your spirits from you business?

[Bushman]

Dry Fly owners are the ones that got the laws changed in Washington and we are now starting to see more micro distilleries through out the state.

Really! Thats good to know.
During my conversation with one of my states ABC lawyers........he had recommended that i should find other states with statutes that have similar/favorable language that may help with my particular inquiries.

I recon these fellers at dry fly may have some pretty good insight regarding these types of matters.

ABC lawyer also recommended that I need a champion.....I wonder if Dry Fly used a champion?

Likely no money,,,,,,,,,,no champion

When I talked to one of the owners he said the key to getting micro-distillery friendly legislation passed is to make it about agriculture. People don't vote down ag. So in Washington they made it required that the micro-distiller had to use 51% Washington grown products, and that was a very important part. Here is the bill that they helped pass: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdo ... 9-S.PL.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Interesting info, I learned that they spearheaded the legislation from other micro distilleries I toured. Makes since that they found a way to promote their cause through agriculture especially on the eastern side of our state!

[LWTCS]

My business plan would entail having the same exceptions that the microbfew/wine guys get on the distribution/retail side of the business.

[wildrover]

100% Wheat Whiskey -- They whiskey was very light flavored (as you'd expect with 100% wheat) with an aftertaste of chemicals to me? I was very dissapointed because I have great respect for the owners and what they've accomplished. I had read some great reviews about it so I'm not sure if this was just a bad batch or what. Maybe I need try other wheat whiskeys but the taste was off enough for me not wanting to purchase a bottle of the whiskey when I fully went in intending to buy it.

Just as a note I was helping bottle their gin today at Dry Fly and I got to try the Wheat Whiskey again. I think the last sample I had back in June was from a bad batch. This last batch was much better. 100% wheat has a unique flavor to it. Very light, so if you lean to the heads or tails to much it shows up *real* quick.