No city in the United States has a more illustrious history with alcohol than Peoria, Illinois. This town, which used to be jokingly referred to as the “Whiskey Capital of the World” or “The Whiskey City” (clearly in respect to the state capital, located roughly 170 miles away), has a fascinating history.
Our story begins when Almiran Cole converted his Peoria flour mill into a whiskey distillery in 1844. Its popularity sparked a trend, and over the following ten years, immigrants flocked to the city to benefit from the expanding economy and plentiful employment. That’s how the renowned Bourbon Whiskey from the Whiskey Distillery Illinois came to be.
Whiskey Distillery Illinois
When it comes to the term “Whiskey Distillery Illinois,” many distilleries come to mind. The distilleries in Illinois have been producing historically-inspired, handcrafted artisanal spirits based on classic formulas with unique and distinctive expressions of taste for years. The first straight bourbon produced in Illinois in more than 40 years has been put into bottles by Quincy Street Distillery, a popular whiskey distillery in Illinois.
The distillery that is presently known as JK Williams Distilling is said to be the oldest one still in operation in Peoria, Illinois. New owners Andy Faris and Stacy Shunk just acquired it, and they’ve already begun the process of growing the brand by introducing new whiskey to the retail market and establishing a 20,000 square foot warehouse and manufacturing facility.
Bourbon Whiskey
According to the United States’ definition of bourbon whiskey (Code of Federal Regulations, Title 27, Part 5), the spirit must contain at least 51% maize and be distilled with no more than 80% alcohol by volume. Additionally, it should be aged in new, charred oak barrels for at least two years before being bottled. Before adding malt and water, various cereal blends (typically mixtures of barley, wheat, and rye) that will be mashed with the maize are placed in a hammer mill. A minimum of 51% rye must be present in the mash in order to produce rye whiskey.
The pH is adjusted to 5 by adding stillage (sometimes also referred to as “backset”) along with water at a rate of 6.0–7.4 L/kg. Even though there is ultimately 10%–15% of malt present, only 1%–5% of it is added at first; the rest is added after cooling. Raising the temperature to 70°C and maintaining it there for 30 to 60 minutes is also vital for the process. To finish the process of turning starch into sugar, it is cooled to 63°C.
Vodka made with 100% corn from our farm, gin with a hint of juniper and botanical finish, and rye whiskey made from sweet corn, soft wheat, and spicy rye available now with bourbon aging to perfection in charred, oak barrels. The only Brewery & Distillery in Rochelle, IL is the surrounding areas’ premiere event venue. Beautiful, rustic spaces are perfect for business meetings and corporate events as well as celebrations with family and friends.
Our Rochelle, IL distillery overlooks distilling and brewing operations featuring a family owned, farm to table venue in the heart of rural America.
Any for more information visit here- kennayfarmsdistilling.com
