Written by GABE TOTH
Rye Trials Show Significant Flavor Differences Among Varietals T
he recently completed rye varietal research by Minnesota’s Far North Distilling could have profound implications for the way distilleries choose to source their grain and the flavor impact of those decisions. Far North owner Mike Swanson planted 15 different varietals of rye grain in 2015, 2016, and 2017, distilled the grain in separate batches and aged the spirit made from that rye. The unaged white spirits and the aged spirits were tasted and the differences charted. Despite the industrial-agriculture approach to treating all varietals as uniform, fungible commodities, “there are significant differences in flavor between rye varieties,” Swanson said. “That’s probably one of the biggest takeaways, because that research hadn’t really been done before. I expected that, but nobody had proven it before.” In the commodity grain system, grain that meets certain baseline parameters gets blended — different varietals from different farms get mixed together at the grain elevator — which prevents origin or varietal tracing. “For many, the commodity system is a black box, where grain goes in from the farm and comes back out elsewhere
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in the country, possibly malted, and at a higher price,” Swanson said. “What we’re demonstrating is that direct sourcing is very important, it can be vitally important to distillers, because grain merchants don’t know what variety they have.” The report opens with a paraphrasing of agricultural writer Wendell Berry: “Drinking is an agricultural act.” The Far North study aims to tie the product in a whiskey glass more closely to the product coming from the farm. “Just imagine if nine out of 10 bottles at your local wine shop were simply labeled ‘grape wine’, with no mention of whether it was a Cabernet or Chardonnay. That is the current state of the rye whiskey market,” the study stated. “…There are craft whiskey distilleries that have begun to circumvent this supply chain and buy grains directly from local farmers as a point of differentiation. Still, most of these
newcomers focus on the relationship with the farmer as a feature of regional pride and profile, not as a means to highlight distinctive flavors through varietal selection.” The project began with a call from a farmer in Maine looking to source seed for AC Hazlet rye, the varietal Far North began growing in 2013. When Swanson asked why he needed that particular type of rye — after all, aren’t there plenty of seed producers closer to Maine where he could get rye? — the farmer explained that the distilleries he sells rye to had been complaining that the flavor wasn’t as good when he switched varietals. “I thought, ‘Wait a minute, I thought all of this stuff tasted the same,’” Swanson said. He called a smallgrain specialist at the University of Minnesota and asked if there was any research on the topic, and was told no, but that it would make a good research study. Far North submitted a proposal, received a grant from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture in 2015, and got started. All of the varietals that were tested had known agronomic data available, so Swanson was able to select with an eye on factors such as winter hardiness, days to heading (maturity), plant height, straw strength, ergot, test weight, and protein level, as well as ease of processing in the distillery, given rye’s notoriously troublesome nature.
“What we’re demonstrating is that direct sourcing is very important, it can be vitally important to distillers, because grain merchants don’t know what variety they have.” — Mike Swanson, FAR NORTH DISTILLING
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