Touring & Tasting @ Yankee Distillers in Clifton Park, New York

Eric & I drove to Clifton Park

for a tour & tasting at

Yankee Distillers.

Mal & Elsie joined us.

The Yankee Distillers logo

is made up of seedhead

of the Rye plant.

Tee Shirts & Hats are
available.

One of the two Pugs that
"run" the place.

The Bar

 Scott takes us into the next room to share the science and the craft of distilling spirits.

Yankee Distillers starts
with huge bags of grains
& corn.

The chosen "starters" for

spirits go into the large

machine behind Scott

& Elsie.

Rye, corn, oats... whatever Scott and his partner, Matt, decide to distill goes into this device to be ground into a course flour.

This is the Mash Tank.

The ground wheat, rye or
corn is added to water
that has been set to a
specific temperature.








The temperature water activates enzymes that break down  the complex carbohydrates of the grain, or corn into simple sugars.

The mixture is moved to

one of the Fermenters.

The one behind the ladder is the General Sherman.  The one on the right is the General Grant. Adding yeast allows the microscopic agents to "eat sugars." producing alcohol and Carbon Dioxide.  The next step is to move the fermented product to the still.

The Still & it's accompanying
equipment is beautiful.







I like the copper and the swirly silver at the base of the equipment.

Distilling is where the science and the craft of making spirits come together.  During this process, water is removed and distilled spirits are carefully checked until the sought after flavors and alcohol content are achieved.

Depending on the recipe, the spirit will be bottled after distilling, or if it will be aged, it goes into oak barrels.

 Vodka is not aged.

This spirit is moved from the

 Still to these tanks were

it waits to be bottled.

Aged spirits, the Whiskeys,

are put in barrels to age.

We go back to the bar to taste Yankee Distillers' spirits.

Mat explains the flavor &

 mouth feel characteristics
of the distilled spirits
 produced here.

He carefully takes us through tastings of Vodka, made with malted wheat, Rye and Bourbon. This process is like a wine tasting.  There are upfront flavors, the feel of each spirit in the mouth and the finish.

As a non whiskey drinker, I was amazed at the different flavors in a tasting.   I expected the Rye and the Bourbon to be harsh.  The Rye has honey and peppery flavors.  The Bourbon flavors go from sweet corn to honey, with a wisp of smoke.





We bought Rye,
Eleven Lakes Vodka
& Bourbon.

Yankee Distillers is open Wednesday through Sunday.  If you can't fit in a trip to Clifton Park
for a tour, these fine spirits are available at Route 9 Wine and Liquor Warehouse,  and other stores in the area.