Photo via Driftless Glen
Quality water equals quality spirits, emphasizes Reneé Bemis, who owns Driftless Glen Distillery (300 Water St., Baraboo) with her husband, Brian. Wisconsin’s Driftless Area was bypassed by the last continental glacier, which resulted in unique geography and soils, rugged hills, deep river valleys, limestone and sandy soil.
Bemis explains that water from the Baraboo area’s rivers and tributaries pass through 700 feet of its own natural sandstone aquafer. “That give us crystal clear, clean delicious water,” she says. “Our product comes off the still at a higher proof, so you have to cut it with water. That’s why quality water makes a difference.”
Driftless Glen, an independently owned craft distillery, makes bourbon and rye whiskey, along with vodka, brandy, gin and moonshine. Their flagship spirit, small batch Straight Bourbon Whiskey, won a Best In State Medal in the 2021 Heartland Whiskey Competition. The spirit beat 17 other whiskeys in the blind judging contest.
Their Straight Bourbon Whiskey is 96 proof, with subtle spice, along with caramel and vanilla notes. While some distilleries source premade whiskey and put their own label on it, Bemis says Driftless Glen does not. “Everything you get from us is made on premise,” she says. The mashing, fermentation, distilling and aging is all done on site. They recently installed a new bottling line.
Driftless Glen sources grains and corn for their mash bill from Wisconsin and Illinois. Because Wisconsin doesn’t have an abundance of grapes, they have to source brandy from the French Bordeaux region, which they cask-finish in used bourbon barrels.
The distillery has produced 6,500 barrels since they opened their doors in 2015. Their first release was a 20-month-old rye whiskey. “We wanted to try our product so we let some barrels go out. Come next year, almost everything we’ll put on the market will be five-year aged.” Exclusive releases include a port-finished bourbon, available only at the distillery, and Bourbon de Naranja, a four-year aged bourbon finished in orange-infused sherry barrels from Spain.
Bemis says they have a wheated bourbon in the rack houses that will be released in spring, and an American single malt whiskey on the way. “We have a couple of little things hiding in there,” she teases.
Starting a Distillery
Brian is an entrepreneur and owns car dealerships in northern Illinois. Reneé is an artist and sculptor. Brian’s long-time business partner had suggested forming a distillery. They broke ground on the Baraboo property in 2011 and built the entire operation from scratch. They sourced copper stills and equipment from Vendome Copper & Brass Works, in Kentucky, known for their distilling supplies.
They started distilling in 2014 and opened their doors to the public in 2015. They eventually bought out Brian’s partner. The couple has developed a passion for distilling. “We learned a lot the old-fashioned way, through hard knocks, but also from nice people we met along the way that helped. We’re very proud of what we produce.”
Sustainable practices include giving spent grain to local pig and cow farmers to feed their livestock. Effluent water goes to an anerobic digester to be reused for energy.
Driftless Glen offers tours and tastings. An on-site restaurant features cuisine that incorporates spirits: brandy-glazed salon, bread pudding with a bourbon glaze sauce, rye rigatoni and other bourbon-infused foods. They make their own spirits-infused olive oil and vinegars.
Bemis credits her team of distillers, office staff and restaurant employees for Driftless Glen’s success. “Seeing how much people love our product is rewarding. We make a really good whiskey, which is a big deal outside of Kentucky.”
Driftless Glen’s spirits are on several bar and cocktail lounge menus throughout Milwaukee and available for retail sale at Woodman’s, Sendik’s, Pick n Save, Total Wine and Festival Foods.
For more information, visit driftlessglen.com.
