SHEFFIELD, Massachusetts – In its final round of the Craft Brewers Whiskey Project, Berkshire Mountain Distillers (BMD) has released three new whiskies distilled from beer sourced from popular brewers Long Trail Brewing Company, Two Roads Brewing, and Chatham Brewing, available now in the BMD tasting room and across the Northeast in March.
These three whiskies are the latest and final release of a six-year collaboration led by BMD, the award-winning maker of a select line of premier craft spirits, and includes the distilling of a dozen beers from a limited collection of celebrated craft brewers. In 2021, the Craft Brewers Whiskey Project was recognized in the US Open Whiskey & Spirits Grand National Championship where BMD’s Jack’s Abby Smoke & Dagger American Whiskey won a Gold Medal.
“We’re really excited to work with a great group of partners on a unique project bringing together the craft distillery and craft beer worlds and are hoping to celebrate with some collaborative tasting events this Spring,” said Chris Weld, founder of Berkshire Mountain Distillers. “Given all the positive feedback, we’re also planning to have another project come out on the tail of this one.”
Consumer demand for this project has resulted in a wider distribution for Smuttynose, now available in New Hampshire, Captain Lawrence, available in New York, and in Spring 2022, Brewery Ommegang will also be available in New York. The success of this project has prompted BMD to distill another round of whiskies from well-known brewers including Big Elm Brewing, Two Roads Brewing, and Night Shift Brewing.
Featured in this month’s release, a complex yet easy-drinking whiskey, Long Trail Brewing’s Unearthed American Whiskey is made from an American stout base. This whiskey has a blossoming nose of garam masala, cedar, clove, and vanilla sugar with a clean, rich note of caramel, and hints of peat and cardamom.
Chatham Brewing is one of the first microbreweries in New York to produce award-winning beers. The Eight Barrel whiskey offers notes of roasted almond, madagascar vanilla, and cacao nib, with a spicy mid-palate of cinnamon and toffee that resolves into a clean and creamy finish.
Two Roads Brewing Worker’s Comp Farmhouse Ale whiskey is formulated from their iconic Saison with a unique yeast strain, complex grain build, and judicious use of hops which create rich, malty notes and hints of turmeric, sandalwood, papaya, and pineapple, finishing with a frozen banana custard richness.
“It has been an honor and a lot of fun to be included in Berkshire Mountain Distillers’ Craft Brewers Whiskey Project,” said Phil Markowski, brewmaster at Two Roads Brewing Company. “I have enjoyed being involved and observing the slow evolution of our Two Roads Whiskey over the last five years. The final result is a fascinating spirit that preserves the array of unique flavors and aromas generated by a very special strain of yeast we use to make our Worker’s Comp Farmhouse Ale. I am looking forward to future collaborations with BMD!”
The first releases of the Craft Brewers Whiskey Project were distilled from six Massachusetts-based beers including Boston Lager from Samuel Adams, Berkshire Brewing Company’s Imperial Steel Rail Extra Pale Ale, and Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers Smoke & Dagger Black Lager plus UFO White Ale from Massachusetts Bay Brewing Co., Spencer Brewery’s Trappist Ale, and Big Elm Brewing’s 413 Farmhouse Ale. The 2021 fall release included Really Old Brown Dog Strong Ale from Smuttynose Brewing, Brewery Ommegang’s Three Philosophers, and Liquid Gold from Captain Lawrence Brewing.
Whiskies are sold in the BMD tasting room and are available in select stores – Chatham Brewing whiskey will be available in the BMD store only. Samuel Adams, Jack’s Abby, and Big Elm are currently sold out in the BMD tasting room and several others are in short supply. BMD is located at 356 South Main Street in Sheffield, open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit craftbrewerswhiskeyproject.com and BMD.
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