Seelbach's is in search of the best and most unique spirits from across the country. Let me introduce you to Tom's Foolery Distillery. Tom's Foolery started distilling in Ohio in 2008. That was way before "Craft" spirits began to increase in popularity. The started making spirits the traditional way. Below, we take a glimpse at their process.
Skip the process, I want to see the products!
Sidenote: their website has one of the coolest features I've seen on a distillery site. They list their current inventory so that you can see exactly what they have!
1. Farming
Farming is the first step in whiskey making. Today, we grow all of the corn and rye right here at the distillery. In years past, most of our corn came from my uncle Dud Humphrey's farm.
2. Prepare Grains
To Prepare Grain for whiskey-making, we mill whole kernels of corn and rye grains to a rough grist, perfected for bourbon.
3. Sourmash
The sour mash process is uniquely American. We cook grain, water and backset to convert starch to sugar. We fill the mash tun with 700 gallons of water from our deep artesian well, about 150 gallons of backset (from the prior distillation), and about 1,500 pounds of grain.
4. Fermentation
Fermentation forms new flavors and alcohol from yeast and wild bacterial. Currently, we ferment in 1,000-gallon stainless steel tanks. In prior years, we fermented in open wood vats.
5. First Distillation
The First Distillation reduces 1,000 gallons of distillers beer to 240 gallons of rich, creamy “low wine”
6. Second Distillation
The Second Distillation produces a potent, flavorful, clear whiskey called “new make,” which will fill two 53-gallon barrels
7. Age in Oak Barrels
Maturing Whiskey in Ohio is a slow process. Our rackhouse is unheated, and mother nature is in charge.
8. Harvest and Bottle
Bottled when ready. For each batch, we hand select 5 barrels from our rackhouse, bottle, and wax. No-chill filtering.
