RoughStock Completes Expansion to Deliver Whiskeys to 36 States, Canada, Europe and Japan

Bozeman, Mont., 4/12/2012

Forbes combed hundreds of facilities across the country and selected RoughStock Distillery as one of the “Top 10 American Whiskey Distilleries to Tour Now”.  According to Forbes, Whiskey-only bars, tasting flights and $100-plus pours are more common than ever, but to become a real whiskey connoisseur you need to learn the liquor making process from the inside. We rounded up the country’s top 10 whiskey distilleries where you can tour the facilities, learn about mashbills and barrel woods and discover what gives your favorite label its distinct flavor, whether its rye or single malt, blended or bourbon.

RoughStock Distillery located in Bozeman, Montana was named number nine on the list.  Forbes highlighted how the distillery uses local water from mountain-fed streams and Montana-sourced wheat, barley, rye and corn to produce its five labels, including un-aged sweet corn white whiskey and a barley whiskey bottled at cask strength (undiluted after barrel aging).   Forbes also noted tours of Roughstock are half-day volunteer “bottling parties,” where visitors are put to work filling and labeling bottles before hitting the tasting room. They recommended planning ahead, as the working tours are only offered three Saturdays a month.

• Click here to view the entire Forbes List.

• To learn more about Tours & “Bottling Saturdays” visit montanawhiskey.com

RoughStock Distillery is Montana’s first legal distillery since Prohibition. Founded in 2008 by husband and wife team Bryan and Kari Schultz, RoughStock Distillery handcrafts small batch whiskeys utilizing only Montana-sourced grains. Since launching, the popularity and distribution of RoughStock’s Montana Whiskey line has quickly grown beyond original capacity. Availability now includes 36 states, Canada, Europe and Japan.

The move to a new, larger facility in early 2011 set the stage for a recently completed expansion. The recent delivery of a 5-ton twin pot still system custom built by Vendome Copper and Brass in Kentucky, will increase capacity exponentially and allow RoughStock to continue to increase distribution across the country and the world. The stills are made in the traditional Scottish-style design and are the only twin pot still system of this caliber west of the Mississippi. Along with the new copper stills, traditional open-top solid wood fermenters made completely of old-growth Oregon Fir were crafted to increase fermentation capacity.

RoughStock Distillery
81211 Gallatin Road
Suite A
Bozeman, MT 59718
406-551-6409

Press Contact
Mark Renner, Sales & Marketing Manager
406-551-6409
mark@montanawhiskey.com

The bottling schedule is ready and posted for April through June 2012 (with one date on March 31st). If you are interested in having fun and hand bottling whiskey at Montana’s first, and oldest, distillery please see the links below:

http://www.montanawhiskey.com/whiskey/the-distillery/bottling-parties

http://www.montanawhiskey.com/whiskey/events

Please note, bottling parties that are available are listed as “OPEN Bottling Party” on the events calendar. If the date is taken, this will change to “FILLED”. If nothing is written on a date then nothing is or will be scheduled.

These dates tend to fill up very fast. First come, first served. Please have a solid, reliable group of 6-10 for your selected date. Must be 21 or over to participate. Kids are welcome as long as there is proper adult supervision (there is nothing to keep kids entertained at a whiskey distillery).

The bottling schedule is up and posted for January through March 2012. There is also one date open for this Saturday, December 17th. If you are interested in having fun and hand bottling whiskey at Montana’s first, and oldest, distillery please see the links below:

http://www.montanawhiskey.com/whiskey/the-distillery/bottling-parties

http://www.montanawhiskey.com/whiskey/events

Please note, bottling parties that are available are listed as “OPEN Bottling Party” on the events calendar. If the date is taken, this will change to “FILLED”. If nothing is written on a date then nothing is or will be scheduled.

These dates tend to fill up very fast. First come, first served. Please have a solid, reliable group of 6-10 for your selected date. Must be 21 or over to participate. Kids are welcome as long as there is proper adult supervision (there is nothing to keep kids entertained at a whiskey distillery).

Saturday, October 22nd, RoughStock Distillery will be bottling Batch #1 of our Montana Straight Rye Whiskey. This is a 100% Rye mashbill, double distilled, and matured in virgin heavy-charred American white oak barrels. Due to the nature of the rye grain, this whiskey is a very spicy and bold spirit with sweet tones stemming from the fine grain American oak. Notes of cinnamon, vanilla, candied ginger, spearmint, clove, and honey will come at you all at once. A very intense flavor! Perfect for sipping or re-creating a classic Manhattan, Sazerac, or Old Fashioned cocktail.

Rye is a grain that was used early on in the US as a base for whiskeys. As settlers pushed west, more fertile lands were used to grow corn/maize and thus began the slow progression to corn as a base for most American whiskeys (bourbons are generally 70% or more corn based). Rye whiskeys are a rare breed these days.

Due to the extremely limited quantities, sales will be limited to 1 bottle per person at the distillery. Select Montana liquor stores will also have it available. When it’s gone, it’s GONE! We won’t be bottling our next rye batch until next year.

We’re looking for TWO bottling crews for Saturday September 17th. First bottling will start at 10 AM and the second at 2 PM. These are the ONLY two bottling sessions open until 2012. Get a crew of 6-10 people together and email us at info@montanawhiskey.com with the subject of “bottling” in the email header.

Thank you to Melynda Harrison & Janie Osborne from the Big Sky Journal for the great piece on the distillery in the fall issue. For those of you that haven’t seen it yet, Read It Here!

Thank you to Michelle Corriel & Thomas Lee from the Bozeman Daily Chronicle for the great feature story in June’s Business to Business Section.
Read It Now!

The bottling parties for September – December are now on the calendar.  If you can find 6-10 people to get together on one of those dates we guarantee a good time.  Sign up early, as these dates get filled FAST!

Go to http://www.montanawhiskey.com/whiskey/events for more info!

Bring yourself, a guest, or the whole family for the RoughStock Whiskey Roundup at the beautiful Sacajawea Hotel in Three Forks, MT on Saturday June 4th.  It’s going to be a blast!  Details

http://secure.smilebox.com/ecom/openTheBox?sendevent=4d6a51354d5467784e7a453d0d0a&blogview=true&campaign=blog_playback_link

It’s that time again folks!!!

Now Available for purchase in our web store…5 gallon northern American fine white oak whiskey cured barrels (actual capacity estimated at ~6.5 gallons). The barrels were used once for as maturation vessels for aging experimental batches of our 100% malted barley whiskey. This process imparts unique and flavorful elements in the oak and will add unmatched depth and complexity to whatever is aged inside. Built in the traditional style they are toasted and charred inside, built with galvanized steel hoops, and hand assembled with thick oak staves. Perfect for aging beers, sauces, bitters, syrups, or cocktails. They can also be used for home woodworking, decoration purposes, or as serving vessels. Our used barrels are fully functional and have not been painted or altered in any way. These barrels also come complete with a stopper and maintenance instructions for use/storage. Markings will be similar as shown but can vary as each barrel is exceptionally different.  Please contact us for shipping of bulk purchases.

We have limited availability and they are available for purchase from our web store with both a pick up and shipping option.  This will be the last offering of 5 gallon barrels, so get ‘em while they last!!!

Bottling dates for this summer (May-Aug) are now up on the website. Grab some family/friends and come help put handcrafted Montana Whiskeys in bottles!

The interactive map application we were using for “where to buy” on our website was shut down without us knowing. We will now begin the long process of building another one. In the meantime, please contact the nearest distributor in your area for locations. You can also post known locations here or email them to: info@montanawhiskey.com. Sorry for the inconvenience….

In the last 5 years or so the small distilling industry has seen a boom. Distilleries are popping up all over the place, Montana included. I believe this a great time in history for people to experience the passion and distinct qualities all of these small guys are offering… and this trend seems to be spilling over into the large brands as well. More and more the small brands are being accepted and even winning over judges, consumers, and connoisseurs alike. But what makes these products different? In some cases, a lot. In others, not so much. I’ll explain…

Let’s take a minute to talk about terroir. Terroir is a French word that doesn’t have an English equivalent but is most likened to describing the different influence that the surrounding environment has on the flavor of products grown and produced in that environment. Wine, coffee, beer, and cheeses are great examples of this. What about distilled spirits? You bet! Take for example the various Scotch producing areas in Scotland… all VERY distinctive from each other. If you think for a minute of the vast regional differences in the growing environment of the grains, the local water supply, and the temperature/humidity/elevation/etc it ALL has a hand in shaping what flavors come out in the end.

So, why is terroir important to the small distiller? To be honest, it’s about time people had the chance to make and taste spirits (whiskeys in particular) produced in other regions besides Kentucky, Tennessee, Scotland, and Ireland. I’ll give those areas their due respect as they all make impressive products. However, what products are out there en masse is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg when it comes to overall flavor profile. Every one of those regions I mentioned earlier all make “whisk(e)y”, but all are somewhat shaped and defined by their region they are in: terroir at work. Bourbon made in another region outside of Kentucky might be great, or a single malt out of Florida may be the next big thing… but you’ll never know until someone makes it. What this all pans out to is we can now have bourbon from New York, gin from Washington state, vodka from West Virginia, and whiskey from Montana.

Now let’s talk a little bit about traceability. When you get a manufacturer making a “local” product, don’t you think it should be a good reflection of the “local” terroir (especially when it comes to tasty beverages)? I see no need to import X or Y ingredient when you can find X or Y grown in or near your area of operation. Right? Some don’t see it that way, but that’s one of the ways we separate Montana Whiskey from any other whiskey on the shelf… local ingredients every time. Sometimes it’s easier to source cheap and plentiful ingredients than it is to forge relationships with growers/producers nearby for the sake of a better bottom line. Those people are out to make a buck… not a solid brand.

Lastly, the claim to be “handmade”. More times that not, it’s a marketing word rather than a claim to the labor involved. I can count 5 in my liquor cabinet alone, places I’ve been and seen with my own eyes, which are fully computer automated but still put “handmade” on the bottle. Who cares, though, right? Well, I do. But I get over it after a dram or three. The REAL claim to how your bottle of distilled spirits was made is in the small disclaimer on the back label. Legally, you cannot put “distilled”, “bottled”, or “aged” by anyone else except for who actually distilled, bottled, or aged the product in that bottle. “Produced by” is like saying you produced the water that came out of your sink. You didn’t make it. But, you turned the faucet on and filled the glass. Same thing with distilled spirits. If it says “produced by”, then someone else made it and all that company did was put the fancy label on the front. Quite honestly there’s nothing wrong with that. Producers have been making products out of each others’ stocks for a long time. The problem I have is when you claim to make local, regional, handmade, or other descriptors to a bottle of liquor you did not distill. You become a marketing company at that point, not a distillery.

I’ve rambled on long enough, but we’re getting to the point (finally). When RoughStock Distillery makes something we can guarantee that every raw ingredient is coming from a local farm source… and it will say so right on the bottle. Not only that, but we know these farmers/maltsters/growers/etc. personally. We do that because quite honestly, this is a very personal business for us. We have the pleasure of making whiskeys for you to enjoy and every batch from grain to glass has been personally selected for that enjoyment. We have distilled, aged, and bottled everything ourselves from start to finish. Does that make our product superior? Maybe. That’s for the consumer to decide. But at the end of the day we know we did our damndest and have a great sense of accomplishment and pride in each bottle produced.

Just as in times before when microbreweries, California wineries, coffee that came in something other than a can, and cheeses that came in a package other than a “single” slice were odd and foreign…. I encourage anyone who reads this to try something different next time when choosing a distilled spirit. Join a whiskey club. Order that no-name gin at the bar. Grab that bottle of rum off the shelf with the crooked and hand written label. Or, actually READ THE LABEL! Keep trying other brands until you find more about what it is that you like/dislike. Your palate will thank you. A small distiller will thank you. A local farmer may even thank you. Don’t worry about the large producers, they still control 99% of the market and will always be there if you decide to go back.

Cheers!
Bryan Schultz
Distiller

We are featured in the Binny’s ad on page 3, and the New Whiskeys section on page 13!

There are some other great articles in this edition, so make sure you check out the 2010 Summer Edition online here!

A nice little write up about our distillery in the local Bozeman Magazine. Thank you Mike!

You can read it Here!  “Rough Road Great Product“

Everywhere you turn, there’s some news on how bad the economy is and on and on about financial doom and gloom. We get that finances are tight for some and overall people are cutting back. I recently had a conversation with a patron at the distillery discussing price vs. value which ultimately led to our product. The overall conclusion was “you get what you pay for”, and we’re inclined to agree. You see, we take every step of our process very seriously and have a strong dedication to the final quality of our product. It’s a handmade whiskey from start to finish from only the best ingredients… I don’t care what anyone else puts on their bottle (handmade, made by elves, made by my grandma, etc.), our whiskey TRULY IS HANDMADE! If you take our attention to detail and no shortcuts method and couple that with the fact that we make as much whiskey in a year as a large distillery makes in a day, we are obviously at a disadvantage with the numbers game. But, we’re fine with that. In fact, we prefer it that way. That gives us the time and energy needed to ensure every drop of whiskey we make is the very best with no compromises. All of this comes down to it takes a fair amount of time, effort, and money to make something right and we refuse to do it any other way. We make Montana Whiskey for pure, slow sippin’, enjoyment. Plain and simple. And, as far as we can tell, our customers agree because we can’t make enough of it these days it seems. We kindly thank you for that fact.

I can only think of a few other things I would get as much enjoyment out of for the money besides a well-made whiskey, and one of them is a tank full of gas in a 1965 Shelby Cobra.

Cheers!
Bryan

On Saturday, February 22nd, some talented Big Sky, Montana bartenders made the trek into Bozeman to help us put batch #10 of Montana Whiskey in bottles. It was a whirlwind bottling, with the large crew we were able to finish up in less than 2 hours, all the while having a ton of fun!! Thanks for the help and look for bottles signed by Heather, Tyler, Patrick, Martin, Anna, Cara, Katie, and Dale in a store near you!!

On Saturday, February 6th, we had a great group from the Western Sustainability Exchange come help us put batch #9 of Montana Whiskey in bottles. The sensory analysis turned in all thumbs up, and fun was had by all. Thanks for the help and look for bottles signed by Susan, Annie, Lill, Tyrrell, Rob, Mary and Eric in a store near you!!

Sunday, January 31, 2010 – Bryan and Josh were featured in a story on the distillery by the local news station 6&42. Check out the video and story here! Way to go boys!!

News Channel 6&42

**One correction to the story, we only use our barrels once for our single malt whiskey and we bottle approximatly 720 – 1200 cases per year but produce 3000 cases per year (we have ever increasing inventory in barrels!)

On Friday, January 22nd nearly 100 people from the Museum of the Rockies Club 320 came down to the distillery for a private tour and tasting event. This event was perfect for breaking in the tasting room! Everything went as planned and we hope everyone had as much fun and Bryan and I did. A special thanks to Larry and Luci Edwards for manning the retail table, we couldn’t have done it without them!

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  From left to Right – Russ Sipes, Luci Edwards, Larry Edwards, Jen Sipes!

Whiskey has been flowing at RoughStock, and I’m finally catching up after 2 weeks of events and bottlings! Whew… Batch 7 and 8 went into bottles and out to distribution this month thanks to two great crews.

Batch 7 Bottling On January 16th! Lots of shenanigans and laughs with these three! Thanks to Kyle, Ben, & Will for coming together to help us out on short notice…

Batch #8 Bottling On January 24th! The RoughStock Distillery – Cannery Softball team showed up to show their team spirit and put their namesake whiskey into bottles. The always competitive bunch was a blast to spend the afternoon with, can’t wait for softball season 2010!

Josh “Dawg” Keehr, our whiskey ambassador went on a tour of our barrel manufacturer’s facility – The Barrel Mill when he was home for Christmas ‘09. Thanks to Rich for the tour!!!

Happy New Year everyone! It’s been a great inaugural year for RoughStock Distillery and we owe all of our success to the great fans of Montana Whiskey. Lots of things on the agenda for 2010 including another expansion, tasting room opening (yes, finally), and possibly another product in the works. CHEERS!

Tis the season for giving, and all of us here at RoughStock Distllery are in the spirit. We’ve recently announced FREE US Postal Service shipping on all items under $40 in the store – which includes everything in our store with the exception of the Distiller’s Reserve release!

Check out all of the new merchandise including the Glencairn Whisky nosing glasses engraved with our logo! They are perfect for your aficionado and allow you to truly experience RoughStock Montana Whiskey! We’ve also added some new T-shirt designs and a hooded sweatshirt to the line up! All perfect gifts…

Go to the store now by clicking here!

Also, if you’re looking for some RoughStock Montana Whiskey check out the Drink Up section for a list of known retailers. If you don’t see a location near you, give us a shout from the Contact Us page and we’ll figure out where you can get some!

Happy Holidays!

On Saturday, the 5th, we had a great group of Kari’s family from across Montana come help us put batch #6 of Montana Whiskey in bottles. We again set another record in getting everything packaged up and ready to ship out a short 2 hours. Thanks for the help and look for bottles signed by Gary, Lynette, Mark, Brenda, Marg, Joe & Noreen in a store near you!!

It’s a busy day at the distillery!

New merchandise has arrived just in time for the holidays, so we are busy folding t-shirts and sweatshirts to make sure they arrive at your doors without wrinkles…. Check out the new stuff in the online store.

Today is also the day we start delivering the 2009 Special Edition packaging! They turned out great, and the barrel strength whiskey is absolutely phenomenal!

We still have some available so don’t wait until tomorrow when the price goes up! Also, we do have 20 bottles of the cask strength whiskey without the special packaging available for sale from the distillery, if you’re interested get in touch and we’ll give you the details.

And finally, today is the last day to get in your entry for the “Get Out & Enjoy It” photo contest! We’ve got a lot of great entries, so the decision is going to be tough… Check out the entries here and pick out your personal favorite!

Ok, I’m going back to painting the tasting room, look for details on the opening here soon!

On Saturday, the 14th, we had a great group of friends from Bozeman come help us put batch #5 of Montana Whiskey in bottles. In record time they got everything packaged up and ready to ship out. Thanks for the help and look for bottles signed by Lindsey, Chris, Dan, Anna, Kelly, Chance and Jared!!

RoughStock Distillery is pleased to announce the launch of our Limited Edition Collector’s Series.

As some of you may know, our first batches of whiskey were aged in small casks to facilitate quicker aging (if this is news to you, please check our ‘Whiskey 101’ and ‘Guide to our Label’ sections on our website). During the barrel dumping of our First Edition batches, a few barrels singled themselves out as something incredibly unique. The flavors and aromas from these barrels were nothing short of amazing with a generous bouquet of vanilla, spice, malt, apple, pear, toffee, and a hint of smoke. We held on to those incredible barrels with hopes of releasing something special. And here it is:

The 2009 Limited Edition Distiller’s Select Release. Those few barrels singled out will be bottled at cask strength; no filtering or cutting. At a cask strength of approximately 60% by volume (120 Proof) all of the intense flavors from the malt and virgin toasted and charred oak meet and culminate with a rich and smooth finish. This edition is limited to less than 60 bottles.

To further increase the rarity of this release the packaging is the actual small American white oak barrels used to age the first edition batches. We will no longer use this barrel size again. These barrels represent the first whiskey in Montana’s history to be harvested from local grains, distilled, and aged entirely in Montana. The barrels will be identified with a small brass tag and carry the signature “RS” brand emblazoned on the barrel head. The bottle has a hand written label to verify cask strength (determined at bottling), bottle number, and special release date. Each bottle will also be signed and numbered by our Distiller, Bryan Schultz.

This once-in-a-lifetime release will be sure to inspire conversation and envy when put out on display. The whiskey inside these bottles is a bold-flavored representation of Montana and we know you will enjoy it.

Please note there is limited availability on this item. To avoid disappointment please reserve your bottle as soon as possible. On-line sales for pre-order open up November 16th with a bottling/availability date of December 1st. You can also stop by the Distillery to reserve a bottle (same dates apply). With your payment you will receive a receipt showing the bottle number you just purchased (first come, first served). After December 1st, if there is any left, the price will increase. This special addition will only be available for pick-up at RoughStock Distillery; it will not be sold in stores. If you so choose to have this item shipped be aware that it will be heavy, so expect higher than average shipping charges.
Pre-sales: $125
After December 1st: $150
Shipping (optional): $40

On Saturday, the 7th, we had a group from the Yellowstone Club come help put Montana Whiskey in bottles. Despite some label delivery delays, we got everything packaged up and ready to ship out. Thanks for the help and look for bottles signed by Ryan, Ben B, Ben E, Malia, Mike, and Hans!!

Come on down to the Bossanova Ballroom at 722 E Burnside, Portland, OR 97215 on Saturday and Sunday (October 24 and 25th) to meet us, and several other amazing distillers at the Great American Distilling Festival. Stop by the booth, sample some whiskey, and buy some shwag!

Find the information on the festival at Distiller’s Festival

Calling all Montana Whiskey Fans… we’re starting a photo contest: enter your best hunting picture with you or your friends wearing RoughStock gear, drinking RoughStock Montana Whiskey, or with the bottle of your finest RoughStock whiskey in the picture. Best picture gets a free bottle of whiskey redeemable at the distillery. Second place: t-shirt & a hat. Third place gets to help Bryan scrub fermentation tanks.

Entry deadline by December 1st.

Email your photos to info@montanawhiskey.com with the word contest in the subject line.

Any pictures submitted will be added to a poster board in our tasting room that will be opening around the same time the contest ends.

Governor Brian Schweitzer paid the distillery a visit on October 6th. Bryan gave him and his staff a tour! Here are a few photos of the occasion

The First Edition cases were just dropped off at the State Liquor Warehouse in Helena. Most major areas will see it in their liquor stores within the next few weeks with heavy emphasis on distribution in the Gallatin Valley. We are SOLD OUT!

• Here are a few pictures of the first bottling of RoughStock Montana Whiskey. This is the first legally made whiskey in Montana’s history since Prohibition.
  
  
• The “First Edition” bottles will see limited distribution. Get one if you can… if not, we’re still making more so no worries. GIDDYUP and GET SOME!
  
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Bozeman Daily Chronicle did a feature story on the distillery! Read it here.

Bryan was on TV last night! KBZK in Bozeman did a story on the distillery and the Bootstrap Montana loan program. The video has not been posted online as of yet, however, here is the write up on the story. Read it here If they post the video online, I will make sure and post it here!

Bootstrap Montana has funded our trip to the Great American Distiller’s Festival with a 0% loan! The festival will be held in Portland, OR in October of this year. Thanks to Bootstrap Montana for helping us to attend! Read more here!

The Bozeman Daily Chronicle did a short story on RoughStock Distillery today in the Business to Business section. Check it out!

BusinesstoBusinessArticle.pdf

Our Vendome Copper still awaiting shipment in November…..