RI’s Own Whiskey Distillery: Sons of Liberty
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
With its December, 2011 release of ‘Uprising’, the South Kingstown based distillery Sons of Liberty has placed Rhode Island on the American whiskey map.
It all started years ago when Brown University graduate and local whiskey enthusiast, Michael Reppucci, thought to himself: Why can't America make a great malt whiskey? Well, they can! In a matter of months Michael and his team at Sons of Liberty Distillery has taken Rhode Island bars and restaurants by storm. The product is an all-natural, high quality whiskey product made from quality ingredients. Whiskeys are usually made from corn, barley, rye or wheat. At Sons of Liberty they use a secret blend of 4 different European malted barleys – each roasted to a different level, adding layers of complexity to the finished product.
Whiskey's little-known origins
It is a little-known fact that whiskey begins its life as beer. While most distillers use cheap corn to make flavorless beer as their base product, Uprising uses higher quality grains and makes a flavorful stout beer, which they use as their base product. After being distilled twice, the 130 proof whiskey is brought down to 80 proof and flavored with American oak, complementing the existing mocha and coffee flavors of their base stout. The result is a smooth, easy sipping, multilayered whiskey that can be served by itself or over ice with ginger beer and bitters as a traditional Nor’easter cocktail.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTRevolutionizing spirits
Michael Reppucci and his team want to revolutionize the spirits industry and are currently experimenting with various levels of oak aging for future whiskeys and trying out different base grains including those of ale and wheat. The company is set to launch its second product, a vodka, next month in the hopes of cashing in on the lucrative high-end vodka market.
Come get an inside look at the whiskey making process and let you taste buds experience the revolution first hand. The Sons of Liberty Distillery is open for tours and tastings ($10). 1425 Kingstown Rd, South Kingstown, 401-284-4006. www.solspirits.com
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