Quinoa Whiskey? Modified Crop List Spurs Distilleries To Try Alternative Grains

[TexasTowelie]

By definition, whiskey is a grain spirit. And until now, that "grain" has been limited by federal law to four specific crops: corn, wheat, rye and barley.

So when Darek Bell, founder of Corsair Distillery in Nashville, Tenn., wanted to start experimenting with alternatives, there wasn't really a playbook to follow.

"We started looking at a whole lot of grains that were coming out of sort of the health food movement, the green movement," Bell said. "We're thinking, 'What would it taste like to distill this?'"

Bell and Corsair settled on quinoa — partly, Bell said, because of its distinct flavor and partly because of the perceived health benefits (none of which, unfortunately, can really withstand the distillation process). The distillery has been producing and distributing quinoa whiskey since 2011.

Read more: https://www.kanw.com/post/quinoa-whiskey-modified-crop-list-spurs-distilleries-try-alternative-grains

It's the first time that I've heard of quinoa whiskey. Has anybody here tried it?

[Kali]

1. interesting

but it is only 20% quinoa so more like a flavoring agent