Corn Whiskey is not an offering usually seen by name on store shelves, as much of the corn-based whiskey is bourbon. But corn whiskey as a category is a little different than bourbon per the US federal regulations. Corn whiskey has to be at least 80% corn and can be stored in either new or used oak barrels. The Liberty Pole Corn Whiskey is is fermented with an American ale yeast and aged for 18-24 months in medium-toasted oak quarter casks formerly housing Liberty Pole’s own bourbon and rye. The Bloody Butcher Corn used as the base is a heirloom grain from southwest Pennsylvania, similar to the kind of corn grown there during the late 18th century Whiskey Rebellion.
Liberty Pole Peated Bourbon
Mingo Creek Craft Distillers was founded in 2017 by Jim and Ellen Hough. The name of their distillery and their whiskey, Liberty Pole, references the Whiskey Rebellion (1791-1794) that has its roots in Western Pennsylvania, where the Liberty Pole was raised by farmers to proclaim their resistance to the whiskey tax levied against them by a fledgling federal government. The rebellion collapsed after federal militia arrived but memory of it still lives in Washington, PA. The distillery offers six core whiskies, including a bourbon cream, and have recently upgraded their still size to increase production. In 2019, they worked with all the other Pennsylvania distilleries to create a special cask strength rye containing whiskey from each distillery for the Whiskey Rebellion Festival. The Liberty Pole Peated Bourbon is double pot distilled and aged 13-18 months.