Johnnie Byrd Distillery
We've always had plans to branch off into distilling, in 2020, we pulled the trigger by buying a still. We spent the next nearly two years just playing with our new toy. We took time to perfect our recipes, choose the finest ingredients and A LOT of time developing our hard alcohol palate. Distilling may be our owner, Greg's, true calling and we are beyond excited to finally share our dream with the world. We hope you have as much fun enjoying our spirits as we had making them.
Vodka
After two years of experimenting, we landed on this wonderful vodka recipe. Midwestern white malt paired with a smattering of Nebraska honey is the base of this vodka. At least 6 (six) distillations and a slow filter through carbon mean this vodka has little to no bite. We've never been one to sit down and sip straight vodka but this is perfect for straight sipping or even better for mixing into your favorite cocktail.
ABV 40% Proof 80
ABV 40% Proof 80
Gin
We set out to make a gin that was bright, delicate and not like drinking a glass of Christmas Tree, we think we nailed it. Our gin is a beautiful blend of light botanicals and just the right amount of juniper berries. Midwestern white wheat and Nebraska honey are the fermentables used in our gin which is then distilled 13 times to make sure our delicate balance of botanicals shine brightly.
ABV 40% Proof 80
ABV 40% Proof 80
Wisner
In the two years it took to get our distilling legs under us, we brewed a very dark and rich bourbon wash but just couldn't wait the two years to age it like a traditional bourbon, so we decided to mash together two styles. Brewed as a bourbon wash from corn, rich and roasty barley, with a hint of rye, then speed aged for 3 to 6 months in the style of an Irish whiskey. The fusion of these two styles produced a wonderfully unique whiskey just like the town it is named for, enjoy!
ABV 40% Proof 80
ABV 40% Proof 80
Honey Shine
Honey Shine is a truly unique product, you will NEVER EVER find this product in any other distillery's portfolio. Nebraska Honey is fermented and distilled, notes of clove and floral tones are carried through the distillation process. We wanted to take this spirit a bit further and added butterfly pea flower to give it a beautifully unique color which changes with the pH of whatever you mix into your cocktail, changing from purple to ultraviolet or royal blue.
Our owner, Greg, loves to channel his inner Pooh Bear and consumes more honey than is probably healthy. Honey has been an intricate part of our beer menu and Greg wanted to keep that going in the distillery with Honey Shine. This spirit was always a hair brained dream until Greg met his friends at C-Bee Honey in Randolph. Johnnie Byrd is the only distillery in Nebraska and one of a handful in the U.S. who makes a distilled spirit using solely honey as a base. It's such a rare process, there's not really an industry standard name for this spirit.
Honey Shine is fine on the rocks or in a cocktail. We'd love to hear what cocktails you've made with this one of a kind spirit. Drop us a comment on any of a Socials or shoot us an email.
ABV 35% Proof 70
Suggested Cocktails:
- Honey Shine, honey simple syrup, splash of lemon juice and water
- Honey Shine Old fashioned -- just substitute Honey Shine for bourbon in your favorite old fashioned
Our owner, Greg, loves to channel his inner Pooh Bear and consumes more honey than is probably healthy. Honey has been an intricate part of our beer menu and Greg wanted to keep that going in the distillery with Honey Shine. This spirit was always a hair brained dream until Greg met his friends at C-Bee Honey in Randolph. Johnnie Byrd is the only distillery in Nebraska and one of a handful in the U.S. who makes a distilled spirit using solely honey as a base. It's such a rare process, there's not really an industry standard name for this spirit.
Honey Shine is fine on the rocks or in a cocktail. We'd love to hear what cocktails you've made with this one of a kind spirit. Drop us a comment on any of a Socials or shoot us an email.
ABV 35% Proof 70
Suggested Cocktails:
- Honey Shine, honey simple syrup, splash of lemon juice and water
- Honey Shine Old fashioned -- just substitute Honey Shine for bourbon in your favorite old fashioned
Light Nebraska Whiskey
We know we are in Canadian whiskey country, we wanted to offer a very light whiskey which would be approachable to those new to neat whiskey or those looking for a locally made whiskey that was perfect to mix into your favorite cocktails. A single-malt whiskey aged for at least 3 months in a lightly toasted barrel.
ABV 35% Proof 70
ABV 35% Proof 70
Cinnamon Whiskey
Using our lighter whiskey as a base. Our cinnamon whiskey isn't like chewing on a stick of big red gum, we added cinnamon at barrel strength, pulling out the charming elements of cinnamon. Light notes of cinnamon, extra woodiness from the cinnamon sticks and heavy tones of vanilla are the main notes of this wonderful whiskey. Our Cinnamon Whiskey would be perfect to enjoy on the rocks or to blend in with your beverage of choice.
ABV 35% Proof 70
ABV 35% Proof 70
At Johnnie Byrd, we DO NOT use some big name distillery's raw product, re-distill, then slap our own label on it. Every single batch is grain to glass. That means we are intimately involved with the product from start to finish, sourcing every single grain or raw product used, brewing all our own washes, choosing the perfect yeast strain and then distilling the final product. We are a small batch distillery, made by two hands that love every minute of the creation process. Our batch size is 30 to 100 bottles, so please bear with us as we try to keep up with your love for our product.
Special thanks to our friends at Regency Portraits for the perfect refresh to our website photos.
