The podcast team of Phil ‘The Brit’ Clark, and Hopvine Brewing’s Ken McMullen headed west on I-88 to the small town of Rochelle IL. Located in the old Hub Theater is Kennay Farms Distilling. Doris and Rick Kennay have restored the old theater and turned it into a thriving distillery that includes a small brewing operation to ensure all tastes are accommodated.
This episode takes The Brit into uncharted territory as ‘hard’ liquor isn’t usually something the podcast focuses on, so understanding how the process is the same, or differs, from the brewing process is enlightening. We talk about how the long-established farming family began this endeavor, and how it fits into their agricultural business. There is talk of the barrels, where they come from and the rules associated with using them. It’s a crash course in the basics of running a distillery and how you need patience for this long-term project.
Rick and Doris have a fascinating story to tell, so if you’d like to take a weekend drive this is a great place to head out to and take one of their tours. And if you don’t drink spirits, we’ve sampled their brews and they are also worth the trip! Cheers!
Brews Sampled:
- Mother Hen, Hefeweizen infused with hibiscus, 6.1%
- Cakes On The Griddle, Sour with vanilla,
- Cherries Jubilee, Stout, 9.0%
- Farmer’s Basket, Gose infused with strawberries and hibiscus, 4.5%
Play the show our player below…or your favorite smartphone podcast app…we have a direct link to iTunes for iPhone users, and GooglePlay for Android users:
