by Tashi Johns | Welcome to my next installment of drinking with intention!  You might have seen my first blog post, “Drinking Sustainably” written for Earth Day this year. During my research I was inspired to do a part two where I feature distilleries giving back to their communities.  Who doesn’t love a delicious drink that helps put some good back into the world?

THE INSPIRATION…

During my quest to find eco-conscious distilleries I read about Du Nord, located here in Minneapolis, and knew I had to write another blog piece that would feature them and highlight all they’ve accomplished within the last year alone. 

On Monday, May 25th George Floyd was murdered by a police officer which created city wide unrest.  The following Friday, the riots that also erupted reached the Du Nord warehouse and it was burned down.  The owners, Chris and Chanelle Montana, saw how much their community was hurting and decided to turn this set back into a way to support their community.  They started by creating a GoFundMe page to raise money “as a way to support small and under-represented business owners, whose physical stores or offices were damaged as a direct result of the civil uprising and were under-insured, or lacked critical funding to get them back into business again.”  This funding helped rebuild the  Du Nord warehouse and supported businesses across the Twin Cities.  By June they had created the Du Nord Foundation and were able to distribute these emergency funds to 76 businesses in a total of $496,751 to rebuild and revitalize.

I was able to chat with Chris and he told me about the strides he has taken as a business owner to help instill change in the industry.  Du Nord is the first black owned micro distillery, and if you check out their team page you will see a wide variety of diversity on their staff – something not often seen at distilleries.  Chris said that the murder of George Floyd really made him think about what Du Nord was doing.  It was a wake up call to do more and to ask how big they can go, which is how the Du Nord Foundation came to fruition.

Two days after their warehouse burned down, Chris was assisting a pop up food pantry by lending them some space in the distillery (see title photo) to store the donated items because it was about to rain.  As they were moving in, neighbors stopped by to donate and volunteer, and a line of community members needing supplies formed down the block.  Overnight the Du Nord Community Market was up and running by the power of dedicated volunteers.  It ran every day for two weeks (until they had to close for building cleanup and renovation), and in those two weeks they utilized 300 volunteers and helped 400 families each week.  They were recently able to re-open their community market and are now taking orders online with curbside pickup.

Chris has spent a lot of time thinking about how to use his place as a business owner to help create an equitable distribution of wealth to build generational wealth, and says that owning a business is the best way to do that.  So the “BIPOC Wealth Development & Incubator Project” was born. This is a way for Du Nord spirits to funnel profits into the Du Nord Foundation nonprofit to create a hub to grow BIPOC small businesses trying to come up in the food and beverage industry.  These businesses will be given space, access to a commercial kitchen, and be able to sell their products and build their brand right out of the distillery.  They won’t have to pay rent, so they can take the time they need to perfect their products and build their brand.  If they choose to pay rent it will be on a sliding scale and that money will go directly back into the program.  There will be no time limit on how long these businesses can use the space either.  Du Nord is in the works to purchase properties to launch the incubator project, including an expansion into north Minneapolis which will also house a second location for their Community Market.  You can read all about this venture here.

One last thing I would like to share about the amazing work Chris and his team have accomplished is their production of hand sanitizer.  In the beginning of the pandemic when we were experiencing a shortage of hand sanitizer Du Nord decided to start producing it.  They originally were giving it away, but order requests started coming in so they were able to sell it at a reasonable cost and bring people back to work and give them hazard pay to make it.  This benefited both Du Nord and the community at large, and you can still order hand sanitizer on their website!

You really can’t beat a local distillery doing good across the twin cities.  I highly recommend checking out their website, giving their cocktail room a visit once it opens again, and maybe even volunteering with the Community Market!  We are happy to carry Du Nord products and hope you will give them a try next time you visit our store.

You can find Du Nord in our vodka, gin, whiskey, and liqueur isles. I highly recommend trying their L’Etoile Vodka and Cafe Frieda Coffee Liqueur.

SUPPORTING LOCAL HOCKEY

Northland Spirits was co-founded by Mark Parrish with some friends to create a company that gives back to their community.  Mark comes from the hockey world, even playing on the 2006 US Olympic team.  So naturally, 5% of all sales go to support local Minnesota community hockey programs.  Their vodka is organic (they’re working on the certification but it’s made with organic corn) and made with all local ingredients, keeping the entire process in Minnesota and then giving back to keep our tradition of hockey thriving!

They only make vodka right now so our recommendation is an obvious one, The Spirit of Hockey.

GIVING BACK IN NYC

Last year when the pandemic began, St. Agrestis stepped up to help provide hand sanitizer when there was a severe shortage nationwide.  They donated hundreds of gallons to folks like the NYPD, FDNY, hospitals, and Black Lives Matter organizers “to ensure that those protesting and marching for change were protected”.  They also recently joined a mentorship program which focuses on giving people of color foundational experience in the liquor industry, focusing on management and ownership.

Another cool thing St. Agrestis has done, to connect back to my drinking sustainably blog, is create large format products to cut back on packaging waste.  The St. Agrestis Spritz is sold in kegs, which are lightweight and recyclable.  If the equivalent amount of glass bottles were used to make the cocktail traditionally, about 36 lbs of glass would be used.  This switch has resulted in a waste reduction of 92%!  Since inception they have decreased the weight of recycling by over 15,000 lbs!

St. Agrestis also donates to local school organizations and community groups as a way to give back and stay connected to their city.

You’ve probably tried the St. Agrestis Amaro and Inferno Bitter, so we recommend trying one of their new “bag in a box” cocktails!  We have all three: Negroni, Black Manhattan, and Boulevardier.

by Tashi Johns

As a new member of the liquor team I decided to combine my background in sustainability with learning about our products to bring you a brief guide to drinking sustainably on Earth Day, and every day!  You might be familiar with the concept of a carbon footprint, where you measure your environmental impact on the world based on your lifestyle habits (if not, you can learn all about that here).  It’s important to know where our food and beverages come from, with a major emphasis around buying local to decrease your impact, but how often do we think about these things when at the liquor store?  I’m excited to share with you a few distilleries doing really cool things to reduce their environmental impact, and take you on a tour through our liquor isles to feature a sustainable treat from each section.  We don’t always have a lot of control over what kind of impact our everyday lives make on the environment, but we can be more conscious shoppers and try some new things in a toast to mother earth.

LET’S START LOCAL!

Far North –  Hallock, MN | Far North takes their environmental impact seriously, and I’m happy to say that we carry quite a few of their products.  They start by growing their own grain (except malt barley) on the distillery property, reducing the need to bag and ship grain.  The spent grain is then used as fertilizer on the fields.  Far North is so good at reducing, recycling, and composting that they don’t even have a landfill dumpster on site!  They’ve adopted water conservation techniques during the distillation process to reduce waste, they carefully source their botanicals and spices, and also purchase their barrels from local cooperages focused on responsible forestry practices.  There is plenty more I could go on about, like their intentional farming practices and eco-friendly building, but let’s keep this blog moving.

You can find Far North products in many of our liquor sections – rum, bourbon, gin, vodka, and whiskey!  We recommend trying their newest release, Solveig Anna’s Garden Gin.

Tattersall – Minneapolis, MN | Everyone loves the mini Tattersall pre-mixed drinks we carry by the registers, and I’m happy to inform you that these impulse treats come from a company that cares about sustainability!  Tattersall sources their grains from Minnesota, most coming from within 45 miles of their distillery, and other ingredients for the distillation process and cocktail room from within 100 miles.  They participate in a spent grain program where local farmers pick up grain for animal feed, and have a robust composting program that includes waste from their cocktail room.  Tattersall also purchases their barrels from Minnesotan based cooperages, and started a new partnership with NetZro to turn spent grain into flour!

You can find Tattersall in almost all of our liquor sections – absinthe, aquavit, gin, rum, vodka, bourbon, whiskey, various crema and liqueur flavors, and three ready to drink cocktails!  We recommend trying their newest cocktail called the Cosmo Bianco.

MIDWEST IS BEST.

Valentine Distillery – Detroit, MI | In 2019 Valentine implemented a sustainability plan focused on becoming a carbon neutral distillery and has been making moves to jump start that process.  They currently pay extra to purchase renewable energy to power their facilities, with plans to install wind and solar on site!  They installed a piece of water reclamation equipment that will recapture 95-98% of water lost during the distilling process, an important endeavor to the conservation of the Great Lakes, as well as a rooftop transfer unit that utilizes cold air from outside to cool the process water used during fermentation.  They also purchase their grain from farmers in the Great Lakes region and return the spent grain to them as animal feed.  Their cocktail lounge neighbor, MBrew, plants a palm tree every year as a part of their sustainability efforts and their most recent palm now grows in the distillery, capturing 30-40 pounds of carbon dioxide released during the fermentation process each year (see the top picture).  Valentine has made great strides to becoming carbon neutral!

You can find Valentine in our bourbon, whiskey, vodka, and gin sections!  We recommend trying their Mayor Pingree Bourbon.

NOW, LET’S TAKE A WALK THROUGH THE LIQUOR AISLES!

Whiskey | Jack Daniel’s distillery sends 99% of used materials to be reused or recycled as a part of their Zero Waste to Landfill goal.  They’ve made lots of updates to their production process to reduce waste and save energy.  Their parent company, Brown-Forman, is leading sustainability companywide and invested in a wind farm in Kansas to offset 90% of energy consumption of all their distilleries.

Bourbon | Maker’s Mark has a spring fed lake on the property which is a designated water sanctuary.  They focus heavily on watershed protection, have planted thousands of trees and bushes, purchased buffer land around the property, and introduced a reverse osmosis technique for recapturing water from the distillation process.

Scotch | Glenmorangie has created a partnership with Heriot-Watt University and the Marine Conservation Society known as the Dornoch Environmental Enhancement Project (DEEP) to restore oyster reefs, which are some of the earth’s most endangered habitats.  They’ve also implemented the use of an anaerobic digestion plant to purify the by-products created through the distillation process, which drastically decreases their carbon footprint!*

Gin | The Botanist uses all renewable energy at their distillery as well as a circulatory heating system to recycle hot waste water from the distillation process.  They support PlantLife and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust as a part of their dedication to biodiversity on the island, as well as the Botanic Gardens Conservation International in their mission to stop the extinction of plants, and also fund PhD students studying Scottish juniper.  They’ve also eliminated single use plastic on site and their glass bottles are recyclable.*

Mezcal | Erstwhile imports small batch mezcal from Oaxaca Mexico from two multi-generational family farms that take their mezcal seriously.  Giving small family farms the ability to produce mezcal in a way they can be proud of creates a more sustainable product.  Agave takes at least seven years to mature, and producers that aim for a consistent product year after year tend to rely on harmful farming practices.  Some mezcals are made solely from wild agave, some of which can take 35 years to mature, and are driving some species of agave to extinction.  By farming agave you help protect endangered wild agave species and by focusing on small batches you can maintain sustainable farming practices, like ensuring the agave gets to full maturation before harvesting. Every mezcal that Erstwhile releases is small batch and limited edition, ensuring the highest quality mezcal and best treatment of the agave plants.  Everyone wins when you give producers autonomy and don’t treat mezcal as a commodity.  Lidia Hernández shared with us that their family farm is “promoting the cultivation of wild agave varietals on our land, so they do not become extinct”.  And Vanessa García Santiago shared that her family farm uses organic compost made from bagazo (agave fiber leftover from the distillation process).  Erstwhile will continue to add more small family farms to their community as they continue to grow.*

Mixers | Everyone’s favorite mixer has big sustainability goals!  Fever-tree started by making all their packaging recyclable, and infinitely so.  Then they ensured their ingredients came from biodiverse sources, and planted London’s First Tiny Forest with plans to fund other urban tree planting projects.  They’ve been studying their supply chain and carbon footprint to create changes and offset their impact.  Not to mention their commitment to eliminating malaria around the globe.*

I would like to give a BIG thank you to a few people who helped make this blog happen!  Taylor Stein – our rep from The Wine Company, Yuan Ji – cofounder of Erstwhile, Sarah Warde – Sales Manager at Valentine Distillery, and Anika Hager – Coordinator at Native Sustainability.  I hope this blog post gave you some ideas about how your next cocktail might just help you be a little more eco-conscious in your everyday life!  Cheers!

*There is a significant carbon footprint in shipping products overseas however I did want to feature these companies doing what they can to offset their environmental impact, because we can’t always eat or drink locally.

**I would also like to note that organic does not necessarily equal sustainable, so don’t let greenwashed marketing fool you!  Make sure you do your homework before purchasing if this is something you truly care about.

written by Bert & Dylan

Last March our lives got a lil’ funky, but this March it’s our drinks that are going to be the funky ones, and what better than a Jamaican rum to funkifiy our glasses.  These Jamaican rums are exploding with a distinct and fruity smell called “hogo”.  Hogo comes from adding dunder, the leftovers from a pot stills previous batch (whiskey drinkers would know this as sour mash), to the new mash and letting it ferment for up to three weeks! STRONG notes of overripe pineapple and banana make these rums the perfect drink for someone searching for a unique style of spirit to drink neat, or for a cocktail enthusiast to experiment with a new and distinctive flavor profile. Hogo filled Jamaican rums are the perfect spirit to for adventurous drinkers who want to add a unique flavorful spirit to their home bar.

Hampden Estates is probably the most notable of Jamaica’s few remaining distilleries. For centuries they only produced rum for other brands blends and bottlings. One of these includes Smith & Cross, a popular mixer for tiki cocktails. After much anticipation, they finally started bottling rum under their own name. Some of these releases include Rum Fire, an unaged hogo bomb, as well as an 8 year old rum perfect for sipping. These are just a few of the many Jamaican rums out there to explore.

Smith & Cross

Smith and Cross is the perfect embodiment of a navy strength Jamaican rum. Bottled at 57% ABV it can be quite intimidating, however it is the smell of sweet pineapple, not alcohol, that will smack you in the face when you open the bottle.  This makes Smith & Cross a perfect mixer for Tiki drinks such as a Mai Tai or Jungle Bird.

Rum Fire

This unaged, high ester, overproof rum had been used in blends for years until recently. With strong notes of papaya, pineapple and coconut, it is the perfect addition to any cocktail.

Hampden 8 year

This delicious sipper offers aromas of banana, mango, cinnamon, vanilla and caramelized apples on the nose, that are echoed throughout the palate.

Holy smokes, we have just beefed up our sake selection and we have a ton of new items to try. Sake has always been flying under the radar in the drink world but the times are a changing. We have seen a huge increase in the thirst for this lovely beverage, but what exactly is sake? Is it beer? Wine? Liquor? To help demystify sake it’s time for a little sake 101.

Many of the sakes that grace our shelves are premium quality sake that should be consumed cold like you would a white wine. You will also find the word “junmai” on a lot of the bottles as well. This is significant for a few reasons. First, sake that uses the word junmai either by itself, before a word, or after a word means that the sake is a pure rice grain sake. Some sake does have added distilled alcohol to it which can help richen the sake or enhance its aromatics. The second meaning for junmai refers to the level of polish the rice is given before they brew the sake.

Yes, I said BREW! Sake is made in a similar fashion as beer is, but it is technically not considered beer. There are only a handful of ingredients in sake. Typically you will find water, rice, and koji. These will be the only ingredients used in the brewing process for all junmai sake. Non-junmai sake may contain additives such as distilled alcohol, sugar, or amino acids.

Now that you are a sake expert it is time to try some our or new sakes. Goodbye boring beverages! Take home some of these tasty morsels as they can pair with just about any food.

Miyasaka Yawaraka Junmai “Matinee” Sake – 720ML $23.99

Hints of puffed rice, caramel, cream, and grains jump from the glass on this chuggable, only 12% ABV, sake. Pear and honeydew grace your palate and finish with a hint of citrus. This sake will pair with anything!

Ama No To Tokubetsu Junmai “Heaven’s Door” Sake – 300ML $17.99

With over 100 years of brewing experience Asami Brewery makes this lovely little sake that is dry and medium bodied. Slightly floral, nutty, and crisp on the finish this sake will have you reaching for more. Its core shows light apple and baking spice nuances that go great with risotto, pork, or mushroom dishes.

Mantensei Junmai Ginjo “Star Filled Sky” Sake – 300ML $16.99

This sake is super unique. It has been aged in tank for three years helping to develop super rich and savory flavors. A touch of dried honey and toffee lead way to a creamy stone fruit finish. Lightly fruity but dry, and dangerously delicious. Pairs great with any grilled meat.

America is running out of Casamigos. Now what?

Friends, family, fellow tequila drinkers, we are writing this message today to inform you about the current state of the agave and tequila based drinks here in Minnesota (and ultimately America). The state of the agave is strong, but there has been one hindrance.

People have been spending exorbitantly more time at home watching George Clooney movies through March, April, and May, and the last two months have been perfect margarita weather. The natural response to this storm is to purchase Casamigos Blanco and enjoy (survive) the time with family. However, the high increase in demand is outpacing the supply that can come out of Jalisco, Mexico. This specific situation is dire: America is running out of Casamigos.

O Casamigos, where art thou? Well, before you try to pull your own Ocean’s Eleven, we have a better solution for you. We have brought in some new tequilas of similar quality and value for customers to enjoy, and we are personally very excited to tell you about the solution to your margarita dilemma.

MILAGRO SINGLE BARREL SILVER | $39.99 | Perhaps the closest in flavor profile to Casamigos blanco, this staff favorite has returned to the store $10 cheaper than last time! Lime and citrus exist on the nose with vanilla sweetness through the palate. Aged in French Oak for 30 days before filtration, this fruit-forward tequila can be enjoyed perfectly with a squeeze of lime.

GRAN DOVEJO BLANCO | $41.99 | A newcomer to the store in May, Gran Dovejo is cooked in traditional brick ovens and distilled to 80 proof instead of a high distillation and watering down to reach the 40% ABV. The flavor is a cornucopia of honey, citrus, light florals, and finishes peppery. A spectacular bottle, there is a higher proof version at 96 proof with a stronger flavor emphasis on agave nectar and pineapple (Gran Dovejo Blanco High Proof $52.99).

123 ORGANIC UNO BLANCO | $45.99 | This tequila will deviate more from Casamigos than the previous two, but we promise you will enjoy this detour. 100% organic, Uno blanco is lighter on vanilla, but bursting with agave sweetness. Lime leaf, citrus, and fennel spice compose the flavor profile in this one, and offers an enormous mouthfeel and texture.

All of these tequilas are now lining the liquor bar (you know, the place where we used to just let you try all these tequilas) for easy selection. And, while we still have Casamigos and even after the shortage ends, maybe this is a perfect time to branch out, and find a new favorite tequila. We promise not to tell George.