Review: High Rock Vodka
High Rock Vodka was created by Dale Jr. and Amy Earnhardt in collaboration with Sugarlands Distilling Company. High Rock was launched February in Florida, and will be available nationwide in April. It is made from 100% corn and crisp clean water from the Great Smoky Mountains at Sugarlands distillery in Gatlinburg Tennessee. The spirit is distilled seven times and then triple filtered using the Lincoln County process which uses sugar maple charcoal to remove impurities. It is bottled at a very significant 88 proof. Dale won his second Daytona 500 while driving the 88 car. 88 was also the number of the car his grandfather Ralph drove for years. While most straight vodka is bottled at 80 proof High Rock is not alone. New Deal, Gilded Age, and Harridan Vodka are also bottled at 88 proof. Read more 
Review: Jeptha Creed Vodka
Jeptha Creed Vodka is made with Non-GMO Heirloom Bloody Butcher corn grown on 10 acres of the 1000 plus acre Nethery family farm. This is a fifth generation family farm located in Shelbyville Kentucky. The Jeptha Creed Distillery opened November 2016. This distillery also crafts bourbon, brandy, moonshine, and several flavored vodka’s. The vodka is distilled on a 250 gallon Vendome Copper and Brass still by Master Distiller Joyce Nethery. This is a true family operation with husband Bruce, daughter Autumn, and son Hunter involved in the farming, distilling, and marketing of Jeptha Creed. Jeptha Creed is named for Jeptha Knob, the highest point in Kentucky. Read more
Review: Starlight 31 Stars Vodka
Starlight Vodka was released June 2014. It has since been rebranded to Starlight 31 Stars Vodka. 31 takes its name from their distilled spirits plant number DSM-IN-31. Stars bring recognition to their home, Starlight Distillery. In 1843 Simon Huber emigrated from Baden-Baden Germany to settle in Southern Indiana. Through the years the family farm has grown to 600 acres. In 1938 a dairy barn was built. In 1978 they redesigned the dairy barn and opened their winery. In 2000 they obtained a license to distill on the farm. Beside vodka they currently produce several whiskeys, gin, rum, brandy, and grappa. 31 Stars is crafted by Co-Owner and Master Distiller Ted Huber from heirloom corn. The corn is grown, milled, mashed, distilled and bottled by the family on their farm. It is small batch distilled 7 times on an 80 gallon custom Christian Carl Copper Pot Still hand crafted in Germany. Read more
Review: Kennay Farms Vodka
Kennay Farms Vodka is made from 100% corn grown on the Kennay family farm. It is crafted in a historic former theatre in downtown Rochelle. The Hub Theatre opened as an art deco style theatre in 1931. It took over two years to renovate the theatre. This distillery also makes gin and whiskey. The corn is produced, milled, and distilled by a family member. The Kennay’s are 6th generation farmers. The vodka is produced on a Vendome Copper and Brass Works still with 20 distillation plates. The spirit is carbon filtered prior to bottling. The bottles logo represents the strong women of the Kennay Family. Read more
Review: Tattersall Vodka
Tattersall Vodka is crafted from certified organic corn harvested at their Head Distillers family farm on the rolling plains of Southeastern Minnesota. After harvesting the corn grown at Four Sisters Farm in Rochester Minnesota, the corn is milled at Anderson Farms in Cambridge Minnesota. The spirit is small batch distilled six times in their Vendome Copper and Brass Works column still and triple filtered. The spent grain is used as livestock feed. Vodka is one two dozen spirits currently distilled at the Northeastern Minneapolis distillery Dan Oskey and Jon Kreidler founded in 2014. They recently opened a second distillery in River Falls Wisconsin. Read more
Review: South Fork Vodka
South Fork Vodka was launched September 2018 by Co-Founders Johnathan Dorfman and Dan Kennerson in Grass Valley California. The two worked previously together as ethanol researchers for the US Department of Defense. South Fork is named after one of Northern California’s iconic bodies of water, The South Fork of the Yuba River. South Fork is distilled six times from GMO-Free American Corn and Nevada Mountain Spring water. The spirit is further refined through a small batch finishing method. South Fork has been been awarded Best Craft Vodka Distillery by USA Today in 2021. They also were included on Wine Enthusiasts list of Ten Best Vodka’s of 2020. Read more
Review: Texas Vodka
Texas Vodka is one of several vodka brands sold exclusively at Trader Joes stores. It is made in Texas from 100% corn, distilled 6 times, and comes with a plastic twist cap, leaving little doubt who they want to be compared with. When the vodka first appeared at Trader Joes it was labeled TX Vodka. The brand is owned by Dynasty Spirits. Dynasty Spirits was founded in 2010 by Devin Dell. Dynasty produces Painted Donkey Tequila, and several brands of vodka including Tower, Column 5, Green House, Stil, and Townes. Dynasty also created the Nue Vodka product line until they sold it to Southwestern Spirits. Read more
Review: Stateside Vodka
Stateside Vodka is the result of what started as a conversation between Matt and Bryan Quigley, two bored brothers had in 2013 about crafting a vodka. After learning the basics of distilling from the internet and sourcing a still made from a repurposed beer keg, the brothers starting distilling in their fathers basement. Until their father kicked them out. They learned enough to land a distilling fellowship at Michigan State, followed by a consulting gig with a famous vodka brand in Poland. Upon returning to the US they developed a business plan, received funding and formed Federal Distilling. Stateside Vodka is made from 100% US grown corn. It is seven times distilled. Stateside is brought to proof with purified mineral enhanced water and aerated with medical grade oxygen, then carbon and cold filtered prior to hand bottling. Read more
Review: Trader Joes Small Batch Vodka
Trader Joes Small Batch Vodka was just released. With 530 store locations in 43 states and The District of Columbia Trader Joes has become a force in private label adult beverages. TJ’s Small Batch, as the name implies is small batch distilled 10 times from corn in Monroe Wisconsin at the old Monroe Brewing Company Brewery. This brewery opened in 1845 and is best known for brewing Huber and Augsburger beer. I believe it is only available on a regional basis like Trader Joes TX vodka is only available in Texas. Trader Joes Small Batch Vodka is charcoal filtered and reduced to proof with water sourced from a natural limestone filtered aquifer about 1300 feet below the distillery. It is bottled at a higher than usual 88 proof. Read more
Review: Detroit Steam Vodka
Detroit Steam Vodka is distilled and bottled by Rusted Crow Spirits in Dearborn Michigan. The distillery was established in 2013 by Joe Schebel who partnered with his father of the same name. Joe grew up in Dearborn Michigan and he graduated from College For Creative Studies in Detroit. His love of Industrial Steam Punk Style is on display in each bottles design. The Detroit Steam Vodka bottle not only features the old Cadillac Building but also a column still, and the Rusted Crow custom fabricated 1930 Ford Rat Rod Joe built with a 350 Chevy Motor. He used 7000 rivets to puzzle piece copper together with used bourbon barrels on the side. The Rusted Crow spirit lineup also includes Ginger Devil Sinnamon Whiskey, Ginstache Gin, Grey Stache Earl Grey Tea Flavored Gin, Davy Jones Rum, Straight Rust Belt Bourbon, and Murder Mitten Moonshine. Detroit Steam Vodka is made from 100% Michigan grown corn and is distilled 12 times and filtered through activated coconut charcoal. The spirit is blended to proof with artesian alkaline Michigan Spring water. Read more