To make whiskey, you have to first make distiller’s beer. This concept is what initially inspired the idea for Kupu Spirits Whiskey. In the next step in the growth of their whiskey program, the focus was on developing a barrel aging program. The result of this “successful experiment” was the development of a rye-forward blend composed of 53% Rye Whiskey, 38% Bourbon-style whiskey and 9% MBC Distilled Malted Barley which has been aged 1.5 to 2 years.
Hawai’i Beverage Guide had the opportunity to speak with Lead Distiller Nick Reiss to get some insight into the production of the whiskey. “This product is rye-forward, using some blending techniques that allowed us to service bartenders and really let them loose with new and classic cocktails.” Additionally, “It's something that's a little innovative, where you wouldn't traditionally blend such a high percentage of bourbon into the rye. I'm a huge fan of rye, and I describe it as sharp, or peppery, with notes of coffee. I also didn’t want to compete too far into the bourbon world because of how respected the style is, and I wouldn't want to put out anything under five to seven years.”
Hawai’i Beverage Guide had the opportunity to speak with Lead Distiller Nick Reiss to get some insight into the production of the whiskey. “This product is rye-forward, using some blending techniques that allowed us to service bartenders and really let them loose with new and classic cocktails.” Additionally, “It's something that's a little innovative, where you wouldn't traditionally blend such a high percentage of bourbon into the rye. I'm a huge fan of rye, and I describe it as sharp, or peppery, with notes of coffee. I also didn’t want to compete too far into the bourbon world because of how respected the style is, and I wouldn't want to put out anything under five to seven years.”
Ingredients
Mash Bills
- Bourbon style base of 75% corn and 25% rye. About 10% of the corn is from Maui.
- Rye style base of 95% rye and 5% barley
- 100% malted barley incorporating roasted malt
“I get to work with a variety of specialty malts and a lot of knowledgeable brewers to assist with dialing in fun recipes and brewing techniques. As far as single malts, I am absolutely in love with any kind of roasted and darker malt character. I order from my brewmaster anything from chocolate malt to smoked malt to oats, and spelt that translates very well from distillation through to the maturation process. With darker malts you have this flavor profile with a kind of bitter undertone and adds a bit of a chocolatey inspiration that does not normally come from traditional whiskey mashbills. It's something that I learned back in Brooklyn from a knowledgeable brewer who gained his education with the well known Heriot-Watt University in Scotland. [This technique is also similar to how] a lot of craft distillers around the country end up experimenting with some smoked and peated malts to mimic the Scottish Whisky and other popular whiskies in parts of the world like Japan.” said Nick.
- Bourbon style base of 75% corn and 25% rye. About 10% of the corn is from Maui.
- Rye style base of 95% rye and 5% barley
- 100% malted barley incorporating roasted malt
“I get to work with a variety of specialty malts and a lot of knowledgeable brewers to assist with dialing in fun recipes and brewing techniques. As far as single malts, I am absolutely in love with any kind of roasted and darker malt character. I order from my brewmaster anything from chocolate malt to smoked malt to oats, and spelt that translates very well from distillation through to the maturation process. With darker malts you have this flavor profile with a kind of bitter undertone and adds a bit of a chocolatey inspiration that does not normally come from traditional whiskey mashbills. It's something that I learned back in Brooklyn from a knowledgeable brewer who gained his education with the well known Heriot-Watt University in Scotland. [This technique is also similar to how] a lot of craft distillers around the country end up experimenting with some smoked and peated malts to mimic the Scottish Whisky and other popular whiskies in parts of the world like Japan.” said Nick.
Water
Particulate filter, activated charcoal, and UV filtration.
Particulate filter, activated charcoal, and UV filtration.
Yeast
White Labs MG+ yeast, a single malt yeast.
Notes from White Labs
Alcohol Tolerance: Very High (15%+)
Fermentation Temperature : 82° - 100° F (28° - 38° C)
White Labs MG+ yeast, a single malt yeast.
Notes from White Labs
Alcohol Tolerance: Very High (15%+)
Fermentation Temperature : 82° - 100° F (28° - 38° C)
Production Process
Fermentation
The Kupu Spirits Whiskey process utilizes a sweet mash, rather than a sour mash. This technique, which is akin to brewing beer without hops, requires brewery level sanitization practices because the mash is inoculated using ONLY the yeast chosen by the distiller, while making sure there are no bacteria or other yeasts “infecting” the mash.
This contrasts a sour mash, which would employ stillage (the residual liquid from the previous distillation run) to create an environment that inhibits some wild yeast and bacteria, as well as allows for some wild yeast and bacteria to enter the fermentation process.
Kupu Spirits uses sweet mash for two reasons: “I'm not really permitted to introduce anything in the entire building to [potentially] compromise beer production. My Brewmaster Kim Brisson-Lutz [jokingly] even calls me the dirty distiller, and I have dedicated equipment: tanks, gaskets, clamps, pumps, everything that I use is just for me to make sure there's no cross-contamination.” “Being a distiller in a brewery is all about control and consistency. If you have a sweet mash, you're refining your mash bill and yeast on a batch-by-batch approach. I don't want any wild or outside influence. I don't want any of that bacteria coming in and ruining our flavor profile. From a brewing standpoint, I'm harnessing what the yeast’s character has to offer by monitoring fermentation and controlling temperatures.
Craft distilling has a main focus to promote expressive and pure flavor when producing spirits, which is often lost through mass production.”
The Kupu Spirits Whiskey process utilizes a sweet mash, rather than a sour mash. This technique, which is akin to brewing beer without hops, requires brewery level sanitization practices because the mash is inoculated using ONLY the yeast chosen by the distiller, while making sure there are no bacteria or other yeasts “infecting” the mash.
This contrasts a sour mash, which would employ stillage (the residual liquid from the previous distillation run) to create an environment that inhibits some wild yeast and bacteria, as well as allows for some wild yeast and bacteria to enter the fermentation process.
Kupu Spirits uses sweet mash for two reasons: “I'm not really permitted to introduce anything in the entire building to [potentially] compromise beer production. My Brewmaster Kim Brisson-Lutz [jokingly] even calls me the dirty distiller, and I have dedicated equipment: tanks, gaskets, clamps, pumps, everything that I use is just for me to make sure there's no cross-contamination.” “Being a distiller in a brewery is all about control and consistency. If you have a sweet mash, you're refining your mash bill and yeast on a batch-by-batch approach. I don't want any wild or outside influence. I don't want any of that bacteria coming in and ruining our flavor profile. From a brewing standpoint, I'm harnessing what the yeast’s character has to offer by monitoring fermentation and controlling temperatures.
Craft distilling has a main focus to promote expressive and pure flavor when producing spirits, which is often lost through mass production.”
Aging
Currently aged at a space provided by Haleakala Ranch for 1.5 to 2 years in new barrels with #2 Char from Independent Stave Company, made from Southern American Oak from the Mid-west.
Given that Hawaiʻi’s climate is significantly warmer than most whiskey producing locales, the challenge of aging was to not over-extract the wood, or get too much wood flavor too quickly.
Nick explained, “I went with a #2 Char, which is just slightly lighter than the popular #3 and #4 Char when it comes to the standards set by bourbon and whiskey in America. We went slightly lighter because we didn't initially know what the island would give us. We found an off-site location in Kula, Maui that allows a more temperate climate in the higher altitude. We turned existing concrete structures into two small rickhouses that allow us to monitor humidity and temperature throughout the whole process. I feel people will appreciate the more subtle approachable, complexities that you'll get from our style.”
Kupu Spirits started with approximately 200 barrels, and for this iteration of the whiskey, have tapped approximately 5% of them, with a solid foundation to build on for future releases. Angel’s Share: 7% in the first year, then an estimated 2% to 3% every year afterwards.
“Right now, we're close to a 10% loss which I believe is under the average of loss compared to other spirit aging warehouses with similar seasonal averages. That just credits the consistent humidity and the temperature that Hawaii is giving us,” noted Nick.
Given the small size of the rickhouses, the location of the barrel is not a factor.
“After the whiskey barrels are used, they will be filled with Maui Brewing beer. “If I have a rye or bourbon barrel that has been aging in our off-site location, I'll bring it back and the moment that it's dumped, we fill beer in it. The beer will be able to keep its main complexities and soak up some of that alcohol and then pick up whatever the barrel has to offer, and end up making a 12% to 13% beer. After about six months of aging, it turns into something really layered and special,” said Nick.
Currently aged at a space provided by Haleakala Ranch for 1.5 to 2 years in new barrels with #2 Char from Independent Stave Company, made from Southern American Oak from the Mid-west.
Given that Hawaiʻi’s climate is significantly warmer than most whiskey producing locales, the challenge of aging was to not over-extract the wood, or get too much wood flavor too quickly.
Nick explained, “I went with a #2 Char, which is just slightly lighter than the popular #3 and #4 Char when it comes to the standards set by bourbon and whiskey in America. We went slightly lighter because we didn't initially know what the island would give us. We found an off-site location in Kula, Maui that allows a more temperate climate in the higher altitude. We turned existing concrete structures into two small rickhouses that allow us to monitor humidity and temperature throughout the whole process. I feel people will appreciate the more subtle approachable, complexities that you'll get from our style.”
Kupu Spirits started with approximately 200 barrels, and for this iteration of the whiskey, have tapped approximately 5% of them, with a solid foundation to build on for future releases. Angel’s Share: 7% in the first year, then an estimated 2% to 3% every year afterwards.
“Right now, we're close to a 10% loss which I believe is under the average of loss compared to other spirit aging warehouses with similar seasonal averages. That just credits the consistent humidity and the temperature that Hawaii is giving us,” noted Nick.
Given the small size of the rickhouses, the location of the barrel is not a factor.
“After the whiskey barrels are used, they will be filled with Maui Brewing beer. “If I have a rye or bourbon barrel that has been aging in our off-site location, I'll bring it back and the moment that it's dumped, we fill beer in it. The beer will be able to keep its main complexities and soak up some of that alcohol and then pick up whatever the barrel has to offer, and end up making a 12% to 13% beer. After about six months of aging, it turns into something really layered and special,” said Nick.
Hawai'i Beverage Guide Tasting Notes
This is the whiskey we would expect from Kupu Spirits’ given their intent, the ingredients, and production process. The 2-year-old whiskey aged in #2 Char barrels is not too oaky. The amber aroma has a nice touch of orange, derived from the usage of 9% single malt. It then dives into the core spice characteristics of cinnamon and allspice, from the rye base spirit (58%). A touch of corn sweetness can be found at the back end, and can be attributed to the bourbon mash (38%).
Approach to cocktails using Kupu Spirits
The palate is a decent weight, not particularly thick, or viscous, but with the intent of being as much a mixer as a sipper, it could work well in an Old Fashioned, because the sugar will help with the mouthfeel. It also makes for a solid Boulevardier with the Kupu Amaro. “I'm definitely not standing on a soapbox saying, you guys should drink this straight. I get excited about what people can do with it,” said Nick.
Approach to cocktails using Kupu Spirits
The palate is a decent weight, not particularly thick, or viscous, but with the intent of being as much a mixer as a sipper, it could work well in an Old Fashioned, because the sugar will help with the mouthfeel. It also makes for a solid Boulevardier with the Kupu Amaro. “I'm definitely not standing on a soapbox saying, you guys should drink this straight. I get excited about what people can do with it,” said Nick.