Frey Ranch joins Estate Whiskey Alliance

The initiative is in partnership with the University of Kentucky and highlights the advantages of local sourcing and sustainable production.

Nevada’s Frey Ranch Distillery has announced a partnership with the University of Kentucky’s Estate Whiskey Alliance (EWA), granting it access to expertise from other key industry leaders focused on a more sustainable future for the whiskey industry.

Estate whiskey is defined as being produced entirely on one distillery estate using grains sourced from the estate and local to that site.

“The wine world constantly talks about grapes, and the nuances of its growing cycle. However, the whiskey world rarely talks about grains, which have the same impact on whiskey as grapes have on wine,” said Frey Ranch co-founder Colby Frey.

“As farmers and distillers, one of our primary objectives is to bring this topic front and centre. By joining the EWA, we hope to further educate bartenders, retailers, and consumers on the importance and relevance of US agriculture and locally grown grains to the production of American whiskey.”

By joining the alliance, Frey Ranch Distillery commits to supporting research and education in agriculture, manufacturing, and sustainability to shape the future of estate whiskey production. Frey Ranch oversees all aspects of whiskey production from farming to harvesting grain to malting on-site through distillation and maturation.

The EWA is open to a variety of members including whiskey producers, farmers, suppliers, and academic institutions. This year, the alliance will provide a first-of-its-kind licensing programme to authenticate Estate Whiskey Certified products with a consumer-recognisable mark.

The University of Kentucky and its UK Innovate research programme established the EWA in 2023.

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