Companies that run both a brewery and distillery — a brewstillery, if you will — are fairly common now. New Holland, Dogfish Head, Rogue, Southern Tier, and Anchor immediately come to mind, but more than 150 others are registered. That doesn’t even factor in interesting collaborations between brands. You don’t hear much about wine and spirits combos, though, and that’s what Ammunition Wine and Whiskey brings to the table.
Ammunition Wine and Whiskey
Ammunition started with their wine. The simplest description I can give is, “great wine at a perfectly reasonable price.” I’m far from a wineficionado, but I know my way around adult grape juice, and Ammunition wine is ridiculously approachable while avoiding being a one-note wonder that other easy-to-drink wines are. There’s just a fun level of complexity without it being overwhelming.
More important than bottled fruit — Ammunition has unleashed two whiskeys on the world. And you guessed it, they’re finished in Ammunition wine barrels. Someone was clearly paying attention to, “Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.” when they were a kid.
Ammunition Straight Bourbon
The first is Ammunition Straight Bourbon Whiskey, a blend of 2, 3, and 4-year-old whiskeys that’s then finished for at least three months in their ex-Cabernet barrels. As you can see from the cocktail photo below, my bottle is nearly gone already. And with all the liquor sitting around the office… that’s saying something.
For you mash bill geeks out there, Ammunition’s bourbon is 60% Corn, 25% Wheat, 10% Rye, 5% Malted Barley. You read that right – wheat and rye in the same bottle. I don’t know of any other bourbons that combine the two, although I’m sure they’re out there somewhere.
Ammunition Rye
Similarly, Ammunition Rye Whiskey is a blend of 2, 3, and 4-year-old whiskey but this time aged in Ammunition Sonoma Pinot Noir. They keep it spicy with 95% rye, but it somehow plays quite nicely with the sweetness of the Pinot. It’s stellar in a Manhattan or Old Fashioned; just pare back the vermouth or sugar a tad.
New York Sour Recipe
If you really wanna get nuts, make yourself a New York Sour with Ammunition bourbon and “Equalizer” red blend. I know it sounds strange, but it’s a fun change of pace and will get people talking.
- 2 oz bourbon
- 1 oz fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 oz simple syrup
- 1/2 – 1 oz fruit-forward red wine
Shake bourbon, lemon juice, and simple syrup with ice. Strain into an old-fashioned glass with fresh ice. Slowly pour red wine over the back of a spoon to float it on top of the drink. Garnish with a lemon twist, unlike me who left his on the bar before taking my photo.
