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Photos by John Haynes
BēT distills sugar beets into a sip- and-savor vodka.
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Winner: BeT Vodka
Minnesota: the largest grower of sugar beets in the nation. Couple that fact with the rise of the local spirits industry, and you get booze made from that bounty. Founder and owner Ben Brueshoff produces BēT (pronounced “beet”) vodka at a Wisconsin distillery, using sugar beets grown in the Red River Valley. Despite the common notion that all vodkas taste the same—or like nothing at all—this sipping spirit is light and smooth, with just a hint of vanilla sweetness that winks to its origins. betvodka.com
Photo courtesy of Superior Switchel
Superior Switchel
Finalist: Superior Switchel
Historically, a switchel (rhymes with Mitchell) served as a farm-country forerunner of Gatorade. Made with apple cider vinegar, ginger, and a sweetener (like molasses), the thirst quencher would be sealed into a Mason jar and brought out to the field on a hot day. Superior Switchel revives that simple idea as a non-alcoholic elixir made with organic ginger, apple cider vinegar, and Minnesota honey to give it a sweet ending. Founder Melina Lamer started tinkering with a dorm-room version as an energy boost before her St. Olaf hockey sessions. “I was tired of chugging a big bottle of PowerAde before every game,” she told us last year. Superior now brews three flavors: The Haymaker (with honey and cinnamon), Orange Maple, and Lavender Lemon. Lamer likes that the drink doesn’t leave her jittery, like espresso does. Bonus: “The ginger also clears my sinuses.” superiorswitchel.com
Photo courtesy of The Twisted Shrub
The Twisted Shrub
Finalist: The Twisted Shrub
Scott Dillon and his wife, K.C., attended a cocktail class a couple of years ago. The theme: shrubs—a drinking vinegar mixed in with cocktails. “A few cocktails later, we were hooked,” Scott says. After losing his job of 18 years in a corporate restructure, Scott started pondering a new path. He began experimenting with dozens of flavor combinations using locally grown fruits and vegetables and blending them with apple cider vinegar and cane sugar. In fall 2015, The Twisted Shrub debuted at the Linden Hills Farmers Market. Scott says his mixers allow at-home bartenders to create concoctions in seconds, sans muddling and infusing. The Twisted Shrub now sells five flavors at more than 50 local stores. The Pineapple Habanero delivers a tropical kick, while Apple Ginger lays the groundwork for some whiskey alchemy. For the teetotalers, these shrubs, mixed with simple soda water, create an N/A cocktail that doesn’t skimp on fun. thetwistedshrub.com
Minnesota 14 Whiskey
Finalist: Minnesota 14
Cold-weather aged. That pretty much describes all of us living in the Northland. But in the case of Panther Distilling, Minnesota’s first legal distillery, the length of that process is part of making Minnesota 14. The aging goes on for four years, to be exact. And it’s worth the sip—smooth and rich, unlike its reedy predecessors. Handcrafted in small batches, the whiskey includes all-local ingredients cooked in copper stills, aged in American white oak barrels, and bottled by hand. The label’s name is an homage to the historic Minnesota 13 corn variety used by bootleggers during Prohibition. Co-owner Adrian Panther explains, “We didn’t want to take away from the historical significance of that, so we named it MN 14.” (People: Let’s not wait so long for MN 15!) pantherdistillery.com
Photo courtesy of Peter Lemon
Peter Lemon Made in the North Drink Judge
Meet the Guest Judge: As the author of the whiskey blog, The Casks, Peter Lemon began writing seven years ago as a way to explore an enduring fascination with the production, history, and enjoyment of whiskey, beer, and other spirits. His ongoing interest and passion for the subject has taken him to distilleries in Scotland and around the U.S., and has helped him lead educational and entertaining tastings and classes.
The Made in the North winners and finalists were determined by guest judges and Mpls.St.Paul Magazine's editorial team.
