Vermont’s Mad River Making More Whiskey From Beer

Mad River Distillers of Warren, Vermont and 14th Star Brewing Company of St. Albans, Vermont have teamed up again for their third annual release of Mad River’s Hopscotch Vermont Single Malt Whiskey.

The whiskey was distilled by Mad River from a wash of 14th Star’s Tribute Double IPA, barrel-aged in charred American oak barrels for over two years in Mad River’s rickhouse and bottled at 92 proof. The result is a Vermont whiskey that carries the delicate nose of a single malt, but with a distinctly hoppy underpinnings of the donor beer. It will appeal to whiskey and craft beer fans alike.

“Given that Tribute is a double IPA, I’m not surprised with the taste being so bold,” said Alex Hilton, general manager and head distiller at Mad River Distillers. “Hops are a potent ingredient, and it makes sense that the flavor would carry right through the distilling process.”

14th Star Brewing Company was started in 2012 by veterans Steve Gagnon and Matt Kehaya from a business plan drafted on the back of a notebook while the two served together in Afghanistan. The
acclaimed brewery now features six core beers along with a slew of limited edition releases.

In keeping with 14th Star’s mission of giving back to the community and supporting veterans, a donation from the sales of each bottle of Hopscotch will be made by Mad River Distillers to the Josh Pallotta Fund which provides support and services for returning veterans and their families.

“Our tried and true Tribute Double IPA has been masterfully transformed by Mad River Distillers into this spectacular spirit that lays before you,” said Dan Sartwell, Brewmaster at 14th Star, “As soon as Mad River approached us about collaborating on a whiskey, we quickly agreed that Tribute would be the perfect beer for this project!”

The limited-edition 2018 Hopscotch release will be introduced at Mad River’s Burlington, VT tasting room on Friday, November 9 with companion events at 14th Star’s St. Albans taproom on Nov. 10, as
well as the Mad River Taste Place in Waitsfield on Nov. 11.