Minnesota Grown’s newest distillery member, Tattersall Distilling, is taking local to a new level. High quality grains sourced from local Minnesota farmers are the key ingredients in Tattersall’s premium spirits. We had a chance to tour the distillery and chat with co-founder Jon Kreidler about the booming business of craft distilleries.
After opening in July 2015, Tattersall quickly became one of the largest craft distilleries in the state. In the four years since opening, the company has expanded their production site three times. The entire process from start to finish happens at Tattersall’s 40,000 square-foot location in Northeast Minneapolis. On site, the distillery has a cocktail room where customers can taste the award-winning spirits while experiencing the atmosphere of a working distillery.
For co-founder Jon Kreidler, business collaborations are an exciting aspect of the business. “Collaborations get more people involved”, explained Jon, “in addition to farmers, we work with lots of cideries and breweries”. An especially unique partnership came about a year ago when Tattersall teamed up with the Wangensteen Historical Library of the University of Minnesota and the Minneapolis Institute of Art. They worked together to recreate 300-400 year old spirit recipes from the library’s archives and garnered national recognition, including an article in the New York Times.
With over 20 distilleries operating around the state, it is hard to ignore their connection to Minnesota agriculture. Minnesota’s production of rye and corn—key ingredients in the making of whiskey, vodka, and gin—offers the opportunity to foster close partnerships between distilleries and local farmers. Tattersall alone sources 1.5 million pounds of rye and corn from Minnesota farmers each year.
Tattersall’s connection to Minnesota agriculture doesn’t stop with the ingredients for their spirits. Several hog farmers pick up stillage—the left-over grain after the distilling process—as feed for their pigs. Furthermore, Tattersall has partnered with NetZRO to pilot a brand-new process to use spent grain for human consumption. The operation is the first of its kind in the world on a commercial level. The spent grain is highly desirable, as it is high in fiber and protein. The unique qualities of the product have caught the attention of several key players in the food manufacturing industry. Eventually, Tattersall hopes that this upcycling process can be adopted by breweries and distilleries all over the world. As an environmentally conscious business, Tattersall is constantly looking for ways to improve production practices and strengthen connections with local farmers.
Tattersall Distilling’s headquarters includes a cocktail room and private event space in Northeast Minneapolis. Interested in buying Tattersall’s spirits? Check out the Tattersall Finder on their website. Visit Tattersall’s Facebook, Instagram, and website for photos and more!