DISTILLING ON THE MISSISSIPPI
The Mississippi River begins at Lake Itasca, Minnesota, 1,475 feet above sea level, and flows 2,552 miles to the Gulf of Mexico. On the way, it runs through or along 10 states, receiving water from 32 US states as well as two Canadian provinces.
The ‘Mighty Mississippi’, or ‘Muddy Mississippi’, holds a special place in the American psyche. It was the western border in the USA’s formative years, and remains the major dividing line, with areas commonly referred to as East of the Mississippi, or West of the Mississippi.
Before the transcontinental railroad, the Mississippi was the main artery by which Bourbon made its way from the Ohio River Valley to markets on the Eastern Seaboard and abroad. Depending on how you define a distillery and how far from the banks of the river you wish to wander, the Mississippi is home to approximately 60 distilled spirits plants. Starting near the grain fields of the Great Plains states, distilleries work a lot in local barley and rye.
5ROCKS DISTILLING CO.
About 100 miles downstream from Lake Itasca is the first distillery as the river winds toward the Gulf of Mexico, 5Rocks Distilling Co., in Brainerd, MN. The distillery gets its name, not from rocks in the stream, but from the five members of the Desrocher family.
5Rocks started when the City of Brainerd hosted a contest for business plans. The winner would receive some seed money for the venture. Though the Desrochers did not win the contest, they fell in love with their plan. The distillery has a rapidly expanding portfolio that includes 5Rocks Straight Bourbon, Cold North Vodka, Lizzy’s Gin, MN Maple Bourbon, 5Rocks Roast (espresso liqueur), Amaretto and Salmiakki (a salted black licorice liqueur).
Located in the lakes region,
