Frey Ranch Distillery, a ground-to-glass “whiskey farm” and distillery located in Northern Nevada’s Lake Tahoe Watershed, where the Frey family has been farming since 1854. The 1,200-acre ranch is now owned and operated by fifth-generation farmer Colby Frey and his wife Ashley, who together founded a distillery on the property in 2006 and began aging whiskies onsite in a hand-built barrel warehouse in 2014.
This past December, Frey Ranch released its first Straight Bourbon Whiskey in its home state. This 90-proof bourbon is aged for a minimum of four years and has a mash bill of non-GMO corn, winter cereal rye, winter wheat, and two-row malted barley, 100% of which is grown onsite at.
Frey grew up working his family’s land alongside his father, who taught him from an early age the ins and outs of farming. As such, he lives by the motto “Be good to the land and the land will be good to you,” which is engraved on the bottom of each bottle of their whiskey. Frey and Master Distiller and Certified Crop Advisor Russell Wedlake work together to oversee each stage of the production process. From farming and harvesting the grains through distillation and maturation.
In response to the spread of COVID-19 and the resulting nationwide hand sanitizer shortage, Frey Ranch, like many other distilleries, has commenced production of hand sanitizer at its facility. The first batch will be distributed to local businesses and organizations including Banner Churchill Community Hospital, Hawthorne Army Depot, the Churchill County Volunteer Fire Department, and the Nevada Trucking Association, which delivers to grocery stores throughout the state. 100% of hand sanitizer produced will be donated, with the exception of organizations that are unable to accept donations (such as the United States Postal Service).
“It’s in our nature as farmers to help out our neighbors and the greater community during times of hardship,” says Frey Ranch Distillery CEO and Co-founder, Colby Frey. “When we realized there was an opportunity to assist by making hand sanitizer, it was a no-brainer for us. We plan to continue production over the next few weeks and will reassess the need within our community as the situation continues to evolve.”
Frey Ranch Straight Bourbon Whiskey is available in Nevada for $49.99.
