By: Gerald Dlubala
Brothers Ryan and Garrett Burchett had no experience in the distilling industry when they decided that making whiskey for a living sounded pretty cool. Both had successful careers, but after two years of research and training, they opened the Mississippi River Distilling Company in Le Claire, Iowa, in 2010.
“We had no experience in the industry but saw it as a way to get in on the ground floor of something pretty cool,” said Ryan Burchett. “We spent a couple of years looking for opportunities for research and training and came up with a business plan. Our thinking was that the worst thing that could happen was that we learned a lot about whiskey, which is pretty cool, too. But after that, we felt we were in a good place to start. From there, our plan just kind of snowballed, and the next thing we knew, banks were offering us the money we needed to make the distillery happen. We both left our day jobs to make booze for a living, opening the Mississippi River Distilling Company in 2010.”
Burchett said that the name gives them a sense of place and references their history, located right on the banks of the Mississippi River. The distillery is located on North Cody Road, just a short distance from where Buffalo Bill Cody, American frontiersman and legend, was born. To honor that heritage as well, Mississippi River Distilling Company’s flagship line of bourbons and whiskeys all carry the Cody Road name.
With Legal Hurdles Lifted, Mississippi River Distilling Company Takes Flight
“Iowa is one of the top alcohol beverage producers in the U.S. that no one talks about because of all the grain-neutral spirits produced here,” said Burchett. “But when we started, Iowa was still a regulated state. We could certainly distill here, but we were very limited in what we could do regarding sales at the distillery.
“When we first started, visitors could tour and get two ¼ ounce samples of our product,” he said. “If they liked it enough to buy it, they could buy two bottles per person, per day. We worked really hard over the years to get changes made to level the playing field between distilleries and neighboring breweries and wineries. We wanted to give visitors the experiences they’ve become accustomed to when visiting those establishments. When that change happened, we could now sell cocktails, drinks by the glass, beer and wine from our neighbors, and increase our bottle sales. Deregulation with increased types and opportunities for sales and the allowance of tasting rooms led to us buying the property next door and turning it into an event center so we can host weddings and other special or community events.”
“Then, a couple of years ago, we looked at a distillery in Davenport that never really got on its feet,” said Burchett. “We were able to take it over in a relatively easy transaction. It was nice from an administrative standpoint, but this location gave us the room we needed for a bottling and packaging line that would’ve taken up all of our warehouse space in Le Claire. Davenport turned out to be a perfect fit and an opportunity for us to expand. There was a huge warehouse in the back of the property with a loading dock and plenty of space for a tasting room up front. So now, we still manufacture and process everything in Le Claire, but bottling and packaging are in Davenport.”
Using Local Ingredients and Remaining Authentic Are Core Principles
“We only use the finest local ingredients,” said Burchett. “We know the names of every farmer that grows our wheat, barley and corn. You know, when we started here in Le Claire, we were geared towards tourism, as is the whole town. I mean, American Pickers are just down the street and pull visitors in as well. There are 40-50 thousand tourists that travel through here annually, so authenticity is critical to our success. We noticed relatively quickly that using 50-pound bags of milled corn could get pricey compared to buying bulk corn, so we decided to get a mill and found a local farmer who was willing to provide the corn.
He continued, “After that, we went down the line of our needs and thought, if we can do that locally, why not do the same with other things? Authenticity has been essential to us from the beginning and continues to be one of our core principles because we’re pulling the curtain and letting visitors come right in and see what we do and how we do it. There were only a few hundred distilleries when we started, and now that number is pushing 3,000 across the country.”
Part of that authenticity is being true to their brand; the Burchett brothers are certainly that. By not trying to push imitations or less-than-authentic processes, the production process used to make Cody Road Whiskey is an open book. It starts at the mash tank, where the grain is milled into fine flour and cooked in preparation for fermentation. After a week of fermentation, it’s into the still to concentrate the alcohol through distillation. Burchett takes only a narrow cut of each distillate, ensuring only the sweetest and smoothest spirits make their way into the bottle. The spirits are put into the barrel and then into the barrel room. Each barrel is filled and stored on-site, containing only their whiskey before being deemed worthy of the Cody Road label. Each bottle is hand-numbered with its identifying batch and bottle number so drinkers can go to the website and learn the names of the farmers who provided the grain and what went into the whiskey in their glass.
Burchett told Beverage Master Magazine that he used to distribute across almost half of the United States but has since decided to pull back, focusing on distribution to the Midwest states within sensible driving distances.
“We want to concentrate our growth efforts on local opportunities,” he said. “We want folks to come into our locations, get to know us and then try and buy our products to share with others. We do have full-time sales reps in Chicago and here in Iowa, but in our 14 years in business, I can put my finger on two distinct spots in the timeline and see two different businesses as we’ve continued to grow and then change from that growth. All of our processes are performed on-site, from bringing in the raw grain to the final bottling and labeling. We are family-owned and operated, and we believe strongly in taking ownership of and being good stewards of our land, raw materials and water supplies.”
It’s All About Rosie
The Mississippi River Distillery Company overlooks the Mississippi River, but in this case, the river may not be the thing that demands the visitor’s attention. The star of this show is the distillery’s still, affectionately named Rosie, in true “River Rose” fashion with her mesmerizing, eye-catching curves. The building layout was planned around Rosie, so whether you are inside having a drink in the grand tasting room or simply passing by on your way somewhere else, Rosie is always in view.
“Our still was handmade in Germany specifically for us,” said Burchett. “We chose to go with a German-made still because, at the time, there just weren’t many options for this caliber of small stills stateside. It’s gotten better, but the equipment being marketed at the time was being made
for ethanol production or for major, large-scale distillers. In Germany, it’s legal to preserve your grain by distilling it, and there were three main producers in southern Germany that were already making this equipment for farmers. We hooked up with one of them and went to Germany while our still was being built.”
“Rosie is a hybrid still consisting of a German boiling pot and two tall rectification columns that house distillation plates that can produce the purest vodka, up to 95 percent alcohol,” he said. “We can turn off some or all of the plates to make anything from a traditional whiskey in the traditional pot still fashion up to whatever pops into the distiller’s head. And honestly, if you can make it from grain, we’ve probably tried it at least once. The still gives us the flexibility to be creative and have a little fun along the way. You know, we’ll make a small batch, and we’ll put it out and try it. Sometimes they’re great, and we’ll bring them back; sometimes, they’re a big pain in the butt to make, and we swear we’ll never do that again. But to keep local interest, having something different like a special release or seasonal spirit on the menu is always nice.”
Finding Success Through Innovation and Adaptability
“You know, from getting into the bar business to making sanitizer through COVID through branching out into the event center business, we’ve never been afraid to do whatever it takes and pivot as things have come our way,” said Burchett. “With all the things that have come along and popped up, we’ve gotten pretty good at tap dancing around and creating new opportunities for success, including our willingness to try new, trending flavors and spirits. The advantage of being a small business is knowing your strengths and when it’s okay to jump in and try something different. Yeah, we’ve done a lot of that and continue to do so.”
The flagship Cody Road Bourbon is the Mississippi River Distilling Company’s best-seller. But over the past year, Burchett says that their Iowish Salted Caramel Cream Liqueur has been giving their bourbon a race as their most popular item. Additionally, Burchett makes a batched Old Fashioned ready-to-drink that consumers can’t get enough of.
“The Old-Fashioned started as a drink we came up in our bar,” said Burchett. “It became so popular that we started bottling it for a ready-to-drink option, and it’s gone on to be Iowa’s top-selling ready-to-drink cocktail. We mix bitters, bourbon and sugar, put the mix back in oak barrels and let it soak for a month or two. Then, we filter and bottle it as a ready-to-drink old-fashioned cocktail. It’s just one way we look for the opportunities that present themselves”.
Pride in Your Business, Pride in Your Employees
“Our employees that started with us from the very beginning are still here, and there’s something to be said about that,” said Burchett. “It’s something to be grateful for and we do take pride in that fact. It speaks a lot about the positive family culture we continue to have and promote here. The only other advice I would give someone going into this business is to figure out your budget as far as what you think your money needs are and just go ahead and double that amount upfront. Save yourself some headaches, settle in and be ready to grow and pivot from your original vision.”
Mississippi River Distilling Company produces about 15,000 cases a year while adhering to its core principle of sourcing all grain from within 25 miles of the distillery. The distillery is located about halfway between Chicago and Des Moines, two miles north of I-80 on the Illinois/Iowa border. Mississippi River Distilling Company offers locations for private events, opportunities for charitable giving and a private, customizable whiskey program to create and distill your own whiskey.
For additional information, check out their website or contact them at:
Mississippi River Distilling Company
303 North Cody Road
P.O. Box 801
Le Claire, IA 52753
563-484-4342
