His whiskey, then called conecuh ridge whiskey, was known for its high quality relative to typical moonshine. Stay informed and uptodate on your network with relsci news and business alerting service. As the grain composition and age of this whiskey is unknown and proprietary, it cannot be classified as a bourbon or rye. Conecuh ridge alabama fine whiskey, alabama state spirit from. The whisky trade and production is quite fascinating and was looking to gain a clear overview on its history, therfore i bought this book. We at clyde mays know the value of keeping close ties. Dec 04, 2015 the whiskey wash, while appreciative of this, did keep full independent editorial control over this article. The brand is perfectly legal today but ironically it seems as though its made in kentucky and bottled in florida. Buy clyde mays special reserve alabama style whiskey.
Conecuh ridge alabama fine whiskey house joint resolution 100 of the 2004 legislative session designated clyde mays family recipe for special christmas whiskey, known as conecuh ridge alabama fine whisky to be alabamas official state spirit. His witty notes and astute reflections make this tasting guide an absolute delight to read plus he includes a fantastic section about bourbon history at the start. From the 1950s to the 1980s clyde managed to produce around 300 gallons a week in a still of his own design in the woods near almeria, alabama in bullock county, southeast of. His whiskey, then called conecuh ridge whiskey, was. After serving in world war ii, clyde may returned to alabama to farm his land and raise a family. About two years ago, it was suggested that the people of conecuh take immediate steps toward the preparation of a history of their county. Alabamastyle whiskey is reborn in kentucky and brought. Aug 22, 2019 clyde mays straight bourbon from conecuh ridge distillery bears the name of the man responsible for the brand, clyde may.
The result is a warm amber whiskey with rich finish. Clyde mays whiskey, produced by conecuh ridge distillers, llc was created by clyde may, an alabama farmer and war hero, in the late 1940s. Im talking about clyde mays conecuh ridge alabama style whiskey, first distilled. Apr 02, 2017 alabama cities, counties, folklore, history and travel. Web site promoting clyde mays conecuh ridge whiskey. Deep redgold in the bottle, lighter body than most bourbons. Danis, most recently managing director of campari america, has.
Conecuh ridge distillery clyde mays 11 year old whiskey, alabama. Alabama simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Clydes attention to detail helped set him apart from other moonshiners, and it meandered through every step. Clyde mays straight rye whiskey from conecuh ridge distillery bears the name of the man responsible for the brand, clyde may. Following in the wellworn footsteps of many before him, he turned to the illegal trade of whiskey making, or branch farming. Clyde mays straight bourbon from conecuh ridge distillery bears the name of the man responsible for the brand, clyde may. The legislature overwhelmingly passed a resolution to declare conecuh ridge fine alabama whiskey the official state spirit, but gov. Mar 28, 2017 the wikipedia page for conecuh ridge states that the distilling of this whiskey was outsourced to kentucky bourbon distillers, ltd. Jun 01, 2005 historical books on whisky are rare and mclean is well known by the whisky afficionados and his book are, usually, mcleans book are well written, fluid and,based on solid references. The french founded the first settlement in the state in 1702. Bourbon whiskey, tennessee whiskey, list of whisky brands, jim beam, jack daniels, kentucky bourbon distillers, makers mark, elijah craig, willett pot still reserve, wild turkey, old crow, old forester, buffalo trace distillery, conecuh ridge whiskey, leopold bros. In 2004, it was designated the official state spirit of alabama by legislative resolution.
Aug 16, 2019 clyde mays straight rye whiskey from conecuh ridge distillery bears the name of the man responsible for the brand, clyde may. With a total of 1,500 miles 2,400 km of inland waterways, alabama has among. Jefferson county historical association newsletter page 2. Clyde mays conecuh ridge whiskey after serving in world war ii, clyde may returned to alabama to farm his land and raise a family. April 20, 1967 orange juice becomes official state beverage. As it turns out, only one statealabamahas stepped up to the bar, choosing conecuh ridge whiskey a recreation of a prohibitionera aged moonshine as its official beverage in 2004. The whiskey wash, while appreciative of this, did keep full independent editorial control over this article. Clyde may was the patriarch of a family from rural bullock county, alabama. Roy danis appointed chief executive officer of clyde mays.
The whiskey is put in charred oak barrels then shipped to alabama for aging. About threefifths of the land area is a plain with a general downward slope towards the mississippi river and. Conecuh ridge was the location where clyde mays originally made his moonshine. His whiskey, however, is legal, and available on the internet and at 160 package stores in alabama. Conecuh ridge was named the official spirit of the state of alabama in 2004 despite a veto from governor bob riley overridden by the legislature and a later attempted repeal by the state senate. Alabamabased conecuh ridge distillery, producer of clyde mays whiskey, is to consolidate its operations by building a distillery, rackhouse and bottling plant in the city of troy. Legal moonshine is still made in the state and marketed as conecuh ridge whiskey by the conecuh ridge distillery in bullock county. Think weve missed an essential reference book or guide. The internet suggests heaven hill is likely, although kbd now mgp sourced the whiskey for the first couple of runs of conecuh ridge alabama style whiskey, so its also possible that clyde mays continued that practice when mgp started distilling. Clyde mays conecuh ridge whiskey small batch whiskey.
The addition of ovendried apples and hints of cinnamon resulted in a distinct whiskey flavor known as alabama style which only came from clyde mays backwoods barrels. Clyde had a reputation for honesty, integrity and for producing the finest whiskey in the area. When he came home, he survived by making whiskey in a still he designed and built himself. Clyde may was born in conecuh ridge, alabama in 1925. Conecuh ridge whiskey is a type of whiskey produced and officially marketed as clyde mays alabama style whiskey by. Why is alabama the only state with an official tipple. Clyde crafted his first spirits in 1946, but it wasnt until 2001 that the distilling operation was made legal. Though clyde reared eight children, his farming endeavors were not as successful.
Alabama department of archives and history, official. Mar 05, 2016 in his american whiskey, bourbon and rye, risen presents an almost exhaustive list of american whiskeys and their tasting notes for the home drinker. The products success and local flavor caused the state legislature to start the process towards naming clyde and kenny mays whiskey as the official beverage of alabama. It is bordered by tennessee to the north, georgia to the east, florida and the gulf of mexico to the south, and mississippi to the west. An insiders guide to the unique pleasures of the worlds finest spir. The history of conecuh ridge whiskey begins with clyde may, a legendary alabama moonshiner and bootlegger. Yeah, and this whiskey formerly branded as just conecuh ridge whiskey is evidence that these characters knew what they were doing. Fittingly, some exact dates were forgotten whiskey was involved, after all, but this timeline will help you grasp the basics and understand its origin. Massachusetts chose cranberry juice, and alabama has only a state spirit. Stores and prices for conecuh ridge distillery clyde may.
In fact, it is clear from the plainsman article see references that conecuh ridge is aged four years. Conecuh ridge alabama fine whiskey, alabama state spirit. Alabama state spirit conecuh ridge alabama fine whiskey. Sep 17, 2014 when most folks hear the word conecuh they think sausage, but the conecuh ridge in bullock county, ala. About clyde mays clyde mays whiskey, produced by conecuh ridge distillers, llc was created by clyde may, an alabama farmer and war hero, in the late 1940s. Kbd but kbd didnt actually start distilling their own spirit until 2012, which means that the conecuh ridge product was. From the 1950s to the 1980s clyde managed to produce around 300 gallons a week in a still of his own design in the woods near almeria, alabama in bullock county, southeast of montgomery. Clyde mays portfolio has now expanded beyond the category of alabama style whiskey, including both a bourbon and a rye whiskey. Strikes you as a old no nonsense design with no attempt at pretention. This producer also makes a special reserve 110 proof and a 92 proof whiskey. For hundreds of years, farmers took their excess produce and turned it. From the 1950s to the 1980s clyde managed to produce around 300 gallons a week in a still of his own design. This is a list of state beverages as designated by the various states of the united states. A society was formed bearing the title of the conecuh historical society some interest was manifested, and after several meetings the author was requested to undertake the preparation of the present work.
If you drive down deep in the heart of conecuh ridge, youll soon find that the flat blackbelt, so famous for its rich soil and cottonspotted history, gives way to a sandy rise. Each sip will make you want to linger just a little longer and savor its purity, just as mr. Rye is a favorite grain, though the whiskeys that go into the blends are made from a variety of grains. Clyde mays straight rye whiskey is sourced from indiana and is aged at least 3 years. Nurture your network and further your business goals with smart intelligence on the people and companies that matter most to you. Canada is famous for blended whiskeys that are among the smoothest in the world. Clyde lived in alabamas conecuh ridge, and was a moonshiner by trade but.
Roy danis is affiliated with conecuh ridge distillery llc, campari america, w. He served with distinction in world war ii, earning a purple heart and bronze star while commanding a 12man rifle squad. According to the alabama department of archives and history, a particular brand of tippling whiskey produced near union springs, alabama, called conecuh ridge alabama fine whiskey, was officially adopted as the states beverage in the 2004 legislative session. In the woods southeast of the state capital of montgomery, in the hills and hollows of the conecuh ridge, using fresh spring water, local grains, copper stills and charred oak barrels for aging, clyde may made a small batch craft whiskey that quickly gained regional notoriety for exceptional quality. For hundreds of years, farmers took their excess produce and turned it into liquid gold to help supplement their income. Clyde mays whiskey is made with a bourbon recipe of corn, rye, and malted barley and is aged in charred new oak barrels, reportedly for four years, though no age statement is offered. His high standards led to a whiskey that he felt proud to put his name on. Clyde mays conecuh ridge alabama style whiskey american. Alabamastyle whiskey is reborn in kentucky and brought back. A 90proof amber lightning known as clyde mays conecuh ridge whiskey, the. From the 1950s to the 1980s, clyde managed to produce around 300 gallons a week in a still of his own design in the woods near almeria, alabama. Kentucky hopes to make bourbon the official state spirit. He started with the cleanest still possible and finished with baked apple slices.
It is commonly thought that conecuh ridge, like clydes christmas whiskey is only aged for one year. Kbd but kbd didnt actually start distilling their own spirit until 2012, which means that the conecuh ridge product was sourced from a source who had to go source it. Clyde mays conecuh ridge whiskey buy online max liquor. Today, clyde mays whiskey continues to be made from the same recipe that kenneths father perfected nearly 50 years ago a mash of corn, rye and malted barley. Click through the follow pages to discover our pick of the top 10 whisky education books. Works well for whiskey or rye drinks such as a manhattan when you are looking for a lighter bodied whiskey. The clyde may story, by wade hall, 80 pages, newsouth books march 1, 2007. Thirtyfive states have official fruits, but the orange didnt become floridas official fruit until 2005, after an elementary school class lobbied thengov. Alabama is the thirtyfirst largest state in the united states with 52,419 square miles 5,760 km 2 of total area. Ensure your merchant has the whiskey you are looking for. Its not uncommon for a canadian whiskey to use 20 or more ingredientsmostly whiskey, but also things like sherryin a blend. Changes to the product that would be made when or if conecuh builds a. Roy danis, chief executive officer, clyde mays whiskey at. Conecuh ridge whiskey, officially marketed as clyde may s conecuh ridge alabama style whiskey, is a recreation of a high quality aged moonshine whiskey which was produced illegally in alabama during the mid to late 20th century.
Conecuh ridge takes pride in keeping true to clydes original recipe for fine whiskey. Conecuh ridge whiskey clyde mays conecuh ridge alabama style whiskey is made today from a corn, wheat and rye mash, similar to mashes used for kentucky bourbon, then aged for four years in charred oak barrels. Review of clyde mays straight bourbon the scotch noob. His product was known for its high quality relative to typical moonshine. Alabama was the new frontier in the 1820s and 1830s. Whiskey history is a long, adventurous story, and many brave people fought to keep the drink flowing along the way. See more ideas about alabama, independent party and dan patrick. Conecuh ridge announced in 2017 that they plan on building a distillery of their own in troy, alabama.
At first, this dark amber spirit reads as light and sweet, from its distinct ripe apple and hazelnut notes to the lightbodied feel. The wikipedia page for conecuh ridge states that the distilling of this whiskey was outsourced to kentucky bourbon distillers, ltd. Its worth noting that clyde may invented alabama style whiskey really, moonshine by adding dried apples to barrels of new make. Clyde mays whiskey is the current iteration of a long string of whiskies formerly under the heading of conecuh ridge whiskey, currently made in alabama style, distilled in kentucky and bottled in florida. Jim murrays whisky bible by jim murray, tasting whiskey. Alabama is the 30th largest by area and the 24thmost populous of the u.
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