Bear Wallow Distillery
Quick overview of the distillery
Bear Wallow Distillery is a family-owned distillery in Gnaw Bone/Brown County, Indiana, that since 2014 has produced handcrafted whiskey from 100% Indiana-grown grains. The distillery combines traditional methods — mashing, fermentation, and double distillation in a custom copper pot still — with local ingredients and its own barrel aging to produce bourbons, ryes, and four-grain whiskeys in small batches.
History
The idea for Bear Wallow Distillery arose in early 2012, and the distillery was formally formed in March of the same year. The business actively participated in efforts to change the laws in Indiana, and after the passage of the Artisan Distillers Act in July 2013, Bear Wallow became one of the first new distilleries to open. Production started in May 2014, and on August 1, 2014 they officially opened to the public in the Nashville/Gnaw Bone area. Since then the distillery has built a local profile: it is certified as a Farm Distillery, carries the Indiana Artisan designation, and is Indiana Grown certified. Bear Wallow has also been covered in regional and national media and was listed as a 'Best of the Road Trips' stop by Rand McNally in both 2016 and 2017.
Raw materials and production
Bear Wallow uses exclusively grain from local Indiana farmers. They make a mash of corn, wheat, rye, and malted barley depending on the desired mash bill, ferment and then distill the mash to separate alcohol and spent grains. The distilled spirit is redistilled in a second pass in a custom-made, Scottish-inspired gooseneck copper pot still, specially built in Louisville, KY. Spent grains are returned to local farmers as animal feed. Production takes place in small batches; some spirits are bottled directly after distillation, while the majority is aged in casks to become aged whiskies.
Maturation and barrel types
For bourbon and rye, new, charred American white oak barrels are used, purchased from Kelvin Cooperage in Louisville, KY. The distillery primarily uses 53-gallon barrels, but also uses smaller 25-gallon barrels to accelerate aging through a higher surface-to-volume ratio; in these smaller barrels they indicate that full maturation can be achieved in about 2–3 years. Some releases come from used Gnaw Bone bourbon barrels for a more subdued barrel influence. A few exceptional barrels are bottled as single barrel at full barrel strength.
Whiskeys
The range includes both core releases and more limited bottlings. The core products include Gnaw Bone Straight Bourbon (wheated mash bill), Liar's Bench Straight Rye (lower rye content than traditional rye whiskies), and Wolf Creek Four Grain (a blend of corn, wheat, rye, and malted barley). The distillery also makes limited single-barrel releases bottled at barrel strength and mentions a popular moonshine variant, Hoosier Hooch Lemonade Moonshine. The standard batches for the aged whiskies are typically bottled at 100 proof after blending from 8–12 barrels.
| Whiskey | Type / Series | Alcohol | Barrel and Style | Flavor Profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gnaw Bone Straight Bourbon Whiskey | Straight Bourbon | 50 % | New charred American White Oak (53 gallon) | 100 proof bourbon with a wheated mash bill (corn, wheat, malted barley). According to the distillery, new charred American oak barrels impart strong barrel character as well as notes associated with new-charred bourbon barrels. | Core range |
| Liar's Bench Straight Rye Whiskey | Straight Rye | 50 % | New charred American White Oak (53 gallon) | 100 proof rye with a relatively low share of rye compared with traditional rye whiskies, which according to the distillery makes it smoother with only a little pepper bite at the finish. | Core range |
| Wolf Creek Four Grain Whiskey | Four Grain Whiskey | 50 % | Used Gnaw Bone Straight Bourbon barrels (second fill) | Four-grain blend that combines sweetness from wheat and spice from rye. Aged in used bourbon barrels for a more subdued barrel influence. | Core range |
| Single Barrel (Barrel Strength) - Limited Editions | Barrel Strength / Single Barrel | Single new charred American White Oak barrel (barrel strength) | Limited single-barrel releases bottled at full barrel strength from individual exceptional barrels; the distillery typically states between 90 and 120 bottles from these barrels. | Limited | |
| Hoosier Hooch Lemonade Moonshine | Moonshine | The distillery's signature 'Hoosier Hooch Lemonade Moonshine' is noted as popular and was used as a signature cocktail at the Indiana State Fair; it has attracted inquiries from customers nationwide. |
Whiskey styles and flavor profile
From the described products, the recurring flavor directions are consistent: barrel character from new, charred American oak barrels with clear vanilla and caramel notes, a sweetness tied to wheat in wheated mashbills, and a spicy pepper bite from the rye component. Wolf Creek is described as more subdued in barrel influence and emphasizes the balance between sweetness and spice. These trends are documented in the product descriptions for the bourbon, rye, and four-grain whiskey.
Visit the distillery
The distillery welcomes visitors and offers a 'Farm-to-Fifth' tour, where you can see the entire production from grain to bottle. Tasting options include a 'Whiskey Lovers' tasting and signature cocktails such as 'Moonshine Shake-ups' as well as classic cocktails made with Wilks & Wilson elixirs. There is a shop with merchandise, and the address, phone, and email are published for planning a visit.
Philosophy and craftsmanship
Bear Wallow prioritizes local ingredients and family craftsmanship: all grain comes from Indiana farmers, production is done in small batches, and by-products are reused as animal feed. The distillery's choice of traditional copper pot still and its own barrels reflect an approach that combines classic distiller’s craft with local ingredients and small-scale production.
Prizes and recognitions
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Certified Farm Distillery (Certified Farm Distillery (100% Indiana grown grains))
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Indiana Artisan (Indiana Artisan designation)
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Indiana Grown (Certified 100% Indiana product)
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Rand McNally 'Best of the Road Trips' listing (2016, listed as a stop on 'Best of the Road Trips' in Indiana)
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Rand McNally 'Best of the Road Trips' listing (2017, listed as a stop on 'Best of the Road Trips' in Indiana)