Flyover Whiskey
About the Distillery
Flyover Whiskey is a small Nebraska-based distillery specializing in farm-to-flask small-batch whiskey and bourbon. Each order ties a specific farm’s corn to a personalized distillate: customers can submit their own corn or be matched with a partner producer, have the label designed with the farm’s details, and receive six 750 mL bottles as the result. The concept combines local farming and craft distillation in a gift- or celebration-oriented approach, where the bottle tells the story of a particular harvest.
History
Idea and Purpose
Flyover Whiskey was started to highlight and celebrate the hard work of Midwestern farmers by turning their corn into small-batch whiskeys and bourbons. The concept is that each bottle begins with grain from a family-owned farm and ends as a bottle to mark a harvest season.
The People Behind
Joe Knobbe is described as a farmer and master distiller, and he is a central figure in the concept of tying farming and distillation together. Devon Birchem is the head distiller; he grew up near the distillery, met Joe as a child, and their collaboration has evolved into a close partnership around production. Both are highlighted on the site as the primary people who drive the distillery’s day-to-day operations.
Raw Materials and Production
The process begins with the selection of raw materials: customers can either supply their own corn by sending about 12 lb in a prepaid package, or have Flyover Whiskey match them with a local partner producer. Once the raw material is received, the distillery team turns the corn into whiskey or bourbon in small batches. The order also includes graphic customization of labels, and Flyover Whiskey handles bottling and shipping directly to the customer. The customer’s order reserves space on the distillery’s production schedule, and part of the payment goes to the producer when the distillery supplies customers who are not farmers themselves. The site highlights a close collaboration between the distillery staff and local farmers as a central element of the production.
Whiskeys
Flyover Whiskey's offerings are centered on customer-customized small-batch orders, where the final product is six 750 mL bottles per order. Customers choose whether to supply their own corn or collaborate with a partner producer, and each bottle receives a unique label with the farm’s details and harvest specifics. Pricing is differentiated between farmers and other customers; there are fixed prices per order and a revenue-sharing model where part of the payment goes to the producer when customers who are not farmers purchase. The product is positioned both as a memorable gift idea and as a way for farmers to celebrate a harvest.
| Whiskey | Type / Series | Flavor Profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Custom Farm-to-Flask Whiskey / Bourbon (order) | Whiskey / Bourbon | Customized small-batch production where the customer either submits their own corn (the package contains about 12 lb of grain) or is matched with a local producer. Each order yields six 750 mL bottles with a specially designed label, and the distillery handles distillation, bottling, and shipping. | Current; Core range; Custom orders; delivered as six (6) x 750 mL bottles per order. Price shown: $350 per order for corn farmers; $375 per order for other customers (a portion of the payment goes to the producer). |
Philosophy and Craft
Flyover Whiskey builds its practice on a farm-to-flask mindset: each bottle should be traceable to a farm and a harvest, and collaboration with local Midwestern farmers is a central principle. The company prioritizes personalized products, small-batch sizes, and foregrounding the farmer’s role in the product’s storytelling.