Sips & Sites & Bites

Minneapolis has been turning out some impressive whiskey in recent years, and Brother Justus Whiskey Company has quietly (and steadily) been earning a place in the American single malt conversation.

This summer, they’ve added another chapter to that story with the third release in their annual Founder’s Reserve series … and it’s one with a decidedly bright and fruit-forward personality.

If you’ve been following along, the first two Founder’s Reserve expressions dropped in 2023 and 2024, racking up accolades like a 98-point score and a finalist nod for best-in-class at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. That’s a lot of shine for a young series, but Brother Justus isn’t resting on last year’s praise. Founder Phil Steger calls this third edition “special” because of how it highlights vibrant fruit notes from their all–pale ale malted barley mash.

The process is deliberately dialed-in: seven-day fermentation for fresh fruit and biscuity malt character, distillation at higher proof to keep heavier, oilier flavors out of the way, and aging in slow-growth Minnesota white oak for a clean caramel-and-candy finish. All the ingredients are Minnesota-born … from the barley to the oak to the water, which comes from the limestone-bedded Headwaters of the Mississippi.

As with the previous two releases, this year’s batch stands apart from Brother Justus’s core whiskeys. It’s bottled at cask strength (62.5% ABV) and blends two-thirds whiskey aged just over three years in 30-gallon casks with one-third aged a little over a year in smaller 5-gallon barrels. The result? A nose of fresh orange and candied cherry with a touch of caramel; flavors of candied orange peel, cherry-vanilla cream, and lemon drizzle cake; and a finish of toasted hazelnut with the faintest hint of campfire smoke.

Availability is limited, you can find it at their Minneapolis distillery and cocktail room, online (shipping to most states), and soon in select Minnesota liquor stores. Founder’s Reserve 2 is still around in very small quantities, but the inaugural 2023 release is long gone.

For anyone curious about where American single malt is headed … and how far a distillery can push flavor using just malt, oak, and water … this is a release worth keeping an eye (and glass) on.