Atlanta, Georgia’s Monday Night Brewing has some whiskey bragging rights to go alongside their beer lineup. Namely, their own whiskey, thanks to their collaboration partner (and now neighbor on Atlanta’s West End), American Spirit Works.
This story starts more than 6 years ago with Monday Night co-founder Joel Iverson finding himself living next door to American Spirit co-founder Charlie Thompson. The brewery & distillery businesses were born literally next door to each other.
From a fermentation standpoint, brewing and distilling have a lot in common, so Monday Night’s brewing team and ASW’s distiller Justin Manglitz had a common starting point to begin this collaboration.
Monday Night Single Malt Whiskey lovingly referred to as “The Badger”, starts with a mash full of cherrywood smoked malt, the same used in their flagship Drafty Kilt Scotch Ale. The wort is then transferred 5 miles down the road using the highly scientific “renting a Penske truck” method, according to Iverson. ASW distilled the mash and transferred it to white oak quarter casks.
Fortunately, our patience has paid off. Like the mighty Scottish badger, this Scotch-style Whiskey has a pleasant bite and will burrow into your belly with a smooth, slightly sweet, and delightfully smoky finish.
Monday Night Single Malt Whiskey is 86 Proof, available once again in 750-milliliter bottles at ASW as of August 9th. Ounce tasters can be purchased at both of their Atlanta locations. Bottles will be available in Georgia package stores starting mid-August.
Image: Beer Street Journal
