Painted Stave Distilling to release SunSeeker Wheat Whiskey on August 21st to commemorate the Total Solar Eclipse. SunSeeker Wheat Whiskey is the third in Painted Stave’s series of whiskies distilled from craft beers.
In January 2016, Painted Stave Distilling partnered with Fordham Brewing Company in Dover, DE on what would be become the third release in Painted Stave’s “Beers To Whiskey!” series. Painted Stave picked up over 3,000 bottles of Fordham’s Sunseeker Wheat Beer from the brewery and with the help of a dozen volunteers managed to pour all the beer into a holding tank in about 45 minutes. The unfiltered wheat ale was then distilled into 10gal of 124 proof whiskey in Painted Stave’s copper pot-still. The whiskey aged for 18 months in a Bourbon barrel before being harvested and bottled at 84 proof / 42%ABV.
This very limited whiskey (only 130 bottles made) will be released to coincide with the Total Solar Eclipse on Monday, August 21st. Painted Stave and Fordham Brewing will be launching the whiskey at the Delaware AeroSpace Education Foundation’s (DASEF) Environmental Outpost in Smyrna during their eclipse watching party starting at 1pm. The party is open to the public and family friendly. DASEF will have their observatory open as well as telescopes and eclipse watching glasses available to enjoy the celestial event. There will be food trucks and activities for sky watchers of all ages. Whiskey, Painted Stave cocktails and Fordham and Dominion beer will be available for eclipse watchers over 21.
SunSeeker Wheat Whiskey is the third release from Painted Stave made from a local craft beer. The first, a semi-yearly release called Double TroubleD, is distilled from Dominion Brewing Companies Double D Imperial IPA. Double TroubleD was first released in April 2016 and is now available through April and October releases every year. Double TroubleD was awarded a Best in Category and a Silver Medal by the American Distilling Institute in April 2017. The second release was a special batch of Short N’ Stout Malt whiskey distilled from Mispillion River Brewing Company’s beer by the same name. Short N’ Stout, both the beer and the whiskey, were released in June 2017 to raise money for the Officer In Distress Fund. Look for additional releases in the “Beers To Whiskey!” series to appear occasionally in the years to come.
DASEF Eclipse Party, Monday August 21st, 1pm- 4pm, @ 585 Big Oak Road, Smyrna, DE 19977
For Painted Stave Distilling Questions, please contact Mike Rasmussen at 302.983.1269 or For questions related to the DASEF Eclipse Party please contact Dr. Stephanie Wright at 302-834-1369.