The Taste of Emporia Q&A – Wheat State Distilling
This is Part 4 in a series of The Taste of Emporia vendor Q&As that will lead up to the event on April 18th!
David Bahre is the Master Distiller & Owner at Wheat State Distilling.
Q: What can you briefly tell us about Wheat State Distilling?
A: Wheat State Distilling is a Kansas artisan distillery producing premium spirits including vodka, gin, whiskey, bourbon and rum. Our Wheat Vodka, Gin and White Rum are for sale now at the distillery and at liquor stores across Kansas. We also carry Small Batch Aged Rum, Barrel Rested Gin and micro-barreled Bourbon available at the distillery only. We currently are aging our Wheat Whiskey, Bourbon Whiskey and Spiced Rum and will have it out soon.
Wheat State Distilling’s goal is field to bottle distilling, tracing the ingredients we use from the FARM to the MILL to the STILL to the BOTTLE. You can track how your spirits were made with the hand written batch and bottle numbers on your label this web site.
David Bahre’s love and knowledge of grains and fine spirits combined into an obsession. After years of planning, he started building the distillery in January of 2013 and Wheat State Distilling officially opened in December of 2013. David is a Wichita native and self-professed nerd. Following a family tradition in agriculture, he received his bachelor’s degree in Grain Science and Milling from Kansas State University and is working on his Masters in Agribusiness from KSU as well. Wheat State Distilling is a family owned and operated business. David’s wife, Kim, a Wichita native and KSU grad as well, works along with him. Their daughter, the inspiration for Bella Bahre’s Bourbon, is a frequent sight at the distillery in addition to great friends and family who help out when needed. Shiloh, the Great Dane better known as the Hooch Pooch can regularly be spotted lounging on the couch watching the hard work happen.
Q: What products should this year’s participants expect from you? Anything new?
A: New Gin and Rum
Q: What new products do you have coming available that we should know about?
A: Bourbons and Whiskeys
Be on the lookout for more Vendor Q&As soon!