Virginia Heritage Grain Project
Most Virginians are aware of the rich history our state possesses. Considered the “Cradle of America,” we are often reminded of its impact, whether due to historical settlements, myriad presidential birthplaces, revolutionary tenets, or its plights with indigenous and enslaved people.
As distillers, many of us recognize that Virginia is also the birthplace of American spirits. A distinction that holds us to account and presses us to embrace and preserve ancestral tradition. Nonetheless, somewhere along the evolution of crafting spirits, efficiency found its way in front of flavor. And as much as we are wisely advised to be cognizant of the parameters of yield, it also makes little sense to create a lot of a product that produces minimal interest and doesn't stand out on the store shelves.
Therefore, having been awarded funding from the Virginia Spirits Board Research and Education Grant Program, we have been tasked with studying some of our country’s oldest grains used in relation to the spirits industry, ultimately asking the questions, “Are the forgotten flavors of history waiting to be rediscovered? And are they worthy of being unearthed?”.
Project Scope
This study is three-pronged in that—simultaneously—we are
- Actively and continuously researching and procuring grains
- Planting and harvesting these grains
- Distilling and analyzing the grains' spirit potential
Locating Heritage Grains:
With the aid of seed savers across many states, heritage organizations like Monticello, university researchers, and agronomists at the USDA germplasm—we are systematically identifying and locating heritage grains.
In The Fields:
Working with Virginia Tech researchers across several locations, we plant, harvest, and collect data on these grains, then replicate trials with private farms for practical evaluation. Promising varieties are expanded for distillation and barreling.
Studying the Distillate:
In conjunction with the James B. Beam Institute at the University of Kentucky, we carry out small-batch distillations and present the results to a panel of international industry experts. Grains earning favorable sensory evaluations are expanded, grown out for larger production runs, and tracked through maturation. Varieties that prove faulty or struggle agronomically may be withdrawn from trials or studied elsewhere.
Our Progress Thus Far
Fall 2023
- The Virginia Heritage Grain Project (VHGP) planted 13 heritage wheat, rye, and barley varieties across two Virginia Tech research sites. All crops were successfully harvested, and agronomic data were collected and evaluated.
Spring 2024
- Small-batch distillation trials were completed for eight heritage varieties of corn, wheat, and rye.
- Distillate samples were evaluated by an eight-member sensory panel.
- Results were curated and analyzed to inform future trials and selection.
Spring–Fall 2024
- A total of 22 heritage corn varieties were planted across two Virginia Tech research stations and two private farms. These were harvested in Fall 2024.
Fall 2024
- Fifteen varieties of wheat, barley, and rye were planted across multiple sites, including Virginia Tech research fields and contracted private farms.
Fall/Winter 2024
- Conducted the first full-scale production distillations (floor runs) of four varieties: one rye, one wheat, and two corn.
- Filled approximately one 53-gallon barrel per variety; long-term maturation analysis is now underway.
- Added four new entries to the VHGP distillate library, with organoleptic data available to industry partners and grain artisans.
- Completed additional small-batch distillations for six heritage grain varieties, evaluated by a nine-member sensory panel.
Early Winter 2025
- Full-scale distillation efforts continued using 2024 harvests.
Spring 2025
- Planted 20 heritage corn varieties across Virginia Tech AREC sites and ten private farm locations.
- Began preliminary culinary tests with both bakers and chefs.
Summer 2025
- Completed data analysis from Fall 2024 small grain harvests.
- Initiated preparations for the third round of small-batch distillation at the James B. Beam Institute, featuring nine heritage varieties of corn, rye, and barley.
- Added an additional five new entries to the VHGP distillate library, with organoleptic data available to industry partners and grain artisans.
Fall 2025
- Established multi-site trials for 12 varieties of wheat, rye, and barley across three Virginia Tech AREC fields and six partner farms.
Winter 2025
- Completed further full-scale distillation tests and have a total of eleven 53-gallon barrels in warehouse.
- Paired three distillers to three farmers for the beginning of the Revival Series bottle collection.
Spring 2026
- Planted nine heritage corn varieties across one Virginia Tech AREC site and eight private farms.
- Expanded industry collaboration with five additional distillers, bringing the total to eight partnerships in the pilot Revival Series bottle collection.
- Received distillates from the third round of trials; samples have been distributed to the sensory panel for evaluation.
Why Virginia?
Virginia is the ideal epicenter for this work. The earliest colonial maps reveal Virginia’s original territory spanned parts of Kentucky, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and even North Carolina. This historical breadth naturally encourages multi-state cooperation and involvement. Our collaborators include farmers, bakers, chefs, maltsters, historians, and seed savers nationwide, while our sensory panel brings together global experts in spirit making and evaluation.
Distillers, Farmers, and our Futures
In addition to chasing landmark flavors, many of us are aware of the necessity of paying attention to and taking care of the larger economic chain we are part of, whether that be the agricultural industry, the forestry industry, or any number of the business sectors we employ to cooperate in manufacturing our spirits. If they are suffering, we are suffering. As a distilling community who relies upon the strength of our partnerships, we must address their concerns as ours. Climate change is one such urgent concern.
By looking at alternative heritage grains, we:
- Diversify crop rotation
- Prioritize soil and environmental health
- Adopt resilient practices that enrich both land and marketplace
Our Project Goals
The Virginia Heritage Grain Project hopes to provide value to a diverse range of individuals and industries dedicated to stewardship of land, heritage, and future prosperity. We aim to showcase Virginia’s distillers and market our unique historic roots and appellation.
Our central goal is to forge a growing database that connects farmers and distillers, strengthening local ties. As the project culminates, we will pair one farmer with one distiller to collaborate on a single heritage grain variety—growing, harvesting, distilling, and bottling a unique product. Each bottle will sport a unified design, with its story at the forefront. Select bottles will be reserved for museums and tourism, with others available via Virginia ABC and partner distilleries. This pilot will test partnership profitability and serve as a blueprint for future collaborations.
The Virginia Heritage Grain Project is not merely a study—it’s a movement. It captures a unique opportunity to reconnect with our past, boost local economic resilience, and create products that truly stand out in a crowded market. We hope you will continue to support us in this journey of rediscovery, innovation, and sustainability.
An Invitation
The project is now at the stage where we are inviting Virginia distillers into the study. If you would like to be considered for a position as one of the pilot distilleries and are interested in participating in the project as one of the farmer/distiller collaborators, then please contact shelley@reservoirdistillery.com for further information.
Shelley Sackier is the Director of Distillery Education at Reservoir Distillery in Richmond, Virginia, the Principal Investigator for the Virginia Heritage Grain Project, and the author of Make it a Double: From Wretched to Wondrous: Tales of One Woman’s Lifelong Discovery of Whisky.