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 Varieties that prove faulty or struggle agronomically may be withdrawn from trials or studied elsewhere.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: Planted 13 heritage wheat, rye, and barley varieties at two Virginia Tech sites; harvested and assessed data
- Spring 2024: Completed small batch distillation samples for eight heritage varieties of corn, wheat, and rye
- a. These samples were placed in the hands of our eight-person sensory panelists for evaluation
- b. The sample assessments have been curated and have been analyzed
- Spring 2024: Planted (and harvested Fall 2024) 22 unique varieties of heritage corn spread out between two Virginia Tech research stations and two private farms
- Fall 2024: Planted 15 varieties of wheat, barley, and rye across the state using both Virginia Tech research fields and privately contracted farms
- Fall/Winter 2024:
- a. Conducted the first full production room floor distillations of one rye, one wheat, and two corn varietals
b. Filled approximately one 53-gallon barrel each (analyzation of warehouse maturation begins) - c. Four varieties added to project's distillate library (organoleptic analysis available to industry or other grain artisans)
d. Completed small batch distillation samples for six heritage varieties of corn, wheat, and rye, and the samples have been analyzed by our nine-person sensory panel - Early Winter 2025: Continued full production room floor distillations with 2024 varieties
- Spring 2025: Spring planting included approximately 20 varieties of heritage corn using Virginia Tech AREC and ten private farm fields
Summer 2025: Assessed data from the newly harvested Fall 2024 small grains. Preparations are underway for the third round of small batch distillation (James B. Beam Institute) which will include nine unique varieties of corn, rye, and barley
Fall 2025: Preparing three Virginia Tech AREC fields and six on-farm field tests with private farms for twelve varieties of wheat, rye, and barley trials
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.