The organic movement is based around two central concepts: making sure our food sources have a gentler impact on the planet, and offering a healthier alternative to factory farming by eschewing the use of chemicals and pesticides. Given that whiskey is essentially a value-added agricultural product, it makes sense that consumers are seeking out distilleries and brands with a lesser carbon footprint that adhere to organic practices. 

Journeyman's Journey to Organic Spirits

At the Journeyman Distilleries in both Twin Oaks, Michigan and Valparaiso, Indiana, founders Johanna and Bill Welter knew from the start that they wanted to create organic spirits. “We were definitely inspired by KOVAL,” said Johanna Welter, referring to the small Chicago craft distillery. Terroir and sense of place were important concepts to the couple, and they felt they could express this by using local ingredients. “We wanted to tell the story of the region,” she said. “Cherries and apples are king here in Michigan, so we decided to source [local] cherries and apple cider. The sources that we get it from are not certified organic, so while those items are not organic, all of our [other] spirits that we produce are.”

From the getgo, the Welters were focused on sustainability as well as organic practices, so they decided to reuse and repurpose as much as possible. Their first venture was to turn a former corset factory into their Michigan distillery. “Featherbones were invented in this factory,” said Welter. “If you take a handful of turkey quills and you bind them together, it becomes a flexible bone structure invented by a guy named E.K. Warren. For us, reusing old buildings is sustainability. What we did both in Michigan and Indiana is as green as you can get, which is repurposing what was already there.”

They also incorporated practices like using glass bottles instead of plastic, trading spent grains for beef from local farmers, and even using spent gin botanicals to make pickles. Today, the spent grains from both Journeyman locations are sent to a biodigester, where they generate clean energy for the local power grid.

“Sustainability and organic has always been part of who we are as people,” Welter explained. “We took an old building from the 1890s, and rather than building something new and creating a new footprint, we decided to bring something back to life that was here before. We wanted to source the best ingredients that we could, and being located in the Midwest, we have access to all of these great farmers that grow grains—and not just corn, but a lot of ryes and wheat. We had access to an organic co-op that we could source all of this high-quality grain from.”

The Benefits of Regenerative Agriculture 

Still, there are challenges when it comes to making organic whiskey, she said. For example, larger operations don’t have access to the volumes of organic grains they would need. Welter pointed out that there are distillers who have one organic product and ten conventional products because they just can’t get enough organic grain to make the switch. Farming organic grain is a challenge because of high costs and difficulties with disease and pest management, so organic distillers have to be agile about where their grains come from in any given growing season.

There is a way to fill at least some of that gap. Regenerative agriculture shares a lot of commonalities with organic agriculture, in that the main concern is maintaining soil health over time and minimizing water usage, which is believed to result in healthier plants and better outputs. Maker’s Mark made a huge splash with their partially Regenified wheat whiskey, Star Hill Farm, which was first released last year. Even Brother’s Bond, a celebrity brand created by actors Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder, has leaned into regeneratively grown grains with their Brother’s Bond Regenerative Grain Bourbon release. 

According to Welter, when Journeyman opened its doors consumers were barely able to wrap their heads around the distilling process, let alone the organic aspect of it. Nowadays, however, those same consumers are actively seeking out organic alternatives. People are more interested than ever—not just in the authenticity of the spirits they buy, but also the impact their choices have on the environment. Journeyman recognized that from the beginning, starting with a MOSA organic certification and leading to its current USDA organic certification. 

Organic and regenerative are not green-washed corporate buzzwords in the whiskey industry. On the contrary, there are numerous distillers locking in the benefits of what are often better-tasting grains, as well as the bragging rights associated with reduced carbon footprints. In the long term, the world will be better off for it.

Organic Whiskeys To Try

Journeyman Corsets Whips & Whiskey ($65)

This award-winning wheat whiskey is made from 100% organic Michigan-grown wheat and is bottled at cask strength. It is one of Journeyman’s most highly sought-after whiskeys.

Koval Thresh & Winnow 10 Year 100% Rye ($100)

Koval’s 10-year, 100% rye whiskey is not only organic, it’s also certified Kosher by the Orthodox Union, and has won two gold medals at two competitions since being released in 2024.

Hidden Barn Organic Wheated Bourbon ($90)

Made at the Neeley Family Distillery in Sparta, Kentucky, this bourbon was crafted in partnership with Old Forester alum Jackie Zykan. It has a mashbill of 70% corn, 20% wheat, and 10% malted barley and is fermented with wild-caught yeast.

Bainbridge Yama Mizunara Cask Single Grain Whiskey ($576)

This barley whiskey is made from 100% Washington-grown USDA Organic unmalted Alba and Full Pint barley, and is the world’s first non-Japanese whiskey to be matured exclusively in virgin Mizanura oak barrels.

Regenerative Whiskeys To Try

Dry Land 100% White Sonora Wheat Whiskey ($107)

This wheat whiskey is made from 100% Regenerative Organic Certified grain from Jones Farms Organics, and was a special release to celebrate Dry Land’s seventh anniversary.

Star Hill Farm Wheat Whiskey ($100)

In addition to being the first new whiskey style and brand made in Maker’s Mark’s history, this wheat whiskey is partially regeneratively grown. Subsequent batches will be fully Regenified Certified.

Brother’s Bond Regenerative Grain Bourbon ($60)

This four-grain blend of bourbons with a derived mash bill of 73% corn, 10% rye, 8% wheat, and 9% malted barley showcases actors Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley’s commitment to sustainability.