The Spirits
What is Wheyward Spirit?
Wheyward Spirit is a clear Specialty Spirit distilled from 100% upcycled whey.
Flavor: Velvety smooth signature flavor with notes of oaky vanilla, warm spice, and a subtle fruit sweetness
Use: Sip Wheyward Spirit neat or on the rocks, or craft a delicious cocktail. Use in place of traditional clear spirits (like vodka, gin, tequila, or rum) to elevate your favorite drink, or craft your own bespoke creation.
80 proof (40% ABV)
What is Wheyward Wheyskey?
Wheyward Wheyskey is a barrel-finished Specialty spirit distilled from 100% upcycled whey. We begin with the award-winning Wheyward Spirit and let the flavor blossom in sustainably-sourced oak barrels.
Flavor: A smoky-sweetness with balanced notes of oaky vanilla, toffee, and warm spice, followed by a uniquely velvety smooth finish.
Use: Elevate your favorite classic cocktail or sip straight to fully savor the flavor of this grain-free alternative to traditional aged spirits.
80 proof (40% ABV)
What is a Specialty Spirit?
Instead of making a vodka, gin, rum, tequila, or whiskey, we make Specialty Spirits! A Specialty Spirit is the name for anything that doesn’t fit into the traditional classifications.
By using whey instead of grain, fruit, or agave for fermentation, and by following a more holistic approach to distillation that allows us to retain a signature flavor, Wheyward Spirit is ushering in a new era of spirits in the category of innovation.
Categories like vodka, gin, and whiskey are definitions created by the government and relate to both what a spirit is made from and how much natural flavor you can retain based on distillation. For example, vodka can be made from anything as long as you distill it until nearly neutral, whereas a whiskey is made from grain.
We are doing things differently for the right reasons by using whey as our fermentative base, creating a naturally flavorful, grain-free spirits. We are breaking the traditional classification molds and creating Specialty Spirits.
How do I use these spirits?
Wheyward Spirit and Wheyward Wheyskey work together to form a versatile two-bottle bar so you can craft any cocktail under the sun with less.
Wheyward Spirit replaces the traditional clear base spirit (vodka, tequila, gin, or rum) for a new and unique drink experience. It is smooth and sippable on the rocks or as the 1-3 ounce pour of spirit in your favorite drink -- the options are endless!
Wheyward Wheyskey is a grain-free alternative to a traditional aged spirit like whiskey, bourbon, or Scotch. Sip neat or on the rocks, or elevate your favorite cocktails by using Wheyskey as the base spirit.
Check out all of our cocktail recipes here.
Learn more about how to build your own capsule bar with just 2 base spirits here.
How are they different than other spirits?
Wheyward Spirit and Wheyward Wheyskey are first-of-their-kind as the only whey specialty spirits on the market. We are proud to bring innovation to the spirit aisles and do things differently for the right reasons.
Our fermentation and distillation processes focus entirely on flavor and impact, rather than trying to fit into a narrowly defined, traditional spirit category. Because of that, we can offer a high quality, velvety smooth signature flavor with endless versatility to craft any cocktail under the sun as elevated alternatives to traditional spirits.
Are there any additives, flavors, or sugar?
Nope! Our flavor comes naturally from our specialty fermentation and distillation process, not additives or flavoring. Our distillation process is more similar to an artisan tequila or rum than a vodka, allowing us to have a signature flavor of our spirit without adding anything after distillation other than filtered water to proof.
Wheyward Spirit and Wheyward Wheyskey have 60 calories, 0 grams of carbs, and 0 grams of sugar per ounce.
Is this lactose-free?
Yes, Wheyward Spirit and Wheyskey are lactose, grain, and gluten-free! The spirits are not vegan or dairy-free.
Is Wheyward Spirit woman-owned?
Yes! Wheyward Spirit is entirely woman-owned and operated.
Our Founder and CEO Emily began her career as a food scientist in the natural food and dairy industry and saw firsthand the problem of whey waste impacting small communities, and she was motivated to do something about it. She mastered the fermentation and distillation process hands-on, continues to lead our innovation, and is committed to blazing the trail for more women in spirits.
Sustainability
Why Whey?
Whey is a liquid co-product of the cheesemaking process -- like Little Miss Muffet and her curds and whey, or the liquid you sometimes see on top of yogurt!
For every 10 pounds of milk, you can only make 1 pound of cheese, leaving 9 pounds of whey remaining. Less than half of that whey is fully utilized for food in the US, contributing to the growing food waste problem and putting strain on the environment. Whey is nutritious with a mild sweet and creamy flavor, but billions of pounds of this high quality ingredient go to waste every year.
Wheyward Spirit’s unique process is giving a new life to excess whey, helping to prevent food waste while delivering more sippable and sustainable spirits.
Learn more about how we upcycle whey to make our handcrafted spirits.
What does Farm-to-Flask mean?
Farm-to-Flask means that our spirits are single batch and crafted from scratch using raw materials, as opposed to starting with pre-purchased alcohol. We source our whey directly from domestic dairies to create the foundation of our spirits.
How is this more sustainable?
Wheyward Spirit is working to upcycle ingredients that would have otherwise gone to waste. 30% of all food produced goes to waste, so we’re working to utilize whey to its fullest extent.
Using whey instead of traditional grains has a lower carbon and water footprint, and we are supporting domestic agriculture to foster a more resilient food system.
Learn more about our sustainability mission here.
What does "upcycled" mean?
Upcycling is the concept of utilizing ingredients that would otherwise leave the food chain to make high-quality products with a positive environmental impact. We upcycle whey to create our spirits, then take it one step further by sustainably aging in recoopered (upcycled) barrels to create Wheyward Wheyskey.
Join the Wheyward Herd
How do I buy this?
ONLINE: Wheyward Spirit is available to ship directly to your doorstep in 41 states and Washington D.C. through our website.
We cannot ship to AL, AK, AR, HI, MA, MI, MS, SD, or UT. If we can't ship directly to your state, contact us to see if our other shipping partners have shipping capabilities to your state.
IN-STORE: We are currently sold in retailers across Oregon, California, Wisconsin, and Nebraska. See our full location map to find the retailer nearest you (and see where you can enjoy our spirits in bars and restaurants).
How can you ship this to me?
We use third party retailers that can ship directly to you in participating states. Someone 21+ must be able to sign for the package at the time of delivery. Please contact us with any questions or concerns.
How can I sell this in my business?
Contact us to learn more about bringing Wheyward Spirit to your store, restaurant, or bar.
