Production places
Connections to water sources, peat places, maltings, cooperages, warehouses and maturation sites. Uncertain connections are labelled.
No documented production places are linked to this distillery yet.
Myer Farm Distillers
Overview of the Distillery
Myer Farm Distillers is a farm-distillery in Ovid, New York, where brothers Joe and John Myer grow organic grain on their own property and transform it into whiskey, gin, vodka and liqueurs. The distillery combines traditional craftsmanship, a CARL copper still and a building with pagoda-topped roofs to highlight both local production and detailed craftsmanship. The products range from single-barrel whiskeys and reserve releases to infused flavored whiskeys.
History
The farm's family history in Ovid dates back to the early settlers in 1789, and the Myer family have farmed land in the area since at least 1810. The current property has been cultivated since 1868. John Myer has an agricultural education from Cornell and has run the farm for decades, and in 2012 he and his brother Joe pooled their experience to establish Myer Farm Distillers. Since its founding, they have worked with using the farm's own International Certification Services-certified organic grain to produce spirits on site, and the company has expanded a range of bourbon, rye, corn and four-grain whiskeys as well as single barrel and reserve releases.
Raw Materials and Production
The distillery distills on a 650-liter copper pot still from CARL, GmbH, which is equipped with a 5' side column for whiskey production, a gin-head for vapor-infusion of botanicals and a 16' rectification column with 19 plates for vodka distillation up to 95% ABV. The raw materials are largely the farm's own organic grains, and the produced mashbills typically include corn, wheat, rye and barley in varying combinations (e.g., a bourbon with around 60% corn, a rye with about 70% rye as well as several four-grain and corn-only variants). For gin, vapor-infusion of traditional botanicals is used. They use local ingredients (many within about 20 miles) for infusions and flavorings. Several of their flavored whiskeys are infused with local ginger, honey or maple before or after aging.
Aging and Barrel Types
Myer Farm works with regular whiskey aging in their own range of barrels referred to as 'John Myer Whiskey barrels' and releases both single barrel releases and longer-aged reserve releases. Some products have specified aging, e.g., a corn whiskey aged four years and reserve releases aged eight years. The distillery also experiments with aging gin in whiskey casks (Cayuga Gold Barrel Gin) and with fruit or spice infusions before aging.
Whiskeys
The range includes a broad selection of American whiskeys: bourbons, ryes, corn whiskey, four-grain releases as well as single barrel and reserve releases. In addition, there are a number of infused or flavored whiskeys (J. Earl Myer series) where local ingredients such as ginger, honey and maple are used. The products are released in various formats, often 750 mL, with some single barrel releases also in 375 mL.
| Whisky | Type / Series | Alcohol | Age | Barrel & Style | Flavor Profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Myer Bourbon Whiskey | Bourbon; John Myer Whiskey | 45 % | not specified barrel (standard whiskey aging) | Bourbon made with a mash bill including 60% corn along with wheat, rye and barley; described with roasted grains, maple and spice.; Nose: notes of roasted grains and nuts mentioned on the product page.; Taste: Nutty flavors with grain- and hop-related notes.; Finish: Maple and light leather finish mentioned. | Core range; 750mL only | |
| John Myer Four Grain Whiskey | Four Grain / Bourbon-style; John Myer Whiskey | 45 % | not specified barrel (single barrel releases and reserve releases exist) | A four-grain whiskey (47% corn noted for some releases) described as more complex than standard bourbon with fruit and spice tones.; Nose: Notes of cherry, apricot and almond mentioned.; Taste: Complex with fruit, spice and hints of smoke.; Finish: Leather-like notes at the finish. | SOLD OUT; Core range | |
| John Myer Rye Whiskey | Rye; John Myer Whiskey | 45 % | not specified barrel (standard whiskey aging) | Distilled from a mash bill with 70% rye supplemented by corn and barley; described with zesty rye and bakery-spice notes.; Nose: Zesty rye with spice; notes of cake and sweetness mentioned.; Taste: Maple, apricot and tart fruit notes described on the page.; Finish: Traditional rye and spice notes with a light sweetness at the end. | Core range; 750mL only | |
| John Myer New York Straight Corn Whiskey | Corn Whiskey; John Myer Whiskey | 45 % | 4 years | not specified barrel (aged 4 years) | A pure corn whiskey distilled from 100% corn and aged four years; highlighted for its roasted sweet corn and caramel notes.; Nose: Notes of roasted sweet corn mentioned.; Taste: Caramel and browned butter/corn sweetness on the palate.; Finish: Spiced finish with cinnamon/nostalgic spices. | Core range; 750mL only |
| John Myer New York Straight Bourbon Whiskey - Single Barrel | Bourbon / Single Barrel | 45 % | Single barrel (not further specified) | Single barrel edition of their straight bourbon with selected casks, released in varying vintages.; Nose: Black pepper and cherry blossom mentioned for some single barrel releases.; Taste: Lemon verbena and freshly milled barley in texture noted.; Finish: Raspberry and rich butter caramel in the finish. | 750mL / 375mL | |
| John Myer New York Straight Four Grain Whiskey - Single Barrel | Four Grain / Single Barrel | 45 % | Single barrel (not further specified) | Single barrel edition of Four Grain whiskey, previously released in several vintages and also as reserve.; Nose: Tobacco, smoke and cognac notes mentioned for some single barrel releases.; Taste: Hints of blackberry, vanilla and leather in the finish.; Finish: Vanilla and leather-like notes. | SOLD OUT | |
| John Myer New York Straight Wheat Whiskey - Single Barrel | Wheat Whiskey / Single Barrel | 45 % | Single barrel (not specified) | Single barrel wheat whiskey released in limited casks; described for its soft, vanilla-forward character.; Nose: Vanilla, cedar and nutmeg mentioned in descriptions.; Taste: Maraschino, amaretto-toffee and crème brûlée-like notes.; Finish: Long finish with vanilla and cream-like elements. | SOLD OUT | |
| John Myer New York Straight Rye Whiskey - Single Barrel | Rye / Single Barrel | 45 % | Single barrel (not specified) | Single barrel rye with classic rye characteristics combined with fruity notes; released in several vintages. | Nose: Lightly spiced rye with fruity notes and herbal elements.; Taste: Cherry, amaretto and orange marmalade mentioned in the product text.; Finish: Honey and cherry at the end. | |
| John Myer Reserve Four Grain Whiskey | Four Grain / Reserve (8-year) | 45 % | 8 years | not specified barrel (reserve 8-year aging) | A limited 8-year reserve release of Four Grain Whiskey, released in a smaller bottle format.; Nose: Vanilla caramel and roasted notes combined with cherry and almond notes.; Taste: Richer, more fiery and oak-forward than standard releases.; Finish: Roasted oak and soft fruit finish. | 375mL only |
| John Myer Reserve Wheat Whiskey | Wheat Whiskey / Reserve (8-year) | 45 % | 8 years | not specified barrel (reserve 8-year aging) | Limited 8-year release of wheat whiskey, highlighted as a reserve release with more pronounced oak character.; Nose: Earthy tones and leather with vanilla and creamy elements.; Taste: Caramelized vanilla and custard notes.; Finish: Roasted oak and spicy ending. | 375mL / 750mL |
| J. Earl Myer Ginger Lake | Infused / Flavored Whiskey; J. Earl Myer Flavored Whiskey | 50 % | infused before aging (ginger infusion prior to aging) | A version of John Myer Rye Whiskey infused with local ginger before aging; a stronger, spicier infused whiskey. Nose: Christmas spice, ginger and sweet notes like meringue/egg cream mentioned.; Taste: Ginger-dominant with rye-spice and butterscotch notes in the background.; Finish: Sweet and spicy finish with ginger and nutty notes. | 750mL only | |
| J. Earl Myer Cinnamon Lake | Infused / Flavored Whiskey; J. Earl Myer Flavored Whiskey | 42 % | infused before or after aging (cinnamon bark infusion); finish: vanilla bean finish | A cinnamon-infused edition based on their wheat whiskey with vanilla added at the end.; Nose: Cinnamon buns and warm cake-like notes.; Taste: Dry, tannic cinnamon with vanilla and bakery notes in the background.; Finish: Cinnamon toast and warm spices in the finish. | 750mL / 375mL | |
| J. Earl Myer Honey Lake | Infused / Flavored Whiskey; J. Earl Myer Flavored Whiskey | 35 % | infused with raw local honey (post-distillation) | A four-grain-based whiskey infused with local honey and citrus zest; softer in strength and character. Nose: Sweet honey balanced with a hint of citrus zest. Taste: Mild sweetness of honey and maple with fruity background. Finish: Gentle, sweet finish with honey and citrus notes. | 375mL / 750mL | |
| J. Earl Myer Maple Lake | Infused / Flavored Whiskey; J. Earl Myer Flavored Whiskey | 33.5 % | infused with pure NYS maple syrup (post-distillation) | Bourbon-based liqueur infusion with pure NYS maple syrup; sweet and dessert-like. Nose: Caramelized sugar and roasted apple and wood notes.; Taste: Bourbon meets maple with board-smoked aroma and sweetness.; Finish: Long finish of melted maple sugar. | 750mL / 375mL |
Whiskeys: Styles and Flavor Profiles
Across the products, several flavor directions recur: fruity notes such as black cherry, apricot and red berries in four-grain and single-barrel releases; spicy elements and rye character in rye whiskeys, as well as warm spices in infused flavors (cinnamon, ginger); and sweet, malted notes like caramel, vanilla and toffee in bourbon and corn variants. These directions can be found in the descriptions of several bottles in their lineup.
Visiting the Distillery
The distillery has a tasting room and lists current summer hours: open Thursday through Monday from 1–5 PM, closed Tuesday and Wednesday (with a note that they will be open Saturday July 4). There is a webshop and the possibility of online sales to residents of New York State and Washington, D.C. The page does not provide details about guided tours or booking requirements, but the tasting room and shop are mentioned as part of the operation.
The stated hours are Summer: Thursday through Monday 1:00 - 5:00 PM. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. (Applicable from Thursday, June 4; noted that they are open Saturday, July 4.)
Philosophy and Craft
Myer Farm Distillers builds its approach on 'field-to-flask': they grow organic grain on their own farm and use it in their distillation. They prioritize certified organic raw materials, local flavorings and small-scale craft, and their distillery architecture and equipment are chosen to emphasize tradition and attention to detail.
Sustainability
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Member of Sustainable Finger Lakes.
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Use of International Certification Services-certified organic grain from their own farm.
Awards and Recognitions
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Double Gold Medal (2019, Double Gold, John Myer New York Straight Rye Whiskey)
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Silver Medal (Corn Whiskey) (2019, Silver, John Myer New York Straight Corn Whiskey)
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Bronze Medal (Whiskey) (2019, Bronze, John Myer Four Grain Whiskey)
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Gold Medal (American Craft Whiskey) (2018, Gold, John Myer New York Straight Four Grain Whiskey - Single Barrel)