SPARTA, Ky. — A Kentucky Navy veteran is making his mark in the bourbon industry with an unusual ingredient: purple corn.
Ryan Lewand, owner of Fire and Flask Distillery, has spent the past five years developing his unique bourbon using purple corn instead of the traditional yellow variety. The distinctive grain gives his bourbon a sweeter, fruitier flavor profile that sets it apart in Kentucky's crowded whiskey market.
"This right here is our latest batch — this is the one, this is it," Lewand said, showing off his purple-hued bourbon. "Looks very purpe-ly, yes."
The name of his bourbon is Didynium, after a violet-colored glass that glassblowers use for safety.
"We like to joke that it filters out the other bottles on the shelf," Lewand said.
WATCH: We talked to Lewand about his transition from the Navy into bourbon-making
Lewand's path to bourbon making began during his military service. He joined the Navy at 18 and became a mineman, specializing in underwater explosives. His job involved building, maintaining and neutralizing underwater mines, particularly during operations in the Persian Gulf when Iran threatened to mine the Strait of Hormuz in 2012.
The discipline and patience required for military service translated well to bourbon making, where distillers must wait years to taste their finished product.
"My time in the military taught me a lot of discipline, a lot of patience, which is something you definitely need for bourbon," Lewand said.
Lewand discovered his passion for bourbon while in college after active duty. He was drawn to the experimental aspects of the craft and frustrated by the industry's focus on high-proof, allocated bottles that were difficult to obtain.
"I wanted to go back to that where people are like, 'hey, this is new, this is cool, I want to try it,'" Lewand said.
Fire and Flask currently operates as a contract distillery at Neeley Family Distillery in Sparta, Kentucky, part of the B-Line Bourbon Trail. The partnership allows Lewand to scale up production from his original five-gallon batches to 15 gallons.
"He was happy to help us," Lewand said of distillery owner Royce Neeley. "He's like, we got the time and the facility to do it, so we just got really lucky."
The business started even smaller at Second Sight Spirits, where Lewand produced just five gallons at a time. The growth reflects increasing demand for his unique product.
Customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive at tasting events across Kentucky.
"There's been times where people have taken the little sample I give them and go, yep," Lewand said. "That's the best feedback you can get. Oh God, yes, it's like, can I get 10 more of you today?"
Lewand currently works as an aircraft mechanic but hopes Fire and Flask will become his full-time job as the business continues to scale up. His five-year goal includes opening his own distillery facility.
The distillery name combines Lewand's two passions: glassblowing and bourbon making. The "fire" represents the molten glass used in his hobby, while "flask" obviously refers to bourbon.
Fire and Flask uses small barrels that allow for faster aging — their bourbon is ready in about a year compared to the typical four-plus years for traditional bourbon. As the business grows, Lewand plans to move to larger barrels and longer aging periods gradually.
