Founded in 2018 by Judson Bergman, Collin Moore, and Elise Bergman, Judson & Moore combines the best of Midwest ingredients and a specialized skillset from its founders to create a fantastic whiskey. We talked with Co-Founder Elise Bergman about the brand, the Judson & Moore difference, and the facilities that are open for tours and tastings.
A Taste of Judson & Moore
The Midwest Difference
“Judson & Moore focuses on sourcing locally and representing the bounty of the American Heartland with our spirits. We mill, ferment, distill, barrel, and age everything on site using Midwestern grains, Lake Michigan water and Minnesota white-oak barrels,” Elise Bergman explained. “Heirloom corn varieties and a smoking process on some of our grains contribute to unique flavor profiles in our four whiskey offerings. We take pride in our relationships with the farmers and artisans who work so hard to grow the ingredients and create the tools we use in our distillation processes. Those community relationships extend to a diverse roster of musicians who perform in the distillery space on a regular basis and artisans who create handmade barware for our mercantile. With our founders’ backgrounds ranging from art and design to music to finance and engineering, our hope was to create not only a unique, premium spirit but also a special place for people to come together to celebrate incredible community.”
Where to Find Judson & Moore
“Judson & Moore is located in the unique Rockwell on the River campus, where the building used to operate as a leather tannery in the early 1900s, coincidentally named “J.M. & V. Weil Tanners,” Bergman told us. The original warehouse suffered fire damage in 2015 and was later designed to the exact specifications Judson & Moore needed for its distillery space.”
The Tasting Room
The tasting room t Judson & Moore contains throwbacks to Bergman’s childhood—the counters and tables were made with wood from the white oak trees of her family home and crafted by Zak Rose of Dock 6 Collective. “The FC Studios designed space is about 5,800 square feet, furnished with vintage US-made mid-century chairs and decorated with charred oak sculptures that my brother, Elliot Bergman, crafted to adorn the room,” Bergman said of the space. “The space features a curated mercantile with offerings from local and sustainable artisan producers; we have regular live music programming weekly and production tours every Saturday.” The distillery is also equipped to handle events of 125 people (75 seated) and a bar that can accommodate up to 28.
Distillery Tours & Recipes
If you’re hoping for a firsthand look (and taste) at Judson & Moore’s whiskey, you can take a distillery tour on Saturdays for only $25. The tours are 45-minutes and include a guided look at the facilities and a tasting of all four whiskeys. If you’re not traveling to Chicago any time soon, check out this recipe for the Red Corn Bourbon Old Fashioned.
Recipe:
2oz Judson & Moore Red Corn Bourbon
1 dash of Angostura orange bitters
1 bar spoon of 2:1 Demerara syrup
A pinch of Maldon
Expressed orange peel
