our heritage
At Doc Brown Farm, our grains are the heart of everything we do — and their story is one of heritage, stewardship, and an unwavering commitment to doing things right. We grow two exceptional heirloom varieties: Jimmy Red Corn, a rare and storied grain with roots deep in Southern moonshining tradition, and Abruzzi Rye, a time-honored variety prized for its resilience and rich, full flavor. Every seed we plant is grown organically, free from synthetic chemicals, and pollinated with the help of our own bees — because we believe the health of our crops begins with the health of the ecosystem around them. We farm with a blend of traditional practices passed down through generations and modern technology that allows us to work smarter and more sustainably, always with the goal of treating our land and environment with the care and respect they deserve. The result is grain grown with genuine intention, nurtured by healthy soil, clean air, and the kind of thoughtful farming that you can taste in every harvest.
THE WEATHER BEHIND OUR WHISKEY
Explore Doc Brown Farm’s records from 2019–2025, including growing-season weather, planting and harvest dates, and the journey of Jimmy Red corn and Abruzzi rye from field to distillery. The history also shares the family’s work and the values behind the farm. Read the full record below.
JIMMY RED CORN
The Grain Behind Our Bourbon
Jimmy Red Corn is more than a grain — it's a Southern legend rescued from the edge of extinction. Once prized by moonshiners on James Island, South Carolina, this remarkable heirloom nearly disappeared when its last known caretaker passed away. Just two surviving ears helped begin its revival. Today, Jimmy Red is celebrated by farmers, chefs, and distillers for its extraordinary flavor, distinctive genetics, and rich agricultural heritage.
With its deep burgundy, pearl-like kernels, Jimmy Red is unmistakable. But its real treasure lies beneath that beautiful red exterior. Jimmy Red is renowned for its unusually large, oil-rich germ, the living heart of the kernel where much of corn's natural oil is stored. Compared with conventional commodity corn, this distinctive germ gives Jimmy Red a particularly rich flavor profile. Its natural oils are associated with the nutty, buttery, almost creamy qualities that have made this heritage grain so desirable to chefs and distillers alike.
And that's precisely why we grow it.
Corn provides the starch that fermentation converts into alcohol, but there's much more to Jimmy Red than starch alone. Its oils, proteins, and other natural compounds contribute to the grain's distinctive character and influence the complex chemistry of whiskey production. Through fermentation, distillation, and careful aging, Jimmy Red can help create a bourbon with remarkable richness, depth, and a beautifully rounded mouthfeel.
The resulting whiskey can reveal layers of sweet cornbread, honey, caramel, roasted pecans, and butterscotch, complemented by gentle earthy notes, vanilla, and toasted oak. It's a flavor experience that begins with the grain itself.
But there's another reason Jimmy Red matters to us: the land.
Soil health, rainfall, temperature, and growing conditions influence how each plant develops and how its kernels mature. At Doc Brown Farm, we document our planting dates, weather patterns, harvests, and grain characteristics, studying how each growing season shapes the corn we produce.
We don't simply purchase Jimmy Red. We plant it, nurture it, harvest it, and preserve its story.
From a nearly forgotten moonshiner's corn to the fields of our Georgia farm, Jimmy Red represents everything we believe bourbon should be: rooted in agriculture, rich in heritage, and extraordinary by nature.
A little piece of our farm in every pour.
ABRUZZI RYE
Abruzzi Rye is a grain with a journey as remarkable as its flavor. Originally from the Abruzzo region of Italy, it made its way to the American South as an early seed import, where it became a primary grain source for centuries — prized by farmers and distillers alike for its hardy nature and exceptional character. Over time, as industrialization pushed agriculture toward high-yield, low-flavor commodity grains, Abruzzi faded into obscurity, nearly forgotten by the modern world. Today, a new generation of craft farmers and distillers are bringing it back, recognizing what those early Southern growers always knew: that Abruzzi is simply one of the most flavorful rye varieties ever cultivated.
What makes Abruzzi so special — and so different from the rye used in most commercial whiskeys — is its lower starch content compared to modern varieties. This means distillers must use a greater quantity of grain per batch, but the reward is a far more concentrated, dense, and complex flavor profile. The grain is celebrated for its robust character, rich nuttiness, and layered depth that modern hybrid ryes simply cannot replicate.
When distilled into rye whiskey, Abruzzi reveals a flavor experience unlike anything in the conventional whiskey world. On the nose, expect sweet cereal warmth layered with roasted nuts — almonds and hazelnuts — alongside notes of dark fruit, herbs, and a gentle earthiness. The palate is full and warming, with waves of spice, stone fruit, cacao, and mint, all wrapped in a silky, oily mouthfeel that speaks to the grain’s natural richness. The finish is long and satisfying, with herbal and peppery notes that linger beautifully. It is a whiskey that tastes of history — bold, complex, and deeply rooted in the land it comes from.
At Doc Brown Farm, growing Abruzzi Rye is an act of preservation as much as farming. Every stalk we raise is a connection to centuries of agricultural heritage, and every harvest carries the story of a grain that refused to be forgotten.
