A Wisconsin distillery is turning a dairy byproduct into a unique craft spirit thanks in part to support from the Dairy Business Innovation Alliance (DBIA). Birch Point Distillery in Westby received a grant from the program, helping co-owner Scott Kring transform sheep whey from local creameries into vodka and gin.
Kring says the idea came together after connecting with local cheesemakers who were looking for ways to make use of whey, a byproduct of cheese production. “We met Travis and Amy at Hidden Springs Creamery here in Westby, which is a sheep dairy cheese producer,” Kring explained. “He had told me about another group that was using sheep whey as a product for making vodka, and after a little research we found that it would work.”
How It Differs
Unlike traditional distilling, which relies on grains such as corn, whey-based spirits use lactose from the leftover liquid after cheesemaking. The whey must first go through several filtration steps to remove proteins and fats and concentrate the sugars before fermentation can begin. Because yeast cannot directly ferment lactose, the process also includes adding lactase to break the sugar down into simpler compounds.
The DBIA grant helped Birch Point Distillery purchase specialized equipment needed for that process. “The main piece of equipment is our filtration skid,” Kring said. “It has the ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis systems that remove the proteins and fats from the whey and concentrate it so it can be fermented.”
Today, the distillery sources whey from multiple creameries in the Westby area, including Hidden Springs Creamery and Nordic Creamery. What once was a waste stream for those businesses is now a valuable raw ingredient for craft spirits.
Kring says customers are often surprised to learn vodka can be made from milk byproducts. While the concept may be new to many, the project shows how dairy innovation and creative value-added products can open new opportunities for Wisconsin agriculture.
