Crossroads neighbors’ limited-release holiday brew bottled after three years in the barrel

When 400 bottles of Lifted Spirits’ Straight Wheat Whiskey — created using a coffee wheat stout from its Crossroads neighbor Torn Label — went on sale to the public Wednesday, the distillery-brewery mashup’s potential was finally tapped, said Michael Stuckey.

Michael Stuckey, Lifted Spirits

“This partnership with Torn Label is a unique collaboration that demonstrates the creative, artistic nature of the East Crossroads and the exciting development that’s happening there,” said Stuckey, founder and CEO of Lifted Spirits, which has partnered with the nearby brewer since 2016. “Kansas City’s artists and artisans are making high-quality products that really highlight what creativity and cooperation bring to artistic expression.”

The special-edition whiskey, the second product of Lifted Spirits’ ongoing lab release series, was created using Torn Label’s House Brew, then distilled and then aged in new American oak barrels, cellared at Lifted Spirits over the course of three years.

Click here to learn more about or purchase Lifted Spirits’ Straight Wheat Whiskey.

“We’re thrilled to see this project finally come to fruition after a long maturation period that really delivers the whiskey experience we’re both looking for,” said Travis Moore, co-founder and COO of Torn Label. “Over the years, we sampled the barrels on and off before deciding everything was just right, and now we have a product we’re super proud to offer beer and whiskey fans alike.”

The Straight Wheat Whiskey balances hops and bitterness with the rich, sweet notes of malted dark chocolate, toffee and fig — a robust and sweetly balanced spirit for the holiday season, the companies said. 

“We’ve always been huge fans of Lifted Spirits here at Torn Label, so working together was a no brainer,” said Moore. “When Michael and I first talked about distilling a batch of beer, we both gravitated toward something dark with a solid base malt profile for whiskey making. With both our fondness for wheated whiskeys, the 50-percent wheat base on Torn Label’s flagship House Brew coffee stout just made sense.”

Click here to explore products from Torn Label Brewing.

This week’s release comes as Lifted Spirits celebrates its five-year milestone.

The distillery has seen a significant revenue increase year over year alongside the establishment of a distinct footprint within Kansas City’s highly populated distillation scene, the company said. Its ongoing, limited-release Lab Series — which recently produced a Rum-Barreled Gin (called R.B.G.) with notes of pineapple, honeysuckle, juniper, citrus, caramelized banana and cinnamon — reflects Lifted Spirits’ earnest commitment to creating unique, original, botanical-based spirits.

This passion for the craft of distillation has been a defining factor of Lifted Spirits’ identity over the past five years — and its success, Stuckey said. While its first love is Kansas City, Lifted Spirits has also expanded to other markets in the region as it’s hit its operational stride, he added, teasing plans to expand outside Kansas City.

“As we’ve grown and as we’ve taken the time to look at where we’ve been, we’ve been able to return to our roots, which is the creative, ingredient-driven side of spirits,” Stuckey said. “We craft all of our spirits with that highly creative, atmospheric and experiential approach in mind. We’ve also been able to focus on building local community partnerships — not just as spirits lovers, but as Kansas Citians who want to contribute to the growth of our city.”

Click here to learn more about Lifted Spirits.