Oregon-based TMK Creamery is using the leftover whey byproduct from their cheese and fermenting it into vodka. They call it “cowcohol” and the flavor has a carmel-like sweetness with a smooth finish. Owner Todd Koch learned about the method from Dr. Paul Hughes, assistant professor of Distilled Spirits at Oregon State University. Hughes began experimenting with fermenting whey into a spirits base and has now helped more than a dozen creameries all over the U.S. ferment their whey into alcohol.
Fermenting upcycles the whey while bringing some attention to the animals, Koch said. Artisanal creameries typically have to pay thousands of dollars to dispose of whey in landfills.
From Atlas Obscura: Whey fermentation offers a brave, new world for small creameries, both in decreasing their environmental footprint and ensuring financial security in an age of mass conglomeration. For Koch, a life-long, self-proclaimed “cow person,” the possibilities of bovine booze are a relief to him and his beloved herd. “Going through college, I was like ‘Man, if I could just figure out how to get cows to make alcohol, we’d be set,’” he says. “So I guess we’re one step closer here.”
Read more (Atlas Obscura)