On December 2, 2002, MaMa Jean’s Natural Market first opened its doors to the public. That original location on South Campbell in Springfield, Missouri started with a staff of 12 dedicated people, a dream, and a heap of hard work. Now here we are,15 years and 4 locations later, grateful to celebrate another milestone with our community.
To commemorate 15 years of serving the Ozarks, we wanted to make something both celebratory and unique. The product had to be locally made, representative of MaMa Jean’s, and of course - fun! Using organic quinoa from our own bulk department, we decided to make a one-of-a-kind Quinoa Rye Whiskey, perfect for toasting the special occasion. Naturally, we partnered with our friends at Copper Run Distillery for this exciting project.
The process started last September with 800 pounds of rye and 80 pounds of quinoa. Owners, Diana and Susie paid a special visit to Copper Run to help mash the brew together. After wild yeast fermentation, exacting distillation, and about a year of aging in charred white oak barrels, the whiskey was filtered and bottled for MaMa Jean’s.
Playfully named after our beloved mascot, the result of this bold experiment is a delicious and well-balanced product. 15 Beavers has a subtly creamy mouthfeel with an assertively spicy nose. It delivers a smooth sweetness with hints of vanilla and caramel up front, followed by a classic peppery rye finish.
Thank you to Copper Run for accepting the challenge of this project and thank you to our wonderful customers for 15 beautiful years in the Ozarks. Cheers to many more!
Please enjoy responsibly. We don’t want you to see 15 beavers.
(*No beavers were harmed in the making of this whiskey.)
