BLACK SEASHORE RYE
PRE-PROHIBITION LANDRACE GRAIN
Our Black Seashore Rye delivers a flavor profile that commodity rye simply cannot—a fruit forward, natural sweetness honed by centuries of harsh coastal conditions. As today's consumers increasingly choose quality over quantity, a distinct and layered flavor profile is no longer just a differentiator—it's a competitive advantage.
Deep Roots, Deep Flavor
Landrace grains like Black Seashore Rye develop far more elaborate root systems than modern cultivars. These roots pump more sugars into the soil, nurturing mycorrhizal networks — vast fungal extraction systems that transmit micronutrients from deep in the earth back into the plant.
Grown in the mineral-rich Blacklands soil of Pamlico County, Seashore Rye's extensive root network extracts a spectrum of micronutrients that modern varieties simply cannot access. The result is measurably more complex flavor compounds — depth and character that you can taste.
"It has a more elaborate root system than modern cultivars, pumping more sugars into the soil, nurturing more mycorrhizomes that extend root systems into vast fungal extraction networks transmitting nutritive molecules from the soil. Landrace grains with elaborate root systems extract more micronutrients from the soil. Hence flavor."Jennifer E. Schmidt, Timothy M. Bowles, Amelie C. M. Gaudin — "Using Ancient Traits to Convert Soil Health into Crop Yield," Frontiers in Plant Science, 30 March 2016
Click Image to EnlargeGrain Shaped by Salt,
Sun, and Time
Rye Whiskey Production Booms in Colonial America
Rye whiskey emerges as the spirit of choice across the American colonies, with production flourishing from Pennsylvania to the Carolinas. While specific grain varieties used by colonial distillers went largely undocumented, the rye cultivars thriving along the Southern coast during this period were very likely genetic precursors to what we know today as Black Seashore Rye.
First Documented Sale of Seashore Rye
The earliest known recorded transaction of Black Seashore Rye on the Carolina coast. Heat-resistant and salt-tolerant, Seashore Rye was a pillar of Southern coastal agriculture and a natural choice for regional distilleries. Its resilience and wide availability suggest a significant role in pre-Prohibition rye whiskey production.
USDA Introduces Abruzzi Rye
The USDA imports Abruzzi rye from Italy — more productive and higher-yielding. Commercial Seashore Rye production collapses as most farmers make the economic switch. Seashore Rye begins its long disappearance.
Written Off as Extinct
Seashore Rye is declared lost. But in isolated pockets on Edisto and Wadmalaw Islands, coastal farmers quietly keep it alive — not out of sentimentality, but utility. Its towering 6-foot height makes it an irreplaceable windbreak against Atlantic gales and salt spray.
Tidewater Grain Co. Revival
Grown on land where Seashore Rye was historically cultivated, Tidewater Grain Co. is the Southeast's only certified heirloom seed breeder producing this landrace variety — bringing it full circle, back to distillers who value provenance, complexity, and flavor.
Finesse Over Heat.
Complexity Over Spice.
Black Seashore Rye
Modern Rye Blends
Black Seashore Rye is one of several heritage and landrace grains available through Tidewater Grain Co.'s Distillery Program. From heirloom corn to malting-quality barley, every grain we grow is cared for with the same food-grade standards and provenance-driven approach that makes our Black Seashore Rye exceptional.
Ready to add Black Seashore Rye to your mash bill?
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