Colby Frey is not a man who sits still. "I'm the guy who can't sit at a desk. When I do interviews like this, I often drive my truck around the ranch," Frey says. As he speaks, he is confident and casual in his passion for farming, family, and whiskey-making.
Frey Ranch Distillery, located in the heart of farming territory of Northern Nevada: Fallon, is a true ground-to-glass operation. Every grain that goes into their whiskey is grown on their own farm, often traveling less than a mile from field to fermentation. And this isn’t just a marketing point; it's a philosophy, one that has been passed down through generations.
Stewards of The Land
"Growing up on the farm, it's a big part of me," Frey says of his family having grown barley, wheat, corn, and rye for several generations. His family actually procured the first deeded property of Genoa in 1854. "We are temporary stewards of the land and I believe we should pass it along in good or better condition than where we found it."
Even after moving the family’s farming land from Genoa to Lakeridge in Reno and finally to Churchill County where they are currently, that deep respect for the earth influences every step of the process. Unlike many distilleries that source grains from large-scale producers, Frey Ranch continues the family crops and grows its own barley, wheat, corn, and rye—totaling between 600 and 800 acres annually—ensuring complete control over the quality and sustainability of the raw ingredients. The other acres of their farm are used to grow alfalfa, which is exported on a global level.
Each grain is slow grown, and nitrogen fertilizer, often used to enhance and speed up the growing process, is left off their crops. Even the byproducts of the distillation process are put to good use: solids feeding the dairy cattle on the neighboring farm as well as the liquids from the still going back into the soil, helping balance its natural alkaline pH. This dedication to doing it slowly, with longevity (for both business and for the land) has guided Frey Ranch from its inception.
"We didn’t want to sacrifice quality—we want to do it the right way," Frey says. That commitment led them to build their own malting system, a rarity even among craft distillers. Rather than sourcing pre-malted barley, the team at Frey Ranch developed an in-house system to control every aspect of the process. The result? A whiskey that is shaped by the soil, climate, and careful craftsmanship that define Frey Ranch.
Home Means Nevada
The climate in Northern Nevada is anything but forgiving, yet Frey embraces the challenge. With over 170 years of farming knowledge in their lineage, the Frey family has mastered irrigation, soil management, and crop rotation to ensure a consistent and high-quality yield. This deep agricultural expertise has allowed them to experiment with unique grains, producing small-batch whiskeys that push the boundaries of traditional spirits. Their oat whiskey, wheat whiskey, and other innovative offerings provide flavors rarely found on the market. This also gets them noticed in the whiskey community. They have won many awards, but one Frey is distinctly proud of? Top 10 in Whiskey Advocates Fall Building Guide, shortly after their initial launch. It puts Nevada on the map, one often marked by states known for whiskey making like Kentucky or Tennessee.
While Frey Ranch remains deeply rooted in its local community, its reach has expanded far beyond the Nevada state line. Today, Frey whiskeys are distributed in 12 states, with online availability in 32. Still, they maintain a hands-on, small-batch approach that sets them apart in the industry. Those looking for a taste straight from the source can visit the tasting room, open on Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m.
At its core, Frey Ranch is about more than just whiskey—it’s about legacy, sustainability, and an unrelenting passion for the craft. "As a farmer, you have to be pretty optimistic," Frey says with a chuckle. And that optimism, paired with generations of knowledge and an unwavering commitment to quality, is what makes every bottle of Frey Ranch whiskey a true testament to the land it comes from.
Colby’s love for farming extends to his family as well. He and his wife, Ashley have an 8-year-old boy and an 11-year-old girl who love being out on the ranch. Frey takes pride in building their confidence to create something from scratch—just as he has with their family business.
"Growing up on the farm, it's a big part of me."
"We want to do it the right way."