Starch was added to water, then brought to a boil in a large metal mash tun inside a 2,500 square-foot distillery, 11504 Keslinger Road. [...] cooled, yeast was added to consume the sugar producing alcohol for whiskey, which is then sucked into one of four fermentation tanks. Whiskey Acres, which officially bottled its first batch of whiskey last month, is the only distillery in the county, and Illinois' first estate distillery, meaning they grow the grains "from seed to spirit," Nagele said. "What makes us unique is we can focus on our best grain, and focus on the best seeds and certain genetics to give us the best flavor, versus someone who buys commodity grains," he said. The family-owned business received its federal distilled spirits plant permit last August, then received its state craft distillery license last November. The distillery business only has been an option since 2010, when the state finally created a craft distiller's license that allows small distillers to open tasting rooms and sell directly to the public. The trio has plans for the property, hoping to turn an adjacent building on the 2,000 acres - five percent is grain used for the spirits - into a family-friendly hang-out come summer, where parents can taste the beer, while youngsters can play games. McIntyre said he now is more conservative for how many bottles he puts on the shelves at one time to keep the product in stock, adding, "The demand has exceeded what I thought it would be."