Great Lakes Distillery Files Dirty Helen Barrel Strength Bourbon & Rye

Two new COLAs from Milwaukee's Great Lakes Distillery expand the Dirty Helen line into barrel strength rye territory while refreshing the existing bourbon, with both filings pointing toward a distinctive on-site bottling experience at the Walker's Point tasting room.

Dirty Helen Barrel Strength Straight Bourbon Whiskey

The Dirty Helen bourbon isn't a new name in Great Lakes' lineup — it's the cask-strength sibling of their Still & Oak Straight Bourbon — but this June 2026 COLA filing indicates either a fresh batch or a label update for the ongoing series. The front label lists ~126.4 proof (63.2% ABV), though that figure appears identical across both filings in this batch, which is a signal that it may be a provisional placeholder; COLA proofs frequently shift before bottling on single-barrel releases. What sets both Dirty Helen expressions apart is the back label: fields for Barreled Date, Barrel No., Hand Bottled By, and Bottled Date are all marked "to be handwritten by guest," pointing squarely to an in-distillery barrel-pick and hand-bottling experience rather than a standard retail release. Great Lakes, Wisconsin's first distillery since Prohibition (founded by Guy Rehorst in 2004), distills in 53-gallon new charred American oak barrels — the full-size cooperage that underpins the Still & Oak portfolio.

The brand name itself carries genuine Milwaukee history: Helen Cromwell (1886–1969) ran The Sun Flower Inn, a Milwaukee speakeasy and post-Prohibition saloon, and the back label directs curious drinkers to the book Good Time Party Girl: The Notorious Life of Dirty Helen Cromwell, 1886–1969.

Dirty Helen Barrel Strength Straight Rye Whiskey

The rye expression appears to be the newer addition to the Dirty Helen line — Great Lakes' own website frames it as following the established bourbon release. It carries the same barrel strength, single-barrel format and the same guest-participation back label. Great Lakes' straight rye mash bill, as used in their Still & Oak Rye line, is built on 80% malted rye and 20% non-malted rye, a notably high-rye recipe that tends to produce assertive, spice-forward whiskey. The filing also lists ~126.4 proof (63.2% ABV), but again, given that the figure is identical to the bourbon filing, treat it as tentative until the distillery confirms the actual barrel proof. Both expressions are 750 mL.

If you're chasing these, the guest-bottling format strongly suggests the primary route is a visit to Great Lakes' tasting room at 616 W. Virginia St. in Milwaukee — not a retailer shelf.