Georgia’s distilling future, page 34 December 2014 Angels among us page 26 More pet stories! page 16 Visit Atlanta for the holidays www.georgiamagazine.org page 21 Cover_SW_1214.indd 1 11/13/14 5:51 PM whiskey, bourbon and fruit brandies using locally grown raw materials. By using locally produced raw Everything old is new again materials, by conducting tours and feeding into the tourism of the area, Georgia’s distilling has a shining future and by creating jobs, Moonshine Dis- tillery and its colleagues positively af- BY JANE F. GARVEY fect the well-being of the region. Now in his 80s, Carlos Lovell and his daughter Carlene Holder at eorgia’s wine and beer indus- Ivy Mountain Distillery in Mount Airy tries, laid waste by Prohibi- have made a legal enterprise out of Gtion, are recovering their lost an activity that Lovell learned in his ground—and now here comes younger years from other mountain the third cog in the adult bever- distillers, such as his father. ages wheel: distilleries. This is a At Ivy Mountain, Lovell relies on movement that’s happening all clear, pure spring water and locally over the country. grown corn to make the barrel-aged Before the U.S. Revolution, sour mash whiskey. He also distills the Colonies were awash in spir- peach and apple brandies, which its. Then, in New England, rum, were often made in the old days. The made from Caribbean molasses, apple brandy makes a fi ne addition RALPH DANIELS was the preferred spirit. But af- 13TH COLONY to a chicken cooked with apples and ter the Revolution, the British Karin and Erik Vonk grow the sugar cane for their At 13th Colony in Americus, its award-win- cream [see bonus recipe, page 36A]. cut off that molasses trade, so Richland Rum on their estate near Richland. Rich- ning corn whiskey was the fi rst aged spirit Apple and peach brandies also distillers turned to grain to pro- land Rum won the 2014 “Flavor of Georgia” Adult the distillery released. Each bottle is signed are among the products from Grand- duce spirits. Beverages category. and numbered by the distiller. daddy Mimms, which produces corn Making whiskey has long whiskey and a blended whiskey. The been a fi ne American tradition, and “hollers” of Appalachia. They made Vintners Vodka, in two proofs, 80 and name for this operation comes from alcohol has been an important source it at night to elude discovery by 99, shipped in late October. the nickname locals and family called of government revenue from the ear- the “revenuers.” Running whiskey At Moonrise Distillery near Clay- mountain distiller Jack McClure. liest days of the Republic. launched NASCAR in Dawsonville ton, Jim Harris and his son Scott use Country singer Tommy Townsend, But enforcing the whiskey tax as a byproduct of bootlegging illegal old-fashioned methods and classic a McClure grandson, has partnered ultimately proved diffi cult. So did whiskey. The folks who made the il- Appalachian pot stills to make their with Georgia Distilling Co. in Milled- later efforts to exterminate its pro- legal moonshine today are making geville to re-create not only McClure’s duction. The Prohibition years (1920- it legally and paying the tax on it. stills, but also the techniques his 1933) were fi lled with illegal alco- Appropriately, Dawsonville grandfather used to make his appar- hol—some of it toxic—yet the public Moonshine Distillery is located ently highly regarded libations. thirstily consumed much alcohol of in the same building that houses The metro Atlanta area is also all sorts. City Hall and the Georgia Racing seeing a burst of distilling activity. While artisan wine and craft beer Hall of Fame. Cheryl Wood proud- Lazy Guy Distiller occupies an 1830s production have resumed since the ly points to a photograph of her building near downtown Kennesaw, Prohibition era, distilleries are just grandfather, Simmie Free, holding where owner and distiller Mark Al- now getting new leases on life. Pro- a bottle of clear liquid while noting len launched his fi rst production in ducing everything from rum to bour- that he was well aged—88—when April 2014. Allen says Lazy Guy uses bon to vodka to moonshine, Georgia he passed away, and his father, Georgia-grown grains and fruits for is opening distilleries from one end “Fiddler” Fate Free, made it to 109. its whiskeys. of the state to the other. In Southeast Georgia, Still In downtown Atlanta’s Old In Americus, 13th Colony launch- Pond, which also has a musca- Fourth Ward district, Old 4th Distill- ed the distillery comeback in 2009, dine-producing winery and vine- ery founders, brothers Craig and Jeff starting with two tiers of vodka and yard, has launched a moonshine Moore, assert primacy as the fi rst le- gin, and now produces corn whiskey, distillery. In addition to musca- CRAIG MOORE gal distillery inside the Atlanta city bourbon and rye. dine-based moonshine whiskeys, Old 4th Distillery opened within the Atlanta city limits since Prohibition. Beginning in Corn whiskey—also known as a muscadine brandy is in the bar- limits in late 2014, producing vodka and gin. the fall 2014, Old 4th launched with moonshine—was what the bootleg- rels, says owner Charles Cowart. Brothers Jeff and Craig Moore renovated a plans to produce a line of vodka and gers made hidden in the hills and And his latest product, Still Pond’s historic Old Fourth Ward space for the distillery. gin, and began to do tours. Product 34 More online at www.georgiamagazine.org GEORGIA MAGAZINE 34-36.cooks_1214.indd 34 11/13/14 10:21 AM TASTE OF ATLANTA TASTE OF ATLANTA TASTE whiskey, bourbon and fruit brandies should be available beginning on using locally grown raw materials. Dec. 15 of this year, says Jeff Moore. By using locally produced raw Decatur and neighboring Avon- materials, by conducting tours and dale Estates are getting on the distill- feeding into the tourism of the area, ery bandwagon. Both municipalities and by creating jobs, Moonrise Dis- cooperated with distillery owners to tillery and its colleagues positively af- smooth the way. In fact, Avondale fect the well-being of the region. Estates approached Decatur inter- Now in his 80s, Carlos Lovell nist Tim Watts, who grew up in Italy, and his daughter Carlene Holder at about doing a distillery, which will Ivy Mountain Distillery in Mount Airy soon open and produce whiskey that have made a legal enterprise out of will be all barrel-aged. Getting past an activity that Lovell learned in his the local ordinances is “the biggest younger years from other mountain hurdle for any distillery,” he says. distillers, such as his father. Independent Distillery Co. co- At Ivy Mountain, Lovell relies on founders Tommy Williams and Mi- clear, pure spring water and locally chael Anderson would agree. After COURTESY FRUITLAND AUGUSTA grown corn to make the barrel-aged Decatur changed necessary ordinanc- sour mash whiskey. He also distills es, Independent’s distillery was off to Fruitland Augusta Georgia Peach Vodka and peach and apple brandies, which the races in September 2014. Their Georgia Peach Sweet Tea Vodka currently were often made in the old days. The double-distilled smooth, aromatic are made out of state, but that could change apple brandy makes a fi ne addition Hellbender corn whiskey can be if laws now on the books in the Augusta to a chicken cooked with apples and found at Pallookaville Fine Foods in area are revamped to allow it. At 13th Colony in Americus, its award-win- cream [see bonus recipe, page 36A]. Avondale Estates, and Independent ning corn whiskey was the fi rst aged spirit Apple and peach brandies also plans an expansion into the making ga, Stillhouse Creek, which plans to the distillery released. Each bottle is signed are among the products from Grand- of fi ne rum and bourbon as well. produce grappa among its other prod- and numbered by the distiller. daddy Mimms, which produces corn Also supportive of its resident ucts. Dalton Distillers, on its Facebook whiskey and a blended whiskey. The distiller, Richland, located between page, says it will be ready to go by name for this operation comes from Columbus and Albany, embraced late November to early December in the nickname locals and family called Richland Rum, an enterprise launched Dalton. mountain distiller Jack McClure. by Erik and Karin Vonk. The couple These entrepreneurs are passion- Country singer Tommy Townsend, grows sugar cane at Vennebroeck, ate about what they do, but the sup- a McClure grandson, has partnered their nearby estate, where they began port of the local political authority is with Georgia Distilling Co. in Milled- this project in 1999. critical to their success. While most geville to re-create not only McClure’s More distilleries are in the early have gotten that support, some have stills, but also the techniques his stages, including one in Dahlone- opted to move operations out of state. grandfather used to make his appar- ently highly regarded libations. The metro Atlanta area is also seeing a burst of distilling activity. Lazy Guy Distiller occupies an 1830s building near downtown Kennesaw, where owner and distiller Mark Al- len launched his fi rst production in April 2014. Allen says Lazy Guy uses Georgia-grown grains and fruits for its whiskeys. In downtown Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward district, Old 4th Distill- ery founders, brothers Craig and Jeff Moore, assert primacy as the fi rst le- gal distillery inside the Atlanta city Old 4th Distillery opened within the Atlanta city limits since Prohibition.