Category: Middle West Spirits

Changing of the Guard at Ireland’s Midleton Distillery

Master Blender Billy Leighton’s recent decision to step aside from day to day work at Irish Distillers gave his longtime apprentice the dream job of… Read More

Master Blender Billy Leighton’s recent decision to step aside from day to day work at Irish Distillers gave his longtime apprentice the dream job of a lifetime. Dave McCabe is the new Master Blender for Jameson, Redbreast, Powers, and other Irish Whiskey brands, and we’ll talk with him on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. 

In the news, Irish Whiskey exports posted a decline in 2023, while Islay’s Ardnahoe Distillery is shutting down part of its visitors center. We’ll have the details on those and other stories, including another new distillery for Kentucky. 

Episode 1039: January 14, 2024

Links: Irish Distillers | Ardnahoe Distillery | Bord Bia | RD1 Spirits | Middle West Spirits | Talisker | Gordon & MacPhail | Cedar Ridge Distillery | Old Forester | Garrison Brothers Distillery | Sagamore Spirit | Distilled Spirits Council | Method & Madness | Liberty Pole Spirits

Photo courtesy Irish Distillers.

Middle West Spirits Announces 14 Acre Expansion for Second Production Plant

Columbus based Middle West Spirits, owners of Middle West, OYO, Vim & Petal, and Lux & Umbra brands, has announced a new 14-acre campus that will be located at 1165 Alum Creek Drive in Columbus, Ohio. Distilling will continue at the o…

Columbus based Middle West Spirits, owners of Middle West, OYO, Vim & Petal, and Lux & Umbra brands, has announced a new 14-acre campus that will be located at 1165 Alum Creek Drive in Columbus, Ohio. Distilling will continue at the original Courtland location in the Short North, which also houses their Service Bar restaurant and retail Bottle Shop.

Ryan Lang, founder and chief executive officer for Middle West Spirits says: 
We are excited about the Alum Creek development and the future of our company. The expansion of our operations allows us to hit capacities, aging goals and the volumes needed to continue to develop our brands and partnership programs. Our team has worked tirelessly over the last 15 years to bring us to this point, and we are excited to start the next chapter of Middle West.

This expansion will make Middle West Spirits the largest distillery in Ohio and will create 80 jobs over the next three years. The new expansion plans include a state-of-the-art 75,000-square-foot distillery, a grain recycling center, packaging, and a bottling facility.

My Take

I haven't had a ton of exposure to Middle Wes but I did do a review of their Middle West Spirits Straight Rye in 2019 (which scored a 64/100). Regardless, it's exciting to have a larger bourbon presence in Ohio and hopefully the expanded distillery will allow them to create new and exciting bourbons and whiskey's well into the future. 

What do you think? Drop a note in the comments below. 


Source: Middle West Spirits

MAJOR EXPANSION: Largest Distillery in Ohio Will Soon Be Middle West Spirits

Distillery

Recently, Middle West Spirits (Columbus, OH) announced a multi-year expansion of its distillery, operational facilities and a 14-acre campus in Columbus, Ohio. Per the brand, the expansion will make Middle West Spirits a top 10 grain-to-glass whiskey & spirits producer by volume in the United States overall and the largest distillery in Ohio. The growth is driven by consumer product demand for the distillery’s […]

The post MAJOR EXPANSION: Largest Distillery in Ohio Will Soon Be Middle West Spirits first appeared on The Bourbon Review.

Distillery

Recently, Middle West Spirits (Columbus, OH) announced a multi-year expansion of its distillery, operational facilities and a 14-acre campus in Columbus, Ohio. Per the brand, the expansion will make Middle West Spirits a top 10 grain-to-glass whiskey & spirits producer by volume in the United States overall and the largest distillery in Ohio.

The growth is driven by consumer product demand for the distillery’s branded spirits and the growth of the brand’s strategic partner program as it supports dozens of spirits partners. 

The expansion includes a state-of-the-art 75,000-square-foot distillery,grain recycling center, packaging and bottling facility and more. There will be fourteen 50,000 gallon fermenter tanks and four 12,500 gallon cookers.

Distillery
MWS Products. Courtesy.

The post MAJOR EXPANSION: Largest Distillery in Ohio Will Soon Be Middle West Spirits first appeared on The Bourbon Review.

Rye Whiskeys That Impressed Me In 2021

I did not taste as many rye whiskeys in 2021 as I did Bourbons, but there were a few that did impress me for their quality. I am going to list these whiskeys in alphabetical order by brand, not by… Continue Reading →

I did not taste as many rye whiskeys in 2021 as I did Bourbons, but there were a few that did impress me for their quality. I am going to list these whiskeys in alphabetical order by brand, not by... Continue Reading →

The First-Ever Ohio Craft Whiskey Festival – Oct 16th (Sold out)

The first ever Ohio Craft Whiskey Festival has been announced and will take place on Saturday, October 16 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Henmick Farm & Brewery in Delaware (4380 N Old State Rd, Delaware, OH 43015).Tickets are Includes 8 tastings an…

The first ever Ohio Craft Whiskey Festival has been announced and will take place on Saturday, October 16 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Henmick Farm & Brewery in Delaware (4380 N Old State Rd, Delaware, OH 43015).

Tickets are Includes 8 tastings and the opportunity to purchase the a limited release collaboration whiskey by the Ohio Distillers Guild. Additional tastings may be purchased at the event. Must be 21+ to attend. The distilleries scheduled are:
  • Echo Spirits Distilling Co.
  • Middle West Spirits
  • High Bank Distillery Co.
  • Noble Cut Distillery
  • 451 Spirits
  • Brain Brew Custom Whiskey
  • Indian Creek Distillery
  • Cleveland Whiskey
  • Karrikin Spirits Company
  • Watershed Distillery
  • Buckeye Vodka
  • M&O Spirits

Tickets are currently sold out (originally $40). 

My Take

It's a cool idea to showcase Ohio whiskeys. It's unfortunate that it's sold out, but I think that's the right thing to do given where we're at with the pandemic. Hopefully this will be an annual event and it will grow accordingly. 


Source: Ohio Craft Whiskey Festival

Happy Hour Live with Scott Neil and Nick Ravenhall (Episode 888: August 11, 2021)

Earlier this month, Nick Ravenhall and his brother Alex did something most of us would never dream of trying. They led a small team of swimmers through Scotland’s treacherous Corryvreckan whirlpool as part of their Whisky and Waves campaign of open-water swims around Great Britain. The “Whisky Smugglers” are carrying small bottles of whisky during their swim that will be blended and sold later this year to raise money for Sea Shepherd’s ocean conservation efforts in New Zealand, where the Ravenhall brothers call home. Nick joined us on the #HappyHourLive webcast along with Horse Soldier Bourbon co-founder Scott Neil. He Read More »

Earlier this month, Nick Ravenhall and his brother Alex did something most of us would never dream of trying. They led a small team of swimmers through Scotland’s treacherous Corryvreckan whirlpool as part of their Whisky and Waves campaign of open-water swims around Great Britain. The “Whisky Smugglers” are carrying small bottles of whisky during their swim that will be blended and sold later this year to raise money for Sea Shepherd’s ocean conservation efforts in New Zealand, where the Ravenhall brothers call home. Nick joined us on the #HappyHourLive webcast along with Horse Soldier Bourbon co-founder Scott Neil. He and his partner, John Koko, were part of the U.S. Army’s team of Green Berets that led the post 9/11 invasion of Afghanistan on horseback, a mission that was portrayed in the movie 12 Strong. They’ve turned to making whiskey now, with plans for a $150 milli0n dollar distillery project in Somerset, Kentucky that is in the final stages of approval, but they still have adventure in their blood as well.

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Links: Sea Shepherd | Horse Soldier Bourbon