Tag: prison

National Bootlegger’s Day is celebrated on January 17, every year, to mark several key events: Start of prohibition in the U.S. Distillation of Templeton Rye whiskey Infamous gangster Al Capone’s birthday What is most interesting is how all three events are interconnected. It was the onset of prohibition that prompted both Capone and farmers in Templeton, Iowa, to distill their own whiskey to sell. This was how the famous Templeton Rye whiskey was born, and its popularity spread like wildfire during prohibition… so much so that it became Al Capone’s favorite whiskey. On January 17, 1920, the...

Contributor: Jamie Richardson   Southern Grace Distilleries is America’s only distillery that’s housed in a former prison. The compound originally opened in 1929 as Mount Pleasant Prison, where it remained in operation until it was shut down in 2011. In 2014, North Carolina natives Leanne Powell and Thomas Thacker moved into the facility and founded Southern Grace Distilleries. In 2019, Leanne passed away, but the small staff that runs this company works hard every day to keep Leanne’s vision alive. Meet Sebastian Correa, MASTER DISTILLER, PRODUCTION MANAGER Sebastian is from Winston-Salem...