History

• Old Sugar Distillery was founded in 2010 by University of Wisconsin graduate Nathan Greenawalt on a shoestring budget and a belief in producing handmade, high-quality spirits in the heart of Madison.
• His first challenge was to get the distillation still built; he found Colonel Wilson from Alma, Arkansas, and with the use of winches, ropes and a borrowed trailer and truck, he managed to haul the large, heavy still safely to Madison along the Ozarks’ rough roads.
• A change of plans: The original plan was to produce spirits only for wholesalers, but Wisconsin’s laws changed and allowed distilleries to operate tasting rooms. Nathan and Matt moved the distillery to East Main Street and opened a tasting room; since then, the staff has grown, the cocktail menu has expanded, and sales have increased. This speaks to the dedication to producing handmade, high-quality spirits in the heart of the city.
• What’s in a name?: Old Sugar derives from sugar as a base and from Madison’s history of beet sugar production. All spirits are handmade in-house using Colonel Wilson’s modified pot still. This pot still was chosen over a column still to preserve the base character and give a more robust flavor. Most Old Sugar products finish aging in American oak barrels from Minnesota.
• Green practices: Old Sugar Distillery is dedicated to environmentally friendly choices and to supporting other green businesses. They buy domestically produced glass and have solar panels that generate at least 11,880 kWh per year and offset 13.2 tons of CO2. 50% of electricity use comes from renewable resources through the Green Power Tomorrow program from Madison Gas & Electric.

Production / Manufacturing

• Almost everything is produced in-house and takes place in a pot still, which is heated directly using three large gas burners and not by steam.
• The base character of the spirit is preserved through the use of a pot still, and caramelization during distillation provides a fuller flavor.
• Most spirits are finished by aging in small American oak barrels, coopered in Minnesota.

Products / Whisky Series

• Bourbon: A Midwestern style, with cherry wood-smoked backbone and a corn-based mash; aged in small charred American oak barrels for a deep, rounded character.
• Queen Jennie Sorghum Whiskey: A whiskey made from 100% Wisconsin sorghum and aged in small, charred American oak barrels.
• In addition, Cane & Abe Small-Barrel Rum and Brandy Station are among the lineup.

Visit / Experiences

• Tasting Room: Opening hours are Thursday 16–21, Friday 16–22 and Saturday 13–22; all distillation apparatus can be viewed during tasting room hours, and guided tours and tastings are offered.
• Rickhouse: Special events and private events can be reserved; availability and planning through the site.

Philosophy

• Handcrafted, high-quality spirits in the heart of Madison.
• Green practices: domestically produced glass, solar panels and green energy.