History

Indian Creek Distillery is part of the Staley family’s long whiskey heritage in Ohio. The original distillery dates back to 1820, when the first copper stills were installed on the farm as part of a Pioneer-era venture. The modern brewery was revived by Joe and Missy Duer, who today produce “Legendary Ohio Frontier Whiskeys” in small batches, and they claim to use the original 1820 copper pot stills and artisanal spring water. The history also tells of Prohibition era, secret preservation of the stills, and a reopening year, which led to a family-run, historic craft distillery. The motto and loyalty to the history are clear: History Distilled into the Spirit of America in a Bottle… Here’s to Destiny! Missy Duer.

Production and Manufacturing

Indian Creek Distillery highlights the use of “Double Copper Pot Distillation” using their original 1820 copper-stills and the finest ingredients to hand-make Legendary Ohio Frontier Whiskeys. Production is small-batch, and the processes are described as old-school with a special focus on authenticity and craftsmanship. Emphasis is placed on the 200-year-old mash bill, consisting of 65% rye, 20% corn and the remainder malted barley, described as the core of their signature rye whiskey. The distillery works with artisan spring water and practices non-chill filtration and hand-labelling with wax. In addition, the distillery’s history is described as a living interpretation of America’s whiskey heritage, where the stills are still cared for and maintained by hand.

Products / Whisky Series

• Elias Staley White Rye Whiskey — signature rye mash bill (65% rye, 20% corn, remainder malted barley) and a traditional American rye profile.
• Staley Rye Whiskey — aged rye whiskey, developed from the original mash bill and historical recipe.
• Andy’s Old No.5 Bourbon — bourbon with historical family background linked to Federal Excise Tax periods in the 1860s.
• Dandy John’s White Corn Whiskey — a light, bright white corn whiskey celebrating a family member.
• 1820 Bourbon — a bourbon built on the farm’s heritage and distillation history across two centuries.
• American BondHouse Bourbon — a bourbon aged in the old warehouse building known as the “bondhouse.”
• Deep Dark and Delicious — a 120 proof cask-strength bourbon, aromatic and deep.
• Copper Arrow Staley Maple Bourbon Whiskey — a bourbon with added maple syrup and a unique profile.
• Gypsy Gin (although not a whiskey, it is included in the distillery’s overall spirit portfolio and demonstrates the diversity of the distillery’s production).

Visits and Experiences

• Tours & Experiences: A Visit to our Early American Artisan Farm Distillery, where you are transported to the Old Northwest Territory and experience frontier spirit and whiskey history.
• Distillery Tour and Tasting: A guided tour with a whiskey flight, showcasing the history and traditional small-batch distilling.
• StillHouse Tour and Tasting: Includes a guided whiskey flight as part of the tour.
• Tasting room hours: Tuesday through Saturday 12:00–5:00 PM. Prices: $10 for 4 spirits; $15 for all. A guided tasting is included in the Distillery Tour on Saturdays at 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM.

Philosophy

• Their philosophy focuses on authenticity and historical craftsmanship: old-fashioned handcrafted spirits, small batches, and an approach where “history” and “heritage” merge in each bottle. The distillery describes itself as a family-owned, historic artisanal distillery that uses older copper stills and a benevolent wish to preserve the American whiskey heritage without computer-controlled processes. Their marketing emphasizes a significant element of integrity, inspiration, and hard work in a handcrafted spirit, where history and place clearly come through in the taste and character of their products.