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Nashville Craft Distillery

While some may say that distilling is a form of chemistry, biologist Bruce Boeko had no problem picking it up. Boeko had worked in a DNA laboratory for over twenty years when he decided to take his talents to creating craft spirits from scratch. With years of beer and wine making experience, Boeko’s switch to distilling was smooth. However, the time it takes for distillation is very different from beer—it takes years before its ready to drink. Nashville Craft Distillery opened its doors in May of 2016 but did not release its first whiskey until May 2019.

Their first product was named Naked Biscuit, which uses pure sorghum syrup from Tennessee’s own Muddy Pond Sorghum Mill. They’ve since added the “Crane City Gin,” a nod to Nashville’s changing skyline and a Honey Spiced Honey Liqueur, which contains local honey infused with ginger, lemon peel, cinnamon, and cardamom. Added to the lineup in 2019 were the Original Bourbon Whisk(e)y and the Golden Biscuit, a barrel-aged variation of their original sorghum spirit. 

Nashville Craft supports local agriculture and business through their use of local and regional ingredients. In addition, nearly all of Nashville Craft Distillery’s equipment was made in Middle Tennessee. Nashville Craft even helps to produce Jim Massey and Darren Briggs’ Fugitives Spirits brand. Their Grandgousier Tennessee Whiskey is made in small batches using the Lincoln County process, while their Manifesto Tennessee Nascent Whiskey and Tennessee Waltz Whiskey are made with sustainably-sourced local grains. All five of the Nashville Craft small-batch spirits are available for purchase in the tasting room. Nashville Craft offers distillery tours most days of the week.

From the Nashville Craft Distillery lot, turn RIGHT onto Hagan Street. As sidewalks are minimal, please proceed with caution. At the end of the block, turn LEFT onto Merritt Avenue. At the next intersection, you will see Corsair Distillery and Headquarters on your right.

Tour Stops
Full Record & Citation
Title Nashville Craft Distillery
Creator Nashville Historical Foundation
Author Ali Humbrecht, Staff; May, 2019
Date 2016
Address 514 Hagan Street, Nashville, Tennessee 37203
Description Opening in 2016, Nashville Craft Distillery produced small-batches in their Wedgewood-Houston location. Formerly a DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) laboratory director, Bruce Boeko (1969-) used his science background to open the distillery that focuses on using local and regional ingredients. Nashville Craft features a Naked Biscuit Sorghum Spirit, using the Tennessee crop sorghum, and a Crane City Gin, a nod to Nashville's ever-growing crane presence. The distillery has partnered with Jim Massey and Darren Briggs to produce the brand Fugitives Spirits, which features Gandhousier Tennessee Whiskey, Manifesto Tennessee Nascent Whiskey, and Tennessee Waltz Whiskey.
Type Building
Coverage Area 2
Source Bruce Boeko, founder
Contributor Rachel Sykes; Jim Massey; Darren Briggs
Subject Agriculture; Distilleries; Industry; Neighborhoods; New Nashville
Keywords Buildings, Whiskey, Gin, Bars, Wedgewood-Houston, Nashville Craft Distillery
Rights CC BY-NC 4.0
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