Stumpy’s Spirits is set to open doors July 18 at 1727 Centerville Road in Columbia, Illinois. The distillery sits on a 10-acre plot of owner Adam Stumpf’s seventh-generation family farm.
Stumpf started as a homebrewer in college and then worked for Anheuser-Busch for four years. “I was kind of a beer nerd,” he said. However, the beer nerd’s passion eventually turned to spirits, which led to his first distillery. Stumpy’s is “as close to single-sourced as we can possibly be,” he said. Stumpf sources all grain from his family farm and uses water from their own well instead of city water.
Stumpy’s will produce vodka and a light whiskey with plans to expand to bourbon and experimental spirits, possibly a Scotch-style whiskey and a spirit flavored with local honey. Initially, the distillery will focus exclusively on production and distribution, but Stumpf hopes to add a kitchen or tasting room as business grows.
Stumpy’s Spirits will host a grand opening with live music, food, cocktails, tastings and full bottle sales at the distillery on July 18 from 2 to 9 p.m. Can’t make it? Stumpy’s will come to you soon; Stumpf said he plans to distribute in both Illinois and Missouri.
This article appears in Readers’ Choice 2015.