Celebrating 5 Years as Columbia’s First Micro-Distillery: Copper Horse Distilling
May 5, 2017
In 2012, Richard Baker served Columbia, South Carolina a special treat they hadn’t enjoyed in ages.
At least not legally.
Baker’s big idea was a micro-distillery, and it would be the first of its kind in Columbia. After accumulating a wealth of industry knowledge working in various distilleries across Washington, Illinois and Kentucky, Baker was ready to launch his own line of spirits.
The only thing he needed was a name, and that’s when Baker stumbled upon a fond childhood memory for inspiration.
“I grew up riding horses on my uncle’s farm in South Carolina, and one day, the horse bucked me off and I suffered a compound fracture in my arm,” Baker said. “My grandmamma yelled out that I had gotten ‘thrown off that ole’ Copper Horse.’”
Five years after Copper Horse Distilling burst out of the gates with a single bottle of vodka sitting firmly in the saddle, the brand boasts five spirits, all galloping to the forefront in their respective categories. We were thrilled to be able to catch up with Baker so we could learn about the latest Copper Horse news, as well as what consumers can look forward to from the brand that isn’t pulling back on the reigns.
This year marks your 5th anniversary. Tell us about where the brand is now vs. 5 years ago.
Richard Baker: We have broadened our portfolio to four unique craft spirits, as well as our artisan cream liqueurs. Copper Horse is now distributed in multiple states and our production has continued to grow with our success. One of the most noticeable changes has been within the craft spirits movement. Now you can’t cross the street without running into a new distillery. The great part about this though is the general consumer’s newfound appreciation for quality.
Walk us through your lineup of spirits and tell us about the unique aspects of each one.
Old Mill Vodka is distilled twice and non-charcoal filtered. The sweetness of the corn and soft flavors of wheat make our spirit a great choice for any cocktail.
Bulle Rock Gin is juniper forward and packed with tons of citrus and floral notes. After we distill our spirit through its botanical basket, we rest our product in once-used bourbon barrels. Besides the beautiful golden color, the barrel also gives us soft notes of vanilla and caramel from deep within the wood.
Bold Rum bridges the gap of gold and dark rums, while maintaining the best flavors of both worlds. Distilled from a molasses base and carefully handcrafted, our Bold Rum carries more depth and flavor than a rum twice its age.
Hot! If you are a heat-seeker, this is definitely the vodka for you! Infused with the two hottest peppers in the world — the Carolina Reaper and the Ghost Pepper— our Hot Vodka is meant to be the hottest cocktail experience of your life. Perfect for a Bloody Mary.
Copper Cream Liqueur is a southern alternative to classic creams. Styled after old family recipes of our head distiller, our Pecan Praline and Salted Chocolate Truffle taste just as good as they sound.
Tell us about your production process. Where do you source your ingredients?
We use grain exclusively from the Adluh Mill for all of our grain-based spirits. The Adluh Mill has been here in Columbia since 1900 and been owned and operated by the Allen Brothers Milling Company for four generations. It is certainly a staple of quality for the city of Columbia, the state of South Carolina, and the South as a whole.
Our production process at Copper Horse is craft in the truest sense of the word. There is no aspect of the mash, fermentation, distillation, bottling, labeling, and packaging that we do not have our hands on. Our grain to bottle process allows us to maintain our high level of quality control and completely embody the art of creating craft spirits.
What has been the biggest innovation for Copper Horse?
Copper Horse continues to create products based off of feedback from consumers and trends within the market. Our product line is not stagnant but reflects the changes we see and hear within the market.
You’ve been in the news lately with your liquor-infused coffee. What can you tell us about that product, and how has the market responded to it thus far?
The coffee is a really cool idea we have been working on with the local roasters Indah Coffee. The green coffee bean is very impressionable to whatever environment it is exposed to. Then when the guys down at Indah roast the beans, the alcohol vaporizes but the flavor of our craft spirits is retained. This leaves you with the deep, rich flavor of our spirits infused with premium coffee. The coffee is offered in three distinct flavors: bourbon barrel-aged, rum-infused and gin-infused.
Word is your bourbon should be ready soon. What’s the latest with your bourbon batch?
One of the most popular questions we get is, “When is the bourbon going to be ready?” We love how excited everyone is for our bourbon, and believe me, we are just as ready for it to be out as everyone else. Our bourbon will be released when the product is mature and ready for the market. There is enough young bourbon out there already and we do not want to be in that category. We hope to put out our bourbon this year.
What’s your take on the continued popularity of flavored spirits? Why do bold flavors appeal to today’s consumers – especially millennials?
People like new and exciting things, especially when they taste great. There is also a market of people out there that do not drink spirits straight. In order for this market to be reached, you need products that make great cocktails as well as stand on their own. Bold flavors will never go out of style.
(Photos courtesy of http://www.copperhorsedistilling.com/)