Old Sugar Distillery
Brief overview of the distillery
Old Sugar Distillery is located on East Main Street in Madison, Wisconsin. Since 2010, Nathan Greenawalt has operated a small, craft-oriented distillery that uses sugar-based raw materials such as sorghum and cane in a range of spirits. The distillery combines a modified pot still with a tasting room a few blocks from the Capitol, providing both production and direct customer experiences under the same roof.
History
Nathan Greenawalt founded Old Sugar Distillery in 2010 with a modified pot still manufactured by Colonel Wilson in Arkansas. Transport of the still was a challenge, but it arrived, and production could begin. Originally the plan was to supply to wholesale, but a change in Wisconsin law made it possible to operate tasting rooms. Nathan and his first employee Matt moved the distillery to East Main Street and opened a tasting room, which changed the business model. Since then the team has expanded, the cocktail menu has grown, and the tasting room has been a central element in reaching customers.
Raw materials and production
Old Sugar primarily works with sugar-based raw materials; Queen Jennie is produced from sorghum, and the distillery's rum and cane products are based on cane sugar. The distillery uses a modified pot still manufactured by Colonel Wilson, heated directly by three large gas burners. The choice of pot still over a column still is justified by a desire to preserve the base character in brandy, whiskey, and rum. The production is described as handmade and carried out in-house from production to bottling.
Maturation and cask types
Most products finish with aging in American oak barrels, which the distillery states are coopered in Minnesota. In addition to regular aging, port and sherry finishes are used for select bourbons, and the distillery also offers various barrel-aged items in their range.
Whiskies
The core of the range consists of Queen Jennie (sorghum whiskey) and a bourbon, complemented by Cane & Abe rum, liqueurs such as honey liqueur, and specialty products such as Ouzon and the SMASH! series. Some core varieties are available through a USA mail-order partner, while the tasting room houses the full range for tasting and purchase. Port and sherry finishes are used on select bourbon releases.
| Whisky | Type / Series | Alcohol | Cask and Style | Flavor profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Queen Jennie | Sorghum whiskey | 40 % | American oak barrel | Flagship sorghum-whiskey named Queen Jennie; noted as one of the distillery's core products. | Current; Core range; Available at the distillery's tasting room and via a USA mail-order partner for core products. |
| Bourbon | Bourbon | 40 % | American oak barrel | Bourbon listed among the distillery's flagship products. | Current; Core range; Available in tasting room. |
| Port and Sherry Finished Bourbons | Bourbon (finished) | 40 % | Port and sherry casks (finishes); finish: Finisher in port- or sherry-finish | Selected bourbons with port and sherry finishes, noted as special/limited releases. | Limited; Seasonal / limited; typically sought in tasting room. |
| SMASH! | Series named 'SMASH!' that includes several different whiskies as special releases. | Limited; Seasonal / limited; available in tasting room. |
General flavor profile
Visit the distillery
The tasting room is open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday with tours on Saturdays at 1:30 PM. The tours can be booked online, and the tasting room offers tastings as well as sale of the products. A mail-order partner ships core products to 47 U.S. states, but for the full selection onsite visits are recommended.
The stated opening hours are THURS: 4–9PM; FRI: 4–10PM; SAT: 1–10PM; Tours Saturdays 1:30PM.
Philosophy and craft
Old Sugar prioritizes craftsmanship and the character of its ingredients through the choice of a pot still and direct flame heating. The company also pursues concrete green initiatives, including the use of domestically produced glass, its own solar installation, and purchasing green power.
Sustainability
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Procurement of domestically produced glass whenever possible.
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A 10 kW DC solar array on the roof, designed to generate at least 11,880 kWh annually and offset 13.2 tons of CO2.
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Purchase of green power from Madison Gas & Electric (50% of electricity from renewable sources via their program).
Latest news
Follow us! – 2026-07-28
Encouragement to follow the distillery on social media to stay updated.
PATIO NOW OPEN! – 2021-09-09
Announcement of patio and updated opening hours; noting that tours are available Saturdays at 1:30 PM with online booking.
A VISIT TO ROLLING MEADOWS – 2021-09-08
Nathan visited Rolling Meadows Sorghum Mill during harvest; the distillery purchases part of the harvest for Queen Jennie Sorghum Whiskey production.