Pinetop Distillery

Overview of the Distillery

Pinetop Distillery is located in Raleigh, North Carolina, and has since 2014 operated as a 100% grain-to-glass craft distillery. They produce an unaged Carolina Moonshine and a citrus-forward Carolina Gin, use locally sourced grains and custom-built, welded stills, and combine pre-Prohibition recipes with modern distillation techniques. For the curious whiskey lover, Pinetop is interesting as an example of a small, local distillery focused on ingredients, technique, and consistency.

History

Pinetop was started in 2014 by a team of self-taught distillers with professional backgrounds in, among others, engineering and biochemistry. The name refers to an old term for moonshine and reflects the desire to carry a tradition forward with local ingredients and classic grain recipes. From the beginning the distillery has focused on making spirits exclusively from grain: corn as the primary base, supplemented with wheat, rye and barley. This unaged spirit also formed the basis for developing a gin based on the same mashbill. Alongside, the team has invested in specially built equipment, built locally, and has emphasized hand-blending to ensure a stable and smooth profile in their products.

Raw Materials and Production

All production starts from grain: corn as the main ingredient with supplementary wheat, rye and barley. The grains are milled and mashed in a 300-gallon mashtun, cooled and yeast is added to create wort. Distillation occurs in two stages: first a custom continuous still that can run slowly around the clock to create consistency, and then a secondary distillation through a 6-foot forced-reflux/fractional column, which concentrates the alcohol and removes unwanted impurities. Finally the products are hand-blended to ensure consistency in flavor and finish. For the gin process, Pinetop uses vapor-infusion of botanicals to preserve bright citrus and spice notes.

Aging and Barrel Types

Pinetop offers home-aging kits with a 1-liter American oak barrel together with a bottle of moonshine, giving consumers the opportunity to experiment with oak-integration on a smaller scale. Plans are mentioned for an aged bourbon based on the distillery's mashbill, but there are no details published about large casks, aging times, or storage conditions. For now, unaged moonshine and gin form the core of the production.

Whiskies

The core of Pinetop's range is Carolina Moonshine, an unaged grain-based spirit, and Carolina Gin, which uses moonshine as the base and adds a citrus-focused blend of traditional botanicals through vapor infusion. The products are sold in 750 ml bottles at 80 proof (40% ABV). In addition to bottles, home-aging kits are sold on-site, and there is mention of a future aged bourbon in development. Products are distributed through North Carolina's county ABC stores and, in some periods, directly from the distillery.