Sangfroid Distilling

Brief overview of the distillery

Sangfroid Distilling is a small, artisanal distillery located in Hyattsville, Maryland. The distillery produces fruit brandies, rye whiskey, and Dutch-inspired gins, and makes all of its spirits on-site from fruit to bottle and from grain to bottle. The work is locally anchored: they use heirloom fruit from their own orchard and fruit from nearby farms as well as grain from farms in Maryland. The tasting room and cocktail bar have fixed opening hours at the end of the week, and there is the option for online ordering for pickup.

History

Founding and backers

The distillery was started by two brothers-in-law, Jeff and Nate, who wanted to make authentic, handmade spirits inspired by European and early American traditions. They established production in Hyattsville with a focus on small-scale craft and local sourcing of ingredients.

Working with fruit and orchard rehabilitation

Sangfroid has engaged in rehabilitation of an abandoned fruit orchard in western Maryland and uses seasonal heirloom fruit from this orchard. They combine their own fruit, wild-picked berries, and purchases from local farms in Maryland and Pennsylvania to ensure varied and locally sourced materials for their brandies.

Local grain supply and on-site production

The grain for whiskey and gin is sourced from Maryland farms: rye and spelt from Migrash Farm outside Baltimore and malted barley from Amber Fields Malting outside Frederick. The mash, fermentation, double pot distillation, and aging of the grain spirits all take place at the Hyattsville distillery.

Raw materials and production

The raw materials are central to Sangfroid's production. For brandies, whole fruits are used: heirloom fruit from their own orchard, wild-picked fruits, and purchases from local farms in Maryland and Pennsylvania with a maximum transport distance of about 120 miles. The fruit ferments naturally with the surrounding yeast on the fruit skins. For grain spirits, rye and spelt are sourced from Migrash Farm outside Baltimore, while malted barley is supplied from Amber Fields Malting outside Frederick. At the Hyattsville distillery the mash and fermentation of the grain occur, and the spirit undergoes a double-pot distillation. The entire process from raw material to bottle takes place on site, underscoring the craft-focused approach.

Whiskies

The range centers on three main groups: seasonal fruit brandies, rye- and other grain whiskies, and Dutch-inspired gins. All products bear the marks of small-scale production and local sourcing, where fruit from their own orchard, wild fruit, and nearby farms are combined with Maryland-grown grain. The products are produced and bottled on site, which is characteristic of the distillery's approach.

Visit the distillery

The distillery has a tasting room/cocktail bar in Hyattsville with fixed opening hours: Thursdays 17–21, Fridays 17–21 and Saturdays 13–17. There is the option to order online for pickup. Visitors can taste the products in the tasting room and talk with the founders about fruit projects and distillation methods. Contact with the distillery can be made by email for questions and events.

The stated opening hours are Cocktail Bar: Thursdays 17:00–21:00, Fridays 17:00–21:00, Saturdays 13:00–17:00. Online ordering for pickup available.

Philosophy and craft

Sangfroid operates from a local and artisanal approach: they prioritize the use of heirloom fruit, wild fruit, and grain from nearby farms, use whole fruits and allow fermentation to occur naturally, and bottle products on site. The inspiration comes from European and early American traditions, combined with concrete initiatives such as rehabilitating a local fruit orchard.

Sustainability

• Use of local ingredients to keep transport distances short (typically within about 120 miles for fruit).

• Rehabilitation of an abandoned fruit orchard in western Maryland.

• Prioritization of unsprayed or minimally sprayed fruit.