Watershed Distillery
Overview of the Distillery
Watershed Distillery in Columbus produces bourbon, gin, vodka and specialty spirits with a clear local focus. The distillery combines commercial lines with limited collaboration releases and runs an onsite bottle shop, where visitors can taste and buy exclusive releases. Guided tours and an active visitor program make the site a practical and immersive stop for spirit enthusiasts in Ohio.
History
Watershed has established itself as a leading player in the state of Ohio through a portfolio of bourbon, gin, vodka and seasonal special releases. The products are distributed across Ohio and in six additional states, while the distillery maintains a strong local community through collaborations. A clear example of this is the collaboration with Great Lakes Brewing Company, where Watershed finished aging their high-rye bourbon in barrels previously used to store Christmas Ale, as a limited Ohio-only Christmas project (Batch 001). In 2025 the distillery presented an active online and visitor functionality, including a continuous supply in the bottle shop and a program of guided tours.
Raw Materials and Production
Production ranges from high-rye bourbon to a range of gins and vodkas. The distillery emphasizes a grain-to-glass focus with ingredients sourced close to home in Ohio. The tours give guests a practical insight into the process from grain to bottle, including a brief overview of the barrel warehouse and sensory elements. Concrete mash bills, still types and details about fermentation and distillation are not disclosed on the pages shown, but final barrel experiments and collaboration projects are a documented part of product development.
Maturation and Barrel Types
Aging takes place in a traditional barrel warehouse that is not temperature-controlled. The distillery works with both classic ex-bourbon aging and experimental finishes, including filling high-rye bourbon into ex-bourbon barrels that previously aged Great Lakes Christmas Ale, for a finish of about nine months. These finish experiments are used for seasonal and store-exclusive releases.
Whisky
The range includes core products such as straight bourbons, a bottled-in-bond line, several gin variants, and an award-winning vodka. Alongside these ongoing lines, limited collaborations and seasonal releases are launched, often available in the bottle shop or as Ohio-only releases. The products are sold in the distillery’s shop, in retail in Ohio and in selected other states, and via a few online retailers where shipping is allowed by law.
| Whisky | Type / Series | Cask and Style | Flavor Profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Lakes Barrel Aged Christmas Ale Barrels (Batch 001) | Bourbon; Watershed x Great Lakes | Ex-bourbon barrel previously used to age Christmas Ale; finish: approximately nine months in beer barrels | Nose: Caramel, spicy rye bread, toasted oak, honey and dates; Taste: Dark fruits, clove, baking spices; Finish: Dark spice, Ohio honey with a long finish | Limited; Ohio-only (distillery/bottle shop and local retail channels) |
| Uncut Unfiltered Bourbon | Bourbon | Current; Core range; Available in bottle shop and in retail in Ohio and selected states | ||
| Straight Bourbon Whiskey | Bourbon | Current; Core range | ||
| Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon | Bourbon | Current; Core range | ||
| Bourbon Barrel Four Peel Gin | Gin | Current | ||
| Four Peel Gin | Gin | Current; Core range | ||
| Four Peel Strawberry Gin | Gin | Current | ||
| Guild Gin | Gin | Current | ||
| Vodka | Vodka | Produced as part of the distillery’s portfolio; described as an award-winning craft vodka on the site. | Current; Core range | |
| 2026 RYE | Rye; Limited Releases | Listed as part of the limited releases menu on the site. | Upcoming |
General Flavor Profile
Visiting the Distillery
Visits to Watershed are conducted with guided tours of about an hour, which must be booked in advance. Each tour includes a grain-to-bottle overview, a brief outdoor passage to the barrel warehouse and tastings of four selected products. Participants are asked to arrive 10 minutes before start and bring a valid ID; guests under 21 are welcome but do not receive tastings. Private tours and veteran discounts are available by phone booking. Bottle shop is open Monday–Saturday 11:00–18:00.
The stated opening hours are Bottle Shop: Monday–Saturday 11:00–18:00; tours are offered Wednesday–Saturday and last about 1 hour.
Philosophy and Craft
Watershed emphasizes local sourcing of raw materials and strengthening Ohio as an active distilling region. The distillery’s work combines daily production with local partnerships and a clear outreach through grain-to-glass tours and bottle shop experiences.