Production places
Connections to water sources, peat places, maltings, cooperages, warehouses and maturation sites. Uncertain connections are labelled.
No documented production places are linked to this distillery yet.
Hewn Spirits
Overview of the Distillery
Hewn Spirits is a small-batch distillery in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, with a tasting room in Peddler’s Village in New Hope. The distillery works specifically with local grains, stone-ground flour from a historic water-powered mill, and a continuing fascination with the role of wood in maturation. Notably, they experiment with secondary aging in reused and very old wood to influence the character of their bourbons, ryes, and single malts.
History
The history of Hewn Spirits begins in the world of timber craftsmanship: many years of restoring early American barns and a long restoration of an old Alaska fishing boat stirred an interest in wood and craftsmanship. After the founder received a small stipend from his team, experiments with distillation began, especially regarding how different types of wood affect a spirit's character. The throughline is a curiosity to reuse and explore old wood species in the maturation process, while production is closely tied to the local community through local grain suppliers and an 1800s gristmill.
Raw Materials and Production
Raw materials are sourced locally; grain is grown within a short distance of the distillery and milled in a welcoming, historic water-powered gristmill. Hewn produces several types of spirits in small batches: bourbon, rye, an American single malt from malted barley, as well as corn whiskey/moonshine. New Moon is produced in a copper pot still, and Denali vodka is distilled six times and filtered through activated charcoal. The water source for production is Bucks County artisanal well water. The craftsmanship of production is supported by local collaborations and recycling initiatives, e.g., donation of spent grain to nearby farms.
Maturation and Cask Types
Maturation at Hewn builds on a combination of new charred American oak barrels, used bourbon barrels, and a subsequent finish on reclaimed wood. The Reclamation profile illustrates the approach: first new charred white oak, then used bourbon barrels, and finally finish on hickory, chestnut, or oak sourced from timbers up to 300 years old. The distillery continually experiments with how these different woods and ages influence the spirit's development.
Whiskies
The range includes a number of core and small-batch releases. Among the central spirits are Dark Hollow (Pennsylvania bourbon), Reclamation (American Single Malt Whiskey with extensive wood finish), Red Barn Rye, and New Moon moonshine/corn whiskey. In addition to these whisky types, they also produce rum, vodka, and ready-to-drink cocktails, but the core of the distillery's whisky side is precisely their experiments with wood and local grains.
| Whisky | Type / Series | Alcohol | Cask and Style | Flavor Profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Hollow | Pennsylvania Bourbon Whiskey | 47% | Pennsylvania bourbon made from a blend of traditional corn, heirloom corn, and rye. The distillery highlights the use of Bucks County artisanal well water in production and a small-batch manufacturing process. | Current; Core range | |
| Reclamation | American Single Malt Whiskey | 55% | New American charred white oak barrels; subsequently used bourbon barrels; finish on reclaimed hickory/chestnut/oak; finish: finished in reclaimed wood up to 300 years old | American single malt produced from premium malted barley. First aged in new charred white oak barrels, then in used bourbon barrels and finally finished in selected, reclaimed wood. | Current; Core range |
| Red Barn Rye | Rye Whiskey | 40% | A homage to the hand-cut red barns in Pennsylvania. Red Barn Rye is made from selected rye, corn, and malted barley and is described as dry and spicy. | Current; Core range | |
| New Moon | Corn Whiskey (Moonshine) | 45% | A modern interpretation of moonshine made from locally grown corn and distilled in a copper pot still. New Moon is presented as a clean, sip-worthy corn whiskey. | Current; Core range |
The Whiskies' Style and Flavor Profiles
From the documented descriptions, three through-lines emerge: a spicy, dry rye character highlighted for Red Barn Rye; a soft, complex malt profile in Reclamation, where the wood finish is used actively; and a general smoothness and complexity in bourbons like Dark Hollow. Taken together, these descriptions point to an expression where the wood's influence, rye spice notes, and solid malt body play key roles.
Visiting the Distillery
Hewn Spirits welcomes visitors to their tasting room in Peddler’s Village, New Hope (42 Peddler's Village) with regular hours: Sunday–Thursday 11:00–17:00, Friday 11:00–20:00, and Saturday 10:00–20:00. The venue offers tasting flights, cocktails, a shop, as well as private parties, group tastings, and distillery tours, which are arranged via advance booking by email. Visitors can sample individual drips and participate in more structured tastings and events.
The stated hours are Sunday–Thursday: 11:00–17:00; Friday: 11:00–20:00; Saturday: 10:00–20:00.
Philosophy and Craft
Hewn Spirits operates from a respect for old materials and local craftsmanship: wood is regarded as essential to the character of the spirits, and the distillery researches the effects of recycled and historic wood on maturation. Emphasis is placed on local sourcing of ingredients, circular solutions for spent grain, and a commitment to supporting local nonprofit efforts.
Sustainability
Local procurement of grain and use of a nearby mill for stone-ground milling.
Reuse of spent grain as feed for local farming.
Recycling of historic wood for secondary aging promotes care for material utilization.