Old 55 Distillery

Overview of the Distillery

Old 55 Distillery in Newtown, Indiana, is a family-owned distillery that produces corn whiskey and bourbon from Hoosier corn and wheat. The distillery operates on a field-to-bottle principle, where the grain comes from local fields and the family farm. Production takes place on a custom-built pot still from Kothe in Germany, and tastings can be experienced in the distillery's tasting room, which is open on Fridays and Saturdays.

History

Family and Farm Background

Old 55 Distillery presents itself as a true family business, where values and working methods are drawn directly from their grandfathers' experiences. The name Old 55 was chosen to honor the road and the Midwest landscape that the distillery and the fields where the grain is harvested are part of. The entire value chain is centered around the family’s fields and local suppliers.

From Field to Bottle

The distillery describes itself as one of the few truly field-to-bottle distilleries, where everything from harvest to bottling takes place under their own control. This approach is central to the distillery's identity and to how the products are named and marketed.

Technology and Facilities

Old 55 has had a specially designed pot still built by Kothe Destillationstechnik in Germany, featuring an extended "whiskey helmet" and triple distillation towers. The tailored distillation setup gives the distillery flexibility in the distillation process and is one of their highlighted craftsmanship elements.

Raw Materials and Production

Raw materials are at the core of Old 55's approach: Hoosier corn and wheat from local fields and the family farm are used as the basis for all products. The entire value chain is handled on site—from harvest, storage, milling, mashing, fermentation, distillation, to bottling—making them a field-to-bottle distillery. Distillation is carried out on a specially built pot still from Kothe Destillationstechnik in Germany; the facility features an extended whiskey helmet and triple distillation towers, which provide a flexible distillation profile and multiple passes. The distillery works small-batch and uses a "heart cut" in the distillation, omitting heads and tails to deliver what they call the heart of the distillate. Handcrafted control and local sourcing are highlighted elements of their production philosophy.

Maturation and Cask Types

Single Barrel Bourbon is aged in new American oak charred barrels and stored in Newtown until the distillery considers the whiskey finished. Corn Whiskey is produced as a virgin spirit and is therefore not affected by barrel aging. In addition to the explicit use of new American oak for Single Barrel Bourbon, there are no detailed notes on additional cask types or finishes for all products.

Whiskies

The range centers on three tangible products. Corn Whiskey is an unaged virgin spirit made from the heart cut from the same mash as bourbons; Single Barrel Bourbon is an Indiana bourbon made from Hoosier corn and wheat, aged in new American oak charred barrels, and stored in Newtown until considered finished; and 100% Sweet Corn Bourbon is a small-batch experiment based on 100% sweet corn harvested from the family farm, harvested from the cob, distilled on-site, and bottled as a small-batch product. All products are presented as small-batch, produced with a focus on craftsmanship and local sourcing. Bottles can be purchased in the tasting room.

General Flavor Profile

Visit the Distillery

The tasting room is open Friday and Saturday from 12:00 to 20:00; Sunday is closed. Guests must be 21 years of age to gain access. The distillery offers tours, tastings and cocktails in the tasting room, and there is the option to book the tasting room for private events by contacting info@old55distillery.com. Bottles from the distillery can be purchased on-site.

The stated hours are Friday & Saturday: 12:00–20:00. Sunday: closed. (Tasting Room hours listed on the site.)

Philosophy and Craftsmanship

Old 55 builds its philosophy on family values, hard work, and respect for craftsmanship. They operate a field-to-bottle concept where all grain comes from local fields or the family farm, and they stand behind the entire process from harvest to bottle. Their choice of specially built distillation equipment and their work in small batches reflect the desire for control and quality at every step.