South County Distillers

Ryan Gwozdz and Alan Brinton got to know each other from their years of working in the New England craft brewing industry – Ryan as head brewer for Mayflower Brewing and Alan as founder of Grey Sail Brewing of Rhode Island. The concept for South County Distillers began in early 2018, when Ryan, wanting a slight deviation from his brewing career, floated the idea to Alan of building a craft distillery on the Grey Sail campus. Alan, a staunch bourbon and rye enthusiast, was excited about the idea of producing craft spirits. Grey Sail Brewing of RI had just finished a major brewery expansion so the timing was perfect for a new project. The wheels were set in motion and over the next several months South County Distillers became a reality. The partnership between Ryan and Alan cemented quickly from a shared vision: producing top quality spirits entirely in house, using innovative techniques and ingredients while respecting tradition.

The centerpiece of our operation is a 300 gallon hybrid copper still which allows us the flexibility to create any spirit we can dream up. We have since established our core line of clear spirits, along with an array of pot-stilled sour mash whiskeys which are currently aging in oak casks.

While you may not find South County on a Rhode Island map, any local will tell you it spans the length of the southern shore defined by beautiful beaches, landscapes and ocean views. We are proud and grateful for the privilege to do something we love in an area we love to do it, and we wear that pride on every bottle of South County Spirits.