Corsair Distillery

Two Distilleries, in Two States, Hand Crafting Spectaular Spirits

Childhood friends Darek Bell and Andrew Webber began homebrewing beer and wine in Darek and Amy Lee Bell’s garage. They hit a snag while working on a prototype bio-diesel plant, causing Andrew to remark that making whiskey would be much more satisfying. The idea stuck, and the two soon found themselves studying distilleries and spirits. Soon after, Corsair Distillery was founded. Corsair’s spirits have been praised in publications like Food and Wine, Saveur, Imbibe, Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate, the Atlantic, Time Out New York, and Maxim.com. Corsair’s innovative and adventurous spirits have won 41 medals at international spirits competitions.

In early 2010, Corsair Artisan officially became a licensed brewery and distillery in the state of Tennessee. The Nashville facility is located in the Marathon Motorworks Village. This historic building, located at 1200 Clinton St, is the former home of Yazoo Brewery. This location provides the setting for brewing all of the whiskey mash for Corsair’s traditional and experimental whiskeys.

In addition to all the needed brewing equipment, Corsair’s Nashville facility also boasts a 240 gallon still. This still (formerly housed at our Bowling Green location) is a circa 1920 classic pot still that survived prohibition. Originally a gin still, we use it for the first or “wash” pass and often for the second or “spirits” pass when making whiskey.

Corsair Artisan Distillery specializes in producing hand-crafted, small production, premium spirits. Using traditional copper pot stills, owners Andrew Webber and Darek Bell produce a few cases from each batch. This laborintensive and costly approach is a throwback to a time when master blenders, not machines created taste and flavor. Within months of opening their first distillery in Bowling Green, KY, Corsair Artisan Gin was awarded a Gold Medal at the prestigious San Francisco Spirit Competition. The distillery continues to garner awards and a second distillery was opened in 2010 in Nashville. Mavericks at heart, Andrew and Darek blend innovative techniques with traditional distillation methods to create unique, artisanal spirits of distinction.