Sipping and sharing at Southern Distilling Company near Statesville

If you’ve traveled north up Interstate 77 near Statesville, chances are you’ve seen the Southern Distilling Company.

Coming from the engineering and public health fields, Pete and Vienna Barger founded the company in 2013. The couple work with local farmers, sourcing the majority of their grains within a 20-mile radius of the distillery. The spent grain, which is milled onsite, is shared with farmers in Iredell County to feed livestock.

Together, the Bargers have created award-winning spirits, most recently taking top honors at the New York World Wine & Spirits Competition for its Wheated Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

The husband-and-wife team aren’t ones to rest of their laurels, however.

Southern Distilling Company is at 211 Jennings Road in Statesville. The distillery is open daily for tours, which can be booked online here.

For more information, go to southerndistillingcompany.com.

This story was originally published January 24, 2023 at 5:45 AM with the headline "Sipping and sharing at Southern Distilling Company near Statesville."