Copper Barrel Distillery

Our mission is to become a leader in the craft distilling industry by producing extraordinary spirits that both men and women will covet and savor. We create handcrafted spirits that are the epitome of authenticity and come from the legendary heritage of Wilkes County -the “Moonshine Capital of America”. Our 100% true shine is made from a blend of rye, corn and cane sugar using a unique process and still design perfected by Master Distiller Buck Nance. The result is an exceptionally smooth & full flavored spirit that rivals even the most extraordinary whiskies. Copper Barrel is Wilkes County’s first & finest legal moonshine distillery and the world’s first to produce a legal beverage alcohol using a direct steam-injection distillation process. Many "craft distilleries" use neutral grain spirits; however, every drop of our spirits is made in our stillhouse using grains from North Carolina farms & mills and well water from the Crystalline-Rock Aquifer. Our flagship White Lightning is a remarkably smooth spirit that gently warms the palate and has an astonishingly clean finish devoid of any chemical after taste. The aroma contains the scent of ripe green apples and the flavor is well-balanced with just a hint of sweetness; which makes this moonshine perfect to enjoy neat and in a wide range of cocktails. Real shine deserves real fruit! That’s why each Copper Barrel fruit flavored moonshine is a handcrafted blend of Wilkes County’s finest 96 proof White Lightning with locally sourced fruits. Master Distiller Buck Nance meticulously crafted each recipe over the course of several decades to provide a perfect balance between the fruit’s natural flavor and taste of our original moonshine. His experience, dedication and passion for perfection definitely shine through. You’ll be amazed at how mellow these moonshines taste. Enjoy them straight up, on the rocks or let your creativity run wild and use them in your favorite cocktail.