You can probably guess that Short Mountain Distillery is located on Short Mountain, but try telling that to your GPS.

And try telling visitors to meet you at the barns a few times. That’s when we thought about getting an address.

After calling around we found out the drive on the farm is so long it qualifies as a lane they’d like for us to name.

It sounds like an awesome opportunity, but we sure could use your help. What do you suggest we name our lane? Your idea could become a part of our history.

Here’s what our address would look like:

Short Mountain Distillery
__________ Ln.
Woodbury, TN 37190

UPDATE 02/23/11 10:04 a.m.: It’s Official! Short Mountain Distillery will be located at 119 Mountain Spirits Lane, Woodburry, TN 37190!

We want to thank everyone for your amazing suggestions as we considered names for our road. You are helping us build an American brand we can all be proud of.

A lot of you used “Spirits” and “Mountain” in various way, but two of you actually suggested our name: John and Jelly below and Zendel Murphy on Facebook. Thank you for your role in our history, and we’ll be in touch to figure out the best way to thank you.

Architect Marcus Dipietro and Short Mountain Distillery CEO Billy Kaufman on a conference call with David Pickerell

It would take you a few hours to walk the nearly five mile perimeter of Billy Kaufman’s 300 acre farm on Short Mountain near Woodbury in Cannon County. By the time you’re sitting on the porches of Short Mountain Distillery with friends and family, we will probably have walked that a few times over.

This weekend, Marcus Dipietro came out to walk some of the farm with Billy and me to begin looking for the perfect spot to build the distillery. As we walked the land, our conversation turned to our team’s foundational values and how the distillery design can best express those values for generations to come.

The Golden Rule, community, heritage, stewardship, craftsmanship, and our connection to the land. These are some of the core values and archetypes of the dream unfolding here, and we aim to make it a testament to a way of life that makes America strong.

(Woodbury, TN) — Short Mountain Distillery is pleased to announce securing $1 million in capital investment for a planned spirits manufacturing facility in Cannon County near Woodbury, TN.

The financial commitment comes weeks after a local group gained the support of voters through a county wide referendum in November. Voters in every precinct voted to allow the distillery to be built and operated on Short Mountain.

“Today’s $1 million investment shows our commitment to the people of Cannon County and the state of Tennessee,” said local farmer Billy Kaufman. “We are now a big step closer to building an American brand we can all be proud of.”

The financial commitment to the distillery by Billy and his brother David Kaufman will help create jobs and promote sustainable agriculture and business practices that focus on work with local farmers and businesses.

“Our investment is not just in a building and a product,” said David Kaufman. “It is also an investment in quality, hard work and values that have always made our country strong.”

The Kaufmans are the great grandsons of Jesse Shwayder, the founder of iconic American brand Samsonite 100 years ago in 1910. Their grandfather, Louis Degen, brought Samsonite to Murfreesboro, TN where it employed many Middle Tennessee families for decades.

Short Mountain Distillery will produce Tennessee corn whiskey and moonshine in an area famous for distilled spirits for over 150 years. Moonshine from the hills of Cannon County was praised in song by Uncle Dave Macon on the Grand Ole Opry’s 1939 television debut and other stars of country music. Cannon County boasted close to 20 operating distilleries in the 1800s.

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Billy Kaufman holds dirt John Whittemore plowed for the distillery.

This isn’t exactly what corporate America would call an official ground breaking, but in its own special way that’s exactly what it is.

Local farmer John Whittemore started early Friday morning plowing the rich farm land where Short Mountain Distillery’s first organic corn crops will be planted this coming Spring.

The spot is roughly 4 acres on the future home of the distillery, nestled in the rolling hills of Short Mountain in Cannon County. The distillery will need well over 100 tons of corn a year to make our fine Tennessee whiskey and moonshine, and we intend to get every bit of it from Cannon County and surrounding Tennessee farms.

We know we won’t get all of our corn organic at first. Over time, we want to help farmers we work with adopt more sustainable practices and help preserve our agricultural heritage for generations to come.

We also know the yield might not be as good as the corn Jack Daniel’s and George Dickel have shipped in from other states, but we also know what we’re producing is something we’re all producing together.

That’s what makes this unofficial ground breaking so special when you think about it, because this is where it all begins. This is the start of something real and something wholeheartedly Tennessee.

I got a call yesterday from a guy in North Carolina who makes a very cool 750 ml glass jug bottle. His pitch was simple. It would make a great container for Tennessee moonshine, and best of all, it’s made in America.

Ever since voters in every precinct of Cannon County voted Nov. 2 to allow us to build Short Mountain Distillery, the calls and emails have provided some perspective on the character of America in a time of great need.

You can hear the eagerness in America’s voice. It’s not defeated. It’s not the voice of fear you hear on cable news. It’s the sound of America doing what we do best: work.

It comes in calls from small businesses who will make the bottles, labels, boxes and barrels, and emails with resumes expressing big hopes to be one of the folks we’ll need to build and produce a locally owned American brand of whiskey.

Countless hands will work to build some part of Short Mountain Distillery. Some may not realize it as they become busy filling our orders, making lunch for a tourist, or passing by acres of local corn we’ll need. Still more will never see our impact in the lives and economy of our community and our great state. But it’s there.

Our needs create jobs: employees, architect, farmers, builder, concrete, steel, consultants, attorney, accountant, boiler, forklift, box truck, fermenters, dry wall, pot still, bottles, bottling machine, labels, paint, barrels, racks, computers, point of sale systems, boxes, grain, air compressors, signage, kitchen sinks, security systems, water, power, prep tables, insurance, phones, landscaping, office furniture, merchandise, advertising, and much more.

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Short Mountain Distillery consultant Jim Massey speaks with the Cannon Courier on the road ahead for Short Mountain Distillery.

Massey does an excellent job addressing Short Mountain Distillery’s responsibility to the community through strict adherence to local, state and federal regulations. Below is an excerpt from the story.

The sale of liquor is not legal in Cannon County. How can Cannon County residents be assured that none of the distilled spirits will be sold locally via an underground market?

Non-compliance with the TTB rules and laws as well as the State rules and laws would result in the loss of the distiller’s license and under your scenario, both Federal and State criminal prosecution.  It would be absolutely ridiculous to risk the investment it takes to open a distillery by selling illegally.

Increased crime is a concern expressed by some opponents of the operation. What is your response to those concerns? Have you conducted any studies to determine whether crime increases in counties or communities where liquor is distilled?

I have not done any formal studies on increased crime, however, I cannot imagine that gainful artisan and agricultural jobs add to crime.  The Federal and State requirements of secure storage should deter any type of vandalism as well as the owners need to protect their valuable resources and work product.

How will the finished product be transported to market? Will there be security measures in place during transport?

Product would be shipped just as it is in Lynchburg, by secure trucks to licensed wholesalers.

How will the product be marketed and sold?

The Government requires all beverage alcohol sales to go through a 3 tier system: Manufacturer (distiller) – Wholesaler – Retailer.  Taxes are collected at each level.  SMD will be required to sell only to a licensed Wholesaler in Tennessee.  The Distillery can then buy back from the wholesaler it’s own commemorative bottles in 750 ml to have for limited sale on premises (for off premises consumption only, meaning all local laws would apply to prohibit public consumption, again, just like Lynchburg).

Some opponents are concerned a distillery will tarnish the county’s image. What is your response to those concerns, and in what way, if any, will you address them?

Distilling spirits is a time honored craft.  Our Country’s first President, George Washington, was the new nation’s largest distiller at one point.  Every signer of our Declaration of Independence participated in some form or fashion in the art of distilling.  Distilling is an agricultural process and provides our area farmers a unique opportunity to earn good money from honest work.

The Tennessee Municipal League’s bi-monthly magazine Tennessee Town & City had a nice article in today’s edition featuring Billy Kaufman.

The article by Victoria South highlights Cannon County’s cultural heritage and legacy we hope to share with the world through Short Mountain Distillery.

“This is about jobs,” said Kaufman, who is the great grandson of iconic Samsonite Luggage founder Jesse Shwayder. “It’s also about tourism, revenue, and the kind of sustainability we need to preserve our way of life. We want to share our local history with the world, and we want tourism to bring new opportunities for local businesses.”

With Cannon County’s rich agricultural heritage, Short Mountain Farm is revered by old-timers for the quality of its moonshine, made from ice cold spring water, which still flows from three springs on the property. Kaufman is hoping to tap this renewable energy source for the distillery’s operations.

“I had been looking for a way to make farming profitable,” he said. “One of my strongest drives is making farming sustainable, having it make sense again. It’s the best way of life there is, but that doesn’t mean it makes financial sense, as it’s structured now. You have to be incredibly skilled and lucky to make a living.”

Heavy regulations and substantial start up costs of several hundred thousand dollars or more could be a formidable obstacle for legal moonshine distillers. “Just getting through all the red tape and hurdles makes it a community endeavor,” Kaufman explains. “It’s also my commitment to my community.”

As part of that commitment, Kaufman plans to hire locally and use locally grown agricultural products.

“Cannon County is full of qualified hard working farmers, factory workers, industrious people, who are already telling me what they can do,” he said. “It’s a great time to harness this tremendous energy of a community doing something that relates to their values close to where they live.”

An increased interest in Tennessee culture and heritage prompted the state Department of Tourism to launch a tourist attraction dubbed “White Lightning Trail,” where drivers traverse a network of roadways spanning hundreds of miles across nine counties in northeast Tennessee. Along the trail, visitors can travel the same routes where bootleggers in hopped up cars, transported illegal moonshine whiskey, rumored to be the inspiration for NASCAR. As tourists visit the various sites, neighbors along the way might be more than willing to swap a moonshining tale or two.

“If people would be willing to drive a little farther, they could come to the place where the history of moonshine is rich and the living history of moonshine, the people, are still alive,” said Kaufman. “Let me tell you, the stories here are rich. Almost everyone in Cannon County can tell you a great story about the moonshine in this area, whether it be the law enforcement against it, or their family struggle to make a living at a time when there was really no other way to make a living. It’s part of this area’s heritage and goes back much further than you think.”

In this weekend’s Murfreesboro Post, Mike Vinson speaks from personal experience on the rich cultural heritage Short Mountain Distillery celebrates.

Indeed, Short Mountain has a long, rich history for producing moonshine.

Having grown up in the Centertown-Blues Hill area of Warren County, about a 20-minute drive from Short Mountain, I, personally, can attest to the “lore” that connects Short Mountain to the craft of whiskey making.

Without going into needless detail and giving up any names, I’ll just say that clear, homemade, high-proof liquor could be purchased at any of several Short Mountain locations back in the day.

Angie Meadows from the Smithville Review came out and interviewed Billy Kaufman on his Short Mountain farm about bringing jobs and tourism to Cannon County. The article above was clipped from today’s front page.

Voters will ultimately decide in November whether they want to allow a distillery to be built here under a new state law legalizing distilleries. Cannon County was once home to as many as 18 legal distilleries as reported by United States Census data prior to Prohibition.

When Lewis McEacharn saw Billy Kaufman on the news this morning, he told his wife he wished he could meet these fellas trying to start that Short Mountain Distillery. You can imagine his surprise when we showed up at his place of work this morning.

McEacharn works at the George Dickel Distillery in Normandy, TN giving tours. We ended up getting a very nice private tour by Brandy (who reminded us she’s perfectly aware of the irony), but back in the gift shop, McEacharn thought he recognized Billy. He was right.

Like many folks we bump into, McEacharn is excited about the potential craft distillers have to share the rich history and vast recipes of legal moonshine. There’s a deep cultural connection people have with moonshine and other traditional American spirits.

McEacharn shared some old moonshine stories of his own, then took us aside to share some wisdom he gained distilling his own spirits as a younger man traveling the world.

McEarcharn took us to a display showing the basic distillation process and added something about flavor he learned through his own experience. You could see him tasting and smelling the mash by the look in his eyes and the movement of his hands as he described a critical process.

We’re definitely seeing a growing need to return the pleasure of meeting so many amazing people by providing a few private tours. Without giving away all of McEacharn’s advice, the bottom line is this. You can’t rush good flavor, and that’s good advice any way you look at it.

Local farmers Billy Kaufman and John Whittemore spoke earlier today with WZTV Fox 17’s John Dunn. Skooter FarmDog even makes a cameo in this news clip.

In November, Cannon County voters will decide whether or not to allow a distillery to be built in the county. To Billy and John, it’s about honoring and preserving our way of life.

Up in the hills of Cannon County, Billy Kaufman hopes to turn water into shine.

“This water here is pure,” says Kaufman next to his mountain spring.

The organic farmer wants to open the Short Mountain Distillery here using old fashioned recipes for moonshine.

“One of the famous quotes for this area is without whiskey and baskets we all would have starved to death,” says Kaufman.

This November, Cannon County voters will have a referendum to decide if a distillery should be built here.

Kaufman promises at least a small number of jobs, and an increase in tourism.

“To me it’s about jobs and preserving our rural lifestyle,” says Billy Kaufman.