Old Fourth Distillery has been acquired by Shortbarrel
Shortbarrel, which is based in Georgia, recently paid an amount that was not disclosed in order to acquire the Old Fourth Distillery, which is the oldest distillery in Atlanta that is still in operation.
As part of the purchase, the buyer will receive the rights to use the Old Fourth brand, as well as its current inventory and 1,000 barrels of fine aged whiskey.
The people who ran the Old Fourth Distillery before decided not to renew their lease in December 2022. This meant that the original distillery had to close.
In April of this year, business operations are going to be moved out of the Old Fourth neighborhood and into Norcross in the state of Georgia.
Clinton Dugan, one of the co-founders of Shortbarrel, said, “We were determined to keep the Old Fourth brand alive as an Atlanta original.” “I am glad we were able to quickly find a new building to serve as the flagship for both Shortbarrel and Old Fourth.”
“Old Fourth, its products, and the people who work there are too important to the city and community right now for the brand to be shut down. Our goal is to keep what Old Fourth has made and work with the team to make the goods even better and more available to more people.
In addition to distilling, aging, blending, single barrel selections, bottling, and back-office activities, the new facility will also feature a small tasting room for customers, which will open over the summer for both Shortbarrel and Old Fourth.
The Old Fourth Distillery was the city of Atlanta’s first new legal distillery since 1906 when it first opened its doors in the year 2014.
Old Fourth now produces vodka, a Southern Dry gin, Lawn Dart, a one-of-a-kind ginger lemon liqueur, and a Bottled in Bond 50% ABV Bourbon that is matured and blended in Atlanta. All of these products are part of the company’s current product line-up.
Under the banner of the Old Fourth Distillery brand name, Shortbarrel will keep producing the portfolio in the foreseeable future.
Old Fourth’s annual sales in Georgia and online averaged approximately 4,000 9-litre cases every year, and the company had a growth rate of 22% in 2022. The majority of Old Fourth’s sales were driven by the company’s Bourbon product.
Kim Bates and Amanda Willis used to work for Old Fourth Distillery. They have now been hired by Shortbarrel and will continue to lead sales for both brands at both on-premise and off-premise locations.
Bates was happy to join the Shortbarrel team. He said, “I am so happy to join the team and keep the Old Fourth brand going here in Georgia and beyond.” “You can be sure that we’ll have a steady supply of items, and we’re looking forward to the possibility of making new connections. I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to put my own unique stamp on all of our future items.
At the moment, Shortbarrel gets its whiskey barrels from places like the Bardstown Bourbon Company and the Green River Distilling Company, which are not in Georgia.
Soon, Shortbarrel will begin contract distilling bourbon and rye in Atlanta at the Distillery of Modern Art in Chamblee. This will ensure that all Old Fourth branded whiskeys are entirely made in the city of Atlanta.
Contract distilling for the firm’s eponymous brand will commence this year in Garrard County, Kentucky, thanks to the huge distillery contracts the company was able to acquire for themselves outside of Atlanta.
Shortbarrel whiskeys are currently sold in Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, and Connecticut. Texas, South Carolina, Alabama, Kentucky, and Rhode Island will start selling them in 2023.