Stearns American Whiskey Distillery Coming to Avon

AVON -- A distillery is coming to Avon. Stearns American Whiskey is already in production and available in stores.

Jeremy Blankenship is a co-owner and the head distiller. He says they've been working on their first product - Avon Rye Whiskey - for a couple of years, and it has been on the market since late October. He says their first 200 cases pretty much sold out, but a new batch is ready to go.

Right now they are bottling at a distillery down in Roseville while they work on getting their production space in Avon ready to go.

I call it a boutique distillery.  It's a very small space.  I want half of that to be a spot where we make specialty products, maybe things that you have to go to Avon to get.  The other half will be a micro cocktail room.  We do have a little bit of property to expand if we need it.  Just super chill, a place you'd bring your kids and your dog.

Blankenship says they are renovating an old service station in Avon. His goal is to get production up and running first and then get the cocktail room open. He says they'll eventually add a patio.

Stearns American Whiskey would also like to eventually add more products like brandy, vodka, and gin.

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Blankenship is not from the Avon, but he says he was drawn to the area because of its past connection to moonshine during the years of prohibition.