Who We Are

Our Story

In 2009, 13th Colony Distilleries opened in Americus, GA becoming the oldest operating distillery since Prohibition in the state.

It all began as a group of friends set out to make holiday gifts for their families and loved ones. Well, as you can imagine, what started as a few bottles became a love affair with liquor. Soon after a question was posed, “If we make liquor for the friends we know, should we make it for the friends we don’t know yet?”. That question led Thirteenth Colony to a decade plus long dream of distilling. We are a family-owned and operated distillery. We pride ourselves on sourcing local and regional materials whenever possible: everything from using corn from our own private farm and water from the oldest aquifer in the southeast. We strive to bring these amazing resources together to create truly unique and inspired spirits.

Our Mission

To provide award-winning spirits in the bottle, at a friendly price on the shelf


At 13th Colony we believe our customers should be treated like friends. With that in mind, we avoid the pricey celebrity endorsements, gigantic marketing budgets, and over-the-top packaging of our products that only add to the cost, not the quality. Instead, we focus on creating premium spirits in every bottle at a price that everyone can enjoy. 13th Colony spirits are made by friends for friends and we invite you to share with a friend today.

Meet our Master Distiller

Graham Arthur

Trained as a classical chef, Graham Arthur is truly an artist of flavor. While liquor has been his passion for over 13 years, he started in the culinary world,  graduating from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Atlanta, Georgia, Graham worked in notable southern restaurants in Atlanta, and Charleston. He has devoted his talents to creating unique flavors in the 13th Colony spirits.   


Graham personally tastes EVERY barrel to ensure our unique flavors meet the standards 13th Colony has become known for.   This is why our Southern Bourbon & Rye Whiskey's do not have age statements. After the minimum of 4 years, Graham selects the barrel at the time it is taste-test ready. So each batch has barrels 4, 5 & 6 years old. 


 Graham is a veteran of our great country having served in the the US Coast Guard.  These years formed the foundation that have led to how we, 13th Colony, create flavor in our spirits. We take the approach of a highly trained chef who’s consistently looking for harmony in the taste of our products. When you sip a Thirteenth Colony product, you can trust that every ingredient has been specifically chosen for its flavor and quality to create a unique experience.


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What Makes Us Unique:

South Georgia's climate is ideal for aging spirits. Hot temperatures and huge temperature swings cause expansion and contraction in the barrel pulling out intense flavor. Other distillers climatize their rickhouses to emulate these swings…we just open the doors!


Americus has natural Heat Cycles with +20 degree swings year round


Changes in temperature (called the Heat Cycle) within the rick house are a major factor in moving the aging liquor in and out of pores in the barrel wood. As it gets hotter, the whiskey expands, seeping into the pores of the barrels and reacting with the oak to extract color, character, and aroma. When the whiskey cools, it shrinks, letting the whiskey flow back out of the wood along with all those extracted compounds from the barrel.

Not all aging is equal. We organically are able to pull more flavor out of the barrel in a shorter period of time. 

Ideal Humidity Year Round

The ideal humidity for aging spirits is between 60 and 75%. Lower humidity causes alcohol to evaporate, leaving more water in the barrel and lowering the proof. Higher humidity causes water to evaporate, leaving a more robust and higher proof spirit.

Average Humidity in Americus: 72%

Videos - Learn More About 13th Colony

How We Got Started

Because No One Told Me I Can't

FAQs

  • Do you distill your spirits?

    Yes, 13th Colony distills our aged spirits locally. We also source our specific mash bill to keep up with growing demand. 100% of all our barrels are aged in our warehouse, as we believe the South Georgia climate is a huge differentiator to our flavor.

  • What states are you distributed in?

    13th Colony is distributed in 8 states: Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia. https://www.13thcolonydistillery.com/where-to-buy#OurRetailers


    We are also available to be shipped to 38 states through our online partner: https://seelbachs.com/collections/13th-colony-distillery

  • How do I get 13th Colony products in my local liquor store?

    So glad you asked. Our spirits are distributed through a 3-tier distribution channel. We sell to a distributor, who in turn sells to local liquor stores, restaurants & bars. If we are not in your local store, ask them to put in 13th Colony. The list of our distributors for each state is in the ‘Where to Buy’ section. If we are not in your state, ask your liquor store to ask their distributor to consider carrying us. We want to grow & appreciate your support.

  • Why does Southern Bourbon & Rye Whiskey not have an age statement on the label?

    Both the Bourbon and Rye have aged a minimum of 4 years, but our process is to let our master distiller, Graham Arthur, try every barrel and decided when it meets our standards of flavor. If a 4-year-old barrel is not ‘ready’, we will try it again at 5 years or 6 years. So technically our Bourbon & Rye are aged between 4-6 years. Each batch is uniquely selected by Graham and we do not want to put handcuffs on his process.

  • Does 13th Colony use any additional additives, color or flavor?

    No, 13th Colony does not add additives, coloring, or flavorings to our products.

  • Do you sell your spirits at the Distillery?

    Yes, we offer our everyday core products for sale in our tasting room. In fact, every bottle purchased in the tasting room is signed personally by Graham Arthur, our master distiller.


    Limited releases are available on a limited basis (we sell out fast) and we occasionally have distillery-only, single barrel releases that highlight special bottles and experimental offerings.

  • If I have a large group, can I schedule a private tour?

    Yes, we schedule private tours for groups of 6+. Please contact our Tours Manager, Megan Sherret:

    msherret@thirteenthcolony.com

  • How do I find out about new products and special releases?

    Join our Insider Program to be the first to know about news regarding the distillery. https://www.13thcolonydistillery.com/main#BeanInsider

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