Whiskey dream now a reality for RI man

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI) - When most people think of whiskey, the first name that comes to mind might be Jack Daniels, but did you know that right here in Rhode Island a few local guys are trying to put the name "Sons of Liberty” at the top of that list.

What started off as a few guys and a dream about brewing beer is now a full time job and has become big business.

Michael Reppucci, is the founder and owner of "Sons of Liberty". 

"We started Sons of Liberty about three and a half years ago.  We launch our fist product "Uprising" on December 12. Then we launched "Loyal 9" vodka about two months ago."

Mike who graduated from Brown University with a degree in economics was never happy with taking a Wall Street job, and was fascinated about how whiskey was made.  

He said, "Most people don't know that whiskey starts as beer.  It's a beer that's been distilled. So Makers they use corn that is what Bud and Miller Lite use before they went to rice. Scotch is made with malted barley to make a light ale. We brew a stout beer and turn it into whiskey."

Mike said the secret is the better beer you brew the better whiskey you get.

"So, we start with the best ingredients. That makes the best beer. So, we use malted barley so by definition there is single malt whiskies. We import our grains the base is Gleneagles Marisota four malted, but the real trick is we use the roasted grains."

Sons of Liberty also use a different grain.

"We use darker roasted grains, like a Guinness would use and brew a stout beer. So our whiskey has an awesome dark chocolate coffee flavor in the finish and that is what really makes us unique."

They also don't follow the rules when making the unique tasting drink.

"Traditional like whisky fermentation is about three days.  We ferment for about six days. Our still was designed by Vendome Copper and Brass.  Its fourth generation still makers out of Kentucky. The dude that actually made it for us made the Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, and Makers Mark still."

They are always making new flavors of whiskey to be released.

 "We do have other whiskies in the barrel now that we will be releasing. In, fact we are doing this real cool release coming up.  It's pumpkin spice whiskey." 

The guys are working hard to make the business grow. 

"In a year we can do about seventy thousand bottles of whisky if we needed too we are know where near there but we would like to get to that production, but we built this to grow into."

The home town support is growing too.  

"We have been blessed with people supporting made in Rhode Island. I mean we didn't realize when we launched how awesome that is. We launched December twelfth and between December twelfth and January first we met so many people and we are in 200 locations!"

 "Sons of Liberty" is in South Kingstown and they offer tasting tours for small or large groups at their distillery.

If you want more information about the tour or where you can purchase their whiskey you can head to Sons of Liberty