New Albany Brewery Adding Distillery

A New Albany-based brewery has expanded operations to begin making craft spirits. Donum Dei Brewery has added distilling operations at its Floyd County location and will launch its first spirits during St. Patrick’s Day weekend.

The brewery credits a $50,000 loan from the Horseshoe Foundation of Floyd County Small Business Revolving Loan Fund with supporting the purchase and installation of the necessary equipment for the distillery. Jerry Finn, executive director of the foundation, called the investment a "good business decision" as "craft spirits distilleries are experiencing a great boom right now."

"We have purchased the equipment and are moving forward," said Donum Dei owners Kimberly and Richard Otey. "We have begun to distill our beer into a whiskey that is aging in used bourbon barrels. Our thanks go out to the Horseshoe Foundation and the South-east Indiana Small Business Development Center for their tremendous support of the Donum Dei ‘Brewstillery’."

Donum Dei says it will launch its bourbon-barrel aged whiskey, along with a gin, vodka and apple brandy during its third anniversary celebration Saturday. The brewery adds it is in the process of building a limited distribution network that will include a limited selection of in-house beer.