A Shared Love for Shine

Co-owners Greg Shuford and Randy Berry were neighbors in the Black Mountains of North Carolina for years before they discovered their shared love of moonshine. Once they did, they knew right away that Greg’s business sense and Randy’s expertise with a still made them the perfect pair to create the first legal distillery in a four county area since prohibition.

 

Randy learned how to make moonshine from some of the older men in the community when he was younger. He learned later on that an uncle of his was also well known for his moonshine back in the day, and regrets he didn’t have the chance to learn from him directly. Building on the generational knowledge gained from the community and his own experimentation making homemade wine and hard cider, he quickly became an innovative and talented master distiller. Randy’s refined palate and years of experience make his moonshine exceptional in its smoothness and drinkability.

Greg learned business like Randy learned to make moonshine—from the older generation. His father, a long time businessman in McDowell county, taught Greg the ins and outs of starting and running your own business from the ground up. Greg’s business sense and years of experience running a business in the local area make him an expert at piloting a new venture like Copper Creek Distillery.

Randy and Greg are both passionate about honoring the legacy of their families and their community. They understand that the wisdom and knowledge that’s been passed down to them from elders in their lives is worth preserving and expanding. They use local ingredients, work with other local businesses to promote one another, continue to network in the community, and are slowly teaching one another their side of the business, all in an effort to preserve and share the sense of community and family support that has gotten them to where they are today.

Images courtesy of Mike Conley and The McDowell News

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Copper Creek Distillery