New Jersey Hills are Alive with Distilling History

Distilling Revival across New Jersey and a Renaissance

New Jersey has a deep history of distilling spirits that goes back to colonial times. The Somerset Hills is an area in central New Jersey’s Somerset County, comprising six similar towns, villages, and hamlets. Those towns that comprise the Somerset Hills are Bedminster, Bernards Township (Basking Ridge), Bernardsville, Far Hills, Peapack & Gladstone. Being from Basking Ridge, New Jersey, I have read accounts that, even after the founding of Bernards Township in 1760, Governor Sir Francis Bernard made commitments to supplement King George’s coiffeurs with spirits from the colonial area. So distilling was alive and well in the hills in the mid-1700s!

New Jersey Distillers & Craft Brewers Interactive Map

We left this map up so that you can see the expansion of distilling in New Jersey over the past decade. It’s incredible growth.

Distillation Process

First of all, distilling, or distillation (where “still” comes from), is a process. It’s also a science (alchemy, chemistry). Distillation has a long history going back to the 1st Century. Archaeological evidence indicates that the actual distillation of beverages began in the Jin and Southern Song dynasties in China. Aristotle talked about it in his Meteorologica. The bottom line – it’s been going on for a while.

Distillation is“purifying a liquid by heating and cooling, separating the component substances from a liquid mixture by selective evaporation and condensation.” Distillation is widely used in industries that refine oil, desalinate water, create liquor, beer, and wine, and produce many chemical products used in homes and factories. We’re going to focus on liquor, the industrial version, not the home version. Alcoholic beverages are produced by the distillation of a mixture produced from alcoholic fermentation. Spirit refers to a distilled beverage containing no added sugar and at least 20% alcohol by volume (ABV). Since this is interactive – see what Adam Rogers says about his book PROOF, The Science of Booze:

That Constitutional Prohibition Era

We can’t talk about distilling and spirits in America without discussing the Prohibition era (1920-1933). So, we present the History Channel’s overview of Prohibition. It just goes to prove that you shouldn’t mess with perfection. That constitution is pretty solid.

The Changing US Constitution

Prohibition started with the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution. For history buffs, the one before created the voting of United States Senators by the people of each state  (17th Amendment). And the one after,  the 19th Amendment, gave women the right to vote (1920). To sum up the 18th Amendment

“Declared the production, transport, and sale of alcohol illegal (though not the consumption or private possession).

It was ratified on January 16, 1919, and took effect on January 16, 1920.

For 13 years, the Prohibition experiment took its toll on America, and FDR knew it. It was even part of his platform to repeal the 18th Amendment. But you can’t just “repeal” a constitutional Amendment; you need ANOTHER Amendment to supersede another Amendment. On December 5, 1933, at 5:32 PM, the 21st Amendment was the first Amendment ever to repeal another Amendment. Michigan was the first to ratify (April 10, 1933), and New Jersey was 5th to ratify (June 1, 1933).

Ok, before we move on, with that last tidbit, you gotta be thinking:
Has there ever been any other constitutional amendments repealed?”
No, Nada, Never Repealed another one.

New Jersey’s Role with Prohibition

Do you know who the President was who signed the Prohibition enabling the 18th Amendment? It was none other than the 34th Governor of New Jersey, President Woodrow Wilson. You know, the one who had that great Camp David-ish summer home in Long Branch (now Monmouth University). Yeah, that guy! Take a tour of those digs…

So now you know. Blame Jersey! Well, not really. But it is clear that Jersey has had, and continues to have, a role in distilling spirits. Let’s take a look.

Somerset Hills Distilling History

On January 17, 2012, Governor Chris Christie signed a bill into law that reduced the annual distilling registration fee from $12,500 to $938, the same fee the state charges for microbreweries. This law also enabled the craft distilling industry to conduct sales, tastings, and tours in New Jersey. A year later, in February 2013, the state issued its first distilling license, allowing Jersey Artisan Distilling to begin distilling up to 20,000 gallons/year since the Prohibition. The law would also clarify rules governing on-site public sampling, allowing micro-distillers to pour up to three half-ounce samples per person per day.

The Somerset Hills area is rich in German, Dutch, and Scottish heritage. A few noted family names held strong to the distilling practice. For both libations and fuel, the names included locals such as the Melicks, Mellicks, Bunns, and others who have been distilling since the early 1800s. You see, the area was an orchard paradise, namely apples and peaches. Orchards were abundant in the area and used as a key ingredient for distilling alcohol.

Bunns Mill, built by John Bunn in 1844, was the “industrial enterprise in Bernardsville”, according to the Bernardsville News. It ground wheat, rye, buckwheat, and corn, produced flour, and served as the area’s cider mill and distillery.

Right on the banks of the Mine Brook River, and just down the road from the Bernards Inn, the Bunn pond was often told where people would get their “bunn on”, a local term meaning they’d come purchase their apple  & peach moonshine whiskey and get tanked while sitting by the water.

Speakeasy Saloons

The Bernards Inn opened in 1906. In 1924, Bernardsville residents voted to secede from Bernards Township and strike out on their own as a separate borough. The Bernards Inn became the centerpiece of political action in the borough, serving as host to the new town hall from 1924 to 1932. For 8 years, this once-old stable served as the boro hall, police headquarters (and its own jailhouse), a bowling alley, auditorium, post office, theater, and a 35-room hotel with a tavern. In addition to the Bernards Inn, each of the other hotels along the historic carriage Route 202 from Bedminster to Gladstone trail operated taverns/speakeasies and were often raided by police. You’d have to figure that having Boro Hall along with those town officials in the same building as a speakeasy would be the best answer to reducing raids.

But on November 18, 1929, federal agents entered what was presumed to be one of four speakeasies in Bernardsville. Seems that Federal Agents got past the bouncer and purchased what was then illegal spirits. So they stayed, drank, left, and then came back with padlocks to lock down the establishment. This high-profile raid involved Fred E. Stroehmer, the former lessee of the hotel. It took until June 1931 for a federal judge to throw out the charges, stating, “the government failed to prove the nuisance continued, a proper description was not given…and no liquor was found at the time of the raid.”

Then, on March 31, 1930, at 10:25 PM, a fire broke out at the Bernards Inn, consuming about a third of the building. Destroyed in the fire were the Bernardsville Boro offices and the police headquarters. Three fire companies brought the fire under control by about 3:00 AM. Yet at 6:30 AM, it was reported that the fire restarted. It was reported that Charles Pfadenhauer of Bernardsville was being held in a detention room on disorderly conduct “in conjunction with…violating prohibition laws, that had caused the fire.” Mr. Pfadenhauer was later charged with arson, with bail set at $5,000. The rumor was that the distilling (still) caused the fire.

1933 – Basking Ridge Takes the Prize – A Distilling Factory

There’s a great story of one of New Jersey’s biggest distilling plant busts on Mt. Airy Road in Bernards Township. On May 25, 1933, just seven days before New Jersey ratified the 21st Amendment to end Prohibition (June 1, 1933), Police Chief Louis A. Allen found himself at the Basking Ridge home of Mrs. Celia Kosloff.

Based on complaints of an increasing amount of pollution and dead fish in Harrison Brook, one of the area’s tributaries to the Dead River, Basking Ridge Police Chief Allen and the State’s Game Warden, Joseph Eggert, went to the brook and found its source on the banks of Mt. Airy Road.

On the property were an operating still, ten vats, 10,000 gallons of mash (fermenting), two high-pressure steam boilers, and a still capable of turning out 1,000 gallons per day. The find came after local farmers complained that their cows were getting sick from drinking the water. The plant was dismantled and handed over to federal authorities, who were fined $250.

Let’s see how big that bust really was. The ad shows the typical prices back in 1936. A fifth (1/5th of a gallon) is similar to today’s 750ml bottle. Figuring 1,00o gallons a day, at 5-fifths, you’d have yourself 5,000-fifths. If it were Applejack, you’d talk about almost $6,000/day in retail production, or $2,190,000 a year, based on the stated capacities. In today’s dollars, that’d be a $35.5 million-a-yearbusiness.

New Jersey Act No.1464 –  The Craft Distillers Act

According to the law, you also need to get 51% of your ingredients from New Jersey and pay a $938 licensing fee for a yearly craft distillery license (or one of three other types of distilling licenses).

Act 1464 was sponsored by Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (Hunterdon and Mercer), Assemblywoman Connie Wagner (Bergen and Passaic), and Assemblyman John Dimaio(Hunterdon, Somerset, and Warren). The American Distilling Institute (TADI) supports the efforts of craft distillers across the country.

New Jersey Craft Distilling Today

Today, thanks to the diligence of a few key individuals, some Somerset Hills residents are pioneers of New Jersey’s revived craft-distilling industry.

Noteworthy Somerseters like Tim Koether of Bernardsville, owner of Claremont Distillery, and Krista Haley, co-founder of Jersey Artisan Distillery, whose mom lives in Basking Ridge (Bernards Twp), are the three pioneers of craft distilling in New Jersey. It was Krista’s efforts, along with co-founder Brant Braue of Jersey Artisan, that led to the establishment of the first legal distillery in New Jersey since Prohibition.

Founded in 2014, Claremont Distillery was founded by Tim Koether, the founder, and his Head Distiller, Chris DeGasperis. Koether is a Bernardsville resident and grew up in nearby Far Hills. The distillery’s name was based on George B. Post’s famous Claremont estate, which was an original home to the early Bernardsville “Mountain Colony”. Claremont in Bernardsville was named after Post’s childhood home on the Hudson River, also called Claremont. The origin of “Claremont” goes back to County Clare in Ireland. So, thanks to Irishman Michael Hogan, the original 1804 NY homeowner who first named Post’s childhood home. We now have Claremont Distilled Spirits. Koether added, “Claremont also speaks of something exceptional to me, and that is what we aspire our products to be.”

Jersey Artisan and Claremont are two of the six or so distilleries now crafting spirits in New Jersey. While New Jersey’s craft distilling industry is relatively small compared to others in Washington State, Oregon, Colorado, and New York, distilleries are now focusing on local “farm-to-table” organic philosophies.

It’s not by accident that Claremont, Jersey Artisan, and Jersey Spirits distillers are all based in Fairfield, New Jersey. Because of New Jersey law, distilling is a chemical activity and must typically be located in a zoned chemical area. But that might be changing. Like wineries, which like to “present” products alongside their vineyards, some craft distillers also want farming locations where they can grow their ingredients locally and get away from the industrial warehouse look. After a lengthy application process, Jersey Artisan was granted New Jersey’s first distilling license since Prohibition ended in 1933 on February 7, 2013. With their efforts, others followed.

Jersey Artisan’s claim to fame is their Busted Barrel light and dark rums and a new Morena rum. They also produce a new Whiskey called James F.C. Hyde Sorgho Whiskey. Other products are in the works.

Claremont Distilled Spirits produces vodka (potato, peach, blueberry), moonshine, and eventually whiskey. Their “Claim to Fame” is their vodka, the only product produced in the state to win a gold medal at the SF World Spirits competition, the preeminent spirits competition in the world. It also received a 93-point rating from Wine Enthusiast, eclipsing Tito’s, Grey Goose, Ketel One, Stolichnaya, and Absolute. Another big one is an un-oaked whiskey, more commonly known as Moonshine, an 80% proof spirit distilled from local corn. Just like vodka, whiskey comes off the still at 155% proof before being “polished down” to its double-distilled, drinkable ABV. The “Jersey Devil Flaming Cinnamon” Moonshine refers to the Pine Barrens legend of the Jersey Devil, a mythical creature known for its notoriety. As for Claremont’s next distilling product, they plan to begin their first bourbon distillation this week. Claremont Distilled Spirits plans to do several different bourbons and whiskies. “Our goal, Koether, “is to ultimately have a facility that is both a destination and a provider of many of our ingredients. We are all about New Jersey and want to integrate as much of the Garden State’s agriculture as possible.” When asked what Tim’s credo is, he replied: “You have got to take chances to do something great”. We agree! So Tim’s vision includes a move, hopefully to Hunterdon County, in the future.

As demand grew, Claremont outgrew its Fairfield roots and made a strategic move to Hamburg in Sussex County, transforming from a startup distillery into a full-scale destination. Today, its larger facility allows for expanded production, tastings, and public events, reflecting the broader evolution of the state’s craft spirits industry. What began as a small operation enabled by legislative change has matured into one of New Jersey’s notable distilling success stories—a clear line from policy to place, and from local experiment to regional attraction.

Final Thoughts

In 1834, there were over 838 distilleries in New Jersey. Lairds of Colts Neck was the biggest producer of Applejack in the country (now it’s the only one). Laird & Company no longer distills in New Jersey, but it is licensed to mix. Where’s Jerseyheadede in the future regarding craft distilling? The future does look bright or blurry, depending on how much of these spirits you take in!

If you visit one, drop us a comment below.

More MLH Liquor and Tavern Jersey History Posts

More History

New Jersey Distillers & Craft Brewers Interactive Map

Watch “The Science of Booze” talk at Google with Author Adam Rogers. Funny how he sounds like a scientist, but he’s just a writer.

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