Augusta Distillery sits right on the Ohio River in Augusta, Kentucky, a tiny historic town that’s home to fewer than 1,200 people. Founded by Mike and Libby Hinton along with their business partner David Meier, this small operation opened its doors in 2015 after years of planning and navigating Kentucky’s distillery licensing requirements. The Hintons, who previously worked in corporate America, decided to chase their dream of craft distilling in Mike’s hometown of Augusta, converting a former warehouse space into their production facility and tasting room. The journey wasn’t exactly smooth sailing. Getting the right permits and convincing local officials took longer than expected, but the team persisted because they believed Augusta needed something to draw visitors to this sleepy river town. Master distiller Mike Hinton handles the production side while Libby manages operations and the visitor experience. They focus on small-batch bourbon, rye whiskey, and a few other spirits, with everything produced on-site using traditional methods and locally sourced grains when possible. Visitors get an intimate look at the entire operation since everything happens under one roof. The space feels more like visiting someone’s well-equipped garage than a corporate distillery, which is exactly what the Hintons were going for. You can watch the mashing, fermentation, and distillation process up close, then sample the results in their cozy tasting room that overlooks the production floor. It’s the kind of place where you’ll end up chatting with the owners themselves, learning about the challenges of starting a distillery in a town where nothing like this existed before.