CRAFT DISTILLERY

SILO Distillery

Windsor,
Vermont
— Bourbon, Rye, Gin

TOURS AVAILABLE

TASTINGS

RESERVATIONS

FAMILY FRIENDLY

BOTTLE SALES

DISTILLERY SNAPSHOT

🏗️
Concrete Aging
Temperature regulation from 40-foot silo walls
⚙️
Engineer’s Touch
Every batch tracked with scientific precision
🌾
Local Sourcing
Vermont farmers supply their corn directly
👨‍🔬
Personal Tours
Johnson leads tastings when not distilling
🥃
Small Batches
Just 1,000 cases annually, all methodical
📐
Process Focus
Documentation most craft distilleries completely ignore
📞 (802) 674-4220
🌐 http://www.silodistillery.com/
📍 3 Artisans Way, Windsor, VT 05089, USA

ABOUT THIS DISTILLERY

Engineering Meets Historic Vermont Silo

SILO Distillery sits in a converted 1920s grain silo in Windsor, Vermont, where Steve Johnson and his team transform local grains into small-batch spirits. Johnson, a former engineer, launched the distillery in 2014 after years of home distilling and a growing obsession with craft spirits production. The 40-foot concrete silo creates a unique aging environment, with thick walls that naturally regulate temperature fluctuations throughout Vermont’s dramatic seasons. They focus on bourbon, rye whiskey, and gin, producing around 1,000 cases annually on their custom-built 250-gallon copper still. The operation reflects Johnson’s engineering background – everything’s precisely calibrated and methodically executed, from mash bills to barrel entry proof. What started as weekend experimentation in his garage evolved into one of Vermont’s most focused craft distilleries, where they’re aging spirits that won’t be ready for years while funding operations with their gin and younger whiskeys. The converted silo isn’t just a clever venue – it’s integral to their aging process, creating consistent conditions that larger rickhouses struggle to maintain.

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WHAT SETS THEM APART

Aging Bourbon Inside 1920s Concrete Walls

Operating inside a genuine 1920s grain silo makes SILO one of the most architecturally distinctive distilleries in New England. The 40-foot concrete structure provides natural temperature regulation that Johnson swears creates more consistent aging than traditional wooden rickhouses. Their engineering approach extends to sourcing – they work directly with Vermont farmers for corn and source specialty grains from specific regions, including winter wheat from the Midwest. Johnson’s background shows in their methodical documentation of every batch, tracking variables most craft distilleries ignore. They’re also aging bourbon in Vermont’s climate extremes, which creates faster extraction from barrels compared to Kentucky’s more moderate temperatures.

TOURS AVAILABLE

TASTINGS

FOOD AVAILABLE

COCKTAILS

RESERVATIONS

FAMILY FRIENDLY

BOTTLE SALES

THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE

Personal Tours with The Engineer-Distiller

You’ll tour the cylindrical production space where Johnson or his small team walks you through their grain-to-glass process, explaining how the silo’s concrete walls affect aging. The space feels industrial but intimate – you’re literally inside a piece of agricultural history while watching modern distillation. Tastings happen at a small bar area where you’ll sample their gin, young bourbon, and rye while learning about Johnson’s engineering approach to spirits. The acoustics inside the silo create an unexpectedly resonant experience, and you can see their barrels aging along the curved walls. Tours are personal since they only accommodate small groups, and Johnson often leads them himself when he’s not running production.

IS IT WORTH VISITING

For Process Geeks Absolutely Essential

If you’re fascinated by craft distilling methodology and unique architecture, SILO delivers both in one stop. Johnson’s engineering perspective offers insights you won’t hear at traditional distilleries, and the silo setting is genuinely unlike anywhere else. Their spirits are well-made but young – don’t expect aged bourbons that compete with established brands. This appeals most to spirits geeks who appreciate process innovation and anyone curious about adaptive reuse of agricultural buildings. Casual tourists might find it too technical, but anyone interested in how craft distillers solve production challenges will learn something valuable. The small scale means you’ll get personal attention, but don’t expect a polished visitor center experience.

⚠️ VISITING TIPS

Call ahead since they don’t maintain regular tour schedules – Johnson prefers advance notice to ensure he’s available for tastings. The silo is easy to spot from the road, and parking is straightforward in their small lot. Saturday afternoons tend to work best for visits, and Johnson’s more likely to have time for extended conversations about their process. Ask about their barrel aging experiments and how Vermont’s climate affects their spirits differently than traditional bourbon regions. Don’t expect a gift shop – they’ll sell you bottles of what’s currently available, but selection varies based on production cycles.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

SILO Distillery — Visitor FAQ

Do I need to book a tour in advance?
Yes, call ahead since they don’t maintain set tour schedules. Johnson prefers advance notice to ensure someone’s available for tastings and tours.
What’s special about aging spirits in a grain silo?
The 40-foot concrete walls provide natural temperature regulation that creates more consistent aging conditions than wooden rickhouses. Johnson believes this leads to more even barrel extraction.
What spirits can I taste during a visit?
Tastings typically include their gin, young bourbon, and rye whiskey, depending on current production. Selection varies since they’re a small operation with limited releases.

GETTING THERE

Find SILO Distillery

📍3 Artisans Way, Windsor, VT 05089, USA

 — 

📞 (802) 674-4220

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