How far is the distillery from Louisville?

Neeley Family Distillery is about 45 minutes northeast of Louisville in Sparta, Kentucky. It's in Gallatin County, off the main Bourbon Trail routes, so plan for a bit of a drive through rural Kentucky.

What makes their bourbon different from larger distilleries?

The Neeleys grow some of their own corn right on the property and handle most of the production themselves as a family operation. You're tasting spirits made in small batches with direct family involvement from grain to bottle, rather than mass-produced bourbon.

CRAFT DISTILLERY

Missouri

Copper Mule Distillery

Hermann,

Missouri

— Bourbon, Rye, Moonshine

TOURS AVAILABLE

TASTINGS

COCKTAILS

FAMILY FRIENDLY

BOTTLE SALES

DISTILLERY SNAPSHOT

🍷

Wine Barrel Finishing

Spirits aged in their own vineyard barrels

🌊

River Valley Setting

Missouri River views from the tasting bar

⚙️

German Copper Stills

Small-batch control with imported equipment

🌽

Grain to Glass

Milling Missouri corn and wheat on-site

👫

Owner-Led Tours

Brad and Amy share their winemaking insights

🏛️

Historic Hermann

First distillery since Prohibition in wine country

📞 (573) 409-0007

🌐 http://coppermule.com/

📍 2258 MO-100, Hermann, MO 65041, USA

ABOUT THIS DISTILLERY

Missouri Wine Country's First Craft Distillery

Copper Mule Distillery sits on Highway 100 in Hermann, Missouri, a town already famous for its German wine heritage dating back to the 1800s. Founded by Brad and Amy Dierberg in 2015, this craft distillery brought something new to Missouri’s oldest wine region – small-batch bourbon, rye, and moonshine production. The Dierbergs, who also operate vineyards in the area, saw an opportunity to expand Missouri’s spirits scene beyond wine, converting a 6,000 square foot facility into a working distillery complete with custom copper stills imported from Germany. They focus on grain-to-glass production, sourcing corn and wheat from local Missouri farms when possible, and aging their whiskeys in new American oak barrels in on-site rickhouses that overlook the Missouri River valley. The operation produces around 1,000 cases annually, keeping true to their small-batch philosophy while slowly building distribution across Missouri and into neighboring states. You’ll find their spirits in the tasting room as well as incorporated into craft cocktails that highlight the distillery’s output alongside local ingredients.

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WHAT SETS THEM APART

Wine Barrels Meet Copper Pot Stills

What sets Copper Mule apart is their location in Missouri’s historic German wine country – they’re the first distillery to operate in Hermann since Prohibition ended the area’s pre-1920s distilling tradition. The Dierbergs use a combination of wine-making knowledge and distilling techniques, aging some of their spirits in repurposed wine barrels from their own vineyards for unique flavor profiles you won’t find elsewhere. Their German-made copper pot stills are smaller than most commercial operations, allowing for more hands-on control during distillation. The facility also doubles as an event space, with a tasting room that opens onto vineyard views – you can literally see the Missouri River from the bar. They’re one of the few distilleries in Missouri that offers a true grain-to-glass experience, milling their own corn and wheat on-site.

TOURS AVAILABLE

TASTINGS

FOOD AVAILABLE

COCKTAILS

RESERVATIONS

FAMILY FRIENDLY

BOTTLE SALES

THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE

River Valley Views With Your Bourbon Flight

You’ll walk into a clean, modern tasting room with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Missouri River valley and surrounding vineyards. The space feels more like a contemporary wine bar than a traditional distillery, with polished concrete floors and sleek copper accents that nod to the stills in the production area behind glass walls. Tastings typically include flights of their bourbon, rye, and moonshine, served neat with tasting notes explaining the mash bills and aging process. Brad or Amy Dierberg often lead tours personally when they’re on-site, taking you through their milling room, fermentation tanks, and the copper pot stills while explaining how their wine-making background influences their distilling decisions. The production area smells like sweet corn mash and oak, and you can see the barrels aging in the adjacent warehouse through another set of windows.

IS IT WORTH VISITING

Perfect Wine Trail Whiskey Detour

If you’re exploring Hermann’s wine trail, Copper Mule makes for an interesting detour that adds variety to your tasting day. The spirits are solid for a young distillery, though don’t expect the complexity of established Kentucky operations – their bourbon and rye are still finding their character as they age. What makes it worthwhile is the personal attention from the owners, who are genuinely passionate about educating visitors on their process, and the unique setting in Missouri wine country. It’s particularly good for visitors who want to understand how craft distilling works on a small scale, since you can see the entire operation from grain to bottle in one compact facility. Wine enthusiasts will appreciate the crossover between their spirits and wine production, especially if you’re visiting their vineyards as well.

⚠️ VISITING TIPS

Call ahead or check their website before visiting – they’re often closed for private events or production days, and hours can vary seasonally. The distillery is about a 10-minute drive from downtown Hermann’s main wine district, so plan it as part of a larger Hermann wine country visit rather than a standalone destination. Ask specifically about their barrel-finished spirits if they have any available during your visit, as these showcase their unique wine-distillery crossover approach. Parking is easy with a dedicated lot, and GPS will get you there without issues on Highway 100. If you’re visiting during harvest season (fall), you might catch them running both wine and distillery production simultaneously, which offers insight into how the two operations complement each other.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Copper Mule Distillery — Visitor FAQ

Do you use grapes in any of your spirits?

While we don’t use grapes directly in our spirits, we occasionally finish our bourbon and rye in wine barrels from our own vineyard operations. These wine barrel finishes create unique limited releases that combine our distilling and wine-making expertise.

How long are your whiskeys aged?

Our bourbon and rye are typically aged 2-3 years in new American oak barrels. As a young distillery, our spirits are still developing complexity with age, but we focus on quality grain sourcing and careful distillation to create flavorful spirits even at younger ages.

Can I visit both the distillery and your vineyards?

The distillery operates separately from our vineyard tasting rooms, though they’re all part of our Hermann area operations. You can visit the distillery for spirits tastings and tours, then head to our vineyard locations for wine tastings as part of a full day exploring our operations in Missouri wine country.

GETTING THERE

Find Copper Mule Distillery

📍2258 MO-100, Hermann, MO 65041, USA

—

📞 (573) 409-0007

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