Independent Spirits Distillery sits on Davidson Road in Woolwich Township, a rural stretch of Gloucester County where craft distilling has found its footing in South Jersey. Founded by Jim McGuire and John Brennan in 2015, this operation started as a shared passion project between two friends who’d been home distilling for years before deciding to go legitimate. McGuire, a former construction contractor, and Brennan, who worked in pharmaceutical manufacturing, pooled their skills to convert a 6,000-square-foot warehouse into a working distillery that now produces bourbon, rye, vodka, and gin. The journey from hobby to business took nearly three years of navigating New Jersey’s complex distilling regulations and securing the proper federal and state licenses. They installed a 500-gallon copper still from Vendome Copper & Brass Works, the same company that supplies equipment to Kentucky’s legendary distilleries. Their approach focuses on grain-to-glass production, sourcing corn from local farms when possible and handling every step from mashing to bottling on-site. The facility includes a small tasting room where visitors can sample their spirits and learn about the distilling process directly from the founders. What sets Independent Spirits apart is the hands-on approach you’ll get during visits. This isn’t a polished corporate experience—you’re likely to meet Jim or John personally, and they’re genuinely excited to talk about their process, from the custom-built fermentation tanks to their barrel aging program. The space feels like what it is: a working distillery where two guys turned their passion into a business, and they’re happy to share that story with anyone curious enough to make the drive to Woolwich Township.