Love, Katie Distilling sits on Main Street in Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania, a small borough just northeast of Pittsburgh along the Allegheny River. Founded by Katie Heffelfinger in 2019, this craft distillery occupies a restored brick building in Sharpsburg’s historic downtown district. Katie, who previously worked in marketing and business development, decided to pivot her career after developing a passion for craft spirits and distillation techniques during visits to distilleries across the country. The journey from concept to reality took Katie nearly three years of navigating Pennsylvania’s complex distillery licensing requirements and finding the right location. She settled on Sharpsburg because of its proximity to Pittsburgh’s growing craft spirits scene while maintaining the small-town charm she wanted for her operation. The distillery focuses primarily on small-batch whiskey and bourbon, though Katie has experimented with other spirits as she builds her brand. Her approach emphasizes quality ingredients sourced locally when possible and traditional distillation methods adapted for her compact operation. Visitors to Love, Katie find themselves in an intimate setting where Katie often personally conducts tastings and shares the story of her transition from corporate life to craft distilling. The space maintains the industrial character of its original building while incorporating modern distillation equipment sized appropriately for her small-batch philosophy. You’re likely to catch Katie working on-site, whether she’s monitoring a distillation run or discussing flavor profiles with visitors during tastings.