Northern Yankee Moonshine sits in Ripley, Ohio, a small riverside town where the Ohio River meets Kentucky’s rolling hills. Founded by local entrepreneur Mike Caldwell, this craft distillery opened its doors in 2015 with a mission to bring authentic moonshine traditions to southern Ohio. The operation runs out of a converted warehouse on Hamburg Street, where Caldwell and his small team produce traditional corn-based moonshine alongside flavored varieties that nod to both Appalachian heritage and modern craft spirits trends. Caldwell’s journey into distilling started as a hobby rooted in family stories about his grandfather’s Depression-era moonshine operation in the Kentucky hills. After years of perfecting recipes in his garage and navigating Ohio’s licensing requirements, he transformed his passion into a legitimate business. The distillery focuses on small-batch production using locally sourced corn and traditional copper pot stills that give their spirits a distinct character you won’t find in mass-produced alternatives. Visitors to Northern Yankee get an intimate look at craft distilling in action. The no-frills operation lets you see the entire process from grain to bottle, and Caldwell often runs tours himself, sharing stories about the learning curve of turning illegal family recipes into legal, commercial products. The tasting room keeps things simple but authentic, focusing on the spirits rather than fancy décor.