Southern Trail Distillery sits on 27227 Morganza Turner Road in Mechanicsville, Maryland, about an hour south of Baltimore in Charles County. Founded by Ray and Brenda Dodson in 2017, this craft distillery occupies a converted warehouse on their family property where they’ve been making small-batch spirits for nearly seven years. Ray, who spent decades in construction before diving into distilling, partnered with his wife to create something that would connect their rural Maryland community to the craft spirits movement. They produce bourbon, rye whiskey, moonshine, and flavored spirits using traditional methods and locally-sourced grains when possible. The operation started as a retirement project but quickly grew into a legitimate business when word spread about their quality products. The Dodsons handle most operations themselves, from mashing and fermentation to bottling and retail sales, though they’ve brought on help as demand increased. Their 2,000-square-foot facility houses copper stills, fermentation tanks, and a small tasting area where visitors can sample their lineup. What began as Ray’s hobby experimenting with recipes in his garage has evolved into Charles County’s first legal distillery since Prohibition. The location feels authentically rural – you’re surrounded by farmland and forests, which gives tastings a genuine country atmosphere that’s hard to find closer to major cities.