Middle West Spirits

Ryan Lang never set out to build Ohio's largest distillery. When he founded Middle West Spirits in Columbus in 2008, drawing on four generations of family distilling traditions including Pennsylvania bootlegging ancestors, he simply wanted to make honest whiskey. Fifteen years later, his grain-to-glass operation has become a top 10 American whiskey producer and earned the title of U.S. Distillery of the Year.

History & Heritage

Lang established Middle West Spirits as Ohio's first craft distillery, beginning commercial production in 2010. The operation expanded dramatically with a 55-foot distillation tower in 2016, then again in 2020 with the acquisition of a 14-acre Columbus facility. Beyond building his own distillery, Lang co-founded the Ohio Distillers' Guild, successfully lobbying for state laws allowing on-site sales and bar service that transformed Ohio's craft spirits landscape.

The Whiskey

Middle West Spirits controls every step from seed to bottle, sourcing Ohio-grown soft red winter wheat, yellow sweet corn, dark pumpernickel rye, and two-row barley. The distillery produces wheated bourbons, rye whiskeys, and innovative barrel-finished expressions including sherry and port cask varieties. Their Michelone Reserve Straight Wheated Bourbon and Dark Pumpernickel Rye represent the house style, while specialty finishes like the Oloroso Wheat Whiskey showcase their experimental edge.

Why It Matters

This is American craft distilling done right: local grains, traditional methods, and the scale to age whiskey properly. The 2023 PR%F Awards delivered twelve medals including perfect Century Award scores for their Sherry-Finished Bourbon. When a Columbus distillery earns international recognition while maintaining grain-to-glass integrity, it deserves attention from those who appreciate thoughtful American whiskey.