Copper Fox Distillery facts for kids

A look at the Copper Fox Distillery in Sperryville, Virginia

Copper Fox Distillery is a special place that makes American whiskey. It has two locations in Virginia: one in Sperryville, Virginia and another in Williamsburg. The person who owns and runs Copper Fox Distillery is named Rick Wasmund.

The Story of Copper Fox Distillery

Before starting Copper Fox, Rick Wasmund traveled to Scotland. He spent six weeks learning about floor malting at a distillery called Bowmore. This is a traditional way to prepare grain for making spirits.

In 2005, Copper Fox was given permission to start making spirits. They opened their first distillery in Sperryville, Virginia. It was in an old building that used to pack apples. Later, in 2015, Copper Fox bought a historic building in Williamsburg, Virginia. They opened their second distillery there in July 2016. Both locations are still making spirits today.

How Copper Fox Makes Spirits

Barrels of whiskey getting older at the Copper Fox Distillery in Sperryville, Virginia

Copper Fox uses a special type of barley grown right in Virginia. They are the only distillery in the United States that does all of its own malting. Malting is a process where grains are soaked and then dried. This helps them turn into sugar for making alcohol.

During the drying process, Copper Fox uses smoke from fruitwood. This includes wood from apple and cherry trees. This is similar to how some Scotch whiskies use peat smoke. All the wood they use comes from local fruit farms. Besides making their own products, Copper Fox also sells some of their malt to breweries. Breweries use it to make beer.

Copper Fox whiskey is made in a copper pot still. After distilling, the whiskey is aged in used bourbon barrels. These barrels come from another Virginia distillery. Copper Fox uses a special method called 'chipping'. They add small pieces of charred wood to the barrels. This helps the whiskey age faster. Copper Fox whiskies are aged for at least twelve months. This is different from Scotch Whisky, which must age for at least three years.

Besides single malt whiskies, Copper Fox also makes whiskies from rye. They also produce clear spirits and a special botanical gin. All the bottles of alcohol made at Copper Fox are filled and labeled by hand.

Products You Can Find

• Wasmund's Single Malt Whisky
• Copper Fox Rye
• Copper Fox Peachwood Single Malt Whisky
• Vir Gin
• Wasmund's Single Malt Blue Top
• Wasmund's Single Malt Green Top
• Copper Fox Rye Blue Top
• Wasmund's Single Malt Spirit
• Wasmund's Rye Spirit
• Wasmund's Bourbon Mash Spirit

Awards and Recognition

Copper Fox Distillery's products have won several awards:

• Wasmund's Single Malt Whisky
  • Received 92 points (Exceptional) from the Beverage Testing Institute.
  • Won a Gold Medal in the International Review of Spirits from the Beverage Testing Institute.
  • Named Best in Class (for Un-aged Malt Whiskey) by the American Distilling Institute in 2011.

• Copper Fox Rye
  • Received 94 points (Exceptional) from the Beverage Testing Institute.
  • Won a Gold Medal in the International Review of Spirits from the Beverage Testing Institute.
  • Won a Bronze award (for Un-aged Rye) from the American Distilling Institute in 2011.