Nelson's Green Brier Distillery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Nelson's Green Brier Distillery
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Open land where distillery buildings once sat
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| Location | Main St. W of Greenbrier Cemetery Rd., Greenbrier, Tennessee |
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| Built | 1885 |
| Architectural style | Industrial |
| NRHP reference No. | 08000703 |
| Added to NRHP | July 24, 2008 |
Nelson's Green Brier Distillery was a famous place that made drinks before a time called Prohibition. It was owned by a businessman named Charles Nelson and later by his wife, Louisa. The distillery was in Greenbrier, Robertson County, Tennessee, and it operated from 1870 to 1909.
Many years later, in 2011, Charles Nelson's great-great-great grandsons decided to bring the brand back to life. They opened a new distillery in Nashville, Tennessee in 2014. Today, they make Tennessee whiskey and other special drinks.
Contents
The Original Nelson's Green Brier Distillery
The first Nelson's Green Brier Distillery was located near Rocky Fork Creek in Greenbrier, Robertson County, Tennessee. It started making products in 1867. The distillery had to close down in 1909. This happened because Tennessee made a state law called Prohibition, which made it illegal to produce or sell alcoholic drinks.
Charles Nelson, a businessman from Nashville, bought the distillery in 1870. He made the business much bigger over the next few years. The whiskey made there was sold in other parts of the United States under the name "Nelson's Best."
In 1885, the distillery made a huge amount of whiskey: 380,000 U.S. gallons (about 1.4 million liters). This made it the biggest producer of sour mash whiskey in Robertson County. At that time, making whiskey was a very important industry in Tennessee. Robertson County was one of the state's top producers. For comparison, the Jack Daniel's distillery in Lynchburg made 23,000 U.S. gallons (87,000 liters) that same year.
Nelson's Green Brier Distillery helped the town of Greenbrier grow a lot in the late 1800s. It employed about 25 people directly. It also bought corn from local farmers and barrels from local makers. Because of the distillery, a railroad line and a train station were built in Greenbrier.
Making whiskey at the distillery stopped on July 1, 1909, when Prohibition began in Tennessee. However, whiskey made before that date could still be sold in other states until 1915. Robertson County whiskey was known for being very good quality. But after Prohibition ended, the whiskey industry in the county did not start up again.
In 1923, the distillery's equipment was taken apart and sent to Canada. It was used there by a company called Seagram to make their own products.
The original distillery site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008. This means it is recognized as an important historical place. It's important because of its role in industry and business in Tennessee. Also, Charles Nelson was involved in banking, farming, and making barrels. The protected area is 5 acres (2.0 hectares), but the distillery used to cover a much larger space. Most of the old buildings are gone now. The only historical buildings left are an early 1900s warehouse, a spring house that gave fresh water to the distillery, and a barrel house. You can also see a dam across Rocky Fork Creek, an old mash tub, and parts of building foundations.
Revival of the Brand
In 2011, two of Charles Nelson's great-great-great-grandsons, Charlie and Andy Nelson, announced they would bring the Nelson's brand back. They planned to make whiskey using Charles Nelson's old recipes. In 2013, they started bottling a product called Belle Meade Bourbon. This was a brand name Nelson's had used in the past. They did this while they waited for permits and equipment to open their own new distillery.
On November 23, 2014, the new Nelson's Green Brier Distillery opened in Nashville. Visitors can take tours to learn about the history of the Nelson's Green Brier name and the old distillery. Tours often include tastings and a look at where the products are made. In 2016, a company called Constellation Brands bought a small part of the company. However, the Nelson brothers, Charlie and Andy, still run the business. Charlie is the CEO, and Andy is the COO.
Current Product Offerings
Tennessee Whiskey
- Nelson's First 108 Tennessee Whiskey is a special product only sold at the distillery. Its name comes from two things: the total number of barrels made and the 108 years between the old distillery closing and the new one opening. This product uses an original Charles Nelson recipe. It is made using the Lincoln County Process with wheat for flavor. It comes in a strong, single-barrel version (not diluted with water) and a slightly milder, small batch blend.
- Nelson's Green Brier Tennessee White Whiskey also uses the charcoal-based Lincoln County Process to make it smooth. This recipe is over 100 years old. It is distilled once, not aged, and made from barley, corn, and wheat. It won a bronze medal at a competition in 2015.
Belle Meade Bourbons
The Nelson brothers started making Belle Meade Bourbon in 2012. They used family recipes and products from a distillery in Indiana. After the first bourbon, they added other types. These were aged in used barrels from Europe, which gave them different flavors.
- Belle Meade Bourbon is a straight bourbon with a lot of rye. It is made in small batches. It won a double gold medal at a competition in 2015.
- Belle Meade Sherry Cask Finish is a small batch product. It is aged for nine years and then finished in Spanish Oloroso sherry casks. It won a double gold medal and was named Best Special Barrel Finish Bourbon in 2015.
- Belle Meade Cognac Cask Finish is a slightly younger blend. It is finished in Limousin oak barrels that used to hold Fine Champagne XO cognacs from France. It won a gold medal in 2017.
- Belle Meade Madeira Cask Finish is aged in slightly larger barrels (59 gallons) that previously held Madeira wine. It won a double gold medal in 2017.
- Belle Meade Single Barrel Bourbon is aged for at least nine years. It is bottled at its original strength from the barrel, so its final strength can vary. The strength is usually between 110 and 120 proof and is printed on each bottle along with the barrel number.
Other Spirits
Louisa's Coffee Caramel Pecan Liqueur is named after Charles Nelson's wife, Louisa. She faced many challenges as a woman in business in the early 1900s. But she kept the business growing for 18 years after her husband died, until Prohibition forced her to close.
