Sometimes following your passion can lead you into interesting situations. Such is the case of Patrick and Beth Downing, the husband and wife team behind GlenPharmer Distillery, one of the more curious spirits producers in the Northeast.
“When people ask me why we decided to take on this project, I can only smile and tell them that Patrick has been talking about this for almost two decades,” says Beth Downing. “For the longest time, I just figured that it would remain a fantasy, but then the fates stepped in, and the rest is history.”
The bug to make his own spirits bit Patrick in 2004 when he sipped his first American Single Malt Whisky. He fell in love with it and started to think hard about making his own. The idea was put on a slow boil since both were full-time pharmacists raising a family. Over the years, the two would visit distilleries while on vacation. Plus, Patrick studied the art of distilling and enrolled in a two-week program at the prestigious Moonshine University in Louisville, Kentucky.
The fateful thing that tipped their dream into reality was the ability to purchase the historic 1883 textile mill that sat in the heart of their hometown of Franklin, Massachusetts. The stone building with its own covered bridge oozed with character and had ample space. In April 2019, they closed on its purchase and dove into setting up their distillery.
It has been a challenging path. Modifying the old mill building to fit their modern distillery equipment was a complex operation that took time. Both oversaw the project while still working full-time in their respective careers, something they still do today.
“Trying to retrofit the building for the distillery wasn’t the easiest; it took a ton of work, then, of course, there was Covid,” says Patrick. “It hit right after we opened to the public, forcing us to completely rejigger everything repeatedly.”
Part of their initial plan was to turn their tasting room into something different. Partnering with Executive Chef Erik Zoeller, they created something rare, a restaurant that also functions as a tasting room. Customers can sample their spirits inside a large and comfortable space while eating and relaxing. Zoeller oversaw the creation of the tasting room/restaurant hybrid and designed a seasonal menu that would easily fit into many higher-end establishments.
With a large outdoor patio and the covered bridge, they can seat close to two-hundred people, plus a spacious event space upstairs offers even more flexibility. The lines between distiller and restaurant are often blurred inside GlenPharmer.
“We realized from the beginning that we wanted our business to become an important part of our community. We live here and wanted to make something lasting,” says Patrick Downing. “For us to succeed, we needed to become a destination. The more visitors we have, the better our bottom line, and we are building our brand name daily.”
Using a modern state-of-art system, head distiller Marco Forziati and assistant distiller Alex Seagrave turn out eleven award-winning spirits under the GlenPharmer brand. Their first product was a wheated vodka with a sweeter flavor profile. They followed that up with a gin, two rums, and a tequila made with agave imported from Mexico. Their two top sellers so far are also a cranberry-flavored vodka called Bog, made with local ingredients, and an espresso-flavored vodka called Bean, made with local coffee beans. Everything is available for sale on-site and in select retail establishments in the state.
But the 150 barrels of whisky aging inside the facility are the Downing’s pride and joy. They have released two to the public already, an American Rye and Bourbon with an American Single Malt slated for their next drop. From the first day, Patrick dreamed of opening a distillery; his goal has been to produce his own Single Malt.
“I have been anxiously watching our barrels as they mature, excited for the day that I can finally hold a bottle in my hand and serve it to our fans,” he says. “It’s been a long time coming, but I think everything has happened for a reason, and that’s fine with me.”
As GlenPharmer Distillery continues to settle into its corner of the alcohol landscape, it hopes to emulate the execution of its nearby neighbor, the New England Patriots, and become a household name. Only time will tell, but they seem to have hit on a winning formula so far.
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