Catskill Distilling Company

Situated Within Earshot of site of the 1969 Woodstock Festival / Bethel Woods Performing Arts Center

Catskill Distilling Company

When New York State passed the Farm Distillery bill in 2008, facilitating the sale of spirits made by private distillers within the state, photographer and local gallery owner Stacy Cohen opened Catskill Distilling Company in Bethel, NY, well within ear shot of site of the 1969 Woodstock festival and the Bethel Woods Performing Arts Center, along with the Dancing Cat Saloon, which serves not only their own craft spirits but craft beers and great food.

Other key players in the creation of Catskill Distilling Company have been Christian and Jacob Carl, of the Carl family that has been fabricating fine distilling equipment in Germany ever since 1889, and who created the fabulous copper stills visible behind the glass wall of the distilleries tasting room; and the distillerys first Master Distiller, the late Lincoln Henderson, who was a key consultant. Henderson is well known for having developed Jack Daniels and Woodford Reserve whiskeys during his career at commercial distiller Brown & Forman.

The Stills

The water is from the Catskill Mountains, and the New York-grown grains, purchased at a nearby mill, are returned as mash and fed to local farm animals. From the locally grown grains to fruit from local orchards and botanicals grown on site, the Catskill Distillery embodies the spirit of the farm distillery and demonstrates a strong commitment to the local agricultural community.

The themes of history, art, music and community run through the activities not only of the distillery, but of its siblings the Dancing Cat Saloon and the Stray Cat Gallery, which opened across the street in spring of 2013. The Dancing Cat and Stray Cat are located in lovingly renovated Victorian buildings.

The Tasting Room and Distilling Room Visable Through The Windows

The art deco bar at the distillery comes from the 1939 World's Fair in Flushing. The Woodstock legacy of the area is reflected in the names of the distillery’s spirits, from Peace Vodka to Most Righteous Bourbon. The music of the concerts at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, located on the Woodstock site, is echoed in weekly performances at both the Distillery and the Saloon.