Whiskey Out and About W&P Participates in a Catoctin Creek Bottling Workshop
- Jeffrey Lavallee
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
25 Oct 25
120 W. Main Street
Purcellville, Virginia
Cost - FREE!
Limits - Must be 21 years old to sip.
From their website: “Catoctin Creek Distilling Company will conduct one of our famous Bottling Workshops! Here's your chance to volunteer and learn how to bottle, cap, seal, and label Roundstone Rye. Get your chance to work the magic "whisky cow"! Or maybe you'd like to try your hands at operating "Ninette", our fancy French labeling machine! These bottles make great gifts for those special loved ones in your life, and you can tell them you bottled it yourself! Bring a friend!”
Waking up this morning, the weather report said it was 37 degrees outside. Autumn is certainly here and with autumn, many cocktail enthusiasts turn to the dark liquor - whiskey. Today was one of those perfect crisp autumn mornings, and my wife and I had something special planned - a bottling workshop at Catoctin Creek Distilling Company in Purcellville, Virginia.
After dropping the dog off at the sitter’s, we hit the road with that mix of caffeine and anticipation that only whiskey lovers truly understand. We pulled into the distillery a little before 10 a.m., and there were coffee and donuts waiting for us. The parking lot filled up fast, though, so if you go, plan to get there early.
Whiskey and Politics has written about Catoctin Creek recently. It’s in an old Buick dealership (built in 1921). The tasting room is in the showroom and their distillery is in the dealership’s garage. Started by Becky and Scott Harris in 2009, Becky’s the master distiller. Scott’s the numbers guy. They’ve created a successful business that’s been expanding since the beginning. You can find their rye whiskey and gin all over the DMV (and beyond).
Once everyone was gathered, Scott gave us a warm welcome and launched into the fascinating history of whiskey in America - and especially rye whiskey’s role in it. He’s one of those people who can make history sound like a good story shared over some rye. Scott’s relaxed, professional manner and humor really set the stage and got everyone excited to be a part of Americana knowing that one day, somebody was going to enjoy a bottle of fine rye whiskey that we helped bottle.
Scott also talked about how Catoctin Creek uses heritage grains - no GMO rye here. Turns out, GMO rye might make it easier for farmers to harvest, but it doesn’t make for great flavor. Catoctin Creek’s rye comes from a farmer down in Virginia’s Northern Neck, and it’s all chosen for taste, not yield.
All very interesting but not what we were there for! We split into groups to tackle the different steps of bottling. I hung back at first, just taking in the sights and smells of the old building. There’s something nostalgic about it - the red brick, big old windows, and the warm scent of whiskey filling the air. I grew up loving the smell of garages. But now, the Buick garage smell has been replaced with the wonderful aroma of rye whiskey. I’d say that it was a pretty great trade.
Then came the fun part - the actual bottling. First, we cleaned out each bottle with a quick blast of compressed air. Then it was over to the “whisky cow” (you’ll know why it’s called that when you see it). The filling process was simple - the machine stops automatically when the bottle’s full. After that, we popped in corks, shrink-wrapped the seals, checked each one for quality, and sent it over to “Ninette,” their French labeling machine. That one can be a little finicky, but she behaved for me. We finished by hand-writing the batch number and packing up the finished bottles - ready for someone to soon enjoy.
There was such a good crowd that morning - groups of friends, couples, even a ladies’ day-out crew of about seven. Most folks were local to Northern Virginia, but one couple had come all the way from upstate New York to visit friends. Everyone was in great spirits (pun intended), laughing, chatting, and soaking in the experience.
Catoctin Creek’s whiskey is now sold all across the U.S. and even internationally - they’re about to start distributing in Taiwan. Glad to hear it. Whiskey and Politics is always happy to support our local distilleries. I hope you will too.
By the time we finished bottling, it was lunchtime. Scott recommended a couple of local spots - the Purcellville Family Restaurant right next door and Market Burger across the street. We went with Market Burger after learning they source their beef from a local farmer who feeds her cattle with Catoctin Creek’s spent grain, or ‘stillage’ (a delicious circle of life). It was excellent, but there are very few seats in the joint. I checked with the Catoctin staff who said that if it’s not busy, you can bring your food over and sit at one of their many tables. That would have been considerably more enjoyable.
It was a wonderful day. We learned a lot, had a ton of fun, and got to be part of something that connects craftsmanship, community, and a love for good rye whiskey. Scott mentioned they usually host a bottling event every month or so, and the next one’s coming up on Saturday, November 22.
If you’re a whiskey lover - or just looking for a unique way to spend a Saturday morning - I can’t recommend it enough. You’ll laugh, you’ll learn, and you’ll leave with a deeper appreciation for what’s in your glass. Biba!
AI was used on original content to polish the language for readability, fix grammar and punctuation issues, and slightly adjust structure where needed for smoother flow.
