Pioneering Spirits: Bully Boy Distillers

 Pioneering Spirits

This past year I had the pleasure of meeting Dave and Will Willis of Bully Boy Distillers, Boston, MA.   Their pioneering spirit in bringing artisan distilling to Boston is not only remarkable, but reminds me of a couple of other pioneers I've had the pleasure of meeting.

Back in 1986 (pre-Harpoon days), my U.C. Davis brewing science teacher, Mike Lewis, set up a "field trip" to the fledgling Sierra Nevada Brewery.  Owners Ken Grossman and Paul Camusi proudly gave us a tour of the then 5 year-old brewery which was located in a Quonset hut next to the Chico airport.

I'll never forget how impressed I was that Ken and Paul had fabricated the brewing equipment from converted Campbell's Soup factory equipment. I watched with amazement as Ken provided a "dosage" (small amount of yeast and sugar) to each bottle of beer (and I am talking hundreds of bottles) in order to get just the right amount of "bottle conditioning" flavor and carbonation.

At the end of the tour, we sat down to beers (Big Foot Barley Wine was my favorite), while a local farmer loaded up his truck with freshly spent brewer's grains to use as feed for his pigs.

I was hooked.

And I am happy to say that the craft-focused, attention-to-details, built-from-the-ground-up tradition continues at Bully Boy Distillery.  Bully Boy Distillery produces vodka, white and dark rums, a white whiskey, and my favorite, an American Straight Whiskey.

Will Willis (left) Dave Willis (right), and me

Connect with Bully Boy Distillers. You’ll be hooked too.