Sleeping Giant Distillery

Rock Hill, South Carolina, Welcomes First Legal Distillery Sleeping Giant | Eater Carolinas

"The county’s first legal distillery in more than a century occupies a renovated early-1900s cotton grading building in downtown Rock Hill and was launched by brothers William and Patrick Bradner after years of planning and construction. Focused on rum rather than beer, the microdistillery (about 1,200 sq ft) produces handcrafted spirits and liqueurs made, bottled, and labeled by hand; its initial lineup includes a 40% ABV Silver Rum distilled from panela, a semi-sweet Coffee Rum made with beans from nearby Knowledge Perk, and a Lemongrass and Vanilla Rum Liqueur back-sweetened with panela. The operation emphasizes unique, non–status-quo flavors and extensive recipe testing that took place during the long permitting process, and it leans into the region’s informal moonshine history while operating openly and legally. The tasting room is open for tours and sales on Fridays and Saturdays (tastings available only with booked tours), bottles are available to walk-in customers with a current limit of three per person per day, and the owners are watching a proposed state bill that would relax restrictions and allow larger retail sales directly to customers." - Matt Lardie