BRAND KIT
OUR STORY
J. Rieger & Co. is a landmark American distillery built on a family legacy dating back to 1887
Founded by Jacob Rieger in 1887, Kansas City-based J. Rieger & Co. was the largest mail order whiskey house in the country before Prohibition shut down operations. In 2014, Andy Rieger, the great-great-great grandson of Jacob Rieger, and renowned bartender, Ryan Maybee, relaunched the distillery as part of a new golden era in American spirits backed by industry legends and Master Distillers Dave Pickerell and Tom Nichol. Today we provide award-winning spirits, innovative cocktails, and memorable experiences to our guests at our historic distillery in Kansas City’s Electric Park District.
Our award-winning spirits include the category-redefining Kansas City Whiskey, Straight Bourbon, Straight Rye, Monogram Solera Reserve, Midwestern Dry Gin and Caffè Amaro, stocked in bars, restaurants, and stores across the country and around the world. True to our O! So Good! origins, we aim to exceed expectations with authentic spirits that deliver amazing quality and value.
OUR DISTILLING TEAM
OUR FOUNDERS
ANDY RIEGER
Andy Rieger is the co-founder and president of J. Rieger & Co. and the great-great-great-grandson of Jacob Rieger. A highly methodical, natural entrepreneur, Rieger is incredibly passionate about bringing growth to his hometown of Kansas City.
He is a graduate of Southern Methodist University. His experience, combined with a passion for manufacturing and brand-building, fueled his transition to development, management, and operations at the distillery.
RYAN MAYBEE
A lifelong bartender, restaurateur, certified sommelier and Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) from the society of Wine Educators, Ryan Maybee, co-founder of J. Rieger & Co., is a veteran when it comes to wine, spirits and mixology.
It was at his world renowned bar, Manifesto, —located in the basement of the historic Rieger Hotel building— where Maybee became fascinated by the history of the building and discovered its connection to the J. Rieger & Co. distillery. After meeting Andy Rieger in 2010, they started a plan to bring back the old distillery.
NATHAN PERRY
J. Rieger & Co. Master Distiller, trained by Tom Nichol and Dave Pickerell. Was named a Master Distiller in 2023 and has overseen our spirits production since 2015.
STEVE OLSON
Beverage industry icon, sherry expert, and bar and restaurant advisor and educator. Steve has been heavily involved in product development and distributor relations since 2014.
TOM NICHOL
Renowned former Master Distiller at Tanqueray and head of Smirnoff vodka production, oversees our clear spirits. Tom joined our team in 2015 and commutes to Kansas City from his home in Scotland.
DAVE PICKERELL
The late Maker’s Mark Master Distiller and whiskey legend was integral to reopening our distillery in 2014 and trained our distilling team. The immense knowledge he bestowed upon our team allowed us to develop a world class whiskey program.
Austro-Hungarian immigrant Jacob Rieger settles in Kansas City with his family and founds the Jacob Rieger & Company distillery in the West Bottoms district. Nicknamed the ‘Wettest Block in the World,’ the lively area is home to many saloons, brothels and casinos.
Jacob turns operations over to his son, Alexander Rieger, a savvy businessman who grows the brand into the largest mail-order whiskey house in the United States with over 100 alcoholic products, all backed by a proud tagline: “O! So Good!”
Jacob Rieger & Company shuts
2014 HISTORY
THE MODERN ERA
J. Rieger & Co is relaunched by Andy Rieger, the great-great-great grandson of Jacob Rieger, and renowned bartender, Ryan Maybee, to honor the country’s pre-Prohibition legacy with new vision. It’s the beginning of a new golden era in spirits.
BACKED BY INDUSTRY LEGENDS
Legendary Master Distillers Dave Pickerell and Tom Nichol train the next generation led by Master Distiller Nathan Perry.
INVENTORS OF KC WHISKEY
Rieger is the first producer to revitalize the practice of adding sherry into whiskey, creating a new classification: Rieger Kansas City Whiskey becomes a benchmark of quality.
MONOGRAM SOLERA RESERVE
is introduced, a revival of the Pre-Prohibition label, aged in 50–100-year-old sherry botas. Very rare, complex and entirely original.
2017 the modern era
Housed in a landmark building dating to 1901 in the Electric Park neighborhood, the distillery debuts a state-of-the-art distillery and cocktail-friendly hospitality center complete with four unique bars.
TEN YEARS IN THE MAKING Straight Rye becomes the latest edition to The Kansas City Whiskey Collection together with Kansas City Whiskey and Straight Bourbon. Each aged a minimum of 4-5 years, our collection delivers exceptional flavor profiles and accessible pricing.
PRODUCTION
We pride ourselves on being an independent distiller with deep roots and open minds. We make spirits that are part of a new golden era, informed by the past but tailored for modern palates with state-of-the-art distillation. Trained by two of the greatest master distillers, Master Distiller Nathan Perry leads a 6-person team that makes an exceptional range of artisanal spirits consistently ranked among the country’s best.
PIONEERS. Among our proudest accomplishments, we were the first producer to revitalize the pre-prohibition practice of adding sherry into whiskey to create Kansas City Whiskey, a new classification. Our limited annual whiskey release, Monogram Solera Reserve, is aged in 50-100-year-old botas from Jerez. Rare, complex and entirely original, It’s made for the ultimate whiskey connoisseur.
WE GO AGAINST THE GRAIN. Our sweet mash process means that fermentation begins with freshly cooked grains and water, rather than repurposed sour mash. We start with fresh yeast to preserve clean and bright flavors, followed by two-step distillation to achieve a balance between refinement and complexity.
A LANDMARK PRODUCTION AND AGING FACILITY. Our distillery spans 55,000 square feet of production space equipped with the latest equipment and 9,000+ barrels aging in our rickhouse. Our Bar5 Certified tasting panel samples every batch on a monthly basis for quality to meet the most exacting standards.
DISCOVER OUR PRODUCTS
THE RIEGER WHISKEY COLLECTION
It took ten years to complete a best-in-class whiskey collection: Kansas City Whiskey, Straight Bourbon and Straight Rye, each aged a minimum of 4-5 years, are benchmarks of quality that deliver exceptional flavor profiles and accessible pricing. Tech Sheets
MONOGRAM
Rare and wonderful, only 1887 bottles are released each year to commemorate one of the industry’s most original spirits.
DISCOVER OUR PRODUCTS
MIDWESTERN DRY GIN
Based on an original recipe by gin legend Tom Nichol, a double gold medal winner inspired by classic London Dry Gin and made with bartenders in mind.
Caffè Amaro
Digestif-style and bittersweet, this coffee liqueur blends cold brew with a seven-botanical amaro. Let’s elevate the espresso martini. It’s the bar staple you didn’t know you were missing.
100% wheat-based, a final distillation round in our copper pot delivers full body and rich texture with a clean and smooth flavor. premium wheat vodka
Tech Sheets
DESTINATION RIEGER
Our distillery is a beloved Kansas City destination listed on the national register of historic places, a true getaway to experience the best of American spirits, craft cocktails and midwestern hospitality. Housed in a landmark building in the Electric Park neighborhood dating back to 1901, we completed a stunning renovation in 2019 to build a state-of-the-art distillery and hospitality campus. From distillation tours to world-class drinks, we offer experiences for every occasion including a 3,000-square foot historical exhibit and four exceptional bars:
THE TASTING ROOM serves up flights of spirits, cocktails and light bites overlooking the distillery production floor.
THE MONOGRAM LOUNGE is a lively social lounge with a wide range of delicious food and cocktail options and a 40-foot custom slide.
THE HEY! HEY! CLUB is an underground, high-end cocktail bar offering stylish cocktails and menu selections. Named one of the 10 Best New American Cocktail Bars.
ELECTRIC PARK GARDEN BAR is a one-of-kind outdoor bar featuring delicious frozen cocktails and our own food truck while being surrounded by beautiful gardens.
