RISBJ Issue 5

Page 44

SONS OF LIBERTY | Spirits Company

ike Reppucci, a Narragansett native and Brown grad, took the chance that many locals are now taking; drastically changing their life and career to pursue something they truly believe in. Mike has always enjoyed work; after receiving his Masters in Finance from London Business School he worked those dreadful 100 hour weeks one after another, and another, and another. Eventually realizing it wasn’t the life he wanted, he dropped everything and started making whiskey. By moving his wife and then 18-month old child in with his parents, leveraging all his savings, and bringing Dave Pickerell, ex-master distiller for Makers Mark, on board, Mike started down a road he refuses to turn back on (still living with his parents and now with two little ones along for the ride). The company, rightfully named after the Sons of Liberty from the 1700s [a group of merchants and distillers who were fed up and took a stand for what they believed in], is revolutionizing spirits right in our backyard. The interesting fact about whiskey is that it starts as beer, and when Mike learned this he asked himself, “How come no one is brewing the beers I love and turning them into whiskey?”. Instead of brewing the typical light beer, Mike and his team have created a stout beer that they use to make UPRISING American Whiskey – D VPRRWK ZKLVNH\ ZLWK FRPSOH[LW\ RI ñDYRU from the grains. The grain-forward whiskey is made to retain the dark, malted barley ñDYRUV WKDW ZHUH XVHG WR PDNH WKH VWRXW EHHU

42

RISBJ | rhode island small business journal


Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.