Local Spirit: Berkshire Mountain Distillers

By Barbara Perkins

Owner Christopher Weld beside one of his special brew vats in his distillery.

Just the up the road in Sheffield, MA, nestled in the shadow of East Mountain, is Soda Spring Farm. While not a working farm in the traditional sense, much activity takes place here. A big, old white barn is home to Christopher Weld’s spirited undertaking, Berkshire Mountain Distillers. After living on the west coast for 15 years with only summer pilgrimages back east, Weld and his wife could no longer ignore the pull of New England. The couple found their way to a little run down orchard in the Berkshires. While taking stock of their new home, an idea began to take develop. “I grew up on a small orchard and pressed apple cider. I studied bio-chemistry and really wanted to give (distilling) a try,” Weld said. The springs for which the property is named, and from which Weld takes its waters, have a long history. Dating back into the 1800’s, the 73-acre location was the home of Henry Peck’s Berkshire Soda Springs Hotel, a luxury spa retreat for well-heeled Victorians. A 1899 travel book notes that the location had “facilities for hot and cold bathing” and “diseases of the blood and skin and especially rheumatic disorders (were) said to be benefited” by a dip in the springs. A kin to the micro-brewery boom of the last decade or so, a growing number of craft distillers have been bubbling up nationwide and Berkshire Mountain is the first legal distillery in Western Mass. since prohibition. Because distilling is not an overnight proposition, Weld introduced his products to the market one by one, starting with Ragged Mountain Rum, whose moniker is a nod to a nearby peak. One might think the molasses-based spirit is an unlikely candidate to introduce the brand with, but prior to the temperance movement, Massachusetts was the nation’s leading exporter of rum. Following the rum to market was Greylock Gin. Working with master distillers, Weld developed a proprietary blend of seven botanicals, which give the London-style gin its own signature flavor profile. The Ice Glen Vodka came next, and then another gin with 14 botanicals dubbed Ethereal. This gin is part of a limited edition series Weld is creating. Each run will have a slightly different flavor and be bottled with a different color label to identify the batch. When asked about current creations, Weld ticked off a few products that he hopes to have on the shelf later this fall. “The corn whiskey is close to the bottling stage and soon we’ll start picking apples to make eau de vie and brandy. At this point, we’re happy with the formulas and proud to be sourcing ingredients locally. We are fine-tuning the process and focusing on building awareness for our brand.” While you are no longer allowed to list the “medicinal” properties on the back of a liquor bottle, there is definitely something in the water that makes these spirits special. Berkshire Mountain Distillers’ products are served at restaurants and sold at liquor stores all over Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York. The closest place to sample them is at Infinity Hall or, for purchase, at Ledgebrook Spirit Shop in Winsted and Stateline Wine & Spirit in Canaan. For more information, go to berkshiremountaindistillers.com.