HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – Peg Hays starts every morning walking her dogs around the beautiful pond on the tree-lined, expansive Casey Jones Distillery property. Located in the heart of Christian County farmland, the distillery continues to focus on building community.
“Not to sound braggadocios, but we’ve got a great property. This is a great place for people to gather,” said Hays, co-owner of Casey Jones Distillery.
The land she and her husband AJ have grown their business on was initially intended to be where they would begin retirement. A tour of the distillery reveals details about the legacy of moonshine in her husband’s family history, a legacy they were fated to continue. Since they opened in 2014, Hayes has depended on her talented staff to keep things moving, but also describes herself as a factotum who has her hands in every aspect of the business.
“I want to remove that word ‘work’ from my vocabulary and instead say ‘enjoy’,” said Hays. “I get to participate in a great, great industry. The distillery business is incredible.”
Eclipse and COVID-19 changed everything
In 2017, Hopkinsville was the epicenter for the total eclipse. Tourism skyrocketed, and Casey Jones pivoted to appeal to all the newcomers. 6,000 came to their property to experience totality with a glass of trademarked Total Eclipse moonshine in their hands. This exposure allowed them to begin expanding and brought them into the next phase of their business.
Fast forward to the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2020, Hays prepared to shut the doors of the distillery for good. But once again an unexpected pivot occurred, and they were able to manufacture and sell hand sanitizer. With the support and help from other local distilleries, Casey Jones produced half a million gallons of hand sanitizer during that time.
“It was great for us, and it was good for the community and the economy. It was quite a magical experience to have one day we are going to shut down, and less than 10 days later we are making hand sanitizer,” Hays told Christian County Now. “With those things happening for us, we were able to survive and stay in business and actually put a building up and prepare for an expansion.”
Staying true to Christian County community
“I feel like wherever you live, you need to be part of the community,” said Hays when talking about the relationships they’ve built with customers and other businesses in Christian County.
Although the distillery has faced several unexpected obstacles and triumphs, their continued growth couldn’t have happened without the support of the community. Their strong relationship with Old Glory Distillery in Clarksville and MB Roland in Pembroke has led to the creation of the State Line Whiskey Tour. And as summer approaches, they offer a free summer music and food truck series which as become a local favorite.
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Supporting Christian County farmers by using local corn and wheat are part of the formula that has led to the distillery’s success. They are currently shipping to 15 states, Canada, and have recently expanded to Europe.
“The water, the climate, the barometric pressure along with the grain are what makes Kentucky bourbon so unique,” said Hays. “We just keep doing what we are doing, do it every day, enjoy it, and make great bourbon.”
Casey Jones Distillery is open year-round for purchases, tours, and events. They are located at 2815 Witty Lane in Hopkinsville. Find more information about their upcoming summer events on the Casey Jones Distillery website.
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