Village Garage: The Vermont Made Spirits You Need Behind Your Bar in 2022

By Chilled Magazine

If you only add one bottle to your bar this season, we hope it’s Village Bourbon.

Based in the charming downtown of Bennington, Vermont, the team at Village Garage Distillery hand crafts their Bourbon, Rye Whiskey, and Vodka using only Vermont based raw ingredients.

Village Bourbon and Vodka

Village Bourbon and Vodka

Local rye and corn are sourced to create the mash, and the distillery pulls their water from Bolles Brook; a stream that runs its way down Woodford Mountain as it overlooks the town of Bennington below. The team is even working with a cooper to add a Vermont touch to their American White Oak Barrels. The result is a stunning line of spirits that the brand hopes will put Vermont back on the map for craft spirits.

Village Garage Team

Village Garage Team

It was Christmas of 2018, and Co-founders, long-time friends, and Vermonters through-and-through, Glen Sauer and Matt Cushman were together, catching up at a family gathering. Sauer shared with us that it was during the ‘how are you’s that he told Cushman, “I’m just going to tap every maple tree on the mountain, make maple white lighting, peddle it out of the back of my 54’ sedan and be an outlaw.” And as it turned out, opening a distillery was Cushman’s retirement dream. “We joked about it for a while and here we are,” Sauer added.

“We made a makeshift business plan, aligned ourselves with professionals in this industry and we went for it.”
– Glen Sauer

The duo note that the goal is to make Vermont Whiskey its own category. “These will be whiskies that reflect the character of Vermont: the rugged beauty of the mountains and the bucolic friendliness of its citizens. Born and raised here in Bennington, it’s also great to be giving something back to the community,” Matt shared. One sip of their whiskey and it’s clear they’re well on their way.

Each of their spirits is an exemplary offering to its respective category. The vodka is pure, smooth, and endlessly mixable. The Rye Whiskey is warm with a butterscotch, sweet and smooth finish. The bourbon is buttery, smooth, and has notes of black pepper and toasted caramel. All three are crafted with care and bottled in beautifully unique packaging featuring their Vermont-history inspired label.

The distillery itself is a testament to the creativity and commitment of the team. Built originally as a farm equipment dealership, then used for decades as the town highway department garage, the building was a blank slate for Sauer and Cushman. Sauer’s background was in fabrication, which gave the team a unique advantage as they began renovations; hauling out dumpsters worth of debris, revealing the bones and planning for what the space would look like. While it was still under construction when we visited, the work Sauer and the team has done is awe inspiring.

Walking onto the distillery would leave any bourbon country snob surprised—the space is small, but developed to be efficient and productive instead of traditional. Each section, every tool, and every aspect was developed with care and thought as to how to make the space work as efficiently and cleanly as possible.

Village Garage's Glen Sauer

Village Garage’s Glen Sauer

The front of the building houses a bar that was custom built and outfitted with carefully sourced historic features and reproduction seating. Sauer spends much of his spare time sourcing everything from historic light fixtures to huge (gorgeous) mid-century desks. All of this attention to detail is distributed to the spirits as well as the physical space. The goal for the team is not just to put Vermont on the map for spirits, but to build a space that helps bring new faces and new memories to Bennington. With the work they’ve done, and the spirits they’ve crafted, it’s a dream that’s well within reach.

Next time you’re in need of a respite, Bennington, and Village Garage, should be at the top of your travel list. Whether its leaf peeping, winter sports, or hiking along the bucolic local trails, you can count on a great sip of spirit and friendly conversation by ending your day at the bar in town.

Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!