A new farm-to-bottle distillery and tasting room, Song Dog Farm Distillery, is opening later this summer in Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve in Boyds, according to a press release from the distillery.
Washington, D.C. residents and owners Megan Draheim and David Harris are behind the distillery at 18100 Bucklodge Road, which will produce spirits such as bourbon, rye, gin, vodka, liqueurs and ready-to-pour cocktails on-site. The distillery will also host educational tours and tastings and be a space for community gatherings and celebrations.
“Our distillery, educational tours and hospitality experience are structured to immerse visitors in both the magic of distillation and the beauty of agriculture – providing a deep sense of place,” Draheim said in the release.
The Agricultural Reserve is a 93,000-acre area of the county (about one-third) that is home to more than 550 farms and designated for agricultural use, according to the county’s Office of Agriculture. The reserve, also known as the “Ag Reserve,” was established in 1980 to protect and conserve the county’s farmland by limiting residential development to no more than one dwelling unit per 25 acres and only permitting businesses that promote agriculture and agritourism.
The spirits produced at Song Dog’s 5,500-square-foot distillery will be made using grains grown at the 29-acre farm as well as from a nearby farm partner, the release said. Environmental sustainability is a key focus for the distillery, guided by Draheim, a conservation ecologist.
“Our water comes from the ground and as much water as possible is returned there, with dried spent grains being shared with neighboring farmers for feed,” Draheim said. She also noted the distillery aims to restore sections of the farm to be a native meadow and wildlife habitats.
Guests at the distillery will find a variety of cocktails, including low- and no-alcohol options; seasonal releases; and cocktail flights, the release said. In addition to the distillery’s tasting room and bars, Draheim aims for the distillery to be a “family-friendly facility” where guests can bring their dogs, munch on bites from food trucks, listen to live music, picnic at the farm and experience tours, tastings and celebrations.
Creation of the distillery was a “passion and labor of love,” Draheim said in the release. She noted that in 2020, the pair were close to kicking off construction on the project but were delayed due to the pandemic. However, through “working with local farmers we were determined to pivot and keep following our dream,” she said.
The project has been a family affair for Draheim and Harris.
“While we have driven this project through to construction, our whole family is involved and helping in different ways, and they’ve truly made our dream their own,” Harris said.
