Onyx Spirits Co., Connecticut’s and New England’s only licensed moonshine maker, has moved its Manchester operations and two stills to larger space in East Hartford to boost “white lightning” production. The state footed a $100,000 grant to help.
Onyx announced Tuesday the relocation to an 11,000-square-foot facility at 64D Oakland Ave. in East Hartford. It’s former home was a 1,300-square-foot space at 640 Hilliard St.
Onyx launched its ultra-premium brand moonshine in October 2011, and claims it has rapidly expanded production to meet the growing demand in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. Its New York launch is set for spring, principal Adam von Gootkin said in a statement Tuesday.
The new facility allows for the addition of two moonshine stills, and will eventually feature a 2,000-square-foot tasting room that will include a historical exhibit on prohibition in Connecticut, von Gootkin said.
In 2012, the state Department of Economic Development (DECD) put up a $100,000 grant to match Onyx’s pledge of $165,000 to hire more employees, buy new equipment, and invest in a larger facility.
Von Gootkin said Onyx employs eight full-time and four part-time moonshiners, with three more full-time positions opening in the next two months.
