Chris Gadd

cgadd@dicksonherald.com

A zoning amendment that defines and allows a special exception for a “craft or micro” spirits distillery in Dickson County was approved by the county commission Monday.

Now, the Green Beret whose opening the distillery must receive commission approval next month for the special exception. Federal and state permission are next.

Master Sgt. Andrew Lang, owner of the future Leatherwood Distillery and an Army Special Forces member, was the lone person to speak at the public hearing Monday night.

Lang, dressed in his military fatigues, told the commission he had worked on business and zoning amendment language for 13 months. He thanked the subcommittee — consisting of some planning commission members and chaired by Commissioner Shane Chandler— for its help in the process.

“My goal always has been to bring more revenue into the county,” said Lang, who lives in the Vanleer area. “To bring tourism and have a nice place out in the county for people in Dickson to come visit.”

Lang told The Herald that at the start he plans to offer six different flavors of moonshine as well as a “lightly aged” wheat whiskey. A few years down the road, Leatherwood will offer official Tennessee Whiskey, which by state law is bourbon that undergoes “the Lincoln County process” of charcoal filtering and then goes into a wooden barrel for aging.

Lang has targeted April next year as the month when whiskey production will start. He receives the county's permission next month, Lang would order the distilling equipment and see federal and state approval.

The county amendment defines a micro or craft distillery as a facility that produces under 25,000 gallons of distilled spirits per year.

Lang, an Illinois native whose served 18 years in the Army, said he expects to make up to 2,000 gallons of spirits in Leatherwood’s first year.

By comparison, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey in Lynchburg, Tenn. produces about 25 million gallons per year.

Lang’s name for the distillery originates from the Little Leatherwood Road that runs up to his 22-acre property where he’s lived for three years.

County officials felt like a new amendment was needed when Lang first approached them about his distillery idea.

“We really didn’t have anything we felt like this would meet, especially in the agricultural district. Or in the commercial district or the industrial district,” said county Planning and Zoning Director Donnie Thiel.

Minimum distances of between 250 feet and 325 feet — depending on the structure’s purpose — are set for so that Lang or future distillery owners must locate any buildings away from neighboring property lines or structures.

According to the zoning amendment, the following restrictions are in place:

The distillery site can only be between 20 and 30 acres in size.

A maximum of 5,000 barrels — each barrel contains 30 gallons — can be stored on the property.

Total floor space used for processing, bottling, tasting, sales and storage cannot exceed 12,500 square feet and three stories in building height.

Samples would be allowed for those taking a tour of the facility, and bottling would also be allowed. Lang hopes to have tours, sampling and purchases started by July next year.