Watershed Distillery - The Capital City Distillery Tour

When people think of Columbus, Ohio, a few things quickly come to mind: Ohio State University, Jeni’s Ice Cream, and the fact it’s the state capital. For whiskey lovers, they’ll also know it for its well-established whiskey distilleries thanks in no small part to Watershed Distillery. Best known for their bourbon, rye, and limited expressions, in particular Nocino Bourbon, the distillery has made a name for itself since being established in 2010. I had the chance to visit the distillery earlier this year and talk with founder Greg Lehman to learn more about the distillery’s start and the plans he has for the future.

Located in an unassuming commercial complex, I arrived at Watershed on a drizzling, slightly overcast day, unsure what to expect. Parking my car, I realized this was going to be a unique experience as the distillery was split in two, separated by parking and a private thoroughfare. On one side of the street was a door marked “Tours Enter Here,” and on the other side was a door marked “Kitchen & Bar, Distillery, Barrel Room.” Walking into the Tours door is where I met Lehman. Easy to talk to and full of pride for what Watershed has grown into over the years, it was clear that this was going to be a fun visit.

As Lehman walked me through the history of how the distillery was started, it was definitely an unusual journey. Having grown up in Central Ohio, the state holds a key role in his life. Lehman went to Ohio State University, where he played volleyball, and played on the team that advanced to the final four his senior year. Turning down a more traditional corporate role after graduating, Lehman instead chose the path less traveled, quite literally, and headed off to Switzerland to play professional volleyball for two years. It was a fruitful experience, garnering him many life lessons, however as with many professional sports, eventually, the need to start a more permanent career came calling. Thus, Lehman embarked on a career in the agricultural industry for the next 8+ years.

Having an entrepreneurial itch, Lehman and his partner Dave Rigo, raised $180k and started Watershed Distillery together in 2010. Having the goal to make sure the business could support two families, the two worked tirelessly to try to establish the distillery and grow its revenue. The duo started like most craft distilleries do, with a single still that was filling 30 gallon barrels of distillate. As the company continued to grow, they quickly switched over to standard 53 gallon barrels within 18-24 months of the company’s launch.

While this growth may seem rapid, it was clear as I toured the distillery and barrelhouse with Lehman that it didn’t all come at once. Walking through the distillery, Lehman explained how the company grew from its original head still to having added additional pot stills as needed, until the company was up to its current four stills in total. The same was said about their fermentation tanks, which now number five in total. Production was scheduled to move from 24x5 to 24x6 workweek, and it was clear from the vast number of barrels aging in their barrel warehouse, that the brand was on a continuous upward trajectory.

Like any distillery that is still young in age, there have been steps that the company wishes they could change. Take, for example, the company’s rye whiskey. The company produced an initial batch of just six barrels that was made at the time of my visit around seven and a half years prior. While the intent was to continue making additional batches every year, this new whiskey category was forgotten about until a few years later when the barrels were tasted. Realizing they had a special product on their hands, the company has been releasing one barrel a year while they distill and age additional rye batches. It’s a shame there’s not more of their rye currently to go around, because it easily made our Best Rye Whiskeys of 2024 list due to its standout nature.

As Lehman continued to show me around the facilities and we walked through the broken flow of offices, kitchen space, and distillation facilities, it was clear that space was acquired as needed as the company grew. While it was dizzying to keep our bearings straight, it proved the adaptable nature that the company has embraced over the years, which has helped fuel its success.

Taking time to walk into their restaurant and bar area, we tasted through the company’s line of products while I asked Lehman to explain how their Nocino product came to be. For those not familiar with Nocino, it’s a liquor made from locally sourced Ohio black walnuts. It’s distinct tasting in and of itself, and the distillery utilizes their used Nocino barrels to finish their bourbon in and create an even more unique Nocino barrel finished bourbon.

The product came to be thanks to Charles Tweel, who owns the walnut trees the black walnuts come from. Shortly after opening their distillery, Tweel would stop by to talk to the guys and bring along his Nocino liquor. As the years went on, Lehman and Rigo fell in love with the product and decided they needed to make it themselves, so they eventually went to Tweel’s to learn more about what was involved with producing this unique spirit. A fun nod to Tweel is found on the back of every bottle, with a simple yet heartfelt “thanks, Charlie”

Nocino needs to be made in a short two week period. The walnuts are generally picked around early July. The solids are placed into a liquid from July to approximately October before being strained into a barrel and letting age for a year. Once the liquor is bottled, these used barrels are filled with Watershed bourbon to produce a barrel finished product. Only a small number of Nocino barrels are produced a year which explains the limited nature of the company’s barrel finished release.

As Lehman and I sipped through the company’s whiskeys and other spirits, it was clear that he enjoyed reflecting on the past as much as he did talking about what the future may hold. Clearly, Watershed has had a quick rise not only in the Midwest but also nationwide. The quick rise hasn’t gone to his head, however, as Lehman, at his core, is someone who clearly is proud of his Ohio roots and the fact that he has been able to give back to the city and state that has had such a large impact on his own life.

As we wrapped up our time together, I walked away inspired, not only by the various whiskeys we tasted but also by the fact that, at its core, Watershed Distillery is the classic American entrepreneurial dream that so many people strive to create. That’s the great thing that takes place when you combine a vision and a hard (midwestern!) work ethic. It doesn’t matter where you may be located or if you’ve had distillation experience in the past. As long as you’re willing to work hard and not be afraid to take chances, it often can lead to great success, especially in the world of whiskey.