FEMALE POWERED BRAND
Swilled Dog delivers award-winning hard ciders and small-batch whiskeys and bourbons crafted and distilled in the mountains of West Virginia. We may be rooted in the rugged hills of Appalachia, but, like you, we have wandering hearts. With that in mind, our canned ciders and ready-to-drink cocktails are packaged for every adventure—from the mountains to the beach. And, after a full day on the trail or in the surf, a dram of one of our premium spirits or a cocktail made from our infusions is the perfect closer.
Swilled Dog is proud to be a majority female- and family-owned company earning credibility in the male-dominated beverage industry. We are proud, also, to have brought together a primarily female powerhouse leadership team. Most of us are moms and dads, raising little ones, and we share an uncommon devotion to our four-legged best friends. One, in particular, Lucy Pickles our Border Collie brand sake.
Our story begins in 2015. See how we became the Swilled Dog you know and love today!
• Brooke and Brad experiment with making small batches of cider to refine recipes.
• Brad and Brooke adopted Lucy Pickles.
• The cider fun moved to the family basement and the basement was renovated into a full-fledged cidery.
• The family plants a cider-specific apple orchard, incorporates as Swilled Dog, and makes giving back a huge part of our mission.
• The Swilled Dog Logo is officially born, and designed by a WV artist. Lucy approves!
• Brooke was elected to the Board of Directors of the United States Association of Cider Makers (USACM).
• Swilled Dog ciders debut in Western Virginia! Our sister state became wild and wonderful!
• We leased a 20,000 sq ft facility in Upper Tract, West Virginia that we still call home today.
• In true Swilled Dog fashion, we donated 3% of total sales to charity. Make more, give more.
• In January, our Flagship (Walk The Dog, Pineapple, Wild Berry & Caramel Apple) and seasonal ciders became available in 12 oz cans. Koozies became wild and wonderful.
• Upper Tract Production facility opens allowing us to increase capacity.
• Upper Tract tasting room beckons craft beverage fans across the region. If you build it....
• Brooke was elected as Vice President of the USACM and chair of the marketing committee. We guess they like her.
• In October, Swilled Dog expanded distribution to FL & KY.
• In growing, we needed a chief experience manager to craft a full brand experience for every guest. Welcome Kim!
During a time when the pandemic was shutting down tasting rooms across the country, our team found a way to adapt and innovate. We followed through with our plans to grow, invested even more in the business and doubled down on making great beverages. This risky move paid off with our launch of Swilled Dog Spirits - a mix of ready-to-drink vodka sodas (pineapple and black cherry) and small-batch whiskeys.
• We hired a Head of Production to expand our operations. Welcome Logan!
• The Whiskey Room opens, becoming the 2nd tasting experience in Upper Tract.
• Swilled Dog Ready-to-drink cocktails are released. Perfect for any adventure.
• In our first evaluation, every spirit submitted to the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition was awarded a medal - including the highly coveted Double Gold Medal and Gold Medals.
• Sangria makes a splash at Disney! Our spring seasonal was featured at Epcot's International Festival of the Arts
• The awards keep coming! We landed Gold for our Sherry Cask Finished Bourbon in the World Whiskies Competition. The Barrel Strength Bourbon wins a 2nd Double Gold medal in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and our limited release Rye received a stellar rating by Wine Enthusiast Magazine.
And.....we're just getting started!
Since our founding in 2016, we’ve built a company culture based on enjoying the outdoors, bringing people together, and living life to the fullest. That’s why we say Swilled Dog is best served with adventure. But, we don’t just mean paddle boarding into the sunset. We mean working moms coming in hot on a Friday at five. We mean dads with squealing kids on their shoulders. Life’s an adventure; choose yours. And pour yourself some Swilled Dog along the way.
Sure, we’re a playful bunch, but we are dead serious about three things: Quality, Sustainability, and Community.
SUSTAINABILITY
We partner with local farmers to grow non-GMO corn and raise cider-specific apples in our own orchard. Our emphasis on hyper-local practices an respect for the terrior is reflected in the flavor profiles of our craft spirits and ciders
QUALITY
We've made a name for ourselves on the international stage, garnering awards from prestigious competitions and reviewers such as the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Wine Enthusiast Magazine, and the World Whiskies Awards.
SUSTAINABILITY
We partner with local farmers to grow non-GMO corn and raise cider-specific apples in our own orchard. Our emphasis on hyper-local practices an respect for the terrior is reflected in the flavor profiles of our craft spirits and ciders
COMMUNITY
We believe in giving back. A portion of our proceeds are donated to local animal charities and organizations. We also volunteer with local animal shelters and other fundraising events in our area.