HOURS: THU 11/21 4-8PM | FRI 11/22 4-10PM | SAT 11/23 12-10PM
Our Story
The Masterminds of Covalent Spirits!
Jenn is our “Chief Thinker” and a science geek at heart. Drew is our “Chief Taster” and product quality control guru. Since 2013, Jenn has been talking about this dream venture of opening a distillery. It was the perfect culmination of her various experiences - combining her science education, business consulting profession, and whiskey passion. But Jenn kept coming up with reasons as to why the timing wasn’t right. Jenn and Drew met in 2015. Their love story was like a Hallmark movie, filled with world travels and epic adventures. She eventually left the hustle and bustle of the DC-area and moved to scenic, rural Westminster, MD. At the end of 2019, Drew finally challenged her and asked, “What’s stopping you now? Time to put up or shut up.”
So here we are! Jenn took the leap, and she immediately knew historic Westminster was the perfect place for this venture. Drew (being the amazing and supportive husband that he is) has been working side-by-side with her to make this a reality. They are very excited to share this passion with the community!
[Photo Credit: Dylan Slagle/Carroll County Times]
Inspired by History
Maryland has a rich history of distilling dating back to the 1700s. The Sherwood Distilling Company once operated in Westminster, MD, and its last license for operation expired around 1970. But its iconic brick smokestack still watches over the city, and it has inspired Covalent Spirits to bring distilling back to Westminster.
Restoring, Renovating, and Reinventing
The old distillery building isn’t available to us, but we are able to take over the former City Garage (3 blocks from the Sherwood stack). Built in the 1920s, this building has architectural flare and historical significance to the city. However, it has been under-utilized for decades. We are excited to restore a part of history and bring new energy to Main Street.
Grand Opening
On November 17, 2022 we officially opened our doors to customers. Over 60 people attended the ribbon cutting ceremony, including elected officials, local business owners, friends, and family. Mayor Mona Becker gave a warm welcome, and we received citations from Senator Van Hollen and the state of Maryland.