"If you could wake up tomorrow and do anything, what would it be?" Brant Braue's life completely changed when his brother asked him this question in the autumn of 2010. Brant's answer? He'd open a distillery.

Brant went on to create Jersey Artisan Distilling, a distillery focused on classic techniques. The flagship spirit was Busted Barrel Rum, which comes in two varieties: Busted Barrel Dark Rum matures in white oak barrels and carries hints of vanilla and caramel; Busted Barrel Silver Rum is made with custom copper stills and Louisiana molasses. These and the other spirits—including Morena Rum, James F.C. Hyde Sorgho Whiskey, and Hard Ice—have been profiled by the New York Times, New Jersey Monthly, Jersey Bites, and the Star Ledger—and Jersey Artisan Distilling was ranked among the top distillers in country by Thrillist_.

Jersey Artisan Distilling now supplies both variants to restaurants throughout New Jersey, but you don't have to stray from the source to sip its signature rums or whiskey. The distillery hosts tours and tastings—where tour participants get to be the first to try experimental spirits for future release before they hit store shelves—and the team invites guests to join them for special events such as bottling nights, one of the few events where people fill their bottles with liquid instead of tiny ships.