Today we’d like to introduce you to Jon Brannan.
Hi Jon, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
In 2020, during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, I decided to spend my extra time at home researching my ancestry. A friend of my Aunt is the Archivist for Columbus, GA. She came across an old newspaper advertisement from 1857 that my great, great, great grandfather had placed for his “Irish Poteen Whiskey”. (pronounced “po-cheen”) Not being familiar with Poteen/Poitín, I dug a little deeper and learned that Poitín is a raw spirit that was traditionally distilled in Ireland from potatoes, oats, and barley. Poitín is the oldest documented spirit on Earth, dating back to the 6th century (500-600 AD). Today, it has a popular following throughout the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe. I also discovered this amazing story:
Around 1840, my great, great, great grandfather Ambrose Brannan, and his fiancé Mary Anne Murray, arrived in Savannah, Georgia from Ireland. Presumably stowaways, the young couple had seen the early stages of the great potato famine and decided to run away together to seek a better life. Traveling by horse and carriage they ended up settling in Columbus, Georgia. Ambrose, worked as a farm laborer. The work was hard, and the wage was fair, but he dreamed of more. “More” came to him in the form of an old family recipe for a traditional Irish “moonshine” whiskey called Poitín/Poteen (pronounced “po-cheen”). The drink quickly gained a popular following, selling in local shops and pubs. Ultimately, the family opened their own dry goods store J.R. Brannan Dry Goods & Groceries. To this day, the original building still stands in uptown Columbus, on Broadway.
After further research, I found a partial family recipe for the drink and also discovered that no one in the United States was commercially distilling Poitín. Working with a local distillery, we completed the recipe, and ran some test batches. The unique taste really blew everyone away. I decided that this drink needed to be resurrected, and obtained all the licenses required to do so. I’ve also hired Master Mixologist and star of the hit TV show “Bar Rescue”, Phil Wills, to create custom cocktails and as a consultant. We plan on launching Ambrose Poitín in the Summer of 2022.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I am a single Dad, and work a full time job, so free time and energy are often limited. Starting a side business of this magnitude has seemed impossible at times. I also have no previous experience in the alcoholic beverage industry and have really had to learn “on the fly”. It is a very heavily regulated industry with lots of rules and mandates. One example would be having to go back and forth with the TTB (the Federal label board). I had to make several revisions to my final bottle labels before they were approved. This process was really frustrating at times and it took several weeks.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Ambrose Poitín is a sole proprietorship based in Columbus, Georgia. Ambrose is a small-batch, specialty spirit distilled from a multi-grain mash, with a few “family secret” ingredients added in along the way. The taste is quite unique and can be described as an initially bold, earthly, coastal taste followed by a peppery tickle in the nose which softly tails into a subtle sweet and smooth finish. It is extremely versatile and can be enjoyed straight or mixed in your favorite cocktail. It is a suitable substitute for any drink made with whiskey, vodka or tequila. The only Poitín commercially distilled in the United States, and a proud product of Georgia with Irish Roots, it’s my pleasure to resurrect this unique, history-rich spirit and share it with you. Launching in Georgia only, Summer 2022.
We are also working with Master Mixologist, and star of the hit TV show “Bar Rescue, Phil Wills, to design signature cocktails for Ambrose Poitín.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
We will definitely need help in getting the word out about what Poitín is, and how delicious it tastes. Please visit our website at www.drinkambrose.com to read more about the drink and its history. We also invite people to follow us on Facebook and Instagram @drinkambrose. We would love to hear from anyone and everyone. Our email address is: [email protected]
Pricing:
- Expected Retail $32.00 for a 750ml bottle
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.drinkambrose.com
- Instagram: @drinkambrose
- Facebook: @drinkambrose
Anne Messner
February 1, 2022 at 2:16 pm
What a great story! Love reading about the history of the Irish who came “across the pond” as a result of the famine. Great good luck to Mr. Brannan and his ancestor-honoring enterprise.