Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alexandra Osborn. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Alexandra, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?
When the owners were developing the business plan and brand for our company, they wanted to integrate local history with the major American milestones involving alcohol and its role in society. Twelve 33 Distillery has a deep meaning that goes back to the end of the Prohibition Era in the United States of America. December of 1933 marks when the repeal of alcohol in our country officially ended- or, 12/1933. Each spirit’s name incorporates local South Carolina ties from the Prohibition era and has a story behind it. The ambiance in our actual distillery also follows suit with classy yet industrial vibes throughout the building, including a true 1920’s themed hidden speakeasy.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Twelve 33 Distillery is a small production, craft distillery located in Little River, South Carolina on Highway 90 and Highway 17, just north of North Myrtle Beach. The location is ideally located on the busiest highway leading into the “Grand Strand”, a premier tourist destination for its world class golf and white sand beaches. A vibrant, growing local population coupled with strong seasonal tourism made the Grand Strand an ideal location for a premium craft distillery.
Founded by husband and wife team, Kevin and Rebecca Osborn, Twelve 33 Distillery began as dream to create a “grain to glass” small production craft distillery using locally sourced ingredients that would reflect the local culture while also allowing for innovative products.
Each of our handcrafted spirits are made from grains and other ingredients sourced directly from local farms. This allows us to proudly create premium products entirely from South Carolina. Stop by for a tasting or a cocktail and our Spirit Guides will give you an education on our entire process while we explain what makes each spirit unique. Or book a Guided Tour and learn about how our products go from “grain to glass”!
How’d you meet your business partner?
Kevin and Rebecca met in college at Michigan State University and in following their careers, lived in seven states over the span of 25 years of marriage. Kevin began brewing beer as a hobbyist right out of college. When their career took them to California, the opportunity to become a winemaker presented itself and Kevin learned an entirely new process and appreciation for handcrafted, boutique wines. It was both ironic and fortuitous that as Kevin and Rebecca began planning their next great adventure, news came that Kevin’s time as a business executive with the company he had spent twenty six years working for would soon be ending as the company was soon to be sold. While always having a strong passion for craft, whether beer, wine or spirits, timing was perfect to pursue the dream of turning a hobby into a profession. They were fortunate to have friends who had opened a fantastic craft distillery in Northern Michigan five years earlier. Learning about their business and process cemented the decision to make this dream a reality. Kevin began attending workshops at Cornell University, studied various distillation businesses, took Distillers certification courses in Louisville, and formulated a business plan. With family residing in the Carolinas, and a very favorable business climate for craft distillers, it was the ideal place to start a new life and their next great adventure. It was then that Twelve 33 Distillery became reality.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
We have a large social media presence and try to stay actively engaged with our customers. Outside of having a strong website, we stay active on Instagram, Facebook,, Pinterest, TikTok, and even Twitter. If you build it and create engaging content, people will naturally keep coming back for more. Building relationships with other local businesses and influencers also helps build a social media following as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.twelve33distillery.com
- Instagram: @twelve33distillery
- Facebook: facebook.com/grandstrandspirits
- Twitter: @twelve33spirits
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/twelve-33-distillery-little-river-2
- Other: TikTok: @twelve33distillery Pinterest: Pinterest.com/twelve33distillery