We were lucky to catch up with Jon Brannan recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jon, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s talk legacy – what sort of legacy do you hope to build?

We have all heard the cliché, “history repeats itself”, and in my case, I’m counting on it. My great, great, great grandfather, Ambrose Brannan, resurrected his Poitín recipe as a “side hustle” to improve his income and quality of life. I hope to do the same. After discovering his story, during the Covid 19 lockdowns, I have chosen the same path. I hope that my legacy will be to have successfully resurrected the recipe, while helping to spread awareness of this historical spirit within the United States. Everyone is aware of the major liquor categories, such as whiskey, vodka, rum, gin, etc. I want to put Poitín on the map, here in the U.S.

Jon, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Circa 1840, my great, great, great grandfather Ambrose Brannan and his fiancé, Mary, arrived in Savannah, GA from Ireland. Presumably stowaways, the young couple had seen the early stages of the great potato famine and ran away together, seeking a better life in the USA. They ended up settling in Columbus, GA., where Ambrose worked as a farm laborer. He had steady work, but dreamed of more. “More” came to him in the form of an old family recipe for a traditional Irish “moonshine” whiskey called Poitín (pronounced “po-cheen”). The drink quickly gained popularity, selling in local shops and pubs. The success led to the family opening their own store, J.R. Brannan Dry Goods. The building still stands in uptown Columbus on Broadway. During the Covid lockdowns, I spent lots of time researching family history. As luck would have it, during that time, a local archivist, Mrs. Callie McGinnis, shared an old newspaper advertisement for “Poteen Whiskey” that appeared in an 1858 edition of the “Columbus Times”. After further research, I felt called to bring this unique spirit back to market.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

Gathering capital for any new business is usually challenging, and in my case it hasn’t been any different. Ambrose Poitín is a new liquor category for the US market, so the risk is a bit high. Too high for most investors, since there has not be a “proof of concept” with a sales history yet. I have had to really “bootstrap” this new venture. I sold some old rental properties, and have had to leverage debt by borrowing against other properties. I have been told by investors, that once it launches, they will take a look at initials sales and will then want to come to the table again. I am hopeful and optimistic that the market will respond favorably.

Can you talk to us about manufacturing? How’d you figure it all out? We’d love to hear the story.

I am completely new to the liquor/beverage industry. I have had to rely on the advise of friends in the industry, as well, as the owner of a local distillery: Britt Moon at Swamp Fox Distilling Company in Buena Vista, GA. I have contracted with to produce and bottle Ambrose Poitín. Britt’s advice and expertise has been invaluable in getting this project off of the ground. I think it’s critical to be honest with yourself about the things that you don’t know, and to seek advice from industry experts, such as Britt. I have also consulted with Master Mixologist, Phil Wills of the hit TV show – Bar Rescue. Phil’s consulting company, The Spirits In Motion, has designed some custom cocktails specifically designed to match the unique flavor profile of Ambrose Poitín.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.drinkambrose.com
• Instagram: @drinkambrose
• Facebook: @drinkambrose