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  • Owen King, a distiller at Ironclad Distillery, holds a test...

    Joe Fudge / Daily Press

    Owen King, a distiller at Ironclad Distillery, holds a test bottle.

  • Behind the scenes at Ironclad Distillery in downtown Newport News...

    Aileen Devlin/Daily Press /

    Behind the scenes at Ironclad Distillery in downtown Newport News on Friday, March 9, 2018. Located in the former S.W. Holt & Co. warehouse, built in 1913, the distillery looks over the James River, specializes in bourbon whiskey and is named after some of the first Civil War ships to be armored in iron. The grand opening will be March 31.

  • Distilled alcohol begins to boil off one of the stills...

    Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press

    Distilled alcohol begins to boil off one of the stills at Ironclad Distillery Thursday June 30, 2016. This still is the final stage of the process that will be aged in barrels for 13 to 15 months.

  • Owen King pours corn into a bucket Tuesday afternoon at...

    Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press

    Owen King pours corn into a bucket Tuesday afternoon at Ironclad Distillery in downtown Newport News. The family run business is starting to produce bourbon at the facility.

  • A bottle of Ironclad Bourbon Whiskey in the barrel room...

    Carolyn Rogers / Daily Press

    A bottle of Ironclad Bourbon Whiskey in the barrel room at Ironclad Distillery in Newport News on Monday, July 10, 2017. The barrel room is where the bourbon ages for a minimum of a year before being sold.

  • Ironclad Distillery's bourbon whiskey is distilled in Newport News inside...

    Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press

    Ironclad Distillery's bourbon whiskey is distilled in Newport News inside an old warehouse downtown.

  • The barrel room at Ironclad Distillery in Newport News on...

    Carolyn Rogers / Daily Press

    The barrel room at Ironclad Distillery in Newport News on Monday, July 10, 2017. The barrel room is where the bourbon ages for a minimum of a year before being sold.

  • Stephen King puts the pot head on one of the...

    Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press

    Stephen King puts the pot head on one of the stills at Ironclad Distillery Thursday June 30, 2016 is they prepare a run of their bourbon whiskey.

  • Behind the scenes at Ironclad Distillery in downtown Newport News...

    Aileen Devlin/Daily Press /

    Behind the scenes at Ironclad Distillery in downtown Newport News on Friday, March 9, 2018. Located in the former S.W. Holt & Co. warehouse, built in 1913, the distillery looks over the James River, specializes in bourbon whiskey and is named after some of the first Civil War ships to be armored in iron. The grand opening will be March 31.

  • Stephen King thiefs a barrel of Bourbon Whiskey at the...

    Carolyn Rogers / Daily Press

    Stephen King thiefs a barrel of Bourbon Whiskey at the Ironclad Distillery in Newport News on Monday, July 10, 2017. A Whiskey Thief is used by distillers use to extract small portions for tasting.

  • Distiller Owen King points out the control on their distiller...

    Joe Fudge / Daily Press

    Distiller Owen King points out the control on their distiller at Ironclad Distillery in downtown Newport News.

  • Bottles of bourdon whiskey line the walls at Ironclad Distillery...

    Aileen Devlin/Daily Press /

    Bottles of bourdon whiskey line the walls at Ironclad Distillery in downtown Newport News on Friday, March 9, 2018. Located in the former S.W. Holt & Co. warehouse, built in 1913, the distillery looks over the James River, specializes in bourbon whiskey and is named after some of the first Civil War ships to be armored in iron. The grand opening will be March 31.

  • Owen King mixes ingredients Tuesday afternoon at Ironclad Distillery in...

    Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press

    Owen King mixes ingredients Tuesday afternoon at Ironclad Distillery in downtown Newport News. The family run business is starting to produce bourbon at the facility.

  • The first production barrel of bourbon being aged at Ironclad...

    Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press

    The first production barrel of bourbon being aged at Ironclad Distillery in downtown Newport News.

  • Distiller Owen King looks over stored whiskey barrels which will...

    Aileen Devlin/Daily Press /

    Distiller Owen King looks over stored whiskey barrels which will age for one year at Ironclad Distillery in downtown Newport News on Friday, March 9, 2018. Located in the former S.W. Holt & Co. warehouse, built in 1913, the distillery looks over the James River, specializes in bourbon whiskey and is named after some of the first Civil War ships to be armored in iron. The grand opening will be March 31.

  • Distiller Owen King, center, and Tim Sheffey, right, work on...

    Aileen Devlin/Daily Press /

    Distiller Owen King, center, and Tim Sheffey, right, work on their product behind the scenes at Ironclad Distillery in downtown Newport News on Friday, March 9, 2018. Located in the former S.W. Holt & Co. warehouse, built in 1913, the distillery looks over the James River, specializes in bourbon whiskey and is named after some of the first Civil War ships to be armored in iron. The grand opening will be March 31.

  • Distiller Owen King, left, walks past family member Tim Sheffey,...

    Aileen Devlin/Daily Press /

    Distiller Owen King, left, walks past family member Tim Sheffey, right, as Sheffey takes a break inside Ironclad Distillery in downtown Newport News on Friday, March 9, 2018. Located in the former S.W. Holt & Co. warehouse, built in 1913, the distillery looks over the James River, specializes in bourbon whiskey and is named after some of the first Civil War ships to be armored in iron. The grand opening will be March 31.

  • Distiller Owen King hand-fills glass bottles of bourdon whiskey at...

    Aileen Devlin/Daily Press /

    Distiller Owen King hand-fills glass bottles of bourdon whiskey at Ironclad Distillery in downtown Newport News on Friday, March 9, 2018. Located in the former S.W. Holt & Co. warehouse, built in 1913, the distillery looks over the James River, specializes in bourbon whiskey and is named after some of the first Civil War ships to be armored in iron. The grand opening will be March 31.

  • Light illuminates grains used to make bourbon at Ironclad Distillery...

    Joe Fudge / Daily Press

    Light illuminates grains used to make bourbon at Ironclad Distillery in downtown Newport News.

  • Head distiller of Ironclad Distillery, Owen King, poses for a...

    Carolyn Rogers / Daily Press

    Head distiller of Ironclad Distillery, Owen King, poses for a portrait in the barrel room at Ironclad Distillery in Newport News on Monday, July 10, 2017. The barrel room is where the bourbon ages for a minimum of a year before being sold.

  • Owen King stands inside Ironclad Distillery in downtown Newport News....

    Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press

    Owen King stands inside Ironclad Distillery in downtown Newport News. The family run business is starting to produce bourbon at the facility.

  • Distiller Owen King samples the undrinkable portion of called the...

    Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press

    Distiller Owen King samples the undrinkable portion of called the foreshot as it comes out of one of the stills at the Ironclad Distillery in Newport News Thursday June 30, 2016. Once this is distilled out the rest is whiskey that will be aged in barrels.

  • Stephen and Owen King check the mash that will be...

    Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press

    Stephen and Owen King check the mash that will be fermented for 3 to 5 days before being distilled into their craft whiskey Thursday June 30, 2016 in Newport News. Ironclad bourbon whiskey is expected to be on the shelves of Virginia ABC Stores sometime in October.

  • Distiller Owen King prepares their product behind the scenes at...

    Aileen Devlin/Daily Press /

    Distiller Owen King prepares their product behind the scenes at Ironclad Distillery in downtown Newport News on Friday, March 9, 2018. Located in the former S.W. Holt & Co. warehouse, built in 1913, the distillery looks over the James River, specializes in bourbon whiskey and is named after some of the first Civil War ships to be armored in iron. The grand opening will be March 31.

  • Distiller Owen King checks over the stills behind the scenes...

    Aileen Devlin/Daily Press /

    Distiller Owen King checks over the stills behind the scenes at Ironclad Distillery in downtown Newport News on Friday, March 9, 2018. Located in the former S.W. Holt & Co. warehouse, built in 1913, the distillery looks over the James River, specializes in bourbon whiskey and is named after some of the first Civil War ships to be armored in iron. The grand opening will be March 31.

  • Bubbles form in the still behind the scenes at Ironclad...

    Aileen Devlin/Daily Press /

    Bubbles form in the still behind the scenes at Ironclad Distillery in downtown Newport News on Friday, March 9, 2018. Located in the former S.W. Holt & Co. warehouse, built in 1913, the distillery looks over the James River, specializes in bourbon whiskey and is named after some of the first Civil War ships to be armored in iron. The grand opening will be March 31.

  • The distilling equipment at Ironclad Distillery in Newport News on...

    Carolyn Rogers / Daily Press

    The distilling equipment at Ironclad Distillery in Newport News on Monday, July 10, 2017. The barrel room is where the bourbon ages for a minimum of a year before being sold.

  • Outside of the Ironclad Distillery in Newport News on Monday,...

    Carolyn Rogers / Daily Press

    Outside of the Ironclad Distillery in Newport News on Monday, July 10, 2017. The barrel room is where the bourbon ages for a minimum of a year before being sold.

  • Creative Director Kara King works on the computer inside the...

    Aileen Devlin/Daily Press /

    Creative Director Kara King works on the computer inside the unfinished tasting room at Ironclad Distillery in downtown Newport News on Friday, March 9, 2018. Located in the former S.W. Holt & Co. warehouse, built in 1913, the distillery looks over the James River, specializes in bourbon whiskey and is named after some of the first Civil War ships to be armored in iron. The grand opening will be March 31.

  • The first production barrel of bourbon being aged at Ironclad...

    Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press

    The first production barrel of bourbon being aged at Ironclad Distillery in downtown Newport News.

  • Alcohol begins to flow out of one of six stills...

    Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press

    Alcohol begins to flow out of one of six stills as the distillation process begins at Ironclad Distillery Thursday June 30, 2016 which will eventually become their bourbon whiskey.

  • Owen King stands inside Ironclad Distillery in downtown Newport News....

    Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press

    Owen King stands inside Ironclad Distillery in downtown Newport News. The family run business is starting to produce bourbon at the facility.

  • Owen King, a distiller at Ironclad Distillery, points out equipment...

    Joe Fudge / Daily Press

    Owen King, a distiller at Ironclad Distillery, points out equipment controls. The family-run business was still ramping up in this file photo.

  • Distiller Owen King looks over a batch of fermenting alcohol...

    Aileen Devlin/Daily Press /

    Distiller Owen King looks over a batch of fermenting alcohol behind the scenes at Ironclad Distillery in downtown Newport News on Friday, March 9, 2018. Located in the former S.W. Holt & Co. warehouse, built in 1913, the distillery looks over the James River, specializes in bourbon whiskey and is named after some of the first Civil War ships to be armored in iron. The grand opening will be March 31.

  • Marketer Kara King and distiller Owen King stand inside the...

    Joe Fudge / Daily Press

    Marketer Kara King and distiller Owen King stand inside the distilling room of Ironclad Distillery in downtown Newport News.

  • Whiskey pours into a glass bottle inside Ironclad Distillery in...

    Aileen Devlin/Daily Press /

    Whiskey pours into a glass bottle inside Ironclad Distillery in downtown Newport News on Friday, March 9, 2018. Located in the former S.W. Holt & Co. warehouse, built in 1913, the distillery looks over the James River, specializes in bourbon whiskey and is named after some of the first Civil War ships to be armored in iron. The grand opening will be March 31.

  • The "foreshot" begins to distill off the top of one...

    Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press

    The "foreshot" begins to distill off the top of one of Ironclad Distillery's still. This is not drinkable but indicates that the final drinkable produce will soon begin to flow.

  • Burton whiskey waits patiently in barrels for 13-15 months before...

    Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press

    Burton whiskey waits patiently in barrels for 13-15 months before becoming Ironclad Distillery's featured product. The company is located in an old warehouse on 23rd Street in Newport News. Thursday June 30, 2016

  • Kara, Stephen and Owen King stand in front of the...

    Joe Fudge / Daily Press

    Kara, Stephen and Owen King stand in front of the Ironclad Distillery building in downtown Newport News.

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Ironclad Distillery is hoping to be on Virginia ABC shelves this fall and be selling in their own store at the distillery soon after. Located in the former S.W. Holt & Co. warehouse, built in 1913, the distillery looks over the James River, specializes in bourbon whiskey and is named after some of the first Civil War ships to be armored in iron. The grand opening will be March 31.