Ray Disch is a co-founder of New Jersey’s first brewpub, Triumph Brewing Company in Princeton. In 2014, Ray founded Disch & Sons Distillers (DBA) Sourland Mountain Spirits and in 2016 built a distillery on the Double Brook Farm property at the foot of the the Sourland Mountain Preserven, part of a 17- mile long ridge extending from the Delaware River at Lambertville, New Jersey to Neshanic, through Montgomery Township in Somerset County and into Hopewell Township in Mercer County.

Drawing from an aquifer at the base of the Sourland range, our spirits are made using pure water filtered through micro-fractures in the geologic formations of the mountains, protected by the largest contiguous forest in Central New Jersey.

Ray and his wife Erica traveled to Hungary to purchase distillery equipment which was installed in a renovated barn behind Brick Farm Tavern. This location is unique to New Jersey, hosting a distillery (Sourland Mountain Spirits), a farm to table restaurant (Brick Farm Tavern & Bar), and a craft ale brewery (Troon Brewing Company). Sourland Mountain Spirits offers locally made, handcrafted, and sustainable spirits to the greater Hopewell community.

Bhavna and I love the award-winning gin, recommended it to friends and family for whom it has also become a favorite for making gin and tonic.

Sourland Mountain Spirits recently added a tasting room where visitors can sample the spirits and drink uniquely named cocktails. Tours & tastings are given every Saturday & Sunday. Bhavna and I have recently started making a visit to the distillery either before or after dining at the Brick Farm Tavern. We get to hang out with bartender Annie while sipping her latest cocktail and sometimes chat with Ray and Erica. It’s a small town and I first met Erica while having breakfast at Aunt Chubby’s.