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Isanti Spirits was inspired by the reckless heart and punk rock soul of Rick Schneider. A consummate maker and tinkerer, he constantly has his hands in something creative. A punk rock musician in the 80's, Rick played the famed Minneapolis club 7th Street Entry at seventeen. He transformed his creative passion for pounding drums to glassblowing in the 90's and morphed into an art professor.

Forever on the lookout for his life's next adventure, he pondered one night over a glass of whiskey. Reflecting upon the enjoyment of the liquid gold in his hands, the scheme exploded out of his mind and the new course for his life drawn.

Books were read, classes taken, plans were drawn up, abandoned and redrawn. Seeing a number of other distilleries opening in the Twin Cities, he took his plans north to Isanti County, purchased a pastoral hobby farm on German Lake and built the Isanti Spirits distillery in his backyard. Using primarily grains grown and barrels coopered in Minnesota, as well as a high quality Kothe still from Eislingen, Germany, Rick makes Isanti Rye Whiskey, Sunken Bobber Bourbon, and Tilted Cedars Gin with creative mash bills and flavor profiles all their own. Rick infuses the same creativity drawn from his art and music background into making Isanti Spirits.

Rural in its Heart
Punk Rock in its Soul.

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