Distilling the South: A Guide to Southern Craft Liquors and the People Who Make Them

Distilling the South: A Guide to Southern Craft Liquors and the People Who Make Them by Kathleen Purvis is an engaging blend of travel guide, culinary history, and cultural storytelling that explores the resurgence of craft distilling across the American South. Written by the award-winning food journalist and former Charlotte Observer food editor, the book journeys through Southern whiskey, moonshine, rum, gin, and specialty spirits while highlighting the people and traditions behind them. Combining distillery profiles, cocktail recipes, regional history, and reflections on Southern foodways, Distilling the South serves as both a practical guide and a broader portrait of the South’s evolving identity through the lens of its spirits and drinking culture.