OUR STORY
Barnstorming Pilots Were the Original Rule-Breakers.
Barnstormer Distillery isn’t just inspired by aviation history — it’s owned by people who lived it. The barnstorming philosophy isn’t just our inspiration. It’s in our DNA.
MASTER DISTILLER
From the Cockpit to the Still.
40+ Years Aviation Experience
ATP-rated pilot · 15,000+ hours PIC in transport category aircraft, A&P certified mechanic · Remote Pilot · FAA Consultant · Helped launch 12+ airlines globally · Airline CEO
Now: Master Distiller
When you’ve spent your career at 30,000 feet, trusting your instincts to safely transport passengers across continents, you learn a few things:
- Mastery requires hands-on experience — no automation replaces human touch
- Excellence demands attention to detail — whether in the cockpit or at the still
- Calculated risk-taking drives progress — playing it safe never leads to greatness
- Innovation is how you break out of the crowd — doing it like everyone else doesn’t work
That same fearless approach that helped launch airlines on two continents now drives every bottle we create.
No Computer-Controlled Processes.
No Mass-Production Shortcuts.
No Playing It Safe with Market-Tested Flavors.
Every batch is hands-on. Every flavor is an experiment. From the failed Blue Cheese Vodka to the shelf-stable Cucumber Vodka that tastes as fresh as the day it was harvested — we push boundaries other distilleries won’t touch. 95% of our grain comes from within 20 miles. Our primary grower, Hazard Free Farms, supplies the foundation. Then Tim’s cold distillation process creates flavors you simply can’t find anywhere else in America.
MASTER MIXOLOGIST
Barnstorming With a Glass.
Addie Ford comes from an aviation family and spent 30+ years in Human Resources — the last decade in the aviation industry. She knows what makes people tick, what they need before they know they need it, and how to make everyone feel like they belong.
As Master Mixologist, Addie takes Tim’s bold spirits and creates cocktail experiences that match the barnstorming philosophy: innovative, adventurous, unforgettable. Since Barnstormer can only serve what’s produced in-house, Tim and Addie work together to push the boundaries of flavor using fresh estate ingredients and vacuum distillation techniques.
“Addie’s promise: if your first drink doesn’t wow you, we’ll make something else until it does. That’s not a marketing line — that’s how every shift runs.”
THE FARM
Grant View Heights Farm.
22 Acres. Estate Grown.
Barnstormer Distillery sits on a 22-acre working farm in Rockford, Illinois. We don’t just talk about farm-to-glass — we grow it. Estate cucumbers distilled into our best-selling vodka. Horseradish pulled from the ground 500 feet from the still. Estate honey in our Honey Whiskey Liqueur. Lavender, rhubarb, and experimental botanicals in the test rows.
95% of our grain comes from within 20 miles via Hazard Free Farms near Pecatonica. Spent grain from distilling goes back into the soil as an amendment. It’s a closed loop — and it’s what makes the flavors taste like here.
22
Acres
95%
Local Grain
6+
Estate Crops
The Choice Is Yours
You can visit a distillery that follows the rules, uses automation, and plays it safe with predictable flavors.
Or you can experience what happens when 40 years of aviation innovation meets Illinois tradition in an actual aircraft hangar.
Come taste the difference. Come be part of the revival.