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Steve’s grandfather was a first‑generation immigrant from Poland who cherished a cold beer and a shot of whiskey after long days of hard labor. That appreciation for good drink and hard work was passed down to his grandson, Steve, who eventually became an avid homebrewer.

When Steve met Marc, the two quickly discovered their shared passion, and weekend homebrewing sessions soon became a tradition. Before long, they had an ambitious idea: make beer entirely from scratch by sourcing—or even growing—their own ingredients.

As they explored this path, they realized that corn was plentiful in Florence, SC, and that whiskey might be a better way to bring their vision to life. After modifying equipment and working through plenty of trial and error, they successfully produced their first batch of corn whiskey. That early success sparked a bigger dream—crafting a truly delicious bourbon.

From that moment, the idea for Straw Hat Distillery took root.