Both of us are at Middle West Spirits in Columbus. The Michelone Reserve is the bottle to know, and seeing the production scale in the Short North changes the read on it. Middle West is what serious craft bourbon outside Kentucky actually looks like.

What is Middle West Spirits?

Middle West Spirits at 1230 Courtland Avenue in Columbus, Ohio’s Short North district is one of the more design-forward operations in Midwestern craft whiskey. Founded in 2008 by Ryan Lang (CEO and Master Distiller — described as a fourth-generation distiller) and Brady Konya, the distillery anchors the OYO brand line. The flagship OYO Michelone Reserve Bourbon is named for Ryan Lang’s grandfather.

Middle West has been cited as a top-ten grain-to-glass whiskey producer in the U.S. after a major facility expansion. The company acquired Old Elk Distillery (Fort Collins, CO) in 2024.