Hey Texans, KC’s J. Rieger & Co. is coming your way

Kansas City-based distillery J. Rieger & Co. is adding Texas to its distribution territory and its products will now be sold in 17 states.

Jacob Rieger & Co. was founded in 1887 in the West Bottoms. It produced more than 100 alcoholic products on a national basis, including Monogram Whiskey, but it was forced to close during Prohibition.

In 2014, the brand was brought back by Ryan Maybee, owner of The Rieger and Manifesto, and Andy Rieger, the great-great-great-grandson of Jacob Rieger. Their distillery, in the East Bottoms, produces Kansas City Whiskey, Midwestern Premium Vodka, Midwestern Dry Gin, Left For Dead and Caffé Amaro, along with their new Rieger’s Monogram Whiskey, which recently sold out its first limited run.

J. Rieger & Co. will be exclusively represented by Victory Wine Group in Texas.

Andy Rieger, who attended college Texas, and Maybee are in Texas this week for the launch. They said the company’s growth has long surpassed their original goals.

They started distribution in Kansas and Missouri in 2014 and have since added Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Washington, D.C., Wisconsin and now Texas. Sales have surged 70 percent since November.

“Expanded distribution is a big part of it, also the introduction of Caffé Amaro and the continued recognition of our brand, just getting out there,” Maybee said. “It’s been a bit of a whirlwind.”

This story was originally published April 10, 2017 at 1:04 PM with the headline "Hey Texans, KC’s J. Rieger & Co. is coming your way."