How the shutdown is putting a damper on liquor makers' holiday spirits

For the husband-and-wife team of David Harris and Megan Draheim, the idea of owning and operating their own distillery was 11 years in the making

For the husband-and-wife team of David Harris and Megan Draheim, the idea of owning and operating their own distillery was 11 years in the making.

They painstakingly created new spirits, built an operation to produce their product all in one place and made sure they followed every single rule in a heavily regulated industry.

There were setbacks, like the pandemic, which closed bars and restaurants across the country and led their bank to withdraw a loan. But just last month, they opened Song Dog Farm Distillery, on a rural hillside in Boyds, Maryland, next to rows of corn they plan to use to make whiskey.

But as they worked to build a customer base, they were dealt a blow they did not see coming: a federal government shutdown.

“It’s threatening to our business, and it’s disappointing to our customers,” Harris said. “After 11 years of building, we want to satisfy people and show them the bounty of the agriculture around here and seasonal products."