NPR's Marketplace: Running a Distillery is Whiskey Business

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"Charlie Nelson, who owns Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery in Nashville, had a hard time getting funding from investors. Instead, he says, "my family and I, we decided to put up everything that we owned to guarantee a loan.”

Now, he’s putting away a couple of barrels of whiskey every day, using his great-great-great-grandfather's original recipe. As it ages, he's selling an unaged version in to bring in some cash.

Everything about this business, Nelson says, requires a lot of patience. “And if you rush it, you might make a mistake.”

His whiskey should be ready for market next year. By that time, more Tennessee companies may have joined the slow and steady race."