Consider it locavore moonshine.

For the past six years, Copper Run Distillery has been producing moonshine and other spirits locally in a small building in the sleepy town of Walnut Shade, about 20 miles south of Springfield.

The owner and master distiller, Jim Blansit, claims that it is the first legal distillery in the Missouri Ozarks since Prohibition.

Moonshine has deep roots in the Ozarks. Long before Prohibition, locals were building stills near the regions many springs and streams. Prohibition and the Great Depression turned a small cottage industry into a major moneymaker. Legends of moonshiners and bootleggers are ingrained in the region’s history.

Skyler Walrath, who tends bar in Copper Run’s tasting room and provides guided tours of the distillery, spoke to The Scoop about her role in the operation.

Walrath came to Copper Run after having tended bar in one of Springfield’s more well-known drinking establishments. When she heard about a job opening at Copper Run, she thought it sounded more interesting than simply slinging drinks to the college crowd. Since starting work here, in addition to tending bar and running tours, she has tried to break into the distillation side of the business by doing whatever odd jobs need to be done. Washing equipment and labeling bottles, for instance.  She’s hopeful that Blansit will someday allow her a greater role in production.

When asked about the owner’s motivation for opening Copper Run, Walrath was clear:

“Oh, he’s definitely a distiller who happens to own a legitimate business.  He comes from a family of Ozark moonshiners.  He had relatives who went to jail for moonshining, back in the day.”

Walrath talked us through a sample flight of Copper Run’s six currently available spirits. On the day we visited, in addition to the flagship 80-proof moonshine, the tasting room was offering:

• “Overproof” Moonshine – a 120-proof version of their mainstay
• Spirit Whiskey – a traditional blended whiskey aged two years in charred white-oak barrels
• Three-Grain Whiskey – a more complex aged whiskey that adds barley to the blend
• White Rum – a clear rum made with blackstrap molasses
• Spiced Rum – a sweet rum with added sugars, spices, vanilla and citrus peel

Besides the basic spirits, Copper Run offers its moonshine infused with various fruits, herbs and spices. On the day we visited, flavors included apple pie, grapefruit and ginger, and chai. The tasting room also has a limited food menu and live music on weekends during the summer.

What advice would Walrath offer to spirit-tasting novices? Try a sample flight; it’s the best way to taste different alcohols side by side and discover what you like. She suggested working your way from un-aged to aged and from dry to sweet. She also recommended sipping water between samples to cleanse your palate. Her final tip: sip; don’t shoot!