An oasis in the middle of the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge
Nestled handsomely within a vast landscape of pine trees deep in the heart of the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge between Weeki Wachee and Crystal River sits Goff Ranch, home of NJoy Spirits Distillery.
This scenic locale is an oasis amidst the wilderness and provides an atmosphere comparable to that of wandering into a self-sustaining township in the Wild West. From the giant water wheel in front of the distillation barn to the retired police helicopter that has been retrofitted into a beer tap, the interesting and unique sights and photo-ops here don’t run out. And don’t be surprised when you are greeted by hawks, ducks, horses, a donkey, and “Rummer,” the charismatic black lab who loves his job as unofficial mascot.
KEEPING IT LOCAL
Natalie and Kevin Goff, owners of NJoy Spirits Distillery, believe that local networking and sourcing are vital for mutual growth in both personal business and local economy, and they aren’t just preaching that, they’re practicing it as well. Owning eighty acres of land surrounding the distillery means that they can grow their own Florida Black Rye for their Wild Buck American Whiskey and sugar cane for their Florida Mermaid Rum directly on their property, so they don’t have to look far for their main ingredients. Anything that they can’t grow directly on site, they source from local businesses to get the most authentic regional flavoring possible. And lastly, their Ryes-In-Shine Moonshine is sourced directly from the process of distilling their whiskey. Their distilling process even uses twice-filtered rainwater collected on site.
With regards to the importance of networking, Kevin and Natalie make it a priority to partner with as many businesses in the area that they can, whether it be with MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, or Mountaineer Coffee in Brooksville and New Port Richey (who soak their coffee beans in a barrel of whiskey before the roasting process). You can also find NJoy products on local shelves at Publix liquor stores, Total Wine, and ABC Liquors. The Goffs love the opportunity to bring people to the Weeki Wachee area and to their little oasis in the woods, and that love shines through in the way that they do business.
DEDICATED TO TRUE FLAVORS
Another love that shines through in their work is their dedication to the true flavors of their liquors. They believe that flavoring liquors before selling them can draw attention away from the core product, and with the amount of work that goes into their spirits, one can see why they would not want to cover them up with anything fruity or sweet. The smoothness of their liquors doesn’t warrant any need to add additional flavorings anyways. In fact, this dedication to their true core products has earned them over ten international awards, including five gold medals from the American Distilling Institute. One way that they’ve achieved this is by using a clever aging technique with their rum. Their Florida Mermaid Rum is finished in aged American oak whiskey barrels for over three years, and they even have their first batch approaching the four-year mark. This unique finish gives a distinct and wonderfully eccentric taste that any connoisseur of fine liquors will appreciate.
WHY THE WILDERNESS?
Now, you may be wondering, “How does a farm and distillery end up deep in the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge anyways? You don’t see many businesses at all in national wildlife parks, let alone a distillery.”
To properly tell the story, we must start back in 1943, when the property where NJoy Spirits Distillery now stands was owned by a local family who stubbornly and rightfully refused to sell their land to the state when the area became a national wildlife refuge. In the 1980s, the original owners passed away and heirs took over the property, which slowly deteriorated into a dumping ground and an area frequented by squatters.
That changed in 2001 when Natalie and Kevin acquired the land and spent the next two years cleaning and transforming it into an area suitable for a business venture. Their first business attempt was a place where visitors could rent a cabin for a vacation in the wildlife refuge, but some guests spoiled the environment, leaving beer cans and other debris around after their stays. The Goff s quickly realized that they didn’t want to deal with that kind of behavior.
Their next attempt was to use the lot as a horse ranch— thus the name Goff Ranch—but this idea presented its own difficulties, and they decided not to pursue it further. However, this led them to a pivitol time: Natalie started to recall her grandfather, who used to distill alcohol in Scotland, and her stories lit a fi re for Kevin.
SPIRITS RISING
In 2010, amidst much discussion over their next move with the ranch, Kevin took up a new hobby: He began building his own distilling equipment and studying the process of distilling. Over the next two years, he perfected the craft, and in 2012 the couple offi cially made it a business through deals made with distributors.
The next chapter is one you can enjoy yourself by visiting Njoy Spirits Distillery.
