With Liberty Pole Spirits, there’s a lot to distill. There’s the whiskey of course, but there’s also the story.
More than a decade ago, Jim and Ellen Hough were struck with inspiration. They wanted to make whiskey, and considering the history of the region, they wanted to do it the way it was done in the 1700s — using heirloom corn varieties and whiskey and rye recipes from that era.
“We wanted to respect the history of the area,” Jim explains. “We chose our name and story to honor what happened here.”
They located a suitable building and, along with their adult sons Kevin and Rob, spent another year crafting it into the perfect small batch distillery.
They opened on July 9, 2016, not coincidentally, the day of the Whiskey Rebellion Festival. Festival volunteers sent hundreds of people to their Maiden Street establishment, and 800 opening-day cocktails later, they learned an important lesson: It takes a village to start a business.
It wasn’t long before the community became a not-so-silent partner in their operation. In Washington, PA, people cared. About their history. About their community. But most importantly, about good whiskey.
“We made so many friends. We realized we were not just opening a business,” Ellen said. “We became intertwined with the community. We realized how fortunate we were to be in Washington, PA.”
They wanted to give back, but in the early days, funds were tight.
“Time is the thing you can give when you start out,” Jim said.
Kevin Hough volunteers on the tourism board. Jim serves on the Pennsylvania Distillers Guild. After Ignite Business Incubator gave them valuable start-up advice, Ellen now serves on their board, helping others start their businesses.
“It was a way for us to give back,” Ellen explains, “We like to help with Ignite because we owe them for what they gave us.”
They worked with the city of Washington to make events happen: breakfasts, fundraisers, and for 2000 Turkeys, they sold tickets for an experience at their barrel house.
They had to adjust their schedules to support the community at the Whiskey Rebellion Festival, First Fridays, and the Christmas Parade. Supporting the hospital was a natural.
Kym Lambert is co-chair of the Washington Health System Foundation Charity Ball. “I can speak from personal experience that every time we have asked the Houghs for a donation they have been very generous to support the cause.”
Marc Scott agrees. “The Olivia Scott Foundation has been fortunate to receive community support. At the top of the list is Liberty Pole. They have been extremely generous to the Foundation…We are very appreciative of their donations.”
The Washington County Community Foundation is proud to present Liberty Pole Spirits with the 2025 Charles C. Keller Excellence Award for Corporate Philanthropy, which recognizes a local for-profit business for exemplary giving and community service.
“It’s our 10th year,” Ellen muses. “We often think how lucky and blessed we are. All the friends we’ve made in this business have gotten us this far.”