Backyard Distillery
Backyard Distillery LLC is a Black-owned microdistillery located in Manning, South Carolina, focused on producing moonshine and celebrating the legacy of Southern Black distilling culture. The distillery emphasizes both historical preservation and artisanal spirit production, offering moonshine inspired by old Sandhills recipes unique to Clarendon and Sumter counties.
History and Mission
Backyard Distillery was conceived as a legal continuation of traditions rooted in Southern Black communities, where moonshine production was both a means of economic survival and community-building despite its historic illegal status. The founders, a father-son team—Harrison and Howard Conyers—are deeply committed to honoring these traditions, having built their own stills and developed recipes that reflect both family and regional heritage.
Products and Operations
The distillery offers two main expressions of moonshine: a traditional white and a barrel-finished brown version, both sold in 900ml bottles at 90 proof for on-site pickup only. While moonshine is their signature spirit, plans exist to add whiskey, bourbon, rum, and brandy as local ingredients become available for fermentation and distilling. Currently, sales are held directly at their farm location with periodic openings for the public and by appointment.
Appointments for pickup are required, and state law limits each adult to six bottles per day.
