Rebecca “Becky” Harris

Photo provided by Catoctin Creek website.

“The Virginia Rye Whiskey Engineer”

Rebecca “Becky” Harris was born on May 6, 1967 in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. She graduated with honors from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She is a Chemical Engineer who specializes in industrial processes and production systems. In 2009, Becky and her husband, Scott Harris, combined their engineering and business backgrounds to build Catoctin Creek Distillery. Catoctin Creek ( pronounced Ka-TOCK-Tin) was the first legal distillery in Loudoun County since before Prohibition and is located in Purcellville, Virginia. 

“My background as a chemical engineer in multiple industries using electrochemistry and polymer chemistry made me comfortable and confident that whatever the job required I could learn,” she stated.

Becky is the President and serves as the Chief Distiller at Catoctin Creek and has focused on creating the finest Virginia Rye Whisky from grain to glass. Catoctin Creek Distillery was started early in the wave of craft distilleries. They started with a tiny 100-gallon still and a single full-time employee which happened to be Becky. 

Inspired by the history of spirits in the region they decided that they wanted to focus on rye whiskey. Unlike many distilleries across the country Catoctin Creek’s whiskey lineup only includes one kind of whiskey, rye whiskey. Rye whiskey has been distilled in Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania since the days of George Washington. Catoctin Creek also prides itself on acquiring its rye grain and all other ingredients for its gins brandys local farms. All of their products begin with the finest local and organic grains and fruit. According to their website,  “We source our grain and fruit from local sources, free of pesticides and chemical additives.”  Becky insists on cooking the distillate for a full nine hours to create the unique and award-winning flavors. 

Catoctin Creek Distilling is now home to Virginia’s most-awarded whisky Roundstone Rye. They also make seasonal gins, brandies and private cask offerings. Their spirits are distributed in 26 states and internationally in Finland, Germany, Mexico, Netherlands, Italy, Singapore and the United Kingdom.

Becky was featured in Food and Wine as “6 Women in Whiskey to Watch.” Harris is a big believer in employing women and asking women in the community to get involved as as well, according to her “I’m the leader of production, and I have always sought out women as part of our team. When we taste through barrels to decide which expression they should be released as, I always include both men and women as tasters since I want our Virginia ryes to appeal to all our customers.”

Harris was elected in 2020 by distillers around the country to be the first woman to serve as President of the Board of Directors of the American Craft Spirits Association (A.S.C.A.). “The craft distilling industry has never faced such challenging times,” said Harris. “It’s an incredible honor to be chosen as President by my fellow board members, a group of incredible leaders within our craft distilling community. I’m excited to build on ACSA’s technical and legislative leadership to help our community of more than 2,200 craft distilleries in any and every way possible to recover and thrive.”

She serves on the Board of Directors of the STEPUP, the Spirits Training Entrepreneurship Program for Underrepresented Professionals. “The ACSA created this separate nonprofit to create meaningful internships opportunities for under-represented folks in the spirit industry. Every company should be looking to women as key leaders. Opportunity has been the challenge. STEPUP will be providing year-long paid internships to selected people interested in careers in the spirits industry. We believe that these folks will change the face of new and legacy brands from top to bottom.”

In 2023, Harris will become one of a dozen women featured in Whiskey University’s class, “Women in Whiskey” to be taught by instructors all of the United States and Canada. Catoctin Creek Rye Whiskey brands include Roundstone Rye in 80, 92 and Cask Proof expressions, Rabble Rouser Bottled in Bond, Ragnarok Rye Single Barrel, and Braddock Oak Single Barrel.