In this post I want to share one of my favorite brands: Old Sunny Brook. It isn’t particularly hard to find and doesn’t excite many collectors but I’m a big fan of the evolution of this brand and its mascot, The Inspector.
In the photo above we have four bottles that represent very different eras in whiskey history. The half-pint bottle second from the left is from the pre-prohibition era and was actually distilled by The Sunny Brook Distillery Co. When prohibition hit, the vast majority of distillers went out of business and disappeared — but their whiskey did not. It was rounded up and purchased by a select few companies and stored in consolidation warehouses. One of the largest and most common of those companies was The American Medicinal Spirits Company, which hoarded countless barrels from just as many defunct distillers. The pint on the far left is a great example of an AMS bottle and has probably the best fill level of all the bottles in my prohibition pint collection.
The 1/10th pint miniature whiskey bottle is from the early 1940’s and is very common but notable because now the name is Old Sunny Brook Brand and the distiller is National Distillers Products Corporation, which bought AMS in 1929. It is the first to claim it is Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey in the set. The final bottle is from the 1970’s and is the first example to drop the “Old” in the name. The Inspector gets a make over on this bottle and looks much younger than its paternal looking predecessors. This bottle is once again distilled by The Old Sunny Brook Distillery Co., run by National Distillers until the brand was discontinued in 1975. For more in depth history of Old Sunny Brook, visit this fantastic article at Those Pre-Pro Whiskey Men.
I have a less than a 1/2 pint unopened bottle if your interested
Jake, send photos via the contact form so I can see it. Thanks!
Scott
I have a bottle ( pint) I would like to sell the seal is in tact thank -you Lynn
Lynn, send me photos via the contact form. Thanks!
My husband just found an empty bottle of Old Sunny Brook Brand in our attic! I was trying to find out how long it had been up there (which led me to stumbling on your website because I was searching anything about name). We are thinking it might have been left by a worker who built our house in 1949.
I don’t have an interest in empty bottles but you might make $20 on eBay with it.
I was not trying to sell it. I just thought it was an interesting find and when I was trying to search about the brand, I came across your website.
Can you email me I have a full bottle with the seal! Would like a little info carnold031016@gmail.com
Thanks sincerely Chris Arnold
email sent!
Scott, I have a display bottle of Old Sunny Brook, about 30 inches in good shape, it looks like someone made a new wood cap for it and the glass is chipped away where it goes on. Don’t really care if it’s worth anything I don’t plan on getting rid of it, but is it worth anything
I have no idea what that would be worth. Maybe $30 on eBay. Hard to say. Feel free to send me pictures via the contact form.
Do you have an e-mail where I can send a photo? I dont want to have to post the photo somewhere on the net
Yes, use my contact form.
My grandmother found her mothers old sunny brook brand stir sticks was wondering if anyone had info on them really neat wondering the history
Scott
I found an Old Sunny Brook Brand 1 pint bottle in the priests room in a dormitory at University of Notre Dame. I think that is funny because UND is a “dry” campus.
However there is a 1877 D on the bottom right corner of the front label. What would that mean?
On the bottom of the bottle there is a D I
56 41
In the glass. What would that mean?
Thanks
I have what I believe is a vintage coin for members can you give me any information or where I can look?
HI
I was researching this brand of bourbon because I have a working thermometer store advertisement that I was wanting to sell. I have no idea what it is really worth. Just wondering what you think?
Hi, I have a 1/10th bottle with a cork that predates the inspector. It features a red seal that says pure food. Any interest? I’m happy to show you photos.
I am in the market for sunny brook bottles.
spag012 at gmail.com
Anyone interested in a bottle of Old Sunny Brook Whiskey does not appear open but paper seal is missing at top of bottle. Has state of Illinois tax sticker. Half full. Evaporated? Part of paper seal on back of bottle says Fall 1917. Also have box but torn. Box is not in good condition
Check out Antique Roadshow S15-E12 part 3. Feature a round glass back lit sign.
we have what could very well be a one of a kind glass Sunny Brook sign…
I would love to see it! Send me some photos via my contact form.
Can you give me a tip on where to find Sunnybrook items for sale?? Ebay really has not been able to get the high quality items??
I have a pint of Old Sunny Brook bourbon for medicinal purposes only. Seal intact. Box top broken off. Have photos if interested.
I’d be interested if you still have it. springart@yahoo.com
My girlfriend just brought a bottle unopened of Old Sunny Brook. I don’t know much about it and was wondering if anybody could tell us the age roughly.
Need to see the bottle. Beam still produces Sunny Brook (I think). First thing it too look for a bar code. If it has it, it isn’t that old.