The Rules Regarding Cocktails at Distilleries Have Changed

A little more than a month ago, we wrote that some of our byzantine distillery rules had recently changed allowing for “cocktails” to be served at distilleries. However, it’s not as simple as it sounds and so (as someone who thinks our local spirit and liqueur makers are the tops) I’d like to clarify the new rules to try and reduce confusion and make sure every distillery visit starts in the right mindset and ends awesomely.

First, distilleries can’t really serve cocktails in the way most people think of the word cocktail – you won’t get the cocktails you’d get at one of our fine watering holes. Instead, what they can do is serve a half-ounce sample slightly altered with a non-alcoholic mixer. So, you’re getting a very small two-ounce drink that’s perhaps in the same general family tree as a cocktail, but one residing on a very different branch. And as a distillery visitor, you can still only have four tastes, whether straight or mixed.

Now you know. Which means don’t go into a distillery thinking it’ll be serving full drinks, that you’ll be able to imbibe as many as you like, or that it’s a bar experience.

Because it isn’t – but it’s an amazing and memorable experience just the same!

Distilleries are magical places in which to go into to learn about the care, craft, and, well, magic, our local distillers use in making high-quality imbibables. They’re great spots to visit and have a few tastes while hearing histories and stories and about how things work when making the very same products you’ll be sipping. Then you can pick up a few bottles right at the source. If you want to see how they taste with a small bit of mixer while there, now you can. But I still always suggest sipping the spirits or liqueurs straight first. That’s how you can really taste their essence, and what makes our state’s distilleries the finest in the country.