A SPIRITED TRAIL

Spirited A TRAIL

Seven craft distillers are featured on the new Columbus Distillery Trail.

BY NICHOLAS DEKKER

ager to sample liquors from some of Ohio’s most noted and newest distillers? Follow the new Columbus Distillery Trail, a free digital pass that guides you to craft distilleries across the city.

Get the pass on your phone on experiencecolumbus.com/fun and check in at each stop. After four stops, you earn a Simple Times Mixer, an all-natural cocktail mixer perfect for crafting cocktails at home. Checking in at all seven stops will earn you a soft Columbus Distillery Trail T-shirt and bragging rights when you wear it.

The trail was created by Experience Columbus, the city’s convention and visitor bureau, to encourage craft spirits lovers to experiment and explore different distilleries.

“We are happy to highlight the award-winning distilleries in our city,” said Michelle Wilson, Director of Visitor Experience for Experience Columbus. “For residents, this is a fun way to discover local flavors with friends and family. For visitors, the trail is easy to navigate and in just a

Eday or two, they can earn a Simple Times Mixer prize, and discover the quality and craftsmanship we have in Columbus.” 451 Spirits feels like a hidden gem, tucked into a small building that’s off the beaten path in Clintonville. Take a tour to discover their unique lineup of spirits, all clad in colorful and kooky labels. Look for their signature Boneshaker Whiskey or their 451 Spirits Pipe Dream rum. 451 Spirits also loves to tinker and collaborate, so their roster is rounded out with experimental offerings like Rice Whiskey or whiskeys aged in barrels from BrewDog. Be sure to visit their small gallery featuring local artists. You can find Echo Spirits Distilling Co. down a side street in Grandview. Their long, narrow cocktail bar offers plenty of space to kick back with a spirited beverage. The menu rotates seasonally, but it typically includes specialty drinks, tasting flights, and even zero-proof mocktails. Echo excels at unique spirits like rye whiskey,

WILKE ZACH DISTILLING CO.: ECHO SPIRITS Order a cocktail or a mocktail at Echo Spirits Distilling Co.

Sip on bourbon at Endeavor Brewing & Spirits.

pineapple rum, and genever, a Dutch spirit that marries the botanical richness of gin with the sweet backbone of a malt whiskey.

Not far from Echo Spirits you’ll find Endeavor Brewing & Spirits, a brewery that added a distillery a couple years ago. Their taproom is a popular hangout for beers, snacks, and spirits. Their initial lineup of spirits featured an unaged rum, botanical gin, vodka, and dry gin, and recently they’ve even branched out into barreled spirits like an aged rum and gin, a bourbon whiskey, and a malt whiskey.

High Bank Distillery in Grandview is a full-service restaurant serving lunch, brunch, and dinner, with a big front patio for summer nights. Their menu highlights creative American fare, so you can pair your cocktail with everything from spicy chicken sandwiches to mushroom ricotta pizzas. Sip on their vodka, gins, and an award-winning collection of whiskeys.

Middle West Spirits in the Short North Arts District was Columbus’ first modern distillery. Since their establishment in 2008, they’ve garnered multiple awards for their portfolio of vodkas, gins, and whiskeys all based around Ohio ingredients. Visit their bottle shop to snag selections like the Michelone Reserve bourbon, honey vanilla bean vodka, or Vim & Petal gin.

Book a tour of Noble Cut Distillery’s production facility and taproom in Gahanna to learn the full distilling process and then taste their portfolio. They draw

Add a floral garnish to cocktails made with Middle West Spirits’ Vim & Petal gin.

on decades of tradition to craft vodka, flavored whiskeys, and their signature cellos in lemon, lime, grapefruit, and orange varieties.

Watershed Distillery features a full restaurant and bar attached to their distillery. Schedule a tour and tasting, then stick around for cocktails or dinner from their accomplished chefs. On the way out, visit the bottle shop to purchase their notable Four Peel gin, bourbon, apple brandy, or Nocino walnut liqueur.

Cocktails made with Noble Cut Distillery’s vodka are perfect for warm summer days.