Mark Twain said it best – “too much of anything is bad, but too much whiskey is barely enough.” Get your whiskey on at the hidden gem that is the Kings County Distillery. Located in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Kings County Distillery is New York City’s oldest whiskey distillery – the first since the Prohibition days of the 1920’s. Founded in 2010, Kings County makes homemade moonshine, bourbon, and other whiskeys out of the 119 yr. old Paymaster Building, just steps from the legendary site of the Brooklyn Whiskey Wars of the 1860’s. With traditional copper whiskey stills fabricated in Scotland, wooden fermenters built locally, farming their own corn and barley onsite, and integrating locally-made chocolate for their Chocolate Whiskey, Kings County Distillery is a model of sustainability and traditional whiskey production. In the aging room there are rows of barrels at work, giving the bourbon it’s rich color and the depth of taste while the spirits move in and out of the charcoal and wood barrels with changing temperatures. One of the preeminent craft distilleries in the United States, Kings County was named Distillery of the Year in 2016 from the American Distillery Institute.
Distillery tours with tastings are offered Tuesday through Sunday afternoons and typically last about an hour, covering the history, culture, and science of distilling whiskey. After the tour head next door to The Gatehouse, an indoor/ outdoor tasting room, coffee shop and retail outlet. A gorgeous space built in the medieval revival style in 1896, the exteriors were restored by the former Mayor Bloomberg administration, while the interiors were renovated by Kings County. Distressed wallpaper, a handsome bar, a long communal table and a handful of two-tops make you feel like you’re in a cozy European cafe vs. the heart of Brooklyn. Along with whiskey flights, tastings and cocktails (Moonshine Punch, Kings County Margarita and Bloody Mary’s , made with Grapefruit Jalapeño Moonshine) there is a small selection of snacks. Bottoms up!
Kings County Distillery, 299 Sands Street, Brooklyn NY