Peek inside the impressive craft distillery, restaurant and bar combo
Liquor laws that now enable a distillery to serve and sell its own products will undoubtedly usher in many new local projects that combine distilleries with restaurant and bars, but we might not see one bigger than Cutwater Spirits, which officially opens its 50,000-square-foot empire in the Miramar area this week. Its sleek digs may be new, but the craft distillery and its products have been a staple on local bar and store shelves for some time. Celebrating its ninth anniversary later this summer, the distillery started under the Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits umbrella but rebranded as Cutwater Spirits earlier this year. Its experienced management team, along with a food and beverage powerhouse, have joined forces to run the tasting bar and kitchen for this emerging spirits company.
Open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. starting this Wednesday, the massive glassed-in frontside of the building is shaped like a ship, complete with a water feature that sends a spray across its bow. It spans a large patio, dining room, fireplace-heated lounge and central bar with a 220-person capacity. There will be valet service, as well as self-parking, to accommodate the crowds. A 40-foot continuous column still stands gleaming in the entryway, one of five house stills ranging from two experimental schnapps stills to its original still crafted from an upside-down beer fermenter.
