ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Along with a moniker as one of the oldest cities in the United States comes some serious history for St. Augustine, especially when it comes to the historic buildings that make up the city by the ocean.
The building for St. Augustine Distillery, located in the historic Lincolnville neighborhood, was constructed between 1905 and 1907, although the distillery itself did not open until 2014. Keeping true to the era, however, the owners of the distillery renovated and reused as much of the original building as possible.
What You Need To Know
- The St. Augustine Distillery is located in a building constructed from 1905-07
- The distillery itself did not open until 2014
- But the owner renovated and reused as much of the original building as possible
- Free tours and tastings of the spirits produced are offered
When locals and tourists explore the distillery, they can hear for themselves the crisp pop sound that occurs when cork is pulled from the bottle. It is just the sound distillery manager Will Hensler wants to hear.
“You get all those different aromas and smells so you get an idea of what you'll be experiencing before you even taste it," Hensler said, taking a sip.
After Hensler visited the distillery on a whim in 2013 before it even opened, the owner gave him a private tour. Hensler said he fell in love with the charm and history of the building, something the owner picked up on, but it wasn't until this past year, after establishing his career in bar management over the past six years, that the owner approached him about a job at the distillery. Now, eight months in, Hensler is loving his position and teaching visitors the tricks of the trade.
That's something the St. Augustine Distillery prides itself on, its tours and the education they offer up about how they craft, age and bottle its unique spirits.
Visitors can learn about the meticulous process that starts with corn kernels and grains as they are worked down into a mash that ages in the distillery's wooden barrels and eventually makes its way into its bottles and into visitors glasses.
It's a process that most people don't often get to see firsthand, especially in a time capsule of a building like the St. Augustine Distillery. Free tastings and self-guided tours are offered on site seven days a week, from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
