Photo Essay: Kings County Distillery

Kings County Distillery is one of the few small distilleries that have recently popped up in New York State, and one of only a couple in New York City (in good company with Breuckelen Distilling Company). They've recently opened their doors for limited tastings and tours in the holiday season, and despite feeling run down from all of my traveling this week, I managed to catch the last tour of the year.

The distillery is housed in a recently renovated building nestled in the Industrial Business Zone of North Brooklyn, off the Grand Street stop on the L train.



The operations are housed basically in two rooms: the tasting room and the distillery, where the alcohol is rendered.


spirit tanks, where the alcohol comes out



transference from bucket to bucket



residual corn solids, which are donated to a pig farm Upstate





bottling area





The moonshine is sweet, and much smoother than you'd expect (and than the "Angel's Share" that we tasted at some of the distilleries along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail). It's certainly proper for sipping and shooting.



moonshine tasting


bourbon tasting


The bourbon is also sweet, but with the characteristic smokiness from the charred virgin white oak barrels, which the bourbon ages in for five months.



The bourbon isn't yet available at retail (and won't be until March), so I snapped up a 200ml bottle for $23 in the tasting room.

Kings County Distillery will be open for a couple more limited tours on January 29 and February 12. And after a couple of tastes, some pizza from Roberta's - a short walking distance away - really hits the spot. They serve the moonshine there, too.

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