Massachusetts is home to a tonne of great craft distillers. We have taken out the hard work and put together a full distillery guide to the state.
Agawam >>>
Kaptain Jimmy’s Restaurant & Distillery
Kaptain Jimmy’s is the first restaurant-distillery on the East Coast. There are no tours with tastings. However, you can sample their drinks in their restaurant. Drinks: Kaptain Jimmy’s rum, Kaptain Jimmy’s vodka, and other spirits
Bolton >>>
Nashoba Valley Distillery
The distillery branch of the Nashoba Valley Winery makes 800 cases of spirits each year and consumes roughly 36,000 pounds of fruit (80 percent from Massachusetts). Tours/Tastings run every hour Saturdays and Sundays between 11am and 4pm with no bookings required. Drinks: Oak-aged apple brandy, The Perfect Ten gin, Nashoba single malt whiskey, and a variety of other spirits are among the company’s offerings.
Boston >>>
GrandTen Distilling
Friday Night Flights, a more formal tasting and tour, take place every Friday ; the tasting room is officially open Saturdays from noon to 4pm with free tours 1-3pm. Drinks: Wire Works American gin, Amandine almond liqueur, Medford rum, Fire Puncher vodka, South Boston Irish whiskey, and a variety of other spirits are among the company’s offerings.
Boston Harbor Distillery
This brand-new distillery, which also offers premium cigars, is in a pre-Civil War-era structure on Boston Harbor with a cool/rustic bar and lounge. Tours/Tastings: Tours with tastings ($10 per person) are available on Thursdays and Fridays from 4 to 8 p.m., and Saturdays from noon to 8 p.m. Putnam New England whiskey, Lawley’s Dark New England Spirit (molasses/maple), and Seymour’s Local Roast coffee liqueur are among the company’s offerings.
Bully Boy Distillers
This company (established in 2010) was Boston’s first craft distillery, and it was named after the family’s beloved farm workhorse. Their Boston rum, Bully Boy American straight whiskey, Bully Boy Hub Punch, and a variety of other products are available. Tours/tastings: Tours are offered by appointment.
Belmont >>>
Damnation Alley Distillery
They have just released a hopped single malt whiskey created with Valley Malt barley and Four Star Farms Centennial Hops which was double-hopped. Tours/Tastings: Tours are offered by reserving in advance. Drinks: Nick the Sipper vodka, I Remember Nothing vodka, Massachusetts oat whiskey, Massachusetts smoked single malt whiskey, and a variety of other spirits.
Everett >>>
Short Path Distillery
Short Path, Boston’s newest distillery, creates distinctive spirits by combining the art of distilling with the science of taste. Drinks: Short Path Gin and Short Path Rum. Tours/Tastings: Available for groups of five + by booking in advance. Email info@shortpathdistillery.com to book yours!
Gloucester >>>
Ryan & Wood Distilleries
During distillation, Ryan & Wood mills its own grain to achieve the necessary flavor characteristics. They offer free tours/ tastings. They also pop up in regional stores offering tastings. Drinks: rye whiskey, Knockabout gin, Folly Cove rum, Beauport vodka.
Great Barrington >>>
Berkshire Mountain Distillers
The award-winning small batch distillery has a brand-new production facility in Sheffield. Tours with tastings cost $10/person and are held on the hour on Fridays and Saturdays from noon until 4 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online via their website. Drinks: Ice Glen vodka, Greylock gin, Ragged Mountain rum, Berkshire bourbon, and New England corn whiskey are among the products available.
Hyannis >>>
Cape Cod Distilling Company
Skip and Rick Wrightson have been hard at work developing their recipes after a few years of research and schooling in Scotland, Canada, Sweden, Kentucky, and Tennessee… and we should be able to sample the results shortly. Tours/tastings: At time of publishing, there are no tours or tastings scheduled. Drinks: Massachusetts’s products American Barley single malt whisky, moonshine white whisky.
Ipswich >>>
Privateer International
You can search up the aging barrel for each bottle of Privateer on the internet. Tours/Tastings: Fridays and Saturdays at 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Drinks: Privateer True American rum, Privateer Silver Reserve rum, and Privateer gin are just some of the spirits on offer.
Turkey Shore Distilleries
Friends from childhood Mat Perry and Evan Parker make rums with table-grade sweet molasses from Louisiana-grown sugar cane, influenced by local heritage. Tours/Tastings: Monday through Friday (noon-5pm) or upon request, tours with tastings are available. Old Ipswich Tavern Style rum, Old Ipswich Lab & Cask Reserve rum, and a variety of additional rums are available.
Nantucket >>>
Triple Eight Distillery
Cisco Brewers’ mini-empire includes Triple Eight. Tours/Tastings: There are tours with tastings every day from 1pm until 4pm and no reservations required. Drinks: Nor’Easter bourbon, Hurricane rum, Triple Eight vodka, Notch 10-year single malt whiskey, and a variety of other spirits.
North Truro >>>
South Hollow Spirits
South Hollow Spirits, owned by the Roberts family of Truro Vineyards, employs organic sugar cane and molasses from the United States. Tours and tastings are available daily 12-2pm with no reservations needed. $10 tastings are available Monday to Saturday 11-5pm, and Sunday from 12-5pm. Drinks: Twenty Boat amber rum and Twenty Boat spiced rum are two of the company’s spirits.
Plymouth >>>
Dirty Water Distillery
Dr. Evil and Mini Me are the names of two hand-made stills used by Dirty Water, each measuring 200 gallons and 10 gallons. Tours/Tastings: Tours with tastings are only accessible by appointment. Drinks: Bogmonster cranberry gin, Velnias traditional Lithuanian honey liquor, What Knot rum, and Nosh vodka.