All posts by hipstorical@gmail.com
Hotel Tango, Indianapolis
We had flown into Indianapolis for the Kentucky Derby and found ourselves wandering down Virginia Avenue. I spotted Hotel Tango, set back from the road, and was immediately drawn to the charming brick building.
I was snapping photos when a cat with no tail sprinted out from around the corner of the building and slithered under a car in the parking lot. Minutes later a man emerged from the front door. “Have you seen a cat?” We pointed to the car, he coaxed the cat out, and all was right with the world. Hotel Tango wasn’t open for another hour, but Brian, the cat chaser, was kind enough to welcome us in.
Hotel Tango is an “artisan distillery.” What does that mean? All of their liquors are made with care in small batches and distributed mostly in Indiana and neighboring Ohio. It’s like a microbrewery in the liquor world. It’s about quality, not quantity. And that’s very apparent as soon as you walk into Hotel Tango.
The first thing that struck me was the lovely hand-built stone fireplace that serves as a focal point for the distillery and for the community, as chilly hipsters come in from the cold to warm their outsides by the fire and their insides with a craft cocktail.
Fletcher, the cat with no tail, watched over us as he lounged on the iron spiral staircase. We sat at the bar with Brian and let the artisan liquors trickle down our throats as he told us tales of rum, passion and Indy legend.
The Hipstory of the Building
The building that now houses Hotel Tango dates back to the late 1800s and was originally used as a carriage repair shop. You can still see the ridges in the floor where the mule turned the turnstyle. When a funeral home was built in what’s now the Hotel Tango parking lot, the distillery served as a repair shop for hearse carriages. This is when the building falls into the path of an Indianapolis legend.
In the 1910s, the local coroner began blackmailing the wealthy family members of Indianapolis deceased who had been brought to the funeral home. He would threaten to tell the courts that their deaths were suicides if the families didn’t fork over a portion of the life insurance money. The coroner was eventually found guilty and sent to prison.
When cars became ubiquitous in America, the building became a car repair shop, then a machine shop in the 1960s, and a garage again for a few years before Travis and Brian came along.
The Story of Hotel Tango
Owners Travis (aka “Tango”) and Brian met when Travis was in law school with Brian’s (now) wife. Brian was in real estate when Travis graduated and decided to leave the struggling housing market behind to join Travis in pursing their real passion: opening a craft distillery.
Travis and Brian got their permit to open a distillery in 2013, found an investor in 2014, and began the 100-day construction on the building in the summer of 2014. They thanked their lawyer wives for their support, brought in Travis’s brother Taylor as master distiller, and sandblasted the thick layers of green and white paint to uncover the beautiful brick facade that is now Hotel Tango.
Old doors from the building were used to build tables, and planks from the reconstruction were used to build the bar. Travis’s father, a third generation brick mason, built the stunning stone fireplace.
Brian and Travis opened their doors in September of 2014 as the first distillery in Indianapolis since before prohibition. Hotel Tango started with vodka and rum and have since dabbled with whiskey, gin, and some fruity liquors. And we tried them all.
The name “Hotel Tango” comes from the monogram of owner Travis and his wife Hilary. After having served multiple tours in Iraq, Travis was intimately familiar with the NATO phonetic alphabet. “Hotel” for Hilary and “Tango” for Travis. Voila. The distillery’s liquors follow suit: Golf Gin, Victor Vodka, and so on.
I had planned out several Hipstorical places to visit in Indy, but Hotel Tango was one that I just stumbled upon. Every traveler knows that it’s the hidden gems and the spontaneous local interactions that make for the most memorable travel experiences, and that’s certainly what Hotel Tango was for me. Brian was so incredibly kind to take the time to talk with us before the distillery had even opened for the day. He didn’t have to open the door, he didn’t have to tell us stories or offer us a drink, but I guess that’s kind of the Indianapolis spirit.
Suggestions for more hipstorical places in Indiana? Email me and help me build my archives!
Hali’imaile General Store, Maui
After a day spent in Haleakala National Park hiking through bamboo forests, picnicking at the foot of Waimoku Falls, and swimming in Ohe’o Gulch, we drove on the windy road back from Hana. We stopped at Ulupalakua Ranch for a bison burger, sipped pineapple wine at MauiWine, checked into Lumeria Spa + Yoga Retreat, and took a quick nap in the hammock garden.
As you can imagine, by this time, we were hungry. We showered up and headed to Hali’imaile General Store in Makawao for a Hipstorical dinner.
Tucked away in the pineapple fields on the lower slopes of Haleakala, Hali’imaile General Store is not what you might think upon hearing the name. Let me explain.
The pineapple boom of the 1920s bought thousands of immigrants to Maui. Camp houses were built across the Upcountry of the island for plantation workers, and Hali’imaile General Store came next.
The store was opened in 1925 as a grocery, butcher shop, fish market, and post office, and it has operated continuously in similar forms. That is until 1988 when the building was leased by Bev Gannon, chef and owner of a local catering business, and her husband Joe.
Bev and Joe transformed the General Store into a gourmet take-out deli and general store. Today it is an award-winning restaurant serving American cuisine with an Asian flair. Its island-inspired dishes are made with fresh, local ingredients—something that Chef Gannon is passionate about.
The General Store, just like any perfect Hipstorical, has kept the original façade and even the name! Curious about the name? Hali’i means “a covering or blanket,” and Maile is the name for the native, fragrant plant that once covered the area.
The restaurant still evokes the original feel of an old general store, with shelves of plates, bowls, and other commodities on display beckoning for you to purchase them from the general store owner, watch him package them up in brown paper and tie the package up with string, and take it home to your pineapple plantation home to use lovingly for years to come. The General Store does it right—down to details like the Ball jar water glasses.
And the food, oh—the food. Bev’s “Famous” Crab Pizza: Handmade six-inch pizza crust with the “I’ll never tell” crab topping. The Yuzu-Kabayaki Glazed Grilled Salmon with coconut red Thai sticky rice and baby bok choy. The salmon nearly melted in my mouth, and the coconut red Thai sticky rice was like nothing I’ve tasted before and simply delicious. My mouth is watering as I think back to it now.
Chef Gannon—well done. You’ve created a unique and inventive space that preserves the integrity and honors the history of the place’s original purpose. It was a pleasure to visit the General Store, and a “must” for anyone passing through on the way back from Hana.
Thanks so much to Charlene from Kauhane Inc for the recommendation!
Suggestions for more hipstorical places in Hawaii? Email me and help me build my archives!
My Liebster Nominees
As part of my Liebster Award Nomination, I got to recommend three of my new favorite bloggers to be nominated as well! Check them out, and if you like them, sign up for the newsletters and follow them on social media. #support #empower #adventure
To the Nominees: See the Rules for the Liebster Award HERE. Your Q + A is listed below!
Adventures and Kindness
On her blog Adventures and Kindness, Emily writes about travel and self-improvement, empowering readers to seek adventures and create the fullest life. I absolutely LOVE Emily’s focus on kindness. I have a charm that hangs from my rear view mirror that says “kindness matters” as a daily reminder to choose each day to be kind. Way to go, Emily! Follow her on Facebook
Paper Airplane Blog
Chloe’s blog focuses on travel, food, culture, and adventure. One of my favorite things about Chloe’s blog is her wonderful, rich photography. As we all know, great photography can add so much to a blog, and Chloe hits it out of the park. I also love that she doesn’t just write journal entries about her travels, but uses her travel experience to craft thoughtful blogs that offer helpful advice to travelers. One of my favorites is “How to Win Friends and Influence People at Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany.” Follow her on Facebook
Haisu Qu
There is nothing more adventurous than moving to a new country without knowing the language, and that’s exactly what Haisu did. She is an Asian-American living in Chile. One of the things I love the most about Haisu’s blog is that, despite being anxious about being so public about her stories, she writes because she is passionate about giving a voice to “people who look like her,” namely Asian travelers! #diversity Follow her on Facebook
Lost with Purpose
I’m always inspired by people who quit their jobs to travel the world, and Alex and Sebastiaan did just that. Visually, their blog is beautiful and has amazing photography. I like that you can browse by destination and that they include a section on travel information for the nitty gritty details. Alex and Sebastiaan also have great writing styles, and reading their stuff is just fun. Their unique voice makes them stand out above so many other bloggers. Follow them on Facebook
Outdoorsy Diva
“Being the ‘outdoorsy’ type doesn’t mean… that you’re any less feminine.” I love Lauren’s concept for her blog because I consider myself a girly-girl who loves to push myself out of my comfort zone to do outdoorsy, adventurous, active things. Although she’s a single mom, Lauren still makes travel a priority, which I admire (and plan to do when I have kids some day)! Follow her on Facebook
My Questions for the Nominees
- When did you start your travel blog and why?
- How did your childhood, hometown, or upbringing affected or inspired your travel?
- I find one of the biggest challenges with being affected by wanderlust is being away from my family. Is this something you struggle with? If so, how do you cope and/or find the balance between traveling to new places and traveling home?
- How do you afford travel? What’s one of your tips for saving money for travel?
- I really love authentic travel experiences where you get to meet the locals and immerse yourself deeply in the culture of the region you’re visiting. What’s your favorite memory of a really authentic interaction with a local?
- What’s next on your bucket list?
- What’s your best travel advice for other travelers?
- What blog are you most proud of?
- If you could have a slumber party or poker party with 3 people, living or dead, who would you choose?
Looking forward to reading your answers, bloggers. Good luck!
My Liebster Q + A
As a part of being nominated for the Liebster Award, I got to take part in a Q + A with my nominator, Kate from Petite Adventures. Check it out below!
Kate: When did you start your blog and why?
Kelsey: I had been writing about travel for DuVine Cycling + Adventure Co. for about a year when I attended TBEX (Travel Blogger Exchange) in Ft. Lauderdale. I was so inspired by the full-time travel bloggers at the conference that by the second night of the conference, I had purchased my domain and set up my social media accounts for Hipstorical!
Kate: What is your favorite travel destination, and why?
Kelsey: This is that questions that makes me feel like I’m being asked to choose a favorite child. It’s impossible to pick just one favorite! But if forced to choose, I’ll pick Ireland. I studied abroad in Maynooth (just outside Dublin) during my sophomore year of college and feel head over heels in love with the culture, the pubs, the landscapes, and even the rain. The Emerald Isle will always hold a magical place in my heart. I miss her every day and long to return.
Kate: And, your least favorite?
Kelsey: San Diego. I was only there for a brief weekend and spent most of my time in Ocean Beach, but I’ve never felt so out of place before. The very thin women with deep bronze tans, the surfer boys with deep bronze tans, and the general vibe was just not for me. I’m sure it’s a great travel destination for many, and there are probably great pockets and corners that I didn’t have a chance to visit. But overall it just didn’t live up to my expectations.
Kate: What is the best food you’ve eaten?
Kelsey: The first thing that sticks out in my mind is this pasta dish I had on my DuVine cycling trip in Verona + Lake Garda. We stopped for lunch and wine at Tenuta La Ca winery. It was a simple dish of fresh pasta, tomato, basil, garlic, and olive oil, but it was one of the most spectacular things I’ve ever tasted. There’s just something about eating food made with fresh local ingredients and paired with outstanding wine and a beautiful backdrop after a long bike ride.
Kate: What is the best piece of blogging advice you’ve received?
Kelsey: Run with it. When I first started throwing around the idea of Hipstorical with some travel bloggers at TBEX, so many of them were encouraging and supportive. Lots of people said “I would totally read that blog!” They gave me the motivation I needed to get Hipstorical off the ground!
Kate: What are your favorite film, color, and song?
Kelsey: Film: Breakfast at Tiffany’s | Color: Magenta | Song: Pink Toenails by the Dixie Chicks
Kate: What is your proudest travel moment?
Kelsey: Studying abroad in Ireland was a very proud experience for me. It was very scary as a 19-year-old from a small town in Wisconsin to be traveling so far for an entire year, and I had my share of tears when I arrived. But it didn’t take long for me to get comfortable with my surroundings, and before I knew it– I was in love.
Kate: What blog post are you most proud of?
Kelsey: I wrote a blog for DuVine called “Confessions of a Cyclo-phobe” about my experience overcoming sports anxiety. I opened up about something that I’ve struggled with since I was a kid, but it was important for me to spread the message that cycling is for everyone– if you could ride a bike when you were a kid, you can do it now.
Kate: What piece of advice would you give to new/aspiring bloggers?
Kelsey: Make sure you find your niche. There are so many travel bloggers out there who just write about their general experience traveling. Many of them are successful, but it’s hard to stand out from the crowd. Finding a very specific topic that nobody else is talking about will get peoples’ attention and make you an expert in your field.
Kate: If you could have dinner a slumber party with five people (alive or dead) who would they be?
Kelsey: Taylor Swift, Zooey Deschanel, Stargirl Caraway (fictional characters count, right?), Beyonce, and Michelle Obama
Kate: Alternate: If you could have dinner a poker party with five people (alive or dead) who would they be?
Kelsey: Barack Obama, Dumbledore, Kermit the Frog, David Sedaris, and Abraham Lincoln
Kate: BONUS: Where can people find you? (share your social media links)
Kelsey: www.facebook.com/hipstorical | www.instagram.com/hipstoricaltravel | twitter.com/hipstorictravel
Find out who I nominated for the Liebster Award HERE
Rules of the Liebster Award
As with most things in life, there are a few rules and responsibilities that come with being nominated for a Liebster Award:
- Thank the person/blog who nominated you and post a link to their blog on your blog. Check
- Display the award on your blog. This can be done by including it in your post and/or displaying it using a widget (note: the best way to do this is to save the image to your own computer and then upload it to your blog/post). Check
- Answer the 10 questions about yourself that your nominating blogger chooses for you. See my answers here
- Nominate blogs that you feel deserve the award. These must be new bloggers (less than two years blogging) who have fewer than 1000 followers. See my nominees here
- Create a list of questions for your nominated bloggers to answer. See my questions here
- List these rules in your post (feel free to cut & paste!) Check
- Inform the blogs that you nominated that they have been awarded the award and provide a link for them to your post so that they can learn about it. Check
Lumeria Retreat, Maui
Lumeria Maui Retreat is a yoga and wellness hotel in Makawao, Maui. It’s location in the upcountry of Maui allows for a perfect serene getaway for peaceful contemplation. The hotel features eight acres of quiet, tranquil grounds including a pool and, my personal favorite—hammock garden. I spent a lovely afternoon there reading a book in the light of the setting sun, a gentle breeze rocking me to sleep.
The Lumeria has a very unique #hipstorical heritage. Built in 1910, it is the oldest wooden structure on Maui. It was designed by Honolulu architect H.R. Kerr and built as the Fred C. Baldwin Memorial home by a local sugar cane family. Emily and Henry Baldwin built the home to house retired plantation workers and named it in honor of their son Fred who died at the age of 24 from appendicitis.
During WWII, retired residents were moved to the Pioneer Inn in Lahaina, and the property was used as a military hospital. When the home closed during WWII, the Fred Baldwin Memorial Foundation became a charitable grant foundation to support programs throughout the island of Maui.
Since then, the property has served as a dormitory for the nearby Maunaolu Women’s College and was owned by Maui Land + Pineapple Company to house summer workers in the 80s and 90s.
Lumeria has the details down—from leaving out televisions in the rooms to adding in rosemary mint Aveda soaps in the stone-floored showers. I loved exploring the quiet property and finding nooks where I could read and enjoy the sunshine.
The seven original buildings house 24 rooms with simplistic décor. Our adorable twin beds and the seven separate buildings almost made me feel like I was a kid at sleepaway summer camp—a rustic yet luxurious summer camp.
Lumeria offers daily classes– like meditation, yoga, Hawaiian heritage, and ecology– and spa treatments and healing sessions for total relaxation. Try a Lomi Lomi Hawaiian massage or a lava sea salt exfoliation to connect with the culture and nature of Maui.
Enjoy organic breakfasts, garden-to-table lunches, and communal dinners each evening at 6:30 at the Wooden Crate (the hotel’s kitchen). Their menu is constantly changing based on what’s fresh, but when we were there the chef was grilling up the fresh fish of the day with basil and lime and garden vegetables in a coconut curry sauce. Or head over to the Haliimaile General Store nearby for lunch or dinner—another Hipstorical landmark in Maui.
There is a calming energy that permeates the Lumeria retreat, and although we were only passing through for a one-night visit, we left feeling relaxed and reenergized for the rest of our week in Maui ahead.
Suggestions for more hipstorical places in Hawaii? Email me and help me build my archives!
Press Hotel, Portland
The first time I visited Portland, Maine two years ago, the old Press Herald building appeared to be an abandoned building, sitting sad, lonely and retired at the corner of Federal and Exchange Street. Just a year later on my next visit to this vibrant city, the beautiful old building had experienced a restoration and resurgence like no other, making it perfect for my first Hipstorical hotel.
I love meeting other people who share my passion for historical preservation and restoration, so I was incredibly excited for Jim Brady, owner and developer of The Press Hotel, to give me a tour of the hotel and point out all of its lovingly restored details. I loved seeing the passion and excitement in him as he took me on my tour.
The Press Hotel was built in 1923 and was home to the Portland Press Herald, the state’s largest newspaper, until 2010 when it moved down the street to its current location. Jim Brady returned to Portland in 2011 after spending some time abroad and found that the building was vacant. Construction started in 2013, and the hotel opened in May of 2015.
From the moment you step through the front door of the hotel, you can tell that so much thought went into not only the preservation and restoration, but also the design. Portland has a rich artistic and creative community, and Jim shared with me how it was important to him to take advantage of that by featuring art by local students and artists throughout the hotel. Jim saw an opportunity to create a high-end, boutique experience for travelers that didn’t exist yet in Portland. It was important for him to create a space that reflected the culture and feel of Portland for visitors.
My absolute favorite art installation in The Press Hotel, and what drew me in as soon as I stepped in the lobby, was a piece called “SWARM.” The installation features a collection of vintage typewriters affixed to a wall in a circular formation, designed by artists at the nearby Maine College of Art (MECA) to represent the chaos of a newsroom. You can also find an installation using the vintage typewriters’ cases near the front desk.
Jim did his best to preserve as many historical aspects of the building as he could, including the original marble and stairs in the entryway and the staircase to the left of the front desk. The window in the entryway is framed by letter press-inspired boxes—a nod to its printing press roots.
In the lobby, Jim and his design team chose an ink blue and orange theme, giving it a retro vibe. Chairs, tables, and textiles were designed by local artists and craftsmen like Angela Adams and Nelson Metal Fabrication. These tables (above) feature stories from different decades of the Portland Press Herald.
Behind the front desk, the newspaper theme continues with a letterpress art installation featuring letters of all sizes, fonts, and colors. (Insider detail: the orange letters spell “resurgam,” which means “to rise again” in Latin—Portland’s motto.)
The letterpress work can also be found on the hotel directional signs throughout the hotel’s hallways, pointing to rooms and meeting spaces in the hotel with names like “The Newsroom,” that reflect the hotel’s history.
The hallways’ wallpaper features actual headlines from the newspaper throughout history, and tumbling typewriter keys cover the carpet.
My day started with breakfast at UNION, the hotel’s restaurant. The quiche and a carrot smoothie were a perfect start to my day, and I loved how they used newspaper clippings as a dining accessory.
The tasteful design aesthetic continues in The Press Hotel’s guestrooms.
My favorite details were the long writer’s desk, the leather chair with “the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog” printed on the back.
I was in love with The Press Hotel’s logo and all of the quotes featured on the “do not disturb” sign and other signs throughout the guest rooms and in the lobby.
I even loved the luxurious, lavender boutique C.O. Bigelow bath products in the bathroom. It’s thoughtful details like these that really make a difference in a guest experience.
Guests can rent the penthouse suite with private access to a rooftop deck. And your very own vintage typewriter.
The lower level of the hotel once housed the printing presses. Jim and his team wanted to make the best use of the high ceilings and art-gallery feel by creating an art gallery that is open to the public and features works from local artists.
Another great detail in the lower level is the preserved scale located in the hotel’s gym. It once measured paper before it went to press.
My stay at The Press Hotel was one I won’t soon forget. There were so many thoughtful details that went into the design and restoration of the hotel that I felt like Jim and his team not only truly cared about history and the building, but also about me as a guest. Whether you’re a Portland local or a visitor to the area, a stay at The Press Hotel is a must!
Suggestions for more hipstorical places in Maine? Email me and help me build my archives!
Lahaina, Maui
The sundrenched beachside town of Lahaina, Hawaii is the largest town in West Maui and a hipstorian’s paradise. It was once the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii and was crisscrossed by freshwater canals, earning it the nickname the “Venice of the Pacific,” until the water was diverted to the sugar and pineapple plantations in the mountains in the mid-nineteenth century. (Oh how I wish I could have seen the town when it was covered in canals). The town was a bustling seaport for whaling ships, missionaries, and immigrants arriving to work the nearby plantations. Today it is a tourism hub– home to flip flop shops, restaurants with ocean views, and historical sites.
Front Street
Lahaina’s main street, Front Street, is lined with buildings dating back to the 1820s that are now home to shops and restaurants. Almost every shop on this street is repurposed in some way. Stop into Tilly Timms for the best souvenir t-shirts in Maui, or grab some cookies from the Honolulu Cookie Company for an afternoon snack or a take-home for your sweet-toothed sweetheart. Grab lunch at Koa’s Grill upstairs or Kimo’s next door for a great ocean view, and make a reservation ahead of time at Fleetwood’s. On the second floor. At sunset. (More on that later).
The Pioneer Inn + Theater
The Pioneer Inn is the oldest hotel in Lahaina, built in 1901. It is still a hotel today, but the shops along the side of the building were once home to the Pioneer Theater, where workers came to see Hollywood films in the early twentieth century.
The Blue Max | Lahaina Pizza Co.
In the 1970s, the plantation era was ending, and Lahaina was making its mark as a tourist destination. Many celebrities discovered the sleepy town, and The Blue Max hosted musicians like Elton John, Linda Ronstadt, Fleetwood Mac, Crosby, Stills + Nash, Eagles, Rolling Stones, etc. It’s now Lahaina Pizza Co. Stop in for a tropical drink and a “Sweet Pig” pizza with pineapple and ham.
Old Lahaina Courthouse
Built in 1859 as a courthouse, jail, and customs house for the whaling and trade ships, the Old Lahaina Courthouse was redone in the Greek Revival Style in 1925. Today it houses the visitor center, a free museum, and art galleries, including a display of community art in the old basement jail cells.
The courthouse is lovely, and a nice stop for some free art and history displays. But probably the best part of the courthouse is out the back door.
Banyan Tree Park
Banyan Tree Park is home to the largest banyan tree in Hawaii. The enormous banyan has been lovingly shading the courthouse courtyard since 1873, when it was planted to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first Protestant mission in Lahaina. The tree has 16 trunks that were once branches that touched the ground and took root. It is 60 feet tall and covers a 200-foot area. There is something very magical and comforting about sitting in the shade of the motherly banyan tree. Grab a Dole Whip at Lappert’s Ice Cream next door and spend some time in the shade of Banyan Tree Park.
Cookhouse Theater
Chinese immigrants arrived in the nineteenth century on trading and whaling ships and to work on sugar plantations. They helped build the tunnels and irrigation systems seen from the famous Road to Hana. In the early 1900s, they formed the Wo Hing Society and built a meeting hall on Front Street that still stands and is now a museum. The Cookhouse Theater in the backyard was built for cooking large meals for society functions and now shows films of the island made by Thomas Edison at the turn of the century.
Old Lahaina Store | Fleetwood’s on Front Street
Built in 1916 as a company store and butcher shop selling groceries and goods to Lahaina locals, The Old Lahaina Store was once known as the finest building in Lahaina. It is now home to Fleetwood’s on Front Street (owned by Mick Fleet of Fleetwood Mac fame) and other shops.
If you’re visiting Lahaina, a visit to Fleetwood’s is a must. Call ahead and make a reservation for the second-floor deck at sunset. With the incredibly beautiful West Maui Mountains to your back and the ocean and setting sun in front of you, you’ll have an memorable meal with unique entertainment, including a bagpiper, traditional Hawaiian conch shell blower, and a variety of live bands. Get the pink salted fries and scallop with risotto as an app and choose from their hearty menu like Australian Rack of Lamb or Beef Wellington.
We were lucky enough to get to hear Joe Bachman + The Tailgaters on our last night in Hawaii. (Never thought we’d find a country band in Maui!) You may even be lucky enough to get a performance by Mick Fleetwood himself if he’s in town!
Explore these hipstoricals and 65 historical and cultural sites through the self-guided Ala Hele Mo‘olelo O Lahaina / Lahaina Historic Trail! A trail map can be downloaded at http://lahainarestoration.
Suggestions for more hipstorical places in Maui? Email me and help me build my archives!
Kings County Distillery, New York
Tucked away behind the bricked gates of the Brooklyn Navy yard, at the corner of Sands Street and Navy Street, you’ll find an old Paymaster’s building—where the sailors once queued up to collect their paychecks. Inside that old brick building is a collection of copper stills, handmade wooden fermenters, a black cat named Jeffy, and hip young distillers including the one master-distiller and historian, Colin Spoelman, who co-founded the distillery with his partner David Haskell. Kings County Distillery is the oldest operating whiskey distillery in New York City… and it’s only five years old.
Your tour will begin in the garden outside, where Colin, a Kentucky native who grew up around moonshine and bootleggers, (or whoever your tour guide may be when you arrive at Kings County Distillery) will fill you in on a thorough history of liquor distilling in New York. Before Prohibition, New York State was home to hundreds of whiskey distilleries. It wasn’t until the passing of the Craft Distillers License in 2002 and then the Farm Distillers License in 2009 that the state saw the rebirth of the small-still liquor. The laws provides licenses to small distilleries with two caveats: they must not produce more than 35,000 gallons of liquor each year, and they must produce their liquor primarily using New York farm products. New York State actually now has more distilleries than any other state except Washington!
So that’s why the five-year-old Kings County Distillery can claim they are the oldest whiskey distillery in NYC (those sneaky bastards). Founded in 2010 in East Williamsburg, Kings County started as the smallest commercial distillery in the US. They continued to grow and in 2012 moved into their current location: an 1899 Paymaster Building in the historic Brooklyn Navy Yard. The distillery is named for Kings County, which shares the same boundaries as Brooklyn.
The building has since been the home to an officer’s club and, when the Navy Yard was decommissioned in 1966, it became an Orthodox Jewish shroud factory. The Navy Yard is just steps from the legendary site of the Brooklyn Whiskey Wars of 1860 and the former distillery district of Brooklyn (which your tour guide will tell you more about on your tour!)
The Brooklyn Navy Yard was active from 1806 until 1966. Today, it is home to 200 private businesses including Steiner Studios, one of the largest production studios outside of California and Brooklyn Navy Yard Center at BLDG 92, a museum which tells the story of the Navy Yard.
Once we learned the full history of whiskey in Brooklyn and beyond, our guide lead us inside where we marveled at the copper stills and swallowed the scent of malting barley. Kings county creates handmade moonshine and bourbon using cracked organic corn from upstate New York. They use traditional distilling equipment including copper stills from Scotland, and only corn and malted barley (no rye)—making their whiskey more like scotch and European whiskeys than bourbon. “The flavor comes from the process, not the recipe,” says Colin.
Kings produces 100 gallons of whiskey per day, including moonshine, bourbon, and spiced whiskeys. Their whiskeys age anywhere from 18 months to 10 years. They’re currently working on a 10-year-old whiskey that they won’t be able to taste for five more years. Colin says that the oldest whiskeys are indeed the most rare, but not necessarily the best. “There’s a sweet spot for every whiskey,” he says.
Colin and his team of distillers are known for playing around with unusual, creative whiskeys in small, experimental barrels, adding flavors like chocolate and spices. “That’s the fun of being a small distillery,” says Colin. “You get to be creative.”
Stop by Kings County Distillery on a Saturday for a tasting. We tried the moonshine, bourbon, chocolate whiskey, and pumpkin spiced whiskey. The latter was by far my favorite, and I bought a bottle which I’ve since used to make some of the best hot toddies I’ve ever tasted.
A visit to King’s is a truly unique, neighborhood experience for local New Yorkers or those who have “been there, done that” when it comes to the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building. Stop in, sip some whiskey, hear some history, and enjoy the #hipstorical all around you.
Suggestions for more hipstorical places in Chicago? Email me and help me build my archives!