4 Delightful Experiences You’ll Find on the Columbus Distillery Trail

Columbus is home to several notable distilleries offering much more than a bottle of your favorite bourbon, beer, or whiskey. Today, these facilities offer exciting tours to allow curious enthusiasts a behind-the-scenes experience of where all magic happens. These tours aren’t just about teaching you how spirits are made. They are about combining education, ambiance, flavors, and top-notch craft that delivers a multi-sensory experience. Here are the top distilleries making up the Columbus distillery trail, what to expect from the tour, and how best to prepare for the visit.

4 best distilleries to visit in Columbus

A distillery trail offers one-of-a-kind tours to make your outing with friends and family memorable. Here is a list of the top distilleries to visit in Columbus:

1. Middle West Spirits

  • Address: 1230 Courtland Ave, Columbus, OH 43201
  • Phone: (614)-299-2460
  • Products: spirits

If you are looking forward to a unique Columbus distillery trail experience, the Middle West Spirits should be your first stop. The distillery offers uniquely brewed spirits and cocktails with distinct local flavors. Their products represent revered original artisan’s craft with a touch of integrity and tradition. Their tours include an overview of the entire distillation process and a chance to buy souvenirs. You can also enjoy a memorable dinner at their restaurant, offering great views of the area.

2. 451 Spirits

  • Address: 590-site. D, Oakland Park Ave, Columbus, OH 43214
  • Phone: (614)-929-3836
  • Products: infusions of many drinks

451 Spirits creatively experiments with various distilling cultures to make unforgettable drinks. Their processes innovate and fuse multiple practices, from Spain’s solera aging to traditional pot distillation from Ireland. They provide various cocktail recipes to choose from, as well as spirits like rum and whiskey. Take a tour of their facility and savor drinks from their prized masterpieces.

3. Noble Cut Distillery

  • Address: 750 Cross Pointe Rd suite k, Columbus, OH 43230
  • Phone: (614)-532-9888
  • Products: whiskey

Noble Cut Distillery stands out from the crowd thanks to its solid dedication to traditional craft and the community around them. They make high-quality whiskies using time-tested recipes that showcase their products as a representation of long-standing heritage. Noble Cut specializes in bourbon whiskey, wheat whisky, dark cherry whiskey, and apple-flavored whiskeys.

4. Watershed Distillery

  • Address: 1145 Chesapeake Ave, Columbus, OH 43212
  • Phone: (614)-357-1936
  • Products: gin

Watershed Distillery specializes in gin making. They offer high-quality spirits with unique character and bold flavors. The distillery leverages innovative crafts to make the tastiest drinks for every occasion. Watershed Distillery has special releases only available at the distillery.

What to see on a Columbus distillery trail

Here are some of the things to expect on your distillery tour:

  • Fermentation tanks: One of the things you can expect to see on your tour is the fermentation tanks. These tanks support the fermentation process, which is crucial to the production of aromas and flavors in the final product. Fermentation usually lasts three to five days, although some distiller extends the process to a maximum of nine days.
  • Distillation machines: Once the fermentation process is complete, the liquid is heated to the required boiling point in specialized distillation machinery. This is a vessel made of either stainless steel or copper. The vapors are then captured, cooled, and condensed back to liquid forms. Spirits are typically distilled several times to get smooth flavors.
  • Bottling equipment: If you are lucky, you may get an opportunity to see the bottling equipment in action. During this process, the final product is poured into bottles, sealed, branded, and sent to you for your enjoyment!

While it may be exciting to see all the machinery and equipment used to make your favorite spirit, remember that they are probably running at the time of your visit. Touching such equipment is off-limits.

4 experiences to expect during your Columbus distillery trail

The following are some of the things to expect at your next Columbus distillery trail:

Indulge in a warm and feisty atmosphere

Heating liquids up to their boiling point will make the distilling room quite warm and feisty. You may want to wear casual and comfortable clothing on your tour. It is advisable to take off your jacket or sweater if it gets too warm. Also, wear closed-toed shoes since you will be around heavy equipment. You can either choose to observe all the action from a glass window or get a chance to walk through the complex machinery and get opportunities to view all the action up and close.

Savor your favorite drink to discover deep secrets within

Your tour is all about interacting with your favorite drinks and learning how they are made. Don’t just consume spirits offered at the tour. Savor the samples to experience the unique notes your tour guide might bring out. Your main goal of the day should be to ponder and enjoy an array of spirits until you settle on your favorite list. However, take care not to get drunk in the process.

Tap into the knowledge base of experts.

When touring Columbus’s top distilleries, prepare to ask questions. A distillery tour is a great chance to talk to the brains behind your favorite brands. Asking questions along the tour helps you know exactly what it takes to produce the flavors you often crave. Experts can also help fine-tune your palate and discover more bottles you would love. As you taste each bottle, keep a mental list of questions you would love the makers to answer. You will definitely have a thrilling moment picking up the distilling knowledge these experts have.

Tuck away some gifts and souvenirs

The distillery probably has a gift shop where you can buy souvenirs featuring Columbus’s famous spirits and branded merchandise. You can purchase bottles of your favorite spirits to take home with you. Usually, bottles available for sale are determined by the product release schedule and the time of the year.

FAQs

How are distillery tours done?

Distillery tours are conducted by experts with extensive knowledge of how the entire process works. They walk you through all the steps of the distilling process from start to finish. They will also help answer all the questions on your mind.

Are guests under 21 allowed on tours?

Whether guests under 21 are allowed on tours depends on the distillery. Some distilleries allow those under 21 but prohibit them from sampling. Others keep their tours 21 and over exclusively.

DistilleryNearby has a directory of top Columbus distilleries

A distiller tour gives you great opportunities to hang out in a fantastic atmosphere, try some tasty flavors, and have behind-the-scenes looks at how your favorite spirit is made. Whether you are planning an excursion on the next Columbus Distillery Trail or just visiting a local distillery in your neighborhood, DistilleryNearby is ready to optimize your experience. We provide a tailored directory to help you explore distilleries by location, beverage type, or amenities, making it easy to find great local options.

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