St. Petersburg Distillery Spotlight

Here at Distillery Nearby, we’re all about highlighting local, craft distilleries so that you can both learn more about them and get hyped about visiting them. Today, we’re chatting about none other than St. Petersburg distillery (also affectionately known as St Pete Distillery by locals). St. Petersburg is a vibrant, warm Florida community, and the St. Petersburg Distillery is definitely a testament to that vibe. Let’s take a closer look and learn more about this distillery.

Brief history of St. Petersburg Distillery

“Crafting Spirits, Building Community” – St. Petersburg Distillery

In 2014, St. Petersburg Distillery opened its doors for the first time. They stood out in a local scene that was just starting to boom with craft distillers. Now, many years later, they still stand out in the local craft distilling scene – for good reason. St. Pete Distillery has a unique dedication to becoming “a place focused on honing [their] craft to make the highest quality products possible to share across Florida.”

Their collection of spirits offered has grown significantly since the doors first opened, and so has their reach.

What Makes St. Petersburg Distillery Special?

Aside from their hardcore dedication to quality, this distillery is also incredibly committed to giving back to the local community. They’re also a small, family-owned business, “with no obligation to a pool of outside investors.” This means they can produce whatever spirits they’re interested in – leading to a variety of fun bottles and experiences!

The St. Pete Distillery Spirits Portfolio

Detail on their flagship products: Old St. Pete, Banyan Reserve, Oak & Palm, and Tippler’s.

Insight into the crafting process and unique ingredients.

Old St. Pete Lineup

This line isn’t just one type of spirit. You’ll find five very different – yet delicious – spirits, crafted in small batches to ensure the highest quality.

• Sunset Gin: 86 proof orange-infused, London Dry style gin. Free of added flavors or dyes. Recommended cocktail: Gin Deep.

• Artisanal Vodka: 80 proof rye and wheat vodka. Small-batch distillation in handmade copper pot stills. Recommended cocktail: Berry Rose Punch.

• Tropical Gin: 90 proof gin crafted with 11 botanicals including citrus. Small batch distilled in handmade copper pot stills. Recommended cocktail: Witchy Woman.

• Sunshine Whiskey: 88 proof, unique blend of 4+-year aged corn whiskey and 7+-year aged corn whiskey. The finished product contains at least 15% rye. This is labeled as a “small batch sweet corn whiskey.” Recommended cocktail: Beach Drive Boulevardier.

• Righteous Rum & Spice: 86 proof rum crafted from fresh Okeechobee sugar cane. The rum is also blended with “raw dark amber honey, natural vanilla extract, and cassia bark” for flavor. Recommended cocktail: Treasure Island Mai Tai.

Banyan Reserve Vodka

80 Proof; Recommended Cocktail: Gulfcoast Mule

The art for this bottle was inspired by the iconic banyan trees that adorn St. Pete. According to the distillery, this smooth vodka symbolizes the distillery’s roots in the community – something they’re very proud of! For this spirit, they use 100% American corn and the purest Florida water. During distillation, the spirit goes through a combination of traditional column and copper pot stills six times.

Oak & Palm Coconut Rum

70 Proof; Recommended Cocktail: Coconut Rum Soda

The Oak & Palm Coconut Rum is a tribute to Florida’s tropical je ne sais quoi. You can definitely pick up on St. Pete Distillery’s commitment to natural ingredients and artisanal methods in this clear, delicious rum.

Tippler’s Orange Liqueur

52 Proof; Recommended Cocktail: Poolside In December

This delicious liqueur starts with real, fresh Florida oranges, something most other distillers can’t state. Basically, Tippler’s is the sunshine state in a bottle! This high-quality liqueur celebrates the history of coastal bars and “tippling” houses across old Florida. They actually blend whole oranges—peels and all—for a zesty, robust flavor that’s great in cocktails.

70 Proof Tippler’s Reserve Bourbon

St. Petersburg Distillery also has a reserve Tippler’s that is aged in ex-bourbon barrels for a minimum of 2 years. After aging, the orange liqueur is mixed with a 5-year aged bourbon to create a delicious, orangey bourbon. They recommend using this spirit in an Old Fashioned.

How Are Their Spirits Made?

As you saw above, St. Petersburg Distillery uses a combination of distillation techniques. They have both handmade copper pot stills and column stills. Depending on the spirit and the desired outcome, they may use only one of these techniques or a combination of both.

St. Petersburg Distillery does focus on small-batch spirits, though, which makes use of their handmade copper pot stills. For their small-batch spirits, they print both the batch number and bottle number on their labels. The Old St. Pete lineup are all small-batch offerings.

Events & Classes at St. Petersburg Distillery

“Discover the art of craft distilling with our guided tour and tasting experience.” – St. Petersburg Distillery

St. Pete Distillery offers some great tasting and tour experiences:

Tasting Experience

30-minute tasting sessions, where you’ll sample four exceptional spirits, including both regular and limited-time offerings. This experience is finished off with a complimentary signature cocktail. Get introduced to the distillery’s rich history and spirit varieties. Guided tasting, interactive discussion, and a closing cocktail Q&A. $14 + taxes per person.

Interactive Classes

This is an immersive mixology class to help you master crafting cocktails. The class focuses on the art and science behind the perfect drink. Learn the history and techniques of the Old Fashioned from expert mixologists in a class limited to 10 guests, enhancing your cocktail-making skills. $35 + taxes per person.

Tour Experience

St. Petersburg Distillery is also working on hosting distillery tours led by the Head Distiller for a deep dive into spirit production in a 50-minute, intimate session limited to 12 participants, all of whom must be at least 21. Coming Soon! Price TBD.

Location, Contact, & Hours

The distillery is located at 800 31st St S, St. Petersburg, FL 33712. You can get in touch with them at (727) 914-0931 or info@stpetedistillery.com. They are open from 10 AM to 10 PM Wednesday through Saturday, open from 12-9 PM on Sunday, and are closed Monday and Tuesday.

Don’t Wait: Visit the Distillery Today!

If you’re looking to get the full Florida craft distilling experience, St. Petersburg Distillery should certainly be on your list of hot spots. Schedule your visit today!