Local Distilleries In Tucson
Tucson is a city well known for its wide-stretching desert landscapes, vibrant Mexican-American culture, and incredibly important inclusion in the history of Arizona as a state.
With that being said though, Tucson is also a city with a very prominent and celebrated food and beverage scene, being the home to more than a few fantastic distilleries, which visitors are free to visit, and even try a few mouth watering drinks along the way.
Today, we’re going to run through everything you need to know about Tucson, with a particular focus being put on the city’s wide range of local distilleries and what makes each of them unique.
An Introduction To Tucson
Tucson is the largest city in southern Arizona and the second largest city in the entire state behind Phoenix.
With a population of over 500,000, Tucson is known for being a very lively and vibrant corner of Arizona, full of fancy restaurants, monuments, and even a few scenic viewpoints.
Because Tucson has been a city comprised mainly of Mexicans and Mexican Americans since the early 20th century, it has granted the city an incredibly unique culture that feels very separate from the rest of Arizona.
Everything from the clothes people wear to the food served in cafes and restaurants is a mixture of American and Mexican customs, alongside the environment which is a blend between city architecture and long stretches of sandy deserts.
Local Distilleries In Tucson
For all those fans of sensational distilled beverages, you’re in luck, as Tucson is home to some of the friendliest and greatest distilleries across all of Arizona that you need to visit at least once during your stay.
Whiskey Del Blac
Born out of a love for Highland Scotch and the desert Southwest, Whiskey Del Bac has been crafting grain-to-glass whiskey for decades at this point, and their selection of beverages only seems to grow larger as the years go by.
Their “Dorado” Mesquite Smoked Single Malt is one of Arizona’s richest and finest whiskeys, containing a delightful smoky sensation that is so hard to resist after you take that first sip.
Public tours around the distillery take place every weekend, or you can even sign up to volunteer for the “Bottling Crew” where you will learn the ins and outs of whiskey distillery, and can even take a bottle home with you at the end of the session.
You can find the distillery at 2106 Forbes Blvd just behind the Angry Crab Shack & BBQ
Elgin Distillery
Another popular distillery found on Elgin Canelo Road is the Elgin Distillery, the first licensed craft distillery in all of Arizona, built in the post-prohibition resurgence.
This distillery has won numerous awards over the years, including the best bourbon and gin in the world awarded by SFWSC and IWSC-London, and even the number one rum in the world which it earned as part of the SF World Spirits Competition.
The best part is, you can taste test the best rum in the world (Regalo de Vida) by taking a tour around the building, all you need to do is visit between 10 am to 4 pm between Wednesday to Sunday.
Thunder Canyon Distillery
There is also the Thunder Canyon Distillery on Broadway Boulevard, an artistic-themed building that has been crafting beer and distilling spirits since 1997 and is most well known and admired for its huge selection of rum, all of which can be taste tested at the bar.
Silver rum, spice rum, and pineapple rum are just a few of the beverages that are served at this popular local distillery, along with plenty of hand-crafted cocktails that can help keep you refreshed while adventuring across the big and beautiful city of Tucson.
You should also know that each of Thunder Canyon’s drinks, including all of the beers and spirits, are available to-go in 750 ml bottles, so if you like what you see, feel free to take a few drinks back with you.
State Fees And Licenses
Anyone in the state of Arizona hoping to produce, infuse, reformulate, manufacture, store, and sell alcohol of any kind will require a liquor license, which is issued by the state through the Arizona Department of Liquor.
In the case of a distillery, the person running the establishment will also need an in-state producer license which will grant them the ability to not only manufacture spirituous liquor but also offer them for on-site consumption, as long as they also hold an on-sale retail license.
Upon approval of the in-state producer license, the final fee for the full year will cost $1,850, and a half year will equate to $1675.
Distillery Laws And Restrictions
Owning and operating a still in Arizona is completely legal as long as it has been registered with the director, along with all distilling apparatus.
A craft distiller may sell distilled spirits so long as they do not produce any more than 20,000 gallons of alcohol in a calendar year.
A licensed craft distiller will also be free to choose whether they would like to offer free spirit samplings on-site, or if they will charge visitors for a test.
Craft distillers may also sell manufactured spirits to consumers who can enjoy them off the premises, so long as the alcohol stays within the original container, and the consumer was physically present on the premises when they bought it.
How Accessible Is Tucson?
As soon as you step foot in Tucson, you will immediately feel comfortable and right at home considering just how friendly the people are, and how diverse the culture is.
The multicultural community that makes up the population of Tucson has essentially made it a melting pot of citizens from all different walks of life, so no matter who you are or where you’re from, you will never feel out of place here.
Non-emergency medical transportation such as for wheelchairs is also provided in nearly every national park, museum, garden, and distillery across the city.
There are also plenty of bus services that support wheelchair users who can be contacted anywhere and at any time, making it a breeze to get exactly where you want to go without there being any hold-ups.
What Else Is There To See In Tucson?
Tucson is a city that contains a perfect blend of beautiful wide-open landscapes, and more secluded areas full of history and culture such as the many museums that you can find while exploring.
The Tucson Museum of Art and Arizona State Museum are where you will want to go if you want to educate yourself on the history of Tucson within American history.
However, if you want a museum that’s a little different and incredibly unique in its presentation, then the Mini Time Machine Museum and Space Museum are must-visits.
Aside from the museums, you also have the Reid Park Zoo which was first built in 1965 and contains over 500 animals, including the gigantic African elephant and the small and furry capybara.
If it’s natural beauty you’re looking for, the Tucson Botanical Gardens is one of the most tranquil and peaceful areas in the city while the Saguaro National Park can grant you the perfect view of the sandy Tucson deserts and the giant saguaro cactuses that occupy it.
Food And Beverage Scene In Tucson
As we have already discussed previously, Tucson is well known for its multi-cultural history, and because of this, it has meant that ingredients, recipes, and beverages from America and Mexico have come together to create a very lively food and drink culture within the city.
In fact, many people have dubbed Tucson “The City of Gastronomy” for just how much good food can be found in the many restaurants spread across the city.
A lot of the food you will find on restaurant menus, from the tacos to the enchiladas, are all prepared with a Sonoran cooking style.
This form of cooking prioritizes using fresh, quality ingredients, with the most popular being tortillas and beef which appear in nearly every dish.
However, plenty of other foods are prepared with a Sonoran style in mind, including spicy soups, savory cookies, and so much street food that you can easily pick up from one of the many food markets you are guaranteed to run into during your visit.
When it comes to alcoholic beverages, it is only really over the last few years that the drinking scene has come to life and captured the attention of the wider population, but now, it is more celebrated than ever, especially with the resurgence of interest in distilleries.
Tucson has become very well known for its cocktails and beers, all of which have a distinct southwestern tang to them that helps them stand out from their competition.
The Saguaro cactus, which is exclusive to the Sonoran Desert, has also helped to draw more eyes to the many distilleries found across the city, providing an incredibly distinct and refreshing flavor that can’t really be found anywhere else.
Summary
If you love visiting distilleries, whether it’s to admire the infrastructure and the equipment used in the process of distilling, or because you simply like taste-testing new beverages, there’s nowhere better to visit in Arizona than the big and sandy city of Tucson.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Best Way To Get Around Tucson?
While there is plenty of public transport around every corner of Tucson, traveling by car is usually the best way to get around since it will make reaching top sites such as the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and the Saguaro National Park much easier.
Does It Rain Often In Tucson?
Tucson receives barely any rain because of where it is situated, receiving about 12 inches each year compared to the U.S. average of 38 inches, and when rain does appear, it is usually during the winter months.
