Distillery guide: Get in the fall spirit with local spirits

change volume

'Farm-to-table' impacts the local spirits industry (草莓传媒's Rachel Nania)

WASHINGTON 鈥� On a typical Saturday, Scott Harris sees about 200 people come through the doors of his Loudoun County distillery. While there, visitors tour Harris鈥� whiskey production facility, then belly up to the tasting room bar for a flight of his signature spirits.

When Harris and his wife, Becky, opened in 2009 鈥� after careers in engineering and government contract work 鈥� there were just a few other distilleries operating in Virginia.

鈥淎nd now I think there are over 50, so it鈥檚 really, really taking off lately,鈥� Harris said.

鈥淲e鈥檝e seen, in the past decade or so, a real boom in craft beer, and in the local region, craft wine, and now finally distilling is also seeing that boom.鈥�

Scott Harris and his wife, Becky, opened Catoctin Creek Distillery in 2009 in Purcellville, Virginia. Since then, a number of other distilleries have opened in the D.C. area. Catoctin Creek makes rye, whiskey, gin and brandy.聽 (DJ Glisson II, Courtesy Catoctin Creek)

, located on U Street in Northwest D.C., is 8,000 square feet. The business includes a cocktail bar and a restaurant. 鈥淲ineries in other parts of the country have always prided themselves on the fact that they serve excellent wine, but also have excellent food 鈥� but we didn鈥檛 see that in the spirits world, at least here in the District,鈥� Chae Yi, District Distilling鈥檚 president and CEO said in a with 草莓传媒. On the menu is whiskey, gin, vodka and rum, along with seared scallops, steak frites and cheese and charcuterie. (草莓传媒/Rachel Nania)

One Eight Distilling opens to the public on Saturday, Jan. 10 in Northeast. The distillery is D.C.'s second. (草莓传媒/Rachel Nania) — One Eight Distilling is located in D.C’s Ivy City neighborhood. The distillery 鈥� D.C.’s second 鈥� makes and sells vodka, gin and whiskey. (草莓传媒/Rachel Nania)

Republic Restoratives, also in Ivy City, is run by Pia Carusone and Rachel Gardner. The two opened in 2016 after a record-breaking crowdfunding campaign. (草莓传媒/Rachel Nania)

Out at George Washington’s Gristmill, distillers are the same way America’s first president did 200 years ago. Bottles are available for purchase at Mount Vernon. (草莓传媒/Rachel Nania)

In 2016, friends聽Reed Walker and Jordan Cotton opened their rum distillery,聽Cotton & Reed, in D.C.’s Union Market district. 鈥淩um is underrepresented right now in the U.S.; it used to be the biggest spirit back in colonial days,鈥� Cotton said in a . 鈥淓ven leading up to Prohibition, there were dozens and dozens and dozens of rum distilleries all over the Northeast. That all kind of died out and never came back.鈥澛� (Courtesy Cotton & Reed)

When Jos. A. Magnus & Co. opened its doors in the Northeast D.C. neighborhood of Ivy City on Sept. 12, the distillery revived a century-old spirit. (草莓传媒/Rachel Nania) — Jos. A. Magnus & Co. is another D.C. distillery in the Ivy City neighborhood. The business makes bourbon, gin and vodka. (草莓传媒/Rachel Nania)

Bloomery Plantation Distillery in Charles Town, West Virginia, makes natural fruit cordials and a lovely聽limoncello. (草莓传媒/Rachel Nania)

Like wineries and breweries in the D.C. area, many distilleries offer tours, tastings and weekend events (think live music and food). Pictured: The tasting room at聽Catoctin Creek Distillery.聽(Rick Martin/Courtesy Catoctin Creek Distillery)聽 (RICK MARTIN)

Scott and Becky Harris opened聽Catoctin Creek Distillery in 2009.聽鈥淵ou get a real regional terroir, if you will, from the local product. So when you drink a Virginia rye whiskey like ours, it tastes different from a Kentucky rye whiskey, and that鈥檚 something special,” Scott Harris said. 聽 (Courtesy Catoctin Creek)

(1/10)

Share This Gallery:

Harris said just as consumers are more concerned with how their vegetables are grown or where their meat comes from, they鈥檙e also paying attention to what鈥檚 in their glass.

鈥淚 think people really want that connection to their food, and in beverages, I think it鈥檚 very similar,鈥� he added.

Like wineries and breweries in the D.C. area, many distilleries offer tours, tastings and weekend events (think live music and food). Best of all, Harris says the spirits they鈥檙e pouring are pretty great.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e getting a very high-quality spirit from these local providers because we focus on local production and artisan production,鈥� Harris said about the area鈥檚 distillers.

鈥淵ou get a real regional terroir, if you will, from the local product. So when you drink a Virginia rye whiskey like ours, it tastes different from a Kentucky rye whiskey, and that鈥檚 something special.鈥�

With so many options to explore, Harris shared some of his favorite distilleries to visit in the D.C. area:

In Virginia, Harris recommends and . (And of course, he said don鈥檛 forget to stop in at Catoctin Creek, located in the heart of Purcellville.)

, near Charlottesville, is also worth the drive.

鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of like a Scottish distillery planted in the rolling hills of Virginia, which is kind of neat,鈥� Harris said.

In Maryland, Harris suggests and . And in D.C., he says a trip to the District鈥檚 Ivy City neighborhood is a must. There, visitors will find , , and .

鈥淚vy City is kind of the mecca point in D.C. for [distilleries],鈥� Harris said. 鈥淎 simple Uber or Lyft over to Ivy City, you can hit them all and then get a ride back home.鈥�