Happy St. Patrick’s Day! If you celebrate this holiday, how do you celebrate? There are definitely some staples in our dinner (the traditional corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes). The beverages and dessert may change a little, but a Guinness and a bottle of Jameson’s are often nearby. This year, while not an Irish beverage, I added a bit of Espresso Liqueur to accompany a piece of my wife’s Whiskey Cake. That gem came from an awesome recent visit to the Independent Spirits Distillery in South Jersey.
Independent Spirits Distillery
Independent Spirits Distillery is located in Woolwich Township. It is owned by Kerry Thomsen and is truly a family business, with each member playing a role. Kerry’s daughters work on the labels and related art work, while her two sons, Mark and Erik do the heavy lifting and fill in wherever needed. But, Kerry is definitely the driving force in the business.
The distillery and adjoining tasting room are located in their old restored barn. The distillery opened their doors to the public in 2018. They were the first distillery to open in Gloucester County since prohibition ended. Prior to 2013, they were still prohibited in New Jersey. The tasting room is a very homey and inviting space for patrons to enjoy crafted spirits made from local farms growing grains and herbs and the well water on their property. There is a small bar with a few seats at the bar and several tables allow customers to spread out a little. In warmer weather there is a large patio to enjoy the great outdoors and perhaps a flight of spirits or choose from a fairly extensive cocktail menu with spirits fueled from their labor. Kerry’s son, Mark, was our bartender on the day we visited. A+ to Mark!
I ordered a tasting of the following spirits:
- Bourbon-91 Proof. My favorite of the hard spirits I tried (but I confess, Bourbon is generally my favorite sipping spirit).
- Gin-84 Proof. A very clean, refreshing version, with perhaps a bit less of a juniper note than in some I’m familiar with, but still good. Perhaps I’ll try a gin and tonic next time, as I usually mix gin rather than drinking it straight.
- Aquavit-84 Proof. My first, despite some Danish blood in my heritage (so bad on me)! Very interesting and worth revisiting. Aquavit is a traditional Scandinavian spirit that means “water of life.” This South Jersey version is flavored with local herbs (especially coriander and dill), but made from wheat (like their other clear spirits, vodka and gin).
- Barreled Gin (I was offered a taste for comparison sake)-A very unique spirit. The oak imparts a very different (but agreeable complexity).
I also got to taste their two liquors-Espresso Liqueur and Limoncello. Both of these were wonderful. The Espresso Liqueur was similar to Kahlua (but with more body and a more robust flavor, in my opinion). It is pictured above in my lineup of libations. The Limoncello was also excellent and also presented as both more “full-bodied” and flavorful than most versions. I have tasted a few from other companies that seemed a bit watered down and one even froze in my freezer (proving that it was truly watered down).
My wife ordered a Whiskey Sour to enjoy, while I did my spirit tasting. I ordered a Jersey Mule, to complete my visit. These wonderful libations are pictured below (left). However, before we left, Kerry gave us a brief tour of their distilling operation. The highlight is the Mueller Still, custom-made in Germany and assembled in their barn and pictured below (right).
When asked what her plans were for the future, Kerry shared that she has always wanted to make a peach flavored spirit, with farm fresh peaches. Perhaps this will be the year. I hope to try one of those at a future visit. Independent Spirits Distillery is open Fridays from 4-8 PM; Saturdays from 2-7 PM; and Sundays from 1-5 PM. To find out more about this South Jersey craft distillery, check out their website here: isdistillery.com
You can still download a copy of my ebook, New Jersey Uncorked, at the Apple iBook app for $8.99 with the coupon code Winter21.
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