Craft distilling is one of the fastest growing and most interesting industries in St. Louis. The movement combines the hefty spirit of a pre-prohibition distiller with the smart, glittering image of a 21st century entrepreneur. Locally, the push is on to combine fresh, local ingredients in small batch production to produce truly unique flavors.

To help us explore the resurgence of the classic cocktail, the organizers of St. Louis’ fifth Craft Spirits & Cocktail Celebration have invited everyone to a series of events, kicking off with last weekend’s Classic Cocktail Party in Lafayette Square. The event highlights this growing popularity of craft spirits and craft cocktails, but the twist here is that all the cocktails served were made using locally crafted spirits.

But first, we also want to invite you win two free tickets to Punch In The Park, which takes place this Sunday from 1-4 in Lafayette Square. You can enter to win here:

Now it’s your turn to enjoy these skillfully made cocktails using the recipes created by the distillers themselves using their own craft spirits.


10374901_778382725606124_4219511155445490273_nStilL 630 Distillery
1000 S. 4th Street
St. Louis, Missouri

This award winning distillery right in the shadow of the Gateway Arch is where you find some our area’s best whiskeys and rums. There small, hand-crafted batches have won multiple awards including the ACSA’s “2016 Best in Class Whiskey” award.

Goat’s Milk
2 oz. Big Jake Breakfast Brew
1/2 oz. simple syrup
1 dash Black Walnut Bitters
Scoop of vanilla ice cream

Soulard Rum Punch
2.5 oz. Soulard Island Rum
3 oz. pineapple juice
1 tbsp lime juice
Dash of grenadine


10350432_809554822401965_2974011270409010725_nPinckney Bend Distillery
1101 Miller Street
New Haven, Missouri

Located in New Haven’s scenic Riverfront Arts District, just next to the Missouri River, Pinckney Bend produces internationally acclaimed, hand crafted spirits one small batch at a time.

Pinckney Bend Gin & Tonic
Fill a glass with ice and add 1 shot Pinckney Bend American Gin
1 shot Pinckney Bend Classic Tonic Syrup
4-5 oz. Club Soda
Stir, garnish with a lime wedge

3-Grain Bloody Mary
Pinckney Bend 3-Grain Vodka
House-made Bloody Mary Mix

Horsefeather
Pinckney Bend Rested American Whiskey
Cherry Heering
Ginger Beer
Bitters

Cask Gin Martini
Pinckney Bend Cask Finished Gin
Vermouth
Olive Juice
Stuffed Olive


11070183_885674434823326_3788914605219737881_nSt. Louis Distillery
755 Friedens Road
St. Charles, Mo. 63303

You’ll find two handcrafted micro-batch spirits here, Cardinal Sin Vodka – a unique, extremely smooth world class vodka and Cardinal Sin Straka, America’s first Starka vodka. Both are placed in new Missouri White Oak Bourbon barrels with a medium char, which transforms the clear spirit to amber and enhances the flavor profile with notes of vanilla, toffee, & banana.

Sideway’s Sin
Cardinal Sin Starka
Orange Liquor
Lemon Juice
Simple Syrup

Summer Sin
Cardinal Sin Vodka
Raspberry Limeade
Light Beer
Raspberries


13055188_1275046819172947_6193922731086176527_oMastermind Vodka
4262 State Route 162
Pontoon Beach, IL 62040

Mastermind believes you don’t need to be in Europe to craft great Vodka. They believe the best grains in the world are grown right here in the Midwest. That is why 8 years ago, Carl Levering and Joel Berrey crafted a plan to harvest that quality corn and create the best spirit the heartland can produce while staying 100% American, and local.

Perfect Summer
Mastermind Vodka
Peach Schnapps
Pineapple Juice
Cranberry Juice

The American Mule
Mastermind Vodka
Simple syrup
Fresh lime
Topped with ginger beer


12418904_1089987614386633_5051603782392680044_oThe Big O Ginger Liqueur

The Big O truly is artisan made by people who appreciate fine food, excellent wine, a great liqueur and of course good times. Crafted by St. Louisans Bill Foster and Kathy Kuper, The Big O is made from all-natural, fresh ingredients and artisan-crafted spirits.

Big O’s combination of ginger and other spices offers a sweet, warming interlude that reminds one of the Caribbean islands, the holidays, and good times.

She Gets Around
1 1/2 oz. The Big O
1 oz. bourbon, rye or scotch
3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
Combine all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass

Daiquiri-O
1 1/2 oz. Big O
1 1/2 Amber Rum
(Angostura 5-yr)
1 oz. fresh lime juice
Combine all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass

Warm Embrace
1 1/2 oz. vodka
3/4 oz. Big O
1/2 oz. Triple Sec
1/4 oz. fresh lime juice
1 oz. cranberry juice cocktail. Shake well and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.


15168_10152400587001204_2060762952925292588_nCrown Valley Distilling
13326 State Route F
Ste. Genevieve, MO 63670

Distilled in the picturesque village of Coffman, Missouri, Crown Valley has made its reputation in crafting delicious beers and spirits since 2009. They distill their spirits with the devotion and desire to bring the modern enthusiast and the classic connoisseur together.

Coldwater Cream
Coldwater whiskey
Vanilla Egg Cream
Half and Half
Spiced Simple Syrup

Strawberry Gin Cooler
Washtub Gin
Strawberries
Lime Juice
Mint Simple Syrup
Club Soda


11223873_736582716474537_4637240751815599093_oTom’s Town Distilling Company
1701 Main Street
Kansas City, MO 64108

Tom’s Town Distilling Company is Kansas City’s first legal distillery since Prohibition.

Drawing inspiration from the country’s most polarizing and corrupt political boss, Tom Pendergast. Tom’s Town distills and produces three spirits: Pendergast’s Royal Gold Bourbon, McElroy’s Corruption Gin and Eli’s Strong Arm Vodka.


Bittersweet Caroline

Pendergast Royal Gold Bourbon
Lemon Juice
Honey Syrup

Pinky Blitz
Eli’s Strong Arm Vodka
Blood orange ginger liqueur
Blood orange ginger shrub

Corruption Gimlet
McElroy’s Corruption Gin
Lime Juice
St. Germaine


11873768_1654010891484206_4035787003630935347_nDefiance Whiskey

This whiskey exploded onto the local scene in 2014 and quickly became a local favorite. The whiskey is aged in Missouri barrels and bottled and finished in nearby Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. What we get is a 90 proof high rye that is smooth, sweet, and approachable for modern drinkers.


Hurricane Lola

(Can be made in volume quantities and served over the crushed ice)
One part Defiance Whiskey
One part Orange Juice
One Part Pineapple juice
A dash of sweet & sour mix to taste
A splash of maraschino cherry juice to give “coral color”


419928_423868357687535_1849674713_nGrand River Spirits
428 Wood Road
Carbondale, IL 62901

For more than three years, True Kinship has been selecting local, high quality ingredients to produce a nationally award-winning whiskies. The focus on bourbons and whiskeys highlighting the true flavors of Southern Illinois grain and water. Starting with those local grains, they do all of their fermentation and distillation with a 60 gallon copper pot still. The un-aged and aged whiskeys are then cut with the legendary Carbondale water.

Bourbon Peach Tea
1 part True Kinship Young Boubon
1 1/2 parts Sweet Peach Tea
Garnish with mint.

Cranberry Lime Corn Whiskey
1 part True Kinship Original Corn Whiskey
1 part Cranberry Juice
Splash of Lime Juice
Lime wheel garnish


413161_294209020638350_1047596645_oSpirits of St. Louis Distillery
Square One Brewery & Distillery
1727 Park Avenue
St. Louis, Mo. 63104

The first legal distillery in Missouri since Prohibition, The Spirits of St. Louis are crafted in small batches, with the freshest ingredients they can find.


Mo Basil

MO Gin
Lime Juice
Basil Syrup
Orange Bitters

Neukomm Punch
J.J. Neukomm
Spiced simple syrup with black pepper, Allspice, Szechan pepper and Vanilla.

Hoptop Cooler
Hopskey
Elderflower Cordial
Grapefruit Juice
Pellegrino

Bittersweet Symphony
Midwest Wheat Vodka
Campari
Grapefruit Juice
Carbonated water


12042773_886643148081822_5429892310187867335_nR. Griesedieck Distilling
1240 Switzer Avenue
St. Louis, Mo 63147

The year was 1924. Prohibition was in full swing. If you wanted a drink you had to do it in secret. Raymond B. Griesedieck defied the National Prohibition Act and continued to supply beer to St. Louis and Chicago speakeasies until his brewery was raided. What his only son knew was that while his dad was caught bootlegging beer, he never got caught supplying his best customers with his distilled spirits run from his underground brewery. Now, those spirits are back!

White Dog Old Fashioned
2.5 oz. Old Scenter White Dog
1 sugar cube
3 dashes of Bitters
1 strip lemon zest
1 orange slice
2-3 oz. club soda

Silver Streak Vodka Martini
2 oz. Silver Streak Vodka
.5 oz dry Vermouth
Olives

Hemingway Daiquiri
2 oz. Warbler Rum
3/4 oz. fresh grapefruit juice
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
1/4 oz. Luxardo
1/4 oz. simple syrup
Lime garnish