Most of us have been on wine tours and of course have visited a brewery or two, but have you checked out a distillery tour?
It was time to plan another “date night” and I was looking for something different than the typical foodie hang out, winery or brewery. I came across a deal online for a distillery tour and decided to choose that for our upcoming “date night” plans.
So, you’re probably wondering- How was it?
Well, read the story below to get the scoop!
Distillery-Brewery-Winery
A few years back, no matter where you went you were hearing about a new brewery popping up, And although the interest in craft beer is not going anywhere, a new craft craze is right on its heels: distilling.
The craft-beer industry no doubt paved the way for craft liquor.
Never heard of a DISTILLERY? Where have you been?!!!! Let me fill you in….
DIS·TILL·ER·Y
/dəˈstil(ə)rē/
A Place Where Liquor Is Manufactured.
A craft distillery is a small-scale distillery producing single batches of high-quality alcohol.
The process of distilling spirits has been enhanced and perfected over nearly three thousand years. When making whiskey, it starts with mixing grains in a water mash, then applying heat to convert the starch in the grain to sugar. The grain is separated from liquid and yeast is added to convert the sugar to alcohol in fermentation. Once the fermentation process is complete, the liquid is loaded into the still. Then, through the process of fractional distillation, the alcohol is separated from the water resulting in a high-proof alcohol.
My Experience….
This past weekend I had the pleasure of touring Galway Spirits distillery in Temecula, Ca.
Tucked away in the back of an industrial center, you will find Galway Distillery. This location originally started off as a warehouse just for the distilling process. As interest grew, they decided to also add a section for the members and public to enjoy a craft cocktail and relax.
When you pull up, it may seem as if you are not in the right place. It’s as if you are going into the warehouse to pick up some parts. Don’t turn back though- I guarantee you once you walk through the doors, you will transition from industrial park into a chill place with good spirits! (both alcohol & People!) It’s an inviting, warm and friendly atmosphere. Lots of seating and of course a bar!
Welcome to Galway-
Once we entered Galway, the hospitality started!
Welcome, come on in!
As soon as we arrived, we were greeted by a cheerful smile. Welcome, come on in!
After chatting for a few minutes we introduced ourselves. I found out that the gentleman that greeted us with that cheerful smile, was the Front House Manager- Juan.
Juan shared with us the history of Galway, told us about the distillery and the process and then welcomed us to sit down and get ready for the TASTING!!!!
The first thing you will notice is some interesting looking “fixtures”. These actually are the equipment that they use to distill the alcohol.
If you’re like me, after noticing the cool shiny fixtures, you will also notice the BAR! Even though it is an industrial building, it is very inviting and relaxing.
This is a nice place to unwind after work, grab a few cocktails with friends or the perfect atmosphere to chill and mingle with guests.
Grab something to go-
They not only have their bottled Spirits for purchase, they also carry shirts, glasses, honey, olive oil and a few other goodies that you can pick up for gift giving.
Menu-
They do not offer a food menu, but I will share a secret with you… They do have some mighty tasty offerings at their “pick up parties”.
FYI-My husband and I were on a date night and had planned to do a tasting and then head to the movies. We enjoyed our time there so much, that our visit extended into the late evening! So plan to enjoy yourself! We also meet some great new friends!
CRAFT SPIRITS-
– Lets get to it!!
We started off doing a “tasting” which consisted of 8 “Samples” (very generous pours) of their signature craft spirits. If you are new to “Craft Spirit tasting” like I was, the staff is very helpful and walks you through the process, so that you are able to truly enjoy the uniqueness of the flavors.
As I mentioned earlier, we had the pleasure to meet numerous staff members during our visit and everyone was friendly.
Justin was our ‘Bartender” and made us feel like VIPs! He greeted us and explained the “tasting” to us. It is similar to “wine tasting” as you do smell the rich aromas of the Spirits, as you inhale the essence; Let it sit on your palette for a few minutes and enjoy the first sip.
As he presented each “Craft” Spirit, Justin explained the specific product and the process of it. We started off with Vodka. I was pleasantly surprised by the flavor, and the tad hint of natural sweetness.
Next we moved on to the “flavored” Vodkas, and then the Gin, Whiskey and Bourbon. We ended with a few more flavored Vodkas and even had a special treat of tasting 2 additional “seasonal” Vodka’s- Peppermint and everyones favorite, this time of year- Pumpkin Spice. Two great flavors to stock up on for the Holidays!
I was very impressed with the taste and quality of the alcohol. It most defiantly was quality “Craft” alcohol.
Craft Cocktails-
Have you ever had a “smoke infused” Old Fashion?
Lucky me, SURPRISE!!! it was“pick up day”, so I had a chance to see what the event was all about!
What makes Galway unique?
Galway Craft Spirits are distilled in a “pot still” which allows them to remove certain unwanted compounds that are not removed from large production commercial distilleries. Hence, the resulting alcohol is purer. They constantly strive to further improve the distillation process on the quest for the perfectly-flavored spirit.
Guess what else?
This is great news for some-
Galways Vodka is also GLUTEN FREE!!! No grains.
All Spirits are made in house. The equipment that you see in the lounge area are working stills. (Remember the “interesting looking things” I mentioned at the beginning of the blog? Well these are where the “magic” happens! Right here in house! Pretty cool, huh?
Did you know that Gin is vodka? Yes, that’s right! To be considered “Gin” it needs to have “Juniper” in it. I don’t want to ruin the “taste surprise” but I will tell you that their gin is VERY unique!! *It was one of my favorites!
Galways Rye Whiskey is only made with 1 type of rye and aged 18 months, so it has a very unique flavor. *I also really liked the Rye Whiskey.
The Bourbon is barrel aged for 15 months in Oak.
Ready for this?
Did you know that Vodka is typical made with potatoes? Well, guess what? Galway makes their VODKA with GRAPES! Not just any grape, but they use the “whole grape” to enhance the flavor.
Honestly, I don’t think that I have ever had a Vodka that was made with grapes! So this was something new to me, as well as a treat!
Fact-
Vodkas are typically made with potatoes, only 30% or less of Vodkas are made from corn, wheat or grapes. Typically when using grapes, it is just the skin. Not the whole grape.
Some of the selection-
A few of their “recipes”
Interesting Facts-
Craft distilleries now have the same rights as Breweries and Wineries
Some may not know this, but before 2015 small batch distilleries were illegal.
2015 signaled a new era for local small-batch distillers. Assembly Bill 1295, also known as the Craft Distillers Act of 2015, went into effect on January 1, 2015 for California, reversing archaic liquor laws that date to the early 1930s.
Prohibition
Prior to the ruling, distillers were forbidden to sell products directly to customers due to Prohibition-era state and federal tied-house laws and California’s “three-tier” system. The system strictly separates production, distribution, and retail sales in order to prevent vertical integration (when the supply chain of a company is owned by that company), an arrangement that foments monopolies and made it possible for suppliers who operated their own distribution to report theft as a means of accounting for black-market sales. Today, the regulations serve as an outmoded hindrance to small-batch distillers.
Overall experience-
Throughout the day and into the evening, Juan walked around and greeted the guests, he was continuously checking on each of his guests and making sure that they were happy and enjoying themselves. He defiantly has a lot of passion for the company as well as takes pride in his position as Front House Manager.
Shout out to our Bartender Justin. He greeted us with a smile, showed us superb service, educated us on Galways Spirits and of course, don’t let me forget- Made some Bomb “Craft cocktails”!
I was sold on the excellent customer service, but it made it even better that the cocktails were A+!
When in the Temecula, Ca. area make sure to drop by and try one of Justins signature drinks. Even better, if you are a local-check out their distillery membership!
Temecula is a 45min drive from San Diego, 1 hr from Orange County and approx. 2 hours from Los Angeles.
Events-
Galway distillery hosts many events throughout the year. They also have space available for meetings and other special events.
Make sure to LIKE them on FB and check out their website for upcoming events.
https://www.facebook.com/GalwaySpirits/
https://www.galwayspirits.com/distillery
TASTING HOURS
Wed, Thur, Fri 3-9 PM (Call to confirm)
Sat 12-9 PM
Sun 12-9 PM
Closed: Monday & Tuesday
Until the next adventure my friends…. SALUD!
xo, Christy
https://www.chasingthesunshineblog.com
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