Ethanology Distillation

"Ethanology is always a great spot to grab a cocktail. Their menu is always really creative and they source local ingredients to make their drinks and spirits. The bartender today gave us two tastings of their gin and barrel aged gin after chatting about it. Everyone who works here is always very personable and passionate about the spirits. My husband and I are not fans of gin typically, but we would definitely drink the gin here. We always love to sit in the loft area with some games and cool decor."

"Second visit and this time we did the tour! Nick and Jerri were incredibly knowledgeable. The tastings were amazing and once again did not disappoint. I love that they are so passionate about local sourcing and it shows on their finished product!"

"Most of the staff is friendly. Katie is a a doll! It’s nice to see her familiar face. The owner Nick is ALWAYS genuinely welcoming. No superficial long greeting, just a brief friendly acknowledgment which makes the locals feel valuable. Drinks may take more time to prepare than the average establishment, but it's well worth the wait! My husband and I appreciate their ingredient transparency. Scanning their creative, locally sourced, seasonal drink menu is part of the fun! Because of Ethnology, I literally hesitate to drink mixed cocktails at other establishments because they don't compare. Literally, two nights ago, I walked out on a full cocktail at The Parlor in TC after paying exactly what I would pay for a fantastic cocktail at Ethnology. Charcuterie board is decent. I would love to see the inclusion of local fruit and/or veggies. Did I mention that well behaved, leashed dogs are allowed on patio?! We very much enjoy bringing ours every now and then. We also take satisfaction in meeting other pups when applicable."

"First time I went here was for a Halloween party! It was cool to see the place decorated but it was quite busy and a little difficult to get a drink. Drinks were quite pricy for the size but pretty good tasting. Because it was cold we stayed inside and it was a little cramped and loud but otherwise fine."

"The Spirits are good and the mission is clear. Single source spirits with ingredients from within a 33 mile radius, and they do not suffer from this restriction. We did the guided tasting, and you should too. It was nice to get the full explanation while we tasted the spirits, which were presented neat, one at a time, with soda water as a palette cleanser. In time I would bet that this guided tasting will be reduced to a truncated explanation along with a flight, but I could be wrong. It just seemed like a lot of time to give to one small group, and I don't know how they are able to devote so much time to it. That said, we were given more than our money's worth in spirits and knowledge and it was great. So, in case they do stop offering this, go do it! We brought our 9 year old son, and during the guided tasting, he had questions which were generously answered in a digestible way. We appreciated the patience. They also have non-alcoholic versions of a few of their cocktails as well, which is a very good thing in my opinion, and not just for kids. The whole vibe of the place is like a trendy brewery look, with the rustic wood and corrugated metal, with accents of an old world herbalist apothecary. I liked the texture of the space almost as much as the libations. I would love to have a drink with the person curating all the random things and hear about where and when they were gathered... Or maybe I prefer to imagine their origins instead, I'm not sure. We did not plan to like the Mel, but is was the clear show stopper and so, we forked of over the 90 bucks for a bottle, and will likely return when it runs out. Is it a 90 dollar bottle by comparison to international offerings? maybe not, but does it deserve its price tag based on the rest of the mission, coupled with the unique taste, tannins and texture? Absolutely. Some reviewers have pointed out that there is an arrogance problem at Ethanology, and I will admit that I could smell a dash of it right when I walked in, but it seems to be born out of a dedication to their mission, and probably a steady stream of folks that just don't get it. I did not find their pride in what they do to be off-putting, and it seemed to me to be earned, so take it with a grain of salt, or go do better on your own! Overall, we'll be back, likely on an annual basis, for a cocktail and a bottle. For reference, its about an hour drive for us which shouldn't be a big deal, but we like to stay close to home. Still, we'll make the trek. We're bitters fans, so we're hoping they'll offer their hose made bitters for sale some day as well. Also, the space was clean, including the bathrooms. This is not a minor detail. Summary: good spirits go now take plenty of cash and have a snack on the way."