As brewery openings slow, Twin Cities distilleries look to take over
by Audrey Kennedy audrey.kennedy@axios.com
Axios Twin Cities - Sept 25, 2023
As the brewery boom slows, spirit-forward cocktail spots are swooping into the limelight.
What's happening: King Coil Spirits, a new distillery opening Friday from the group behind Lake Monster Brewing, is the latest in a wave of distillery-run cocktail rooms to open in the Twin Cities in less than a year.
Earl Giles debuted its enormous facility in November, which also includes a restaurant and apothecary, while bitters company Dashfire opened Elusive Botanical Bar in December.
Why it matters: The spaces have become the latest way for distilleries to play around with products and hone in on what people enjoy, owners told Axios.
By the numbers: The local openings coincide with a growing nationwide interest in craft spirits — more than 250 distilleries are expected to open in 2025, according to a 2021 study by London-based IWSR Drinks Market Analysis.
What they're saying: Elusive doesn't provide a large part of Dashfire's revenue, but the ability to test products with engaged consumers is invaluable, co-owner Lee Egbert told Axios.
"We're now able to launch a product on a small scale and get a sense of what people like before we make widespread decisions. The guests can be the guinea pigs," he said.
The intrigue: The Lake Monster Brewing team's move into distilling comes as demand for craft breweries has flattened, although co-owner Matt Lange said their taproom continues to do well.
Lange expects more distilleries to pop up, but the team isn't anticipating a sharp increase like the craft-beer boom, he said.
Zoom in: King Coil's mid-century modern space includes a large patio, two bars, each with its own cocktail selection, and a full kitchen primarily serving Roman-style pizzas.
The main drink menu features the distillery's 24 spirits, which focus on botanicals.
My thought bubble: I went to a soft opening recently and tried the Bitter Orange. It's a citrus fan's dream cocktail that features orange boba and orange foam on top.
Yes, but: The distillery isn't planning to distribute any of its spirits until they have a better sense of what people want, Lange said.
Details: King Coil Spirits opens Friday at 550 Vandalia Street, Suite 140, St. Paul.
https://casinotwint.com aside, the detail about Dashfire being able to launch a product on a small scale and use guests as guinea pigs is the smartest part of this whole distillery trend. I've watched local breweries struggle with exactly that problem, sitting on tanks of beer they can't move fast enough when tastes shift. King Coil holding off on distribution until they know what people actually want feels like a much safer bet than the old boom-or-bust approach.
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