Kings County Distillery makes whiskey in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, at 299 Sands St. Founded in 2010, it is New York City’s oldest operating whiskey distillery. Tours and tastings introduce you to how whiskey is made, from the ingredients and distilling equipment to barrel aging and blending. You can sample spirits such as bourbon, Empire Rye, moonshine and chocolate whiskey, then settle in at the Gatehouse bar for a cocktail. The compact setting makes for an intimate visit, with a chance to ask questions along the way.
A whiskey distillery in the Navy Yard
Kings County Distillery began making whiskey in 2010. It is New York City’s oldest operating whiskey distillery and was the city’s first whiskey distiller to begin production after Prohibition. The distillery is based in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, where its spirits are made in the historic Paymaster Building.
The operation started on a small scale, and its current lineup ranges from unaged whiskey, often called moonshine, to bourbon, single malt and Empire Rye. Its compact footprint is part of the appeal: a tour brings you close to the equipment and the work behind each bottle.
What happens on a tour
Tours explain the stages of whiskey production, including how ingredients are mashed, fermented and distilled, then aged in barrels. You can see the distilling facilities and barrel room, examine the ingredients used in a mash bill and, on some tours, taste moonshine before moving on to the whiskey tasting.
The tasting is a chance to compare styles and notice how their flavors differ. Guides explain distinctions such as the difference between rye and bourbon, and help beginners put words to what they taste. There is time to ask questions, so bring along anything you have wondered about whiskey, its production or its history.
New York grain and distinctive spirits
Kings County uses New York-grown grain in its whiskey, including corn, and traditional distilling equipment such as pot stills. Its spirits include bourbon, Empire Rye and single malt, alongside moonshine and flavored whiskeys. The lineup has included peated bourbon, which brings a smoky character associated with some Scotch whiskies, and chocolate whiskey made with ground cacao-bean husks from nearby Mast Brothers Chocolate.
The tasting room and Gatehouse bar give you another way to explore the range. Order a tasting flight to compare spirits, or choose a cocktail; seasonal drinks have included combinations made with flavored whiskey or moonshine. The bar also serves coffee and non-alcoholic drinks such as bitters-splashed soda.
Preguntas frecuentes
Where is Kings County Distillery?
It is at 299 Sands St in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Brooklyn.
What can you taste at Kings County Distillery?
The range includes bourbon, Empire Rye, single malt, moonshine and flavored whiskeys such as chocolate and coffee whiskey.
What do you see on a distillery tour?
Tours cover whiskey production and tasting, with access to the distilling facilities and barrel room.
