Colorado distilleries like their brethren in the state’s vibrant craft brewery industry offer many terrific places for groups to sip, sample and gather. It’s hard to beat the local vibe, neat spaces and flexible food options.
Dry Land Distillers is one of the newest options, recently opening a tasting room and cocktail lounge inside its new distillery at 519 Main St. in Longmont. Kelly Dressman is serving as events manager.
The Numbers
The 3,000-square-foot venue can accommodate 65 people, with the tasting room/cocktail lounge seating 35 adjacent production area/barrel room holding 30. In addition, an outdoor patio hosts up to 16 guests.
The Space
The tasting room is a 1960s-style cocktail lounge with décor reminiscent of the “Mad Men” era and a layout that encourages connections and conversation while offering areas for quiet conversation. Native woods warm the space, and lighting is a mix of vintage and modern fixtures. Groups can access the vintage sound system (a tube amplifier) with a Bluetooth music player or utilize the vintage vinyl record player.
Separated from the tasting room by a half gate/wall, the distillery’s production space serves a dual role as a private event space. Guests can view the stills, tanks and equipment while mingling and enjoying cocktails and step into the barrel storage room to breathe in the aromas of aging whiskey barrels.
The Catering
Food must be prepared off-site by an independent catering company or other licensed food vendor and can be brought in for special events. The venue can coordinate food through a separate catering company, Dry Land Provisions, which can craft a custom food menu that pairs with Dry Land spirits and cocktails, or work with a group’s preferred catering company. Since Dry Land Distillers is a zero-waste facility, disposable flatware and tableware must be compostable.
