Missouri is home to some of the most popular breweries in the world, but dedicated distillers are carving out a solid spirits reputation for the state by crafting whiskey, gin, vodka, and even agave liquor. With more than 30 distilleries across the state, there are plenty of spirits to sample, facilities to tour, and tasting rooms to visit year-round, including right here in the St. Louis metro area—StiLL630, Stone Ledge Spirits, Naked Spirits, Cardinal Sin, Godspeed Distilling, Big O, and a host of noteworthy labels from a range of brewers that have diversified with spirits among them. Whether you’re a seasoned expert or just dipping your toes in, here are some of the most notable craft distilleries in Missouri worth a short trip across the Show-Me State, whether a nearby day trip or a farther-flung weekend getaway.
Day Trip
Pinckney Bend Distillery | New Haven
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Three beer-brewing friends founded this well-regarded distillery in the early 2010s. Over time, the team has won awards for its vodka, gin, whiskey, and more. Visitors can blend and bottle their own whiskey in just a couple of hours.
Nobletons Distilling House | Union
The Union distillery has produced some of the region’s best bourbon for nearly a decade. The team recently opened a new space to the public, offering tours, tastings, and drinks made in its incredible bar.
Old Ozarkian Distillery | Union
This small-batch distillery not only sources the best corn to make its smooth whiskeys, but family and friends grow all of the heirloom, non-GMO corn that goes into its products. It’s hand-picked, hand-shelled, and hand-ground, ensuring that the utmost craftsmanship and care goes into the foundation of everything it produces. This old-school approach lets the distillery’s unique character—and the character of the land itself—shine through it its whiskeys.
Wood Hat Spirits | New Florence
Wood Hat prides itself on producing whiskey with native grains. Owner and agronomist Gary Hinegardner works tirelessly to preserve heirloom corn that previously flourished in the region, ensuring that every sip delivers a distinctly Missouri experience.
Weekend Getaway
Tom’s Town Distilling Co. | Kansas City
Named for the legend of Tom Pendergast, the political boss who controlled much of Kansas City in the ’20s and ’30s and kept the alcohol flowing there during Prohibition, the label launched in 2016. The next year, USA Today named it the Best Craft Vodka Distillery in the U.S., and its spirits won multiple industry awards. Today, guests can visit its tasting room and restaurant, in addition to its distillery experiences.
Mean Mule Distilling Co. | Kansas City
This laid-back distillery makes American agave spirits (which most closely resemble the taste of tequila), as well as gin, canned palomas, and more. Swing by its Southwest-tinged tasting room for expertly crafted cocktails and to pick up a bottle or two.
Restless Spirits | Kansas City
Proudly steeped in Irish tradition, Restless Spirits draws upon the Emerald Isle’s renowned whiskey tradition with its excellent Sons of Erin Irish Whiskey. Co-owner and master distiller Benay Shannon is not confined to that genre, though—her forays into other forms of whiskey have resulted in the city’s first single-malt, Gullytown, as well as an excellent gin and poitín (a traditional Irish moonshine).
J. Rieger & Co. | Kansas City
Founded in 1887, this distillery once dominated the mail-order liquor delivery industry. Now restored to its former glory, the distillery in KC’s historic West Bottoms draws travelers from all over to enjoy everything from whiskey blended with sherry to bourbon, gin, and vodka.
Holladay Distillery | Weston
Loaded with history dating back to the mid-1800s, the Weston distillery offers comprehensive tours showcasing the production process.
Missouri Ridge Distillery | Branson
Branson’s only grain-to-bottle distillery has made a name for itself as a must-visit in a city filled with entertainment destinations. The brand produces award-winning whiskeys, moonshines, beer, and barbecue.
Copper Run | Branson
Missouri’s first legally operating moonshine distillery located in the heart of the Ozark Mountains, Copper Run embraces the notion of terroir in its spirits. You’ll find that straight-from-the-still moonshine, albeit with a little more sophistication than the Prohibition-era black-market hooch often associated with the product. But you will also find whiskeys, bourbon, and rum, all made in small batches that allow you to taste the craftsmanship.
