American Gins & Distilleries in USA
On This Page: American Gin and Distillery directory, reviews and tasting notes, distillery tours in America, and industry insights with Chris Klug - Founder of Gothic Gin from California, Paul Hletko - Founder of FEW Spirits in Chicago, and Lance Winters - Master Distiller at St George in Alameda, California.
The US gin industry has grown significantly in recent years, ranging from traditional styles to the distinctive and bold styles that American gins are becoming well known for. As such a large and diverse county with a wide range of landscapes, botanicals and cultures, American distilleries are producing an impressive variety of gins. Many traditional distilleries that were making dark spirits are beginning to distill gin, while other distilleries have launched in the past decade that are dedicated to gin or focusing on gin production while ageing other spirits. And of course the US is also renowned for cocktails and mixology, with many classic and contemporary cocktails having their roots in the US, and the cocktail culture has helped gin to be enjoyed in a wide range of servings.
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American Gin - A to Z
- Aviation Gin - Buy | Garnish: Lemon or Lavender
- Bluecoat Gin - Buy | Garnish: Lime or Orange Peel
- Brooklyn Gin - Buy | Garnish: Grapefruit, Lime or Thyme
- Death's Door Gin - Buy | Garnish: Apple, Mint or Orange
- FEW American Gin - Buy | Garnish: Orange Peel or Lemon Peel
- Gothic Gin - Info & Review | Buy | Garnish: Orange Peel or Lemon
- Junipero Gin - Buy | Garnish: Lime or Orange
- Modern Love Gin - Info & Review | Buy | Garnish: Lemon Peel
- St George Botanivore Gin - Buy | Garnish: Bay Leaf or Lemon
- St George Terroir Gin - Buy | Garnish: Rosemary or Lemon
- Two Shores Gin - Buy | Garnish: Lemon or Grapefruit
The Gin Guide Awards - Best in the USA Winners:
- 2023 - Two Shores Gin
- 2021 - Modern Love Reserve Gin
- 2020 - Gothic Gin
Distilleries & Tours in America
Many distilleries in America are open to visitors for tours and tastings, especially on the east coast and west coast:
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Meet the Makers
Get to know some of the USA's finest gin creators and distillers in our 'Meet the Maker' interviews. Find out how they created and launched their gin, how it's made, what botanicals are used, what you can experience if you visit their distilleries, how best to serve their gins and what they have planned for the future
The Inside Scoop
With Chris Klug, Paul Hletko and Lance Winters.
We caught up with Chris Klug (left) - Founder of Gothic Gin in California, Paul Hletko (middle) - Founder of FEW Spirits in Chicago, and Lance Winters (right) - Master Distiller at St George Distillery in Alameda (California), to find out what makes American Gin special and how the industry has grown in recent years:
What is the history of gin in US?
Chris: "Gin made its way from England across the Atlantic to the colonies in the late 1700s. By the 19th century, gin's popularity in England had plateaued, but the history of gin in America was just beginning to flourish and gin enjoyed great popularity in the US throughout the century. In fact, it wasn't until 1967 that vodka overtook gin as gin's popularity declined throughout the 1900s, with vodka even replacing gin in staple cocktails like the Martini. Today, gin holds just a small share of alcohol sales in the US, behind vodka, whiskey and rum. However, the recent resurgence in craft cocktails and craft gin distilleries in America means that there's hope for gin to make its comeback."
Paul: "Gin has a long and storied history in the US, although it never attained the significance that gin enjoys in the UK. This has been changing over the past 20 years, especially with the onset of small gin producers such as FEW, and as spearheaded by gins like Bluecoat Gin and St George."
Lance: "It’s really only in the last 20-30 years that we have seen a widespread renaissance in distilling in the United States, and the creation of a variety of American gin brands. St. George released its inaugural run of our gin family in 2011: Botanivore, Terroir and Dry Rye Gin."
What's the US industry like now?
Chris: "The explosion of craft distilleries in American has correlated with a growth in boutique gin. Many distillers make and sell their gin while they are waiting for their whiskeys and bourbons to age. The recent success stories of Monkey 47, Aviation and others is attracting a lot of newcomers to the gin distilling market."
Paul: "The US gin industry continues to grow and is having a bit of a rebirth creatively. US drinkers are coming to gin again, after leaving the gin category for decades."
Lance: "Today, there is an incredible diversity of gin and brands on the US market, some which emulate established styles and others which really push the boundaries of what we know gin to be. At St. George, we are really interested in adding to the conversation of any spirits category. We find gin to be a perfect medium for creative self-expression.."
What's behind the growth of gin in the US?
Chris: "Celebrity endorsements. High profile mergers and acquisitions. Craft distillers making unique and high quality gins. Most other spirits have had their time in the sun and reached market saturation."
Paul: Craft distillers are behind the growth of the gin in the US. Many Americans have an undeserved reaction to gin after negative experiences in their formative years. This is changing as "new western" or "modern" or "American" gins are available, changing the perspective of what gin as a category is - too many Americans just associate "gin" with bottom shelf plastic handles, and the category of gin is much wider than that. There is a gin for every palate!"
Lance: "Gin has been a fairly stodgy category since the repeal of Prohibition, sort of an old man drink. While other spirit categories were seeing a revival in the US because of talented, creative bartenders, gin languished. It really wasn't until a handful of producers started pushing the boundaries of the category that the consumer started to really take notice. Since then, it's been a flurry of experimentation and discovery."
Do US Gins have a distinctive style?
Chris: "The American style is so broad and innovative with a bit of traditional American irreverence for tradition that they can not be placed in one bucket."
Paul: "Well, any great quality gin will have a distinctive style - otherwise, how will a consumer become a fan? I think there's a wide variety of gins in the US, ranging from some relatively "traditional" London Dry styles, to the rising category of citrus-forward American gins, to some rather out-there expressions that can really push the definition of what gin is, and what gin can be."
Lance: "Most US gins tend to stick to the tried and true. That said, we're starting to see more and more distillers pushing the envelope with flavor profiles. The US is a big place with a real diversity of people, so there is more potential than there being one distinctive style of gin."
Chris: "Gin made its way from England across the Atlantic to the colonies in the late 1700s. By the 19th century, gin's popularity in England had plateaued, but the history of gin in America was just beginning to flourish and gin enjoyed great popularity in the US throughout the century. In fact, it wasn't until 1967 that vodka overtook gin as gin's popularity declined throughout the 1900s, with vodka even replacing gin in staple cocktails like the Martini. Today, gin holds just a small share of alcohol sales in the US, behind vodka, whiskey and rum. However, the recent resurgence in craft cocktails and craft gin distilleries in America means that there's hope for gin to make its comeback."
Paul: "Gin has a long and storied history in the US, although it never attained the significance that gin enjoys in the UK. This has been changing over the past 20 years, especially with the onset of small gin producers such as FEW, and as spearheaded by gins like Bluecoat Gin and St George."
Lance: "It’s really only in the last 20-30 years that we have seen a widespread renaissance in distilling in the United States, and the creation of a variety of American gin brands. St. George released its inaugural run of our gin family in 2011: Botanivore, Terroir and Dry Rye Gin."
What's the US industry like now?
Chris: "The explosion of craft distilleries in American has correlated with a growth in boutique gin. Many distillers make and sell their gin while they are waiting for their whiskeys and bourbons to age. The recent success stories of Monkey 47, Aviation and others is attracting a lot of newcomers to the gin distilling market."
Paul: "The US gin industry continues to grow and is having a bit of a rebirth creatively. US drinkers are coming to gin again, after leaving the gin category for decades."
Lance: "Today, there is an incredible diversity of gin and brands on the US market, some which emulate established styles and others which really push the boundaries of what we know gin to be. At St. George, we are really interested in adding to the conversation of any spirits category. We find gin to be a perfect medium for creative self-expression.."
What's behind the growth of gin in the US?
Chris: "Celebrity endorsements. High profile mergers and acquisitions. Craft distillers making unique and high quality gins. Most other spirits have had their time in the sun and reached market saturation."
Paul: Craft distillers are behind the growth of the gin in the US. Many Americans have an undeserved reaction to gin after negative experiences in their formative years. This is changing as "new western" or "modern" or "American" gins are available, changing the perspective of what gin as a category is - too many Americans just associate "gin" with bottom shelf plastic handles, and the category of gin is much wider than that. There is a gin for every palate!"
Lance: "Gin has been a fairly stodgy category since the repeal of Prohibition, sort of an old man drink. While other spirit categories were seeing a revival in the US because of talented, creative bartenders, gin languished. It really wasn't until a handful of producers started pushing the boundaries of the category that the consumer started to really take notice. Since then, it's been a flurry of experimentation and discovery."
Do US Gins have a distinctive style?
Chris: "The American style is so broad and innovative with a bit of traditional American irreverence for tradition that they can not be placed in one bucket."
Paul: "Well, any great quality gin will have a distinctive style - otherwise, how will a consumer become a fan? I think there's a wide variety of gins in the US, ranging from some relatively "traditional" London Dry styles, to the rising category of citrus-forward American gins, to some rather out-there expressions that can really push the definition of what gin is, and what gin can be."
Lance: "Most US gins tend to stick to the tried and true. That said, we're starting to see more and more distillers pushing the envelope with flavor profiles. The US is a big place with a real diversity of people, so there is more potential than there being one distinctive style of gin."
Which US gins should international gin lovers get their hands on first?
Chris: "Well Gothic gin of course! Grey Whale Gin is also making a fine product. And FEW Aged Gin."
Paul: "I would definitely start with an American dry gin, as those will likely be more familiar to a traditional London Dry style drinker, and there's no better place than Bluecoat Gin. For a more adventurous pour, American Gins, such as our FEW American Gin or FEW Breakfast Gin, or St George Botanivore may well hit the spot!"
Lance: "Our St. George Terroir Gin. And you don’t have to take my word for it, GQ magazine called it “one of the most distinctive gins made in America”.
How do people like to serve gin in the US?
Chris: "Gin and Tonic, Martinis and Negronis."
Paul: "In the US, the most common serve is certainly the G&T, although Martinis are also popular, and the Negroni is rapidly gaining acceptance."
What gins from the outside the US are popular there?
Paul: "The usual exported gins are most popular here - Beefeater Gin, Hendricks Gin, Seagrams (aka Old Bumpy), Bombay Sapphire etc..."
Lance: "In terms of market share and growth, big brands like Bombay Sapphire and Hendrick’s Gin are doing well. But even these are introducing a kind of gateway to interested consumers to try more craft brands with smaller of production."
What Are there any particular gin events/festivals or bars in the US that you would recommend?
Chris: "Whitechapel in San Francisco is an amazing experience with a comprehensive portfolio of gin. The Gin Joint in Charleston, SC, is a great mixology experience in a quaint setting."
Paul: "In the US is there aren't really a lot of gin events or festivals, other than Gin World. For bars, I'd definitely suggest the Gin Room in St Louis."
Lance: "So many bars, so little time! In no particular order, Whitechapel in San Francisco, The Gin Room in St.Louis, and Scofflaw in Illinois."
Chris: "Well Gothic gin of course! Grey Whale Gin is also making a fine product. And FEW Aged Gin."
Paul: "I would definitely start with an American dry gin, as those will likely be more familiar to a traditional London Dry style drinker, and there's no better place than Bluecoat Gin. For a more adventurous pour, American Gins, such as our FEW American Gin or FEW Breakfast Gin, or St George Botanivore may well hit the spot!"
Lance: "Our St. George Terroir Gin. And you don’t have to take my word for it, GQ magazine called it “one of the most distinctive gins made in America”.
How do people like to serve gin in the US?
Chris: "Gin and Tonic, Martinis and Negronis."
Paul: "In the US, the most common serve is certainly the G&T, although Martinis are also popular, and the Negroni is rapidly gaining acceptance."
What gins from the outside the US are popular there?
Paul: "The usual exported gins are most popular here - Beefeater Gin, Hendricks Gin, Seagrams (aka Old Bumpy), Bombay Sapphire etc..."
Lance: "In terms of market share and growth, big brands like Bombay Sapphire and Hendrick’s Gin are doing well. But even these are introducing a kind of gateway to interested consumers to try more craft brands with smaller of production."
What Are there any particular gin events/festivals or bars in the US that you would recommend?
Chris: "Whitechapel in San Francisco is an amazing experience with a comprehensive portfolio of gin. The Gin Joint in Charleston, SC, is a great mixology experience in a quaint setting."
Paul: "In the US is there aren't really a lot of gin events or festivals, other than Gin World. For bars, I'd definitely suggest the Gin Room in St Louis."
Lance: "So many bars, so little time! In no particular order, Whitechapel in San Francisco, The Gin Room in St.Louis, and Scofflaw in Illinois."