click to enlarge - Courtesy Of Hooker Mountain
- Hooker Mountain distillery's bottled output
In late 2016, Cabot's Hooker Mountain Farm Distillery became Vermont's first grain-based distillery to produce spirits using entirely farm-grown materials. This past spring, farmers Carrie and Kempton Randolph introduced a spirited CSA, which offers members a monthly share of the distillery's output at a preordained price. Now, they're bringing their business to the Marshfield Village Store, where they will open a tasting room this Thursday, September 13.
From a small bar in the back corner of the store, the Randolphs will offer samples and retail bottles of spirits distilled from farm-grown grain, maple, produce and dairy. Carrie Randolph said the bar's debut offerings will include a popular spruce "gin" flavored with spruce, hops and lemon balm. The bar will also offer maple cream liqueur, Whey Good maple liqueur, a coffee liqueur blended with beans from Newport's Mari Juliza Coffee Roasters, and select ciders and wines from local orchards and vineyards.
The idea is to bring the distillery's products to a broader audience, Randolph said. Until now, the Randolphs sold their liquor mainly at farmers markets and their on-farm tasting room. (The latter will now be closed except for special events.) "We've been [working on] a heavily direct sales model," she added. "The farm is great, but it is hard for people to make their way down the dirt road."
Later this fall, the distillery will partner with the store to host special events with cocktails and food. Both also will be available at the tasting room's grand opening party in early October.
Regular hours will be Thursday through Sunday afternoons.