Atlantan Justin Staples worked for Bacardi and consulted for other spirit companies and vineyards. He admired the way Napa Valley vineyards invite visitors into their space and walk them through the wine-making process from grape to drink. In contrast, he noticed that distilleries used most of their space for production, saving only about 15 percent for tasting and sales. He's set to offer a different take on a distillery with the opening of Block & Drum in Chamblee in the fall. The consumer-focused space will feature a hydroponic farm for growing produce to use in the alcohol, a music-themed tasting room, courtyard with a stage for live music, and three container kitchens providing a changing lineup of food offerings. A coffee bar opened in December 2023.
Located in a 40-foot shipping container, the hydroponic farm embraces urban farming and sustainable agriculture techniques such as rainwater harvesting to grow up to three acres of produce. Block & Drum visitors will be able to visit the farm, smell the fresh botanicals (mint, basil, dandelion, honeysuckle), and even pick some to create a custom bottle of liquor (think honeysuckle vodka).
"We wanted to connect people to the raw natural product," Staples explains.
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