Door County is known for its numerous flourishing wineries, producing cherry and fruit wine from locally grown produce at small but mighty vineyards. Additionally, Wisconsin is renowned everywhere for its breweries and brewing culture, and there are a handful of local breweries in Door County that have established themselves as key players in the industry. But did you know that Door County is also home to two distinct distilleries? Perhaps you know them already, since their spirits can be found throughout the state—Hatch Distilling Co. and Door County Distillery. These distilleries attract thousands of visitors from all over the country to try their delicious and award-winning spirits, while maintaining their humble roots in Door County. Their rich histories and punchy cocktails make them a must-stop in any Door County visit!
Have You Heard the Buzz About Hatch Distilling Co.?
Hatch Distilling Co. is located in Egg Harbor, just down the road from the Landmark Resort. While they are open year-round, they’re only open from noon to 6:00 p.m. on weekdays and 7:00 p.m. on weekends. The team members describe themselves as “gentle and winter-hardy,” just like their bees.
That’s right—Hatch distills more than just spirits; they produce mead as well from their own bees. In fact, all of their spirits—bourbon, brandy, whiskey, vodka, gin, and mead—are all Wisconsin grown. Working with farmers just a few miles from their facility enables them to select choice corn, rye, and barley prime for distilling.
While their spirits and mead are distilled and bottled in house, you can also enjoy a drink or two at their trendy bar, in their comfortable lounge, or on the large outdoor patio. Most of their cocktails are on a rotating menu, but there are some must-try mainstays like the Hibisky Old-Fashioned, with house-made bourbon, hibiscus syrup, and bitters, made sweet or sour, and the Lavender Lemonade, with exquisitely sweet house-made limoncello, gin, lemonade, and lavender straight from Washington Island. If you love their cocktails, they even have some recipes on their website that you can make right at home!
Hatch Distilling Co. is only five years old, but they’ve established themselves as a premier distillery in Egg Harbor with a long and fruitful life ahead of them.
Open the Door to Door County Distillery
Opening their doors in 2011, Door County Distillery was Door County’s first distillery since Prohibition. Despite their young age, Door County Distillery has quickly risen the ranks as one of the most prominent and award-winning distilleries in the state of Wisconsin—in 2020, they were named Wisconsin Distillery of the Year!
They particularly specialize in vodka, which has won most of their awards, but they also make gin, whisky, brandy, and bitters. Like Hatch, each of their spirits is made with locally grown Wisconsin ingredients, and their facility and bar are open year-round, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily. Their Cocktail Garden is seasonal, closing in late October, and serves hand-crafted cocktails and cocktail flight samples, or some select wines if you are interested in their winery’s products. You can play lawn games like cornhole or giant Connect 4 during the summer or lounge by the fireplace in the fall (there are even some last-minute Halloween specials before the Cocktail Garden closes!).
Curious about the inner workings of the facility? Door County Distillery and Door Peninsula Winery offer FREE tours, which occur every day on the hour and share the storied history of both the distillery and the winery. You can upgrade your tour for less than twenty dollars, which includes a glass of wine, a spirit tasting, a shot glass, and a small bag of chocolate-covered cherries! After the tour, visit their shop to sample house-made cheese, cherry salsa, olive oil, fudge, and other tasty snacks.
Door County Distillery is one of the most multifaceted distilleries in the state, and sampling their products—from the food to the wine to the spirits—is always a delicious and fun time, for both experienced and beginning palates alike.