A new craft distillery opens Saturday, October 12, in historic downtown St. Augustine.
It’s called City Gate Spirits and the owners said Friday on First Coast Connect with Melissa Ross that their current product line includes flavored rums, vodka, and moonshine, all hand-bottled on site.
Under Florida law, the distillery on the north end of Saint George Street is currently the only place you can buy City Gate’s spirits.
It’s a state of affairs that irks co-founder Philip McDaniel.
“We’re limited to six bottles a year per person, which is kind of unthinkable in this day and age. We cannot ship the product which is frustrating to our guests. And we can’t sell a glass — which we would love to,” he said.
McDaniel said he plans to meet with state lawmakers in Tallahassee to explain the challenges facing craft distillers and encourage them to change the law.
City Gate Spirits is the second craft distillery to set up shop in St. Augustine. The St. Augustine Distillery opened nearly six years ago in a restored 1907 ice-plant on Riberia Street.
Contact reporter Cyd Hoskinson at choskinson@wjct.org, 904-358-6351 and on Twitter at @cydwjctnews.
