It’s likely you’ll start seeing more distilleries taking the restaurant route. In November, a law finally passed that dissolved antiquated regulations and allowed distillers to create their equivalent of a brewpub. Several local distillers were involved in that legislative process, including Ryan Lang, head distiller and co-owner of Middle West Spirits, Columbus’ newest distillery-turned-bar.
After several years of planning, Middle West Spirits announced the grand opening date for their Service Bar. In October, the Short North bar and expanded production facility will be open for tours, tastings, and dinner service.
“This is the most exciting way to be able to share what we make and what we’re passionate about in a way that’s relevant to people,” said co-owner Brady Konya. “Very few people drink warm vodka straight from the bottle, and that’s what we’ve been required to do for eight years. It’s really hard to demonstrate your potential when you’re serving product in a way that people don’t ever actually use it.”
Open five nights a week, the Service Bar will offer a diverse menu that includes items like a prime ribeye cap, crispy ribs and lamb dumplings. Konya admitted that he and Lang aren’t necessarily restauranteurs, but they’re developing a way to incorporate their tours and tastings with their food, potentially in the form of pairings or private tastings in their 12-seat dining room.
The restaurant also includes a main dining room that seats 66 and offers more room at the full service bar. Roughly 18 more will be able to fit on the patio.
Probably the biggest, most noticeable change in their facility on Courtland Avenue is their production room, which grew by several stories and required more than $3 million to fund.
Middle West Spirits will open the service bar on Thursday, October 5. It’ll operate Wednesday through Sunday until 10 or 11 p.m. Late night bar and food service is still under consideration.
For more information, visit middlewestspirits.com.