EAST WILLIAMSBURG — Homegrown rum distillery The Noble Experiment has opened its doors to the public.
The company, which produces Owney's Rum at 23 Meadow St. in East Williamsburg, debuted a tasting room and "daq shaq" at the front of its distillery with a soft opening last week.
The small, simple space features a bar and a large family-style table that used to be used for staff meetings, said distillery founder Bridget Firtle, 31.
Firtle, who wears a necklace spelling "daiquiri," launched the rum company in 2012 and recently decided to open up the front to introduce locals to her rum, she said.
Beyond the tasting room, Firtle's also increasing the number of distillery tours to five per week, she said.
"A big part of my goal for the company is to generate awareness about rum and educate how rum is made," Firtle said. "It's super powerful to do that on site."
The bar's drink menu will be simple, as a way to highlight the rum.
For now, it features one classic daiquiri, one special cocktail or punch, a rotating list of local canned beers and a $10 beer-and-shot deal.
The bar will be open on Thursdays and Fridays from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m., and on Saturday and Sundays from 2 p.m. to 12 a.m. Tours, which cost $25 and include a cocktail, will happen at 6 p.m. on weekdays and 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. on weekends.
Firtle said she fell in love with the idea of growing rum's profile when analyzing the beer, wine and spirits industry as a hedge fund analyst. She realized that the booming craft spirits movement largely seemed to neglect her booze of choice.
Soon after she launched Owney's, which is now available in 10 states and four countries. The rum is made using molasses from Louisianna and Florida, and is largely sold to restaurants and bars that adhere to the farm-to-table movement, Firtle said.
People who are interested in it tend to seek out new experiences from a company that's transparent about how it operates, she said.
And the neighborhood is filled with artists who might just want to try something new, too.
"We're craftsmen," Firtle said. "This neighborhood is full of artists who are interested in that. Distilling is an art. It's a natural fit."
