In the mood to do something fun this weekend? We found an awesome list of museums dedicated to the history of booze (shout out to Amy Zavatto’s article on Liquor.com).
1. Museum of the American Cocktail (New Orleans): New Orleans is the only city in the nation to have its own officially legislated cocktail, the Sazerac. Barman Dale DeGroff opened the country’s first museum dedicated to the cocktail. It’s located in Central City in he Southern Food & Beverage Museum. This place has it all, from antique bottles, books, openers and all other aspects of booze history. They also have rotating exhibits which means you can go more than once and see something new every time!
2. Fraunces Tavern Museum (New York City): NYC was once a significant site of Revolutionary War activity. Built in 1719, this tavern/museum’s namesake, innkeeper and entrepreneur Samuel Fraunces, took over the old stone building in the 1750’s which became a hangout for the Sons of Liberty. You can see the room where George Washington said farewell to his Revolutionary generals and view an actual silk slipper worn by Martha Washington herself. They also have special events, like learning the art of making colonial milk punch, or check out the working tavern with over one hundred beers and three hundred whiskeys.
3. Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History (Bardstown, KY): This Kentucky spot, named for the whiskey distiller and spirited historian Oscar Getz, is stocked with Getz’s own collectables from the Revolutionary War to Prohibition and beyond. There’s also anti/pro whiskey advertisements, legal documents and licenses, and the most interesting collections of old whiskey bottles in the country.
4. George Washington’s Distillery and Gristmill (Alexandria, VA): The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, American historians, and preservation-minded distillers are to thank for the restoration of the distillery that George Washington ran from 1797 to his death in 1799. Twice a year at this active distillery, manager of the historic trades, Steve Bashore, stokes the fires that fuel the olds ways of whiskey distilling. Even when they aren’t producing whiskey, a tour is well worth it to get an authentic glimpse into the past. And you can buy the booze too. But be warned: bottled history doesn’t come cheap but it sure does taste good.