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Greenville is an impressive pasture for foodies. Naturally, foodies deserve a comparable selection of unique and exciting drinks with which to wash these eclectic foods. Luckily, Greenville’s adult drink scene easily holds up.
I selected seven establishments with an above average wonder factor, based on my personal experience. These came by word of mouth, passed on by locals who love to share their favorite finds. Everyone is different in the product and the process. What they all have in common is that they belong to families or partnerships of two, all passionate about what they do and determined to provide high quality products.
To note: Some of the establishments mentioned below have generously welcomed my husband and I. However, all opinions are entirely my own.
1. The Copperhead Mountain Distillery
A 20 minute drive from Greenville is Travelers Rest at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains. There is a perfect postcard frame you will find Copperhead Mountain Distillery distilling rum, vodka and moonlight. Copperhead uses Tennessee Fat Boy copper stills to make these spirits, as opposed to the more familiar column stills.
The process for making whiskey and moonshine is essentially the same, however, most moonshines are clear and unaged. The term “moonshine” comes from the Prohibition era when the safest way to distill illegal whiskey was by moonlight.
Copperhead also produces moonlit boiled peanuts, jams, jellies, hot sauces, sweet pickles and award-winning chili. Call ahead for a tour and tasting. For $ 14, you’ll learn about the history of Copperhead and the products they make. You will also taste a wide range of its spirits and foods.
Copperhead makes 12 varieties of moonlight using natural flavors. Try blackberry or peach. Both smell and taste fresh fruit and glide smoothly.
2. Eagle Mountain Vineyards And Winery
Also located in Travelers Rest is Eagle Mountain Vineyards and Vineyards, bringing a line of six exclusive quality wines to the Greenville area. These are currently produced in California, but the ultimate goal is to harvest the flourishing grapes on the property for future wine production on site.
Eagle Mountain Winery’s unique offerings consist of four pillars: exceptional wine, high-quality casual dining at the restaurant currently under construction, indoor and outdoor sculptures by local artists, and live music weekends.
Five of Eagle Mountain’s six wines are specially created to accompany food: two traditional whites and three traditional reds. The sixth, a Canelli Muscat, is a light and refreshing sipping wine with hints of tropical fruits. Eagle Mountain’s bestseller is its exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon, with notes of vanilla, spices, dark chocolate, herbs and blackberry. This bold and full-bodied wine is worth bringing home.
Pro tip: For $ 14, you can enjoy five wines as part of a tour and tasting, which includes a full glass of your favorite wine.
3. The Southern Growl Beer Company
Fancy a craft beer and a quality hamburger in a friendly atmosphere with an optimistic atmosphere? Southern Growl Beer Company Brewery features 60 taps serving a variety of craft beers, ciders, house cocktails, wines and sodas. Add a menu that includes delicious burgers and chicken sandwiches with names as creative as the ingredients, and you are exactly where you need to be.
Located in the town of Greer, 12 miles northeast of Greenville, this friendly place where locals congregate exudes home-made. From furniture to 30 home-brewed beers, breads, buns, pickles and sauces, if you can eat it, drink it, sit on it, or watch it, chances are it was produced on the spot.
One of Southern Growl’s bestsellers is also one of the tastiest. Bury Me in Strata is a deep golden American IPA with a mild hoppy taste with notes of mango, melon, lemon and other fruits. If you are looking for something refreshing, look no further.
Fruity and sour, the tropical sauce hits the taste buds with sweet mango, tangy pineapple and a light hint of habanero in the back. The flavors, but not the heat, seem to intensify with each sip.
4. Spirits and liqueurs Vicario
Another fabulous find in Greer is Spirits and Liquors Vicario. His unique gin and 15 liqueurs are produced using all-natural ingredients organically grown from his local 7-acre farm and Villa Sant’Andrea farm near Cortona, Italy.
Treat yourself to a tour and a tasting for $ 16. After a discussion of Vicario’s fascinating history and the philosophy behind the products, you’ll head outdoors to learn about the various herbs and plants used to produce gin and liqueurs. Then in the 8,000 square foot warehouse, you will see exactly how they are made. The first thing you will learn is that Vicario spirits are macerated, not distilled. Materials and techniques will be outlined, and you’ll never look at liquor the same way again.
After taking a look around the room where most of the 200 herbs are drying, it’s time to taste. Herba Luisa, a lemon verbena, and Seville Orange are fragrant and lemony, while Dragoncello, made from French tarragon, has a sweet licorice flavor. The main ingredient in coffee liqueur is espresso, made on the spot, and is bold and rich in flavor. Monk’s Secret is minty with a hint of honey. And there are more. With the selection available, you are sure to find one or three that you will want to take home.
Pro tip: Vicario also sells olive oil and wine from his estate in Italy.
5. Wandering Bard Meadery
For something a little different try Wandering Bard Meadery. Located in Hampton Station, an abandoned cotton warehouse turned into a fashionable gathering spot, this friendly establishment infuses an old-fashioned drink with a touch of modern class. The main space is wide open with a balcony for additional seating. Quirky lighting – just like in home-made – adds a funky note, and a roller garage door opens to a common area where guests from the resort’s different businesses can mingle and enjoy live music.
Also known as honey wine, mead is what happens when honey, water, and yeast ferment. The resulting drink contains 12 percent alcohol.
Traditional mead is just the beginning of what Wandering Bard has to offer. The Meadery serves a selection of flavored meads from semi-dry to semi-sweet on tap, as well as meads aged in oak barrels and casks. It also produces a selection of ciders and cysers, a blend of mead and apple cider. Old World Bochet, a spicy mead, smells and tastes of cloves and other spices, something you could drink lightly warmed in front of a roaring fire.
Pro tip: Try a charcuterie board, flatbread pizza, or other house specialty to complement your mead of choice.
6. Birds Fly South Ale Project
Also located at Hampton Station is Birds Fly South Ale Project (BFS), where ancient brewing styles and techniques meet modern methods, starting with home-grown yeast. The result is 6,000 barrels per year of surprising and creative craft beers that you won’t find anywhere else.
BSF offers 14 draft beers, several of which are in rotation. Each beer has an interesting name and a story behind it.
If your tastes are turning sour, try Perch Watermelon Mint. It has a defined mint aroma and a hint of mint in the taste which relieves acidity. Blue Prince is an IPA with guava and is always on tap. It’s a little fruity but not at all sweet. Nights Like These is a stout with a hint of coffee that takes over
7. Separate cider house
Located just minutes from downtown in the booming village of West Greenville, Distinct Cider Room offers a new refreshing drink option in the Greenville area. The only auction room exclusively dedicated to cider, Distinct Cider Room serves a variety of unique ciders on tap.
If you’ve tried cider and rejected it because it was too sweet, Distinct’s offerings will delight your taste buds. Semi-dry with a soft carbonation, these ciders will not make you run to the dentist. Try the cherry lime which produces a nice little crease. Other fun flavors include orange cream, peach, pear, blackberry, and strawberry.
A small indoor room seats 16 and the outdoor 30. Distinct does not serve food, but you can bring your own to accompany your choice of cider.
Pro tip: Not sure which beer, cider or mead to try first? Order a flight to help you decide.
There are many places in South Carolina that have fun and unique activities:
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