Tempe distillery Adventurous Stills repairing after fire
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Peralta Bourbon and Blue Ridge blue corn whiskey from Adventurous Stills. Photo: Jeremy Duda/Axios
Tempe's Adventurous Stills, which touts itself as one of Arizona's only grain-to-bottle distilleries, is working to repair the damage from a fire in late April.
The big picture: Adventurous Stills' tasting room is closed while they do repairs, according to an email that went out to customers Monday.
- They initially hoped to reopen the tasting room by the end of May, though owner Kelly Lattig told Axios Phoenix that's "going to be a stretch."
- On the plus side, no one was hurt, they lost only a couple dozen bottles, and none of the whiskey casks were ruined, which would have been "devastating and very expensive," Lattig said.
Between the lines: Adventurous Stills doesn't make whiskey in the summer, so the fire won't have much effect on production plans.
Zoom in: For now, Wild Hare Distillery, also in Tempe, is hosting some of Adventurous Stills' upcoming events.
- The distillery is still accepting online orders as well, and pickups can be scheduled at Wild Hare.
Context: The fire was caused when evaporated distillate from a leaking still ignited, Lattig said.
- The pressure wave from the fire damaged walls, which must be replaced, and water damage from sprinklers was extensive.
Flashback: Adventurous Stills started in 2015, specializing in small-batch whiskeys and other spirits.
- Their flagship products, including Peralta Bourbon, Lost Dutchman Rye Whiskey and Fossil Creek Whiskey, are widely available at stores around the Valley.
- They also have periodic special releases throughout the year — if you're looking for something to belatedly celebrate Cinco de Mayo with, they've got a limited-edition cask strength Agave Añejo.
My thought bubble: I'm a big Adventurous Stills fan (because unlike some other Arizona-based brands, they distill here in the state rather than source their whiskey from elsewhere) and I wish them the best of luck in getting the damage repaired quickly.