Earl Giles opens distillery, apothecary and restaurant in Northeast Minneapolis

After four years of anticipation, an enormous distillery, cocktail apothecary, restaurant and plant haven is now open in Northeast Minneapolis.

Driving the news: Earl Giles, the Twin Cities-based bottling company that's been creating non-alcoholic syrups and elixirs since 2015, is hosting a grand opening today to celebrate its new 18,000-square-foot facility.

• The distillery makes over 300 non-alcoholic extracts in-house and a host of spirit-free drinks, which it bottles and cans on-site.

Flashback: Earl Giles was open under a catering license in July, but had to shut down in August because it couldn't get a liquor license in time.

• It reopened for lunch and drinks in September, but the entire facility is now ready to show off.

What to expect: A chill, family-friendly space to try unique drinks you can't find anywhere else, using ingredients you probably didn't know could work in a cocktail.

• During my interview with co-owner Jesse Held, an employee came by to test a hickory spray the facility was working on to add a scotch-like flavor to beverages.
• The seasonal food menu is half pizza, half shareables, with a long list of non-alcoholic concoctions like phosphates and tonics on draft.

What he's saying: "We wanted this place to be an escape, instead of a cavernous warehouse where you can get a drink. It's going to feel summery here all year round," Held told me.

• Fun fact: It has a plant specialist care for the jungle — the 400 plants take a full day to water.

What's next: Earl Giles is adding a coffee menu next week and more electrical outlets throughout in hopes of attracting the work-from-anywhere crowd.