Missouri Craft Distillers Guild Cuts the Ribbon on the State's Official Distillery Trail – Missouri Spirits Expedition

Missouri Spirits Expedition - Ribbon Cutting for Missouri Spirits Expedition Distillery Trail

Missouri, the Show Me State is famous for many things – the Gateway Arch, being the boyhood home to Walt Disney and Mark Twain. And now, it’s also the home to the Missouri Spirits Expedition the state’s official distillery trail of the Missouri Craft Distillers Guild.

The Guild officially kicked of the Missouri Spirits Expedition with a ribbon cutting ceremony on May 14, 2019 exactly 215 years to the day after Lewis & Clark and the Corps of Discovery set out on their bold expedition of exploration. The new distillery trail was created to let distilled spirits fans explore Missouri and meet the more than 30 craft spirits entrepreneurs who are putting their blood, sweat, and tears into building Missouri’s reputation as a premiere global destination for handcrafted spirits.

“We founded the Guild and then the Expedition so we can more effectively communicate the reality of what’s been quietly happening here in Missouri for some years,” said David Weglarz Co-Founder and President of the Missouri Craft Distillers Guild and Owner of StilL 630. “It’s important that our fellow Missourians and all the millions of people who visit our state each year realize the exceptional breadth and quality of spirits we produce right here in Missouri. Not to mention the incredibly unique and varied character of the distilleries.”

Stay Informed: Sign up here for the Distillery Trail free email newsletter and be the first to get all the latest news, trends, job listings and events in your inbox.

Visit All the Distilleries Get a Free Collaborative Bottle of Missouri Spirits Expedition Whiskey

Mark Twain - Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whiskey is barely enough

Being the Show Me state, they want to Show You why Missouri is the best state in the Union for distilled spirits. “We have the best American Oak in the world (it’s the home state for Independent Stave Company), we have the best grain in the country, and we make some of the most award-winning spirits in the nation, all right here in Missouri!”

To encourage craft spirits fans to see all the distilleries on the Expedition they are offering a free bottle of Missouri Spirits Expedition Missouri Bourbon Whiskey when visitors collect stamps from every distillery. Distillery tour fees vary by distillery but the Expedition stamps are free to participants (21+.) Once completed, you earn the right to a free bottle of Missouri Spirits Expedition Missouri Bourbon Whiskey – a truly unique collaborative spirit that is not available any other way!

Missouri Spirits Expedition - Gary Hinegardner Founder of the Missouri Craft Distillers Guild and Owner of Wood Hat Spirits — Gary Hinegardner Co-Founder of the Missouri Craft Distillers Guild and Owner of Wood Hat Spirits.

Missouri Spirits Expedition - Dave Weglarz President of Missouri Craft Distillers Guild and Founder of Still 630 — Dave Weglarz Co-Founder and President of Missouri Craft Distillers Guild and Founder of Still 630.

The Missouri Spirits Expedition is designed to promote tourism to all corners of this great state as well as supporting all the related businesses of restaurants, lodging, and other local attractions. It also highlights the vital role Missouri distilleries play as Value-Added agricultural businesses.

Weglarz said, “For StilL 630 specifically, we’re making improvements to our tasting room to create a better experience. I think this is extremely exciting and I love working together with the other talented distillers to build this Expedition that will outlive us. I feel it’s a great honor to have founded something that will become so historic as the Missouri Spirits Expedition. May 14th, 2019 will go down in Missouri history and I’m damn proud to have been a part of it!”

Missouri Spirits Expedition - Ribbon Cutting for Missouri Spirits Expedition Distillery Trail Under the St. Louis Arch — Ribbon Cutting for Missouri Spirits Expedition under the St. Louis Gateway Arch.

The historic kick-off event took place beneath the Gateway Arch along the riverfront near the Lewis & Clark Memorial. What a great place to commemorate the launching of this new, uniquely Missouri endeavor.