St. Augustine, Florida is the oldest city in the United States. It is extremely fascinating to think about the generations of people that have walked the shores and streets. It was cool to see a stone fort along the inlet that has protected Florida since before it was a state. Traveling this beautiful country is amazing.
St. Augustine is a magical city filled with the old and the new. Part of that new is the St. Augustine Distillery. There they make vodka, bourbon, gin, and rum. If you get there early enough you can take a tour of the distillery.
I did not make it there in time for the tour but luckily for me they also have a bar / restaurant located inside called Ice Plant.
Inside is a beautiful, industrial feeling place. There are beams on the ceiling and walls. The bar was a tall wooden, decorative piece that reminded me of something out of a 1920s bar.
The bar staff was an entertaining group. When they made cocktails, they put a lot of care into each ingredient they used. Watching them shake cocktails in unison was funny.
The drink menu alone had six different options for ice. Each one was used in a different cocktail. The coolest thing I watched the bartender do was make an ice ball. A cube of ice is put into an aluminum press that melts the ice and molds it into a ball. I took a video to show the process. You can check it out on my Twitter page (@GatorGirl_Swamp).
Because I missed the opportunity to tour the distillery my bartender let me sample each one of their homemade liquors. They all tasted wonderful and were smooth. My favorite was the vodka.
They did have a menu with a few small bites to try. While they sounded wonderful, I had already eaten so I was not very hungry. However, the few items I saw looked delicious.
I wanted to try one of their hand crafted cocktails. I ordered the Florida Mule. It used St. Augustine Distillery vodka, ginger, lime, and soda. The bartender took a sprig of mint, slapped it on the bar, and then added that to my cup.
This was a great tasting mule that was extra cold because of the copper mug. The vodka was smooth and paired well with the tanginess of the ginger.
Ice Plant is a fun environment to enjoy food, drinks, and friends. I would definitely want to go back to experience the food and another crafted cocktail. If you are visiting St. Augustine I would recommend you stop by. I plan on going back so I can take the distillery tour.
Enjoy!
T
