Captive Spirits

This place is legit. Yes, it’s basically a garage (they are moving soon to a larger space) but I’m so glad I got to visit before that. Such awesome guys. The only thing that could have made it even better is if they offered a g&t at the end for purchase. They are going places people, trust me… it’s just too good not to become more and more popular. LOVE!!!

Andy (the husband) and I visited Captive Spirits when we snagged spots on the « Unilocal’s Got Spirit (s)» Tour of the town.
It was the first distillery tour that either us have ever been on, and it was incredibly fascinating. Ben, the owner, distiller, and tour guide was informative, while simultaneously lighthearted and informal.
If you’re coming here for the first time though, you should know that it is basically a house with a sign in the middle of a residential street kitty-​corner from the Brown Bear Car Wash. I know we drove by the place a few times that night before we realized we were in the right spot all along. Street parking is sparse, but we found an entirely empty parking lot out back (thanks to a quick call to Ben). Which, shoot. Was a secret until this moment…
When you first arrive outside of Captive, you are immediately surrounded by the scent and aroma of Juniper and Coriander. It’s spicy, sweet, and will make you crave Middle Eastern Food and Gin.
We were given samples of two of their Gins, and that Bourbon Barreled Big Gin is what Gin dreams are made of. It is aged in Bourbon barrels, which leaves a lovely caramel coloring and a sweet smoothness that was remarkably enjoyable.
While young, Captive Spirits is already winning a lot of notable awards, which is huge! Another congratulations goes out to them. And when you try their gin, you will understand why. It is nicely blended with such lovely aromatics of cassia, orange peel and punched up with plenty of Juniper.
A local business, doing what they love, and you can absolutely tell. We will be keeping our eyes peeled for bars and liquor stores that have them stocked.

How do you not love this little but award winning gin distiller? I am not a gin person, but Captive Spirits makes the most flavorful, outstanding gin I’ve ever tasted.
Funny story, about two years ago my beau, (huge gin monster) was wandering around the place and kindly Ben let him come in and buy a bottle. He was clearly working hard, but took the time to say hi and sell Eric a little hooch.
I hope the success continues to grow for this local crew, they deserve it.

I went on the Unilocal event to Captive Spirits and really enjoyed the tastings of their prize winning BIG GIN. Let me say, it has a BIG kick to it as seems really strong to me and I could only drink a couple of ¼ oz shots. If you’re a gin drinker this is a place you definitely need to go see and try and/​or buy.
I got the special opportunity to listen to the owner (see photos) give us a tour and he spent a good 20 minutes going through the entire process of making gin. We got to smell all the botanicals that go into the mix that makes the gin taste and it’s quite both a simple and complex process making great gin. His explanation of using the fans to cool the condensation tower to change the alcohol content was really interesting to me.
This is a hidden gem distillery in Ballard that you’ll hear about as it becomes more main stream.

Gin lovers unite! Captive Spirits is a little distillery off the beaten path in Ballard. If you’re a fan of gin, then this is the spot for you.
Makers of the BIG GIN brand of gins, Ben with Captive Spirits has been distilling since the days of prohibition! (just kidding) But he certainly does have a lot of pride and care with what he does, fine tuning each of his products to the best possible taste attainable. That’s why they only currently have two products. That’s why the gin has also received so many accolades across the country and even in England!
Definitely stop by for a tour and some samplings of the gin. Ben will definitely dork out and tell you all you ever wanted to know and more.

I had a lovely time on the Unilocal sponsored tour of Captive Spirits, the home of Big Gin. Ben was a wonderful host showing us all the ropes in creating some of the best gin in the world! Big Gin is great but that barrel aged Big Gin is amazing stuff! Find a bottle and share it only with good friends.

I have a few simple questions for you before you head to Captive Spirits: do you like gin? Do you like supporting local business? Do you like being the first to try something new that’s about to be the next big thing? If you answered yes to any of these the Captive Spirits is for you. Ben and his team create a great product that is quickly gaining world renowned. My hubby and I went here for a Unilocal event. It was pretty sweet! Want to try gin that will change you life? This may be the one. Check them out!

This lovely little distillery makes one of the Northwest best Gin’s. I recommend it highly. If you like Dry Fly you will love this one.