Connecticut Distilling’s Experimental New Gin is Coming to Connecticut This March

If you’ve ever wished gin could feel a little more Connecticut... a little more rooted, a little more unexpected, this one’s for you.

At Connecticut Distilling, we’ve been quietly working on something very fun and experimental: a new gin distilled from beer and finished with a lineup of locally sourced botanicals. It’s bold, clean, and wildly different from what you’d expect if your only reference point is “classic London dry.” It still lands where a gin should land, bright, citrusy, aromatic, crisp, but it takes a detour through the world of craft brewing and local agriculture to get there.

And yes: it’s launching very soon, rolling out all around Connecticut in March. But if you’re the kind of person who likes being first, there’s a way to taste it sooner.

An Experimental Gin That Starts as Beer

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: gin distilled from beer.

Most people think gin begins with a neutral spirit—something clean and blank, like a perfectly empty canvas. That’s true for many gins. But our new experimental gin begins differently. We start with locally sourced IPAs, then distill it into a base spirit that carries subtle character into the final product.

Why do this?

Because beer is built from grain, fermentation, and flavor. It’s a living foundation. Distilling it gives us a base that’s still clean and refined, but with a gentle backbone—something you can feel even when the botanicals take center stage. The result isn’t “beer-flavored gin.” It’s gin with depth. Gin with a story that begins somewhere other than the obvious.

It’s a little rebellious (in a good way).

And it’s exactly the kind of experiment we love.

Built with Local Botanicals, Not Generic Aromatics

Gin lives and dies on its botanicals. Juniper is the anchor, sure, but it’s everything around that anchor that defines a gin’s personality: the citrus, the spice, the floral lift, the herbaceous bite, the little whisper of earthiness that makes you go back for a second sip.

For this release, we wanted botanicals that didn’t just taste good, we wanted botanicals that felt local.

That meant sourcing and working with ingredients grown and gathered close to home, building a profile that reflects where it’s made. The goal wasn’t “more botanical” just for the sake of it. It was true balance: a gin that feels alive on the nose, clean on the palate, and memorable on the finish.

Expect a gin that’s:

• Bright and aromatic up front (the kind of nose you can smell from a few inches away)

• Crisp and structured through the middle

• Layered and botanical on the finish, without turning perfumey or sweet

In other words: complex enough for a martini, expressive enough for a G&T, and interesting enough to sip.

What It Tastes Like (Without the Pretentious Tasting Notes)

This gin is designed to be:

• Clean, not harsh

• Botanical, not sugary

• Complex, not chaotic

It’s certainly the kind of gin that holds up quite well in cocktails without disappearing, and stands on its own without needing a dozen mixers to make it “work.”

If you’re a gin traditionalist, you’ll still recognize the classic DNA. If you’re usually not a gin person, this might be the one that changes your mind.

Launching All Around Connecticut in March

We’re releasing this gin in March, and it’s rolling out across Connecticut as a full launch to our classic lineup. We're in love with the idea that people can actually find it, try it, and make it part of their home bar.

That said… we’re making something experimental here, and we’re proud of it. This is a “watch this space” kind of launch. People are going to talk about it. Some will try it in their first cocktail and immediately know it’s different. Others will do what gin people do, compare it to their usual bottle and start a new debate.

Either way, it’s going to be fun.

You Have to Wait Until March… Unless You Book a Private Tour

Here’s the insider path.

While the public release is in March, there’s a way to taste it early: you can sample it during a private tour at Connecticut Distilling.

That means:

• You don’t have to wait until March to experience it

• You get to taste it in the place it’s made

• You get the story behind it directly, not secondhand

If you’re a gin nerd, a cocktail person, a craft-beverage supporter, or just someone who likes trying new things before everyone else—this is for you.

How to Taste It Early

You can book a private tour online through our website. Pick your date, lock it in, and come taste what we’ve been building.

(And yes—if you’re planning a small group outing, a birthday, a client experience, or just something different to do in Connecticut, this is a very good way to do it.)

Why We’re Doing This

Connecticut has a serious craft scene—breweries, distilleries, makers of all kinds—and we’ve always believed the best products come from curiosity (with a dash of discipline). We love tradition, and we respect the rules, but we often ask , “What happens if we do this one differently?”

This gin is exactly that: a controlled experiment with a very real payoff.

It’s a bottle that says:

• We’re not afraid to try something new

• We care about local ingredients

• We’re building spirits that reflect where they come from

Mark Your Calendar (and Beat the Crowd)

Public release: March (statewide across Connecticut) Early tasting: Available now via private tour (book online)

If you want to be among the first to try Connecticut Distilling’s experimental beer-distilled gin with local botanicals, the move is simple: book a private tour on our website and taste it before March hits.

This is one of those releases that’s going to get people talking. And we’d love for you to be part of the first wave.