Lockhouse Distillery and Bar opens to the public this coming Friday, September 26. After receiving its NYS Tavern License, the Lockhouse team opted to spend its first week (this week) catering to friends and family, and those in the industry. The soft opening gives the distillers and the staff a chance to work out the kinks, thank its supporters and prepare for the upcoming flood of business that will roll in to see the operation’s new Cobblestone District digs.
The interior of the distillery features a cavernous-yet-cozy space, decked out with simple industrial design elements. Notable trademarks are the murals painted by Lockhouse partner Jon Mirro, the stellar choice in music, the garage door that opens the place up to the Cobblestone street, and the giant glass wall that allows visitors to view the distillery in action. Co-owner Thomas Jablonski told me that one of the key deciding factors in relocating into the building (41 Columbia Street) is the ability to expand outward, and possibly upward, with dining space and patios. The building is considerably large, which allows the business to grow at will.
Another major asset to the move, is the proximity to a number of other unique destinations and venues, including Ballyhoo, 716 Food and Sport, Canalside, HarborCenter, RiverWorks, Lagerhaus 95, Helium Comedy Club, and myriad other projects that are underway along the waterfront. Hopefully, it won’t be long before this area achieves some more density, as at least one nearby sprawling parking lot is already available for build-to-suit needs.
All of the beers, wines, ciders and spirits served up at Lockhouse are made in NYS. Incredibly, the distillery even stocks a number of spirits from neighboring Buffalo distilleries, including Black Squirrel, Tomyrotter, and One Foot Cock.
According to a fan of the distillery, “The bar at Lockhouse will obviously feature house spirits, including the distillery’s signature vodka crafted entirely from grapes, classic gin distilled from New York grains and grapes, and a limited release barrel-aged version of the latter, which lends it an amber color and rich profile.”
The kitchen menu boasts paninis, salads and sides. We tried a couple of the menu offerings and were pretty happy with the results – cheese plates and sandwiches incorporate products from local companies, including Nickel City Cheese & Mercantile and Al Cohen’s Bakery. Our favorite drink of the night was the New Fashion – Lockhouse barrel rested gin, NYS sweet vermouth, fresh squeezed orange juice, distillery made bitters, and a peel of dehydrated orange.
Lockhouse Distillery was the first distillery to hit the Buffalo market since prohibition. That’s a distinction that the founders are pretty proud of. Now they have taken their brand to the next level. Once officially open (Friday at 4pm), they will be off and running, displaying zestful signs of life in a part of the city that has been sleepy for way too long.
Lockhouse Distillery and Bar | 41 Columbia Street | Buffalo, New York | (716) 768-4898 | Facebook
^Above image: Lockhouse Facebook