There is an art to producing fine spirits. That may seem obvious to some but it wasn’t to me until I started touring distilleries and began creating videos about their process and the finished product, thus forcing me to pay close attention to the information that was being explained during the tours. London and I have always been fond of spirits and cocktails. Plus, the pride and excitement that distillers exude about the art of distilling makes us appreciate the process of creating fine spirits even more.
During this most recent distillery tour, our appreciation of the formation of spirits as well as our hometown of Jacksonville, Florida both increased as we visited the first craft distillery in Jacksonville, Grey Matter Distillery.
Grey Matter Distillery began in 2014 in the basement of co-founder and CEO Paul Grey. The 14 in the logo refers to the year Grey Matter Distillery began and the Grey in Grey Matter comes from the co-founder’s last name. It is also a reference to the series Breaking Bad. After Grey first started creating spirits, tinkering in his basement with gloves and beakers, the similarities between the characters Walter White and his friend working within their company, Grey Matter Technology, inspired him to adopt the name Grey Matter.
Grey Matter Distillery currently specializes in three spirits- vodka, whiskey, and moonshine. A craft rum is slated to come out within the next month, followed by flavored spirits. What makes Grey Matter incredibly unique from many other distilleries is that each spirit from Grey Matter portrays its own style, its very own personality, and therefore its own brand. A goal from CEO Paul Grey, from the very start of the company, was to create different products each with their own brand so all three products of Grey Matter Distillery are highly unique.
Grey Matter’s initial product is Carve Craft Vodka. Being an avid surfer, having a wave featured on the bottle was a necessity for Grey. To carve a wave is a popular surfing term, hence the name Carve Vodka.
Made from 100% corn and distilled 7 times, Carve provides a smooth, easy drinking experience. Carve Vodka can be found at ABC Fine Wine and Spirits, Total Wine, and select Winn-Dixie locations in addition to Grey Matter Distillery.
Live Oak Whiskey is Paul Grey’s take on a high-quality whiskey. The whiskey is made from corn, rye, oats, and barley, making this whiskey truly unique since most whiskeys do not include oats. The bottle also proudly displays Treaty Oak, an over 200-year-old live oak tree that stands in downtown Jacksonville. Having this Jacksonville landmark proudly displayed on the bottle makes this whiskey even more unique.
The last spirit to highlight is a moonshine. The moonshine also pays homage to Jacksonville. Named Mayport Moonshine, the spirit derives its name from the road Grey Matter Distillery sits on, Mayport Road. Furthermore, the label on the bottle illustrates a boat sitting on the water snagging Mayport shrimp, a shrimp caught locally where the St. Johns River meets the Atlantic Ocean. This moonshine is made from a blend of sugars, molasses, and barley.
In addition to selling the bottled spirits, you can also order a cocktail fashioned from one of these three spirits from the bar, which is what we’re doing now!
First, I’m having a Moonshine Marg or Moonshine Margarita. This is my very first time having moonshine in a cocktail and I love it! It tastes even more refreshing and light than a traditional margarita.
London is thoroughly enjoying an Old-Fashioned, made from Grey Matter’s Live Oak Whiskey noteworthy for its unique blend of four grains. The classy Grey Matter logo stamp on the ice makes an Old-Fashioned classier than it already is!
Last but not least, we are both trying the Grey Matter Martini garnished with blue cheese-stuffed olives which are prepared daily in-house. Talk about classy!
Come to Grey Matter to enjoy a Jags game, trivia, or live music. Or just enjoy the lounge and an excellent cocktail.
The spirits and cocktails served at Grey Matter Distillery are perfect for celebrating or relaxing in style and the ambience offered by the lounge fully complements the vibe of the drinks served.
However you choose to enjoy your premium cocktail, you’ll be benefiting from the pride, experience, and enthusiasm that goes into developing a specialty craft spirit.
Watch our full experience touring the distillery, tasting expertly crafted cocktails, and speaking with the co-founder and CEO of Grey Matter Distillery as well as other fun things to do in Jacksonville here!