Designing for Destination Drinkers: Sustainable Breweries and Distilleries

There comes a time in many a sipper’s life that they must make their way to the source, and when it comes to beer and spirits, those sources are more and more becoming destinations for the discerning traveler. It’s not just about what’s in the can or what’s in the glass — modern consumers are intrigued by what’s behind it, interested in learning about the people who make their favorite beer or whiskey, and the process behind the bottles. Subsequently, this puts the buildings that house these distilleries and breweries in a brighter spotlight, and many beverage makers are stepping up to the challenge to create spaces that, through their very functionality, say something deeper about their approach to production and their values. For two Southern beverage makers, a distiller in Kentucky and a brewer in North Carolina, their physical space illustrates that making good stuff goes hand-in-hand with sustainability. “A lot of people are divorced from the reality that agric