Dirty Water Distillery sits in Plymouth’s historic Cordage Park, a former rope manufacturing complex that dates back to the 1800s. Founded by brothers Mike and Dave Souza in 2015, this Massachusetts distillery takes its name from the Standells’ 1966 hit “Dirty Water” – a classic Boston anthem. The Souza brothers, who grew up in Plymouth and worked in construction and hospitality respectively, decided to turn their homebrew hobby into something bigger after years of experimenting with spirits in their garage. They converted a 4,000 square foot industrial space in Bay 2 of the historic Cordage Park into a working distillery and tasting room. The journey wasn’t smooth sailing. It took the brothers nearly three years to navigate Massachusetts’ complex distillery licensing process, but they were determined to bring craft spirits production back to Plymouth – a town more famous for pilgrims than gin. Mike handles the production side with their 500-gallon copper still, while Dave manages the business operations and cocktail program. They focus primarily on gin and vodka, using a vapor basket infusion method that lets them experiment with botanicals sourced from local farms when possible. Visitors walk into an industrial-chic space where you can see the entire operation – there’s no hiding the process behind fancy walls here. The tasting room feels like an extension of the production floor, with exposed brick, steel beams, and the copper still as the centerpiece. You’re not just tasting spirits; you’re watching them being made. The atmosphere is laid-back and unpretentious, exactly what you’d expect from two brothers who decided to chase a dream in their hometown.