Fort Hamilton Distillery sits in a converted warehouse space in Brooklyn’s Industry City complex on 34th Street, where founders Alex Granse and David Cunningham launched New York City’s first whiskey distillery since Prohibition in 2012. Both founders came from finance backgrounds but shared a passion for American whiskey and saw an opportunity to bring distilling back to the five boroughs. The 3,000-square-foot operation houses custom copper stills and produces bourbon, rye whiskey, and seasonal spirits in small batches. Granse and Cunningham spent three years navigating city regulations and zoning requirements to make their dream reality, becoming pioneers in Brooklyn’s craft distilling movement. They named the distillery after Fort Hamilton, the historic military installation in nearby Bay Ridge, paying homage to the borough’s heritage. Master distiller Alex Granse oversees production on a 500-gallon copper pot still, focusing on traditional mash bills with New York grain when possible. The tasting room feels like a neighborhood bar with exposed brick walls, wooden tables, and the sounds of production happening just steps away. You can sample their core lineup of bourbon and rye while watching the distillation process through large windows. The atmosphere strikes a balance between industrial and welcoming, with knowledgeable staff who can walk you through their grain-to-glass process and the challenges of urban distilling in America’s largest city.