Phillips Distilling Company sits in a modern office complex on University Avenue in St. Paul, but don’t let the corporate address fool you—this is one of America’s oldest continuously operating distilleries, founded in 1912 by Ed Phillips. What started as a small operation has grown into a major player in the spirits industry, particularly known for their flavored vodkas and liqueurs. The company survived Prohibition by producing medicinal alcohol and has been family-owned for over a century, now run by the fourth generation of the Phillips family. The real story here is longevity and adaptation. Ed Phillips started this operation when Minnesota was still finding its footing in the spirits world, and his descendants have kept it running through world wars, Prohibition, and massive industry changes. Today, they’re probably best known for their UV Vodka line and various flavored spirits, but they’ve also ventured into craft whiskey production. The current facility isn’t a romantic old rickhouse—it’s a modern production facility that can handle serious volume while maintaining quality control. What you’ll find here is a working distillery that’s more about production than tourist experience, but they do offer tours that show you how large-scale distilling actually works. You’ll see massive stills, quality control labs, and bottling lines that can handle thousands of bottles per hour. It’s not the artisanal craft experience you might expect, but it’s fascinating to see how a century-old company has modernized while keeping family ownership.