Square One Brewery and Distillery owner and distiller Steve Neukomm can barely keep up with demand for his hand-crafted spirits. However, he continues to add to his Spirits of St. Louis brand with products like the just-released nine-times-distilled, twice-filtered vodka made from Midwest spring wheat (pictured). So it was just a matter of time before Square One expanded its physical footprint.
And it’s doing just that, with plans to add on to Square One’s existing space fully in the works. Neukomm signed a sales contract on the vacant lot directly behind Square One at 1727 Park Ave., in Lafayette Square and plans to build a one-story brick structure that will become the main production site for the distillery. The space will house a custom-built 250-gallon still and will serve as the location for bottling and warehousing; previously, these tasks were done in the basement of Square One. A portion of the new building will also house a walk-in cooler and preparation area for kitchen use. The existing 50-gallon still visible in the restaurant’s dining area will be used for artisanal batches, while the larger still will be dedicated to making the company’s core spirits: Regatta Bay Gin, J.J. Neukomm Whiskey, Island Time Amber Rum and tequila-like Agave Blue.
This article appears in June 2012.