There will be plenty to toast to throughout the annual Distillery Trail Weekend hosted by California’s Distillers of SLO County from Aug. 12-14. Over the course of the three-day event, each of the 14 distilleries along the trail will be showcasing their craft spirits with top shelf experiences, including distillery tours, mixology demonstrations, live music, and pairings with local food.
“Distillery Trail Weekend is the culmination of years of effort and dedication we put into making our high-quality genuine spirits,” says Aaron Bergh, who owns Calwise Spirits Co. in Paso Robles, and currently serves as the president of the Distillers of SLO County.
The weekend will feature the release of the limited-edition collectable Copper Card, laser engraved with the names of each distillery. The Copper Card is available for purchase at any member distillery or through slodistillers.com. The VIP opportunity costs only $85 and provides tasting flights at each of the 14 distilleries. The Copper Card has no expiration date and can be used after Trail Weekend, year-round.
Complimentary Distillery Trail maps are available at any member distillery, as well as a digital version on slodistillers.com. At each stop Distillery Trail Weekend attendees make, they will receive a stamp from the participating distillery. Once they sip their way through the trail and collect at least six stamps, the maps can be traded for an exclusive SLO Distillers flask.
“Going distillery hopping is a lot of fun, though we encourage attendees to be safe and responsible,” says Lynette Sonne, the executive director of the Distillers of SLO County. “This year, we’re excited to announce our first-ever Distillery Trail Weekend transportation partner.” Toast Tours, a boutique experience focused Paso Robles-based tour company is offering tour packages that will give Trail Weekend attendees the opportunity to travel to each distillery safely and in a fun, social tour vehicle. The cost of a full day tour package is only $185 and includes a Copper Card as well as pick up and drop off anywhere in the Paso Robles city limits. More information on tour packages can be found at toasttours.com.
“We’re putting San Luis Obispo County on the map as the premier region for high-quality craft spirits in California and the United States,” says Bergh. “The SLO County Distillery Trail is the only organized distillery trail in the state of California, and one of the few in the entire country. Our community of distillers is truly exceptional and we look forward to welcoming the public into our distilleries.”