Best of the Best is Back! Final Round October 17-23

Written by Amanda Boroughs, Marketing & Events Manager, Tenth Ward Distilling Company

Wow, Frederick. We are unbelievably humbled by your nominations that have made us finalists in the following five categories. Your dedication and support have brought us this far… Now can you bring five first places all the way home?!

Best Distillery/Meadery/Cidery

This badass woman-owned distillery has been whipping up unconventional spirits with deliciously crazy and non-traditional recipes for the past four years. We specialize in a variety of year-round spirits, seasonal liqueurs, and small-batch limited releases. We lay claim to producing Maryland’s first absinthe (heck yes, it’s real absinthe). And it’s not just us who love our stuff, either. Our Absinthe Nouvelle brought us a gold at the New York International Spirits Festival and got us named the Maryland Absinthe Distillery of the Year. The Gin is In gave our Genever five stars and a double gold and our Honeyjack has brought in Gold, Silver and Bronze medals for the spirit and packaging design. You can find our spirits and cocktails in over 100 bars and restaurants and over 120 liquor stores cross Maryland and Washington, DC. We’re grown tremendously in the last few years with absolutely no intention of slowing down. 

Best Cocktail Place

The Cocktail Lab is our pride and joy. (Along with our spirits of course.) We opened it just 15 months ago when it finally became legal for distilleries in Maryland to start serving cocktails. Remember when we could only serve 2 oz. of spirits per person, per visit?! Same. But now we can share our knowledge, expertise and passion about craft spirits and cocktails with YOU. The Cocktail Lab has gained some national attention, too! We’ve been featured in Craft Spirits Magazine as the perfect way a distillery can create a bar experience utilizing all in-house distillations. We’ve even given presentations to the American Craft Spirits Association about how to develop above-and-beyond in-person experiences both in “normal” times and during a pandemic. And while all of that is awesome… It’s you – our guests – who we want to make the happiest.  Our cocktail menu changes seasonally, with over 20 cocktails coming in and out of rotation as the seasons change. Plus, don’t forget our year-round cocktail classics like the Corpse Reviver No. 10, the Sazeroni or the Jalapeno Margarita. Click here to check out our current fall cocktail menu.

Best Margarita

Oh wait, did somebody say Margarita?! We may not make tequila, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make the best marg in Frederick. That smokey sweet goodness in our twisted take on the classic marg comes from our Smoked Corn Whiskey. Interestingly enough, a whiskey that drinks like a smoky mezcal. So, it just made sense to pair it with some fresh lime juice, our house Orange Liqueur and some homemade jalapeño simple syrup to make the most interesting and delicious margarita you’ve ever tried. Also that smoked salt and cane sugar rime tho… And we’re not biased. I swear.

Best Happy Hour

Our signature happy hour runs from 5-10 pm every Wednesday and we call it Beat the Clock-Tail. For those of you who haven’t visited us on a blessed hump day, well you’re missing out. Starting at 5, our signature draft cocktails are only $5. Each hour the price goes up $1, so at 6 they’re $6, at 7 they’re $7, and so on and so forth. The goal: To kick the keg before we close! Our famous draft cocktails are the Corpse Reviver No. 10, Jalapeno Margarita, and Gettin’ Tiki WIth It. Check out our full cocktail menu here.

Best Bartender

Lauren is a wiz at making our tried and true cocktail concoctions, but she’s got a few winners up her sleeves too if you’re looking for anything off-menu. We are happy to have Lauren and are happy that her hard work and dedication to our vision is being recognized by our amazing customers! #GirlPower

Voting starts TODAY through October 23. Vote today. Vote everyday. Tell your friends and family. Tell everyone. Set an alarm. Thanks in advance XO

Header photo: Emily Gude