Drink Like a Local: Distilleries
When it comes to alcohol, Reno is perhaps known best for its vibrant and flourishing craft beer scene. If you prefer spirits to suds or cocktails to cans, though, rest assured that the region also has a growing number of independent distilleries waiting to take you on tasting and touring adventures. Find your new favorite rum, whiskey, vodka or gin at distilleries like Seven Troughs, Branded Hearts and Frey Ranch, and wonder why it took you so long to discover these hidden gems.
Seven Troughs Distilling Co.
If you want to drink like a born-and-bred Nevadan, look no further than Seven Troughs Distilling Co. Its products and processes serve as a love letter to the Battle Born State, with no shortage of historical connections or unique backstories to be told. The doors to the craft distillery first opened in November 2013, and the high-quality spirits produced with local ingredients have been flowing ever since.
Seven Troughs is truly dedicated to the art of distillation, as batches of rum, vodka, gin, bourbon and moonshine come to life using techniques dating back to the mid-19th century. By crafting everything in small batches – some yielding as few as 12 gallons at a time – owner Tom Adams can guarantee every bottle leaving his facility meets the high standards of Seven Troughs. No matter which spirit you choose to imbibe, you will feel more like a local with every sip.
The Black Rock Rum is said to be born on the playa made famous by Burning Man. A portion of proceeds from every bottle sold of the Reno Rodeo Legacy Vodka is donated to help restore the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center, home to numerous rodeo-related events every year. To travel back to 1862, sample Seven Trough’s Old Commissary Whiskey, which is an authentic recreation of Nevada’s first legal whiskey and features a label signed and numbered by hand.
It’s not just the state’s history that interests this distillery, but the future of Nevada and its craft alcohol scene as well. Collaboration abounds at Seven Troughs, most notably for its partnership with Great Basin Brewing Co. to produce Argentum Gin. A single malt gin flavored with juniper, hops and citrus, this spirit earned a silver medal at the 2016 Seattle International Spirits Awards. Those with a sweet tooth can also try Seven Troughs’ Black Rock Rum and Recession Proof Moonshine in chocolate form, as Gardnerville’s Chocolate Shoppe whips up delicious truffles inspired by and including these spirits.
Tour and taste Seven Troughs at the distillery, or find the spirits in more than 20 bars and retail locations across Northern Nevada. Once you do, you’ll be one step closer to becoming a true Nevadan.
Seven Troughs Distilling Co. is located at 1155 Watson Way, Suite 5, in Sparks, and is open to the public for tastings and tours Thursdays and Fridays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Monday through Wednesday by appointment.
Branded Hearts Distillery 
Founded by two former law enforcement partners in January 2014, Branded Hearts Distillery describes itself as an artisan distillery that crafts spirits in unique and innovating ways. Joshua Nichols and Ryan Cherrick prefer to take a truly hands-on approach and play a role in almost every part of production, from charring oak barrels themselves to printing their own bottle labels. The passion, dedication and quality that goes into their products is evident, as Branded Hearts already can be purchased or poured at more than 20 stores and bars in the Reno-Tahoe region.
Alcohol enthusiasts looking to try something a little bit different won’t want to pass up Branded Hearts’ Oat’ed Bourbon Whiskey. It is quite rare to see oats used in bourbon production, but the duo finds the grain provides a softer mouth feel and one-of-a-kind complexity. The Dark Panela Rum is made with unrefined whole cane sugar – more commonly known as piloncillo in Mexico – whereas more traditional rums are often molasses-based. Yet another example of the company’s experimentation with diverse ingredients is its Silver State Stinger spirit, produced using only local Nevada honey. These options are a small sampling of the concoctions being created by Nichols and Cherrick, as the prolific pair can also boast of wheat whiskeys, chocolate liqueurs and more.
As for the name of the distillery, Branded Hearts takes its meaning from a symbolic portion of the distillation process. Nichols and Cherrick explain it best during a tour of their facility, but a simple version of the story is this: When raw spirits pass through charred, blackened wood, it is then that they are branded with their individual colors, flavors, and aromas. Much like the impression the wood leaves on the spirits, one sip and we’re certain Branded Hearts will have left its lasting marks of creativity and craftsmanship on you.
Branded Hearts Distillery is located at 121 Woodland Avenue, Suite 160, in Reno, and is open to the public for tastings and tours Fridays from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Frey Ranch Estate Distillery 
Located on a 1,200-acre plantation an hour east of Reno is Frey Ranch Estate Distillery, the first of its kind in the state of Nevada. The Freys – Colby and his wife, Ashley – grow all the grains needed to produce their high-quality spirits, and the harvesting, distilling, and bottling processes are each fully completed on estate grounds. Truly embodying its “ground to glass” motto since the doors opened in October 2014, this family-owned and operated establishment is well worth the drive to Fallon, Nevada.
The couple currently distills four spirits – vodka, gin, barrel-finished gin and absinthe. While most vodka is produced with one variety of grain, the Frey Ranch version combines corn, rye, wheat and barley to add complexity and creaminess. This recipe is a proven winner, as the spirit won gold medals in both the 2016 Tastings Spirits Review and 2016 Micro Liquor Spirit Awards. Frey Ranch Gin is equally impressive, as its unique blend of homegrown grains, juniper berries and sagebrush led it to win double gold at the 2016 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. As soon as 2018, the distillery will also introduce its own whiskey, which has been aging in oak casks on property since 2014.
In addition to Frey Ranch, the family also operates Churchill Vineyards, found on the same plantation as the distillery. The wines, like the spirits, exemplify the family’s “ground to glass” belief, currently making Churchill Vineyards the only winery in Nevada to fully produce its white wines from start to finish. Take home a bottle of 2013 Riesling, 2012 Gewurztraminer or 2012 Chardonnay-Semillon after an afternoon of sampling premium spirits, which are also available for purchase at the estate. As the Freys like to say, it will be first time any of the ingredients have ever left the estate.
Frey Ranch Estate Distillery is located at 1045 Dodge Lane in Fallon, Nevada, and is open to the public for tastings and tours every Saturday from noon to 4 p.m.