5 Reasons to Visit Bellemara Distillery
Bellemara Distillery opened a few months ago at the end of 2021. I had been dying to get there but life and a new job with a lot of travel get in the way of my adventures sometimes. I finally made it to the distillery a little over a month after they opened and I am so happy I did. Here are some reasons why you should visit and why you’ll love it there.
1.You love artfully crafted cocktails.
Bellemara has a menu of cocktail options from fruity and refreshing to complex and intriguing. I ordered the Caspian Jewel (pictured) as my first drink which was gin, pistachio orgeat, green tea syrup, lychee, and lemon. Visually it seems like it would be creamy and heavy but it was actually light and delicious with the flavors playing off of one another in a very special way. Your drinks can be made with gin or single malt spirit. They also feature a daily punch and warm cocktails because, hey, it’s Jersey and it’s going to stay chilly for a bit.
2. The interior is gorgeous.
If you want to enjoy your cocktails in a beautiful setting, this is the place. The bar is somehow both modern and retro and the colors pop in the space. There’s plenty of seating and even a very cozy upstairs lounge (which I missed seeing, super fail on my part). Large glass windows give you a look into the distilling space filled with copper and the vibrant citrus and herbs are displayed on the bar top in glassware. Fair or not, I definitely judge a space on the vibe and Bellemara’s is perfect.
Hi, Faye! Fun fact: Faye adopted Pizza Cat from Corsair Distillery in Nashville. Pizza sadly recently passed but the history of distillery cats is fascinating and you should check it out!
3. There’s a whole customizable Spanish style gin & tonic menu.
Gin and tonics once did me very dirty and it took me many years before I even wanted to attempt gin again. I’m talking college party where I woke up the next day and my body rejected the gin (including lime bits!)...you know what I mean. I made peace with gin but it isn’t always my first choice when I’m out. But something about the flavor options on the Bellemara menu intrigued me enough to make me try again. I went for the G&T with thyme, grapefruit, and hibiscus (pictured) and it was both very pretty and very magical. It comes in a goblet glass so be prepared to take pics and stay for awhile. I recommend going with some friends so you can try different flavor combinations.
4. You love supporting NJ small businesses.
You know we stan small businesses and I cannot stress enough the importance of supporting them. At Bellemara, they create their products “from grain to glass”. That means once they have the grain the entire process from start to finish happens right in Hillsborough, NJ. And damn, Jersey makes some great stuff. The wonderful quality of their products is evidence of the time, effort, and dedication that go into the process.
5. They offer cocktail classes.
We all need to add fun day trips, date ideas, and bestie events to our lists. Because I just know there’s going to be a day in the coming weeks when you ask, “What should we do this weekend?” Their next cocktail class is April 10th but it’s sold out. Fear not! They’ve added another class on April 24th. You get to sip a welcome cocktail, learn how to make 2 syrups, and learn how to make 2 cocktails. That means when summer BBQ season arrives, you can impress your friends and family with some fancy cocktails and earn some cool points. Visit the link in their IG bio to sign up.
Today’s Punch
Bonus reasons? Flounder Brewing is literally next door. You can enjoy a lovely spring day of adventure at Duke Farms (only 11 minutes from Bellmara!) followed by cocktails at Bellemara and beer at Flounder. There are plenty of other things to do not far from Hillsborough such as New Hope, PA (34 minutes), Flemington (27 minutes), Unionville Vineyards (24 minutes), and Somerville (14 minutes). Check out Bellemara Distillery and let me know what you think! Happy day tripping!
