Just as we’ve seen this incredible growth in the craft beer industry over recent decades, craft distilleries are enjoying a new day in the sun. With changes in state laws, they’ve been able to unveil their own award-winning restaurants like Service Bar and Watershed Kitchen & Bar, and have been able to open tasting rooms and cocktail bars.
One of our favorite hidden gem cocktail bars is The Bar at Echo Spirits, tucked down a side street just north of Fifth Avenue in the Grandview area. The space was formerly home to Four String Brewing, and has been given new life as Echo’s distillery, bottle shop, and cocktail bar.
The narrow space has been given a bright refresh. A long bar dominates the right-hand side, while rows of tables sit opposite from it. If you sit at the bar, you can see through the windows into the distillery.
To the right, just after you enter the door, is a small bottle shop featuring Echo spirits and swag.
The bar hosts a regular rotation of local food trucks many Fridays and Saturdays, often accompanying live music on the small stage.
Echo’s menu rotates seasonally, but you can always trust the team behind the bar to craft some fascinating drinks use Echo’s as well as other local spirits.
I can speak from our visits that every drink is thoughtfully composed, perfect for the season, and presented beautifully. You can track their current menu right here.
They offer their own creations as well as many of the classics. They’re also great at crafting zero proof cocktails, as well as wines and craft beers.
Happy hour runs Wednesday-Saturday, 4-6 p.m., and all day Sunday. It includes $3 off cocktails and 50% off beer and wine by the glass.
If you’re interested in tasting the house spirits, they offer a flight of their four flagship creations.
Echo has distinguished itself by crafting a unique roster of spirits. Their core portfolio features a white rum and a pineapple rum, a genever (a Dutch spirit that’s like a malt whiskey base with gin botanicals), a house vodka, and a rye whiskey.
They’ve also dished out specialties like a spiced rum, the Queen’s Share rum, a Copper Label Series that includes items like brandy or the Cherrysmoke rum pictured above, and others.
The team behind Echo Spirits, from left to right, includes Derek Reno (who expertly heads up the bar program) and co-founders Joe Bidinger and Nikhil Sharoff.
You can read more about Derek, Echo Spirits, and their role in the Columbus Distillery Trail here!
The next time you’re headed out for drinks, hit up Echo Spirits!
The Bar at Echo Spirits
985 W. Sixth Ave.
Columbus OH, 43212
Web: echospirits.com/the-bar-at-echo-spirits
FB: @echospirits
IG: @echospirits
