Bringing Historic Distillery Back to Life

When reopening Joseph A. Magnus Distillery after nearly 100 years, the client wanted a design that was reminiscent of the original 1892 Cincinnati, Ohio establishment. The multiphase project consisted of three distinct areas – the production space, tasting room and event space – each showcasing the distillery’s rich history but with unique requirements and elements.

The first area created was the production space, comprised of two stills, one for whiskey and another for gin, and the area’s supporting infrastructure. Grain storage, barreling, the distilling lab, mash and bottling were organized to maximize efficiency in the production process. Adjacent to the production space is the tasting room, named the Murray Hill Club, featuring a copper top bar and lounge area. Taking advantage of the room’s close proximity to production, glass openings were added to the shared partition to allow great views of the stills and distilling process. Realizing after opening that customers wanted to rent the space, the clients added an event space, known as the Magnus Room, which provides tables, ample seating, a bar and museum quality displays.