A New Distillery in Chamblee Plans to Merge Producing Spirits With Modern Art

The Distillery of Modern Art finally opens on Irvindale Way in Chamblee this spring. Located near the Chamblee MARTA station, the 15,000-square-foot building houses a distillery producing vodka and gin, and eventually whiskey and a variety of liqueurs.

Owned by Seth Watson, the craft distillery features a tasting room and bar with seating for up to 55 people, a 50-seat patio, retail and exhibition spaces, and a private events area. With the help of Vickers Design Group, Watson designed the building to act as its own “piece of art.” The exterior of the building will apparently change appearance from day to night.

The Distillery of Modern Art

To continue supporting and showcasing Atlanta artists, Watson plans to commission and display their work on bottles and throughout the distillery inspired by the spirits produced there.

“At the Distillery of Modern Art, we are first and foremost a distillery of fine spirits. We are also a destination and experience that’s shaped, in part, by our local community,” Watson says in a press release. That’s why we are tapping into our surrounding arts community to find established and emerging artists to feature their abstract expression of our spirits which will serve as an integral part of our bottles, our distillery and ultimately, our brand.”

The distillery’s spirits will be available for on-location purchase as well as at retail shops around Atlanta.

In 2015, a bastardization of direct sales from breweries and distilleries became legal in Georgia If people purchased a tour from a producer, they were allowed to take home free “souvenir” beer and spirits. Two years later, Georgia became the 50th state to allow more substantial direct sales from its breweries and distilleries.

Last August, Gov. Brian Kemp signed House Bill 879 into law, permitting a number of food and beverage businesses the option to deliver beer, wine, and liquor to homes across the state. However, the new alcohol delivery law excludes Georgia’s beer and spirits producers, cutting off a direct-to-consumer revenue stream for distilleries like the Distillery of Modern Art. Allowing delivery directly from the state’s beer and spirits produces could have a profound effect on the bottom line of these businesses.

2197 Irvindale Way, Chamblee. distilleryofmodernart.com.

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