George Washington's Distillery & Gristmill

Awesome place to take kids into engineering/Legos. The historical interpreters are amazing. We got to meet the lead distiller. Holly is great with interpreting the mill for kids. I highly recommend visiting for the staff, atmosphere and history.

This place is surprisingly ramshackle for something affiliated with Mount Vernon. It’s also poorly organized, it’s not really clear where or even how you purchase tickets (my party had not been to Mount Vernon earlier in the day, we assumed we could buy tickets for the distillery AT the distillery). As others have noted, there’s no tasting component, I literally saw an entire bachelor party be turned away because of that. The only options were to buy things at the small, somewhat cramped gift shop or to take the tour, which we waited a long time for before deciding to bail. Thought this would be a fun excursion, walked away disappointed.

It's a shame no so many people visiting here. You can see how a water mill is working and a rebuilt distillery for whisky that follows Washington's days method. You can also buy their whisky and cornflour from gift store.

Surprisingly new museum and restored (and replicated) attractions! Brief tours are enhanced by asking lots of Qs to dig deeper. Interesting to note current dilemma of "active commercial distillery" vs "museum". Very, very high price for the product!

Knowing that I was coming to Washington D.C. I looked up distilleries. The George Washington Distillery came up. I knew that Washington made whiskey, and then there actually was a distillery. It was a must go for me. The history tour of the mill and what had him start to make his whiskey was very informative. The people who put their hearts and soul to to keep his history alive need to be commanded. I took part in the whiskey tasting. A must for those who are whiskey drinkers. I the chance to meet the master distiller. It's a must go.

Since our Mount Vernon tickets included entrance to the mill and distillery (3 miles from Mount Vernon; you can drive on your own or take the Mount Vernon courtesy shuttle), we drove over to the distillery arriving at 4:45. The mill tour guide said they would give the last tour right up until 5:00pm. Our tour started at 4:55 and only lasted 10 min, but we got to see the mill in operation and had a good explanation of its history and how it operates. The guide said they only give demonstrations on weekends. We walked as a group to the distillery and the guide was waiting for us even though it was after 5pm (5:07). He gave us a great description of the distilling process and the history of the distillery.

An interesting place to visit especially if you are into history. They have whiskey available for purchase. Most folks miss the mill when visiting Mt Vernon. Don't. This is worth the time.

If you are visiting Mount Vernon this is a definite must to visit. It is included in the price of admission to Mount Vernon, you just hop on their complementary bus that takes you straight there. The people there are friendly and knowledgeable about their Mill and about the products that they produce. It is rebuilt in the style that George Washington built it in and it is a working mill now. There is also a small shop that carries all kinds of goodies if you would like something. I would highly recommend spending an hour or so of your time at Mount Vernon by stopping by here and seeing the Mill and little museum they have.

George Washington's Distillery & Gristmill at Mount Vernon is about 2.7 miles from the Mount Vernon home. This attraction is included in the Mount Vernon admission charge which is $20 (12+), $12 (6-11) and free (0-5). If you only wish to visit the distillery and gristmill, there is a $6 charge. The distillery and gristmill are reconstructions but they are faithful to the original and fully operational. You are taken to both the top and lower floors of the gristmill. The tour is about an hour in length. Tour guides turn the operation on and you can watch the shaker separate the hull and the grinding stone turn the remains into floor. The guides talk about agriculture in the area,the history of the original buildings which are in their original location and the gristmill and distillery operation. The distillery was less impressive because the distillery process was narrated but not shown, however barrels and tools were visually displayed. When the distillery is producing spirits the original recipe is followed and the beverages are on sale in the gift shop and also at Mount Vernon. There are no other outlets for its' sale. George Washington's wealth was derived from the value of his slaves, property and his businesses and was in today's dollars estimated to be $530 million dollars. The gristmill and distillery were part of that wealth.

General George Washington's own Distillery! GREAT PLACE!! A few wooden homes, sheds, fences and barrels are loosely clustered around the main long-room distillery replete with chimney and split wood out back. It's a working farm of sorts, that produces the Mount Vernon Whiskey (which I was told can be purchased online, or at the visitor store). Small dips in the lawn cascade down to the forest and thinly trickling water sources meander about. As of Spring it is marked 'closed' on maps; maybe due to Covid? The staff are amiable! There's a small lot for maybe 18 cars. Large groups might want to arrive in one bus.. The Distillery smells awesome when the mash is still warm. In winter the Distillery's hearth exudes the warmth of America's past! Rebel Review: 5

My wife and I had a great experience traveling back in time to see how our forefathers harnessed the elements to distill the elixir of life. I commend the staff on their passion in educating us on the ingenious of George Washington and his Scottish staff in recreating his original recipe of rye whiskey. Close your eyes and sit on the banks of the grist mill and imagine yourself a revolutionary fighting for the birth of this great Republic...God bless America and our ingenuity!

I have been meaning to stop by this one for quite some time. It was a wonderful tour (about 15 min) and very informative. I loved learning about the history of Mount Vernon Distillery, and I have a new found respect for George Washington as a businessman. However, it seems that the people of George's day really knew a thing of two about booze. On the tour you will learn such fun facts as in the 1700s the average amount of hard spirit consumption was 6.3 gallons/person/year...Today we only consume 2.3 gallons/person/ year-must be all that yoga and bottled water Americans enjoy today. The grounds of the gristmill and distillery are beautiful, the perfect place for a picnic. For $5, you really can't go wrong with this tour; of course, I would have loved to have had a taste of George's whiskey, but that would have cost a fortune as a pint goes for well over $100 at Mount Vernon's gift shop.

As much as I loved the Mount Vernon grounds, I think I loved the distillery and gristmill a bit more (probably because I do love whiskey/whisky) as well. As with the main grounds, all the reenactors are passionate and knowledgeable. The gristmill was rebuilt in the early 1900s and do make sure to go in and take a tour to see this amazing thing in action. The guts of the gristmill are all wood and actually functions as a real gristmill (you can buy the cornmeal/pancake mix at the gift shop). This water powered mill is truly a wonder to behold and a great feat of engineering, one that Washington himself procured the patent for when president. The distillery itself was rebuilt on the foundations of the original that was uncovered by fairly recent archaeological activities. Like the gristmill, it is a working distillery, but sadly they can only sell so.much whiskey due to Virginia law (it sells out quick). It is fun to view those copper stills and to amaze at the arduous and, dare I say, divine task that was whiskey making in the 18th and 19th century. The distillery makes a white whiskey, which was more prevalent at the time, and an aged as well. Sadly Washington's hapless nephew, who inherited the distillery, was too lazy to renew the fire policy George had placed on it, so when racked by a fire in the 1800s, it was not rebuilt until only recently. I say that visiting the Gristmill and Distillery is a must if you are to venture out to Mount Vernon, and hopefully you are lucky enough to come away with some whiskey too.

So, there is only one option to drink whiskey here. A $98 bottle of rye whiskey at the gift shop. This is for all those people like me who failed to do adequate research and somehow thought this was more than just a historical attraction. So, lazy drunks basically. I am willing to admit this without shame to help my fellow drunks. We didn't actually do the tour (it seemed interesting but we were starving) but walked around the space and it was really beautiful. Gift shop had a lot of cool stuff to offer as well and the attendant was incredibly nice.

Just a little under 3 miles from George Washington's Mount Vernon lies his merchant gristmill. After exploring Washington's mansion, you may want to consider hopping in your car (or the shuttle) to explore this gristmill and distillery. The smart man that General Washington was, he quickly switched from tobacco to wheat since tobacco was heavily taxed. First erected in 1770, this gristmill produced 5,000-8,000 pounds of flour and cornmeal a day. Washington's wheat crops were turned to flour for sale, and it was used to feed his staff. The tour is much more extensive than I'd thought it'd be. Our guide first provided some historical context and then led us into the gristmill. From there, we were told about the milling process and the guides will even turn on the fully functioning gristmill for you to see the action. Next, we were led to the also fully functioning distillery and given a background on its history and the distilling process. Washington entered into the whiskey business in the late 1790s and it was actually the largest whiskey distillery in America at the time. You can sample some of their made-on-site rye whiskey at the Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant. Open April 1 to October 31. Admission is included in the general Mount Vernon admission or if you're not going to the grounds, you can purchase separate tour tickets here for $5.

A delightful journey and probably my favorite place to visit and should be the first place to go before everything else. It is a 2.5mi walk from the shuttle to distillery. Or a 6mi drive and 10-15min wait for shuttle. Benches have enough shade while waiting on either side. AC in shuttle. At distillery, your tour is covered if you bought tickets at Vernon mansion, so just walk the path toward the mill (there are signs), passed the gift shop and wait by the stones and tree for your tour guide to come out and begin. My kid loved it. His eyes lit up when they turned on the mill. The guides in costume are nice and vastly knowledgeable. They also don't pretend to be a character but they immerse you in using present tense (at least our guide did) and it was fantastic. The guide in the distillery itself was patient and kind with my son and interacted with him. The result: my kid asked a question! Ah curiosity and active listening on this tour = win! Thank you! My husband also loved it so that makes this visit a delight. Now the whisky and brandy prices. Due to quality and labor, it is expensive. Whisky $90 at lowest. Brandy $100+ (like $188). So if you love those, it is worth it. If you know someone who would love either/both as a gift, go for it. Members get 10% discount.

What a NEAT surprise! The tour is delightful! So much history, so little time. And they walk you through distilling whiskey... made by WOMEN! Charming, educational. No grits left for purchase on this trip... so we will come back. The entire team is wonderful. A nice stop on the roads less traveled. Near Ft. Belvoir. Next stop... over to the tavern to get a shot of the whiskeys... try before you buy!

This is a great little spot to go and see how George Washington made Whiskey and how they rebuilt what was once the original distillery. It's a great little history lesson for the whole family. Not everyone knows that George Washington made when he was alive, to be honest this was the first I heard of it and I got to see it instead of learning it in a class room. Everyone is dressed in time period costumes and they do all the work in the original fashion. There is no technology involved accept in the gift shop which sells George Washington's Whiskey from his recipe. It's about a 15 minute tour and that is also part of the Mount Vernon experience and I highly recommend it.

Well, this is worth the $5 if you'd like to go ahead and skip the Mount Vernon portion. Actually, when I found out this wasn't the site of the original Distillery and a plantation owner bought it back in the 90s, I was a little disappointed but I suppose you get the gist. The first half of the tour outside and going into the gristmill was a touch dry. I appreciated that everyone was in costume and passionate about their job, but a gristmill is about exciting as a gristmill can be. I liked the little touches around the farm and the cobblestone foot bridge. Going into the distillery though was more like it; nice and cool inside. Our presenter was a very engaging, no-nonsense fellow who clearly gave you all the succinct talking points and outlined exactly how Washington got into the whiskey biz. No whiskey samples with your $5. Go into the gift shop for purchases of that. Overall, the tour is about 30 minutes; short & sweet. You learn a little bit and more importantly, you get a taste of how Colonial Virginia once was.

I went there this afternoon today (5/7/18). It was great because they have shuttles from here to George Washington's house which is right up the street! It's a small little area, the first you see is the gift shop. That's where you can buy your tickets for the tour of the mill which is $18 for adults, $11 for Youth, $17 for senior citizen (+62) and free for kids 5 and under. The gift shop was nice full of books (for adults and kids), toys, Christmas ornaments, and most importantly whiskey! That's what the mill was used for back in the day. They make 3 different types of brandy following the original recipe. This is the biggest gristly tour known. It's about 30-40 minutes of the area. This is more of a building/park just because it has the building they used during the time and the lake/land. This is great for bringing family it's really mellow, quick, and I think kids as well as adult will enjoy and appreciate the re-enactment. This is a part of George Washington, and they execute keeping the distillery vibe going keeping the original recipes and making it feel like you're right there with them back in the olden days. Really friendly, personal staff which I am always for! The only thing is it's easy to miss so make sure you're on the lookout for this great site!

This working mill and distillery is a very cool site to visit if you can get a demo of the grist mill. They only make whiskey twice a year, in the off-season, so you can't see it being made, but you can see the space and get some history on Washington's distilling business. But a demo of the grist mill is pretty cool. I recommend going as part of a day at Mount Vernon, or going on your own separately. It's good for both adults and children.

This site is a good ways to conclude your visit to Mt Vernon. The period costumed interpretors obviously enjoy their jobs. I must give the folks during Washington's era credit for their engineering. A demonstration of the water powered mill is given which is quite educational. After seeing the grinding of the corn, one views the boiling and distillation.

While there are still several operating gristmills around Virginia, there aren't any with a functional distillery, which makes this site unique beyond its connection to Mount Vernon and George Washington. What's particularly nice is that it's either included in your Mount Vernon admission or can be visited by itself for only $5. The mill is consistently operated, but they don't actually run the distillery most of the year but rather in the off season when they're closed to the public. Despite that, the distillery is interesting to see with an interpretive museum upstairs that also shows how the overseer would lived. The grounds are quiet and tranquil for a picnic and there's a small gift shop where they sell the corn meal and flour from the mill as well as spirits from the distillery. Only drawback is that you can't taste the the whiskey or brandy and its sale price is prohibitive for something you can't try first.

It is a very cool place to go on a nice day. The tour guides were very knowledgeable and answered any questions our group had. Which was none. Being George Washington distillery, it was a cool place to see and discover. It is the only wood burning distillery in the country and they use the same method and recipe that George Washington followed. It is not an aged whisky so it is not the barrel colored brown typically associated with whisky. Unfortunately, they did not have any tastings but did sell the whisky in their gift shop. The production of the whisky is November through March. At $100 a bottle for a 10-16oz bottle, I kind of thought that was a little ridiculous, but when you're the only wood burning distillery in the country and you slap George Washingtons name on it, people will buy it and I guess you can charge however much you want.

If you are looking to lean about the distillery process from the late 1700's, then this is the place for you. My family absolutely loved it! I am recommending it to everyone. I live across the street and it took me about a year to get there. Huge mistake. I should have went there earlier. Most people don't know it is included in a day pass to Mt. Vernon. Mount Vernon provides a shuttle back and fourth to Mount Vernon if needed. You can even by some whiskey! It's the same recipe George Washington used. The staff is extremely knowledge and you can tell they have a passion for history. It is also a pretty good fishing spot for catfish where the grist mill draws its' water from Dogue Creek if you have a boat.

George Washington's Distillery & Gristmill is completely worth the $4 entrance fee. The 'historical interpreters' do a fantastic job of explaining the history and context of the mill and it's place in Washington's life. They run the mill and you get a guided tour of all four floors while the mill is in operation. All the wooden gears and contraptions reminded me of Goonies, and the Distillery has been reconstructed quite well. They're even producing small batches of the original recipe that are scarce, but sell for $84/pint. Word is, last time they went on sale, they were all gone in three hours. If you're making a trip to the main Mt. Vernon estate, don't forget to stop by here on your way out, you won't regret it.

In it's day it was the largest whiskey distillery in America and whiskey was a currency thus this place is money. It is beautifully reconstructed thanks to the Distilled Spirits council, group of your well known whiskey's and bourbons. Pretty cool that they sponsor the heritage. I'd check them out too on the respective whiskey and bourbon trails. The grounds and building are in working order and seeing the grain be ground and barrels ready for some manual labor is quite cool. I was there just prior to the first batch being ready so I missed out but if it's too pricey like it sounds then perhaps a local white whiskey wherever you can track one down will give you an approximation. These are white whiskeys (white dog), and Wisconsin's Death's Door makes one among others.

This is not on the grounds of Mount Vernon, we had to take a short car ride to the Distillery. It is not very big and will take less than an hour to hour the whole thing. The Gristmill was really cool and it was a great experience to see how everything worked back in the day. My elementary school aged children were old enough to appreciate it. We then took a short walk to the Distillery which was a small dark house with a couple guides inside. They showed us how a working distillery would have been operated and were quite knowledgable. The spirits they make sell out super fast so we were not able to purchase any during our visit.

This is one of those quick and simple attractions that is fun. It is in a great area to drive to, and the location has tons of parking. There is a small gift shop that sells many of the items the main gift shop at mount vernon has. You purchase tickets here if you don't already have passes from mount vernon. The tour takes you through the gristmill first. Always cool to see a functioning mill wheel powered by water turning the giant stones to grind the corn. Loud, serious vibrations, but cools. The tour guides provide pretty interesting information. The distillery is simple but also cool to see. The stills which they have named 6 different ladies names. A quick overview of the process. They actually produce whiskey which is offered for sale in limited quantities every so often. The unaged is about $85 for the 375mL bottle and the original recipe Washington would have used. Which also means it's more like moonshine or rotgut. I'd say avoid. The 2 year aged is what you probably want. Pricier though at $185 for 375mL. A slightly different spin on the original recipe as it's aged and has some different steps taken. A more modern twist. Keep in mind the master distiller here now used to work for Makers Mark. Some just went on sale 4th of July. Not sure if any is still left. Sign up for the email and be notified when they release both products.

Gorgeous! If you are looking for Washington as in George and Martha history or simply a beautiful place to gaze at or take family pictures for your holiday cards- the grist mill will fit the bill. Superior in restoration.

What a serene and lovely place. One employee stands out ... Peter is very sweet and knowledgeable. Our 5 year old loves to go there just to see him. lol :) Highly recommend this place and the great employees. :) 5 stars!

The tour is great. But the 2 year aged whiskey...that was $185 of liquid gold that was good to the last drop. OMG. I can say after having sampled whiskeys at just about every price point in my life, that I was a bit stunned to see the small bottle after committing to the purchase. But omg...did I already say omg? Made on site, by hand, using the original recipe AND original methodology leaves today's modern day whiskeys lacking in every way. Pappy Van Winkle, nyet. Makers Mark, double nyet. Templeton's....sorry...nyet. That whiskey made from the recipe based on those bottles found in the ice caps of the Antarctic, sorry...WAY off the mark. The smoky oak barrel flavor is beyond compare. Oh wait, this review is supposed to be about the tour. Go through the tour to learn about the milling process and the distillery. But if you plan to leave the site without a bottle, you are missing out.

Loved the tour and more than worth the ticket price. We had planning a trip to Mt. Vernon, but after some difficulty finding parking, we proceeded on to the much more serene Gristmill with its more than ample parking. Tours seemed to leave every 15 minutes. The buildings were recreated on original foundations and are in fully working order. It was really incredible to watch the gristmill in action. The historical interpreters were a wealth of knowledge. The distillery was also very interesting, although I wish there was a little more action going on in there, but I completely understand why there isn't. The exhbits upstairs were mostly meh for me, but they're easy to walk through. The giftshop was surprisginly large, and my boyfriend and I had fun playing with George Washington bobble heads, foam swords, and colonial hats. I only wish you could actually taste some of the whiskey! I semi regret not buying some of the corn meal ground on site. If you also visit Gadsby's Tavern in Alexandria, you can check two sites on the Historic Whiskey trail off. I definitely have a new bucket list item! Bonus...the drive out from Alexandria is absolutely lovely. You could also take the very nice looking bike trail!

If you are from bourbon country this place is a must see if you are in the DC area! I highly recommend this place.