photo by BarrHill.com
Caledonia Spirits founder Todd Hardie and Head Distiller Ryan Christiansen stand in a field of rye at Thornhill Farm, Greensboro Bend. Grain from the farm is used for Caledonia Spirits rye whiskey.
MONTPELIER – Bar Hill Cocktail Bar in Montpelier has been named an Outstanding Bar as a 2024 James Beard Award finalist. The bar at the Caledonia Spirits Montpelier headquarters and distillery features the company’s Barr Hill gin and Barr Hill vodka.
In becoming honored as a finalist, the field has narrowed to five from the 20 semifinalists announced earlier this year.
Founder and Head Distiller Ryan Christiansen has said, “It’s easy to make great spirits when you start with great raw ingredients.”
The James Beard Foundation’s Restaurant and Chef Awards recognize exceptional talent and achievement in the culinary arts, hospitality, media, and broader food system, as well as a demonstrated commitment to racial and gender equity, community, sustainability, and a culture where all can thrive.
Caledonia Spirits got its start in a 6,000-square-foot facility on Log Yard Drive in Hardwick, where Todd Hardie had been developing mead, a honey-based alcoholic beverage. Christiansen worked with Hardie to co-create Barr Hill Gin. The gin featured Hardie’s raw honey.
2024 Restaurant and Chef Award nominees will be honored at a live ceremony at the Waldorf Astoria Washington DC in Washington, D.C. Winners will be celebrated at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday, June 10, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and livestreamed on “Eater.”
Paul Fixx is editor of The Hardwick Gazette and lives in Hardwick.
