There's a new way to get a classic Bee's Knees — or something more unusual — on Gin Lane in Montpelier. In mid-July, Barr Hill added Back Bar to its lineup, serving the distillery's greatest hits along with fresh tiki-inspired cocktails and bar snacks.
Directly in front of the production area, with views of the stills and tubs of honey, the new bar offers "casual, quick service," general manager of hospitality Patrick Amice told Seven Days. Aside from the canned gin and tonics and signature Bee's Knees, the Back Bar menu differs from that of Barr Hill's full-service cocktail bar, which was a finalist in the nationwide Outstanding Bar category of this year's James Beard Awards.
Drinks such as the Penny Candy — with strawberry-infused Barr Hill gin; Amaro Nonino; Cocchi Rosa; and strawberry-lemon oleo saccharum, a sugar-citrus oil mixture — give "a second or third life" to juices and fruit scraps, Amice said. Complex milk punches and other clarified cocktails are batched ahead, which saves time when the bar is busy.
"It lets us try out some different styles and formats of drinks," Amice said, noting that the menu shifts to make the most of "seasonal, land-crafted ingredients."
The second bar was built two years ago and has been used to host classes and private events, Amice said. While it can serve as a waiting area for the distillery's full-service bar, Back Bar also offers exclusive access to a back patio. It's still available to rent outside its current hours: Friday, 4 to 8 p.m.; and Saturday, 2 to 8 p.m.