OHSO to open micro-distillery in north Scottsdale in May

Nothing like starting the week with some huge news: OHSO Brewery in east Phoenix is opening a second location – OHSO Distillery – in north Scottsdale next month.

“Variety is the spice of life, and I plan to keep growing,” says Jon Lane, who opened OHSO in late 2011. His bike-friendly, dog-friendly venue has become one of the Valley’s most popular neighborhood hangouts.

OHSO Distillery will be located near the 101 and Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard in the same complex as Four Peaks Grill & Tap and Skeptical Chymist. Lane hopes to open in mid-May.

The new site will have 36 beer taps, a little more wine and more house specialty cocktails than the original OHSO, Lane says. Some of the same food items will be offered, but up to two-thirds of the menu will be new.

‘More breweries and distilleries in works’

“This space that I liked did not have the space for a brewery,” Lane says. Thus, the idea of a micro-distillery that will provide small batches of craft spirits – whiskey, bourbon, vodka, etc. – for both OHSO locations.

Jeff Smith, one of OHSO’s current brewers, will head the distilling operation, although Lane doesn’t expect to receive his distilling license until late summer.

“If all goes well, there will be more breweries and distilleries in the works,” Lane says. “But first I need to get this one going in the right direction.”