Cape May County is full of fun and exciting things to do. There is the beach, the shopping, the food, and so much more! Something else that there seems to be a good number of are wineries, breweries, and distilleries.
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About
When we were in the Cape May Area over New Year’s, the weather was not exactly ideal. For that reason, we needed to find some things to do that would be inside and out of the weather. We have been to some of the other distilleries and wineries in the area and always had a good time. Since it was New Year’s Day, the one place we had thought about going to was closed. After a quick google search and some chatting, we found Nauti Spirits Distillery in Cape May NJ. We decided to check it out and see what they had to offer.
Nauti Spirits Distillery is a true farm-to-bottle distillery and is one of the largest distilleries in the state of New Jersey. It is located on an over 60-acre working farm in southern New Jersey. Every part of the distillery process happens at this location, from growing to serving it to you and all the steps in between. Because of the size limitations, they do procure some of the ingredients off-site, however, they grow a good amount of the ingredients in their liquors themselves. Anything that is sourced off-site that can be sourced locally is, with the exception of items that can not grow in this area.
The Atmosphere
From the moment you walk into Nauti Spirits Distillery in Cape May NJ you feel welcome. They have a small area that shows where the liquors are made and then you reach a front counter where you are greeted by some of their inviting staff. After a quick age check and hand stamp, you are free to go find a place to hang out and order drinks. You can also go there to only purchase bottles if you don’t have time to stay. The space to hand out and have some drinks is also very nicely designed.
There is an indoor space with a long bar and a handful of tables. In addition to the indoor seating, there are 2 outdoor tents. These tents are heated in the winter. We chose the inside for our table, not far from the wood-burning stove.
The décor at Nauti Spirits is fitting to the theme. High ceilings and deep wood tones make the space seem warm and welcoming. They have nice artwork with their intriguing logo displayed. The staff at the bar was very nice and super helpful.
In addition to the bottles that you can purchase on-site, they also have a large gift shop space. This space includes all of the possible “Nauti” gear you could ask for. They have shirts, flasks, glasses, cozies, and much more. All of it is displayed in a way that is visually appealing and catches your eye. Also in the gift shop, the walls are covered with artworks and words. There are old phrases, factoids, history, and more.
The Spirits
The drinks we had here were exceptional. Not only are all the alcohols used in them made in-house, but so are all the syrups that are used in the mixes. Even the crushed ice is crushed to order in a special bag with a wooden hammer. They have an extensive menu as well as a few seasonal drinks, so there is a nice variety. This means most people can find something that they will enjoy.
And for those who don’t drink or your designated driver, there is a selection of nonalcoholic items available. These feature house-made sodas and even cold brew coffee. We even got to order a non-alcoholic juice that was created just that morning. The juice was available non-alcoholic, or you could spike it with the alcohol of your choice. Our son got 2 of the non-alcoholic version. We also got on spiked with vodka that tasted great as well. There are options for the whole group.
One thing to note, due to New Jersey Laws, places that manufacture alcohol are not allowed to serve food. This means that there is nothing to eat on the menu. That said, Nauti Spirits Distillery encourages you to bring your own snacks and food. We brought a fancy charcuterie board that we made. While you can bring in something premade, there are also many places nearby that will deliver to the distillery, many of which can be found through one of the popular delivery services.
The Prices
When we first arrived at Nauti Spirits, we were a little surprised by the prices. The menu prices were higher than we had anticipated. That being said, once we ordered and saw the size of the drinks and the quality of the drinks, the prices did seem to be in line with what we were getting. The other distilleries we have visited locally were priced lower, but the drinks were also smaller.
It is definitely pricier than some of the local bars as well, but they are not serving farm to bottle alcohol and instead have large batch, mass-produced alcohol. Ultimately, I think that the prices were fitting with other top-shelf menu items and worth the price. We didn’t leave disappointed.
The Kid-Friendly Factor
It may seem odd to think about the kid-friendly factors of a distillery, but if you are like us, your kids are with you most of the time. That means sometimes they have to go places that aren’t necessarily geared toward kids. Nauti Spirits may not have been geared to the kids, but they try to keep the kids happy.
When we arrived the girl at the front desk had a special hand stamp for our son so he wouldn’t feel left out. The options for non-alcoholic drinks also helped to make them feel included. The bartender even put it in a special bottle with fruit garnish to make the drink extra special.
We also made sure that we brought snacks that the kids would like so that helped keep him occupied as well. End of the day, we let our son use the phone to play some games and watch some videos. The distillery didn’t exclude kids and they actually went out of their way to make them feel like a part of the group.
Our Final Thoughts
All in all, Nauti Spirits Distillery was a great place to visit. The staff was great and very friendly. The space was inviting. The drinks were tasty and there were so many drinks to choose from. We had a great time and would visit there again. Since we were there in the winter, we would love to make the trip back there in the summer. I think being able to see the farm in action and enjoy the weather while there will make the experience even better. We can’t wait till we can go back there again!
While you’re in South Jersey be sure to check out West End Garage. Read more about them here!
