Bourbon Born Here
Gulf Stream Distillery raises a glass to Fort Lauderdale’s rebellious roots with its new small-batch bourbon.
Fort Lauderdale was once known as "Fort Liquordale"- a wink to its Prohibition-era past when rum runners braved the Gulf Stream, smuggling spirits under cover off moonlight. Today, Gulf Stream Distillery is bottling that renegade spirit with a fresh release: its first small-batch bourbon, aged under South Floridas unrelenting sun and brewed with the kind of precision you'd expect from a chef-turned distiller and a former head brewer.
Founded in 2019, Gulf Stream Distillery began as a passion project between yacht chef Noah Aguilar and hospitality veteran Robert Roschman, The first still? A five gallon contraption that landed unceremoniously on Aguilar's front porch. "I started making moonshine in my backyard, Aguilar recalled "It was far more complicated Than I expected. I thought you just threw some sugar in a pot and called it a day."
Instead, it turned into a months-long obsession. Aguilar devoured books on fermentation and distillation -14 in total-then upgraded to a slightly bigger eight-gallon still and began brewing high-rye whiskey over a backyard flame, using dent com from a local feed store. The project took off. "Six days a week, for six weeks, I worked that stil just to fil a five-gallon barrel" Aquilar said
The bourbon that resulted wasn't competition-ready-but it was good. Good enough to get him hooked. "it had favor, body, spice I was chasing the balance of caramel, nut, honey, and rye spice" he said. "That first barrel sat for 13 months, and it lit the fire.*
Today, that fire is burning inside a modern distillery in Fort Lauderdale where Aguilar is joined by head distiller Dan Kastner. A craft vetran who spent years at Tarpon River Brewing. Kastner brought an expertise in fermentation and flavor that helped take the spirits to the next level 'A lot of the processes from brewing carry over" he said. "It's about retraining your senses to understand what flavors mean in a distilled spirt*
Gulf Streams newest bourbon release, coming this July. is a caskstrengin expression clocking in around 110: proof. Its a high-rye mash bill with 51% com, boasting rich notes of caramel, honey, butterscotch and oak.
"Some barreis even have this creamy texture or hints of tea, said Kastner. "It depends on where they're aged in the warehouse-airflow and temperature really affect how the spirit matures *
That aging process is unique to South Fiorida, where heat and humidity accelerate the interaction between spirit and barrel. "We get some incredible characteristics from aging here," said Aguilar. "Our bourbon has a lot of terroir. in a way. The environment leaves a fingerprint.*
The team is committed to quality without compromise. What starts with ingredients: the vodka and gin are both
”We want to make Fort Lauderdale proud, said Aguilar And give people a spirit worth raising a glass to!
Noah AguilarHead Bootlegger
made from italian wheat triple the cost of traditional com-based spirits. "Wheat gives it a creamy, velvety texture" said Kastner. "it just feels more premium."
That attention to detail extends to process. For the gin, Aquilar leaned into his chef's instincts. "i wanted to create a gin for South Honda-something bright and citrusy. not heavy like a London Dry, he said. The distillery uses lour types of citrus, plus delicate aromatics like Thai basil and cucumber, infused in stages throughout a daylong distillation. The results? Gold and silver medals from both the San Francisco and New York international spirit competitions and the title of Best Gin Distilery in Florida
Yet despite the accolades, the goal remains simple: make spirits people love. "We're not trying to be overly precious, said Kastner. "We want folks to have a good time, enjoy the drink, and feel like they're part of something local*
Gulf Streams newest bourbon release, coming this July. is a caskstrengin expression clocking in around 110: proof. Its a high-rye mash bill with 51% com, boasting rich notes of caramel, honey, butterscotch and oak.
"Some barreis even have this creamy texture or hints of tea, said Kastner. "It depends on where they're aged in the warehouse-airflow and temperature really affect how the spirit matures *
That aging process is unique to South Fiorida, where heat and humidity accelerate the interaction between spirit and barrel. "We get some incredible characteristics from aging here," said Aguilar. "Our bourbon has a lot of terroir. in a way. The environment leaves a fingerprint.*
The team is committed to quality without compromise. What starts with ingredients: the vodka and gin are both
That local love is key. Gulf Stream products are behind bars at Fort Lauderdale spots like Ukiya and Venus, and their booth at local festivals often draws long lines. When people realize this was made right here, it creates a real connection. said Aguilar. "And then they taste it, and they're hooked"
Looking ahead, the team plans to scale slowly. Aguilar envisions expanding production, adding a team under Kastner's lead, and moving toward producing 100% in house. In the pipeline is an agave spirit aged in sherry casks, house made rum, and more whiskey aged right in Fort Lauderdale's salty air.
For now, the bourbon is the main event-and it tells the story of a city and a crew unwilling to cut corners. "We want to make Fort Lauderdale proud, said Aguilar And give people a spirit worth raising a glass to."
