30A Distilling Co.

30A Distilling Co. occupies a low-slung industrial unit at 605 North County Highway 393, Building 15-B, in Santa Rosa Beach, just off the corridor that links 30A to Highway 98. It is easy to drive past without noticing, but the tasting room inside welcomes walk-ins Wednesday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. (closed Monday and Tuesday), and it has become a regular stop for visitors who want to taste Florida-made spirits rather than just look at the beach. Anyone planning a visit can call ahead at (850) 253-7564 or check the current schedule on the distillery’s website.

Co-owners Brian Rabon and Scott built the business around a personal tie to 30A rather than a concept borrowed from somewhere else. Both grew up in families with deep roots along these beaches, and Scott’s family history runs deep enough that Winston Lane in nearby Inlet Beach is named for his relatives. That sense of place carries into how the distillery sources its ingredients. Rather than buying bulk grain wherever it is cheapest, the team pulls sugar cane, barley, corn, rye, and wheat from farms in DeFuniak Springs, Jennings, and Winter Haven, aiming, in the founders’ own words, to let visitors “truly experience Florida in a bottle.”

The current lineup includes small-batch rum, whiskey, and vodka, plus a barrel-aged gin infused with local rosemary that won Gold and Best in Class at the 2023 East Coast Craft Spirit Awards. A reposado agave spirit takes its name and inspiration from nearby Grayton Beach, and a limoncello made in collaboration with local personality Eliana Ciao rounds out a menu built almost entirely around regional flavor instead of imported concepts. Every bottle skips additives and preservatives, a detail the distillery treats as a point of pride rather than a footnote on the label.

Visitors have more than one way to experience the operation beyond a simple pour at the bar. 30A Distilling Co. runs public distillery tours and more in-depth private VIP tours, along with scheduled tasting appointments for groups who want a guided walk through the full lineup rather than a quick sample. Regulars can also join the 30A Founders Club, a membership program that unlocks exclusive bottles, private tastings, and early access to limited releases before they reach the general tasting room shelf.

For a 30A itinerary, the distillery works best as an afternoon detour rather than a full outing. Taste a few pours, pick up a bottle of the rosemary gin or the Grayton-inspired agave spirit, and head back toward the water with something distinctly local to bring home or share at the rental house that evening. Because the tasting room keeps limited afternoon hours outside of weekends, it is worth checking the posted schedule before making the drive out to Highway 393, especially midweek. The building itself sits inside a small industrial park rather than a storefront strip, so first-time visitors should watch for the signage near Building 15-B rather than expecting a beachfront tasting room. Once inside, though, the space delivers exactly what a craft distillery should: a short, unhurried lineup of spirits with a story behind each one, poured by people who actually grew up on this stretch of coast.