Following in the footsteps of craft breweries, local distilled spirits are becoming a viable option for consumers around North Alabama.

It’s no secret that local breweries have sprouted exponential over the past five years around the state. In Huntsville alone, there are currently 10 breweries when there were none in 2009.

Local distilleries look to be following that trend with several emerging over the past several years in Huntsville and Birmingham. One Birmingham distillery with ties to the Shoals area is Redmont Distilling Company.

Formed by Florence natives Jake Hendon and Stephen Watts in 2015, Redmont currently has two products — Redmont Vodka and Alabama Cotton Gin. After a long and arduous process, the Auburn University graduates have finally seen their hard work pay off.

“The biggest hurdle has been spreading awareness to consumers,” said Watts. “We’re at the point where people get the idea of locals craft beer. We’re just starting that option with craft spirits.”

To get an idea of how long its been since a local distillery came to Birmingham, Redmont is Birmingham’s first distillery since prohibition — nearly 100 years. Similar to Birmingham, craft distilleries are starting to pop up around Huntsville.

Mad County Winery and Irons Distillery are two examples of companies in Huntsville that produce craft spirits, but existing breweries around the state are also beginning to produce spirits in house. While those spirits are sold in-house at breweries like Madison’s Ole Black Bear and Blue Pants Brewery, Redmont’s products are available to the consumer to buy at their local liquor store.

“When we started, we were a wholesale product,” said Watts. “Now we have finally hit shelves. Right now, it’s in 75 ABC stores around the state. Well beyond Florence and Birmingham.”

Watts said Redmont wants to provide consumers with the same thing local breweries around the state have done: a locally sourced product produced in their own town. Redmont’s vodka is filtered through Alabama limestone while it’s Gin is vapor-infused with botanicals including Alabama grown cotton.

“All of our products are made with 100 percent corn, non GMO and gluten free,” said Watts “It’s a smooth and sweet taste. A lot of people compare it to the Tito’s.”

And like craft breweries which often produce several seasonal brews each year, Redmont is planning to release its first seasonal product in 2017. “Satsuma Vodka” will be a citrus-infused vodka made with real Satsuma Oranges from Satsuma, Alabama.

“Other places combine Vodka with flavoring and mix it together,” said Watts. “What we are doing is an infusion. We actually picked the oranges. We’re calling it ‘Grove to glass.’”