Meet Pat Tracey! Pat is an Oshkosh local with so many insider tips to share with you! Come along with Pat as he explores Oshkosh's hidden gems, along with places and events that make Oshkosh unique (while getting a good laugh)! Follow along with Pat as he discovers Oshkosh -- read more here..!
Sturgeon Spirits - Craft Distillery Tasting Room & Cocktail Bar
Who’s ready to celebrate the sturgeon? This prehistoric fish, unique to the Lake Winnebago system, becomes the center of the ice-fishing world every February. Picture this: sportsmen huddled in shanties, staring into ice holes, and then, out of the murky depths appears a fish as big as a man!
Now, you too can experience the thrill of seeing a sturgeon underwater, when you visit Sturgeon Spirits, just 5 minutes south of the Fox River at 2663 Oregon Street. You enter the distillery, and as your eyes adjust from the bright Oshkosh sun you realize that you’re walking under a dock. You enter the tasting room, turn, and you’re face-to-face with dozens of sturgeon staring at you from behind 750ml ‘fifths’ of the freshest vodka, rum and gin you’ll find on dry land.
Welcome to Sturgeon Spirits Craft Distillery, a labor of love for history professor turned distiller Karl Lowenstein. His passion for the sturgeon began when he bought a home on Lake Winnebago in Oshkosh, with some murky fish stories of its own. Today, Karl, mixologist Todd, and flavorista Tanya have created an experience you could only have in Oshkosh!
Prepare for a Tsunami of Flavor
I’ve been here three times and barely begun to taste my way through the craft cocktail menu. I’m hooked on the very first thing I tried, the Perfect Pear, made with pear + habanero vodkas. However, an essential part of the fun is sampling what your friends order! Initially I thought, no problem, I can sample my way through the twenty craft cocktails listed on the menu!
Not so fast, grasshopper, the menu changes monthly! Now I’ve gotta decide between the Dark Shanty (blackberry + cranberry vodkas), the Gaff (blackberry, raspberry + blueberry vodkas) or the Barbed Spear (blackberry vodka + orange gin). Just the thought of it keeps my spirits up during a Wisconsin February!
Take a Sturgeon Home Tonight
For me, the real decision comes when it’s time to leave, and you turn to face the sturgeon peering out at you from their bottles. Whether you’re stocking your home bar or gifting friends, the choices are slightly mind-blowing: hmmmm, Blackberry Vodka, Cinnamon Vanilla, Chocolate Liqueur made with Oaks Chocolate, or Osh-Gave for margaritas? Face it friends, with 170+ flavors, you’re going to have to leave some of these sturgeon to fight another day.
Pat’s Tips
- Begin your taste journey right now at Sturgeon Spirits Craft Cocktail Menu; half the fun is reading and discussing the drinks before you even get here!
- Conversation Alert! Sturgeon Spirits doesn’t have a TV, instead you have a great view of the still. I met new people (!) and after a couple visits, I’m already a regular. Plus, with Karl the distiller and Todd the mixologist to keep the conversation flowing, it gets pretty gregarious.
- I loved the $10 Charcuterie Board, it’s the perfect size to keep a few nibblers happy. Plus, it’s currently the only food item available, which means you can focus your decision-making skills on the craft cocktail menu.
- Support Oshkosh’s local craft distillery! Request Sturgeon Spirits by name at nearly 50 area stores, pubs and restaurants: Find our Spirits Store Locator. What a fantastic list of sturgeon-friendly establishments!
For More Information
Sturgeon Spirits | 2663 Oregon Street, Oshkosh
Phone (920)-267-5192 | Tuesday-Thursday 4-8PM; Friday & Saturday 1PM-9PM; Sunday 1PM-6PM; Closed on Mondays.
