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Hammer Spring Distillers: Utah’s First Distillery to Make Potato Vodka

Hammer Spring Distillers is the only Utah distillery to make vodka from potatoes. They use whole, fresh Utah potatoes for a 100% farm-to-glass product.”

by

Heather L. King

|

Hammer Spring Distillers Potato Vodka

JP and Vita Bernier opened Hammer Spring Distillers in April of 2017. The family-owned business is the only Utah distillery to make vodka from potatoes, says JP. “We use whole, fresh Utah potatoes for a 100% farm-to-glass product.”

Alongside their signature potato vodka, Hammer Spring produces a bourbon, two gins, a coffee liqueur, and two specialty vodkas — habanero and Hidden Vodka. A percentage of all sales of Hidden Vodka are donated to local and national organizations that fight human trafficking as well as offer assistance to survivors.

While Bernier counts the grain-to-glass bourbon and award-winning gin as his personal favorites, he explains that Hammer Spring customers are particularly loyal to the Perky Cowgirl Coffee Liqueur — featuring Millcreek Coffee Roasters’ beans.

To purchase all of Hammer Spring products, customers will need to head directly to the distillery. 

“Many of our local products are not purchased by DABC at all,” Bernier notes. “In our case, 50% of our products. It’s therefore 100% illegal for us to sell half of our legally licensed and produced products anywhere except our tiny retail walk-in, which is absurd.” 

Bernier would like to see a locally produced sales category put in place instead of making local small-batch distillers compete with national and international brands for shelf placement. “There’s no way we can, so our products get delisted or discontinued when our sales volumes don’t match the national brands.” 

Hammer Spring Distillers is located at 697 West 1987 South, Building 5 , Salt Lake City, UT 

801-599-4704

Open Wednesday through Friday 1-6pm and Saturday noon to 5pm

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Heather L. King

Heather is a food and beverage writer and anonymous restaurant critic for a variety of publications in Utah. She’s happy to have reported on Utah’s changing food landscape for more than 20 years. When not dining out, you’ll often find her at local farmers markets shopping for fresh produce and meeting local vendors. During the pandemic lockdown, she spent her time perfecting gin cocktails — often using locally produced spirits and garnishes. She shares her love of great food with her husband and two Great Danes. Her passion for traveling is fueled by experiencing the food cultures of other countries and regions. She owns SLCLunches.com, and you’ll find her sharing her favorite dishes @slclunches.

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