The tagline — "Serious spirits from not so serious people" — tells you most of what you need to know about Krooked Tusker's personality. Located along County Road 76 outside Hammondsport, this craft distillery sits in the scenic Keuka Lake countryside and leans hard into a playful, unpretentious vibe that makes it feel more like hanging out in a friend's very well-equipped barn than visiting a formal tasting room. The views of the surrounding hills and lake come standard.

The spirits are where the seriousness kicks in. Krooked Tusker produces small-batch vodka, bourbon, and gin that reflect the grain-rich agricultural terroir of the southern Finger Lakes, and the quality has earned them FLX Finest Silver for Best Distillery. The vodka is clean and smooth, the bourbon has character without being over-oaked, and the gin hits the botanical notes without tasting like a pine tree. Sample flights in the tasting room are the way to go if you're visiting for the first time — the staff is knowledgeable and genuinely enthusiastic about walking you through what they make.

Hammondsport is already a destination for wine lovers hitting the Keuka Lake trail, and Krooked Tusker gives spirits drinkers a reason to join the car. It's a relaxed afternoon stop — the kind of place where you might plan to stay twenty minutes and end up lingering for an hour, leaving with a bottle of bourbon and a hat with their elephant logo. Come for the spirits, stay for the atmosphere, and don't fight the urge to sit outside if the weather allows it.