Cocktail Bar
Unclaimed profileDayton Barrel Works
Dayton, OH · $$
Inebrious
Beverage Program Score
The editorial take
Barrel Works is a distillery bar where the house spirits drive the program. Rubicon Creek Bourbon appears in a Smokewood Old Fashioned and the Ida Jane sour, while Harper's Siren Gin anchors a Gin & Tonic with housemade floral tonic. The distillery took Grand National Champion honors at the 2024 U.S. Open Whiskey & Spirits Championships. Classic cocktails run $11-$13, and whiskey pours range $8-$15.
- What should I order?
- Start with the Smokewood Old Fashioned, built on Rubicon Creek Bourbon with smoked demerara sugar and Angostura bitters. For a gin drink, the Gin & Tonic with Harper's Siren and housemade floral tonic shows the house style.
- Who will enjoy this place?
- Cocktail drinkers who value spirits made on-site will find much to explore, as will whiskey enthusiasts curious about award-winning house pours.
- What should I expect to spend?
- Classic cocktails run $11-$13, seasonal cocktails $14, wines by the glass $9-$12, and beers $6. Whiskey pours range $8-$15.
- What makes the beverage program distinctive?
- The bar is also the distillery, producing Rubicon Creek Bourbon, Harper's Siren Gin, Gypsy Queen Absinthe, and Lily Water Vodka. That house inventory feeds directly into the cocktail list and the whiskey pour menu.
Beverage categories
We only score what a venue sets out to do. Categories a venue doesn't attempt are left unscored rather than penalized.
Cocktails
The cocktail list spans classics and seasonal offerings, all built on house-distilled spirits. Classics like the Smokewood Old Fashioned and Five Dams are priced at $13, with seasonal drinks at $14.
Menu strengths
- — Classic cocktails use the house spirits, including Rubicon Creek Bourbon in the Smokewood Old Fashioned and Ida Jane, and Harper's Siren Gin in the Gin & Tonic.
- — Seasonal lineup adds drinks like the Gingerbread Flip and Smoked Creekside Cider, showing range beyond the standard classics.
- — Cocktails rely on housemade elements such as smoked demerara sugar and floral tonic, giving the list a distinct identity.
Standout selections
- — Smokewood Old Fashioned – Rubicon Creek Bourbon with smoked demerara sugar and Angostura bitters, $13.
- — Five Dams – Lily Water Vodka with housemade raspberry and ginger, lime, and club soda, $13.
- — Ida Jane – a whiskey sour with Rubicon Creek Bourbon and aquafaba, $13.
- — Gin & Tonic – Harper's Siren Gin with housemade floral tonic, $11.
Pricing: $11-$14
Wine
A compact wine list offers six by-the-glass options, three red and three white. Prices are moderate, from $9 for Coppola Pinot Grigio to $12 for Chloe Cabernet Sauvignon. The selection is straightforward and functional.
Menu strengths
- — Both red and white options are available, including familiar labels like Meiomi Pinot Noir and Joel Gott Chardonnay.
- — Glass prices are accessible, topping out at $12.
Standout selections
- — Cabernet Sauvignon, Chloe – $12; Pinot Noir, Meiomi – $10
Pricing: $9-$12 by the glass
Beer
The beer selection comes entirely from The Beer Company, offering a lager, a blonde, two IPAs, a coffee stout, and a hard seltzer. All are priced at $6, making it an easy, local complement to the spirits program.
Menu strengths
- — A local connection: all beers are from The Beer Company.
- — Variety of styles, including a hazy IPA and coffee stout, at a uniform $6 price.
Standout selections
- — Roof Juice Hazy IPA – $6; Java Man Coffee Stout – $6
Pricing: $6 each
Spirits
The distillery's own spirits are the core, featuring Rubicon Creek Bourbon, Harper's Siren Gin, Gypsy Queen Absinthe, and Lily Water Vodka. The program earned top honors at the 2024 U.S. Open, and pours range from $8 for Altschul's Corn Whiskey to $15 for barrel-proof bourbon.
Menu strengths
- — In-house distillery produces a wide range of spirits, from bourbon and rye to absinthe and vodka.
- — 2024 U.S. Open Whiskey & Spirits Championships named the distillery Grand National Champion & #1 Spirit Distiller.
- — Whiskey pours span $8-$15, offering access to limited and barrel-proof releases.
Standout selections
- — Rubicon Creek Straight Bourbon Whiskey – 95 proof, $10 pour.
- — Rubicon Creek Single Barrel Bourbon – barrel proof at 118.2, $15 pour.
- — Altschul's Straight Corn Whiskey – 100 proof, $8 pour.
- — Gypsy Queen Absinthe Blanche – Swiss style, 120 proof.
Pricing: $8-$15 per pour
Community reviews
Anyone with a free Inebrious account can rate the drinks here. Community ratings are kept entirely separate from the Inebrious editorial score above.
No community reviews yet. Be the first to write one.