This is the draw behind the name. From gin to bourbon… whiskey and other award‑winning spirits.
The bar at Altered State Distillery is the focal point of this business, which opened six years ago in this plaza along West 8th Street in Erie.
The original plan was to be on State Street and hold the name meaning of what Gavin Maus describes as:
“Altered state of grains to a spirit, altered state of mind, and altering the experiences here in a kind of fun play on words.”
Maus is the owner and founder of Altered State.
An addition to the business is the chance to taste homemade food with a Mexican flair, created straight from the intimate kitchen behind the bar.
Maus says, “Everything’s fresh. We cook the meats once a week in-house. All the fresh ingredients are made daily.”
This space home to Taco Tuesday and other specialty nights is also a venue for live bands.
The music is part of the Altered State allure, which includes seasonal drinks and seasonal curling leagues outside the bar area.
Maus says, “We have 10 teams on Tuesday, 10 teams on Wednesday. This year we did two leagues in the winter and then in the spring.”
It adds to the uniqueness of the business—one that Gavin says got its start thanks to another area distillery.
Maus says, “We owe a lot to Conneaut Cellars. They were the instrument that helped us hone our craft to literally become one of the best distilleries not only in the region but in the state.”