Lifted Spirits was named the best gin distillery in Missouri. Now they're expanding out of state

Lifted Spirits, which is based in the East Crossroads, was named Missouri’s best gin distillery at the New York International Spirits Competition this summer. Founder Michael Stuckey credits a tight-knit and respectful environment for their "wild" growth.
After noticing more than a decade ago how distillation and cocktails enhanced his own friendship groups, Michael Stuckey set out to create that same sense of community for others.

“I fell in love with the idea of spirits first; this idea that spirits were inherently about bringing people together,” said Stuckey, founder of Lifted Spirits Distillery. “I saw that in my friend group where we were trying craft spirits and making different cocktails.”

“Play” is at the core of everything Lifted Spirits does, Stuckey said, adding that the distillery, which opened in 2016 in the East Crossroads, tries to create “cohesive, journey-like spirits on the palate.”