How Stone Groove Stillhouse Turns Music Into Spirits
A few months ago, my husband declared – half-joking, half-serious – that he was on his way to becoming a bourbon connoisseur. Suddenly, our evenings were punctuated by the soft clink of glasses, long debates about “notes” and “legs,” and a growing collection of impressively unpronounceable bottles. We recently opted for a decidedly different night out with friends (also fledgling aficionados) to check out Stone Groove Stillhouse in Anaheim. I expected a world of whiskey, but what I discovered was an experience far richer and more welcoming than I ever anticipated.
Stepping into the historic MAKE Building in Anaheim, we discovered a concept so original it feels almost futuristic – yet rooted in analog warmth and soulful tradition. Welcome to Stone Groove Stillhouse, the world’s first audio stillhouse, where music and spirits don’t just coexist – they actively shape one another.
The brainchild of husband-and-wife team Jeff and Christa Duggan, Stone Groove Stillhouse showcases cocktails that sing as brightly as the records spinning behind the bar, and food becomes part of the rhythm. It’s not just a distillery, not just a restaurant. It’s an adventure.
Music as an Ingredient
The heartbeat of Stone Groove lies in its patent-pending Musically Mastered™ process, a world-first technique that uses sound frequencies, vibrations, and genre-specific energy to enhance the interaction between spirit and wood. Picture American Single Malt Whiskey aged to Jazz Fusion, or a Rye Whiskey steeped in the sonic pulse of Classic Rock, a Hip Hop Rye Whiskey, a Moonlight Sonata-inspired single malt and a Black Heart Gin shaped by bluesy undertones.
The result? Distinctive genre-driven profiles tying sound to flavor in a way that feels almost synesthetic. Take one sip, and you realize – this isn’t just marketing.
We were intrigued by the concept and were surprised to find that we really could discern the difference in taste and aroma between the “Country” and “Blues” bourbons. The spirits were remarkably smooth, balanced, and textured, each with a character uniquely its own. Also most definitely worth a special mention are a pair of uniquely delicious cocktails – the Velvet Elvis (SG Blues Bourbon and green apples) and the Tragic Kingdom (SC Creamsicle Vodka, Mexican Orange and vanilla).
A Kitchen with a Global Groove
The menu here blends global influences with soulful comfort. Expect elevated takes on bar classics (think a juicy burger enhanced with aged white cheddar, black garlic aioli, caramelized onion and arugula), globally inspired small plates (a perfectly crunchy and sweet honey miso shrimp, “Country Bourbon” glazed carrots paired with whipped goat cheese and hazelnuts) that complement the genre-specific spirits rather than compete with them. It’s food designed to keep you lingering – snacking, sipping, and savoring long after the music kicks in.
At its core, Stone Groove Stillhouse is as much about atmosphere as it is about flavor. Anchored by a meticulously analog reel-to-reel sound system, the acoustically treated dining room feels like a listening lounge colliding with a distillery. Vinyl spins, cocktails flow, and the entire space seems to hum with energy.
Stone Groove is a space where anything seems possible: a bar that doubles as a concert for your palate, a distillery that feels improvised yet perfectly orchestrated.
