Lee Spirits, Expect More

Lee Spirits Company is the maker of my favorite gin. Lee Spirits is the brainchild of two cousins, Ian and Nick.  Their mission is “to create the finest gin and liqueurs to empower you to make authentic pre-prohibition classic cocktails.” I think their mission has been successful. They started with a traditional dry gin and have expanded into many flavored gins, liqueurs and crèmes. Their tasting room is hidden in downtown Colorado Springs. It feels like a speakeasy and calls back to gins’ pre-prohibition roots. The Brooklyn on Boulder shop front is false and you have to ring the doorbell to gain access to the tasting room itself.

Recently they have began doing a full tasting of all of their commercially available products. This was a really fun addition to the experience of Brooklyn’s on Boulder. I feel that people forget that the clear spirits like gin and vodka can have complex and interesting flavors that are difficult to detect if you only drink them in cocktails. This tasting gives you an opportunity to experience the complexity and versatility of Gin as well as the liqueurs that harken back to pre-prohibition flavors.

The following items are included in this tasting, due to their unique flavors I felt it appropriate to give you a glimpse into what to expect.

Dry Gin a traditional pre-prohibition style gin with an herbal scent and a smooth finish

Strawberry Ginger Gin a base of the dry gin infused with macerated strawberries and ginger which lends itself to refreshing poolside drinks with a little kick from that ginger flavor

Lavender Gin infused with lavender flowers which is reminiscent of walking through a mountain field of lavender and is a very unique flavor to traditional cocktails without being overwhelming

Forbidden Fruit Liqueur which is a combination of grapefruit, honey and spices, it was a popular liqueur pre-prohibition and the recipe was purchased by Chambord, who discontinued the flavor in lieu of their raspberry recipe we know today

Crème de Rose a sweet infusion using pink and red rose petals

Crème de Violette this striking blue-violet crème is flavored with orris root and colored with a natural blue violet dye

Crème de Cacao brings a light sweet and almost creamy chocolate flavor

Winston Lee Blended Whiskey is a blend of a 4 year Kentucky Whiskey distilled from a bourbon mash, the flavor is light and sweet

Peppermint Schnapps is a cool shock to the system on its own but tastes amazing in a hot coco

Alpine Liqueur which is inspired by traditional European herbal liqueurs and makes you imagine sitting in a lush alpine meadow in full bloom

Gin Fuego my personal favorite, is infused with local chilies and cinnamon, it gives a hot kick to any cocktail. I enjoy sharing this with my friends in a punch that I make for summer get togethers.

Jalapeno Watermelon Lemonade Punch

• 1 large jug of Minute Maid Spicy Watermelon Lemonade
• 1 cup of fresh lemon juice
• 1 bottle of Lee Spirits Gin Fuego

Combine in a punch bowl with ice

Garnish with thinly sliced jalapenos and lemon slices

Brooklyn’s on Boulder hosts regular themed classes and can be rented out for private events. Dan and I  have taken many of them over the last few years. Our favorite was an infusion class where we learned what makes a good infusion and got to play and experiment with a huge selection of quality ingredients. The class allowed us to make two of our own personal infusions, each using the Lee Spirits Dry Gin as our base. Dan made a coffee, blueberry and vanilla infusion which he was very proud of. My infusion included chili threads, sliced ginger and cinnamon sticks. All of the classes are unique and different covering punches, cocktails and prohibition history.

Brooklyn on Boulder is top of the list when we want to show off Colorado Springs to our out-of-town guest. Often, it takes them out of their comfort zone while still managing to be an engaging and quiet place to catch up and have a good night. Brooklyn and Boulder’s neighbor, The Wild Goose, provides food for the distillery so you don’t have to go through the hassle of also finding your dinner.

If you want a taste of the hushed and exciting pre-prohibition cocktails in a true speakeasy in downtown Colorado Springs, then definitely check out Brooklyn on Boulder.