Day 2: Low Spirits Go High

Good morning. Day two started off peacefully. A storm front was rolling in, so Boulder was damp and cool and unfortunately, I’ve decided to come down with a head cold. We grabbed breakfast at Foolish Craig’s; an amazing breakfast spot recommended by my amazing editor and sweet host for the night. After a quick stop to pick up provisions for my head cold we made our way up the Front Range to  Lyons.

It was a drizzly morning but I always love driving up towards Estes Park. I’m so happy to see the recovery (albeit slow,) of the little mountain towns after the terrible flooding in the area in 2013. We stopped at Spirit Hound, which is one of Dan’s absolute favorite distilleries. Our bartender Amanda was cleaning up from the very successful World Whiskey Day celebration on Saturday but was still welcoming and kind. Their cocktail menu looked so good but we thought it would be more prudent to have a flight so I could get a broader take on their line. . They use a 100% barley mash which is different from many of the other distilleries that use a corn and rye combination.

Each barrel is bottled and sold separately with no blending between them. This makes for a very special tasting experience. Dan and I also got to speak with the owner, Craig, who is so passionate about what he doing in Lyons. You can just feel that this distillery loves and cares about their community so much. I look forward to returning and trying some of the craft cocktails. Amanda is part of the Whiskey Wenches who helped to directly develop the gin sold by Spirit Hound. This group of ladies got together and drop by drop adjusted the botanicals to get their flavor perfect. The Whiskey Wenches host a lot of events at the distillery and also take field trips to other local distilleries.

We continued up into Estes Park to check out Elkins Distillery. They were busy helping the hoards from a tour bus swinging by. Since I was not feeling well, I deemed it an appropriate time for one of their Hot Toddys. It used Celestial Seasonings’ chamomile tea with their whiskey and some lemon juice. It definitely lifted my spirits. The location is bright and open with these amazing painted deer and elk heads on the wall. I really enjoyed seeing their signature smoky old fashioned get made. It appears that they batch their old fashioned with the whiskey, sugar, and bitters, and pour it over smoked ice. We didn’t get a chance to try it but it looked delicious.  

Elkins Distillery uses a rapid aging process which is different than other distilleries in Colorado. This process involves placing charred wood chips into the barrel to infuse it with the whiskey which achieves a deeper color and more complex flavor it a much faster time frame. This can reduce the time from years to months for a completed product. This has allowed them to get a finished product out to the public more rapidly than typically expected.

On our way back down to Denver we were able to stop by Longtucky in Longmont. We were lucky enough to be there while one of the  – John- was there. He gave us a semi-private tour of the facility and allowed us to try a few of their specialty products. One of our favorites was the Leviathan Black Rum. We were tempted to get a bottle but decided we will wait until we have our wish list together once we have completed the trail. I thoroughly enjoyed the Longtucky Spirit that John exudes when he speaks and would enjoy sitting down with him over whiskeys any day.

Mad Rabbit was actually my first official stop on the Trail last year. They have an amazing gin which I covet for special at-home cocktails. We were able to try their bourbons on this visit. I really like how smooth it was without being overly sweet. At this point my head cold was in full swing so unfortunately my tasting opinion can’t go much deeper than that.

We met two other Trailblazers who announced that they had already hit 13 locations just that day. We complimented them on their great feat and were excited to chat about their travels learn about their favorites. We were greatly disappointed to realize exactly how  they had made so much headway so quickly when we got inside. They immeadiately asked for the stamp from the lovely Lindsey who was tending bar, and as soon as she went to get our flight they were gone just as fast. They didn’t try anything or even introduce themselves. What a shame.

Just a few minutes from Mad Rabbit is the Whistling Hare. They are new to the Trail this year but certainly not new to distilling. Collin is the bar manager and he helped to develop the current menu. The tasting room is intimate, which was very nice on a slow Sunday afternoon. We decided to get a bottles’ worth of their whiskey aged coffee beans; I can’t want to make some cold brew with it.

For our final location we decided to run over to Rising Sun in Denver before they closed for the evening. We got a small tour of the location and got to see their pot stills as well as two infusions for their lavender/hibiscus liquor and Colorado chili liquor. It is so cool to see the process in action. We were able to enjoy one last quick flight before going home to Colorado Springs to sleep our own bed and snuggle my dogs who I haven’t seen all weekend.

I think this is a good point to bring something up about the trail. Since this is a competition, by Colorado law you are no obligated to make any purchases to participate. But I would like to encourage everyone to go to these locations, try the spirits, and complete a tour. Don’t just run in and get your stamp and run out. Don’t be ‘that guy’. Yes, Daniel did finish the trail in 8 days last year, but he stopped and talked to the staff at every single location. He tired something, he learned something, and he got another amazing story. People who are just doing this for the stamps are missing the entire point. Don’t take the spirit of community out of the Spirits Trail. In short, don’t be an asshole.