Day 10: Local and Loving It

On Saturday we were headed to the 7^th Annual Whiskey + Doughnuts event in Denver. We wanted to check a few more locations off our map, so we headed up early for some Spirits Trail stops. It was a gorgeous Colorado day and made for easy driving.

Our first stop of the day was Mile High Spirits. This location is huge. It serves as a club, a music venue, and a bar serving all of their products and infusions. They were setting up for some live music that night and the place was busy. Even with all of the people there we were still given attention and offered a small flight. We decided to try their bottled Fireside Old Fashioned, an infused Mint Julep Bourbon and their Peg Leg Rum. While talking to the bartender he mentioned they would be doing a tour that we could join if we would like. On the tour we got to see their aging racks, stills, and fermenters. They mill, ferment, distill and age their product on site which is always exciting to see. They have a gorgeous glass gin still which is one of few in the United States and is a work of art. William was our tour guide and very patient with all of our questions and so eager to show the exciting products Mile High Spirits has available and what they are playing with for future products. I recommend coming here for a fun night out with friends; it is high energy and has a great sized dance floor as well as a very creative spirits menu.

The Block Distilling Co. is in Denver’s RiNo Art District. It’s a hip part of town, the streets are packed with art galleries and swanky restaurants. Block Distilling Co. currently has a vodka, three gin products, and a coffee liquor available for cocktails and tasting flights. They are working on aging a four-grain whiskey and bourbon. There is a cool countdown clock over the door to their stills counting the days till they open up the whiskeys. Edna and AJ were behind the bar pouring cocktails that looked like they were straight out of a lifestyle magazine- fitting in perfectly with the artsy atmosphere of the bar and the neighborhood as a whole. Edna has some amazing stories to tell., We got to learn about her adventures as a sports journalist for the Olympics and her world travels spent writing about different cultures and their food in her blog. It was a joy to get such a personal connection with someone, once again reminding us why we love the Spirits Trail.

Our final stop before heading to our event was at Mystic Mountain Distillery. Their tasting room is currently in Thornton though they distill in Larkspur, Colorado. They embody the spirit of the old school pre-prohibition moonshiners who made their spirits to please a working man’s palate after a long day down in the Colorado mines and factories. It’s a working man’s drink, simple and spirit forward without a lot of garnish and definitely no fancy umbrella, but tasty and their spirits are used for some creative and flavorful cocktails. They are very popular at the various tasting events we’ve seen them at and always have a crowd.

Dan and I decided to keep our drinking light since we were headed to the Whiskey and Doughnuts event which I can’t wait to tell you about- coming soon! After today we only have four more locations to hit plus the bonus stop in Santa Fe. We are almost done and so happy we got to do this together and share our stories with all of you. Until next time, let the spirit guide you!

Day 9: Knowledge is Power

After an amazing meal and meeting with my editor I decided to utilize my time in Denver to strike a few more locations off of the Trail. I walked out of my meeting feeling invigorated to keep this going. I’ve learned so many things and met so many amazing people and I can’t wait to keep it going. Hannah, my editor has been a godsend and has really helped me put everything into focus for a larger scale project.

I decided to start with Denver Distillery. They are a newer distillery and just joined the ranks of the Spirits Trail this year. They are working in a commercial district off of Broadway in downtown Denver. The building they are located in was built in 1891. They have done a gorgeous restoration of the location, peeling the plaster away to reveal the original brick. Their milling, fermenting and aging occurs in the basement. They are using sweet potatoes from Mississippi for their vodka. While I was there they had some of the vodka mash actively fermenting. It smells kind of sweet and faintly of vinegar at the same time. The fermented mash is then brought upstairs where the stills are kept. It’s a small operation but Denver Distilling is making some amazing products. Stephanie, the bar manager was telling me they should be hoping to release some rye and bourbon products this summer. I’m hoping Dan and I can be there for that event because if their whiskey is anything like their vodka and rum everyone is in for a treat.

Rose Quartz being used to filter the spirits off of the column still

From downtown Denver I made my way north to Leopold Bros. Their facility is in this huge building on the north side of Denver. It is surrounded by gardens that are all getting ready to bloom. I caught Ronnie behind the bar prepping to close but he still allowed me to get a tasting flight. I let him pick what I tried because prior to my visit I had only ever had their flavored liquors. Ronnie started my journey with the vodka. It consists of a mash build that includes potatoes, barley and wheat. He was saying that all of their products are fermented in open fermenters and they open the windows to the garden to encourage wild yeast introduction. Leopold Bros really is trying to be as sustainable as possible. They use their heads, the first cut from the still when distilling, for cleaning of their floors in the distillery and sanitation. They use their spent mash for compost in the gardens and also give it to local pork and beef farms for feed.

Both Stephanie at Denver Distillery and Ronnie at Leopold Bros were so kind. These are the kinds of people I love meeting on my travels, they are so kind and willing to speak with me. They are passionate and knowledgeable of their products. These are the people whose stories I look forward to sharing and am honored that they allow me to be part of their community. I was by myself for this short leg and they made me feel confident in my knowledge as well as taught me new things about the process and the products available here in Colorado.

Daniel let me know he was off work and that Sand Creek Distillery was open out in Hugo Colorado so we decided to meet there and spend some time with Lucas who is the owner and distiller of Sand Creek. He is a one man operation and used to run everything out of a converted storage container. He has graduated to a full building and got a new still. He’s still working on distilling while he works on renovating the building to include a tasting room. Lucas makes such a delicious whiskey and is too kind. He allowed us to look around and try his whiskey. It was such a relaxing end to the night and he gave me some encouragement to continue pursuing knowledge and sharing it with everyone I can. I am looking forward to the tasting room opening up. Hugo is a bit of a drive but I would gladly make it to enjoy good whiskey with great friends.

I think we will be doing a final push this weekend while we are in Denver for the 7^th Annual Whiskey + Doughnuts event. We have 9 more locations to go. Until then, let the spirit guide you.

Distillery 291: Colorado Whiskey Made the Colorado Way

Down here in Colorado Springs, Dan and I love Distillery 291. The genius of Michael Myers started his adventure into craft distilling and his first still run in 2011. Dan has known Michael since 2012 when he was tasting some of the fresh and new spirits at Whiskey for my Men, Beer for my Horses event at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center. Dan has considered Michael a good friend ever since.

Distillery 291 is currently located at 1647 S. Tejon St in the building that Bristol Brewing used to be. Street parking is available, and if there is an event going on there is usually one of the many amazing local food trucks set up out front. Distillery 291 has a tasting room which consists of an intimate bar (10 people if you pack it close)and a back area consisting of tables chairs so you can get off your feet and enjoy your cocktail. From the back area you can enjoy a view of their aging whiskey barrels as well as their stills. If you book in advance you can get a full tour of the facility and the history behind Michael and his work of love that is 291.

The bar has a casual feel and it is easy to relax, unwind and open up with those around you. The location makes it easy to enjoy and explore the many facets of 291 whiskey- neat or in a cocktail, as well as hear some great stories from the many locals who frequent this location.

If this is your first time checking out Distillery 291 I highly recommend a tasting flight. You will get to try each of their products as well as get the story of 291 and Michael Myers’ journey from his childhood spent in Georgia and Tennessee, to New York, then finally settling down in Colorado with his delicious take on whiskey. Distillery 291 allows you to taste their 8 standard spirits; Fresh Colorado Whiskey, Small Batch American Whiskey, Single Barrel Colorado Bourbon Whiskey, Barrel Proof Colorado Bourbon Whiskey, White Dog Colorado Rye Whiskey, Single Barrel Colorado Rye Whiskey, Barrel Proof Colorado Whiskey, and The Decc.

I will spare you my opinion on all of the available spirits you can try and highlight my favorite. I’ll let you guys visit and decide which one is your favorite. My absolute go-to is the Barrel Proof Colorado Bourbon Whiskey; it is 127 proof but surprisingly smooth. The high proof really holds the complex flavors achieved through the distilling and aging process. They have a mash build of 80% corn, 19% malted rye and 1% malted barley.

Distillery 291 also does specialty runs which are released in limited batches. Bad Guy Colorado Bourbon Whiskey has a slightly different mash build than the regular bourbon mash including malted wheat and beech smoked barley and is 120 proof. HR Colorado Bourbon Whiskey was initially an accident where the rye in the bourbon mash build was doubled in error; the result is a complex flavor between the Colorado Bourbon Whiskey and the Colorado Whiskey and is 100 proof. E series is the experimental batch. It is very limited and once sold is completely gone.

Dan and I have 16 bottles of Distillery 291. Even though a lot of our collection consists of the specialty batches,we thoroughly enjoy all of their products.

Distillery 291 also has a seasonal cocktail menu. The spring menu was released at the beginning of March and is transitioning to their summer menu at the end of May. Courtney is the Bar Manager and develops the cocktail menus as well as makes the various cordials used in each cocktail by hand.

The Whiskarita is typically recommended for at-home bartenders. It uses one of the more inexpensive products from 291 and is scrumptious. You can serve this over ice or make a large batch and freeze it into a slushie!

Whiskarita

2 oz 291 Fresh Colorado Whiskey
1 oz fresh lime juice
.5 oz triple sec
.5 oz simple syrup

Shake ingredients and enjoy!

We never need an excuse to visit Distillery 291 and we are very excited that they are on the 2019 Colorado Spirits Trail so even more people can discover the delights of their amazing flavors and inevitably share our enthusiasm for this local treasure.

Featured

In the Beginning….

The glorious protectors, Marzanna (4.5 yrs old) & Veliona (1 yr old)

The purpose of this blog is to share something we love with people in the world. Daniel, AKA Avan DeBar has grown from an imbiber to a collector over his long life, 26 whole years! Dan has taught me a lot about appreciation of all things fermented and distilled. Evolving me from Washington Apples and Boones Farm to a preference for a well-made Gin or Bourbon cocktail. We have well over 300 bottles of various spirits from liquors to scotch and everything in between. This is approximately one mastiff long by one mastiff wide if all placed on the floor. We have recently obtained some shelving to properly display our collection but we have already outgrown it and are on a mission to locate more storage, this is especially pressing with the 51 bottles coming from our adventure on the Spirits Trail last year.

A year out of date… but you get the point

Dan and I both work the renaissance festival, though we started at very different times. Dan carried one or two flasks. He learned of another participant carrying four flasks which were unique and different from what you usually find at the retail stores these days. This piqued his interest as well as his competitive spirit. Never wanting to be out done he began to collect more and more flasks, I believe the count is up to 75. Of course, you can’t carry the same thing in every flask so his collection of liquors and spirits grew with it. He enjoyed sharing with his close friends. He especially enjoyed sharing something new or unique that his friends may not have experienced before. It became a game to find the strangest, most delicious alcohols to share with his friends. People began to gift or recommend new and interesting items causing the collection to grow to enormous proportions.

Our life has always been like that, Dan never does anything half way. If he sets his mind to something, he does it, and he does it as intensely as he can possibly can.

We live in Colorado Springs, Colorado which is at the epicenter of the boom of craft distilleries in the mountain west. In Colorado Springs we have Distillery 291, Axe and The Oak, Lee Spirits, Colorado Gold who all participated in the Colorado Spirits trail in 2018. I will go into more details regarding each of these locations as we complete the trail again this year. We are close friends with the owners of 291, Axe and the Oak and Lee Spirits. Dan has known Mike Myers (of Distillery 291) since 2012 when he was still working out of a basement workshop. We thoroughly enjoy meeting the people in this industry, from the founders, distillers, bartenders and brand ambassadors. They have wonderful stories to tell over some of the best spirits around.

I intend to have some about us and our story posts leading up to the beginning of the 2019 spirits trail. This will include photos of the collection, details about what the 2018 Spirits trail entailed and some of our favorite stories from that trip and our favorite locations for food and drink in Colorful Colorado.

I look forward to sharing their stories and ours while we partake on our adventure on the 2019 Colorado Spirits Trail.