A Wild Adventure with Booze Food and Tunes

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is a non-profit organization and is sustained by their admission and events as well as donations. I have been going to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo since I was a little girl. I used to do summer day camp on my own as well as with the Girl Scouts of America. I have always loved this zoo and watching how much they have grown is amazing. The Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society was founded in 1926 by Spencer Penrose. Mr. Penrose is a huge member of Colorado Springs History and you will see the name everywhere in town, to streets, neighborhoods, a hospital etcetera. He originally used the location to fund his personal collection of exotic animals which is much less unusual for someone of significant financial success in 1926. The Zoo was eventually deeded to the city of Colorado Springs in 1938 “for the sole purpose of establishing and maintained a zoological park to provide recreation. Education, conservation and scientific facilities in the field of zoology and related subjects, and to preserve the Zoo in perpetuity for the people of the Pikes Peak region.” (CMZoo, http://www.cmzoo.org/index.php/about-the-zoo/history/.)

The Zoo was a relic of its time but has been very proactive with updates and expansions as accepted guidelines for animal care and husbandry has evolved over the years. Originally centered on the observation of exhibits by visitors now the zoo actively has updated enclosures to allow more human/animal interaction. They have hired an amazing staff of docents to communicate with guests and share their love and passion for these rare and exciting animals. They continue to entice our next generation to love the smallest hissing cockroach to the largest elephant which hopefully motivates people to be more aware of their impact on the world and make them more passionate to help the living creatures in it. The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s continued growth as a zoo and non-profit status has allowed them to be creative with their fundraising and has made them an absolute gem for our city.

They hold many events throughout the year but our favorite is Moonlight on the Mountain. We have been attending for over 10 years. It always falls around Daniels birthday and has really helped us discover and experience bars, restaurants, and craft spirits in our community. This event combines my love and passion for such an amazing zoo with Dan’s love for local craft food and drinks (and mine!). This year we invited a few additional friends to join us for amazing exhibits, good food and delightful drinks. Our friends have never been to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, so it was fun to show them the gem here on the side of the mountain. All of the animals were very active with all of the people around after the zoo’s regular hours were over, doing demos and having hands on experiences all across the zoo.

This year was a little light on vendors compared to years past but I think that may have to do with some of the weather events we have had in years past. Thankfully, this year was a perfect day. Sunny, not too hot, but warm enough to stay comfortable after sun down. 2019 Moonlight on the Mountain Program. There were 10 musical entertainers, 22 food vendors and 22 beverage vendors who participated this year. Moonlight on the Mountain has generated over $100,000 for the zoo which supports the day to day operations. Speaking with Rachel Wright, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Public Relations and Social Media Manager, she indicated that the zoo is particularly proud of their evening adult events. They enjoy allowing adults experience the zoo in a different light. I can’t agree more! I love to see young children get excited about the animals but when events like this are going on I am able to get my questions answered and let my own inner child out without taking an experience away from a younger guest.

There were only a few distilleries present this year, but it was nice to see who came out. Cockpit Craft Distillery is based out of Colorado Springs and Veteran owned and operated. They carry whiskey, rum and vodka which can be purchased at most of the local liquor stores here in town or at their tasting room which is open 6 days a week. They are very passionate about using their product to support our local military community. Cockpit Craft Distillery has been one of the participating distilleries since the beginning of this event and it was nice to see a familiar face. Vapor distilling was also there which was fun to see since we had just visited them on the trail in May with Hannah. (anyone else?)

Primarily Moonlight on the Mountain showcases local breweries and they were out in force. I don’t have the familiarity with beer so I struggle with the subtle differences in flavors. Therewere also a few wineries and meaderies that made an appearance at the event. Their flavors are more to my liking so I thoroughly enjoyed all of the options.

The food was delicious as always. Everyone seemed to go all out bringing a little taste of their signature dishes. We had everything from barbeque to tuna poke and rice and everything you could possibly think of in between. I really enjoy Moonlight on the Mountain with plenty of alcohol flowing as well as plenty of food to eat to soak it all up. This year the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo even ran a deal with Lyft to get a discount for patrons and make sure everyone got home safely at the end of the night.

Tickets go up for sale in April and have been known to sell out before the event, so if this sounds like a night you would enjoy, make sure to keep your eyes peeled for the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Facebook page for the announcement of 2020.

Axe and the Oak. Open. Pour. Enjoy.

Axe and the Oak was created by five buddies sitting around a campfire drinking bourbon. They decided a good spirit should be the kind that you can sip, enjoy and share with your friends and family. This goal is clear as soon as you step into their tasting room. The tasting room is on the lower floor of the revitalized Ivywild School. The school was built in 1916 and closed in 2009. It was purchased by three partners who turned this old beautiful building into a spark for the rapid revitalization of southern Colorado Springs.

Axe and the Oak fits right in with the eclectic collection of small businesses and creative minds around them. Their tasting room has a great energy; the staff greets you boisterously and makes sure you feel instantly welcome. The bar always smells slightly sweet and smoky due to one of their signature drinks, a smoked old fashioned, a savory and smoky twist on the traditional cocktail. When I think of Axe and the Oak, I think this drink represents them perfectly. They are never ones to be restrained by rules and tradition. They listen to the input from their bartenders, wait staff, and patrons to develop and constantly evolve their menu. The creative liberty given to the staff is evident from their dozen or so different custom infusions that they’ve developed. If you go in on a slow day you may even get to taste-test new cocktail recipes that they are hoping to include on the next menu.

I think this creative freedom and fun atmosphere really helps them attract some amazing staff. Some of my favorite bartenders in town have worked their way through Axe and the Oak or are currently employed there. Even when the bar is crowded with people the staff always makes you feel like you are the only person with their focus and make a point to genuinely talk to you and answer any questions you may have about their spirits and cocktails.

A photo of their current staff, shamelessly taken from their website

There is almost always live music playing and Axe and the Oak understands the acoustics of their space so you can still hear the conversation at your table without having to shout. Music plays a big part in any memories attached to Axe and the Oak. From the owners playing acoustic guitar at their special events to having exciting local bands like Roma Ransom playing regularly there is always great music adding to an always enjoyable experience.

Axe and the Oak has a small selection of well-made whiskeys in three styles:

Pikes Peak Hill Shine – sitting at 104 proof it has a sweet aroma with an almost citrus like smell and is sweet and smooth. As a clear spirit this is a good replacement for vodka or white rums and tequilas in cocktails. It is still a strong enough flavor to hold its own in traditional whiskey cocktails as well.

Colorado Mountain Bourbon Whiskey – Axe and the Oaks cornerstone spirit and is 92 proof. This spirit is very sweet smelling like many bourbons, with scents of vanilla and butterscotch. Drinking it is a little hotter than other bourbons and an almost spicy finish. It’s a robust spirit which is able to stand up to stronger and more assertive flavors in both sweet and savory cocktails.

Colorado Mountain Incline Rye Whiskey– The rye is at 98 proof and is a little hotter than the bourbon. It has a spiced aroma of cloves and cinnamon and the spice lingers after drinking it. Dan’s personal favorite is a rye old fashioned. The spice of the rye really elevates the old fashioned cocktail.

Cheers!

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.

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.