Day 11: Bon Voyage!

a visual representation what enjoying time with our friends over delicious spirits looks like.

We finished the Colorado Spirits Trail on Friday. Approximately 52 hours and 18 minutes of travel time (give a few miles for stops for food and gas) and approximately 2,743 miles traveled. Perfect timing since this is our last weekend available for the next 8 weeks- both of us will be working at the 43^rd Annual Colorado Renaissance Festival, which kicks off this coming weekend. I spent my week stripping and painting the shop I’m working at and getting everything ready for the festival run. Life has been busy but we are excited to share this final leg of the trail.

Gotta say, hand scraping paint is hard work!

Our first stop was a very special visit to J&L Distilling. They are not currently open to the public due to a large remodel of their tasting room. Seth is the head distiller and owner and he is focusing on vodka and gin. Seth’s recipe is unique in its use of molasses and cane sugar instead of a traditional grain base. The sugar makes the vodka very smooth. He uses his vodka for the base of all of his products and does not source any of his spirits from other locations. Seth is a physicist by trade and very handy. He built his own column still out of stainless steel. It is not as flashy as the traditional copper stills, but the product that comes out of it is a true treasure.

Head distiller, Seth and his lovely distillery dog Sunny.

We were so happy that it was the first Friday of June which meant we were able to get over to Big Fat Pastor’s. Their hours are pretty limited but when we arrived, we could see that it was a very popular location as it was full of locals. We had the pleasure of talking with Lindsey who gave us the run-down of all of their products. Our favorite was the Barrel Rested Gin. They age their gin in an oak barrel for 90 days and it gives it a very smooth almost whiskey like flavor. We bought a bottle to take home and share with our friends because it was just that good!

It began to rain as we headed to Dry Land Distillers. I had been in touch with Nels, the owner and head distiller, and he was so welcoming and excited for us to see their location. We were served by Kelly who made me the most amazing smoke margarita with their cactus spirit. They can’t call it Mezcal since it is not made with agave, but it tastes very similar. Instead of the agave plant they use prickly pear cactuses which are native to Colorado. This is just one of many ways Dry Land Distillers is keeping their business local and sustainable. Water conservation is really important in the West, and all of Dry Land Distiller’s crops and ingredients are grown with this key principal in mind. I was absolutely enthralled with Nels who showed me around their distillery and told me all about what they stand for and where they hope to go. I can not wait to visit them again and make a long-lasting friendship!

We headed into Lafayette and got to meet David who is the owner and distiller at On Point Distillery. Their tasting room and distillery is right on Main Street which is unique. Most city fire codes are such that distilleries end up out in industrial zones, making On Point special. David was saying that the city of Lafayette actually rezoned the location to allow for the tasting room and distillery. David is very adventurous and has a small experimental still which allows him to play with his recipe without too much waste if it doesn’t turn out just right. The highlight was the rum. David is playing with the recipe at the moment but we had the pleasure of trying some of the test batches and we were not disappointed! David is clearly very passionate about his business, and when he isn’t making the spirits, he’s behind the bar helping his staff and clearing tables. We were so glad he was able to share some of his time. We were not disappointed.

For our final stop, number 61, we went into Denver and stopped at Archetype. Archetype has an unusual recipe. Unlike almost all of the distilleries we have visited on the Trail, Archetype does not use grain. They use grapes for all of their spirits. Because of this they do not have a whiskey. Michael, the head distiller and owner, decided that he wanted to make something unique and his specialty is vodka and gin. These are amazing base spirits which are so smooth and flavorful you could easily drink them on their own. They also specialize in Distillates, where the flavoring is actually distilled through a rotary evaporator to get intense flavors without the syrupy quality of a liquor. Michael made our last stop so memorable we didn’t want to leave.

I am so grateful that Dan and I were able to have this adventure together. This road trip reminded me why Colorado is so special; It is beautiful and the people are so passionate about what they are doing. If you want to re-fall in love with Colorado and the great people who live here, I highly recommend you take time to visit your local distilleries and let the spirits guide you!

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.

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.