Gatekeeping Distilled Spirits

Y’all we have got to talk about something that frankly I’m tired of seeing. People need to stop gatekeeping the enjoyment and knowledge of distilled spirits. Just stop it. Women in particular are made to feel unwelcome far too frequently.

I am by no means an expert on distilling or spirits but I do know a lot and I am always eager to learn more. Now, I have had exceptional experiences with the distilling community here in Colorado while doing the Spirits Trail, but not all experiences are positive with the extended community of enthusiasts.

What brought this on was a specific event I attended. I am not new to being one of only a few women at whiskey events. To begin, I received some chuckles and eye rolls when I spoke up and asked questions. It was an interesting topic. I like to learn new things. I’m going to ask questions. Let people be inquisitive. Now the gentlemen running this event happily answered my questions and was very sweet and treated me with respect. His audience just seemed annoyed, not all of them but some of them sure did.

After the formal portion of the event we were able to mingle and talk to each other. Usually this is my favorite part- I enjoy talking to other enthusiasts and hearing their stories and experiences. I met some really nice men who were not only fun to talk to but interesting as well. As the night progressed I tried to talk with a few of the gentlemen that had planted themselves in the center of the event space and were talking about whiskey and moonshine. Fascinating conversation- and as I started to speak up and try to participate I got the impression I was not welcome. How so? You might ask, well one of the gentlemen, one of the ones who didn’t seem to like my questions during the event, actually stood up and blocked me from the conversation. The other men in the group just continued their conversation but everyone could see what was being done. The message was received loud and clear, “you aren’t welcome here little lady”, “this is a boys club”.

This is not the first time something like this has happened. I have been “well, actually”ed more times than I can count. Men seem to think that if they know anything about a topic women are interested in then they need to prove they know more. I’ve never been so insecure in my knowledge that I get upset when someone teaches me something new. But teaching me something new and condescending to me are very very different things. I run into this issue in bars and at events all of the time. My friends who work in the industry say the same thing. They regularly have people “educating them” about the spirits they are serving. These women work at specialty locations, they know their spirits, they know their recipes. They. Know. Their. Shit.

I am actually happy to see that these events are beginning to attract more and more women. I am thrilled to see that women are distilling, Montaya Distillery in Crested Butte is co-founded by Karen Hoskin. Marble Distilling also has a female head distiller and co owner Connie Baker. Craft Cocktail Inc. is a woman-owned business here in Colorado Springs. Montana Hosfall is an advocate for inclusivity in the whiskey community. She hosts women’s classes on whiskey, how to order it, how to drink it, how to talk about it. Her goal is to make women feel welcome at the bar and comfortable in their knowledge. All of these women are paving the way for a more inclusive community. We need to raise up those who want to make sure this community is inclusive. So to my favorite inclusive and wonderful readers, get out and enjoy some spirits and don’t let anyone hinder your desire to learn and contribute to this community!

Cheers!

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.

Day 8: Whiskey, because no good story starts with a glass of milk

Two days of getting home after 1am is catching up with me. Thankfully my cold is gone but I am exhausted. 50 distilleries, approximately 44 hours of travel time and about 2,238 miles traveled so far can catch up with you. We have 11 more distilleries to go but we are enjoying every exhausting minute together making memories and telling stories. Dan has driven most of these hours, getting us through rain and snow, mountain passes, canyons and plains.

We had made it home late and I accidentally slept in a bit more than I wanted. We didn’t get out of the house until 11am. We were able to get up to 3 Hundred Days of Shine in Monument right as they opened. They were preparing for a special fundraising event for a child in the community with cancer so they were very busy but still took the time to talk to us and let Dan take a look around their distillery. Ann was our bartender and she made me an amazing Black Walnut Honey Old Fashioned and Dan an Arnold Palmer. She was so sweet and attentive while still handling the event set-up and was really encouraging about what we are trying to do with the Trail this year. It felt good to get that kind of encouragement from some of the nicest people in the industry. 3 Hundred Days of Shine has a great local small-town bar feel. It’s a small space but never feels crowded. Rather, it feels intimate like you are hanging out with your closest friends drinking some of the most delicious homemade spirits. The staff of 3 Hundred Days of Shine are also some of the kindest and warmest people you will ever meet. We see them at all of the local events here in Colorado Springs and they always treat us like family. I can’t say enough about how much I love these guys!

We got on the road for one of the longer legs of the trip for the day, heading up to Greeley Colorado. I’ve never actually been to Greeley which is surprising since I have many friends who went to college up there. It’s a cute little town. We made it over to Tower 56 to try their products. We decided to do a flight of their bourbons; same mash build but aged for different amounts of time. At the moment the source their spirits is from a distillery in North Carolina. I enjoyed their spirits and even though they source them from elsewhere, I appreciate that they are upfront about that and don’t try to conceal it. They do want to eventually do their own distilling and aging but simply do not have the space. At this time, they do have a solid menu and are involved in the recipe for their spirits.

Syntax is currently under construction so we walked over to their location to take a selfie with their sign. We really enjoyed their spirits when we were at the Colorado Spirits Trail Festival and look forward to the completion of the renovations so we can see what’s new and exciting at Syntax.

Getting back on the road we headed to Fort Collins. There was storm rolling through and my phone warned me that there was an imminent threat of a tornado and to take cover! We didn’t see any tornadoes, but apparently there was some nasty storm all around us. We are glad our road trip did not become a scene out of Twister. We arrived at CopperMuse: it’s in this super cool square surrounded by restaurants and bars and is clearly a huge gathering place for the community. When we got into CopperMuse they were packed. The bartenders, Laura and Christel, were busting their butts to help everyone. CopperMuse specialized in infusions using their rum and vodka base. We tried a flight of the Strawberry Vodka, Beet Rum, Cherry Vodka and Caraway & Dill Vodka. Their flavors are so clear and I found them to be delicious. I would like to go back and have some cocktails. We have a bottle of the Strawberry Vodka from our Trailblazer reward and I think I’ll be able to make some tasty cocktails at home with it. I’m mostly looking forward to playing with it for a punch when we host our birthday BBQ in August.

We were going to meet some friends for dinner but wanted to get another stop in before so we headed over to Feisty Spirits. We started with a small flight but ended up trying just about everything they had. The passion they have for distilling is evident in the work they do. They use a variety of corn for their bourbons which really does impart unique flavors that you don’t find in single corn bourbons. Dan is a huge fan of Feisty Spirits and talks about them all of the time.

We finished at Old Elk Distillery which is one of my favorite bourbons to enjoy at home. They have a huge line of products at their Reserve location so we got to try some unique items that are not available in liquor stores. Alex poured us the Wheated Bourbon, Rye, and their Nooku Bourbon Cream. When they saw how far we’ve come on the trail they decided to share a special release of their Cask Finished Bourbon. It’s so limited that the tasting room only has one bottle and it is not available for sale, or even listed on the menu. They will be opening their distillery for tours and will have a separate tasting room that will open in January. What a great end to the night.

We will be taking Memorial Day off to enjoy some time with our friends and family and work out a plan of action to finish the final 11 locations. Dan will be returning to work tomorrow and I will start the outlines for each location. Until then, let the spirit guide you!

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!

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.