The number of craft distillers in Colorado has grown to more than 71 in a few short years, a surprising-yet-not-so-surprising development as the state had already established a welcoming atmosphere for brewers and winemakers. To get an insider’s taste of the Centennial State, groups can savor farm-to-table foods accompanied by farm-to-bar cocktails made with ingredients from local grains, fruits and pure mountain water.
It’s one thing to sample local spirits, but taking it to the next level by hearing the story behind the products, meeting the distillers and kicking back in distilleries that have space for group gatherings is another. We’ll look at three distillers that have garnered a following for those who want a truly unique experience for attendees.
Peach Street Distillery, Palisade
At an elevation of more than 4,700 feet and surrounded by mountains, Palisade is blessed with cool nights and intense daytime sunlight that results in a special concentration of sugar in the fruits grown by area orchards. Case in point are Colorado peaches that are renowned for their intense flavor.
Peach Street Distillery capitalizes on this convergence of just the right conditions to handcraft 18 spirits, including the first legally made bourbon in Colorado. For example, more than 90,000 pounds of peaches and 90,000 pounds of pears are used annually, according to Sales and Marketing Manager Moose Koons. In addition, leftover crushings from some of the 20-plus area vineyards are a key ingredient for Peach Street’s grappa.
Peach Street Distillery’s spacious patio holds up to 100, and the tasting room a maximum of 40. Spring, fall and winter are the best times to hold gatherings at the distillery, as summer tends to be incredibly busy with day-to-day business. “On Mondays and Tuesdays in summer, we can accommodate groups as long as it’s not a holiday weekend or festival,” Koons says.
Groups of 20 to 30 are an ideal size for Peach Street, with Koons recommending a tasting and tour that lasts 30 to 45 minutes, followed by lunch and cocktails on the patio and a driving tour to explore area orchards, fruit stands and wineries.
Food trucks currently provide the cuisine, and an on-site restaurant is planned for a few years down the road, Koons says. The distillery’s tasting room is located next to DeBeque Canyon Winery’s tasting room and Palisade Brewing Company, making it possible to have a trifecta of tastes all in one small area.
State 38 Distilling, Golden
Open only since November 2013, State 38 Distilling in Golden has already earned a following, hosting 10 private events per week on average. “Every Friday and Saturday, we have three events per day. It’s super busy with 10- to 15-person events; more often than not, it’s a celebration for a birthday, anniversary or retirement,” says owner and Head Distiller Sean Smiley. “Colorado is full of incredibly educated people. The population is fascinated with the process of distilled spirits.”
The 3,200-square-foot space, split between a 1,200-square-foot tasting room and 2,000-square-foot distillery connected by a doorway, holds up to 120. The largest gathering to date was held by Lucent Technologies in December. The Society of Mechanical Engineers, Anadarko and Colorado Classic Convertible Club are among other recent examples of groups that have gathered at State 38 Distilling, which is decked out with décor that honors Colorado becoming the 38th state in 1876.
Colorado Classic Convertible Club, made up of mostly members from the Denver metro area, enjoyed a cruise before stopping at State 38 Distilling and going out for dinner. “The tour was very interesting. We learned a lot about the distilling process and where they get materials,” says Gayle Hayden, president of the club. “It is a very comfortable venue; we could mosey around and visit.”
There is no cost to rent the space, Smiley says, but there typically is a minimum that needs to be met for a bar tab or bottle purchase, based on the number of people in the group. A typical gathering includes a tasting, tour, Colorado history overview and cocktails. Food is not served on-site but State 38 Distilling frequently works with Table Mountain Inn’s restaurant and other local eateries, and groups can bring in their own food.
Smiley and his staff craft five spirits—three tequilas, vodka and gin—from organic raw blue agave and Rocky Mountain water. He believes the explosion of Colorado’s craft distillery scene is similar to how craft breweries skyrocketed in popularity. “There is a tremendous demand for people to have more flavors of beer, and it is the same with craft spirits. People tire of standard brands, and craft distilleries bring out different flavor profiles,” Smiley explains. “We are Colorado’s only all-agave-based distillery.”
Montanya Distillers, Crested Butte
The key is not only the ingredients that go into Montanya Distiller’s Oro and Platino rums—Crested Butte mountain water, yeast, Louisiana sugar cane and a tiny touch of Durango-based Honeyville honey—but also what happens when making the spirit at 8,900 feet in elevation. “Temperatures in mountainous climates f luctuate daily and allow the flavors in the barrel to meld differently than they do at sea level,” says Karen Hoskin, president, CEO and co-owner with her husband, Brice.
Established in 2008 and based in Crested Butte, Montanya is the only distillery in Colorado focusing exclusively on rum and utilizes barrels previously used to make Colorado whiskey in Denver. The local tasting room began greatly expanding its culinary program last summer by offering a nice selection of small plates and desserts, many featuring Montanya rum and other ingredients sourced from Colorado companies and farmers. The distillery also has started using its rum in a line of house-made bitters and rum truffles available for purchase on-site.
The two-story tasting room holds up to 100 indoors and can host up to 40 on a back patio and 15 on a front patio facing bustling Elk Avenue, the town’s historic downtown district. “We host a lot of events,” confirms Hoskin, giving recent examples of Backcountry.com hosting a party from 9 p.m. until midnight, after the distillery closed for the day, Sony Electronics reserved the upstairs for a group of 20 to 25 visiting journalists for cocktails, heavy appetizers and an in-depth tour and tasting. In March, a group rented the distillery for a VIP event from 2-3:30 p.m. that included a private tour, cocktails and appetizers.
Montanya does not charge a facility fee for groups of 20 or more for events focused on the distillery; closing the distillery during normal business hours for a private group requires a memorandum of understanding. “If we are going to close to the public, the group’s demographic needs to be one that will be excited about being at Montanya drinking rum cocktails.”
The fit was perfect for Crested Butte Film Festival’s Red Carpet Party, which is an evening awards ceremony and VIP reception for filmmakers, pass holders and sponsors all wrapped in one. “It’s like having a drink in my or someone else’s living room,” says Artistic Program Director Michael Brody, who organizes the festival with his wife, Jennifer.
“What is so great about Montanya is it is so distinctive and involves a product made in Crested Butte,” he says. “There is a distinct flavor to our festival, and it’s a way to showcase what is unique in Crested Butte.”
