High spirits | Cover Story | Colorado Springs Independent

High spirits | Cover Story | Colorado Springs Independent

This is a pretty good article covering Stranahan's, Montanya, Leopold Bros and Peach Street distillers.

Montanya, in Silverton at 9300 feet is the highest altitude distillery in the US. They make dark and light rum with honey instead of molasses... mmm, sounds good to me. I appreciate this following quote from the article:

"At altitude, you get a lot of temperature variation, from 45 degrees at night up to the 80s during the day when distilling, which forces the spirit in and out of the oak," he says. That means a slightly quicker turnover time to acquire the barrel's taste enhancement."

Peach Street quote from this article reads:

"I go pick what I want," says head distiller Davy Lindig. "[A product] is always better when you can get it from the source."

Not only does Peach Street use post-mashed sticks, skins and stems from nearby Debeque Canyon Winery to make Grappa, but it uses fresh fruit for a line of Eaux-de-Vie (fruit brandies); local juniper berries, herbs and spices for its gin; and not-too-distant Olathe sweet corn for its vodka and bourbon.

Leopold Bros' Todd states:

"the laws are more favorable for craft distilling out here."

The 16 hand-numbered, small-batch products they're currently selling, including a gin, vodka, rum and several real fruit-infused whiskeys, represent only a portion of drinks Todd knows how to make.

Due to odd and antiquated Michigan liquor laws, Todd says, "once we started distilling, I had to stock the whole back bar. I couldn't even pick up the phone for triple sec or vermouth. I learned how to make it all."