Summertime approaches, and so does drinking season. So why not make it a local brew or spirit next time?
Colorado is a leader in the proliferation of artisan distilleries — along with Washington, California and Oregon — because of our microbreweries, according to Bill Owens, president of the American Distilling Institute.
Sampling hooch straight from the source — in a distillery’s tasting room — is a unique experience, regardless of whether it’s of the craft variety or mass-produced. Tasting rooms are often off the beaten path. The owners might explain the distilling process, give free samples and take guests on tours. Craft distilleries also tend to have philosophies that support community and sustainability.
“I think it goes along with the artisan movement,” said Rob Masters, president of the Colorado Distillers Guild and owner of Rob’s Mountain Gin. He says there are 26 active craft distilleries in Colorado. “Artists tend to be fairly Earth-friendly.”
Boulder Distillery, where 303 Vodka and Rob’s Mountain Gin are produced, is a great example. It’s a comfortable hangout decorated whimsically with recycled materials. “We sell fun,” says Masters. “In my opinion, if you sell fun, then you have an obligation to give back.”
Here are 11 of our favorite tasting rooms from across the state:
REDSTONE MEADERY
If you’ve tried mead only at the Renaissance Fair, give it another try at Redstone Meadery. Redstone offers daily tours and a sunny room to sample award-winning honey wine. The friendly hosts pour free samples of the nectar series, which are served cold on tap and great for cocktails — think juniper honey wine and Sunshine Wheat in the “June and Tonic” — and the mountain honey wine series, which is sweeter, and often served with food. It’s sweet enough to recall the phrase “nectar of the gods” but delightfully balanced and refreshing — and it makes an unexpected substitute for wine or beer. 4700 Pearl St., 2A, Boulder; tours 1 and 3 p.m. Monday-Friday and 12:30 p.m. Saturday. More: 720-406-1215 or redstonemeadery.com
STRANAHAN’S WHISKEY
Stranahan’s is determined to maintain its identity as “handcrafted Rocky Mountain whiskey,” despite being bought by the large Proximo liquor distributor in late 2010. Made with local water and barley, Stranahan’s is aged in charred white American oak barrels to give a smooth, smoky finish. The company is keeping the batches small and the community involvement large, donating leftover barley to farmers and inviting volunteers to bottle its famous whiskey. Take a free tour of the brewery with a delicious tasting at the end, and even learn how to sniff whiskey properly. The unofficial tasting room, the Rackhouse Pub nextdoor, has a warm and inviting steakhouse feel. It offers a large drink menu filled with Colorado craft beers and the type of pub food that accompanies strong drink. 200 S. Kalamath St., tours every two hours 11 a.m.-5 p.m Monday and Wednesday, and every hour 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday; online reservations highly recommended. More: 303-296-7740 or stranahans.com
EQUINOX BREWING
Fort Collins is the epicenter of Colorado craft beer, and Equinox is an insider’s favorite — with a great tasting room to boot. The beer is respected by snobs but the atmosphere is laid-back. The modest beer garden is livelier, packed with college students and live music. The $7 samplers — either the standard (with five beer samples) or the specialty (with six beer samples) — are delicious, and they’re strong enough to make the walk home from downtown Fort Collins even more enchanting. Or take the Hops & Shops shuttle to visit several breweries in Fort Collins for $10. 133 Remington St., Fort Collins; tours by request when it’s not too busy. More: 970-484-1369 or equinoxbrewing.com
GREAT DIVIDE
Established in 1994, Great Divide serves a cornucopia of award-winning beer from downtown Denver. Sip Samurai straight from the source at the tasting room, which is clean, open and often packed with purveyors of good beer. There are 16 taps of both seasonal and year-round brews, afternoon tours of the brewery and happy hours Monday-Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. Food trucks are often parked conveniently in front of the patio and sometimes even serve as de facto DJs. Try the sampler of three beers for just $3, or describe what you like to the bartenders. 2201 Arapahoe St., tours 3 and 4 p.m. Monday-Friday, every half-hour 2:30-5 p.m. on weekends, first come first served. More: 303-296-9460 or greatdivide.com
BOULDER DISTILLERY
Upon entering Boulder Distillery’s tasting room, the rustic décor is welcoming: Christmas lights, recycled doors, a great front patio and model airplanes made by Pete Viezbicke Sr. Grandpa Viezbicke came from Poland with his potato vodka recipe, which his grandchildren now distill as 303 Vodka (in addition to their potato whiskey). They have a healthy group of regulars who return for the spicy Bloody Marys and infused vodkas, changed up biweekly. The porch even boasts an inflatable swimming pool they call “the hillbilly Jacuzzi,” which will be open in the summer. Also of note: Rob’s Mountain Gin is starting a new line of gin with local botanicals that benefits the nonprofit Growing Gardens. 2500 47th St., No. 10, Boulder; tours on Wednesdays and Saturdays, call for reservations. More: 303-442-1244 or 303vodka.com
PEACH STREET DISTILLERS
Palisade is Colorado’s wine country, but one of the town’s greatest local gems is Peach Street Distillers, creator of the artisan Goat vodkas, Jack & Jenny brandies (in peach, pear and plum), Jackalope Gin, Colorado Straight Bourbon and other liquors available throughout Colorado. Peach Street imbues its spirits with fruit at the peak of ripeness, local corn from the nearby town of Olathe and a great sense of humor. Tasting-room guests can order drinks such as the Nicolas Cage, for example, but the drink most people rave about is the large Bloody Mary. 144 S. Kluge Ave., Palisade; tours available by request. More: 970-464-1128 or peachstreetdistillers.com
SILVER VINES WINERY
With a spacious, upscale ambience in Olde Town Arvada, wine lovers visiting Silver Vines can sample three wines for $5 or take an impromptu tour with one of the enthusiastic owners. The grapes come from Oregon and Washington, but the owners, brothers Danny and Jeff Chayer, hail from Minnesota. They offer a varied wine menu from Cab to Syrah to Chocolate Port, as well as a decadent cheese, olive, salami and grape plate ($12.99) that complements a variety of wines — or guests can bring their own snacks. They host a lot of local events, from live music to book clubs to a wine club with 350 members. Their Pink and Blue label wines even raise money for cancer patients. 7509 Grandview Ave., Arvada; tours by request. More: 303-456-5212 or silvervineswinery.com
COLORADO CIDER
Colorado Cider is perfect for those who think most hard ciders are too sweet. Coming in at a mean 6.95 percent alcohol content, they pack a punch. The flagship variety is the Glider Cider, developed for the discerning craft beer drinker; and people rave about both the Grasshopp’ah, a unique blend of lemongrass and hops, and Ol’ Stumpy, made with traditional apples aged in a chardonnay barrel. Guests at the small bar are treated to a sampler for free, as well as some education on the cider industry. The tasting room is open Friday and Saturday afternoons and will be open on Sundays from 1 to 6 p.m. starting this weekend. 2650 W. Second Ave., No. 10; tours by request. More: 303-759-3560 or coloradocider.com
BRECKENRIDGE DISTILLERY
“The world’s highest distillery,” Breckenridge Distillery specializes in seasonal spiced bourbon, vodka and Turin-style bitters, all made at 9,600 feet with snowmelt from the Rocky Mountains. While that might sound like a marketing ploy, the tasting room really is a great destination to visit after a day of recreation. The distillery has free drop-in tours with a sampling of its spirits, and it also has a second tasting room in downtown Breck. Its Breckenridge Bourbon won the International Wine & Spirits Competition in 2011, and even its “liquid chefs” are acclaimed, with resident bartendress Billie Keithley recently winning best cocktail (judges’ choice) at CultureHaus Mixology Competition. Distillery, 1925 Airport Road, Breckenridge; Main Street Tasting Room, 137 S. Main St., Breckenridge; see website to sign up for tours. More: 970-547-9759 or breckenridgedistillery.com
SKA BREWING CO.
Ska Brewing in Durango is filled with personality. The décor has an industrial, modern feel with a beer garden, a stage for bands to play and covered seating. One of Ska’s top brews, Hoperation Ivy, is named after the ska band Operation Ivy; and the company has a great line of swag made up of T-shirts and stickers with a definitive Ska vibe. In addition to its musical leanings, Ska is also known to host great foodie events like Hogs and Hops or “SkaBQues” in the summertime. It also has a great taco cart called ZIA, run out of a refurbished Airstream. 225 Girard St., Durango; tours Monday-Friday at 4 p.m., wear closed-toe shoes. More: 970-247-5792 or skabrewing.com
SPERO WINERY
With roots in Italy, Spero winery is a familial and jovial place. Owner Clyde Spero’s father, Gaetano Spero, came from Potenza, Italy, and made wine his entire life. Clyde followed in his father’s footsteps and opened this family-owned and -operated boutique winery on the northern edge of the Berkeley neighborhood, with the first harvest taking place in the fall of the millennium. Friends and families gather on Saturdays from 1-5 p.m. for free wine tastings and free cheese-and-salami snacks. Patrons who bring their wine bottles back for reuse get a discount on future wine purchases. Try the reds. 3316 W. 64th Ave., tours by request, and calling ahead highly recommended. More: 720-519-1506 or sperowinery.biz
