General Update…..

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Posted: 12/01/09

It has recently been brought to my attention that you guys “out there”, need a bit of updating on the goings on around here.

Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey is all moved in to our new location at 200 S Kalamath St Denver Co 80223, we are up and running, in full production making 10 barrels a week.  That is 4 more barrels than we were able to make at our Blake Street location.  I am aiming at 18 barrels a week by early next year.  We are able to increase production at this location due to internalizing fermentation and increasing staff.  In the beginning we had contracted different micro breweries to ferment our secret wash recipe that we would distill.  In those early days we could not afford a brewhouse and the brewers required to keep us in wash, so we outsourced wash production, first to the Flying Dog brewery, (until they moved out of Colorado) and then with the wonderful Oskar Blues brewery.  After a few years, we established our name in the industry and were able to borrow what we needed to own and operate our own brew house dedicated to our unique wash recipe.  Today Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey is totally in house, from grain to bottle.  We have always been 100% Rocky Mountain malted barley, however our new buying power allowed us to make sure that 80% of that malt comes form within Colorado.

We are still bottling everything by hand utilizing volunteer bottling crews and and handwriting every label.  I can see the “handwritten days” coming to an end at some point.  My massage therapist is giving me hell about writing so many labels- I am getting carpal tunnel syndrome.  But for now the hand written label continues.

For the holidays we have finally opened the online SCW store for merchandise.  I have released a limited number of THE SNOWFLAKE series for sale only out of our gift shop at the distillery (not online).  I guess I will make a separate entry about THE SNOWFLAKE series Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey, there is so much to tell.

The Rackhouse pub is open and serving food and drink every day of the week, a great place to have a bite before or after a tour of the new distillery.  Tours are Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and 11a, 1p, 3p, 5p.  Reservations can be made at tours@stranahans.com

Please make a reservation and come down and check out our new location, happy holidays.

Jake

Listening to: Mississippi John Hurt

Listening to…….

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Posted: 02/24/10

Here at Stranahan’s we love good music almost as much as we love good whiskey, but you already knew that.  We are proud to announce that Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey will be sponsoring the “Mile Hi-Fidelity stage” at South by Southwest this year in Austin.

Hungarian White Oak Snowflake Release

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Posted: 03/10/10

When you go to bed in Colorado you never know what you will wake up to. It could have dumped big fat dry snow all night and there are 4 foot drifts up against your front door. There could be a light even dusting of fine snow like a few shakes from a flour sifter all over the landscape. You might wake up to a spring-like morning as I did this morning…I wore shorts to work! One thing for sure- whatever it is like outside, it wont last long. Today I announce the release of a very special SNOWFLAKE series Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey. This snowflake is the single barrel #741 with additional maturation in a spent Hungarian white oak cask. Barrel #741 aged 2 years and 2 months in new American White oak, then transferred into a spent Hungarian white oak barrel that once to house a blended red wine form Sonoma Ca. The interplay of the American white oak and the Hungarian white oak is stunning. The red wine haunts the whiskey more than inhabits it.  A truly remarkable whiskey, I will admit I have a crush on this whiskey. Now for the bad news, there is only 156 bottles of this gem. The Hungarian White Oak Cask Finish available only at the distillery for the price of $75, and like that light dusting of morning snow, when it is gone it is gone.

-Jake Norris

Tasting notes :

Nose, Neat: Rich and deep; a mellow and appetizing nose. Smooth citrus, more of a grapefruit. Damp ancient oak rafters; sitting on a hay bale in an antique barn, in the rain.

Palate, Neat: The most fleeting caramel before roasted malt swells to fill the senses; the vanilla is a welcome afterthought. Fabulous mouth feel.

Finish, neat: Again, smooth; long, and stately. This whiskey comes across as very old. Aged citrus, mellow and gentle. Chocolate on a shortbread cookie, or maybe a graham cracker.

Nose, Dilute: A mistiness opens up, the whiskey seems to age. Creamed corn. Smells like one could could take a nice big bite of this whiskey. Underneath the wet grain, a hidden chocolate note…

Palate, Dilute: glorious mouth feel, and the chocolate comes out of hiding! The mouth feel and chocolate together remind me of chocolate pudding. This boggles..!

Finish, Dilute: Orange/chocolate. Touch of vanilla. Long, and wet. Gooey almost.

Listening to T-Bone Burnett

Snow already?

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Posted: 09/14/10

Fall is in the air.  The trees are barely starting turn, the nights are cooling off, but the days are still warm.  This is a perfect time to announce the release of the new Triple Wood Snowflake.   The Triple Wood Snowflake will go on sale at the distillery only Wednesday September 15th 12:00 noon for $85.  There are only about 130 bottles of this special whiskey made.  It is strictly first come fisrt serve, and when it is gone it is gone

The Triple Wood Snowflake spent its first 2 years in a heavily charred new american white oak barrel. When the flavor profile was right I transferred it into a used Hungarian white oak cask that had previously housed a Chardonnay form Sonoma California. Over the course of months the tannins form the hungarian white oak went to work in harmony with the white wine that had soaked into the wood and created a massive layer of rich delicate flavors on top of the Stranahan’s foundation. To round out and mellow the new tannins and flavors, I moved the whiskey back into a used Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey cask. The time spent back in the worn american white oak gently rounded the edges of the 2 complimenting oaks creating a complex, rich, harmony of flavors. This one is for savoring.

Tasting Notes:

Full strength:
Nose: Big fruit and spice right off the bat. The woody smell of an apple cider press, bartlett pear, green apple and melon. As the nose blooms, spices manifest in a cinnamon and mineral wisp, light brown sugar, dates, pie crust, Colorado wild flower honey. With ones eyes closed you could easily imagine a forest in autumn, rich musty aromas playing with bright cool notes of turning leaves and the promise of snow.
Palate: The first sip brings rich dark honey, spice, laced with strong floral notes, flavors of green apple and ripe cherry. As the whiskey settles into the palate the spice resonates with heat, white pepper and chilies(?), molasses, marduro tobacco soars in the mouth. These flavors somehow remind me of a cabin in the woods. The finish is extremely long, black grape, spice, wood, coco and coffee. Bright green apple, possibly lychee fruit? Tons of butter, leaves me tasting a biscuit buttered and slathered in pear jam.

Dilute:
Nose: With a drop of water the Chardonnay really shows up. Honey, butter, toasty, coco, floral, mineral. I almost pick up pancakes?
Palate: Cantaloupe, honey, wedding cake frosting. Floral bright notes, mango, lychee, melon, The spice remains- sweet white pepper. Again reminds me of the woods. Banana, chilies, biscuit, wheat bread, tobacco. Lots going on. Finish is stone fruit, mineral, black tea, buttered toast and peppery tobacco. The whiskey maintains a heat throughout the entire experience with out being unpleasant.

As you let the glass sit and open up, the sweetness grows and grows. What a finish, complex and big, wisps of campfire and coffee. Over all this whiskey can’t help but remind me of autumn, the last fleeting days in the forest before winter reclaims what is hers. I think I’ll have another.

Cheers Jake

Listening to: Guy Clark

Remember, this is first come first serve, we will not hold a bottle for you and we can not sell before 12:00pm Wed afternoon.

Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey on The History Channel’s ‘Modern Marvels’

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Posted: 03/28/08

If you remember a while back I had blog’d about a film shoot down at the distillery for the popular TV show Modern Marvels on The History Channel.  That show aired for the first time on St Pats day and it was a huge success.  It was a really educational show about the general production of whiskey and had a nice little segment on Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey!  I heard it will be on the itunes online music store as a downloadable video but I checked and I have not seen it yet.

I did however find it for sale on the History Channel web site.  So watch for it on your local listings or find it online, and raise a glass with us!  Cheers!

Stranahan’s to work with Oscar Blues Brewery!!

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Posted: 05/13/08

If you have been following what has been going on in recent times, you know that we were in the market for a new wash provider.  We are excited to announce that we will be contracting with Oscar Blues brewery to ferment our recipe!  I cant tell you how excited we are to work with Colorado’s best brewery.  I guess it helps that they are mavericks like us, they spat in the eye of convention and put their fine micro-brew in a can.  Maybe they put premium beer in a can because a can is a truly air-tight enclosure and a bottle is not, maybe it is because you can hike out your camping trash easier if you can stomp it flat, maybe it is because when you finish a Dales pale ale you can smash it on your forehead, I don’t know for sure, I don’t care as long as I can get my hands on one.  I have been a fan of their beer for a long time and I am excited for them to bring their fanatical dedication to quality to our recipe.  How will this change Stranahan’s?  It wont.  Dale and the boys will follow our recipe in every detail to ensure we receive the same high quality ingredients we have always used to produce the finest whiskey anywhere.  Tonight after work on my way home I am going to stop by my neighborhood liquor store and pick up an ice cold 6 pack of Oscar Blues Gordon IPA to sip it along side my Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey and grill a steak to celebrate.  Hmmm I just had an idea… whiskey in a can?…..

For more reading http://www.oskarblues.com/

And The Winner is…..

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Posted: 07/07/08

We sure have been busy around here lately, so much so that I forgot to mention some huge news!  As some of you know we attended the American Distilling Institute’s 2008 conference, this years theme was “Whiskey”.  We met a lot of industry people and made a lot of friends.  We entered our first international contest and we are proud to say that we won the gold medal in the Malt Whiskey Division!  We also won the Best Of Show, which really blew our minds.  Raise a glass with us and celebrate.

Things are not always as simple as they seem

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Posted: 07/22/08

I was at the new ‘Roo Bar Park Ave West’ last night visiting my dear friend John Zelzer, manager and bartender extraordinaire.  He was deeply involved in a game of billiards so when it came time to mix the next round of drinks he asked me to fill in and make a round for the table.  I am no stranger to the other side of the bar, having tended bar many a year.  So as often happens, as soon as I am driving the libation bus I go straight for the ‘Old Fashioned’, my personal favorite cocktail.  I got behind the bar, found an embarrassingly large glass and proceeded to assemble the ingredients, a good 3 fingers of  Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey, a cherry with just a drop of brine clinging to it, a fat slice of freshly cut organic orange, and, and, where is the simple syrup?!  There was no simple syrup, and no sugar to be seen!  Undaunted I proceeded to muddle the cherry and orange, being sure to bruise the rind to release the oils, added a dash of bitters and all that lovely Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey.  I was sure the cocktail would be amiss not having simple syrup, however, when I had a sip i found it perfect.  Stranahan’s is a delicate whiskey and the more subtle flavors are easily overpowered if a mixologist is not careful.  I found the lack of simple syrup refreshing, I was still able to pick apart flavors and it was not too sweet, so next time you raise a muddler in the heat of passion, try a Stranahans Old Fashioned with out simple syrup and see what you think.  Just a muddled thought, cheers.

Singled Out!

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Posted: 08/24/08

As you may or may not know, it is hot.  Here in denver we just enjoyed a record 18 days over 90 degrees.  Now that might make for nice bike riding weather, or a good day to go to the local swimming hole, but here in the distillery, it means temperatures up to 120 degrees fahrenheit.   It was on such a day that I was selecting barrels for batch 25. I drove my homemade bung removal tool deep into the poplar and splintered the bung on barrel #225 just like I had done 9 times earlier.  I was immediately rocked with an explosion of rich velvet aroma that stopped me dead in my tracks.  The barrel had such a wonderful bouquet I was captivated.  I pulled a sample out and tasted it.  It was everything intimated by the nose, and more.  A rich buttery oakiness complemented by malt complexity unfolded in my mouth like a road map.  I had been tasting barrel samples all day and I wanted to make sure this barrel was as good as it seemed, so I called over fellow distiller Ben Glade.  I offered him a sample and his face said it all.  I could not add this gem to the other waiting barrels.  What does one do when you come across such a rarity?

I would like to announce The Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey’s Single Barrel Program.  What is the single barrel program you might ask?  Well we took barrel #225 in all of its individual glory, drilled a hole in the head of the barrel and pounded in an antique wooden spigot.  The intention being friends of the distillery can come down to the distillery and fill and label their own bottle of unfiltered single barrel SCW.  If you are interested in a bottle of the SCW Single Barrel, you better move fast, there are only 160 bottles of whiskey in the barrel and when it is gone it is gone like snow on the rockies.

  • Single Barrel bottles will be sold by appointment only due to the extra time needed for you to fill your bottle and write out your label.  Please call the distillery or email me to set up an appointment.  The cost is $75 a bottle, and remember you can customize the label by writing what ever you like in the comments section- what a great gift!

The New Posters Are In!!!!!!

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Posted: 10/03/08

The new posters are in and they are awesome.  Ben finally got the picture up on the web site so you can check it out here!  If you want one you better move fast, there are only 2500, and when there gone there gone.