Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey

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Still Speak: The Craft of Barrel Aging
By Rob Dietrich, Head Distiller

What makes a great whiskey? Is it a bit of malted grain or corn, a strain of tamed or wild yeast, and a splash of the purest water? Absolutely, but just these ingredients are not enough. 

Great whiskey also needs time – time in the finest casks available. It takes a lot of care and preparation to produce the finest whiskies in the world and it all ends in finding the right barrels to rest your hard-won spirit in.

It begins with grain. In order to make whiskey, you’ve got to start out with the intentions of making the best whiskey. That means the finest grains, the healthiest yeast, the best stills and the perfect casks.

 Let’s say you want to make an American straight whiskey. A unique set of rules applies, and with a little bit of skill and a lot of imagination you can produce a top-quality whiskey. If you were working right alongside us here at Stranahan’s, you would start with 100% malt-barley – the majority of which is malted locally – and the purest water. You would use our proprietary yeast for fermentation and Vendome stills for distillation. Now it’s time to barrel!

You would use 100%, brand new, White American Oak casks with a #3 char in which to age the spirit. The staves are dried and cured for three months before being trimmed to fit an individual barrel, then charred with a great deal of flame before adding the butts of the barrel. By charring the wood, the natural sugars, vanillin and tannins rise to the burn surface, where the spirit can readily interact with those flavors and absorb them. 100% of the color comes from the wood and almost 50 to 60% of the flavor of whiskey comes from the wood itself!

So why do we use new barrels and namely, white oak? In order to be designated a “straight” whiskey, the spirit must be aged in brand new, white American oak casks only once, and aged no less than two years. I relate barrel-aging to using a teabag. You will get a strong cup of tea on the first use of the teabag, but on the second or even third uses, you will get a very watered down, less flavorful tea, or at the very least, it will take a lot longer to extract the desired flavor. The same can be said for barrels. That’s why you see 8- or 10- or 12-year Scotches. It takes longer for those flavors to be extracted once that barrel has already been used.

It takes a lot of effort to properly produce and age a whiskey – you have to have a lot of patience and foresight.

As I frequently tell guests who tour our facility, I am constantly living in the past, present and future. What we produced in the past affects the present. What we produce now affects the future. What we harvest today affects everything…

Cheers, and happy drinking!
Rob Dietrich, Head Distiller
Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey

Anyone familiar with the art of distilling knows the point of the process is to separate the ethanol (desirable alcohol) from other undesired components. Undesirable substances such as methanol are more volatile than ethanol, so they vaporize first. These are called the heads. Once the heads are distilled out, we have the heart of the run, which makes its way into our barrels. Finally, as we continue to distill, we get more undesirable lower volatility substances, oils and water, known collectively as the tails. The art of distilling is to know when to draw the lines between the head, the heart and the tail. The more selective a distiller is, the higher quality whiskey.

At Stranahan’s we take the process one step further, double-distilling – putting the whiskey through the process of elimination one more time. By double distilling, we produce far fewer fusil oils and other impurities than most other distillers. These distillations are performed at such a slow rate that we are able to control precisely the alcohols we want in our barrels.

Heads and tails are 140 proof – that’s strong stuff. What do we do with this high-octane liquid? Our head distiller Rob Dietrich actually uses it as a cleaning product around the distillery! And to think that some distilleries redistill their heads and tails. To us, that just seems wrong!

Periodically, we like to acquaint our fans with members of the Stranahan’s family. This week, we’d like you to meet Kristin Forsch.

Anyone who has taken a tour at the distillery may already know Kristin. She is the Stranahan’s Brand Ambassador – the storyteller of our whiskey. Kristin oversees our very successful tour program, oftentimes leading tours and tastings herself. She is also in charge of our retail offerings – hats, T-shirts, posters, glassware – you name it. When Stranahan’s participates in events (such as Man of the Cliff in October or the St. Patrick’s Day parade in March), you can bet Kristin is onsite sharing her knowledge of and passion for whiskey.

Originally from St. Louis, Kristin has been a Colorado resident for 6 years and an integral part of the Stranahan’s staff for 3 ½ years. Her favorite aspects of her job are helping people fall in love with our whiskey as much as she has and talking with guests when they visit the distillery.

An art major, Kristin enjoys graphite drawing – and some of her drawings grace liquor bottles throughout the world. She also likes cliff jumping into the river in Golden during the summertime and snuggling by the fire with a glass of whiskey in the wintertime. Kristin acknowledges that she enjoys her Stranahan’s in a variety of ways:

• After a long day: neat.
• Before bed: with a splash of water.
• If it’s warm out: with two tiny cubes of ice.
• If she has a cold: in a hot toddy.

Cheers to Kristin’s contagious spirit!

Back in the days of the Old West it seemed everyone had their own tin cup. Whether it was dangling from their saddle bag or hanging by the water pail, it was a must-have item. Tin cups were so popular that even Lorne Greene (think Ben Cartwright from Bonanza) wrote a song about his “Ol’ Tin Cup.”

With warm weather around the corner, what better way to enjoy the great outdoors than with a pour of Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey in your own rustic tin cup? Perfect for campfires or backyard barbecues, our Stranahan’s-branded drinking cups are fashioned in the pioneer spirit and are an ideal vessel to hold Colorado’s legendary whiskey.

You can shop for your own supply of tin cups online by clicking here, or stop by our General Store onsite at the distillery at 200 South Kalamath Street in Denver. The General Store is stocked with plenty of Stranahan’s-branded goods, tin cups and the latest batch of our famous whiskey! Even if you don’t need any new drinkware, we hope to see you at the distillery soon!

Stranahan’s will always hold the honor of being Colorado’s first post-prohibition whiskey. Prior to 2003, there were no distilleries in the state. The tale of how Stranahan’s became the first reads just like a storybook. If you haven’t heard it before, grab yourself a pour, sit back and read on…

Stranahan’s founder Jess Graber was a volunteer fireman in a small community near the mountain town of Aspen, Colorado called Woody Creek. One day in 1998 he responded to a barn fire down the road. Despite Jess’s efforts the barn was lost to the flames. Once the fire settled, Jess and the barn’s owner shared some conversation and discovered they had a common passion: whiskey.

The owner was George Stranahan, philanthropist, rancher, microbrewery owner and most importantly, whiskey aficionado. As they talked, George learned that Jess had an idea for a new kind of Colorado whiskey. Soon, a relationship was forged.

Jess was the first to begin distilling in the state of Colorado – legally, anyway – in early 2004 in a warehouse in downtown Denver, initially utilizing a mash brewed in George’s microbrewery. Stranahan’s first put spirit into the barrels in April 2004, then harvested and bottled the first batch in April 2006.

The rest, as they say, is history.

With Valentine’s Day just one week away, all our thoughts are turned to love. And what could be more lovely than spending Valentine’s Day afternoon with your loved one, surrounded by something that you love to drink?

To help our fans celebrate Valentine’s Day in style, we’ve launched a quick contest. We’re holding 8 spots on our afternoon bottling line next Thursday, February 14 – Valentine’s Day – for four lucky couples. Simply post a photo depicting your LOVE of Stranahan’s or showing you and your loved one enjoying Stranahan’s responsibly, and you’ll be entered into our heartfelt contest.

Photos must be posted on our Facebook page by this Friday, February 8, at 4 p.m., and we’ll announce the winners one hour later, at 5 p.m.

Important information: You and your date must be 21 years or older to be a part of our crew, and you both must be available to bottle on the afternoon of Thursday, February 14. For more information on what it takes to be a member of the Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey volunteer bottling crew, click here.

Show us what you’ve got!

Periodically, we like to acquaint our fans with members of the Stranahan’s family. This week, it is our pleasure to introduce Pete Macca.

Pete sits at the helm of Stranahan’s, but don’t let his title of general manager fool you. Pete is not your typical desk-sitting, office-dwelling leader. He brought years of professional beer brewing experience to Stranahan’s when he started here two years ago, and he prefers to continue that hands-on work whenever possible.

In the time under Pete’s guidance, the distillery has undergone a major expansion allowing us to quadruple previous production capacity and better keep up with demand, and on the public side of things, Pete oversaw the build-out of our new General Store and Tasting Room. On bottling days, you’ll often find Pete helping on the line.

Pete enjoys all types of outdoor sports, including hunting, fishing, camping, water and snow skiing and softball. And no surprise as a 30-year Colorado resident, Pete loves watching the Avs, Broncos and Rockies. His favorite way to drink Stranahan’s is two rocks only, though he acknowledges it’s also tasty with a splash of ginger beer! Cheers!

Suit up in style!

 Though still in the throes of winter, it’s not too early to plan for more seasonable, spring-like weather. You can take on light wind and rain in high-tech style when wearing your own Stranahan’s jacket. Our Quantum Soft Shell is stretchy, breathable and equipped with attention-grabbing extras like colorblocking, welded pockets, reflective trim details and taped seams for an extra clean finish. Subtly branded with the Stranahan’s name, this jacket is both functional and fashionable. Whether you wear it in the hills or on the town, it is sure to be a conversation piece.

 Stop in to our General Store at 200 S. Kalamath Street in Denver or order yours online by clicking here.

Have you ever wondered how many bottles of whiskey a barrel yields or how humid the rackhouse needs to be to ensure barrels stay moist in Colorado’s dry climate? Following are some fast facts sure to impress your buddies the next time you’re sipping your favorite Colorado whiskey! 

• 8,000 – The number of volunteer bottlers registered in our database.
• 5,000 – The approximate number of bottles per bottling run.
• 2004 – The year Stranahan’s first put spirit in barrels.
• 2,000 – The approximate number of barrels in our rack house.
• 250 – The approximate number of bottles in each barrel.
• 100 – The number of batches Stranahan’s has bottled as of January.
• 94 – The proof of Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey.
• 70 – The minimum F temperature maintained in the rackhouse.
• 47 – The percent of alcohol by volume (ABV) in a bottle.
• 40 – The percent of humidity maintained in the rackhouse.
• 30 – The number of volunteers required to bottle a batch.
• 25+ – The number of brews the distillery staff makes each week.
• 4 – The number of hours in which a batch of Snowflake sells out.
• 1 – The place Stranahan’s claims on Colorado’s whiskey history timeline. (Stranahan’s was Colorado’s first whiskey distillery.)

It all adds up to one great whiskey!

Today we kick off the New Year with a milestone – we bottle our 100th batch of whiskey! The approximately 5,000 bottles will be for sale at the distillery next week and throughout Colorado in the weeks to follow.

Today’s “batch 100” volunteer bottlers – which includes four winners of a Facebook contest we hosted last week – are being treated to some extra fun, including a visit from Stranahan’s “Great Catch” barrel girl Melissa. Each volunteer will receive a limited edition “Great Catch” poster signed by Melissa, along with a bottle from this extra special batch!

Here’s to the bottling of batch 100!

Our 100th batch of Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey will be our first batch of 2013, and you are invited to enter a little contest and possibly join us for this momentous occasion!

We are holding two special spots (plus one guest per spot) on both our morning and afternoon crews for the 100th batch bottling Thursday, January 10. If you would like to throw your hat into the mix, here is all you need to do. Post a photo on our Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/stranahans.colorado.whiskey) page depicting the way you are responsibly enjoying Stranahan’s this season. It can show you and yours sipping Stranahan’s over the holidays or simply feature a stately bottle or pour in a stately manner. We will be selecting the four most creative and fun photos, and their takers (plus a guest) will earn spots as our honorary bottlers. Two runners up will receive a special gift from Stranahan’s head distiller Rob Dietrich.

Important information: you must be 21 years or older to be a part of our crew, and you must be available to bottle on Thursday, January 10. For more information on what it takes to be a member of the Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey volunteer bottling crew, click here (http://www.stranahans.com/crew/info/ ) . You have until January 3, 2013 to post your photo. We will be selecting the winners on January 4.

We look forward to seeing everyone’s photos and can’t wait to celebrate 100 in just a few weeks!

Cheers!

 “No snowflake ever falls in the wrong place.” - Zen Proverb 

Dig out your snow gear – Snowflake is back! Stranahan’s® limited release Snowflake Mount Shavano Malbec goes on sale this Saturday, December 8, only at the distillery at 200 South Kalamath Street at 9 a.m.!  A typical batch of Snowflake sells out within hours, so don’t be late! The Snowflake series is named for the fact that no two batches are ever alike.

What is Snowflake you ask? A few times each year, Stranahan’s allows a dab of its whiskey to cask condition in wine barrels for several months, and the result is a truly singular taste. Two fresh Malbec casks from Spero Winery in Denver were filled with Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey single-barrels, hand-picked from the rackhouse after aging to fruition. The whiskey was then cask-aged until fully finished, allowing the fresh wine-soaked barrels to impart unique characteristics.

Snowflake Mount Shavano Malbec is $99 per bottle (limit 3) and each bottle is accompanied by tasting notes from Dietrich. It is only available for purchase at the distillery while supplies last, on a first-come, first-served basis.  It is not available for pre-order. Shoppers must be at least 21 years old with valid IDs. See you Saturday!

As we bid farewell to November and welcome in the month of gift-giving, be sure to plan a visit to Stranahan’s General Store. You may just find it a one-stop-shop for all your friend and family needs! Here are some ideas:

For her…

Fill a reusable tote bag with a Stranahan’s Well Built T-shirt, a rolled-up limited-edition Well Built poster printed on 100% recycled paper, and a pair of classy tasting glasses. Add to it a bottle of Stranahan’s and you’ve got a big ol’ checkmark on your list!

For him…

Pick up an empty cooler or backpack. Add a Stranahan’s Straight Rocky Mountain work shirt (it’s what all the distillers wear!), a rugged Stranahan’s-branded tin cup and a bottle of Colorado’s first whiskey – an instant package for the distiller want-to-be.

For the gang…

Instead of giving each of your friends or adult family members an individual gift, why not treat them to a group VIP Tour – The Top Shelf Experience. The 2-hour private tour provides plenty of extra time and attention and includes tastings of white dog, the 140-proof un-aged, un-oaked whiskey; 110-proof 2-year-old whiskey straight from the barrel; the finished 94-proof whiskey; and even Stranahan’s cherished Snowflake, which enjoys a secondary aging in wine barrels. It is bottled just a few times each year and sells out in hours when released. Cost of the tour is $500, with a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 30 participants. For more information on the VIP Tour email Kristin.forsch@stranahans.com.

For yourself…

While you’re shopping, remember to pick up your own bottle of the latest batch of Stranahan’s. Here at our General Store, situated adjacent to the Still, it just doesn’t get any closer to the source. And there’s nothing like sharing sips of Stranahan’s with friends and family on those cold winter nights in December!

While the General Store onsite at the distillery at 200 South Kalamath Street in Denver offers the best selection of goods and bottles of Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey, many Stranahan’s-branded items also can be purchased online.