Locally Sourced Craft Distillery Continues U.S. Expansion with Launch in April 2014
(Basalt, Colo.) – Woody Creek Distillers (WCD) has announced that it will start distributing its premium vodka in New York beginning April 1, 2014. The potatoes for Woody Creek Signature Potato Vodka are grown in Woody Creek, CO and the vodka is distilled and bottled in nearby Basalt, CO. Union Beer Distributor’s craft spirits division, BluePrint Brands, is joining forces with Woody Creek Distillers to develop and expand the market throughout New York State.
“Woody Creek Distillers offers two of the finest 100% potato vodkas, distinct from other brands in the market, which makes this an excellent addition to our portfolio and further enhances our offering to serve our customers. We seek to align ourselves with truly distinct products that improve the experience for our customers,” said Jay Frary, Vice President Sales & Marketing of BluePrint Brands. “When I tasted Woody Creek Distillers Vodka, I knew that this is a product that we should represent.”
“We are thrilled to bring Woody Creek Vodka to New York,” says Operating Partner, Mark Kleckner. “The renaissance of American spirits is underway and we hope to lead the revival. Our distillery and spirits are world-class, made from the finest produce grown at 7,500 feet in the Aspen valley. We are the only distillery to control every aspect of the production of potato vodka.”
“We are thrilled to have forged a relationship with BluePrint Brands, as they house a portfolio of truly craft spirits with a dedicated team focused on building brands,” said Kleckner.
Woody Creek Distillers’ Woody Creek Colorado 100% Potato Vodka (MSRP: $37) is a smooth and robust potato-based vodka, made from just three ingredients: farm-fresh alpine potatoes (native Colorado Rio Grande), local mountain spring water, and yeast. After being washed and mashed on-site at the WCD distillery, the potato mash is then stripped and distilled only once to produce its 80-proof vodka.
Grown by WCD partner Pat Scanlan at his 300-acre Scanlan Family Farm in Woody Creek, Colo., near Aspen, potatoes are planted, hand-harvested, and then transported eight miles to the Woody Creek Distillery. There they are quickly processed, often on the same day, to create the distillery’s ultra-premium American potato vodkas.
The idea for Woody Creek Distillers began with and on the farm. WCD never considered using neutral grain spirits, the mass-produced ethanol devoid of flavor and character commonly used to make vodka, nor does it use any GMO ingredients. Instead, Scanlan, his wife Mary, CEO of Woody Creek Distillers, and partner Mark Kleckner focused on small-batch spirits that would showcase potatoes locally grown on Scanlan’s farm.
The state-of-the-art distillery is outfitted with custom CARL stills from Goepingen Germany. Due to its exceptional efficiency, Woody Creek Spirits are single distilled – rectified one time only – meaning they only need one pass through the system to create the purest spirits possible. Further filtration is not required.
Awards & Recognition
Last year Woody Creek Distillers’ Woody Creek Colorado 100% Potato Vodka was named to Wine Enthusiast magazine “Top Rated Vodkas” list with a score of 93 and described the “new and notable” vodka as “neutral and refreshing”— a testament to WCD’s quest for perfection from farm to bottle. The Woody Creek Colorado 100% Potato Vodka has been recognized with a Gold Medal at the Denver International Spirits Competition and a Silver award by the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Distillery and Tasting Room
Woody Creek Distillers Tasting Room is open Wednesday through Saturday from 4-9 p.m. Tours of the facility are offered by appointment by calling (970) 279-5110. For directions to the WCD Tasting Room, click here.
