Dolland - Discovering the New York Craft Spirits Boom

Whiskey is an expression of where you are. We try to interfere as little as possible with letting the grain or fruit express its essential nature. We add as much as is reasonable to the evolution of the whiskey, as an expression of New York State and of the Hudson Valley.

Christopher Williams

Chief Distiller - Coppersea Distilling

Discovering The New York Craft Spirits Boom

Heather D. Dolland

Published by Waldorf Publishing

2140 Hall Johnson Road

#102-345

Grapevine, Texas 76051

www.WaldorfPublishing.com

Discovering The New York Craft Spirits Boom

ISBN: 9781634432610

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014958728

Copyright 2015

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means whatsoever without express written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Please refer all pertinent questions to the publisher. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed in a magazine or newspaper without permission in writing from the publisher.

Printed in the United States of America

Dedication

To Amos, for your continued love, support and patience;

Because of you I was able to embark

upon the spirited journey of writing this book!

Foreword by Julie C. Suarez,

Assistant Dean, Cornell University

Walking the halls of the state capitol in 2007 with a small but committed group of farmers and food entrepreneurs, I never imagined that the creation of a new farm distillery license category would spark such tremendous growth. At the time, I was convinced this law would merely be a small change, enabling a few farmers the opportunity to grow crops for a niche market and opening doors for the next generation to start up their own distillery and add value to the home farm.

This book conclusively demonstrates the economic growth that can occur from positive public policy. I am impressed with the foresight of the author in showcasing New Yorks outstanding craft and farm based distilleries, and suspect a new edition will be needed in a few years time to accommodate new entrants. A thoughtful profile of each distillery, beautiful photographs and of course, excellent cocktail recipes make this book a treasure for local foodies.

How It All Began

Tuthilltown Spirits

I moved to New York from Grenada in August 1995, to study Architecture. Many times when I mention being from Grenada, I would be reminded of the U.S. intervention in 1983. It seemed to be the only point of recognition that resonated with anyone over a certain age. Being 133 square miles with a population of 100,000, it is easy to understand why many would not be familiar with our presence in the Caribbean.

When I embarked upon the journey of writing this book, I had lived in New York for exactly half my life. Never would I have imagined in 1995 that in 2014, I would be writing a book about craft spirits in New York. But here we are.

I stumbled upon the realization of the vast number of craft distillers in New York State very much by chance. I was asked to help coordinate a food festival, when the thought occurred to me to seek local beer, wine, and spirit brands. Our objective was to promote local, so my thought was logical. What I discovered regarding the number of craft distillers in New York State was very surprising. For over eight years I was a Brand Ambassador responsible for promoting many national wine and spirit brands; yet I was completely unaware of all that happened that allowed all of these craft distillers to exist.

In the time it has taken to write this book, two more laws have passed, making this a very exciting time in the world of New York craft distillers.

Before writing this book, I never drank whiskey. What an initiation this journey has been. The title Discovering The New York Craft Spirits Boom was chosen very honestly. This experience has indeed been a revelation and discovery of my own preferences in the world of spirits, as I had the privilege of a tasting at every visit!

Meeting 30 distillers from Brooklyn to the Finger Lakes has created memories that I will never forget. They were all very gracious and generous with their time, for which I will remain eternally grateful. I spent two months discovering things that I previously knew nothing about. What a time it has been. The hours spent sharing stories, and the art of distilling, allowed valuable insight into the world of a craft spirits distiller that I feel very privileged to now share.

Each chapter is dedicated to an individual distiller and tells his or her story regarding why they decided to embark upon this path. I met with some who were among the first in the business, and were instrumental in petitioning to get laws changed, as well as other distillers in their first year of operation.

During the time of writing this book, New York State is home to 55 craft distillers, with an additional 20 in different stages of the licensing process. At this rate, we are certainly poised to become the leading state for craft distillers.

For your enjoyment, I have also provided cocktail recipes, along with the locations where their products can be purchased and/or enjoyed. Their contact information has also been included, so in the event you decide to pay a visit, please let them know that Heather says Hello!

In Photo: Heather Dolland & Soca

My Story

Bradley Hawks (Astoria Distilling Company)

I n 2004, my friend, Kelly-Ann Ross-Daniel, also from Grenada, who owned a promotion agency in Brooklyn, needed someone to promote her brands on Long Island. At the time, I lived on Long Island and had a career as an Environmental Consultant. I have known Kelly-Ann since I was six years old, and she thought that my outgoing personality would be well suited to promoting her brands during my spare time. She was correct. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and not long after, began working with numerous agencies, promoting a number of national and international brands. What was supposed to be a favor to a friend ended up lasting nine years!

While visiting South Beach, Florida in October 2011, a shift occurred in my path while trying to decide where to have dinner. If you are at all familiar with South Beach--Ocean Drive to be exact--you are aware of the number of restaurants that line the street. Each restaurant has their assigned host or hostess whose job is to persuade you to dine.

One evening in particular, my mother and I were out to have dinner, and couldnt help but be enchanted by the beautiful dishes that displayed the evenings specials at each restaurant. It was impossible to choose a restaurant. I turned to my mother and said,