If what they say is true, and the Devil is in the details, well, then I am in luck, because, I only have interest in the Devil. His stories must wild, meticulous and profound. I want to know it all. And all that that makes for good entertainment in a life wrought with excessive lights and too many people. It’s enough to drive anyone to drink. And if you are going to drink, I recommend you stick with small-batch, hand-crafted spirits from sanctuaries like Devil’s Head Distillery where the details and the craft are most important.
South Broadway is a neighborhood ripe with craftsmen and women who are carving out something nearly divine in origin. I am not old, yet, but I remember when the only recognizable building in this part of town was the Gothic Theater. And as I sat down, with the sun setting after a long spring day, the cozy bar at Devil’s Head Distillery hit the soul just right and I realized times are changing and tastes are evolving.
Pinball machines lined the tasting room while a few customers talked fervently with Angie. She was cheerful beyond measure which is always a good sign. The patrons laughed while thoroughly engaged in conversation as their cocktails were mixed and poured and decorated. More on the drinks later. Ryan had to finish up some business and serve a few customers. On that particular Friday, it’s just the owners running the show.
The idea for Devil’s Head Distillery started some years back as Ryan’s disdain for his corporate life grew and his passion for craft alcohol emboldened. With gin on his mind, as he hiked Devil’s Head Trail near Deckers, CO, the inspiration for the name of the distillery seemed obvious with junipers all around. And with that commencement into the conversation, I found the row of tasters in front of me irresistible and began to sip.
Their aquavit was the first and obvious choice to try because I had never heard of such a craft spirit and it is also their flagship product. They carry both a normal aquavit spirit and a barrel aged one. The non-aged aquavit struck me much like a gin might with an array of botanicals but it seemed more earthy and subtle. The most unique element that I perceived in this spirit was a hint of asine like you might taste in absinthe or black licorice. Not too much, just enough. Ryan said that some people have taste hit strongly on the palate and some others only get a little hint of it and it is badass in Bloody Mary’s.
This is as good of a spot as any to remind you to check the label on the “craft spirits” you drink. Not all of these supposedly “hand-crafted spirits” are made 100% house like they are at Devil’s Head Distillery. People lie just like many other areas in life. Ryan gave me the low down on how many distilleries mislead you on the bottle. Tito’s Vodka is a good example in that they say they are “Handmade” and distilled in a “Microdistillery”. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. Their vodka is created by a perpetual distilling company in Indiana then they ship it by train to Tito’s in Austin, TX. You don’t want to be fooled into paying more for factory produced spirits and it helps remind you why it costs more for a bottle of authentic distillers of hand-crafted spirits like Devil’s Head.
Both the gin and the vodka were excellent and approachable. The gin had just a hint of juniper and was balanced while it shined a light on my soul. I do adore gin and this one definitely had me at hello. For what it’s worth, it’s definitely worth your time.
The barrel aged aquavit was mellowed by the charred barrels that it remained in for 2 years yet still held a hint of asine. This spirit was unconsciously drinkable to the point where it might turn into a wild night if I wasn’t careful and I had other things to do. This spirit made it into a cocktail I tried later called Notes of a Dirty Old Man – a Bukowski reference that I had to bring up, and suddenly I felt at home.
It is always nice to find your kinfolk – the kind that are interested in a certain set of peculiarities and problems and omissions. I have found this in writers like Hunter S. Thompson, Charles Bukow, ki and Ernest Hemingway and so has Ryan. As he showed me around the distillery we talked about the authenticity of craft and the writers who influenced our prospective jobs or side gigs. It’s good to know people with real fucking passion.
The sun was long gone and the dimly lit bar embraced the people that took part in the moments I spent there. We all joked around about weird things and sank into the evening. As mentioned earlier, I tried the Notes of a Dirty Old Man and it called for me to read a novel or go on a binge. It was everything I want in a cocktail as the botanicals from the barrel aged aquavit danced on my tongue.
After that, I lunged headlong into sweet and spicy gin martini aptly named Comfortably Numb. The blackberries and serrano pepper aligned with vigor in my mouth as I laughed at a story Angie told about Ryan and Pink Floyd. On Christmas, a few years back, he had a solid night of drinking and when he arrived home he threw Pink Floyd’s Animals on and jammed out like no one’s business. Animals on Christmas? Hell Yeah! It is darkly perfect and I think I’ll put it on at my parents’ house this year. Find your weird and be happy you aren’t alone.
After my visit to Devil’s Head Distillery, I still don’t know if the Devil is truly in the details. Hell, I don’t even believe in the Devil in a literal fashion. Actually, I think the glory is in the details. And I do know that everything you are interested in life has an expert on the subject and it’s worth talking to them at length. Diving into the facts is what makes this life worth living. You should understand the what, how and where of the things you consume. Oh, and think about the why also. There is value in finding a brand of strange that you connect to this world. Devil’s Head Distillery sure has the makings for all of the above and I highly recommend you stop on by and get the details on the matter at hand.
The Denver Hopper Notes:
Bloody Mary Bar on Sundays throughout the Summer!
Live Comedy every thirds Thursday of the Month
Live Music the last Friday of every Month
Open Thursdays 5-10pm
Fridays & Saturdays 4-11pm
Give them a follow on IG: @devilsheaddistillery, FB: @DevilsHeadDistillery
Devils Head Distillery
Website: devilsheaddistillery.com
Address: 3296 S Acoma St, Englewood, CO 80110
