The older I get, the more important reference points are in life – like stars in the sky they come in the form of friends on the couch, sunsets on the ocean, fine spirits that lift the soul, a kiss from someone you love and the comfort of a favorite bartender. These are treasures in a life worth living. I am lucky to have so many stars in the constellation of existence. And with my first distillery tour and review for The Denver Hopper, I have the luxury of trying the dangerously smooth and tasty Bravo Zulu Spirits while re-kindling with one of my favorite bartenders, Christen, at Mad Rabbit Distillery in Westminster, CO.
The moment I walk in I hear Christen’s irresistible and thunderous laugh. She has carried my friends and me through so many goddamn Sunday Fundays of the years. The kinds that begin when the door is unlocked and it ends with the lights going out one by one. She is the Bar Manager and mixologist at Mad Rabbit Distillery and a huge hug was in order.
I am one of a few curious folks waiting in the comfortable barroom for the Saturday afternoon tour through the distillery. In some circles, it is too damn early for drinking hard liquor. Not amongst us Hoppers. We are the willing and the glorious and the damned. The tour starts at a cost of $20 per person and comes with three spirit tasters and a hand-crafted signature cocktail. Or you can replace the cocktail with three more tasters. That’s how I roll! I’m like Veruca Salt in Charlie’s Factory, I want it all and I want it NOW!
Christen treated me to a taster of everything they make. She thoroughly described and educated me on each and every one of them. Even with this knowledge in hand, staring at a spread of shots can be daunting. But somethings in life are inevitable like death and taxes and you have to sink into the moment. Here before me sits a full array of Mad Rabbit’s spirits including vodka, Virgin Island Style White Rum, Gin, a 4 year, 6 year and 7 year bourbon, a Bourbon Barrel Aged Style Rum, and an Agave Spirit (Basically, American Tequila). The owner, Paul, will get into any liquor that he can. He wants to make it all.
Any good tour guide starts out and peppers the journey with corny jokes. It brings familiarity to the unknown. The comfort of a parent helping to guide understanding. My Dad, like so many fathers, loves his corny jokes even in the face of an eye roll or a cringe. Paul has quips and antidotes to keep us entertained as he walks us through the process of distillation. He only uses Olathe sweet corn from the Western Slope of Colorado. I hear it is the best. His knowledge runs deep. He is a master of his craft. And I feel like I am losing information as I frantically try to keep notes or take video but really I just want to listen to him. Soon, I just give up and enjoy myself. Ha. Life lesson right there.
The tour is incredibly informative and interesting. But I had a buzz and I’d rather just enjoy the tour than write down notes the whole time. You should give them a call and schedule one. They conduct tours on Friday and Saturdays at 4 and 5pm. The number is 303-623-7222. (303-MAD-RABB)
The tour is finished. Now comes the time when knowledge evolves into action. We drink. Christen has taken the opportunity to make the tasting room a Mad Rabbit Distillery her baby. Her task was to make custom cocktails that accent the Bravo Zulu whiskey, rum, gin and vodka perfectly with hand-crafted drinks made from real ingredients.
All of the mixers are made in-house at Mad Rabbit – everything from the simple syrup to the Bloody Mary mix to the sweet and sour to the fruit purees to the ginger beer. Fresh, necessary and righteous are my first thoughts. And while sipping my Foggy London Town my second thought is, Goddamn Delicious. It carries enough gin to make you start admitting sins to your neighbors but rewards you with a subtle sweetness to tamper their already easy to drink gin.
If you live in Denver you might be deterred from visiting Mad Rabbit Distillery because it is quite the drive. With the advent of Uber, this worry is preposterous. And there are other homes for hand-crafted booze on the same street like Whistling Hare Distillery and Westminster Brewery. We should call it WestSinners Row of Westminster. That’s official. There are also a slew of breweries in the same area that are nuzzled up to Broomfield Events Center. I know you like to drink, Denver Hoppers and this is another area full of unique hand-crafted booze for your enjoyment.
One last drink seems appropriate. I settle in for a seemingly effortlessly tasty Mr. Tommy Collins comprised of their Rocky Mountain Gin, homemade Sweet and Sour, soda and a cherry. A friend that joined me for the post-tour drinks has the Ace in the Hand with bourbon house-made sour mix, cherry, orange and bitters. This drink could have been called the Righteous Hand of God but they went with a more PG name for the family establishment.
A smooth, hand-crafted cocktail can change the very atoms that comprise who you are. I believe that with all my heart and every sip I take. Mad Rabbit Distillery has the high-quality Bravo Zulu spirits, a cozy, colorful atmosphere and the kind of bartenders that make it a second home. It’s one of those reference points in a life worth living that I mentioned earlier. Make it part of your western sky. Go forth.
The Denver Hopper Notes:
Mad Rabbit Distillery has snacks for you to enjoy with the cocktails. No Dogs because of the food.
Social Media!
Give them a follow on IG: @madrabbitdistillery, FB: @madrabbitdistillery
Mad Rabbit Distillery
Website: madrabbitdistillery.net
Address: 10860 Dover St #2000, Westminster, CO 80021