Pitkin County's First Distillery Assembling the Finest Materials, Establishing a New Landscape in Vodka Production

ASPEN, CO, UNITED STATES, December 8, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Aspen Distillers recently announced a collaboration with the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies to provide a natural soil amendment strategy for the agricultural fields at the distillery — an important step toward once again having fertile soil and biodiversity on the property.

This is just one of the steps Aspen Distillers is taking in meeting the Living Building Challenge, a rigorous green building certification and framework for sustainable design. Aspen Distillers is utilizing regenerative agricultural practices on the four acres for local food production. Among other benefits, the regenerative practice strategies reverse climate change by rebuilding the soil organic matter, restoring degraded soil biodiversity, resulting in both carbon drawdown and improvement of the water cycle.

Aspen Distillers will focus the agricultural production on the site toward the local food market in Aspen and rely on strategic partnerships to source grains for distillation. Aspen Distillers intends to conserve the valley’s natural resources that “support human health and the farmlands that feed us, while also inviting natural systems back into the daily fabric of our lives,” aligning with the Place Petal Imperative on the Living Future’s website.

Aspen Vodka is distilled from single origin Red Winter Wheat proprietary to Aspen Distillers. Contrary to the hard winter wheat traditionally grown in Colorado that is ideal for its high protein and excellent characteristics for bread and pasta, Aspen Wheat is almost identical to the best European winter wheat. The starch characteristics of this wheat are prized for their use in pastries, cakes, cookies and is ideal for high-quality yields in distillation. The high starch and low protein of this wheat create a characteristic flavor profile and aids in efficiency in the distilling process.

The wheat is exclusively grown on a 2200-acre single estate centennial farm in Colorado. The region has the ideal climate for producing winter wheat, with dry cold winters and long warm summers. The non-hybrid, non-GMO heirloom seed was not in commercial use in 2019. After researching the seed’s characteristics and consulting with the grower, the first circle was planted in 2019.

Aspen Wheat has now been successfully grown, harvested and distilled for two seasons. The grain is stored on the property and is milled onsite immediately prior to distillation. Aspen Distillers will maintain 100% traceability for Aspen Wheat, allowing the company to ensure full visibility and control of all steps of the distilling process.

ABOUT ASPEN DISTILLERS

Aspen Distillers was founded by Matthew Patel who assembled an ecosystem of talent to develop the first distillery in Pitkin County. The project is inspired by Aspen’s natural beauty and is rooted in its commitment to protecting the environment, corporate responsibility and sustainability. Aspen Distillers uses the highest quality local ingredients and exacting production methods, while achieving maximum sustainability. Acknowledging that not everyone can or will adopt the rigorous parameters of The Living Building Challenge, Patel invites others to follow the endeavor. “Hopefully businesses and individuals will find ways to introduce more sustainability into their everyday lives and operations. Ultimately, the goal is to celebrate and support well-being and the environment in the valley and beyond,” says Patel.

Kaylee Harter
Aspen Distillers
k.harter97@gmail.com

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