craft distillery

Knotted Maple, A New Way To Enjoy Maple Syrup

Filed under: Spirits

Making the most of a local favorite, Tree Spirits of Maine has created a unique way to consume maple syrup, as a distilled maple spirit. It's essentially a brandy but the definition of brandy calls for it to be distilled from wine or fermented fruit juice, there really isn't a term for this maple liqueur which is believed to be the first of its kind. The product, named Knotted Maple, is the creation of Bruce Olson and Steve Buchsbaum, who decided to open a winery and distillery in Oakland, Maine.

The pair told the Kennebec Journal that they started selling their maple spirits and sweet sparkling maple wine just before Christmas and will also be selling applejack and dry sparkling wines. Tree Spirits is one of six distilleries in Maine. The syrup comes from the Bacon Farm in Sidney and cider from The Apple Farm in Fairfield is used in the wine and applejack. A 375-milliliter bottle of Knotted Maple sells for $35.99. The liquor and other products will officially launch in the spring. More information can be found at the Tree Spirits website.

Tags: craft distilleries, craft distillery, knotted maple, maple liquor, maple syrup

Small Northwest Distillery Tempts With Lemonade Cocktail

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Vodka and lemonade is a popular drink and a small Northwest distillery combines the two in one bottle. Hello Lovely is a strawberry lemonade made with all natural flavors and pure cane sugar. The 34 proof pre-mixed cocktail is vodka based. Northwest Distillery also makes Liquid vodka, a reasonably priced vodka that sells for under $20.

"Liquid Vodka is successful because it's a great vodka for a very reasonable price. Customers also appreciate that we are a Pacific Northwest, family-owned business," said Meghan Zonich, owner of Northwest Distillery in a press relase. Meghan Zonich, a Bellevue, Washington native and mother of two produces the spirits along with her husband Cory in a remodeled 1940s-era barn in Warren, Oregon. The vodka has already received a bronze medal at the San Francisco Wine and Spirits Competition and a silver medal at the International Wine and Spirits Competition in London.

Tags: craft distilleries, craft distillery, hello lovely, liquid vodka, northwest distillery, premixed cocktails, vodka