This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.
Originally designed to be a malt whiskey, Longtucky Spirits' newest release has been labeled a beirschnapps, Tiny's Oktoberfest Beirschnapps to be exact.
This beirschnapps will be released on September 28, just in time for Oktoberfest.
The beverage was originally named "Tiny's Oktoberfest malt whiskey because it drinks like a malt whiskey and it's an American malt whiskey," says John Young, co-owner of Longtucky Spirits. "It has .04% hops in weight but because of the just a little bit of hops, it is technically a beirschnapps, made from beer."
In 2016, an investor from Left Hand Brewing approached Young and suggested that Longtucky take the beer from that year's Oktoberfest and distill it. At the time, Longtucky was still under construction, so Young used the stills at Vapor Distillery in Boulder to begin the process.
Young took 3,000 gallons of Left Hand Oktoberfest beer and distilled it down to around 250 gallons of whiskey. After completing the construction, the two distilleries did an official transfer of bonds so that Longtucky would have official control of the spirits. The barrels have been living in the Longtucky warehouse since.
Young states, "It's 18 months with a really nice clean product that has been well taken care of and well thought out. It's a very clean base to work with. It makes a very clean tasting whiskey and therefore doesn't need quite as long to age."
The product is double distilled and is 120 proof and 60% ABV. When going into the barrel it is clear, however, after a year and a half in a brand new American oak barrel it is "that nice color that you are looking for in a whiskey, a nice golden, amber hue," states Young.
"You can really taste the beer. What is characteristic about this one is the biscuity, maltiness, a lot of caramel. They use a lot of Vienna and Munich malts to make Oktoberfest or Märzen style beer. I think that really carries over. I think you get this nice bready, biscuity, malty flavor in this whiskey. They also use noble hops, which are real traditional, noble and very regal but they are grassy and a little spicy, these are a little more reserved and refined. I think there is just enough in there to give it this nice kind of bitter notes. It's not astringent, it's not distasteful in any way but it does give the whiskey this kind of crispness that you would expect in the beer and that really works with the malt profile," states Young.
For the release of this beirschnapps, Longtucky is hosting live music by Jessica Eppler of Clandestine Amigo and pairing the new whiskey with some Bavarian pretzels.
In addition, this whiskey will be featured at the Beer to Barrel event at Samples on October 17. This event will have a side-by-side pairing of Tiny's Oktoberfest Beirschnapps with Ska Brewing and Peach Street Distiller's hoppy beirschapps.
