FOUNDERS
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Amy and Lenny Eckstein founded Deerhammer in 2010. Drawn to Buena Vista, Colorado by the whitewater currents of the Arkansas River, their passion for whiskey is driven by that same adventurous spirit. As artisans and business owners, their process is defined by a deep curiosity for the history of spirits and a thoughtful analysis of each individual step of the distilling process.
HISTORY |
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Deerhammer is, first and foremost, a small independent business. High in the Colorado mountains, the distillery is inspired by the bootstrap ambition of the settlers who first settled the west and the passion for exploration that defines Buena Vista’s history.
As a grain to glass distillery, Deerhammer is focused on process. From recipe formulation to mashing, fermentation, distillation and maturation, we’ve experimented with every step in the process to better understand the effects of subtle choices on our final product. The result is a unique whiskey steeped in history, yet brewed with a pioneering perspective.
Co-founder Lenny Eckstein built the initial iteration of the distillery on his own, cobbling together repurposed machinery and random stainless vessels. The initial still was a custom-made hand hammered 150 gallon direct fire copper pot still which set in motion Deerhammer Distillery as micro-distillery capable of producing 1 whole barrel of whiskey per month! While small batch production was always the goal, this early format of whiskey making woefully inadequate to meet demand. After 1 year, Deerhammer augmented their processes with equipment capable of producing one 53 gallon barrel of whiskey per day. This scale remains today - 1 exceptional batch of whiskey can be produced every day, and laid to to rest in our high altitude rackhouse (8,000' above sea level!) for a minimum of 4 years.
While we specialize in nearly all forms of whiskey production, Deerhammer American Single Malt Whiskey is our cornerstone contribution to the field of American craft spirits. Starting its life as a porter-style 100% malted barley mash, it’s further shaped by open-air fermentation before passing through our squat-head copper pot stills and maturing in charred heavy toast / light char new white oak. Boasting a complex profile with notes of coffee, chocolate, and dark fruit, you won’t mistake it for its Scottish or Irish counterparts. It’s a uniquely American product, with an exceptional taste of place, and we invite you to take your first sip with an explorer’s state of mind.
As a grain to glass distillery, Deerhammer is focused on process. From recipe formulation to mashing, fermentation, distillation and maturation, we’ve experimented with every step in the process to better understand the effects of subtle choices on our final product. The result is a unique whiskey steeped in history, yet brewed with a pioneering perspective.
Co-founder Lenny Eckstein built the initial iteration of the distillery on his own, cobbling together repurposed machinery and random stainless vessels. The initial still was a custom-made hand hammered 150 gallon direct fire copper pot still which set in motion Deerhammer Distillery as micro-distillery capable of producing 1 whole barrel of whiskey per month! While small batch production was always the goal, this early format of whiskey making woefully inadequate to meet demand. After 1 year, Deerhammer augmented their processes with equipment capable of producing one 53 gallon barrel of whiskey per day. This scale remains today - 1 exceptional batch of whiskey can be produced every day, and laid to to rest in our high altitude rackhouse (8,000' above sea level!) for a minimum of 4 years.
While we specialize in nearly all forms of whiskey production, Deerhammer American Single Malt Whiskey is our cornerstone contribution to the field of American craft spirits. Starting its life as a porter-style 100% malted barley mash, it’s further shaped by open-air fermentation before passing through our squat-head copper pot stills and maturing in charred heavy toast / light char new white oak. Boasting a complex profile with notes of coffee, chocolate, and dark fruit, you won’t mistake it for its Scottish or Irish counterparts. It’s a uniquely American product, with an exceptional taste of place, and we invite you to take your first sip with an explorer’s state of mind.
WHY BUENA VISTA?
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In a conversation during our early start up efforts someone asked us, "Why Buena Vista?". Before a response could be given, someone else chimed in, "If you'd ever been to BV you'd know why". Couldn't have said it better!
When we decided to pursue our dream we knew that it could only happen in Buena Vista. There's something very special about this place and we hope to play a small part in shaping the character of this town that we love so much. Next time you’re near Buena Vista, stop on by for a drink and we’ll show you around the place! |
