Colorado is about to get its own whiskey – so set ’em up, pard.
Some principals from Flying Dog Brewery and friends are borrowing parts of the beermaking process to create Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey. It’s currently going into oak barrels for two years. The first mature batch should be ready to debut at the Aspen Food & Wine Classic in June 2006.
“It’s the culmination of all of mankind’s knowledge – in one convenient little bottle,” head distiller Jake Norris told Modern Drunkard Magazine.
Principal Jim Caruso says, “Imagine your favorite scotch crashing into your favorite bourbon.”
I’ve had a swig, and it’s a little sweet at this young age. But it’s tasty – and pricey. Expected retail price is $54.95 a bottle.
The makers claim it’s Colorado’s first whiskey – but we figure people were making hooch in the hills 100 years ago. And a few batches must have been made during Prohibition.
“You mean moonshine?” says Caruso. “This is Colorado’s first legal whiskey.”
I’m flying
David Letterman did a segment on summer toys last week – but only one worked when it was showtime. The Backyard Flyer from Denver’s Kazoo & Co. was a hit.
“Where did you find this?” asked Letterman as he flew the remote-controlled plane over the audience. “This thing is fabulous!”
“Kazootoys.com!” yelled a staffer.
Good news for Kazoo owner Diana Nelson. “We sold 800 in 36 hours,” she said. Orders are still coming in. The toy planes are flying out the door.
Queen of the road
Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan plans a spin through the Rockies.
The Aspen Daily News reports that Noor has announced she’ll hop on the saddle for the Sept. 10 Ride for the Cure, a 100-mile bicycle trek through the Aspen area to benefit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
Noor has supported the event in years past, but this is the first time she’s getting on a bike.
City spirit
It was so hot at Wednesday night’s opening of 5 restaurant the VIP guests were calling it 85 degrees … Minturn Country Club celebrates 23 years in the biz this month doing the impossible: making people cook their own steaks and enjoy doing it. Patrons even cook their own strip of Kobe for $49.95 … Thursday nights are Ladies Nights at Morton’s LoDo and DTC, with $4 martinis and Cosmos and free steak sandwiches. Don’t worry guys – you get the same deal … The management team from Wolfgang Puck Express in Denver is gearing up to help Aspen’s Boogie’s Diner expand to places like Denver, Vail, Las Vegas and Hollywood … Johnson & Wales math prof Tom Fitzpatrick won a $10,000 seat in this week’s World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. The winner goes home with $7.5 million … Bill and Hillary Clinton were expected in Aspen this past weekend, he to hang out, she to speak at the Ideas Festival. Both were skedded to attend a fundraiser for Hillary at Michael Goldberg’s house on Sunday … Sez who: “The history of saints is mainly the history of insane people.” Benito Mussolini
Bill Husted’s column appears Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Husted also appears on Fox 31 News. You can reach him at 303-820-1486 or at bhusted@denverpost.com.
