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Got the spirit: Bosque Brewing Co. debuts gin, vodka with assist from As Above So Below
Bosque Brewing Company is offering a spirit bundle that includes bottles of its vodka and gin.
Bosque Brewing Company is mixing it up this holiday season with its own vodka and gin line.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been about a month since we launched,鈥� said Jess Griego, chief operating officer at Bosque Brewing Co. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been working with As Above So Below (Distillery), which was formerly Altar Spirits in Santa Fe. We鈥檝e been providing them wash, which is basically like prebeer, (and) they distill it into a spirit.鈥�
Bosque currently does not have the room required to distill spirits at its brewing operation at Bosque North in Bernalillo, so it relies on As Above So Below to produce their gin and vodka.
The spirits are currently only available at Bosque taprooms and Restoration Pizza locations. There are plans to expand Bosque spirits鈥� reach soon.
鈥淲e kind of have been launching quietly,鈥� Griego said. 鈥淲e started with just offering or using the Bosque gin and vodka in our spirits at our taprooms, which is mostly where you can get it. We just recently started selling bottles to take home in the last couple of weeks. The plan, as we continue to ramp up the new spirit program, is to have it wholesale and available at retailers. But, because there鈥檚 that extra layer of using a third party to make it for us, we鈥檝e been launching it slowly and just trying to make sure that we don鈥檛 create this huge campaign and then all of a sudden we鈥檙e out (of spirits). But in January, I鈥檇 say, the next phase of Bosque spirits is to start self-distributing them so they鈥檙e available in stores.鈥�
There have been conversations with As Above So Below distiller and owner Caley Shoemaker about creating spirits inspired by some of Bosque鈥檚 popular beers.
鈥淐aley is a world-class distiller and so it鈥檚 just incredible,鈥� Griego said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e really excited to continue working with her and designing new things. We talked about riffing off of popular beers that we have. So maybe being like a pickle vodka or like the (Elephants on Parade). So that鈥檚 kind of what we鈥檙e hoping to do in the future.鈥�
The focus for now is on the basic base spirits that are easy turnaround timeframe wise and later build upon the spirits. The Bosque vodka gift box is $30, the Bosque gin gift box is $35, and the bundle box with the vodka and gin is $50. The boxes come with Bosque branded glasses.
鈥淚 love those boxes,鈥� Griego said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e so beautiful with the cottonwood tree (design) it has. I love it and the evolution of our brand. We鈥檙e really happy with how this turned out.鈥�
Bosque鈥檚 vodka and gin can also be enjoyed at its taprooms. Bosque has created a winter cocktail menu and offers cold classics with a twist featuring its gin and vodka as well as some spirits from local distillers. Its Honey Lavender Hot Toddy is made with Bosque gin, butterfly pea tea and lavender bitters. The Bosque Cosmo features Bosque vodka, orange liqueur, 1888 Cranberry Seltzer and lime juice.
鈥淲e were prebatching in kegs and pouring out of the taps,鈥� Griego said. 鈥淎nd then once we had Bosque vodka and gin available, we moved to handcrafted cocktails. I think that鈥檚 another thing that a lot of people don鈥檛 necessarily know is that beyond our 20 or so beer offerings that we鈥檝e always had, now we鈥檙e also doing handcrafted cocktails or a gin and tonic or whatever with the base spirits that we have 鈥� We have moved to handcrafted cocktails with this new product line as well. So that鈥檚 been a big change for us and it鈥檚 been good.鈥�
