From Bourbon to Barbecue

Breckenridge Distillery intoxicates the senses

The Roaring Fork Valley boasts two award-winning distilleries, so you’d be forgiven for thinking it excessive to leave the area to hit up a tasting room. What makes Breckenridge Distillery worthy of a road trip, however, is its restaurant, and more specifically, the summer Saturday Whole Animal Roasts.

From June 30 through September, one Saturday a month is dedicated to showcasing open-fire cookery, featuring pork sourced from Colorado farms. The events draw diners from near and far, who come to eat and imbibe (cocktail or spirit pairings are available). Each Saturday draws inspiration from barbecue and grilling methods around the globe, including Asia, Hawaii, Texas and Mexico.

Says Richard Carlton, executive chef of Breckenridge Distillery Restaurant, “We try to source ingredients from within a 200-mile radius as much as possible.” The inspiration for the roasts, which launched last year utilizing various types of livestock and poultry, came from the grand Western tradition of cooking with fire.

“We wanted to offer our guests a distinctive distillery experience and utilize as much of the animal as possible, creating one-off dishes as well as house favorites,” says Carlton. “We’ve done pork belly, headcheese, leg of lamb, lamb pancetta, even haggis (a savory pudding made of offal, oatmeal and suet, steamed inside a sheep’s stomach). The roasts were so popular last year that we had to bring them back this summer.”

If nose-to-tail dining isn’t your thing, the attractive, high-ceilinged restaurant (the walls are rife with whimsical art, displaying a very obvious Bill Murray fixation) opened in late 2016, serving up hearty “modern American” fare just right for soaking up all those spirits (I recommend the pastas or family-style entrees, like the whole roasted chicken with Caesar salad and whipped potatoes; be sure to order the addictive pork rinds dusted with malt vinegar powder to nibble with pre-dinner drinks).

Speaking of drinks, there’s free daily tours with tastings on the hour and half-hour, first come, first served. The tasting room is usually packed out (with an ever-growing line of spirits, there’s always more to try, from pear vodka to Port Cask Finish Whiskey Bourbon so get there early or be prepared to wait, drink in hand). If you’ve got $449 to spare, I highly recommend splurging on a bottle of Dark Arts: Whiskey Distilled from Malt Mash. With notes of dark fruit and chocolate, a hint of smoke and a superlatively smooth finish, it’s not surprising that every bottle has been hand-selected by Master Distiller Jordan Via.

At the restaurant, “Liquid Chef ” Billie Keithley focuses on seasonal ingredients for her high-octane and expansive menu. Although I’m a bourbon girl, I found the Jenever Juice (rosemary, lemon, Breckenridge Gin) just right for warm-weather dining (perhaps a little too right, judging by the next day’s hangover). To discourage driving, the distillery offers free round-trip transportation on their shuttle within Breckenridge city limits.

Given the abundance of hiking and biking trails in the region, there’s no reason not to stay the night. Just be sure to buy a bottle of Breckenridge 9600’ Bloody Mix as you leave the tasting room (it was created by one of the distillery’s “artisan partners” for pairing with their vodka). A little hair of the dog never hurt anyone.

GO FIND IT!
Breckenridge Distillery
1925 Airport Rd., Breckenridge
970.547.9759 | BreckenridgeDistillery.com