Bruh. This episode slapped so hard i almost released it early. We chatted with Lenny over at Deerhammer Distilling out of Bueno Vista Colorado. I had such a fun time talking with Lenny it was like catching up with an old friend. I really hope you enjoy it.
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At Deerhammer, our distilling is steeped in whiskey tradition, but our methods are infused with curiosity and creativity. From our cornerstone American single malt to our 4-grain bourbon, rye and limited run single barrel spirits, we’re redefining the flavor and future of independent American whiskey.
one barrel a day from grain to glass
100% Colorado Grains
A mindful selection of grains are sourced from nearby farms to help impart a true taste of place.
Double Pot Distilled
For the fullest of flavor expression in each bottle, we utilize traditional squat-head copper pot stills.
Aged in Heavy Toast, Char #2
Within our rackhouse situated at 8,000' of elevation, Deerhammer whiskey is aged between 4-7 years.
FOUNDERS
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.
After over 15 years of operation, Deerhammer remains a wholly independent business, free from the influence of investors or other entities. As an ever-evolving brand, Deerhammer continuously strives to redefine the flavor and future of independent American whiskey. One barrel at a time.
HISTORY
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 dialed in every step of our processes to a mastery of the effects every single detail makes on our final product. The result is a unquestionably unique whiskey steeped in tradition, yet crafted 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 a little over a 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 rather unique blend of malted barley mash (80% Pale Malt, 7% Carmel 45 Malt, 7% Carmel 120 Malt, 6% Chocolate Malt) , it’s further shaped by extended open-air fermentation before passing through our squat-head copper pot stills and maturing in heavy toast, char#2 new white oak.
