Today is a day we gather around and celebrate the dawn of a sparkling New Year. May it bring gifts of joy, good health and time with friends and family gathering around the table celebrating traditions with good food and tasty libations. J. Carver Distillery has much to be thankful for in 2015.
A line up of J. Carver Specialty cocktails: J. Carver Rye Frisco, Mulled Cider and Apple Brandy, a spin on a J. Carver French 75, Grimm Farm Bees Knees, Lake House Cosmo, and the J. Carver Barrel Gin Old Fashioned
We launched 9 new products this year including gin, grappa, apple brandy, and rye whiskey that were all aged in barrels coopered in Minnesota. J. Carver Barrel Gin has quickly become the new darling of craft bartenders. We are humbled and grateful to Spoon and Stable, FireLake Grill House and Cocktail Bar at Mall of America, Coalition Restaurant in Excelsior, Lolo American Kitchen in Stillwater, and South Lyndale Liquor, all who purchased hand-selected barrels of J. Carver Barrel Gin this year. These fine restaurants are creating delicious eats and tasty drinks! If you are in their area, you must check them out and see what they are creating with J. Carver Barrel Gin. Bottled at 96 proof, we see enthusiasts enjoying drinking this gin straight and it is perfect in classic cocktails like the Old Fashioned (Check out the last issue of the Spirits of Discovery Blog for the recipe), Manhattan and Bees Knees. You can create these and other tasty cocktails this New Years with the recipes on our website and others listed below.
We are grateful to our distillery friends and fans who have stopped by our cocktail room for a tour and a taste and then went out to their local liquor stores to buy J. Carver products. A huge shout out to our partnering liquor stores and restaurants, without a blink, they brought in our newly released Marquette grappa, Apple Brandy, and Rye Whiskey all created with local fruit and grains. We are grateful for the collaboration with our local wineries in Waconia, local farmers, and Sponsel’s Minnesota Harvest Apple Orchard to make these J. Carver products possible.
Let’s raise a glass to the amazing accomplishments in 2015 and celebrate all that’s possible in 2016. From our J. Carver Distillery family, we thank you for the support and wish you and yours a very Happy New Year!
J. Carver Distillery Recipes:
Lake House Fig Martini
2 oz J. Carver Lake House Vodka
1 oz Fig Simple Syrup* (1 cup sugar, 1 cup water, 2-3 tablespoons fig preserves)
1 oz freshly squeezed lemon Juice
3 dashes orange bitters
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain in a large coupe
Garnish with an orange wedge
Grimm Farm Bees Knees
3/4 oz lavender honey Simple Syrup
1/2 oz freshly squeezed lemon Juice
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain in a martini glass
Garnish with a lemon peel
Rye Frisco
2 oz J. Carver Rye Whiskey
3/4 oz Turbinado Simple Syrup* (1 cup water, 1 cup demerara sugar)
3/4 oz freshly squeezed lemon Juice
3 dashes orange bitters
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain in a martini glass
Garnish with a lemon peel
Diamondback
1 1/2 oz J. Carver Rye Whiskey
3/4 oz J. Carver Apple Brandy
3/4 oz Ginger Simple Syrup* (1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons fresh ginger)
dash of orange bitters
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain in a martini glass
Garnish with a lemon peel
Enjoy! And Yes, J. Carver Distillery Cocktail Room will be open during regularly scheduled hours for cocktails and tours and tastings this weekend. Bring in your friends and family to learn about our grain to glass approach to distillation. Looking forward to seeing you! Cheers!
Friday, January 1st: 3-8 pm
Saturday, January 2nd: 12-5 pm