The Great Views and Tastes of Springbrook Hollow
When your kids all move out, and you own a farm with a huge barn, what do you do? You start a distillery, of course! That’s just what Dave Bannon and his partners did. Located five miles from Lake George, in the foothills of the Adirondacks, you’ll find the sprawling 200-acre Springbrook Hollow Farm Distillery.
Most describe the distillery’s setting on Clements Road in Queensbury as “breathtaking” and for good reason; the business is surrounded by gorgeous North Country views, and features a restored barn available for weddings, receptions, reunions, and other events you might want set amid jaw-dropping beauty.
In the face of hordes of thirsty visitors, the servers and personnel are pleasant and helpful, and the quality and consistency of their handcrafted spirits match the caliber of their knowledgeable staff. The unfiltered, unprocessed water they get from their on-property brook doesn’t hurt either. Nevertheless, it is the care that this team takes in their production that is most apparent. The proof, as the saying goes, is in the punch.
Here’s my take on the potions that come out of Springbrook:
Two Sisters Vodka
The clean flavor makes this a great vodka for mixing any cocktail, but I prefer to sip this one neat. That’s when you can really enjoy the slightly fruity undertones of this vodka made with grains grown in New York.
Howl at the Moonshine
Most moonshines deliver one thing: alcohol. Such can certainly not be said for this one. It is smooth, with a complex flavor and undertones more akin to finer scotch than the straight corn alcohol you’d expect. I really enjoy sipping this one, and the after-taste has given me the idea that this will make a great Moonshine Martini.
Sly Fox Gin
We are lucky to be blessed with one of the 50 best gins in the world right in our own backyard! And at less than fifty bucks a bottle? It’s worth the long winters. Sly Fox has a definite citrus taste, along with interesting notes of spice and a little mint in this gold-medal gin. The juniper berries from Sugarloaf Mountain really make their appearance in the finish, or I should say, finale.
Limoncello
After a hearty meal, some Italians like to close with limoncello as a digestif. We should start a similar Adirondack tradition! With a base of Two Sisters Vodka and packed with the powerful flavor of fresh lemons, if you like lemon drop candies, you’ll love this.
Orangecello
Using syrup made with a 3:5 sugar to water ratio, rather than the traditional 1:1, this orangecello is not too sweet. The flavor of the orange is more bitter than one might expect, reminiscent of the Caribbean marinade, mojo, which is refreshing. It really woke up my taste buds.
Maple Moonshine
The sweetness of the maple really balances the bite of the moonshine well. The burnt tones of the poteen and the caramelized maple make such a lovely couple.
Apple Moonshine
It’s amazing how much this smells like an actual apple pie. Even if you don’t like moonshine, you can down a few jiggers of this before you realize what you’re doing. The unfiltered apple cider makes this a perfectly sweet and delicious summertime refreshment.
Also available in the shop are spirals of charred oak to be dropped into a bottle of moonshine, yielding aged whiskey in a matter of weeks. I couldn’t resist, so I picked one up to try. A review of this home-aged whiskey is on the way…
Blog written by
Jonathan Boston
