Letherbee Distillers: from Outlaw Roots to International Acclaim
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Letherbee Distillers: From Outlaw Roots to International Acclaim With absolutely zero influence from outside investors or marketers, Letherbee Distillers’ level of authenticity is second to none. Now distributing in 12 states across the US, as well as in Germany and Denmark, the product family consists of the Original Label Gin, Barrel‐‐Aged Absinthe, Autumnal & Vernal Gins, Bësk, and Fernet. In 2011, gang of industry iconoclasts, led by Brenton Engel, came together through twists of fate, punk shows, and late night drinking at local dives. Brenton was born in rural Athens, Illinois, 170 miles southwest of Chicago, where generations of his family had been farmers. Though he was the first in the family not born on a working farm, it wouldn’t be long until he was on one. In 2003, he left Athens to attend college in Chicago where he enjoyed dive bars and met friends with whom he formed the punk band, Pool of Frogs. Not content with city life, Brenton returned to Athens and L‐R: Cody Hudson, Nathan Ozug, Brenton Engel, with friends built what they called "the cabin in the woods," Robby Haynes, John McCourt. on the outskirts of Athens and led a communal lifestyle. They planted vegetable crops‐‐sold what they didn't consume‐‐and kept chickens and livestock to self‐sustain. Being in their early 20s and connoisseurs of a good time, they also made fruit wines and, after some research on the internet and experimentation, brewed some pretty good beer. Brenton enjoyed the experimentation and, in 2007, he wondered if he could make hard spirits, specifically moonshine. After more internet research, he constructed a still from an electric water heater and plumbing parts and began to experiment. (See Making Shine.) Six months and 20 batches later. he had a product he called Illinois Joy, samples of which he brought with him on his weekly commutes to Chicago for band practice or performances, that he handed out for feedback. Robby Franklin Haynes, a musician in another band that frequently played joint concerts with Brent's band, was a huge fan. Illinois Joy was a hit and Brenton ramped up production and sold it at Pool of Frogs concerts. In 2009, his enthusiasm for the rural life waned and Brenton returned to Chicago, the still in tow, and took up residence in a basement apartment in Logan Square. Finding employment was difficult and Brenton subsisted on profits from Illinois Joy which he sold to How to make Shine restaurant and kitchen staff who were really fond of it. Eventually he got a bartending position at the famed Lula Making moonshine involves a lot of trial and error, a healthy respect for distillation science Cafe at the time when Chicago's cocktail culture was heating and a desire not to kill oneself or friends. up. Bartenders who made their own bitters were the rock Moonshine‐‐or shine as aficionados call it‐‐ stars of the industry and their peers were flocking to taste the begins with a beer made from corn and sugar. latest experiments. Brenton had found his milieu and a world Once the beer is completed, it's time to distill it. During the fermentation process, methyl of opportunity before him: bartenders were demanding alcohol (methanol) can be a byproduct and you higher‐quality spirits that the big brands were not offering. It definitely don't want it in your finished product was time to make some gin. as just 10 ml (1/3 ounce) can blind you and 30 ml (one ounce) will kill you. Fortunately, After researching tincture recipes, Brenton ordered the methanol has a lower boiling point than necessary botanicals through the chef at Lula and began what ethanol so the first distillate out of the still‐‐ would become a two‐year process in refining his recipe. His called a fore shot or head‐‐is collected and discarded. One of the skills in making shine is first batches were made on his home still which yielded 1.5 being able to detect the point when all of the quarts per batch and it took him 20 runs to achieve the flavor methanol has been distilled which shiners do profile and high alcohol percentage he wanted. He shared the by smell: methanol smells like a high‐powered results with co‐workers at Lula and his widening circle of solvent. (A lot of people might argue that all moonshine smells like a high‐powered solvent bartender friends who confirmed the improving quality, so in so the shiner's acute nose is to be 2011 it was time to go legal and scale it up. commended.) A good shiner's hallmark is the ability to pinpoint the middle run which has all The distilling licenses were time‐consuming and costly to of the good moonshine qualities and contains obtain. Concurrently he needed to find an affordable home none of the end run, which has flavors you for the business which he had registered as Let There Be!. He don't want: It's basically knowing exactly when found a space in a building owned by a non‐profit in to quit. Ravenswood, and with the small inheritance left to him by his grandmother, bought a basic pot still. He spent the next six months experimenting with his original 1.5‐quart recipe scaled up to 25 gallon batches, each of which required $250 in materials. As he was self‐funded, each batch had to wait until he had the cash. During this time, Brenton fortuitously met Cody Hudson, a graphic designer and part owner of the popular Longman and Eagle, also famed for its cocktail program. Cody shared a wealth of business acumen and came aboard as a partner and the designer of the distinctive Letherbee packaging. Brenton was also introduced to Longman and Eagle bartender Nathan Ozug and they bonded over their shared interests in amaro, bitters, cocktails and Txacoli. Robby Haynes, Brenton's old musician buddy, was now running the bar at the prestigious Violet Hour, another Chicago hub for craft cocktails, and offered Brenton feedback and advice on his recipe development. Distilling gin is not unlike making moonshine, with the exception of there is no threat of methanol contamination. However, there are still the heads and tails which will lend undesirable flavors and there was a tremendous amount of experimentation in finding the perfect mid‐run. In early 2012, 34 runs later, the Letherbee Original Gin recipe had been perfected and in April was picked up by an Illinois distributor. The next year and a half was spent in intense collaboration: Robby took the lead in developing the recipe for Bësk; Nathan, Fernet; and Brenton Barrel‐Aged Absinthe as well as the first Autumnal Gin. As the popularity of their spirits grew, Brenton left Lula Café in 2013 to concentrate on Letherbee full‐time. 2014 was a year of major growth: the distillery workplace grew from 500 sq. ft. to 2,000 and John McCourt joined the Letherbee team to assist with packaging, all of which was, and is still, done by hand. In 2015, Brenton partnered with a long‐time friend and launched Letherbee Imports (LBI). Based in Berlin, LBI distributes the spirits in Germany and Denmark and operates Letherbee Fountain, a tasting room and retail shop in Berlin’s Mitte neighborhood. Currently, Letherbee produces 60,000 bottles annually and is poised to scale up production as they gain broader distribution and popularity. R.FRANKLIN’S BËSK - 100 Proof / 50% ABV - 6 Botanicals - Bësk = “Bitter” in Swedish - Aperitif/Digestif Letherbee unites with R. Franklin for a refined rendition of BËSK —a relatively obscure yet locally infamous Swedish liqueur dominated by wormwood. The violently bitter shot initially hits with flavors of grapefruit before an onslaught of wormwood alongside earthy gentian root — an effect that lingers on the palate for quite a surprising while. Beneath the acrid din of the more acute tasting notes rests more gentle traces of juniper, star anise, and elderflower musk. Bottled at 100 proof, Letherbee’s BËSK remains an esoteric shot for adventurous drinkers, but the bitter liqueur can be gracefully incorporated into sophisticated cocktails. 750mL 200mL www.LETHERBEE.com LETHERBEE FERNET - 70 Proof / 35% ABV - 20 Botanicals - Italian-Style Bitter Liqueur - Aperitif/Digestif Argentinians mix it with cola, San Franciscans take it with a ginger ale back, and and Italians sip it neat. Wherever you are in the world, one thing is certain—Fernet is not going away. With a history that spans centuries, the bitterest amaro is the kind of niche sipper that inspires obsession: since the drink’s herbal (and usually secret) formulations continue developing in the bottle, obsessives are inclined to seek out an array of blends and vintages. Letherbee’s freshly refined take on the signature digestif is smooth, perhaps startlingly so. The prominence of saffron evokes popular Fernets, but supporting notes of rhubarb root and myrrh gum scaffold the palate as to not let bitter notes overpower. Spearmint and eucalyptus lend a subtle, pleasant mentholated finish. Given Letherbee’s penchant for balanced flavors, this Fernet is versatile—shoot it, sip it after a meal, add it to coffee, or mix it in a complex cocktail. 750mL 200mL www.LETHERBEE.com ORIGINAL LABEL LETHERBEE GIN - 96 Proof / 48% Abv - Un-chill Filtered - 11 Botanicals - Pot Still, Maceration Method - 160 Gal. Batches - Neutral Grain Base Few gins unfold like Letherbee’s flagship tipple, distilled by hand with a clean yet robust blend of 11 botanicals. Juniper spearheads a mélange of spices, including coriander, cardamom, and cinnamon, while cubeb berries evoke a touch of pepper and a hint of ginger in the finish.