Catoctin Creek Turns FIVE!!

Wow!  We can hardly believe it!  Five short years ago, years which seem like a lifetime, we started our little distillery!  In that time, we've grown from a small, mom-n-pop distillery in an unglorified warehouse space, to a beautiful distillery in a historic building, employing 20 people, and distributing across the east coast and internationally!

Therefore, we must celebrate!  And who better to help us celebrate than our first customers in Washington DC... The Passenger!

Festivities start on Saturday, February 15th, around 8pm.  We'll have cool Catoctin Creek cocktails on the board, some cool freebies to give away to the first 30 people showing up, and what's more, the Passenger will release their special Catoctin Creek Passenger Private Label Roundstone Rye!!

That's right, folks! In collaboration with Alex, Jade and the gang, we've selected a single barrel whisky and bottled it at 100 proof, just for the Passenger!  This Roundstone Rye is a little different from our normal rye, both in its higher proof, but also in that we used a Black Swan cooperage.  You'll have to taste it and see if you can tell a difference!

So, join us!  It will be a blast!!

Guest Bartender Series - Andrew Shapiro from the Green Pig

After the successful launch of our new Second Saturday tradition, we now welcome Andrew Shapiro from the Green Pig Bistro in Arlington.  Each month, we invite one guest bartender from around the area to join us for a day to highlight three special cocktails using Catoctin Creek spirits. Tastings that day will include these wonderful creations for the regular price of $10 per flight, and the bartender will be on hand to chat and chill and discuss his creations.

Think of it as a way of bringing the coolness of the city out to little ol' Purcellville!

On Saturday, February 8th, during our normal business hours, we have the honor of hosting Andrew Shapiro, who tends bar at the Green Pig Bistro in Arlington. Andrew has a real knack with spirits, so don't miss this!!

Book Your Event at the Distillery

Tony Lucca at Catoctin Creek!

Dinner, Cocktails, and a Concert! - A St. Valentine's Day Special!

This special St. Valentine's Day evening starts with an exquisite five-course dinner paired expertly with cocktails from Catoctin Creek.  Chefs Wes Rosati and Maria Aros of Wandering Chef will take you on a culinary tour of St. Valentine's Day, while Scott Harris slings the cocktail shaker to pour the freshest local ingredients in your beverage. 

After the leisurely dinner, we'll adjourn to the distillery to enjoy an intimate concert from Tony Lucca, the award winning finalist from NBC's "The Voice".  Not only will you get the chance to hear Tony play, but he'll even join us for dinner before the show!  What a chance to really get to know the artist!

Click here to purchase tickets:

Cocktail of the Month – Catoctin Caipirinha

Scott recently completed a trip to Brazil to explore the cultural heritage of food, drinks, and of course, cachaça—Brazil's national spirit. Cachaça is made from raw green sugar cane, as opposed to rum, which is made from molasses. Cachaça is therefore fresher, greener, and totally unlike rum. The Caipirinha is Brazil's national cocktail. You will see it in every restaurant, every bar, and every beachside food stand. It is so refreshing and delicious!

Sometimes, you will see Caipirinhas made with vodka, and we thought it would be fun to make it with Mosby's Spirit, which shares many of the fresh green qualities of cachaça.

See this cocktail and over one hundred more on our cocktails page.

In Closing...

As always, there are lots of fun and information on our Facebook and Twitter pages, where you can stay up to date with the daily activities at the distillery. We do tours and tastings every day, so stop by and see us sometime!

Remember, "Think Global, Drink LOCAL!"^SM

Cheers!
Scott & Becky

Happy New Year!!!

2013 was surely wonderful to us!  We are very thankful for all our blessings in 2013.  During the year, we moved our business to our wonderful new home on Main Street in Purcellville, grew our production, opened our gorgeous new tasting room, and even shipped our first spirits internationally!  It was a very good year.

As we look to 2014, we wish each and every one of you a wonderful and prosperous year.  We hope the year will bring you, your friends and your family many good wishes!

Vote for Catoctin in Best of Loudoun

If you have a moment, please go out and vote for us in the Leesburg Today's "Best of Loudoun" competition.  We're in the dining section, under "Breweries and Distillery".

Here's the link: http://va.secondstreetapp.com/Leesburg-Todays-Best-of-Loudoun-2013/Ballot/Dining

Thanks for your vote!

Guest Bartender Series - Julien Bourgon from PX and TNT

We're starting a new tradition in 2014!  Each month, we will have one guest bartender from around the area join us for a day to highlight two special cocktails using Catoctin Creek spirits.  Tastings that day will include these wonderful creations for no extra charge, and the bartender (or Mixologist if you're fancy!) will be on hand to chat and chill and discuss his creations.

Think of it as a way of bringing the coolness of the city out to little ol' Purcellville!

On Saturday, January 11th, during our normal business hours, we have the honor of hosting Julien Bourgon, who tends bar at the PX and TNT bars in Alexandria.  Julien's cocktails will be sure to please, so don't miss it!

Three Cool Concerts at the Distillery

We have three very cool concerts lined up for January and early February.  You don't want to miss these!  There is nothing cooler than catching these great artists in such a cool venue as the distillery.  Scroll down for more information on each artist!

Paul Pfau and Pretty Gritty playing at Catoctin Creek

HURRY!  Only six seats left!!

This will be the fifth of the Buncearoo concert series at the distillery.  If you're looking for a tres-cool date-night experience, why not bring your sweetheart over to the distillery for cocktails and a concert?  The lights will be low, the music will be sublime, and the cocktails will put everything in just the right mood.  Originally from the Washington/Baltimore area, Paul Pfau is touring nationally and couldn't pass up the chance to sing in our distillery.  Opening for Paul is Pretty Gritty, from Maryland, playing their unique mix of country, rock, blues, and soul.

If you've been to these concerts before, you'll know what a wonderful and intimate experience it is!  Spread the word!

Click here to purchase tickets:

http://www.buncearoo.com/event/406833-paul-pfau-pretty-gritty-purcellville/

Chelsea McBee and the Random Assortments

Straight outa West-By-God-Virginia!

Playing one night only at Catoctin Creek Distillery! January 25th!

"Chelsea McBee's style of voice plays wonderfully into her roots-sounding mantra, all while maintaining her loyalty to a clear country music-bred background. Or, in other words, think about what it would be like if Norah Jones and Dolly Parton could have a daughter and that daughter just happened to grow up in West Virginia."
– Colin McGuire, Frederick News Post

Dinner and a Concert with Tony Lucca (from NBC's "The Voice")

ONLY TWELVE SPOTS REMAINING!  BETTER GET THIS ONE NOW BEFORE IT'S GONE!!

Dinner, Cocktails, and a Concert! - A St. Valentine's Day Special!

This special St. Valentine's Day evening starts with an exquisite five-course dinner paired expertly with cocktails from Catoctin Creek.  Chefs Wes Rosati and Maria Aros of Wandering Chef will take you on a culinary tour of St. Valentine's Day, while Katie Morrison slings the cocktail shaker to pour the freshest local ingredients in your beverage. 

After the leisurely dinner, we'll adjourn to the distillery to enjoy an intimate concert from Tony Lucca, the award winning finalist from NBC's "The Voice".  Not only will you get the chance to hear Tony play, but he'll even join us for dinner before the show!  What a chance to really get to know the artist!

Click here to purchase tickets:

Cocktail of the Month – El Bombero

This cocktail is in honor of our favorite distiller and volunteer fire fighter, Greg Moore, aka El Bombero.  Hot and spicy and sweet at the same time.

1.25 oz vanilla bean infused Roundstone Rye *
0.5 oz roasted hot pepper simple syrup **
0.25 oz raspberry vinegar
Chocolate mole bitters
Cocoa powder
Whole fresh raspberries

Add Roundstone Rye, hot pepper syrup, and vinegar to a shaker with plenty of ice and shake for 10 seconds. Pour into a chilled martini glass. Add several drops of chocolate mole bitters. Garnish with fresh raspberries and a few dashes of cocoa powder.

* To make the infused Roundstone Rye:
Split a whole vanilla bean down the center and scrape the seeds. Add all of it to a bottle of Roundstone Rye. Later, when you've run out of whisky, you can throw the bean into a jar with white sugar to make vanilla sugar.

** To make the hot pepper simple syrup: (best to use a gas stove top if you can. If not, go make a fire...somewhere safe!)
Roast two chili peppers (I used Fresno) over low flame, using tongs to turn every few seconds. You can also put a metal steamer basket over a gas stovetop so you can cook two or three at a time. Once all of the skin has turned black, place the peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to steam for about 5 minutes. Then, wearing latex gloves, remove the skins from the peppers, cut off the stem and place the pepper in a small blender, including seeds. Add one cup of simple syrup (3/4 cup water, 3/4 sugar, gently boiled just until the sugar dissolves. Cool.) and pulse a few times to chop up the pepper. Strain it several times to remove all of the pulp and discard. Label and store in a container in the fridge for up to a month.

Courtesy Emily Landsman, Greg Moore's biggest fan.

See this cocktail and over one hundred more on our cocktails page.

In Closing...

As always, there are lots of fun and information on our Facebook and Twitter pages, where you can stay up to date with the daily activities at the distillery. We do tours and tastings every day, so stop by and see us sometime!

Remember, "Think Global, Drink LOCAL!"^SM

Cheers!
Scott & Becky

Happy Small Business Saturday!! 

Today, we celebrate all the small businesses who work so hard to bring you unique and hand-crafted products.  Some of our favorites include Appalachian Outdoor Readiness & Essentials, Market Burger, Re-Love It, Shamrock Music, and My Deli and Café. (Just to name a few.)

On this Small Business Saturday, why not skip the big box stores for a day, and spend your hard-earned money at a merchant who lives in your community?  More of your money will stay local and become reinvested in your neighborhood.

We'll be open today from noon to 7pm, so come on in and grab a tasting, a tour, and perhaps even a bottle or two.  We thank you for it!!

Cheers!

Paul Pfau and Pretty Gritty playing at Catoctin Creek

This will be the fifth of the Buncearoo concert series at the distillery.  If you're looking for a tres-cool date-night experience, why not bring your sweetheart over to the distillery for cocktails and a concert?  The lights will be low, the music will be sublime, and the cocktails will put everything in just the right mood.  Originally from the Washington/Baltimore area, Paul Pfau is touring nationally and couldn't pass up the chance to sing in our distillery.  Opening for Paul is Pretty Gritty, from Maryland, playing their unique mix of country, rock, blues, and soul.

If you've been to these concerts before, you'll know what a wonderful and intimate experience it is!  Spread the word!

Get your tickets now, here!

December Dinner at the Distillery

Once again, we will be holding a private dinner at the distillery.  In collaboration with Chefs Wes Rosati and Maria Aros of Wandering Chef, our dinner is a five course affair, paired with specialty cocktails uniquely chosen to match each course of the dinner.  We also include a very special tour of the building, it's history, and the production at Catoctin Creek from Scott & Becky Harris, founders of the distillery. 

Dinners sell out very quickly, but this one still has a few seats available.  Get yours now by clicking here.

Sourced from local producers and use seasonal ingredients, every menu will be a little different.

Small Bites
Citrus Cured Atlantic Salmon, Pickled Cucumber Salad, Brown Bread

1st Course
Baby Winter Greens, Spiced Walnuts, Cranberry Vinaigrette
Crispy Pork Belly and Poached Pear Salad
Paired with CCDC’s “Catoctinog”

2nd Course
Smoked Chicken and Bitter Green Risotto
Finished with Lemon, Fresh Herbs and Aged Parmesan Cheese
Paired with CCDC’s “Moonshine Chanukkah”

3rd Course
Braised Green Lentils with Local Lamb Sausage, Roasted Carrot Puree,
Honey and Chili Marinated Rack of Lamb
Mint and Lime Gremolatta
Paired with CCDC’s “The Wry Gingerman”

4th Course
Dark Chocolate “Pots de Crème”,
Cranberry-Mint Compote and Freshly Whipped Cream

Lots of Great Press in November!

November was very kind to us, as we found ourselves being covered in a variety of local press.  Distinction and Capitol File magazines all did profile pieces on us, while Northern Virginia magazine and the Loudoun Times Mirror both included us in their holiday gift guides. 

Further, our friends from the local DC-based food media shared several stories of their trip to Loudoun County for a foodie-extravaganza weekend, including pieces from Brightest Young Things and Cloture Club. 

So nice to get all the press!  You can read the various stories, here.

Upcoming Events

There are a variety of great events planned that should prove entertaining and educational:

• November 30 - Small Business Saturday - Support your local distillery!  Shop Small!!
• December 10 - Bacon and Bourbon Festival  - We'll be pouring at the VIP segment, so stop by early before we run out!
• December 13 - Dinner at the Distillery - Don't miss this wonderful holiday-themed dinner with cocktail pairings.
• January 17 - Paul Pfau and Pretty Gritty - Another great Buncearoo concert. Get out of the cold and listen to some hot tunes!

For the full list of events, check our events page.

Cocktail of the Month – The JFE Jelly Doughnut

In Closing...

As always, there are lots of fun and information on our Facebook and Twitter pages, where you can stay up to date with the daily activities at the distillery. We do tours and tastings every day, so stop by and see us sometime!

Remember, "Think Global, Drink LOCAL!"^SM

Cheers!
Scott & Becky

I know it sounds trite, but honestly, where DOES the time go?  I seem to blink my eyes, and suddenly it is November and 2013 is nearly over.  Ugh!  Time seems to fly faster and faster, the older I get.

In the distillery, we're cranking away on Roundstone Rye on big still #1, while on the little still #2, we just finished up runs of 1757 Virginia Brandy (for release in 2015 or thereafter), and Watershed Gin.  Anytime you want to come up to the distillery, you can see for yourself our hand-crafted, truly family-run distilling business.

We've got some great items in store for the holidays.  Be sure to come in and get some of our very limited peach brandy or perhaps a bottle of 1757 Virginia brandy.  Both will be released in November.  We'll also have some cool new items, including a peach brandy gift basket, some great cocktail and moonshine books, BRANDY-barrel aged maple syrup, and our newest item, Strong tonic syrup.  All of these should make for some wonderful, and one-of-a-kind holiday gifts.

Brandy season comes to a close

October was brandy season, and we just finished distilling four barrels of 1757 Virginia Brandy.  This year's vintages include Vidal blanc and Chambourcin from Virginia wine grapes.  And while we just distilled the brandy for 2015's release, we also bottled our brandy from 2011's distillations.  The 1757 Virginia Brandy will be available starting November 16, at noon at the distillery.  Be sure to come by and get yours, as it usually sells pretty quickly.

We're also releasing our Short Hill Mountain Peach Brandy.  This is made from Bluemont peaches, distilled and aged in Minnesota white oak barrels, and bottled at the peak of perfection.  Our release for the peach brandy will be on November 2, again starting at noon at the distillery.

Come and get yours, as they probably won't last into the new year!

Catoctin Creek -- Now shipping internationally!

We are very pleased to have shipped our first order internationally.  A pallet of our popular Roundstone Rye whisky, made from 100% eco-ganic rye grain, left Purcellville, Virginia this week bound for Singapore.  The buyer, Liberty Spirits Asia Pte. Limited, will distribute the whisky throughout its tasting rooms in southeast Asia.

This is very important for us at the distillery.  We have always sold our spirits throughout the East Coast, highlighting what great local spirits they are, and we have had lots of interest because they're locally made.  But today, we can safely say, 'We're not just local, but world-class!' I cannot wait to see how this new Asian market develops. We're adding jobs and making more product.  Our distillery now employs seventeen people, and we're very proud of that in this economy.

Upcoming Events

There are a variety of great events planned for the month that should prove entertaining and educational. Here is the full list:

• November 3 - Bottling workshop - This one is full already, but if you're on the list, we'll have a good time bottling whisky!  And if you're not on the list, look for another one soon!
• November 4 - Meet the Maker dinner at Bourbon Steak - Join Scott in Georgetown for dinner and whisky.
• November 11 - Freshfarm Markets Farmland Feast - The premium locavore event in the city!
• November 13 - The Craft Experience in NYC - Taste our stuff and hundreds of others in this great tasting show in New York City!
• November 14 - Caskers Craft Spirits Show - While you're in New York City, might as well hit this craft spirits show too!  We'll be there!
• November 15 - Wandering Chef Dinner - Our fourth dinner at the distillery.  Hope you got your tickets, because this one is sold out!

For the full list of events, check our events page.

Cocktail of the Month – A La Lousiane

A new take on the old Sazerac recipe, the Benedictine gives a little taste of that old brandy flavor which was common in the Sazeracs in the early days.

1 oz Roundstone Rye
1 oz Benedictine
1 oz sweet vermouth
dash of Peychaud bitters
dash of absinthe
Cherry (for garnish)

Combine ingredients in glass with ice and stir. Pour into cocktail glass and garnish with a cherry.

See this cocktail and over one hundred more on our cocktails page.

In Closing...

As always, there are lots of fun and information on our Facebook and Twitter pages, where you can stay up to date with the daily activities at the distillery. We do tours and tastings every day, so stop by and see us sometime!

Remember, "Think Global, Drink LOCAL!"^SM

Cheers!
Scott & Becky

October is here!  Hunkering down to make whisky... and brandy... and gin...

Autumn is fully here now, and with it, the return to whisky and brandy.  We're now in full production at the distillery, putting away as many barrels as we can, while bottling like crazy to support the growing seasonal demand.  Our big still is now cranking out Roundstone Rye every single day, while our little still is working hard on brandy and gin.

We had a brief shortage of gin at the distillery store last month, due to a lack of some key ingredients in the herb market.  Thankfully, that shortage has ended, and we are now fully in stock with Watershed Gin. 

Soon, we will also announce dates when the next batch of Short Hill Mountain Peach Brandy and 1757 Virginia Brandy will be available... soon!  Oh, and I wouldn't want to leave our Cask Proof Roundstone Rye out of the mix.  We'll have some of that bottled soon as well.

Stay tuned!!

Tasting Room available for special events

Do you have a birthday party, rehearsal dinner, corporate function, or some other special event?  Our gorgeous and historic tasting room is available for your next event!  Just contact Katie at the main distillery telephone number.

Concerts and Dinners at the distillery

You may have also noticed, about once a month we host a concert series called Buncearoo, and host dinners at the distillery.  The concerts are very cool, intimate concerts of nationally touring singers and songwriters (our first two concerts featured Graham Coulton and Barnaby Bright).  Imagine yourself sitting on Main Street, behind the quiet glass of the distillery doors, nestled in among the equipment listening to some of the coolest new artists today.  It is a magical evening in a magical place.

We also host dinners at the distillery, prepared by Wandering Chef, aka Chefs Wes Rosati and Maria Aros, formerly executive chefs of Lansdowne Resort.  We prepare a seasonal, locally-sourced five course meal with cocktail pairings (of course), expertly prepared right on site.  There are no warming trays or chaffing dishes; the chefs actually cook your meal fresh moments before you eat it.  And the cocktails are chosen to pair perfectly with the dinner.

You'll also get to meet Scott and Becky, founders of the distillery, who will guide you through a personal tour of both the distilling process and the historical building they recently restored.  These dinners usually sell out pretty quickly, so when you see it announced, pounce on it quickly!

Solar array now powers the distillery

Our new solar array has been online for about two weeks.   It is now the largest solar system in Loudoun County, and In that brief period, we have generated over 2.21 MWh of electricity.  To put that in perspective, that is the equivalent of powering 73 residential homes for a day.

If you are a techie like Scott, you can follow our daily, monthly, and system-to-date production of energy at the distillery by clicking the following link:

http://catoctincreekdistilling.com/solar

From this page, you can watch Scott give a brief tour of the array and it's monitoring equipment, but also click on links to see real-time information about the system's energy production.

Upcoming Events

There are a variety of great events planned for the month that should prove entertaining and educational. Here is the full list:

• October 2 - The Business of Booze - Join Scott, along with others in the DC Booze industry (Derek Brown and Francesco Amodeo among others) as we discuss the business of making and selling booze
• October 9-10 - Whisky Jewbilee - Join us in New York for two nights of whisky!  Jewish or not, this is a great event!
• October 10 - "On the Rocks" Festival - Washingtonian sponsors this 2nd annual festival of spirits in the DC area!
• October 11 - Dinner and Cocktails at the Distillery - Join us for this Wandering Chef dinner.  Only two seats left!
• October 12 - House Concert at Catoctin Creek - Buncearoo presents Ian McFeron! An intimate house concert and not one to miss!
• October 13 - Star K Kosher Bottling Workshop - This one is for our Hebrew friends, and is completely sold out.
• October 23 - Meet the Maker at Northside 29 - Join Scott as we sip whisky paired with dinner at Northside 29 in Warrenton.
• October 23 - Art On the Rocks - Join Chad and Emily in Alexandria at the historic Torpedo Factory, for an art+spirits+cocktails event
• October 24 - Philadelphia Whisky Festival - Sam will be pouring at our first whisky festival in the City of Brotherly Love
• October 24 - F*** Forks Benefit Event - We'll be pouring cocktails with local mixologists to benefit the F*** Cancer charity.
• October 29 - Solar Energy Forum at Catoctin Creek - Join industry leaders in solar and renewable energy for a conference at the distillery.

For the full list of events, check our events page.

Cocktail of the Month – The Raspberry Watershed Refresher

In Closing...

As always, there are lots of fun and information on our Facebook and Twitter pages, where you can stay up to date with the daily activities at the distillery. We do tours and tastings every day, so stop by and see us sometime!

Remember, "Think Global, Drink LOCAL!"^SM

Cheers!
Scott & Becky

September arrives! Catoctin settles in to its new home.

With the last gasp of summer upon us, Catoctin Creek is now officially settled into our new home on Main Street in Old Town Purcellville.  Soon, the weather should be turning cooler, an excellent time for enjoying whisky and brandy.

We spent the entire month of August getting moved from our old facility on Richardson Lane, a location which is now closed entirely for us.  We are now fully up and running at 120 W. Main Street.  Our tasting room has been buzzing (sorry for the pun) since we opened, but more importantly, Becky and Greg have now established full production in the new facility.  Starting in September, we will double again our production, a move which was desperately needed to meet demand.

In short, the new facility offers us more production space and a nicer tasting room experience for our customers.  We sure hope you'll stop by and see us!  We think you'll love what we've done with the place.

Production Resumes at Catoctin Creek

Here are a few photos of the new production operations at Catoctin Creek.  In the first photo, Greg mashes the first rye mash on Main Street.  In the second photo, Becky closely monitors her new still as we produce the first run of Roundstone Rye.  Inside the still (third photo), the fermented rye mash is agitated while heated to boiling.  Finally, the last photo depicts the spirit bouncing around in the bubble cap of the still's column, an important step in rectifying the spirit and making it totally delicious!

Grand Opening Weekend was a hit!

We want to thank everybody who came out to see us during our grand opening weekend.  Especially we want to thank Andrew McKnight and Beyond Borders, and Laissez Foure, who provided musical entertainment for the weekend, and Eric Buckland, who signed his collection of Civil War books for our customers all Saturday.

Our new tastings are a big hit, and our tours now include a bit of Purcellville history, talking about our new building, which was built in the first year of Prohibition.  And as always, you'll learn quite a bit about our whisky production operations.

If you haven't been by yet, please come on up and see us!  We are now open seven days a week:  Mon-Fri 10-5pm, Sat 12-7pm, and Sun 12--5pm.  

Solar array now powers the distillery

We always strive to be good stewards of our planet.  Our production operation is a zero waste facility, whereby we turn all our waste alcohols into cleaning products, and all of our spent mash into cattle feed.  But we've stepped it up by installing a 41kWh solar array on our very large rooftop.  The nearly 6000 sq ft. array is now producing 85% of our electricity needs, and on very sunny days (like today), actually returning energy into the public grid.  The array produces the equivalent of five households of electricity, and moves us closer to being a very responsible, sustainable whisky factory.

To get a glimpse of the array, peek from the back of the public parking lot next to our building.  (I need to figure out how to include the array on the tours!  Perhaps an escalator is in order...)

Upcoming Events

As you can see, there are a variety of great events planned for the month that should prove entertaining and educational.  Here is the full list:

• September 6 - Cocktail Dinner at the Distillery - The Wandering Chef is back and we're enjoying another five course with cocktails! SOLD OUT
• September 6 - Charity in Chocolate - How about a fashion show entirely based on chocolate at the Hotel Mandarin in DC?
• September 8 - Bottling Workshop - This one is still open! Here's your chance to join us for a bottling workshop!
• September 13 - Catoctin House Concert - Another great concert featuring Barnaby Bright at Catoctin Creek! Buncearoo presents!
• September 14 - Cocktail Dinner at Aldie Mill - Now in our third year, this event is very popular and sells out quickly! History, cigars, whiskey, and food... what's not to like?
• September 21 - Beer, Bourbon, and BBQ Festival - Join us in Reston for an afternoon of beer, barbeque, and of course, our spirits!
• September 30 - Whisky Dinner at Bourbon Steak in DC - Dinner and drinks at the Four Seasons in DC.  What a great thing for a Monday!

For the full list of events, check our events page.

Cocktail of the Month – The Bloody Mosby

See this cocktail and over one hundred more on our cocktails page.

In Closing...

As always, there are lots of fun and information on our Facebook and Twitter pages, where you can stay up to date with the daily activities at the distillery. We do tours and tastings every day, so stop by and see us sometime!

Remember, "Think Global, Drink LOCAL!"^SM

Cheers!
Scott & Becky

Welcome to August!  We are moving to Main Street!!

It is finally here!  August 2013!  As we planned, we will be moving up to Main Street this month!  This coming weekend, we will disassemble the operation at Richardson Lane, leaving that site forever, and move our equipment and inventory up to the charming downtown section of Main Street.

We hope you've been stopping by to see the progress each week.  There has certainly been a lot going on, and this is the "mad rush" to the finish that is common with these large construction projects.

Overall, we are very happy.  Mullally Construction Company, W.A. Brown and Associates, and PRESERVE/scapes Consulting have been excellent partners in realizing our vision of a modern microdistillery in a historically important building.  We strove to build a modern and energy efficient factory and tasting room, while respecting, maintaining, and preserving the history of the building we purchased. 

We hope you like it when you come to see us! 

Soft opening will be August 9th-ish... just poke your head in... if we're there, we're open!

Grand Opening Weekend Announced!

Catoctin Creek will celebrate the GRAND OPENING of the new distillery on Main Street in Old Town Purcellville!  Come and join us all weekend beginning Friday, August 23rd to Sunday, August 25th.  We'll be doing tastings, tours, and you'll get a chance to meet the owners and learn about the massive renovation project in the historic Case Building.

We'll have book signings, civil war re-enactors, and live music by Andrew McKnight and Beyond Borders on Saturday!  Plus all Catoctin Creek store merchandise will be 15% off for the weekend!

You DO NOT want to miss this incredible weekend!

EPICURIENCE Weekend!

Epicurience Virginia is a celebration of the amazing food, wine, and spirits that Loudoun County has to offer.  In partnership with Saveur magazine and Visit Loudoun, Catoctin Creek is participating in FOUR unique events during Labor Day weekend.  Be sure to join us for one of these great events!

Herb Garden Simple Syrups - Easy to Make Cocktail Syrups

Cocktail culture is back!  Are you ready? 

The simple cocktail is a mixture of spirits, sugar, fruit and water.  We'll spice it up with herbs from our own herb garden. Learn how to make simple syrups from lavender, basil, rosemary, citrus peel, and more.  We'll show you how these flavored syrups combine with spirits to make beautiful cocktails and truly one-of-a-kind non-alcoholic sodas. 

Workshop will be led by Emily Landsman, brand ambassador for Catoctin Creek.

Click here to for more information and to register.

Roaring Twenties Party at Oatlands

Join us for a very special Roaring Twenties Party at Oatlands Plantation in Leesburg, Virginia!  Bring out your best 1920's attire, and enjoy sipping vintage cocktails made with Loudoun County's own Catoctin Creek spirits!  There will be food, singing, dancing, cigars, and more!  All under the beautiful shadow of the historic Oatlands plantation.  Take an intimate stroll through the carefully manicured gardens with your partner, or smoke cigars with the guys by the patio.  This will be an evening never to forget!

And don't worry... in case the "fuzz" shows up, this party is legit!

Click here to for more information and to register.

Distilling Workshop - How Whisky is Made

From the foggy glens of Scotland to the backwoods of Kentucky, whiskey has been distilled for centuries.  Learn how with a private workshop with Scott Harris, founder and distiller of Catoctin Creek distillery.  Using processes that mimic 18th century methods, you'll learn how we mash, ferment, distill, barrel-age, and bottle our spirits, with live demonstrations, including a real distillation. 

We will also perform a sensory evaluation of various spirits during the workshop.  Catering provided by Magnolia's.

Click here to for more information and to register.

Private Behind the Scenes Tour at Catoctin Creek

Ever wonder what really happens at a distillery? 

How hard was it to start Loudoun's first legal distillery since Prohibition? 

What's it like to renovate a 100 year old building and build a distillery in it? 

How long does it take to age brandy? 

If you have questions like these, you'll enjoy the private tour with Catoctin Creek founder and distiller, Scott Harris, as he guides you through a private behind the scenes tour of their newly renovated distillery.  Limited to 25 people, this will be an exclusive private tour unlike the typical weekly tours.

The tour will conclude with a sampling of the distillery's spirits.

Click here to for more information and to register.

Upcoming Events

As you can see, there are a variety of great events planned for the month that should prove entertaining and educational.  Here is the full list:

• August 1 - Best of Baltimore - Food, cigars, whisky, and civil war history!
• August 16 - Graham Colton Concert - Buncearoo Presents! This is the first concert in the new building.
• August 17 - Dinner at the Distillery - In partnership with Wandering Chef, this event is already SOLD OUT.
• August 23-25 - Grand Opening Gala - We may soft open in July, but we'll kick it off in style this weekend!
• August 30 - Distilling Workshop - Come and learn how whisky is made with presentations by Scott Harris.
• August 31 - Herb Garden Simple Syrups - Emily Landsman shows how to make simple syrups flavored with garden herbs.
• August 31 - Roaring Twenties Party at Oatlands - A (barely) legal good time at Oatlands, celebrating the repeal of Prohibition.
• September 1 - Private Behind the Scenes Tour - Scott gives an intimate evening VIP tour of our new building and distillation processes.

For the full list of events, check our events page.

Cocktail of the Month – The Grey Ghost Cocktail

This name of this recipe is a dual nod to Colonel John S. Mosby (the Gray Ghost) and its use of Citrus Earl Grey tea. Perfect for Loudoun County’s Colonial and Civil War history.

2 oz Catoctin Creek Mosby’s Spirit (Steeped with Earl Grey Tea, see below)
2 dashes Angostura or Peychauds bitters
1 oz Cointreau liqueur
1 oz Rose’s lime juice
1 Maraschino cherry

Mix Mosby’s Spirit, Bitters, Cointreau and Lime Juice with Ice in a Shaker. Strain into rocks glass over Ice Cubes. Garnish with a cherry and start making your second round.

To Infuse the Mosby's Spirit

The key in this recipe is the advance preparation of the Mosby’s Spirit. Take one bottle and empty it into a bowl. Add seven Earl Grey Tea Bags and steep for 30 minutes. When removing the tea bags, do not pinch or squeeze them to get any liquid out, as they will render your brew bitter with tannins. Refill your bottle with a funnel and you are good to go.

Courtesy Arun Iyer and used with permission.

See this cocktail and over one hundred more on our cocktails page.

In Closing...

As always, there are lots of fun and information on our Facebook and Twitter pages, where you can stay up to date with the daily activities at the distillery. We do tours and tastings every day except Sunday, so stop by and see us sometime!

Remember, "Think Global, Drink LOCAL!"^SM

Cheers!
Scott & Becky

Welcome to July!  Construction winding up...

As June gives way to July, and the full heat of summer is upon us, we are finally winding up our work on Main Street.  The new building isn't quite done yet, but will be soon.  Propane tanks are in the ground, sewer is hooked up, we should have water and electrical in the next week or two, and most of the infrastructure is complete inside the building.  We still have a tasting room to finish, several small items like concrete and masonry repair, sprinkler inspection, and all the cabinet work.  But we're really making great progress, and hope to be in the building for a soft opening this month! 

Look for a major announcement when we move over to the new building... coming soon.

Nice review in the Washington Jewish Week

A while back, we performed a tasting at a big synagogue in Potomac, Maryland.  Joshua E. London and Lou Marmon were on hand to interview us, and also provided a review of the Roundstone Rye.

One day a few years back, Scott Harris — founder and general manager of Catoctin Creek Distilling Co. in Loudon County — was sitting at his desk at one of the various Washington, D.C., defense contractors when he had an epiphany. As he puts it, “I was working on the 30th revision of a Powerpoint package which I knew nobody would ever read. I said to myself, ‘There has to be something more to life than this.’ ”

So after 20 years building a software career in telecommunication systems and government IT solutions, Harris wanted something more rewarding. “At that moment,” he says, “I was swept back to a quarter century earlier, when I was a 15-year-old intern working in a winery. That was a job that I really enjoyed — the satisfaction of working with my hands, producing something, and having people appreciate what I had produced. It was this kind of job that I now felt myself seeking. But this time, I thought, I’d focus on spirits. I wanted to start a distillery.”

To read the full article, click here.

Upcoming Events

There are a variety of great events planned for the month that should prove entertaining and educational:

• July 20 - Purcellville Wine and Food Festival - We'll be pouring on Main Street! Come join us!
• July 28 - Everything Local Cruise - Join us again in Annapolis for this lovely sunset dinner cruise.

And in August, which is just around the corner, we have a couple events to keep you abreast of:

• August 1 - Best of Baltimore - Food, cigars, whisky, and civil war history!
• August 23-25 - Grand Opening Gala - We may soft open in July, but we'll kick it off in style this weekend!

For the full list of events, check our events page.

An extra special recipe for you!

Normally, we only do one recipe per month, but this month, we couldn't resist sharing this one with you.  It is so darned yummy!

Summer. 

It's hot outside. A nice summer cocktail is cold. Ice cream is cold. Why wrestle with which one to enjoy first? Have them at the same time with our Catoctin Creek Manhattan Sundae. Using our eco-ganic 100% rye whisky, we created this delicious summertime delight. Remember, a real Manhattan cocktail should be made with rye, so only the best rye will do in our ice cream treat...and in your glass!

Roundstone Rye Ice Cream

1¼ c. sugar
2 c. whole milk
2½ c. cream
4 T Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Few drops of almond extract
Heavy pinch of salt

1. Whisk the milk, sugar, and salt together until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Add the cream and gently stir to combine. (You don't want to make butter!)
3. Add the Roundstone and almond extract and gently stir to combine.
4. At this point you can either use your prepared ice cream maker according to its directions, or you can simply pour the mixture into a large glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap so it touches the mixture, then cover with a lid, and place it in the freezer. If you go this route, you may want to take it out of the freezer every hour or so for a few hours and give it a stir until it starts to get really firm.
5. Freeze at least overnight before enjoying, 24 hours would be better.

Note:

• The ice cream won't totally freeze solid because of the alcohol in the mix, so it will have a consistency almost like soft serve
• Also, you folks lucky enough to have a bottle of wonderful Roundstone Rye Cask Proof, I know what you're thinking, and DON'T DO IT!

Vermouth Syrup

3 cups of sweet vermouth of your choice
1 cup of sugar
Pinch of salt

Combine vermouth, sugar, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until syrupy. Allow to cool and pour into a squeeze bottle. Keep in the refrigerator.

(If the syrup gets too thick, add a teaspoon of vermouth to thin it out.)

Whisky Cherries

Cherries of your choice, carefully pitted (REAL cherries, please. Not marischino.)
Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye

1. Add cherries to a glass jar with a tight fitting lid.
2. Add enough Roundstone to cover the cherries.
3. Cover the jar and put it in the fridge.
4. At this point, you can forget about them for a long while, but if you want to use them, give them at least a week in the jar to soak up the goodness.

(Don't forget about that liquid! It's marvelous in almost any cocktail.)

Assemble the deliciousness

1. 1 or 2 hefty scoops of Roundstone Rye Ice Cream in the bottom of a lovely sundae glass.
2. Pour over the vermouth syrup.
3. Sprinkle with chopped salted almonds .
4. Add the tiniest dollop of whipped cream, fresh if you can make it.
5. Garnish with a Roundstone Rye cherry.

Remember to breathe normally as you eat this sundae. You will be temped to inhale the whole thing in one bite, but just remember to savor the flavor....and that you can always make yourself another one.

Courtesy Emily Landsman, and used with permission.

Cocktail of the Month – The Royalist

A nice twist on a Manhattan.  This uses dry vermouth instead of sweet, with the Benedictine providing an extra level of sweetness and character.

¾ oz Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye
1½ oz dry vermouth
¾ oz Benedictine
1 dash of peach bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

From the Café Royal Cocktail Book (1937), by W. J. Tarling

See this cocktail and over one hundred more on our cocktails page.

In Closing...

As always, there are lots of fun and information on our Facebook and Twitter pages, where you can stay up to date with the daily activities at the distillery. We do tours and tastings every day except Sunday, so stop by and see us sometime!

Remember, "Think Global, Drink LOCAL!"^SM

Cheers!
Scott & Becky

Welcome to June! Construction continues...

As May comes to a close and June is upon us, we are about halfway through our construction project at the Case Building.

During the month, we finished up most of the masonry repair, and now have a beautifully updated brick building which should not only be structurally sound, but also water tight and beautifully restored. 

We also replaced two very rotten wooden roof trusses, replacing them with steel I-beams.  There were two reasons for this repair: 1) The trusses were so badly rotted that they would undoubtedly fail in the near future, and 2) The steel allowed us to open up the floor space and remove some inconveniently placed support pillars.

Our HVAC system arrived in May as well, and with another rented crane, we hoisted the units up onto the roof and installed them.  Cutting through the 100 year old roof was interesting, as we revealed an old tin roof with paper sheaving beneath a layer of thick stryofoam insulation and rubber membrane.

Looking to the work in June, we hope to finish up with plumbing, electrical, and tasting room finish carpentry.  There is lots to do, but we're still hopeful to be in our home in late June, early July.  Look for a grand opening announcement soon!

Here are a few recent photos from the construction. Stay tuned to Facebook and Twitter for progress reports as we continue this journey. We will post many photos and status updates along the way...

Catoctin Creek named one of Virginia's Finest

Catoctin Creek was awarded "Virginia's Finest®" designation for flagship line of spirits, including Roundstone Rye, Mosby's Spirit, and Watershed Gin.

The Virginia’s Finest program promotes the development of Virginia agriculture and specialty food products. Virginia's Finest highlights top quality Virginia-produced and processed products, including snacks, candy, nuts, cider, meats, and produce. The Virginia's Finest Program is one of the most highly regarded marketing vehicles in the Commonwealth and really gives Virginia companies an added advantage in the marketplace. Consumers recognize the familiar Virginia's Finest "checkmark" and trust that Virginia's Finest products have been deemed the best of the best.

"The Virginia’s Finest Trademark Program will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2014, and adding a celebrated Virginia distilling company such as Catoctin Creek to the list of Virginia’s Finest® product offerings is a win for everyone. I commend Catoctin Creek for their commitment to providing high quality locally made products," said Matt Lohr, Commissioner for the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Roundstone Rye reviewed on The Whiskey Reviewer

S.D. Peters of The Whisky Reviewer grabbed a bottle of Roundstone Rye at his local liquor store and wrote up the following review.  I think he nailed it:

It’s not only a unique Rye, but a unique entry in the exclusive class of 100% Ryes. It’s the least Rye-like 100% Rye I’ve had, yet still very much a Rye of the New Breed, having a particularly characteristic sweetness I’ve detected in other craft Ryes. Lacking a decent metaphor, I’ll go with a simile: it’s like peppering a piece of fruit.

...

What really makes this Rye distinctive is a subtlety throughout. While it suggests a commanding sweetness, the spicy undertones of Rye remain until the finish, tempering the sweet so it’s less like candy, and more like a rich, eco-ganic fresh fruit.

On a grading system, we rated a "B+", which puts us below the "Masterpiece" class of "A" and "A+" whiskies, but above the best of the mass market stuff.  "Very good stuff."  We're happy with that!  Thanks, S.D.!

Read the full review, here.

Upcoming Events

There are a variety of great events planned for the month that should prove entertaining and educational:

• June 8 - Bottling Workshop - These are always fun, and fill quickly, so respond now!
• June 8 - Tasting at Cleveland Park Wines - Come meet Chad and taste some of our spirits for free!
• June 19 - Catoctin at Morton's in Richmond - Richmond folks, this is for you! Come and meet Scott and taste our spirits!

For the full list of events, check our events page.

Cocktail of the Month – Your Civic Duty

After a week and a half of federal district court jury service, Emily, one of our brand ambassadors, was FRIED!  She needed a drink in a big way.  And this is what she created.

1½ oz Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye
¾ oz Fresh peach juice (canned, if you must)
¼ oz Brown sugar simple syrup (see below)
Lemon wedge
Mint leaves (optional, for garnish)

Add Roundstone Rye, juice and syrup to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake. Pour into rocks glass with ice. Squeeze lemon wedge into glass, stir with the wedge and then toss it into the drink. Add mint leaves, if desired.

To make the syrup, bring equal parts dark brown sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan. Allow to cool, then pour into a squeeze bottle. Use within one month.

Courtesy Emily Landsman and used with permission.

See this cocktail and over one hundred more on our cocktails page.

In Closing...

As always, there are lots of fun and information on our Facebook and Twitter pages, where you can stay up to date with the daily activities at the distillery. We do tours and tastings every day except Sunday, so stop by and see us sometime!

Remember, "Think Global, Drink LOCAL!"^SM

Cheers!
Scott & Becky

Welcome to May!  Construction continues...

April saw the first full month of construction of our new facility at 120 W. Main St. in Purcellville.  We began construction on April 1st (no foolin'!), and immediately began demolition of the drywall within the old building.  We had quite a few surprises in store:  First, we found an old basement, which we bravely explored, and learned that the building was once heated by a coal-fired steam furnace.  What will become of this basement, we've yet to determine.  Second, when we pulled down the drywall, we discovered a beautiful set of four antique windows with original glass, and two old doors, which were in fantastic shape.  These will now feature prominently in the wall between the distillery and the tasting room.

After clearing out all the drywall, we began working in several areas:  The floor was cut apart so we could lay in new plumbing.  We're putting in cast iron sewer pipes, which will be durable and last for generations to come, and proudly made in the USA.  Major truss repair and replacement was done, removing broken trusses and load bearing walls in the tasting room, and replacing them with steel I-beam trusses to support the weight of the roof.  The tasting room now looks so much larger!  Finally, there were (and still are) many places where the brick work was failing, and needed not only cosmetic, but also structural repair.  In the worst of these cases, steel reinforcing beams were installed within the wall to provide needed support, but the original brick and mortar was carefully saved to ensure the original look was maintained.  (In other words, we didn't want it to look like a patch.)

Looking ahead, we have to finish the plumbing, lay in the electrical, strengthen the remaining trusses, build out the tasting room, and get the equipment and fixtures installed, including a solar array on the roof.  Lots of work to do in the two months we have left in the construction schedule!  We hope to be in our new home sometime in June!

Here are a few photos from the first month of construction.  Stay tuned to Facebook and Twitter for progress reports as we begin this journey.  We will post many photos and status updates along the way...

New pot still is here!

Earlier in April, we took delivery of our 300 gallon pot still, which will become a prominent feature in our new distillery, and will allow a major ramp-up in our production.  The pot still traveled over the sea from Germany, and is now safely tucked away in a barn in Loudoun County.  We'll fetch it once we're a little closer to opening day.

If you'd like to see a video of Scott unloading the still from the truck, enjoy the following.  It is quite a nerve-racking experience to remove a rather pricey piece of factory equipment using a forklift on a gravel driveway!

April was "Press" month for Catoctin Creek

We're not sure why, but sometimes, these things happen in waves.  Catoctin Creek was mention four separate times in the mainstream press in April!  For those of you who subscribe to the Washington Post, we were highlighted in the weekend magazine's column, "Closer Inspection: From grain to glass".  Kris Coronado did a tight little piece describing the journey of a bottle of whisky from its inception as a piece of grain, to it's final bottling.

Northern Virginia Magazine did a feature story on our construction efforts, focusing specifically on our eco-friendly efforts to build a "green" distillery.  Dieter Meyer, our architect, was quoted saying, "Re-purposing one typical existing downtown building is the equivalent of recycling 1.34 million aluminum cans.  A very strong case has been made, that the greenest building is the one that already exists."

Valley Homes and Style wrote a piece called "Gentlemen's Moonshine", in which they covered the distillery from a tourist perspective, and wrote some tasting notes about the distillery's line-up of spirits.

Finally, Modern Luxury DC wrote a story on the life of a barrel, from oak forest in Minnesota, through the distillery, to Art Drauglis, who makes the Langdon Wood maple syrup, to Three Stars Brewery, and finally to Smoke and Barrel, where they use the wood for charcoal in their smokers.

That's some great press, and we're grateful for all of it!

Upcoming Events

There are a variety of great events planned for the month that should prove entertaining and educational:

• May 2 - Miriam's Kitchen Annual Gala - 100 Bowls of Compassion 2013 - Catoctin Creek is pouring!
• May 4 - Whisky and Cigars at National Civil War Medicine Museum - Food, cigars, whisky, and civil war history!
• May 18 - B'nai Israel Baltimore Boat Cruise - A booze cruise for Jews! We're verklempt to take part!!
• May 18 & 19 - Loudoun County Spring Farm Tours - Get demonstrations and tastings all day at the distillery.

For the full list of events, check our events page.

Cocktail of the Month – The Highly Inappropriate Bartender

In Closing...

As always, there are lots of fun and information on our Facebook and Twitter pages, where you can stay up to date with the daily activities at the distillery. We do tours and tastings every day except Sunday, so stop by and see us sometime!

Remember, "Think Global, Drink LOCAL!"^SM

Cheers!
Scott & Becky

Welcome to April! Construction Has Begun!

We have finally started construction at our new home on Main Street in Purcellville.  Permits have been obtained, plans are finalized, and demolition has begun!  In the next few months, we will be taking on quite a major overhaul. 

What we are building is essentially a small but modern factory in the nearly 100 year old Case Building. The Case Building started out as a car dealership, "Case Motor Company", in 1921, ironically in the second year of Prohibition.  Through the years, the Case Building has been a car dealership, a furniture factory, a furniture store and outlet, and finally, the latest home of the Purcellville Marketplace.  Soon, it will be our new home.

With the construction, we must completely rip out and replace the electrical system, which was cobbled together in a combination of 1920's era post-and-bare-wire service and Home Depot self-help exuberance.  The building has essentially no plumbing, so we must install floor drains, public bathrooms, and all the plumbing needed for our equipment. 

We must also install sprinklers, a steam boiler, and many other improvements, including a solar array on the roof and a very cool and modern tasting room.  And all this, while preserving and restoring the historic nature of the building.  It is a very big job, which we hope to finish by June of this year. 

In the meantime, we will still be running full time operations, including tastings and tours, at our present Richardson Lane facility.

Stay tuned to Facebook and Twitter for progress reports as we begin this journey.  We will post many photos and status updates along the way...

The Atlantic Companion

Along with our new building, we are also getting a second pot still.  Our new 1200 liter Kothe Destillationstechnik pot still will arrive sometime in the next month.  The new still is the same model as our existing still, only much larger.  With our new bigger still, we'll be able to ramp up production of Roundstone Rye while still having capacity to do "special projects" on the side like peach and pear brandy.

Presently, our newest arrival is on a cargo ship, the Atlantic Companion, somewhere between New York and Baltimore.  For the past few weeks, she's been travelling the North Atlantic from Hamburg, making stops in Liverpool, Belfast, and Halifax. The journey is nearly over, but if you're interested,  you can follow the final ports of call at #ccdcvoyage on Twitter.

We'll be awfully glad to see her when she gets here!  She's got a lot of work to do!

Cask Proof Release April 6

THAT'S RIGHT!  It's BACK!  Last year, the Cask Proof Roundstone Rye sold out in a few weeks.  Be sure to get yours NOW!  We will begin selling the 116 proof version of our very popular rye whisky this Saturday, April 6, at 12 o'clock noon, SHARP!

There will be a limit of two bottles per person, retailing at $64.75 per 750 ml bottle.  I'm sorry, but we cannot take pre-orders for the cask proof.  So, see you on Saturday!

Now Available in Georgia!

We are very pleased to announce that Catoctin Creek is now available in Georgia through Savannah Distributing Company, Inc.

Distribution in Georgia continues our goal to be a dominant east-coast brand.  Atlanta and Savannah are great markets for craft spirits, and we are so excited to begin selling our products through Savannah Distributing Company. Since I'm also an alumnus of Georgia Tech, it is particularly cool to be back in my home state.

Stay tuned for great places throughout the state of Georgia where Catoctin Creek will soon be poured.

Upcoming Events

There are a variety of great events planned for the month that should prove entertaining and educational:

• April 8 - Taste of the Nation - Join us as Washington's best chefs and mixologists combine their talents on behalf of Share Our Strength, a charity to wipe out child hunger.
• April 10 - Whisky Cruise DC - Once again, we'll be on board pouring with several other brands as we drift down the Potomac.
• April 12 - Dinner at Patowmack Farm - Enjoy a five course dinner, expertly paired with delicious cocktails, at Loudoun's finest restaurant.
• April 13 - Taste of the South - Celebrate in Roaring 20's style, as Catoctin Creek pours in the VIP area.
• April 16 - Dinner at Birroteca - This time, we head up to north Baltimore for another great five course dinner with cocktails.

For the full list of events, check our events page.

Cocktail of the Month – Bright Eyes

In Closing...

As always, there are lots of fun and information on our Facebook and Twitter pages, where you can stay up to date with the daily activities at the distillery. We do tours and tastings every day except Sunday, so stop by and see us sometime!

Remember, "Think Global, Drink LOCAL!"^SM

Cheers!
Scott & Becky

Welcome to March!

February? What February? That seemed to go fast!

This month, two important things are underway. The first, our new building renovation contract is out for bid. We're hoping to start construction on April 1, just one month away! If you've been following us on Facebook, you've seen various architectural plans which provide a glimpse into our future home.

Secondly, our new still should be shipping out this month from Germany. As with the last one, we will keep you posted on Facebook with the progress of its journey. When possible, I'll have GPS information on the boat, and webcams of the ports when it comes to port. Certainly, the excitement is growing!

All this, while meanwhile, we continue to "embrace the grind" (my new favorite slogan), producing the best craft spirits in the region!

Becky Harris on the Kojo Nnamdi Show on NPR

We must have been on our best behavior last time, because we were thrilled to once again be invite down to the studios of WAMU to participate in a piece on the Kojo Nnamdi Show about craft distilling in the area.

Becky joined Mike Lowe, from New Columbia Distillers in DC, and Christopher Cook, from Sloop Betty, as the three of them discussed the rapid rise of craft spirits in the DC area.

The show is a wonderful summary of the whole state of the craft distilling business, not just here, but nationwide, and if you have an hour to listen, we encourage you to download the podcast or listen here:

http://thekojonnamdishow.org/shows/2013-02-20/distilling-spirits

Limerick Contest Underway!

There once was a tippler named Scott
Who toiled with computers a lot
He set his sights high
Making whisky from rye
And now a distillery he's got!

Feeling inspired? Enter the CCDC Limerick Contest! Top three entries as voted by our spirit-loving fans will win a Catoctin Creek Distilling Company prize pack (no spirits, just fun merchandise).

Enjoy reading through all the submitted entries, here.

The rules:

• Create a new, original limerick about cocktails or fine spirits.
• Each entrant may submit up to three limericks.
• Only family-friendly limericks can be shared on the site.
• Beautiful imagery of Virginia and/or Catoctin Creek spirits and/or other pandering is acceptable, but not required.
• E-mail your entry to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line "CCDC Limerick Contest." Please include your city and state, OR
• You may post your limericks on Catoctin Creek's Facebook page (http://facebook.com/catoctincreek) to share with your friends, OR
• You may tweet your limericks to @catoctincreek on Twitter.
• All entries must be received by 11:59 pm eastern on Thursday, March 7.
• All entries that meet the above requirements will be posted on the CCDC web site and public voting will be open March 8-14.
• Winners will be announced on Friday, March 15 and will receive an awesome CCDC prize pack (no booze, sorry) and St Patrick's Day bragging rights!
• All entries become the property of CCDC and may be shared on our web site, social media pages, or future promotional materials.

Upcoming Events

There are a variety of great events planned for the month that should prove entertaining and educational:

• March 9 - Bottling Workshop - Roundstone Rye - RSVP is required, please check here for details. - THESE FILL FAST, RSVP NOW!
• March 10 - NOVA Roller Derby Silent Auction - Join our favorite roller derby as we raise money for charity while enjoying wine and live music at Dry Mill Winery.
• March 14 - Dinner at Stoney's Kingfisher - Dinner and cocktails at one of southern Maryland's best seafood restaurants. Scott and Katie will be there!
• March 18 - Mad Fox Spirits Dinner - Our second annual spirits dinner at Mad Fox Brewery! Last year, it sold out!
• March 23 - Visual Arts Center of Richmond Party - A fund raiser to support fine arts in Virginia. Don't miss this great party!

For the full list of events, check our events page.

Cocktail of the Month – Sandi's Banana Nut Cake

In Closing...

As always, there are lots of fun and information on our Facebook and Twitter pages, where you can stay up to date with the daily activities at the distillery. We do tours and tastings every day except Sunday, so stop by and see us sometime!

Remember, "Think Global, Drink LOCAL!"^SM

Cheers!
Scott & Becky