The Family Jones Opens Tasting Room at Loveland Distillery

On Saturday, September 21 The Family Jones will open a tasting room at their Loveland distillery. The space will provide a sister-location to the Highland’s spirit house. The new bar is located barely 15-minutes from Colorado Stock and Grain, an organic farm from which Jones sources a selection of the crops that comprise the product line. The bar program will reproduce many of the cocktails from the Denver location, with a few new drinks being added specifically to the northern watering hole.

The Loveland location opened in early 2016 and has been producing the lion’s share of the company’s product. Up until now, the location served only for production and distribution. The newly outfitted tasting room will have an assortment of packaged snacks will be available, with Little Man Ice Cream sandwiches and local food trucks posting up on select days. Tours of the distillery itself will be available at 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday for $15 per person with additional tours available as time permits.

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Anyone who has visited the Denver location is aware of the impressive focus the Justin Cucci-affiliated spirit-maker has placed on creating an inviting place to imbibe and congregate. The glamorous upstairs still sits shrine-like above the bar, with expertly-crafted drinks flowing from below. Since opening two years ago, The Family Jones has continued to update its line of locally-sourced hooch, creating some of the more inventive cocktails in the city. On October 15 it will release Atticus Jones — the hotly-anticipated straight rye whiskey produced entirely from grains originating from Colorado farms.

For those interested in trying the beverage early, there will be a drink-paired distiller’s dinner taking place October 7 at the Denver tasting room. An open house will follow on October 12 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. for anyone who wants to try the beverage in a more informal setting. Atticus is 75% rye, 15% corn and 10% malt and is one of the smoother ryes the state has yet to produce.

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The Family Jones creates all the spirits on the menu. Sourcing grains from only three origins — the Whiskey Sisters, Colorado Stock and Grain and Root Shoot Malting — Jones is leading the charge in local production. The distillery is serious about developing relationships with local farmers, working closely with Stock and Grain’s owner and operator RJ Ottaviano to construct a product everyone involved can be proud of. The blended whiskey has been aged at least two years — the craftsmanship is evident in every sip.

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The whiskey’s release will inaugurate Jone’s annual fall-release, with a limited supply of 400 cases being released state-wide. Ella Jones — another barrel-aged project — will follow in the spring. The avocado daiquiri ($11) is Mo Jones rum, Little Man avocado-passionfruit sorbet, lime and guajillo chili tincture and comes laced with an orchid. The slow ride ($11) is Automatic Jones Rock and Rye, Colorado cherry grenadine, lemon, egg white and angostura bitters. The drink looks like a prairie sunset and goes down all too easy. “So much of what a spirit is about is blending,” said founding partner Paul Tamburello, both of the drink’s construction and the culture the Family Jones is working hard to create.

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As Colorado continues to cultivate its craft distilling scene, the Family Jones is making an impressive effort in distinguishing itself for both impressive product and a deep commitment to local assembly and heritage grains. With roughly half the state’s acreage being used for agriculture, the business’ focus on local manufacturing nicely orients it within the community. Atticus Jones will retail for roughly $50 a bottle and has a place on any whiskey afficionado’s shelf.

The Family Jones Spirit House is located at 3245 Osage St, Denver. It is open Tuesday – Thursday 4 – 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday 4 p.m. – 1 a.m. and Sunday 4 – 10 p.m.

The Family Jones Distillery and Tasting Room is located at 1527 Taurus Ct. Suite 110, Loveland. It is open Thursday 5 – 10 p.m., Friday 5 p.m. – 12 a.m., Saturday 12 p.m. – 12 a.m. and and Sunday 12 p.m. – 6 p.m..

All photography by Madison McMullen.