Page 48 - Valley Table - Fall 2022

What’s working especially well is their East End Gin, named after the distillery’s location in Newburgh’s historic East End. “It has been enormously successful,” says Frohman, who adds that in addition to the mandatory juniper, East End contains 16 different botanicals—including lemon, lime, orange, and pink grapefruit peels along with lemongrass, elderberry, elderflower, hibiscus, rosehips, jasmine, ginger from Thailand, and cascara (a coffee-making byproduct from Coffee Labs Roasters in Tarrytown). In fact, national gin makers—like Gray Whale Gin from Baja, California—are even turning to oceanic botanicals like seaweed. “Gins can be simple, with two to five ingredients, or very complex,” says Frohman who predicts that Hudson Valley gin makers will continue to “ease off the juniper and add more floral ingredients.”
Tim Sweeney, owner of Stone Ridge Wine & Spirits agrees that gin is making a major comeback. “I stock at least a dozen New York State gins,” he says, including bottles from two of his favorite local distillers Harvest Spirits in Valatie and Hudson Valley Distillers in Germantown. “Harvest Spirits was among the first to enter the field and across the board their stuff is good.
They have a gin that is very floral.” In fact, Harvest Spirits is New York State’s first farm distillery, and their gin is distilled from apples instead of grain.
Cricchio is particularly taken with the gin produced by Isolation Proof, a new, small-batch distillery in the tiny Western Catskills town of Bovina Center that changes up the flavor seasonally. Their spring gin was infused with ramps and watercress, and the summer version contains rhubarb, raspberries, pink peppercorns, coriander, hibiscus, and orange and grapefruit peels. “It’s a beautiful rosé color,” he says. Cricchio is also a fan of Branchwater Farms in Milan. Husband-and-wife team Kevin Pike and Robin Touchet launched Branchwater’s first gin label last year. “They consulted with Hans Reisetbauer, a super-famous farmer and distiller out of Austria,” says Cricchio. “I think it’s great to have an internationally known distiller doing consulting in the Hudson Valley.”
If you’re new to gin—or new to the HV’s latest botanical gins— Frohman suggests starting with a gin and tonic, replacing the classic lime wedge with a sour orange wedge and basil leaf. And keep experimenting from there. “Play around with local fruits and herbs that you can grab from a farmers market,” suggests Cricchio. “Local cherries muddled with simple syrup, lime juice, gin and sparkling water is an easy way to make a seasonal refreshing cocktail.” We’ll drink to that!
GIN FOR THE WIN
When a winery decides to distill gin, that’s unique. When it wins awards on the very first try, that’s extraordinary. But we shouldn’t be
too surprised: Milea Estate Vineyard in Staatsburg has been collecting medals for their vinos since they crushed their first grapes in 2015. Now their 10 Point Gin is stealing some of the limelight with a gold medal at the Denver International Spirits Competition in March and two awards at the NYS International Spirits Competition in April—a gold in the gin category and New York State Gin Distillery of the Year. 10 Point’s distinctive flavor comes from the vineyard—it’s distilled with Milea grapes and sustainable botanicals and aged in Chardonnay barrels. Yet another reason to visit this wonderful winery. —Francesca Furey
46 THE VALLEY TABLE
SEPT – OCT 2022
PHOTOS COURTESY OF RESPECTIVE BUSINESSES