PRODUCTS
We seek purity, vibrancy, and transparency in our spirits. In the distillation process, we are refining, searching for the essence of the fruits and grains with which we work. For our wheat- and rye-based spirits, we utilize grains grown and harvested here on our farm. We believe that the care we show in the field translates to what is in the glass.
For our fruit brandies, we source directly from New York State farmers who pride themselves on growing exceptional fruit. Many of these farms are multi-generational and we are happy to outsource this aspect of farming to families who know what they are doing.
We are interested in crafting the absolute best spirits we possibly can. We do this by utilizing only pristine primary ingredients, by ensuring a clean and non-oxidative fermentation process, and then by making a very severe cut during the distillation process, retaining only the heart, and discarding the tail. Our spirits are smooth and approachable, and we credit this with the rigorous selection made at every step of the process.
GIN
Branchwater Gin is made from triple-distilled wheat grown on our farm in accordance with organic and regenerative agricultural principles. It contains our unique blend of organically certified botanicals including juniper, citrus and cardamom. Branchwater Gin is distilled to 85% alcohol and then cut with water from our family well to 43% before bottling.
PEAR BRANDY
Branchwater Pear Brandy embodies the experience of eating a perfectly ripe pear. Made from 100% Bartlett pears grown in New York State, we hand-sort and clean them for quality, then ferment in small batches at different stages of ripeness to capture the essence of the whole fruit. After distillation, the pear is held in stainless steel for a minimum of six months before it is cut with water from our family well, bringing it from 83% to 41% before bottling. It takes 10 pounds of pears to make each 375ml bottle.
BLACK CURRANT BRANDY
Limited! Branchwater Black Currant Brandy is born out of our passion for history and admiration for fellow farmers in the Hudson Valley working to revive crops that once flourished here. These black currants were grown just 10 minutes away from our farm by local legend Greg Quinn, who, in 2003, single-handedly reversed a ban on growing currants in the United States that had been in place since 1911. Black currants have very little sugar, which allows us to put the second reflux helmet on our stills to use. This function was designed and patented by Hans Reisetbauer and we are the only distillery in this country to have this unique feature, which enables us to extract more alcohol, and hence finer aromatics, from the fermented fruit. Even so, we only yield 110 liters of alcohol from 5,000 pounds of black currants, which equates to around 8 ½ pounds of fruit per 375ml bottle. After distillation, the currants are held in stainless steel for a year to fully mature and express the unique aromatics and flavors of this complex fruit. It is then cut with water from our family well, bringing it from 85% to 41% before bottling.
APPLE BRANDY
Branchwater Apple is an oak-aged blend of heirloom apples that once dominated the Mid-Hudson Valley in the 17th and 18th Centuries. These apple varieties include Northern Spy, Ben Davis and Rhode Island Greening, among others. The apples are distilled to 85% alcohol and then cut to 72% before resting in new oak casks until mature. Before bottling, the Apple Brandy is cut to 41.5% with water from our family well. Branchwater Apple Brandy highlights the flavors of baked apples, showcasing cinnamon and nutmeg along with vanillin from the cask.
wheat whiskey
Limited! Branchwater Wheat Whiskey is made from 100% wheat grown on our farm in accordance with organic and regenerative agricultural principles. It is double-distilled to over 160 proof, then aged in new oak and finished in used pinot noir and chardonnay barrels for a total of 18 months. Before bottling, it is cut to 45% with water from our family well. This is a very limited release - only about 300 bottles were produced.
