DUTCH’S SPIRITS BRINGS DISTILLING BACK TO PINE PLAINS, NY AFTER 88 YEARS
Led by Hospitality Industry Veterans, A Site Rich With History To Be the Home Of the First Spirits Production Since Prohibition Era
Pine Plains, New York - (August 24, 2020) - The last time the stills were full on this patch of land in Pine Plains New York, it was not exactly a legitimate operation. Nearly 88 years ago marked the day the FBI raided the bootlegging operation run by legendary mobster, Dutch Schultz. In the 1930s Dutch ran an illegal racket which was one of the biggest bootlegging outfits on the East Coast. When the Feds finally shut it down at the tail end of prohibition, they found two 2,000 gallon stills and over 10,000 pounds of sugar in the tunnels and bunkers hidden underneath the farm’s bunkhouse. It took 88 years, but the site will be back in business in September 2020, this time as Dutch’s Spirits; a farm-to-bottle distillery set to join the local craft spirits renaissance that has turned this region into the Napa Valley of the East Coast.
The first label flowing out of the new (and this time legal) stills will pay homage to the site’s history. Owner Brendan McAlpine is dusting off one of Schultz’s original concoctions and working to resurrect, and improve upon, a recipe that dates back to 1932. “It’s not what most people would associate with moonshine,” says McAlpine. The 80 proof spirit is made with raw turbinado sugar and is smooth enough to be enjoyed straight up or used in a wide variety of everyday cocktails. “It’s a perfect substitute for any cocktail recipe calling for light rum or vodka,” says McAlpine. Dutch’s Sugar Wash Shine will be released in September with distribution in the NY Tri-State region shortly thereafter. The nose bears aromas of cut grass and rich butterscotch. Succulent vanilla and grapefruit notes envelop the mouth and a medley of tropical fruit and maple flavors linger in a pleasantly long and smooth finish.
Other labels will be released as production ramps up, notably a New York Empire Rye, followed by a line of ready to drink cocktails in a collaboration with Dutch’s renowned Beverage Directors Lynnette Marrerro and Jessica Gonzalez. Whenever possible, the recipes will be made with the bounty of the surrounding region. “When you’re distilling in the Hudson Valley, you never have to look far to find inspiration or great ingredients,” says McAlpine.
Dutch’s Spirits distillery will also become a hub for the agri-tourism boom happening throughout the Hudson Valley. A socially distanced outdoor tasting room will open every Saturday & Sunday from noon until 7PM starting Saturday, September 12th, and guests will be able to sample and purchase the offerings coming out of the distillery along with other NY produced beer, wine and craft spirits. As for food, the property will be the home base for the Embers Wood-Fired Oven food truck, with other food trucks set to visit. Besides tasting room operations, the distillery will be the site of special events throughout the fall. Next spring, McAlpine plans to launch a farm-to-table restaurant onsite showcasing the bounty of the Hudson Valley.
“People want something that’s connected to history, and a product that celebrates a sense of place,” McAlpine says of his soon to pour labels, “and it’s inspiration of the past plus the distilling techniques of today that make Dutch’s so special.”
Dutch’s Spirits Sugar Wash Shine will be available to purchase at the distillery, select liquor stores, and online this fall.
For more information about Dutch’s Spirits please visit dutchsspirits.com and follow on Instagram @dutchsspirits.
Media Contact
Rachel Harrison Communications
dutchs@wearerhc.com