Sips & Sites & Bites

There’s something about the foothills of Golden, Colorado that seems to stir up creativity, and not just in the form of mountain hikes and craft beer. Now, spirits enthusiasts have a new reason to head west of Denver, thanks to the arrival of Hoot + Howl, a distillery that blends old-world tradition with Colorado’s signature inventive spirit.

Founded by Callan Deline and Head Distiller Chris Ritenour, Hoot + Howl isn’t just another pretty label on the liquor shelf. These two have been quietly geeking out over historical recipes, forgotten distilling techniques, and the curious stories behind age-old spirits. The result? A lineup that feels familiar yet entirely unexpected.

“We love digging through the archives—seeing how spirits were made long before mass production took over,” says Deline. “But we’re not here to simply recreate history. We like to take those foundations and rework them into something fresh, playful, and designed to be shared.”

Their gin is a great example. Distilled with botanicals foraged from Colorado’s alpine landscape … think spruce tips, white sage, and bay laurel … it’s equal parts herbal, citrusy, and piney. It drinks like a mountain hike in a glass, with a finish so clean you could sip it neat or let it shine in your favorite gin cocktail.

But perhaps the most intriguing offering is their Black Tea Liqueur. Ritenour explains it undergoes tranchage, an old-world infusion technique that sounds fancy but simply means they treat the tea with the same care as a fine spirit. Infused with loose leaf black tea, bergamot, and Demerara sugar, this liqueur offers deep, earthy notes layered with honey and citrus. It’s the kind of thing you can sip straight, pour over ice, or sneak into a whiskey sour for an unexpected twist.

Hoot + Howl’s bourbon drinkers aren’t left out either. Their Armagnac-finished bourbon blends seven-year-old whiskey with the subtle fruit and spice notes picked up from a year in an ex-Armagnac cask. Expect layers of vanilla, toasted almonds, and a little candied fruit sweetness. It’s bold but smooth, ideal for slow sipping with friends.

And for those who love classic cocktails, their take on Triple Sec is anything but basic. Distilled with bitter orange, lemon, bergamot, and mellowed through tranchage, it delivers vibrant citrus notes rounded by subtle vanilla and spice.

The entire lineup feels designed for what the name suggests … those rowdy, joyful, belly-laugh-filled moments with your crew that deserve to be toasted properly.

Hoot + Howl is available across Colorado now, so whether you stumble upon it at your favorite watering hole or stock your home bar, you’ll find a little history, and a lot of fun, in every sip.