The Thirst Colorado Team

Distillery 291 continues to impress folks in the Colorado spirits scene, winning the People’s Choice Award at the Still on the Hill event in Breckenridge.

The annual tasting and competition featured some of the best distilled Colorado products. With unusually warm weather, many people wandered the Riverwalk Center adjacent to the Blue River in shorts and short sleeves.

This year’s tasting included a plethora of bourbon and whiskey, followed by gins and rums, which rounded out the majority of the offerings. Still on the Hill organizer Corry Mihm said the event attracts the state’s best distillers, and the crowds love having the availability of so many different spirts to try.

Most of the 40 distillers provided about one-half ounce of their spirits neat during the Oct. 20 gathering. However, some had cocktails mixed for attendees to try. Live music was included, and the crowd was treated to artisan bread, meats and cheeses. Perennial favorites such as Axe and Oak Distillery, Peach Street Distillers, Laws Whiskey House, Spirit Hound Distillers, Woods High Mountain Distillery and State 38 Distilling had lines of people throughout the afternoon event.

“We always enjoy the Coloradans and atmosphere at this great event, said 291 founder and distiller Michael Myers. “Colorado is our home and our inspiration, which makes this recognition especially rewarding.”

Distillery 291 has received a bounty of awards in 2018, including a Double Gold Medal in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and World’s Best Rye in the Whisky Magazine World Whisky Awards. The distillery is in Colorado Springs.

The Still on the Hill Gold Medal winners and the winning spirits are:

Angel Fire, Vodka
Axe and the Oak Distillery, The Major's Bourbon
Bear Creek Distillery, Wheated American Whiskey
Distillery 291, Barrel Strength Bourbon
Suerte Añejo, Agave
The Silver Medal winners and the winning spirits are:
10th Mountain Distillery, Bourbon
Bear Creek Distillery, Wheated Bourbon
Copper Muse Distillery, Hibiscus Gin
Copper Muse Distillery, Spiced Rum
Durango Craft Spirits, Cinder Dick Bourbon
Elwood Distilling Co., American Single Malt
J & L Distilling Co., FYR Liqueur
Rising Sun Distillery, Organic Rye
Spirit Hound Distillers, Straight Malt Whiskey
Stoneyard Distillery, Luck Oh Liqueur
Suerte, Blanco Agave
Syntax Spirits, Rose Gin
Syntax Spirits, Bourbon