When you visit our distillery in Palisade, you can smell our slice of Colorado in the air — the sweet, earthy scent of corn and barley from the Western Slope, the perfume of ripe fruit, and the faint hum of copper stills working their magic. Every drop we make here at Peach Street Distillers starts with raw ingredients grown right here in our backyard. From field to glass, we think that it’s the way craft spirits should be made.
We call it grain to glass, and it’s the heart of everything we do.
Other distilleries buy base spirits in bulk and blend them into finished products. Not us.
At Peach Street Distillers, we make everything onsite from milling and mashing the grain to distilling, aging, and bottling by hand. Our team has been perfecting this process for 20 years, because there are no shortcuts to great spirits.
“Grain to glass” means exactly what it sounds like: we start with grain from Colorado farms, add pure Rocky Mountain water, and handle every step ourselves until it’s ready to pour.
The Grand Valley isn’t just known for its peaches and wine. It’s a jewel of a valley growing some of the finest grains and produce in the state.
We source corn, barley, and wheat from Colorado growers who share our respect for the land. The same goes for the fruit that inspires our brandies and liqueurs — peaches, pears, plums, and cherries that thrive in Palisade’s warm days and cool nights. This local connection is more than just a transaction; it’s a relationship that we cherish.
It’s a relationship that goes beyond transactions. These are our friends; they are the people we see every day in town, at school pickup lines, at the grocery store, and in the bar at the end of a long day.
Once the grain arrives, it doesn’t sit around long. We mill and mash it right here at the distillery.
For a few days, the stillhouse fills with the smell of sweet, bubbling mash — a living, breathing first step in turning grain into spirits. It’s the moment where chemistry and craft meet, and where every decision matters for the final flavor.
When the mash is ready, we transfer it to our copper stills — the heart of Peach Street.
Each batch requires a keen nose, a steady hand, and a good sense of humor. The equipment might gleam like new copper, but this is a timeless process, perfected with every batch.
Once distilled, the new spirit is filled into barrels — often new American oak — where time and the high desert climate take over.
Here in Palisade, the temperature swings between warm days and cool nights push the whiskey deep into the oak, drawing out color and character faster than in other climates. The result? A bold, smooth Colorado flavor that is unique and can be tasted in every sip, making each experience exciting and intriguing.
We monitor the barrels, but we also give them space to do their thing. Some lessons can only be taught by patience and wood.
After aging, our team bottles and labels each batch onsite. We take pride in the process because every bottle is a tribute to the people we love and the place we call home.
“Grain to glass” isn’t just about quality. It’s about supporting the people who support us. Every time you sip one of our spirits, you’re not just enjoying a great product; you’re supporting Colorado agriculture, local craftsmanship, and all that makes Palisade so unique.
So next time you’re in Palisade, stop by the distillery and say hello. See the stills, smell the grain, and taste the spirit of this valley.
