I am sucker for gin. Growing up, I remember my dad sipping on Gin & Tonics and watching golf. I would have my glass of tonic with a lime and accompany him. As an adult, G&Ts have become my go-to cocktail when I’m not drinking local craft beer. Here’s the thing… When I’m at home, I don’t want to have to pull out five bottles of spirits, bitters, and tinctures to create a cocktail. I’m all about simplicity. With simplicity, however, comes a need for high-quality spirits that taste exceptional on their own, even before adding tonic. Enter Wild Hart Distillery in Shelburne, Vermont, arguably one of the best makers of spirits in the Green Mountain State – and all available for $29.99 or less. Read on to learn more about one of Vermont’s newest distilleries, read five questions with the founder, and find delicious cocktail recipes to serve up at your next soirée.
Wild Hart Distillery
Located off of Shelburne Road in the complex that also houses Fiddlehead Brewing, Douglas Sweets, and Vermont Tortilla Company, Wild Hart is one of few distilleries in Vermont actually making the spirits right here on Vermont soil. While the company is still young, they grew four fold from their first year to their second. Right now, they’re producing about 6,000 bottles a year. Growth, however, keeps up-ticking.
Founder and Distiller Craig Stevens is creating Vermont-based spirits that are incredibly accessible and flavorful. Although he specializes in gin, he also makes flavored vodka and cordials. When we visited, I came to realize that gin is actually incredibly versatile, more so than I thought: Gin Bloody Marys, Gin Margaritas, Gin Hot Toddys, Gin Old Fashioneds, etc.
The quality and accessibility of the spirits, once discovered, will certainly fuel the growth of their production and distribution. I’m excited to see what the future holds for Wild Hart…
The Uniqueness of Wild Hart Distillery
Unlike other distilleries, Wild Hart has a “no nonsense approach to elevating your cocktail program with ease and without gimmicky flavors.” They use maple syrup in their Vermont Classic Gin to enhance the flavor profile. The maple softens the sharpness of the juniper and botanicals, while being ever so lightly sweet, according to Craig. When mixed into a Gin and Tonic, the maple adds just a hint of vanilla or caramel as a reminder of the maple presence.
Additionally, their Blood Orange Gin is perfect in a unique and beautifully colored Gin and Tonic, but it also elevates a martini or a negroni, with a sweet, tangy and almost raspberry-like flavor. Craig shared that it’s all about focusing on the classic attributes of their spirits, while adding in a slight twist to enhance the overall cocktail experience.
Where to Find Wild Hart Distillery’s Spirits?
Right now, Wild Hart is in every liquor store in the state. Some carry all of their offerings. The best place, however, to secure their spirits is at their tasting room. Go and see the stainless and copper equipment. Learn a bit about how they make the spirits. Try samples. Or have Craig mix you a cocktail to enjoy on site before taking a few bottles home to enjoy. Having the ability to test-drive spirits and learn how to make a cocktail before committing to a full bottle is always beneficial!
Craig shared his tips for visiting the distillery. “Come with friends! I love having company at the distillery. I love to entertain visitors with cocktails, free snacks including cheese from Shelburne Farms, tastings and of course my verbose tours (by the end folks understand I love what I do),” he shared. If the lights are on, the distillery is open. They do host a number of events, so your best bet is to call or email ahead for a tasting and tour.
5 Questions with Craig Stevens, Founder & Distiller at Wild Hart Distillery
1. What’s your background? Why did you decide to start Wild Hart? How did you learn to distill?
My background is in public health, which looks at the health of populations and tries to develop systems, policies, and programs to address the needs of the population while direct care, like a physician or nurse traditionally looks at the individual and the individual needs.
I did consulting for a company for 15 years. It was the closest I was able to get to owning my own business, which is something I’ve wanted to do for years. But, with a young family, I opted for the stability of a regular paying job. As my kids got older, I started looking forward at what I wanted to do for the rest of my working life and took the leap. Distilling was growing when I first looked at it as an option. There looked to be room in the market for another distillery in Vermont. I’m also a consummate tinkerer and builder. I really love making things. It gives me a sense of accomplishment to be able to hold something I’ve made.
My first step into the world of distilling was to take a class at Vermont Tech which was an introductory course to distilling – more of a “get excited to distill” course than actual distilling skills. It definitely got me excited. From there, I rented time in a distillery and hired someone to help teach me how to distill. I’m very much a classic adult learner – learn some by reading and observing but the best method for me is learning from doing.
2. What’s the story behind the name Wild Hart?
Well, I’m not very creative! As a result I started looking at names that might be related to distilling to see if something would resonate with me. When you make alcohol, it essentially comes out in three parts – heads, hearts, and tails. Heads and tails are primarily waste, and the hearts is what you drink. Wild Hearts wasn’t going to cut it for a serious business… But as soon as I found out that a Hart is a red stag it all came together. The hart is really a medieval word used to describe a male deer – usually red and over five years old. But for me it also spoke to the Vermont side of my personality. I’m a huge fan of being outdoors and love what Vermont’s nature has to offer in all seasons.
As a medieval word it also helped lay the foundation for the logo – the woodcut red deer. Our designer added the modernized script to marry both traditional and contemporary because I think I’ve got a foot in each of those worlds – as does the art of making spirits.
3. Why Vermont? How does Vermont influence your products?
It’s more of the no-nonsense approach to our spirits that harkens to my love of Vermont. I’m not looking to make some type of purveyed, precious product that signifies status. I’m looking to make fucking good spirits that everyone can enjoy on every occasion. When you look at our products it has that type of no nonsense and straightforward approach. Crisp, simple, classic and yet contemporary branding, premium quality spirits, a reasonable pricing structure, with flavors that aren’t presumptuous.
We add flavors to some of our spirits to let people elevate their cocktails without having to take a mixology class and yet not making a flavor that is so unique or specific that it can’t be put in your go-to Friday night cocktail. Our pricing structure strives to make this an attainable spirit for everyone. It’s funny there is so much talk of Millennials being a driving force of the craft spirit industry and yet the way the industry prices often looks like these folks are made of money.
Each up-and-coming generation is having a harder time to make it work financially. Is there some reason we should be making quality spirits out of some folks reach? Of course that is rhetorical, we think not, that is core to our approach. We are a young business, but want to create a brand with the values of Vermont – independent thinkers, love and respect of the land, sense of community, strong personal character, and a live and let live attitude. Don’t get me wrong, Vermont is honorable and a monolith of a character, but it is also weird and quirky and so are we. With all the honorable adjectives we bestow on the state it is still as adventurous, cantankerous, and rebellious as a pirate ship. We are more than happy to be aboard as the crew.
4. If someone only had the option to try one of your offerings, which would it be and why?
I would have to say our Vermont Classic Gin, the gin lightly sweetened with maple syrup. I say this one because people are most surprised by this spirit. It has a rich flavor without the sharpness of the juniper. It also isn’t sticky sweet. It makes an excellent gin and tonic. Yet, I like it in martinis as well (and I don’t like gin martinis). I find it very versatile for my every day go to, as well as when I want to make something special. It is rare to find a gin that people like drinking over the rocks as well as mixed. We seem to have accomplished that. Oh and maybe my favorite reason would also be that it is on sale in December 2019!
5. What’s next for Wild Hart Distillery?
Let’s start with the fun stuff. I really like making cordials. Last year, we made a peach cordial that was a huge hit. I happen to love limoncello and will be working on a batch this winter for release in the spring. I like it extra lemony, extra boozy, and not too sweet. We’ll also be releasing a small batch of Chai Spiced Rum. The preliminary work we’ve done on the rum was delicious. I’m looking forward to a summer release.
As far as expansion and sales, we’ll be at more farmers’ markets this year. We are at the Middlebury Winter Farmers Market for the first time. Hopefully we can add a few more summer markets as well.
My big wish for this year, however, would be to combine forces with another company to create something fun and delicious. For example I’d love to see us have a tasting room in a specialty food store, as well as collaborate with a brewery, winery, or cidery on a co-tasting room where we can offer samples, retail sales and beverages from both companies. Its right up the alley of our values. We want to create a space where the community can come in, enjoy Vermont made products, and have fun.
Wild Hart Distillery Cocktails to Make This Holiday Season
Wow, so many options and you are asking someone who is king of classics. Of course for every one of our gins I enjoy it in a gin and tonic. Even these simple classics become special – just imagine serving your out of towner friends and relatives a blood orange gin and tonic – delicious and it’s red! Definitely a head turner.
Winter I do gravitate towards heavier flavors and lean towards being able to make batches that will keep well in the fridge. Below is the per glass recipe but I never make less than a four glass batch.
Pear Collins
This is the per-glass recipe. You’ll love the combination of savory from the rosemary and the sweet warmth of the cardamom bitters (Scrappy’s is a favorite bitters’ brand). Just a drop in your Gin and Tonic transforms the cocktail (another way to elevate your drink with little effort).
2 oz gin
4 oz pear juice
Cardamom bitters
Rosemary sprigs
Combine all ingredients, slap the rosemary between the palms of your hands to release the oils and drop into the mixture. Wait a few minutes for the rosemary to infuse before adding ice. Let the rosemary infuse. Check on the flavor profile every once in a while. Remove the rosemary when you like the flavor. The rosemary will continue to infuse if left in too long and give off too strong a flavor.
Gin Old Fashioned
3 oz gin
1 tsp maple syrup
5 dashes orange bitters (I like Regans Orange Bitters)
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake 15 times, pour into a rocks glass and garnish with an orange twist.
Burning Embers Sangria
This recipe makes a large batch.
12.5 oz Burning Embers (this is exactly the amount in a 375ml bottle, or it is ½ the 750ml bottle)
6 oz cranberry juice
6 oz orange juice
.5 oz fresh lemon
Store in fridge, serve over ice and top with ginger beer (nonalcoholic) before serving (about 1oz)
Burning Embers Punch
1 full bottle (750ml) American Dry Gin (for something less boozy, you can leave this out)
1 full bottle (750ml) Burning Embers
6 Lemon twists
1 Orange slice
3 Pineapple chunks
3 oz honey
1 oz Fresh lemon juice
3 Cloves
1 pinch Ground nutmeg
1 tsp Ground cinnamon
1 tsp Brown sugar
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. You want to keep this on low and covered as you don’t want to burn off all the alcohol.
Wild Hart Distillery Cocktails for the Warmer Months
According to Craig, their American Dry Gin is his go-to for summer drinks that you want to be refreshing and crisp. Tom Collins and Gimlets are classics, easy to make, and easy to upgrade, both with fresh citrus and four or less ingredients.
The upgrades are simple. Grab a piece of a fresh herb. Slap it between the palms of your hands to release the oils. Drop into your cocktail!
Spicy Henry
2 oz Vermont Classic Gin
1 oz honey simple syrup (or .5oz honey, just make sure it dissolves)
.5 oz fresh lemon
3 rings of jalapeño peppers (more or less to suit your taste)
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, muddle (squish/mash) the jalapeños while in the mixture. Add ice, shake 15 times and pour into martini glass.
Wild Hart Distillery
26 Sage CT, Shelburne, VT 05482
(802) 489-5067
Categories: Made in Vermont