The Ever-Expanding World of Golden Moon Distillery

Talking to master distiller Stephen Gould of Golden Moon Distillery is a bit like peeling an onion: There’s always more to learn. He recently announced that his distillery will increase its footprint from 2,000 square feet to 10,000 square feet, which is good news for cocktail fans since the new space will allow Gould to craft even more exquisite spirits. New iterations will include the Gun Fighter 13, a single-cask 13-and-a-half-year-old Tennessee bourbon, and an absinthe made with wormwood grown for him at Fruition Farms. “We’ve been sitting on [the absinthe] for a really long time. R&D was done and we were ready to churn and burn 18 months ago, but [were] waiting because we didn’t have capacity,” Gould says of the Colorado-specific spirit.

A bigger distillery also means Golden Moon can expand its reach: Currently, its spirits are distributed in 14 states as well as in the U.K., Italy, and Denmark. Within the next year, Gould plans to have presence in 20 states as well as India and Japan.

As part of this growth phase, the Golden Moon Speakeasy will move from 1111 Miner’s Alley in Golden to 1111 Washington Street, just a short walk away. The larger space will feature an extensive cocktail program and a small-plate menu. The moving date is slated for spring 2019.

Then there’s this: Within the week, Gould will release the first episode of his new web series, Distiller’s Basement. There are currently six episodes, which will be hosted on a forthcoming designated YouTube channel. The series is filmed at Gould’s 18-foot home bar, which he uses for R&D, staff training, and, of course, parties. The series was initially dreamed up as a sales and marketing tool so Gould could be everywhere at once, so to speak, telling the story of Golden Moon and its award-winning spirits. But the idea has since blossomed into something more. “As we grow in stature, this [series] is outreach and a way to get our friends from around the world involved,” Gould says. “There are cocktail videos, cocktail and food pairings, and I’ll bring in chefs and people from the bar world. And eventually we’ll do field trips.”

Golden Moon has always been one to watch, and now, with more spirits in the works and a YouTube channel, that’s more true than ever.

412 Violet St., Golden, 303-993-7174