Outlaws and inroads
Blackhat Distillery courts private label growth as it matures its agave spirits program; feeding the community during the shutdown + food & drink news and events
The way the team at Blackhat Distillery tells it, they’re home to one of the most advanced privately owned stills in the Western U.S.
It’s a 1000-gallon pot/column hybrid still, and if he ran it for a couple shifts a day, seven days a week, Head Distiller and Production Manager Kyle Bonasso projects he could produce over a million bottles annually.
Today, the distillery is nowhere near that capacity. But founder Joe Koscove (whose name you may recognize from Koscove Metal recycling) overbuilt it with future growth in mind. That was in 2019, when Blackhat essentially acquired short-lived Blue Fish Distillery locally. They’ve since grown to run a full spirit portfolio under the Blackhat label, from gin and rum to vodka and whiskeys. There’s also liqueurs made for their own portfolio, and products contract-distilled and bottled for other brands, like Robb’s Red Rum and Lebowski’s Kool-Luah Coffee Liqueur.
But Bonasso’s current baby is the Duelers agave spirit lineup — a blanco, double oak and dark, and something called Midnight, which is a barrel-strength expression of the dark. Agave spirits are what would be called tequilas if they were produced in the appropriate regions of Mexico, but since gringos can’t violate laws that protect geographic designations, we call them agave spirits here.
Though he joined Blackhat in 2023, Bonasso only took over his current roles at the beginning of 2025. He immediately began tinkering with the prior Duelers recipes to evolve them. He has roughly a dozen barrels in Blackhat’s subterranean rickhouse that are various experiments maturing with age. He calls agave spirits “a very untaped market” across the U.S., saying that helps set Blackhat apart.
Back to that underutilized capacity though, the company is eyeing growth in a whole other direction, which is the private labeling for other brands and clients. As Lebowski’s illustrates, there’s an easy relationship between a place (in that case, a one-off, themed restaurant and bar) wanting to sell its own spirit bottles, and a local distillery with a person in place who can create recipes and scale to volume. But it could be private businesses as well, kind of like how wineries will private-label bottles for corporations for holiday gifts to employees and clients, etc.
The most recent example of this is a just-released coffee liqueur named Galletoo, which acts as a charity bottle fundraiser for local nonprofit Lamba, a Monument-based agency that works with at-risk children in Kenya and Ethiopia. The “East African style” of the liqueur pays homage to the terroir of the region, alluding to connection Lamba has to the land through their work.
Koscove was approached by a Lamba representative, and he placed the Galletoo’s development in Bonasso’s lap. The distiller formulated it completely from scratch, utilizing a blend of Ethiopian and Kenyan beans. I got a taste while in interviewing, and it’s fantastic for a coffee liqueur, nicely under-sweet and java-forward. In the below Q&A with Bonasso, he explains how it all came together. While the distillery will still focus on its flagship spirits, “this is the direction Blackhat is headed,” I’m told. There’s a lot of runway ahead of it.
Five questions with Blackhat Distillery’s Head Distiller and Production Manager Kyle Bonasso
1) How did you become a spirit maker?
I was a musician in New Orleans. I played guitar in various groups, from funk to rock ‘n’ roll. We traveled all over the Gulf Coast. But I wasn’t making any money. So I had to start bartending, and that’s how I got into the beverage world. I fell in love with making drinks and ended up bartending at Nola Distillery. After a year there, I was running their production department. I ended up distilling there for four years. I really took to it. It was a great combo of left brain and right brain: a lot of math, logistics, planning and attention to detail, but I also got to be creative with the products I made. I’ve met very few people in this industry who set out to do this work. We tend to just fall into it.
2) What do you miss from New Orleans?
Oyster happy hours at the bars, and crawfish season.
3) What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced when developing a spirit?
It might be something I just made here. It’s a rum-based cinnamon-pineapple liqueur that Joe wanted out ahead of the holidays. He had tasked me to replace an apple cider liqueur made by our former production assistant. Joe wanted something that would feel seasonal but still have appeal in summer. I ran into a lot of complications; it took a lot of R&D. There were about 15 different jars going with various mixes before I finally nailed it. When people think cinnamon, they think something spicy like Fireball, or they think of RumChata. I didn’t want it to taste like those, and my answer ended up being vanilla, and citric acid for lemon flavor, with pineapple more in the aftertaste. It can be a sipper or it makes great cocktails. We’ve done a piña colada and banana purée with it and both were insanely good.
4) Tell me about how you concocted the Galletoo, for it to taste very coffee forward without too much sweetness.
It’s the coffee we use. It does a lot of the legwork. The flavor of the dark-roasted African coffees is more robust. There’s a bright acidity that breaks through from the volcanic soil they grow in. The other aspect is the form the sugar is in. Instead of inverted sugar syrup, which can be too thick and overpowering, I used a thin simple syrup. It’s far less sweet. But the sweetness it does have acts as an agent to elevate the coffee flavor and help with mouthfeel. There’s also vanilla bean to support the coffee flavor. We tried several base spirits but found that vodka tastes the best because it’s so neutral.
5) What’s the spirit you’re currently most excited about at Blackhat?
The Dueler’s Midnight. In New Orleans we just made whiskey and vodka. I’ve developed my own agave recipes here. These Dueler’s expressions are what I’ve always wanted to do. The Midnight tastes like my favorite two spirits: whiskey and tequila. It’s the perfect combination. In the flavor profile I get toffee and baking spice in the nose, and dark chocolate and orange peel on the front end. Then on the mid palate I taste a tiny bit of citrus from the agave. The finish is peppery. It lingers and tingles the mouth. 110-proof tastes way smoother than you would think. It’s a tequila that drinks like a whiskey. Of the Dueler’s lineup, Midnight has the most complexity, and a good balance between the American and French oaks in the aging. Within a year or two, expect more speciality releases that have been aged even longer.
Visit Blackhat’s tasting room, located in back of The Public House at the Alexander, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays. You can also schedule a tour to go behind the scenes and get tastings and a commemorative glass to take home.
Win a custom Duelers Never Summer snowboard with art by Phil Lear.
Blackhat Distillery has partnered with Never Summer and The Morgan Adams Foundation to help fund childhood cancer research. Through Dec. 5, each purchase of a Duelers label agave spirt from Blackhat will enter the buyer in the sweepstakes to win one of four custom snowboards. Blackhat and Never Summer have committed a minimum donation of $15,000 regardless of participation levels.
Details on how to enter are here; entries may also be made without a purchase.
“We created Blackhat not only to craft exceptional spirits and support private labeling across the nation, but also to give back to the community,” says Joe Koscove, founder and owner of Blackhat Distillery in a press release. “With the help of our customers, we hope to make a significant impact.”
This month’s collaboration recipe with Ranch Foods Direct comes from Base Camp Restaurant Chef/Owner Matt Maher. If you missed the eatery’s opening earlier this year, catch up on what you need to know here. Maher provides three separate takes on how to present beef cheeks — one of my personal favorite cuts — all built out of a single crock pot recipe that’s easy to execute at home. You can go with risotto, as pictured above, or turn the cheeks into tacos or arepas with different garnishes. Don’t be intimidated by cheeks if you’ve never cooked with them; once you do, it’ll become a regular item in your cart. They’re rich with collagen that breaks down during cooking to create lavishly tender beef bites that are succulent and unctuous. Enjoy!
Feeding the community
Many efforts are underway across town to try and care for those affected by the government shutdown. The below shoutouts are by no means comprehensive, but they’re a handful of things that came across my radar while building this week’s newsletter:
• Ranch Foods Direct posted to say they’ll give a free pound of 80-percent lean ground beef to SNAP recipients per visit at either of their retail locations — no purchase necessary, no questions asked, no end date yet announced. “This initiative helps local families facing food insecurity. We’re also extending the offer to anyone in need — no questions asked,” they wrote.
• Red Gravy has relaunched its Meals To Heal initiative, originally created during the pandemic to feed frontline healthcare workers. It’s new focus is to feed furloughed federal workers and those who’re missing their SNAP benefits. “We hope sanity returns to DC yet cannot stand by while any part of our community suffers through food insecurity,” the company said. “Please donate if you can. We will match donations and partner with other organizations to distribute food to those in need.”
• Sandy’s Restaurant announced that “all kids in need eat free” until the shutdown ends, and “Government workers and snap recipients will have the option to take a pre selected meal to go.”
• At Four by Brother Luck, they’re giving 50-percent off to all government employees (who present a valid government ID) through Nov. 13. “We value the contributions of those who serve our nation and hope this gesture provides a moment of comfort and connection during this difficult time,” they write.
• ROHR Coffee is offering free breakfast burritos and hot chocolate for kids through November’s end. They’re also stocking a community food pantry.
• Colorado Public Radio published a resource earlier this week on “How to help and get help amid SNAP benefits uncertainty in Colorado.”
• I noted some other resources last week, which can be found here on our Culinary Colorado Springs Facebook group.
Bites & Bits
• Mochi Thai’m Donuts & Boba has soft-opened its third location (which I told you about here, in early August).
• Dolce Patisserie GF, a gluten-free bakery, recently opened at 2851 Dublin Blvd. Their menu features sweets like tarts, scones and laminated pastries in addition to breads like sourdough, ciabatta and focaccia. There’s also a cake list and coffee menu. They’re open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Saturday.
• Goat Patch Brewing announced this week that as of Jan. 1, 2026, Pikes Peak Brewing Company will become Goat Patch Brewing – Monument. Goat Patch had acquired Pikes Peak around this time last year, and has operated its taproom under that brand since then. In a press release, Events & Marketing Manager Averee Dilday says “Over the past twelve months, the team has been hard at work investing in the Monument facility — restoring its foundation, upgrading production systems, and preparing it for a sustainable future.” But now, it’s time to “streamline operations” under one brand and create “operational efficiency.” Two popular Pikes Peak beers will stay alive at Goat Patch: Elephant Rock IPA and Gold Rush Belgian Golden Ale (only to be available at the Monument location). And Trail Water sparkling hop water will stay around as part of Pikes Peak Brewing’s legacy.
• Ordering is now open for the next Culinary Connections meal: Haitian food (with a vegetarian option), to be picked up Nov. 15. (If you missed my recent story on the organization, click here to learn more about the creative refugee assistance program.)
• Ahava Farm, located in Peyton, posted this week to say “Farewell, we will miss you. After eleven beautiful years.” The family behind the venture is moving to Israel. From the posting: “From the very beginning, our mission was stubborn and simple: health for our region, healing for the earth, and love for our community, by growing the purest, most responsibly raised food we knew how to grow. The one-thousand times we said to our community, ‘Ahavah means love’ was not just a sentiment or something we threw around willy-nilly, but it was the choice we made as a family to to give of oneself — and this community allowed us to live that meaning out loud.” The final CSA pickup will be Dec. 19, with microgreens subscriptions continuing into Feb. or March 2026. The farm will be listed for sale, equipment included. The family invites folks to follow their journey via their YouTube channel.
• Here’s your final reminder to head to all Josh & John’s locations tomorrow to catch our fall collaboration series, featuring Ivywild neighborhood businesses: Edelweiss Black Forest Cherry Cake; Loyal Coffee Pumpkin Oatmeal Latte; Bristol Brewing Company Venetucci Pumpkin Ale and Gold Star Bakery Salted Maple Pie!
• New Denizen has a fresh list of 6 new restaurants you should know about around Denver. Among them: a Pan-Latin eatery with gorgeous mountain views at The Source Hotel in RiNo; and “a playful new drink spot” at the Stanley Marketplace. She also aggregates this worthwhile read from The Atlantic, which I’m compelled to re-share here, on “The Innovation That’s Killing Restaurant Culture.” (Hint: “In 2024, nearly three out of every four restaurant orders were not eaten in a restaurant.”)
• Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar (a Side Dish Dozen member) announced it will be closing its Glendale location on Nov. 15. A Denver Post article quotes a company statement, saying, “The current economic challenges facing the hospitality industry… have caught up to us in Glendale,” and that “the proximity of our LoDo location has always presented challenges for sustaining both restaurants in the Denver market.” All other Jax locations, including in Boulder, Fort Collins and Colorado Springs will remain open. Parent company Big Red F is not closing locations of any of its other brands, which include The Post, West End Tavern, Centro Mexican Kitchen, Wonder and Velvet Elk Lounge.
• El Super Taco — with three Colorado Springs-area locations and three others in-State — wasted no time in defending its reputation after a careless commenter (oops, did I just editorialize?) posted on Facebook questioning whether a super-zoomed-in photo (no pun intended) resembled a maggot, versus a piece of rice. While the internet did what it tends to do related to such matters, El Super Taco reps called in their own health inspection from El Paso County Public Health to validate their clean kitchen and set the record straight on the accusation. They published the subsequent report, which noted “it was observed to be rice.. and no maggots were observed.” (Apparently the inspector had even recreated a zoomed-in photo with the “plate of food in question” which had been saved by the eatery for documentation.) A manager for the company provided a lengthy statement to KOAA News5, which in-part read: “What we want people to understand is how much damage a single post can cause. Small, family-run places like ours don’t have huge marketing teams or PR budgets. When something false goes viral, it can hurt the reputation we’ve built over years — and it affects the cooks, servers, and families who rely on this restaurant to make a living… We appreciate everyone who took the time to wait for the facts, and we’ll keep doing what we’ve always done — serving the food we love to the people we care about.”
• Unionized performers at Casa Bonita went on strike along West Colfax Avenue in Lakewood last week to protest against the company’s wage practices (they aren’t paid as much as food servers) and speak out on workplace safety. Here’s a recap from CBS News. (Unrelated to those concertns, here’s what I saw during our pre-opening media tour in May 2023.)
• The Biscuit Factory Cat Lounge celebrated its second anniversary recently. Catch Cat Yoga on Nov. 15 or make a reservation to drop in anytime for a drink and some kitty time. (Here’s my backstory on them.)
Side Dish Dozen happenings
Red Gravy: Help us feed those affected by the government shutdown via Chef Eric’s Meals To Heal program. We’ve reactivated our giving via our GoFundMe page and we’ll be matching donations.
Kangaroo Coffee: Through Nov. 14 we’re accepting leftover Halloween pumpkins at our Hillside Coffeehouse. We’re giving them to Food to Power, who’ll feed them to livestock or compost them. Join us for Open Mic Storytelling Night, 6-8 p.m., Nov. 11 at the Hillside Coffeehouse. Enjoy local microgreens from Colorado Fresh Greens, sip your favorite drink and spend a cozy evening with our community.
Chaang Thai: From our House Specialties menu join us for Pad Thai Woonsen with Soft Shell Crab, Red Curry with Quarter Leg Duck and Thai Boat Noodles. We also have an extensive vegan and gluten-free menu, as well as lunch specials from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays.
Bristol Brewing Company: The brand new Bristol Beer Choir practices with a pint or two every Sunday. Catch their first official concert at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 9. On Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11, bring any valid military ID in for a free pint! Loveland Ski Area will be on-site from 4-8 p.m., Nov. 14 selling 2025-2026 season passes. Give! Growler Gala runs noon to 3 p.m., Nov. 15 in the Bristol Barrel Room, with sales benefitting our nonprofit partners.
bird tree cafe: We serve breakfast all day, with popular items like the Rick & Morty breakfast sandwich and quinoa-anasazi bean vegan burrito. Happy hours, 3-6 p.m. daily. Stop in for our themed coffee and tea drinks: right now we’re having fun with Rocky Horror Picture Show-inspired sippers created by the amazing Allie and her creative team.
Rasta Pasta: Join us daily from 3-5 p.m. for happy hours, with $3 Red Stripes, $4 rum punch, and $5 wines and munchies. Two for Tuesdays mean BOGO draft beers, and every Monday kids eat free with the purchase of an adult entree.
The Chuckwagon 719: Among recent specials are our amazing smoked brisket burger — for just $7.50! — plus brisket nachos, smoked turkey, chicken and pastrami and prime ribber dinner plates. Save room for dessert: Our Salted Caramel Biscoff Banana Bread pudding is epic, and we’ve almost always got you covered with cherry cobbler.
Upcoming events
Nov. 8: Wine Tasting Extravaganza at My Cellar Wine Bar. 2-4 p.m.; $35-$45 includes unlimited tastings of nearly 40 wines plus charcuterie and bottle discounts.
Nov. 10: Wine Dinner at Tapateria. 6:30-7:30 p.m.; $99 includes six paired courses.
Nov. 12: Sip with Schnip Holiday Tasting at Edelweiss. 5-8 p.m. Free food samples, special drink stations, live music and good company.
Nov. 12: Pints with Palmer Land Conservancy at Trinity Brewing. 5:30-7:30 p.m.; free beer and bites, register here.
Nov. 12: Straight from the Barrel: An Evening with Buffalo Trace Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley at Hotel Polaris. 6 p.m.; $199. Featuring special allocated whisky pours paired with a multi-course meal.
Nov. 13: Wine Exploration 3 — Sparkling Wines with Sophie Yoneoka, at The Library at Ivywild School. 5-6:30 p.m.; $50 includes charcuterie, wine samples and education and early invitations to future Blue Star events.
Nov. 15: We Fortify’s 3rd annual Gala, Not Gala at the Meanwhile Block. 5-9 p.m.; $150 includes dinner; Chef Brother Luck will emcee and DJ.
Nov. 18: Passport To Regaleali wine dinner at Pizzeria Rustica. 6 p.m.; $89 five paired courses benefits All Breed Rescue and Training.
Parting shot(s)
The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College hosted a Spirits of the Night Tequila and Food Tasting on Oct. 30, which I attended as the guest of catering outfit Bon Appétit at Colorado College.
Bon Appétit Chef Collin Waller provided five small bites to pair with as many agave spirits which were presented by tequila specialist and independent spirits judge and consultant Josh Howard. (You may know him from past Focus on the Beer activities.)
As a very short mini review, I’ll say everything was pretty awesome, and the guided tasting through four tequilas and a mezcal was enjoyable and illuminating for those not well-acquainted with the spirit category. I am familiar, but it’s always nice to re-study and focus on the subtle qualities of each product, with food pairings to highlight certain aromas and flavors.
“We’re excited to have more events and to partner with the FAC to welcome the community in around art, food and culture,” says Bon Appétit Campus and Community Relations Manager Beth McKinney. She just returned to CC a couple months ago, having left in 2013 after a six-year stint as the company’s general manager for the school. (She’s an old personal friend by way of my former CS Indy colleagues, so it’s nice to see her back in town.)
I ask if Bon Appétit still focuses on local food where possible and she says they maintain a goal of purchasing 20 percent “farm-to-fork” in the communities they serve. Here that means working with producers like Ranch Foods Direct for ground beef, and Emerge Aquaponics for sustainably grown greens.
McKinney says Bon Appétit isn’t limited to serving just the campus, and that they would love to book more off-site catering in the community, as well as host Springs residents on-campus for events as well. The public can also eat at Rastall Dining Hall rather affordably: it’s $13.73 with tax to eat lunch there, and $14.58 with tax for dinner. Weekly menus can be found on the CC website.