10th Mountain Whiskey – Distillery Tour and Chat with Founder Ryan Thompson

10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Distillery
Gypsum Distillery & Tasting Room
500 Trail Gulch Rd, Gypsum, CO 81637
(970) 524-2580
Vail Tasting Room
227 Bridge St, Vail, CO 81657
(970) 470-4215
10thwhiskey.com
Tour / Review

We recently had the opportunity to visit the 10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Company’s distillery and tasting room in Gypsum, Colorado, and chat with owner and founder Ryan Thompson.

The Beginning

When Ryan Thompson, founder of 10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Company, began searching for a name for his distillery in 2013, he had to look no further than his backyard. The company’s circuitous namesake story began in 1942, long before whiskey-making at high altitudes was even a glimmer in anyone’s imagination.

The 10th Mountain Division

The U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division was created during World War II. Its purpose was to train soldiers in winter conditions and rugged terrain at high altitudes. As it turned out, the best-suited place for such an endeavor was the Pando Valley, high in the mountains of Colorado. The original 10th Mountain Division was comprised of 15,000 alpine soldiers. Their training occurred at Camp Hale located north of Leadville, where the oxygen-starved air at 9200 ft made training conditions most arduous.

The 10th Mountain Whiskey and Spirit Company is so named as a tribute to this amazing unit of soldiers. Though its involvement in WWII was short-lived, its impact was unquestionable. In January 1945, the 10th Mountain Division was first sent to the Northern Apennines in Italy to engage German troops. Though they suffered heavy casualties and injuries, the 10th succeeded in their mission. The Germans surrendered in Italy in May 1945. The 10th remained in service until August 1945. The unit was then sent home as their duty had been completed.

More Than Just A Name

However, for Ryan Thompson, The 10th’s influence did not end with just its name. Thompson was also drawn to the stories of those soldiers who stayed in Colorado. Many permanently embraced mountain life and harnessed their entrepreneurial spirit at altitude. For example, veterans of the 10th Mountain Division played a pivotal role in the evolution of the ski industry in Colorado and across the country. Aspen, Vail, and Arapahoe Basin each owe their beginnings to veterans of the 10th. Furthermore, 10th Mountain Division veterans played important roles in other outdoor communities. The Sierra Club and the National Outdoor Leadership School had 10th veterans leading or starting their organizations. Colorado’s 10th Mountain Hut Association (a network of mountain huts for winter and summer backcountry enthusiasts) owes its creation to a veteran of the 10th.

Ryan Thompson’s Journey

Thompson’s admiration and appreciation for the local history of the 10th made its name the obvious choice for the 10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Company. In fact, Thompson himself felt a strong pull to the mountains back in 1998. Leaving collegiate life behind, Thompson landed in the Vail Valley and commenced the life of a ski bum (his words) during the day, and bartender at night. Over the years he became more entrenched in the service industry. So much so, that in 2002, he became part-owner of the West Side Cafe in the Vail Valley.

Thompson said that although the restaurant was doing well, he was ready to do something else. He had taken notice of several distillery start-ups in Colorado in the early 2000s and thought someone in town should make whiskey; why not him?

Starting the 10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Co Distillery

While Thompson learned all he could about the business through research, he needed some practical help with distilling. So, in 2013, he headed to Moonshine University in Louisville, KY to learn the necessary skills. The following year, in 2014, the 10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirits Company opened in the heart of Vail Valley.

Although whiskey-making was underway at their Gypsum, CO location (a quick 40-minute drive west on I-70 from the Vail Tasting Room) with the distillery’s original 15-gallon still, Old Betsy, the business would need a larger still to grow the brand. Therefore, soon after opening, 10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirits Company retired Old Betsy and replaced her with War Angel, the distillery’s 500-gallon hybrid potstill. While the Vail Village location offers a full bar, barrel-aged cocktails, whiskey flights, and of course, bottle sales, the Gypsum distillery has all the necessities for continued great whiskey-making. Grain silos for storage, a 4-roller mill for crushing the grain, the cooker, fermenters, and of course, War Angel. There’s a tasting bar and gift shop, too.

Expansion and Production

10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Company produces about 7 barrels of whiskey weekly. All barrels are stored and aged on-site. According to Thompson, the company is in the planning stage for a new onsite rickhouse. Bottling also occurs at the Gypsum location, and each step is done by hand: filling, labeling, and casing.

While the distillery produces its whiskeys in the same manner as any flatlander, due to their location at 6300 feet in elevation, there is one very intriguing deviation. The whiskies of 10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirits Company age differently. According to Thompson, their whiskey goes into the barrel at 120, and the proof continues to rise significantly. After two years, most barrels have reached a proof of 128-130, a result of the dry mountain air. Thompson also pointed out another surprising fact. It turns out that temperature swings in Gypsum, particularly in the summer, can be as much as 40-45 degrees. That’s similar to that of any other midwestern distillery.

Also, similar to many other distilleries, 10th Mountain produces additional spirits alongside its core line-up of whiskeys. From a classic potato vodka to a small batch brandy made from Pinot Noir grapes, these spirits have a strong Colorado following. The whiskeys produced include 10th Mountain Bourbon, 10th Mountain Rye, American Single Malt Whiskey, and the 100% corn-made Colorado Clear Mountain Moonshine.

Philanthropy

In addition, the whiskeys of the 10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Company are frequently called upon to serve a higher purpose: philanthropy. From the company’s inception, a desire to support causes that are “near and dear to our hearts” has been a continuous objective. Plaques and memorabilia from the many organizations that the distillery has supported over the years cover the walls of the Gypsum tasting room. 

Not surprising, however, is that these are predominately veteran organizations. Whether local or national, 10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirits Company sets its sights on “giving back to those that have given so much.” The Vail Veterans Program, 10th Mountain Healing, BaseCamp 40, and the Fort Drum Volunteer Support Fund are just a few of the many organizations the distillery has supported over its ten years. Most support is through the distillery’s barrel pick program, however, 10th Mountain is always up for a party.

A Colorado Destination

The 10 Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Company is a Colorado mountain distillery well worth the stop. For us, it was a destination. For those traveling the I-70 corridor, it’s a no-brainer. Any closer and the distillery would be sitting smack dab on the entrance ramp to the interstate. Although its story was years in the making, 10th Mountain was worth the wait. Inspired by its local history and purposed by its passion for helping others, while this mountain distillery may be small, it has quite a large heart. And, yes, they make some damn fine whiskey, too!

Would you like to read about other Colorado Distilleries? Then check out our Leopold Bros Distillery Tour Review and our The Reserve by Old Elk Distillery Review!

Would you like to learn more about distilleries and bourbon? Are you planning a trip to Kentucky Distilleries? Maybe you would like to live the bourbon life vicariously through us? If any of these are true, then check out BourbonObsessed.com today!