Great Lakes Distillery’s Pumpkin Spirit

Spirit Spotlight – November – GLD’s Aged Pumpkin Spirit

One of my favorite places to hang out and enjoy craft cocktails in Milwaukee is at Great Lakes Distillery. This local artisan distillery creates a wide variety of amazing spirits with all locally sourced grains and ingredients. From Brightonwood’s Apples (for their incredible Apple Brandy) to the locally sourced ginseng used in the Gin, GLD is constantly experimenting with different ideas, different flavor profiles, and ultimately creating some of the most memorable cocktails I’ve ever had anywhere in the world. (Guy – if you ever read this, here’s my subtle reminder of how badly I’d like some Nocino)

This month’s Spotlight Spirit is the Great Lakes Distillery Pumpkin Spirit.

This collaboration between GLD and Lakefront Brewery has been a local favorite for years now. The Lakefront Brewery Pumpkin Lager is brought over to GLD and then distilled and aged in American Oak Barrels. This truly unique spirit is made with real pumpkin based off a recipe that was originally created by Thomas Jefferson. The Lager holds up on its own as a great brew (check out Lakefront Brewery for more details), but when distilled and barrel aged it takes on a completely different life.

This Whiskeyesque spirit carries all the charm of a well-crafted well-aged whiskey with the subtle overtones of pumpkin and those bright fall spices (nutmeg and clove). A lot of people (when first introduced to the spirit) will ask how to drink it? And as the website says – “like a Whiskey!!!”

Here are two GLD Pumpkin Spirit-based cocktails that I hope you enjoy this month!!!

The Autumn Harvest

• 2oz. Great Lakes Distillery Pumpkin Spirit
• A healthy dash of Angostura Bitters (or the flavored bitter of your choice)
• 4oz. Fresh pressed Apple Cider (preferably non-filtered)
• Add ice and gently stir, then sip and enjoy!!!
  • (Adding the tiniest pinch of ground cinnamon is always a solid option)
• Fill a highball glass with ice, add ingredients (in no particular order) stir gently, and enjoy.

And if you’re a true Wisconsin lush (and you can procure both the Lakefront Brew and the GLD Spirit) then this cocktail is perfect for a booze-bag* such as yourself…

The Pumpkin Smashing

• 1.5oz. Great Lakes Distillery Pumpkin Spirit
• ½ Lemon Slice
• ½ Orange Slice
• Dash of orange liquor (i.e., GLD Good Land Orange Liquor)
• Lakefront Brewery’s Pumpkin Lager
• Muddle Cointreau, orange slice and lemon slice in a Collins glass. Add Pumpkin Spice Seasonal Spirit and fill with ice. Stir well. Top with Lakefront Pumpkin Lager and stir to combine. Enjoy.

For more information about Great Lakes Distillery, please visit their website. These are amazing people, making amazing spirits.

*Credit Ross Salchow and his ever brilliant lexicon