Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey: Denver Craft Pioneer
Stranahan's is a Denver, Colorado distillery that describes itself as the top selling American single malt whiskey. It was one of the first craft whiskey distillers in the United States and Colorado's first modern microdistillery, and it was a leading voice in the push for an official American Single Malt category, enacted on 19 January 2025.
At a glance
Location: 200 South Kalamath Street, Denver, Colorado 80223
Founded: 2004, by Jess Graber and George Stranahan (Wikipedia)
Style: American single malt, at 43 to 47.3% ABV (86 to 94.6 proof) according to the official site
Core range: Original, Blue Peak, Sherry Cask and the annual Diamond Peak
Owner: Proximo Spirits bought the brand in 2010 per Wikipedia. Current ownership not confirmed on the official site.
Visiting: Denver distillery tours, tastings and cocktail lounge, plus a Whiskey Lodge in Aspen
Official website: stranahans.com
The story
The official version starts with a barn fire. Jess Graber was a volunteer firefighter who answered a call at a neighbour's barn in Woody Creek. The barn belonged to George Stranahan, a long time brewery owner and whiskey fan. The two found a shared love of the Colorado outdoors and of whiskey, and out of that friendship came a recipe for an American single malt.
Wikipedia dates the meeting to 1998 and says Stranahan, who founded Flying Dog Brewery, and Graber went into business together. The first batch was distilled in 2004 and bottled in 2006. Stranahan's is credited as Colorado's first legal distillery since Prohibition and as the spark for the state's craft distilling boom.
From brewery wash to its own mash
Wikipedia says Stranahan's first used wash from the Flying Dog Brewery before moving to a larger facility and making its own wash from 2009. It describes the whiskey as distilled from a 100% malted barley base, with four barleys from the Colorado area and water from the Eldorado spring outside Boulder, aged in new charred oak barrels. Those production details come from Wikipedia only and the age blend it gives is an older description.
Ownership and the people
2010: sold to New Jersey based Proximo Spirits, with operations staying in Colorado (Wikipedia)
Head distillers named by Wikipedia: Jake Norris (founding), Rob Dietrich (to 2019), then Owen Martin
Owen Martin left in late 2022 for Angel's Envy, where he is now Master Distiller
Justin Aden became Head Blender in 2023 (Wikipedia)
The range
Stranahan's Original: described as handcrafted from barley to bottle in the Denver distillery
Blue Peak: distilled at high altitude, aged in new American oak barrels and Solera finished
Sherry Cask: the newest core expression, finished in 500 litre Oloroso sherry barrels
Diamond Peak: an annual limited release of special cask finished whiskeys
Bottled in Bond: the official site announces its first Bottled in Bond as coming soon, aged 11 years and bottled at 100 proof, tied to Colorado's 150th anniversary
Volunteer bottling and visits
Stranahan's is known for volunteer bottling. Wikipedia says volunteers are picked by lottery from a waiting list it puts at over 20,000 people, and that each volunteer gets a tour and a bottle. The official menu lists Volunteer Bottling, Bottle Engraving, distillery experiences, a cocktail lounge and a Single Malt Society. A Stranahan's Whiskey Lodge has opened in Aspen.
Stranahan's FAQ
Who founded Stranahan's?
Jess Graber and George Stranahan, who met when Graber attended a fire at Stranahan's barn in Woody Creek, Colorado.
Where is Stranahan's made?
In Denver, Colorado. The distillery address is 200 South Kalamath Street.
Who owns Stranahan's?
Wikipedia says Proximo Spirits bought it in 2010. The official site does not state the current owner, so check before publishing.
Is Stranahan's an American single malt?
Yes. The brand sells itself as American single malt whiskey and campaigned for the formal category.
Sources and gaps
Sources read on 20 October 2026: the Stranahan's official home page (story, range, address, ABV range, visitor menu) and the Wikipedia article on Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey.
Gaps for Filip: the About Us and Our Story pages returned 404 or did not load, so founding dates, stills, mash and the current head distiller rest on Wikipedia. Owner after Proximo not confirmed. Individual ABVs, prices and tour times not verified. Set the URL slug by hand. Whisky Clan does not publish tasting notes in its distillery profiles.
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