<\/p>\n
MANCOS, CO \u2013 Ian Michaels James.<\/p>\n
It sounds Scottish. It is Scottish. And Ian, which is Scottish for John, said he was born to distill spirits.<\/p>\n
James opened the Mancos Valley Distillery, located off Main Street down Ian\u2019s Alley, in January 2009. Today he distills and bottles small batches of white rum, spiced rum and coffee liqueur rum.<\/p>\n
A former commercial brewer for nearly two decades in Durango and Cortez, James envisioned that he would one day operate his own brewery. Market forces and economies of scale hampered that dream, so he opted to use his brewing skills to manufacture spirits.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe distilling process took a little bit of trial and error,\u201d James explained.<\/p>\n
A Colorado native, James said he moved to the area because he was a fan of the Mancos Valley: \u201cI like the wide open spaces, but it\u2019s still at a nice elevation.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe people are the best here,\u201d he continued. \u201cLike any small town, it takes a while to develop relationships, but it\u2019s a great family community.\u201d<\/p>\n
James uses both proven and innovative distillation techniques to produce his local rums. The process starts with a 75-gallon sugar cane juice mash. Following fermentation, the concoction results in a sugar cane wine at about 12.5 percent alcohol.<\/p>\n
\u201cI double distill the sugar cane wine in pot stills,\u201d James explained. \u201cThen I run it through a polishing still, and end up with about seven cases of 80-proof rum.\u201d<\/p>\n
Using five copper-clad pots, the production from cane to bottle requires approximately two weeks, James said.<\/p>\n
When possible, James uses local products during production. For example, his Colorado Coffee liqueur rum is spiced with coffee beans from the Fahrenheit Coffee Roasters Espresso Bar in Mancos.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen people buy local products, then it helps feed a local family,\u201d James said.<\/p>\n
The white rum is a basic mixer, and the spiced infused rum includes notes of cinnamon, orange peel, cloves and allspice.<\/p>\n
Once packaged, the rum is available on site as well as across southwest Colorado at various bars, restaurants and liquor stores. James hopes to expand into the Denver area, once he completes the installation of two seven-barrel fermenters later this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are more liquor stores on the Front Range than there are people in Montezuma County,\u201d James said. \u201cI don\u2019t know that for a fact, but it sounds good.\u201d<\/p>\n
A one-man business operation, James said he constructed the distillery mainly from salvaged, recycled pieces and parts that he had acquired over the years. He also relied on family and friends who were welders and carpenters.<\/p>\n
Describing the time-consuming, painful process of obtaining a federal licensing to open a distillery, James said if he could go back and start over, then he would have sought an investor.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy whole goal was to open the distillery on a shoestring budget, and then find someone down the road to help me get to the next level,\u201d James said. \u201cWith a partner, I probably could have reached goals a lot quicker.\u201d<\/p>\n
A generous supporter of the community, James leads the local Clampers chapter, a historical and fraternal organization known as E Clampus Vitus, and he\u2019s always willing to pitch in a couple of bottles for charity events in town, said Mike Treho, lead bartender at The Columbine Bar in downtown Mancos.<\/p>\n
\u201cIan\u2019s a good man.\u201d Treho said. \u201cHe\u2019s a valuable member of the community.\u201d<\/p>\n
Treho prefers the Mancos Valley Distillery\u2019s Spiced Rum, but added that all three are quality products.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat I like most is Ian doesn\u2019t cut corners,\u201d Treho said. \u201cHe doesn\u2019t skimp on anything. He uses all natural ingredients, and that\u2019s really cool.\u201d<\/p>\n
Known as the distillery\u2019s top fan, Treho said he enjoys James\u2019 friendship, because he gets to serve as a guinea pig when new batches are distilled.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe made a rum once that tasted like a smoked whiskey,\u201d Treho said.<\/p>\n
Treho said the Mancos Valley Distillery not only adds to the community\u2019s charm, but also helps spur economic activity downtown.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt helps generate more foot traffic for other businesses,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Mancos Chamber of Commerce administrator Marianne Griffin said local business leaders depend on community support. The town launched the Mancos Valley First campaign to encourage residents to consider local businesses first, before shopping out of town.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe encourage people to buy local, and that includes local rum,\u201d said Griffin.<\/p>\n
After drinking too much of his rum, James the Scotsman supports one Mancos business in particular.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe best hangover cure is a glass of chocolate milk and a breakfast burrito from Ted\u2019s Taco,\u201d he said, chuckling. \u201cThat\u2019s the Mancos cure.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition to manufacturing, the Mancos Valley Distillery also serves as a tasting room with live music on the weekends. James\u2019 best advice: \u201cCome try one of our \u2018Tastes Like Friday,\u2019\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s our signature cocktail featuring our white rum with ginger ale and a squeeze of fresh orange. It\u2019s light and refreshing.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Mancos Valley Distillery is holding a birthday bash for owner Ian James on Friday, June 7, featuring live music by Mancos own pop-punk band Comeback. Doors open at 5 p.m. with a $3 cover fee.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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