Production places
Connections to water sources, peat places, maltings, cooperages, warehouses and maturation sites. Uncertain connections are labelled.
No documented production places are linked to this distillery yet.
Honey House Distillery
Quick Overview of the Distillery
Honey House Distillery in Durango, Colorado is a small, family-inspired microdistillery that stands out by using Rocky Mountain wildflower honey in all its recipes. The place was started by two friends and engineers in 2012 and has a custom-built 250-gallon still shaped like a beehive, nicknamed "Queen Bee", which serves as both production apparatus and a visual centerpiece for visitors.
History
The history begins in 2012, when Kevin Culhane and Adam Bergal decided to establish a distillery in Durango after many years of participating in distillery events and planning. Certain elements from the family's beekeeping traditions, which span more than three generations, were incorporated early into the idea, and the focus was placed on using mountain wildflower honey as a central raw material. To reflect this connection, the distillery had a 250-gallon still built in the shape of a beehive by Vendome Cooper Works. The still's nickname, "Queen Bee", functions today as both production equipment and a display piece at the distillery's address in Honeyville in Durango.
Raw Materials and Production
Production is small-scale and centered around the use of Rocky Mountain wildflower honey in the recipes; the honey is a consistent raw material across the entire lineup. The distillery operates a custom-built 250-gallon beehive-shaped still, known as "Queen Bee", produced by Vendome Cooper Works, underscoring the craft focus and the visual identity. The founders are engineers, and their approach has been to balance flavor and technique so that the honey's character integrates into the spirits. Beyond honey, no specific grain varieties, fermentation methods, or details about the distillation process are listed on the website.
Whiskeys
The lineup includes a selection of honey-based and classic spirits: Colorado Honey Whiskey™, a cinnamon variant, a Straight Bourbon, as well as non-whiskey products such as HEX Vodka, Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur, and Colorado Botanical Gin. The products are presented as Honeycrafted small-batch releases, where honey's role is central to the dedicated 'honey' releases, while the distillery also produces traditional spirit types such as bourbon, vodka, and gin.
| Whiskey | Type / Series | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado Honey Whiskey™ | Honey Whiskey | Current; Core range |
| Cinnamon Honey Whiskey | Honey Whiskey | Current; Core range |
| Straight Bourbon Whiskey | Bourbon | Current; Core range |
| HEX Vodka | Vodka | Current; Core range |
| Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur | Liqueur | Current; Core range |
| Colorado Botanical Gin | Gin | Current; Core range |
Visit the Distillery
The distillery invites visitors to drop in and taste; contact details (phone and email) are provided for planning visits. Opening hours are seasonally divided: Memorial Day to Labor Day 8:00–18:00 and Labor Day to Memorial Day 9:00–17:00. There are noted closures on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The website also mentions 'Find a store' and limited product shipping.
The stated opening hours are Memorial Day to Labor Day: 8:00–18:00. Labor Day to Memorial Day: 9:00–17:00. Closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Philosophy and Craft
Honey House integrates the family's beekeeping traditions into the distilling work and makes Rocky Mountain wildflower honey a central raw material. The distillery's identity is built on small-scale production, the honey's role in the recipes, and a deliberate visual craft expression through a custom-built beehive-still.