In Distill of Night: Fresno's Very Own Artisan Brandy Distillery

One of the best things about The 559 Review is coming across new artisans, creators, and businesses I hadn't known about before. I came across another one of those this week when I talked to In Distill of the Night Spirits. Fresno has quite a few craft breweries and wineries, but did you know we also have a brandy distillery?

That's right! In addition to the fantastic play on words in their name, In Distill of Night produces some incredible small batch artisan brandy right here in the Valley.

Brandy may not be as popular of a liquor as tequila, vodka, or whiskey, but it certainly should be. If you're unfamiliar with Brandy, it's made from distilling wine grapes. Unlike wine though, it's got an alcohol content slightly higher than some of your more common liquors, typically 45-50%. So shots of brandy are not a good idea, and even more so because Brandy is meant to be a sipping liquor similar to Scotch. It's smooth and has unique flavor profiles. You'll definitely want to take your time and enjoy it- preferably as an after dinner drink.

In Distill of Night is a true mom and pop, family operation, too. The bottles are filled, labeled, and packaged by members of their family each time a new batch is rolled out. 

They started making their batches 10 years ago at their distillery up in Atwater. Operating on a batch system means each one comes out  just a little different from the last with unique flavor profiles. That means this is truly an artisanal product, not some commercialized spirit like the ones you normally see. It's been a hit too. On their website you can see the numerous awards their batches have earned them. 

It's no wonder. I'd never tried Brandy before, so I decided to try it for myself and it is as incredible as the awards say! Normally a scotch drinker, I was surprised at how smooth and rich it was.

If you're looking for something new and amazing to try, you're not going to want to pass up the opportunity to drink Velvet Night Brandy. 

Right now, you can purchase it via their website. If you're feeling creative, or want to hone your bartending skills a bit, go to their recipes page for some great cocktails you can make with it.

On July 2nd, they will be having a virtual tasting with Crafty Cask Sommelier and will be discounting their bottle $10 shortly after. Details will be on their social media pages in the coming days, so follow them on Facebook and Instagram (@indistillofnightspirits).

It's a pleasure to meet people so creative and passionate about their niche. When you try local products like this instead of our usual commercial ones, you get to take part in something truly incredible. This is a unique creation, and we have the pleasure of it being right here in our backyard. 

So go give Velvet Night Brandy a try and #drink559!

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