Time to get you some hype!

🔥❄️🔥❄️🔥❄️🔥❄️🔥❄️🔥

(It’s as good as you think it is.)

We have a new and very-limited release coming out — Winter Cranberry Krupnikas. The 2016 Batch will be ~800 bottles and after that, they’re gone!

We’re making the first batch now. The actual bottles should debut at our Triangle Ultimate Frisbee Fundraiser next weekend (which you should totally go to!).

We’ll have more info like what ABC Stores are carrying it, etc in the near future as it gets stocked up. To get the latest when that happens, join our email list thing here (if you are worried you’ll get a lot of spam from this, rest assured that only delicious Brothers Vilgalys branded Spam will be sent):

Our Krupnikas Spiced Honey Liqueur is now available in the Virginia ABC stores!

The stores have been added to our retailer directory. Currently we are stocked in 40 stores across the state in most major cities.

If you’d like to special order from somewhere it isn’t stocked, or if you are a bar / restaurant owner, the Virginia ABC Code for Krupnikas is 072685.

Other news from here in Durham:

• Our Tasting Room has come a long way and it’s looking nice and swanky. We’re available for small events, and will be running cocktail classes there as well as our usual tours.
• We’ve also refreshed our Swag Store with some new hoodies and bee logo jerseys.
• We’ll gradually be adding more cocktails to this website over the next week or two!

Hello Intertron!

Rim here with lots of exclamation points: !!!!!

Here’s why: Starting October 1st, we’ll be allowed to sell our own product to visitors who come for a tour. This has been a long time coming, as you can plainly see if you look back through the rest of this blog.

To that end we are taking over the next-door space and will be turning it into a tasting room. And for that, we’ve got a Kickstarter Campaign running. Right now we’re over 63% of the way there, with 8 days left. The whole thing ends on October 3rd so…

PROCRASTINATORS UNITE TOMORROW PARTY on October 2nd! Come on by for a happy hour / open house style tour from 4-7pm on Friday. We’ll have our bottling line up and running so you can even fill up and name your bottle, as well as being one of the first to ever purchase a bottle of our products directly! This will be a private event, so please register ahead of time at the Eventbrite link.

We’re also expanding the hours of our Tours to run from 4-7pm Wednesday – Friday and 2-5 pm Saturdays, so if you cannot make it to our party, you can certainly schedule a tour to come by and visit.

Some exciting news for all of you people who enjoy delicious stuff: We have new booze!

Not just one new thing, but four new liqueurs. All are made at 30%  and sweetened with raw cane sugar before being flavored with whole fruits, herbs, spices, and botanicals. So before we get into the “Rim tries to write a funny blog post” part, what are these things anyway?

Four new liqueurs from Brothers Vilgalys

Zaphod:

Starfruit, Guava, Mint, Sage, Lemongrass,  & Peppercorns. Makes for a lighter-bodied summery sipper, and a great mixer with sodas or sparkling wine.

Beebop:

Rhubarb, Hibiscus, Rosemary, Allspice, Chamomile & Coriander. As a sipper, Beebop is tart and savory with a dry finish. Add a bit of sparkling water to make a refreshing spritzer, or mix into cocktails to give them what cocktail-ologists refer to as “zing-zanginess.”

Beatnik:

Beets, Sage, Thyme, Rosemary, Fennel & Orange Zest. By itself, earthy and herbal flavors are balanced by a mild sweetness. Fantastic in gin drinks, or anything that needs a savory boost.

Jabberwock:

Coffee, Chicory, Lemongrass, Eucalyptus, Manzano & Chipotle Peppers. This thing is an absolute beast. Bitterness from coffee and chicory yields to smoky and peppery spice with a bit of sweetness barely keeping the rest of the flavors in check.

Where to buy them: So far we’ve gotten these on local ABC shelves (Wake, Durham & Orange Counties). We will be stocking up more ABCs in the coming weeks and months, and we’re talking to our distributors out of state as well.

How much money and stuff: All four sell for $17.95 a bottle and come in a 375 ml swingtop like you can see in the picture.

My local ABC doesn’t have them yet: Ask for them! This helps us immensely. You can also let us know where you’re trying to get them at, and we see what we can do to get them stocked for you.

I live in New Michabralaskaforina, where do I buy them: We will hopefully get these into an online retailer soon enough.

Why are you making more stuff: We want to make a great big pile of money and we think this is a good way to do that.

Wait but really, why: We do most of our business with Krupnikas in the wintertime. November and December have been crazy busy, but the spring and summer are somewhat slow. Trying to sell a Spiced Honey Liqueur when it is 95 degrees outside in North Carolina can be a bit tough.

It is still scientifically true that Krupnikas is the most delicious thing there is, and if you prefer other liquors there is something deeply wrong with you. (Source: Scientists who drink Krupnikas)

Now, on to:

Tasting Room Sales & Forthcoming Kickstarter

Thanks to the hard work of many other distillers and fans, NC ABC Rules are changing. Starting in October, we will be allowed to sell bottles out of our distillery to those who come for a tour. It will be limited to 1 bottle per person per year, but this is a big step forward nonetheless.

At Bros V. HQ, we’ll be adding a proper tasting room slash hang-out space and offering tours more often. Expect more details to come as we get closer to October, but for now just know that this is coming.

The other news is that we’ll be running a kickstarter campaign to help get this whole thing happening. The best ways to stay up to date on that stuff are:

• Constantly reloading this webpage, all the time, every day.
• Joining our mailing list here: 

  Email address:
• Following our things on Facebook or Twitter.
• Hiding out in a van across the street (please consider the former options first).

Oh man, lots of news around here!

We’re safely through the holiday season, and I can tell you that the past December and January were our best two months of sales ever. Combined we sold nearly 500 cases, or 3,000 bottles of Krupnikas.

Since then, there are a number of new updates:

You can now find Krupnikas in South Carolina through Advintage Distributing. In the next few months we’ll be promoting in all over the state, focusing on some of the border-town stores near Charlotte and in Charleston, Spartanburg, Greenville, and Columbia.

There’s a new way to buy Krupnikas online through Ezra’s in Chicago. You can also buy from Schneider’s of Capitol Hill in Washington DC same as before.

We’re making a small change to our tours schedule. Tours are now available on Thursday evenings or Saturday afternoons.

We’ve added a 500 liter kettle that can produce up to 6 times as much Krupnikas as the previous one. Over 700 bottles in one batch.

Secondly, There are some new recipes in the works. Without giving too much away, we have 4 experimental spring-summer flavors that will hit the local ABC stores first. They will debut at our Founders Club party in April, and should find their way onto shelves a bit after that.

We also now have mini bottles! Man they take forever to fill up, but they sure are cute.

The Distillery Sales Bill we’ve already mentioned has been re-introduced as Senate Bill 24 and House Bill 107. With two companion bills, and some changes to the legislative landscape, we’re hoping that the 20 distilleries in North Carolina are able to make this happen. Expect a further update when it’s time to blow up some inboxes and phones!

Dear Internet,

I have a favor to ask all Bros. V and NC Spirits fans in North Carolina. Tell your representatives to support NC House Bill 842, which will legalize direct-to-consumer sales at Distilleries.

This is the single biggest opportunity in front of Brothers Vilgalys right now. Not only does this create a new sales channel here in the Bull City, but it would let us use our own retail space as a “laboratory” for new products. Imagine Bros. V with ten other products just as good — no wait, let’s be realistic — almost as good as Krupnikas. That could happen with a bit of your help.

NC House Bill 842 will be coming up for a vote soon. You can help make sure it passes by emailing and especially by calling your representatives to show them you care about this. Some local ABCs are really freaked out by this idea, and while they are in the minority, these are politically connected people (political connections being how you get put on an ABC Board).

Find who your representatives are at this link.

Below is a sample email you can use.

Dear [SERIOUSLY PUT THE REP’S NAME HERE DON’T LEAVE THIS PART LIKE THIS],

As one of your constituents, I’m asking you to support NC House Bill 842, a bill that allows NC Distilleries to sell their own products to visitors of their facility. This is a bill with tremendous implications to the success of a new industry within the state, and would have many beneficial consequences.

• The bill would directly add jobs at over 14 currently-operational and dozens more start-up distilleries around the state.
• Distilleries in turn benefit NC Agriculture, buying from local farms, apiaries, and businesses.
• This bill would increase state and local revenues from bottle taxes at these distilleries.
• This bill has bipartisan support from members of both houses, as well as support from the NC Secretary of Agriculture, NC Secretary of Commerce, Department of Tourism, and NC Restaurant & Lodging Association.
• Because only a distillery’s own products can be sold, the ABC system is not threatened by this. ABC Commissioner Gardner has decided not to oppose the bill.
• North Carolina is one of only 5 control states in the country that does not allow distilleries to sell their own products.

Thank you for considering this matter. I encourage you to support this bill that is in the best interests of all North Carolinians. 

Thanks,
[YOUR OWN NAME AND STUFF]

The next thing is to spread the word. We’ll have stuff (links to this blog post & other things) posted on our Facebook and Twitter. Share those with people who like Krupnikas and who care about this stuff.

Thank you too all our customers!

And below is a sneak-preview of a building that might be the next Bros V. HQ if this passes!

-Rim Vilgalys

Bros. V. Executive Janitor, Senior Taste-Tester, and Assitant to the Air Guitarist

If HB-842 passes, we might end up here!

Still has that new internet smell!

Holy Moley. It’s officially the 8th month of the year, and approximately 18.8 million seconds since we sold the first case of Krupnikas.

Here’s some great news: Krupnikas will soon be available in Chicago! For anyone who doesn’t know, Chicago has the second-largest density of Lithuanians in the world (after umm… Lithuania), so it’s been on the radar for a while now. But thanks to our partners at Food Depot International, it’s going to happen!

More news: we’ve set an audacious goal for ourselves here at Bros V HQ. We’re on a mission to distribute 150 cases in the month of August. 900 bottles. 30 bottles per day.

How we’re going to get there:

• With your help (are you running low on Krupnikas?)
• By distributing online to DC, PA, Chicago, etc. (have you spread the word about our online distributor, Federal Spirits to your friends and family?)
• By selling into bars and restaurants in North Carolina (have a suggestion for a bar or restaurant?)
• Tasting events – pushing the brand (have an event you’re organizing or attending where a tasting would be a great idea?)
• Constantly making up researching new ideas for summery cocktails, so you can enjoy Krupnikas year-round. Like, Krupnikas and Lemonade! Or Krupnikas and Sweet Tea! Or dropped in a beer bomb of Bells Oberon! (or your own favorites, which you should totally share with us!)
• Your ideas here (seriously, do you have an idea?)

We’ll be updating The Facebook and The Chirpy Chirp Bird Site regularly with the status of our goal.

Brothers Vilgalys partner Jason H. Parker (your bottles probably say “Scruff”) is helping the company out by running a promotion on Facebook. Free SWAG at stake.

And, hey, if you need something to *SHOW*, check out this documentary made by Meredith McCarroll and Grace Mendenhall, students at the Duke CDS’s 2013 Weeklong Documentary Video Institute.

(The Brother Vilgalys from Center for Documentary Studies on Vimeo.)

Good afternoon internets! It’s Rim. You remember. We met that one time in that place. Okay, you don’t remember me. Well I was the guy with the honey liqueur. Oh that guy. Yea. It’s okay, I almost didn’t recognize you either. Yea, I got a haircut.

Getting back on track, it’s spring here in North Carolina! So, we’ve got pleasant weather. And pollen. And perhaps swarming bees.

One more left turn, before I actually get to what I was going to say. If you do see swarming bees, by chance, do not call pest control! They will just kill them. Call a local beekeeping group instead. The beekeepers will literally race one another to the scene to deal with the bees for you.

(Do not call beekeepers to deal with wasps. Wasps are just jerks and nobody cares if they die.)

Okay, anyway. Blog post. Spring time. You with me?

In its natural habitat, Krupnikas is a cold weather drink. Probably not surprising to anyone who’s tried it. Rich, thick spicy flavors that linger, and a finish that gently warms you up without the harsh alcohol bite. Perfect on its own, or goes well in coffee, tea, hot cocoa, eggnog, mulled wine, etc, etc, etc.

However, it can be a fantastic mixer for summertime cocktails as well! Here’s a few ideas for folks to try, and as always if you invent your own cocktails, I’d love to hear about them.

Firstly, there is Krupnikas on the Rocks. This will make it sweeter and smoother, with less of a lingering burn. Careful! It drinks quickly!

You can also add a splash of club soda to give it some more refreshing texture, and some bubbles. I like a 50-50 mix to keep the honey flavor prominent.

Another one I like is the “Lithuanian Hillbilly.” a bit of Krupnikas in some sweet tea. Ideally from Bojangles.

Two more slightly ‘advanced’ cocktails, meaning they have more that two ingredients:

Spiced Honey Margarita!
1.5 oz Krupnikas
1.5 oz Good Tequila (100% agave ftw!)
1.5 oz Sour Mix (make your own, it’s easy and delicious-er than what’s in the store)
Shake pour on the rocks, salt the glass if you want to. You could even add some cayenne if you’re into that. Look, you’re an adult, I’m not going to tell you what to do.

KruPunch!!!

Make this by the pitcher. Recipe somewhat depends on how much you want to make. I’ll just provide some suggested ratios.

30% Blood Oranges
15% Strawberries (ideally local and fresh)
15% Lemon / Lime juice
15% Light Rum (I officially endorse Muddy River Carolina Rum)
25% Krupnikas!

Throw all that stuff in a blender. Push the button. Pour on ice. Drink next to a pool and ignore all obligations.

AS ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY AND NEVER EVER DRINK AND DRIVE ALL CAPS THIS IS A BIG DEAL

Well it’s good to see you again internet. I look forward to awkwardly meeting you in a grocery store sometime.

Been a ‘slow’ couple weeks (not for sales, but for production — we had no money to buy ingredients or supplies), but we’re gradually getting the wheels turning again here. We’ve gotten the first few payments from ABC, so we’re able to buy more stuff to make Krupnikas! And that’s good news for everyone.

Oh, and Valentines day is almost here.

You make a great couple.

Yea, we didn’t remember either. Don’t worry, it’s not too late to impress that special someone. Just in case you’re not the roses, chocolate, or um… giant teddy bear kind of person, we’ve got some suggestions. And they’re simple suggestions. You could make these with mittens on. I don’t know why you would, but you could.

Here’s a few cocktails that might help you warm up your night:

The Blind Date

Named as such because I haven’t tried it, but I am curious and imagine it could be good.  

1 oz Krupnikas

1 oz Campari

2 oz Club Soda

Combine ingredients over ice and pour into a rocks glass to mix.

Berry Patch

1.5 oz Krupnikas

1 oz Rye Whiskey

.5 oz Chambord

Mix ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake three or four times and strain into a martini glass. Add either cherries or pomegranate seeds.

Pucker Up

1.5 oz Krupnikas

.5 oz Grenadine

1 oz sour mix

1 oz club soda

Mix ingredients in a shaker, invert once and serve on the rocks with a twist of lime. For a less sugary cocktail, substitute .5 oz of lime juice for the sour mix.

See also our “Superbowl Cocktails” as those are equally delicious, and are pretty much all-purpose cocktails as well.