SLO LIFE Magazine AugSep 2021

neat, and Kroener shares something so obvious that I’m a little embarrassed
to have not realized it myself, but that’s what I get for sticking to breweries.
There is a magical proof number that has historical significance, Navy Proof.
At 114 proof, or 57% ABV, this is the sweet spot where salty consumers
could test their purchase before buying. Add a few grains of gunpowder to
pure rum, use a magnifying glass to light it, and if it just barely lit it was
“proof,” unlit and it was under-proof, exploding into a fiery ball and it was
over-proof. A great way to test that you’re not being overcharged for watered
down rum and as a bonus it ensured your kegs of gunpowder stayed viable
in case your rum barrels leaked in the ship’s hold. Fascinating history lesson
aside, these boozy bottles are perfect for cocktails. I love a good cocktail, but
rarely use a premium hooch because you’re tasting more of the mixer and
diluting the spirit much as you would by adding water. By using a high-proof
spirit in a cocktail, you’re able to taste the complexities and won’t lose the
investment you made in that nice bottle.
I’m furiously taking notes since Kroener talks as fast as he moves
and we’re already being led over to a barrel where he’s removing the
bung and inserting a “whiskey thief ” to pull samples of a young,
heavily proofed whiskey. There is just a touch of color showing
partially from the short life in the barrel and partially due to the
previous product that was remaining in the wood. This “devil’s cut”
is the whiskey that was absorbed into the wood and remained there
until another liquid, in this case the newest batch, is introduced and
absorbed into the wood. As the barrel breathes the liquids exchange
and the process continues throughout the life of the barrel. I’m
thoroughly enjoying my sample which tastes syrupy sweet and is
deceptively enjoyable even at 114 proof.
KROBĀR offers standard strength spirits at 80 proof much like the
majority of bottles you would find off the shelf in any store, but they
also produce a lot of offerings at 90, 92, and 114 proof. I’ve heard that
our palate cannot perceive flavors past 70 proof and it’s recommended
to add a few drops of water to bring the numbers down to that level.
Seizing an opportunity to ask this of a professional, I’m immediately
schooled in a way that will change my spirit drinking for the rest
of my life. Kroener breaks it down first by addressing water and the
differences in tap, reverse osmosis, distilled, and frozen. R.O. water
is stripped of all minerals leaving only hydrogen and oxygen atoms,
tap is similar but with the addition of some purifying chemicals
such as chlorine, and ice is just one of those with the addition of
possibly blocking some flavors and aromas achieved through a room
temperature spirit while diluting it. Distilled water is their choice
in the distilling process as it leaves some minerality for the alcohol
to bind with. As for higher proofs, it is a matter of personal taste
preference and ability to perceive flavors, so one can have a higher
ABV with their drink if they enjoy it. As professionals, we are able to
still pull nuances from the offerings. Kroener and I both enjoy ours
either neat (no ice/water) or with the addition of a cooling agent that
does not dilute the spirit, such as a whiskey stone, small cubes carved
from soapstone. He goes one step further by citing molecular biology
and that the addition of water can make off-flavors more pronounced.
No more water in scotch for me!
That’s all good and well for the 80-92 proof beverages, but what about
those triple-digit spirits? They taste fantastic, but the heat coming off
them makes you wonder if you’ll be curled up in bed for the entirety
of the following day. I ask about these, albeit after drinking a few
Kroener’s vast knowledge of barrels is impressive but also highlights his
twenty-five years of experience in wine making. He explains which types
of wood are used (American whiskey uses American oak) and the various
merits and flavors imparted by the use of new barrels, triple charred
barrels, second use barrels, and more. Sadly but mercifully, he leads us away
from the wood and over to the metal. Kroener talks fast and my notes
are garbage, getting more illegible as we proceed. Thankfully, he takes us
over to the centerpieces of the whole operation, the glistening copper
stills. Apparently, they keep getting bigger as his operation has ramped
up from workshop experiments into full-fledged operations over two
locations. His pride and joy, however, is an absolute work of art and his
own design. Hand-rolled and hammered copper forms the imposing tower
before us. I couldn’t keep up with the design processes and lexicon, but I
did come away with more respect for the difficulty in not only sourcing
the craftsmen that still make these, but the science behind the design.
The large column collects the vapors, the contact with copper purifies it
while adding character, and it has to be just the right size and shape. Too
small and there’s not enough surface area, too large and the vapors will not
concentrate correctly. Add on to that the copper itself is actually lost in the
process to the point where it will eventually eat through the still’s walls.
Amazing stuff and a testament to the art form that is distilling.
Head swimming with knowledge, yeah, knowledge, we head back to the
tasting room and sit down to the flight. Kroener makes his own candied nuts,
a great palate cleanser between those four gins and one rum I was ogling
earlier. I work my way down the line, no stranger to tasting flights, going
from the mildest to the strongest. The four gins are all vastly different, one
has butterfly pea flower, the next a mix of five citrus, then the Navy Strength
chock full of botanical aromas, finally the bourbon barrel aged gin with that
smoky vanillin char, and lastly the Navy Strength Golden Rum aged for three
years in bourbon and rye barrels for a delectably rich molasses nose. Meaney
and I both being gin and tonic fans, determine that the strong gin is amazing
and would be a great GnT addition to our liquor cabinets, but we could drink
the Butterfly Gin neat any day of the week.
It was a great break from beers to be able to
experience a new addition to the growing family
of craft producers in San Luis Obispo and get
a behind-the-scenes experience with someone
that can impart a vast portfolio of knowledge.
I not only came away with a few bottles, but
some information that I can share with you
and better enjoy my next quaff. I recommend
heading over after work and grabbing a curated
cocktail or lining up a flight of tasters to
experience KROBĀR for yourself. Also, if you
think I left without walking across the parking
lot for a cold beer and some billiards, you
clearly don’t know me. So check out this new
spot and stay a while. Raise a glass and say it
with me, Slàinte Mhath! SLO LIFE
TODD MEANEY is a
landscape, product, and
lifestyle photographer
living the SLO Life with his
brewery-loving Great Dane.
94 | SLO LIFE MAGAZINE | AUG/SEP 2021