A LOVE OF SKYDIVING AND REALLY GREAT SANGRIA
In 2011, when Christine Kelley (aka CK) began running the cafe at Skydive the Ranch in Gardiner, NY, she had no idea the force this beverage would become. The café, source of outstanding food and pleasant company by day, became a bustling speakeasy at night. Amidst raucous laughter, music and dancing, CK brewed up large batches of sangria for guests to enjoy after hours, only to have it disappear within minutes. She couldn’t make it fast enough, and skydivers couldn’t get enough of it.
Since then, CK and partner Tom Falzone have shared cases and cases of FREEFALL SANGRIA at events throughout the US. It has touched the lips of friends across the pond and to the west. They serve the chilled elixir with a playful warning: sip it slow and sip it long – dare to drink different!
Because of the increasing demand, they were encouraged to expand the operation. So they made the leap. Tom and CK purchased a property, taking production from the basement of their old farmhouse to the base of the Shawangunk Mountains. Here is where the next chapter began.
FREEFALL SANGRIA is becoming an after hours staple at dropzones, backyard BBQ’s and parties, bringing the magic of FREEFALL to sangria lovers everywhere. It is euphoric. It is smooth and powerful. It is strength and lightness of being all at once.
It is Liquid Altitude.
Orange County Distillery is the result of what happens when two small business owners have the same long four month off-season. What started as an off the hip idea at a Christmas party very quickly turned into something real, more than just an idea. That idea turned into an LLC, which turned a run down one-hundred year old barn being used for tractor and spare parts storage into a distillery, which turned a working vegetable farm into a farm that is now entirely a distillery farm.
Orange County Distillery was founded by John Glebocki and Bryan Ensall in 2014. Both former small business owners in Orange County, they now both work full time for Orange County Distillery. Co-Owner and Co-Founder John Glebocki was the owner of J. Glebocki Farms, a fifth-generation farm in Goshen, New York. Co-Owner and Co-Founder Bryan Ensall was the owner of a lawn care franchise that serviced all of Orange County, New York. Together, these two small business owners somehow found the spare time away from those other full-time jobs to build the distillery from the ground up, almost entirely with their own two hands (the only thing they chose not to do themselves was install the electrical panel board).
Orange County Distillery doesn't pretend to be something it's not. We're not a huge operation. In fact, almost all of our operations take place within our 7,000 square foot barn. But what that allows us to do is learn this craft at our pace on our terms. No one telling us to hurry up and sell before we're ready. We'll bottle and sell our spirits only when we are completely sure that you'll not only want to buy one bottle, you'll want to come back and buy another.
So come take a look, see our farm, try our spirits. If you want white-walls and granite counter tops while you sample spirits, we might not be your place. But if you want to see a true farm distillery, a true farm to bottle operation, then stop on by.
Orchard Hill is a licensed NY State Farm Winery that manufactures hard cider for the retail and wholesale market. Our location serves as a retail outlet with food service and event space that serves both private and public events.
Springbrook Hollow Farm Distillery is nestled within the Foothills of the Adirondack Mountains. We produce hand crafted, high quality spirits in a natural and innovative process. We are located 5 miles from Lake George, New York. Our address is 10047 NY-149, Fort Ann, NY 12827. We have indoor and outdoor seating available with live music, food trucks and events. Springbrook Hollow has been a source of water for centuries. The original wooden pipelines that delivered the precious water to the farmers are on display in our tasting room. This clean, unprocessed water gives our spirits a unique flavor that cannot be replicated. We distill our bourbon in a custom made copper pot still, one batch at a time. All our spirits are handmade, rich and full-bodied.