Kings County Distillery Debuts A New Cold Brew Coffee Whiskey

Coffee cocktails are having a moment, and Espresso Martinis are only the beginning. Now, as ready-to-drink bottled cocktails and non-sweetened flavored spirits dominate the industry, Kings County Distillery has stepped in at the perfect time to take the scene to the next level. Introducing: Coffee Whiskey, a full-bodied 40% ABV spirit that's made from cold brew and isn't a liqueur. In a press release, Kings County founder and distiller Colin Spoelman explains that this Coffee Whiskey is a departure from the admittedly limited uses of coffee commonly seen behind the back bar: a sugary syrup (like the kind used in White Russians) or regular brewed coffee as a cocktail base.

Other coffee spirits have been gaining traction amongst industry professionals in the past few years, namely the highly awarded Mr. Black cold brew liqueur, made from Australian wheat vodka and toting a 25% ABV. Similarly, the popular Cantera Negra has a tequila base and a 20% ABV. But, Kings County's Coffee Whiskey is the first whiskey-based premium cold brew coffee spirit on the market with a standard liquor ABV. It even features a small (but detectable) 14 mg of caffeine per standard shot. 

This new cold brew coffee whiskey is a collaboration with another small business, Parlor Coffee. The product is a fusion of Kings County bourbon and corn whiskey, and Parlor cold brew with tropical and chocolate flavors — the best of both worlds with an emphasis on Brooklyn's unique craft culture.

Per the press release, Kings County Distillery's Coffee Whiskey was designed as a celebration of the best of Brooklyn's craft beverage scene. Both Kings County and Parlor Coffee are located in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, a former American Revolution-era military complex now transformed into an industrial commercial area. Indeed, this collaboration is as much a monument to Brooklyn food culture as it is to the borough's history of self-made innovation.

Kings County Distillery is the oldest, largest, still-operating whiskey distillery in New York City, but it wasn't always the giant it is today. When it got its start in 2010, Kings County was actually the smallest commercial distillery in America, operating out of a 325-square-foot space in East Williamsburg. Similarly, when Parlor Coffee was founded in 2012, it started in the back of a Williamsburg barber shop. The businesses grew thanks to their top-shelf quality and word of mouth from dedicated, loyal customers. Today, Kings County continues its dedication to the local food scene by sourcing grain from New York farmers and using traditional equipment for distilling.

Kings County Coffee Whiskey hits distillery shelves on April 19 and is set to expand to other New York liquor purveyors thereafter. A 750 ml bottle runs for around $45, varying depending on where in the U.S. you're located. This ready-to-drink spirit would work great in cocktails, but could also be enjoyed neat as an elevated yet effortless digestif.