Mile High Spirits owner Wyn Ferrell loves space, he also loves making spirits like whiskey in Denver. So when the idea came to combine his two passions, he jumped on it.
“We are the first to send a barrel to the stratosphere and sell it to the public,” said Wyn Ferrell, owner of Mile High Spirits. “To be the first to do something in the whisky world, well, it’s rooted in traditions, so it’s rare to do something new.”
Getting something into space also proves fairly rare. It’s not easy to get someone to send anything out of this world, but lucky for Ferrell, his wife Chelsea works in the aerospace field. The two also act as field researchers and study asteroids through their personal telescope. When the idea came to him, Ferrell called Chelsea and basically asked if anyone could send a barrel of his whiskey to space.
Turns out space engineers are excited to make space whiskey too, though the first to agree wanted too much money for the project. The couple then moved on to Alan Stern, who works on a space flight and exploration project called World View, led by Ryan Hartman.
“World View was as excited about the opportunity as we were, and they made our dream come true,” said Ferrell, adding the project would have launched in 2020 but was delayed by COVID. “But, when we got a photo of our barrel and logo six-thousand feet above the Grand Canyon, it was a pretty big moment for all of us.”
In the end Mile High Spirits sent a three-gallon barrel into the stratosphere at 7:03 a.m. on July 15, 2021 from Page, Arizona. Due to the pressure, the barrel experienced near-vacuum conditions. Temperatures dropped as low as – 60 °C, and at the peak of the trip it reached 106,627 feet.
After about 24 hours the whiskey landed. However, based on a huge angel share, the total product yielded approximately 250, 50-milliliter bottles. Dubbed Strato Whiskey, each retails for $299, and comes in a case with a rocket-shaped cocktail shaker. As for the flavor, Ferrell said the quick 24-hour trip made a huge difference.
“The whiskey picked up notes never seen on Earth,” he said over the phone. “It has almost a metallic, antiseptic background and it’s very good with apple, oak, and caramel notes.”
Mile High Spirits took off in 2011 in Denver’s downtown Ballpark neighborhood. Aside from out-of-this-world whiskey, the distillery makes Fireside Bourbon, Denver Dry Gin, Elevate Vodka, Cuidado Tequila, and Peg Leg Rum, among others. While Strato Whiskey isn’t available in stores, the rest of the distillery’s line is, and can be found in 11 states.
As for sending more whiskey to space, Ferrell has great plans for what heights Mile High Spirits can reach.
Until then, join the official release and party on Thursday, August 22, from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $20 and includes samples of the Fireside Bourbon Single Barrel lineup, distillery tours, and raffles. Unfortunately we don’t get Strato Whiskey samples, there just isn’t enough, said Ferrell. But, he added, yo can taste the base and imagine. Register here.
Visit Mile High Spirit’s Distillery and Tasting Room on Fridays from 5 to 9 p.m., Saturday from 2 to 7 p.m., and Sunday from 1:30 to 6:30 p.m. There are also tours, but guests must book a spot by midnight the day prior. 2201 Lawrence St., Denver, drinkmhs.com
