Atelier Vie Announces the Inaugural Release of Crosstown Traffic: Spirits Distilled From Local Beer

Our series of fall bottlings culminates with an unusual new spirit. Crosstown Traffic was distilled from beer brewed by our neighbors Zony Mash. This first edition of Crosstown Traffic was made from two beers: a hoppy Imperial Pale Ale (IPA) and a coffee-flavored porter.

660 crosstown soloIMG 4052

The spirits were double pot distilled and aged in a pair of five gallon oak barrels for a minimum of one year. After aging the spirits were blended and brought to proof with pure water. No flavorings were added and no chill filtration was performed.

How does it taste? Like whiskey* infused with pungent hops aroma while mellow coffee notes lurk in the background. To use the terminology associated with the IPA that it was distilled from, the flavor has concentrated “fluffiness” which is a new term for a different beer marketing word that is “played out” and thus won’t be mentioned.

But don’t just take our word for how it tastes. Zacc Olivieri, who is a long-time aficionado of our spirits, happened to be in the right place at the right time, and snagged the very first bottle sold. Here is what Zacc had to say after some initial tasting.

“It’s pretty damn tasty. Trying it with ice next, but somehow the smoothness of the coffee and the piney-ness of the hops come together and create a chocolate sweetness that somehow goes just right with the creaminess of the spirit. The mouth feel reminds me of Zubrowka Bison Grass Vodka in the best way possible. Insanely unique and downright f***** tasty, my friend. Great job.”

After trying Crosstown Traffic neat, Zacc also tried it on ice.

“Once the ice lets it breathe the bite diminishes and that velvety sweetness overtakes. This is really interesting now.”

Crosstown Traffic is bottled in 750ml at 42% ABV (84 proof). A total of fifty two bottles were produced. Due to the small size of this first edition, Crosstown Traffic is only available at the distillery. Crosstown Traffic and all of our spirits can now be purchased through our online store for no-contact payment. Pick up by appointment at the distillery.

*In the eyes of the law, this is not whiskey. Using the word “whiskey” on the label is strictly forbidden by Federal Authorities. Technically, this is a Distilled Spirits Specialty. But you can call it whatever you like.

Our Free T-Shirt program continues! Through the end of the year, we’re offering a free Atelier Vie T-shirt with every purchase over $100. Our newest T-shirt design features the Atelier Vie logo on the front and our motto, “Liquor is Art you can Drink” on the back. Printed in gold ink on a black t-shirt. These shirts are 100% cotton and super comfortable. Sizes available are S-M-L-XL-XXL. While supplies last, offer limited to one shirt per customer.

Posted in Atelier Vie, Whiskey | Leave a comment

Atelier Vie Fall Bottlings Continue with Two Year Barrel Aged Calio Rum

Atelier Vie is pleased to announce a new release of Barrel Aged Calio Rum. This release is two years old and was aged in a former whiskey barrel.

660 calio 2yr IMG 3993

Calio Rum begins with Louisiana molasses from a nearby sugar mill. No additional sugar is used, either during fermentation or after distillation. After fermenting the molasses and pot distilling the rum, we bring the new make rum to barreling strength and enter it into barrels that were previously used for whiskey. We use a variety of barrel sizes and types. This bottling was aged in a fifteen gallon bourbon barrel for a minimum of two years.

Calio Rum has no coloring, flavoring or additives. Just pure rum flavor, enhanced by barred aging. Perfect for sipping, amazing mixed. Deep molasses flavor, true Louisiana terroir. This two year old rum is warm and tasty, with a nice balance of oak adding to the complexity.

Our two year old bottling of Calio Rum is available immediately for purchase through our online store. Order online and pick up at the distillery.

Our Free T-Shirt program continues! Through the end of the year, we’re offering a free Atelier Vie T-shirt with every purchase over $100. Our newest T-shirt design features the Atelier Vie logo on the front and our motto, “Liquor is Art you can Drink” on the back. Printed in gold ink on a black t-shirt. These shirts are 100% cotton and super comfortable. Sizes available are S-M-L-XL-XXL. While supplies last, offer limited to one shirt per customer.

Posted in Atelier Vie, Calio | Leave a comment

Atelier Vie is Pleased to Announce our 2020 Release of Riz, Louisiana Rice Whiskey

Riz, the original Louisiana Rice Whiskey, is back.

660 riz IMG 3982

Our 2020 release of Riz is here. Since our 2019 release of Riz sold out in June, 2019 we have received many inquiries about when Riz would be available again.

The wait is over. This release of Riz is our biggest and oldest release so far. This edition of Riz was distilled from 100% Louisiana rice and has been barrel aged for a minimum of three years.  A total of 143 bottles were filled.

Riz is available for pickup from the distillery via purchase at our online store. Riz is also in stock at our distributor, International Wine & Spirits, for wholesale purchases.

If you place an order through our online store, please be sure to include your phone number and email us to set a time for pickup. Same day pickup may be possible depending on our production schedule.

Posted in Atelier Vie, Riz, Whiskey | Leave a comment

New Orleans Distillery Atelier Vie Releases Euphrosine Gin #9 Bottled In Bond

September 14, 2020 — New Orleans. Atelier Vie is pleased to announce a significant new release: a bottled in bond expression of Euphrosine Gin #9. This release is the first bottled in bond release of any kind from a Louisiana distillery and one of the first releases of a bottled in bond gin worldwide.

660 EGB JNH 0320

About Bottled In Bond Gin
To qualify as Bottled in Bond, the spirit must be aged a minimum of four years and bottled at 100 proof (50% ABV).

Until recently, Federal regulations required that for gin to qualify as bottled in bond, it would have to be stored for four years in barrels lined with wax, to prevent any influence of the wood on the spirit.

It’s readily apparent to observers that this requirement defeats the purpose of barrel aging. Contact with the wood and the passage of the spirit through the wood is an essential part of barrel aging.

Furthermore, regulations forbade the use of the term “aged” in relation to gin. This curious rule resulted in barrel aged gins, such as Atelier Vie’s Euphrosine Gin #9 Barrel-Finished Reserve, having to resort to euphemisms rather than accurate description.

Labeling Regulations Changed
However, after well over a year of draft rulemaking, public comment, and further consideration, the Federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) recently modernized a variety of spirits labeling regulations. Among these changes, TTB made some sensible changes in relation to gin. As of May 4, 2020, TTB now permits distillers to describe barrel aged gin as “aged” and now also allows for bottled in bond gin to be aged in unlined oak barrels.

A Fortunate Coincidence
This is the moment where this recent change in the rules meets with a fortunate coincidence.

“Back in 2016, we had some extra gin and some empty barrels at the distillery,” explains Jedd Haas, President of Atelier Vie. “Our standard barrel aged gin, Euphrosine Gin #9 Barrel-Finished Reserve, is aged for nine months. We had previously experimented with a batch that was aged for thirteen months, but the results lacked a good balance of flavors and the spirit was unusable. So with no expectations, and simply as an experiment, we filled two barrels with new make gin and put the barrels aside. These barrels sat in the distillery for years, nearly forgotten, with no end use in mind. The modernization of the labeling regulations for bottled in bond gin was both unexpected and fortuitous. The end result is that through this rule change, our experiment could suddenly became a real product. This turn of events left only the most important question to consider. Was it any good? As you’ll recall, our earlier experiment with aging gin for thirteen months was a failure, so we had only a small amount of optimism prior to opening the barrels. But in this case, we had a pleasant surprise. After four years, the spirit has been transformed with incredible notes of oak and smoke. This is a whisky lover’s gin and it’s delicious,” Haas concluded.

Spirit Details
Euphrosine Gin #9 Bottled in Bond has been barrel aged a minimum of four years and is bottled in 750ml at 100 proof (50% ABV). The retail price at the distillery is $65, which includes all of our notoriously high sales taxes. Euphrosine Gin #9 Bottled in Bond is also in stock for wholesale purchase from our Louisiana distributor, International Wine and Spirits. A total of 204 bottles were produced.

Distillery Purchases via Online Store
Due to the ongoing public health emergency, the distillery is not open to the public for tours and tastings at this time. However, all spirits can be purchased for curbside pickup through our new online store. Visit https://atelier-vie-llc.square.site to place your order online and complete the purchase. Orders are typically ready for pickup the following morning between 9am and 10am. Depending on our production schedule, an alternate pickup time may be arranged. More details are on our site, ateliervie.com.

Atelier Vie’s Spirits
In addition to Euphrosine Gin #9 Bottled in Bond, Atelier Vie also distills both a standard version of Euphrosine and a nine month barrel aged version, Barrel-Finished Reserve. The Atelier Vie lineup also includes Louisiana Single Malt, distilled from 100% malted barley; Riz, Louisiana Rice Whiskey; Calio Rum and Barrel Aged Calio Rum, both distilled from Louisiana molasses; Orphan Street Brandy and Orphan Street Brandy “El Jefe” Edition; Toulouse Green, Absinthe Verte, a traditional-style absinthe inspired by French recipes from the 1800s and distilled with Louisiana wormwood; and Toulouse Red, Absinthe Rouge, a “new school” American absinthe colored red with hibiscus and excellent for cocktail mixing. Atelier Vie also bottles Buck 25 Vodka, an overproof cane vodka designed for creative mixologists to craft their own spirits flavors through rapid infusion; and Orphan Street Bourbon.

The Company
Inspired by our renowned culinary culture, Atelier Vie creates flavorful new spirits in one of the greatest drinking cities of the world. “Liquor is art you can drink.” Atelier Vie was founded in 2011 by Jedd Haas.

Contact:
Jedd Haas
504-534-8590 (distillery line, leave message)
jedd@ateliervie.com

“Real New Orleans Spirits” is a registered trademark of Atelier Vie, LLC.

A high resolution version of the image included in this release is available for print use on request.

-30-

Posted in Atelier Vie, Barrel-Finished Reserve, Bottled In Bond, Euphrosine Gin #9, Press Releases | Leave a comment

Online Store for Pickup Orders

Our online store for pickup orders is live.

Visit https://atelier-vie-llc.square.site to place your order online and complete purchase.

All orders are ready for pickup the following morning between 9am and 10am. After completing the purchase, please email us to confirm your exact pickup time. Depending on our production schedule, an alternate pickup time may be arranged.

If you haven’t visited the distillery before, please be sure to read our Visit page for directions. All visitors should come to the front door facing Broad St. and masks are required.

Shipping Spirits
We cannot ship our spirits for you, however, we have some 12-pack wine shipper boxes on hand so that you can ship them yourself or check them on your flight. FREE with purchase of 6 or more 750ml bottles.

Posted in Atelier Vie | Leave a comment

Hand Sanitizer Sell Sheet

660 sanitizer bottling line IMG 3583

Click the link below to download a PDF file of our hand sanitizer sell sheet, with full details on our product.

Atelier Vie Hand Sanitizer sell sheet.pdf

Posted in Atelier Vie | Leave a comment

Hand Sanitizer Production Begins at Atelier Vie

With hand sanitizer in short supply and requests pouring in, we’ve overcome regulatory and supply hurdles to begin our production.

660 bottles IMG 3566

This initial run is packaged in 750ml bottles, 12 per case, and is 80% ABV. Our hand sanitizer is produced according to the World Health Organization (WHO) formula and Food & Drug Administration (FDA) guidance.

660 bottle mass IMG 3562

Our first run was completed over the weekend and has been delivered to our distributor, International Wine & Spirits.

660 pallets IMG 3571

Posted in Atelier Vie | Leave a comment

Tasting Room Update, March 16, 2020

Due to the unprecedented nature of the ongoing Coronavirus emergency, we are suspending our regular visiting hours and all tastings at this time.

However, we will offer sales of bottles by appointment only, between 10am and 4pm, seven days a week. Please review our Visit page for a list of spirits that are available and pricing.

Please email us to set up an appointment. We will confirm all appointments by email. While we will continue to accept cash, please bring exact change if paying by cash. We accept all major credit cards.

Thank you for your understanding and stay safe.

Posted in Atelier Vie | Leave a comment

Time Off for Mardi Gras – Closed February 22-23, 2020

We’ll be closed for the weekend of February 22-23, 2020. Come see us the following weekend and Happy Mardi Gras!

Posted in Atelier Vie | Leave a comment

New Single Malt Whiskey, Brandy, and Barrel Aged Rum releases from Atelier Vie

January 14, 2020 — New Orleans. Atelier Vie is pleased to announce a new release of Louisiana Single Malt, the inaugural release of Barrel Aged Calio Rum, and the return of our Orphan Street Brandy “El Jefe” Edition.

660 3 btl shot DSC 0188

Louisiana Single Malt
Louisiana Single Malt is distilled solely from malted barley at a single distillery in New Orleans. The new make whiskey is aged in used cooperage and this 2020 release was aged for two years in an oak cask previously used for bourbon whiskey. Only pure water is used to bring the spirit from barrel strength to bottling proof. Louisiana Single Malt has no additives and has not been chill filtered.

“One of the interesting things about malted barley, compared to other grains typically used for whiskey, is that there is a tremendous variety available,” said Jedd Haas, President of Atelier Vie. “This variety includes numerous types of malt which have been dried, toasted, smoked, and given other treatments to create different flavors. Louisiana Single Malt incorporates several of these different malts, which creates the complex flavor of the whiskey. Atelier Vie is proud to distill the first single malt whiskey in Louisiana and this new release is a great continuation of our Louisiana whiskey tradition. We look forward to more releases of this whiskey in the future,” Haas continued.

What is Single Malt?
While the words used to describe many types of whiskey are highly regulated by Federal law, the term Single Malt does not yet have any legal meaning in the United States. However, in general use in the United States, and as used by Atelier Vie, the term “single” means that the whiskey was distilled at a single distillery; and “malt” means that only malted barley was used to make the whiskey. Using only malted barley is one of the most expensive ways to make whiskey, as the specialty malts used by Atelier Vie are costly.

Louisiana Single Malt is bottled in 750ml at 94 proof. The retail price at the distillery is $75, which includes all of our notoriously high sales taxes. Limited quantities of Louisiana Single Malt are available for wholesale purchase from our Louisiana distributor, International Wine and Spirits.

Barrel Aged Calio Rum
Calio Rum is pot distilled from Louisiana molasses at our New Orleans distillery. No sugar is added to Calio, either during fermentation, or after distillation. The new make rum is entered into barrels for a minimum of one year. No coloring, flavoring, or other additives are used. Just pure rum flavor, enhanced by barrel aging.

“The result is full of deep molasses flavor, but without any artificial sweetness from added sugar. For rum connoisseurs who want to taste the true terroir of Louisiana molasses, enhanced by barrel aging, our new Calio release will be an epiphany,” said Jedd Haas, President of Atelier Vie.

Barrel Aged Calio Rum is bottled in 750ml at 90 proof. The retail price at the distillery is $45. Barrel Aged Calio Rum is available for wholesale purchase from our Louisiana distributor, International Wine and Spirits.

Orphan Street Brandy “El Jefe” Edition
Orphan Street Brandy has been released in several editions, beginning in 2016. Each edition is barrel aged for a minimum of two years. Random factors inherent in the production and maturation process create subtle changes in each edition. Such minutiae can only be learned by visiting the Atelier Vie tasting room.

“We maximized the impact of our 2019 release, the ‘El Jefe’ edition, by bottling it at 100 proof in a full 750ml bottle, said Jedd Haas, President of Atelier Vie. “This new edition of ‘El Jefe’ is 37 bottles, at 100 proof, in 750ml, and each bottle is individually numbered. Our tasting room prices normally include all of our heinously high sales taxes; however, in the case of ‘El Jefe,’ the retail price is one hundred dollars plus sales taxes, because bosses can afford to pay sales taxes. This brandy is for those who have paid the cost to be the boss,” continued Haas.

A limited quantity of “El Jefe” is available for wholesale purchase from our Louisiana distributor, International Wine and Spirits.

One More Thing: Orphan Street Bourbon
As another point of minor interest, Atelier Vie has also released Orphan Street Bourbon, which is sourced from another distillery. This whiskey release came about due to some orphan barrels from a bottling project which were lingering around the distillery.

660 reduced bourbon 2 DSC 0162

Orphan Street Bourbon was made to exacting standards on a giant column still. It was stored in new charred oak barrels, then sent down the river (by truck, of course) to begin its new life in New Orleans. We aged the barrels within walking distance of Bourbon Street, until they were two years old, which is required to call it Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Without further ado, we cut the spirit to proof and bottled it. This high-rye bourbon has a pleasant corn sweetness and a spicy rye note.

Orphan Street Bourbon is bottled in 750ml at 90 proof. The retail price at our tasting room is $30. Orphan Street Bourbon is available for wholesale purchase from our Louisiana distributor, International Wine and Spirits.

Visiting Hours at the Distillery
All of the new releases will be available during Atelier Vie’s regular Bottle Sales Hours. The distillery is open for tastings and discussion of the distillation process every weekend from 10-2 on both Saturday and Sunday. There is no charge to visit the distillery and the company’s full line of spirits is available for retail purchase during these weekend hours. Visitors should see the company web site for directions and additional details, https://ateliervie.com/visit.

Atelier Vie’s Spirits
In addition to Louisiana Single Malt, Barrel-Aged Calio Rum, and Orphan Street Brandy, Atelier Vie distills Riz, Louisiana Rice Whiskey and a clear version of Calio Rum. The Atelier Vie line also includes Euphrosine Gin #9, a flavorful American gin; a barrel aged version of Euphrosine, called Barrel-Finished Reserve, which is aged in American whiskey barrels; Toulouse Green, Absinthe Verte, a traditional-style absinthe inspired by French recipes from the 1800s and distilled with Louisiana wormwood; and Toulouse Red, Absinthe Rouge, a “new school” American absinthe colored red with hibiscus and excellent for cocktail mixing. Atelier Vie also bottles Buck 25 Vodka, an overproof cane vodka designed for creative mixologists to craft their own spirits flavors through rapid infusion.

The Company
Inspired by our renowned culinary culture, Atelier Vie creates flavorful new spirits in one of the greatest drinking cities of the world. “Liquor is art you can drink.” Atelier Vie was founded in 2011 by Jedd Haas.

Contact:
Jedd Haas
504-534-8590 (distillery line, leave message)
jedd@ateliervie.com
@AtelierVie (twitter)
@AtelierVie (instagram)

“Real New Orleans Spirits” is a registered trademark of Atelier Vie, LLC.

-30-

Posted in Atelier Vie, Calio, Louisiana Single Malt, Orphan Street Brandy, Press Releases, Whiskey | Leave a comment