Adam Carvell in the tasting room at Old Home Distillers
Sure, visiting a winery is fun. But have you ever visited a distillery? That’s fun, too. And educational.
We hadn’t been to Old Home Distillers, a family-owned spirits operation tucked away in the Madison County countryside, since around the time of its opening in 2015. We visited again with a couple friends in August and found that it has grown considerably, both physically and in terms of production and distribution. That was nice to hear and to see.
Old Home is a small-batch craft distillery. Brothers Aaron and Adam Carvell, who own the business with their parents, personally mash, ferment and distill everything they make. They specialize in clear, unaged spirits (corn whiskey and gin); flavored spirits, like spiced whiskey and maple whiskey (their bestseller); aged spirits, like bourbon whiskey and a single-malt whiskey made with 100% New York State-grown barley; and limited-release spirits, like an apple brandy aged in maple-soaked bourbon barrels, and their version of absinthe, called LABsinthe.
Green-hued absinthe, sometimes called “the Green Fairy,’’ was once illegal in the U.S. It was said to cause hallucinations. LABsinthe is made with grain-based spirits and a blend of aromatic botanicals. Old Home did several trial runs of it last year and decided to bottle and sell the research batches. They sold out. The spirit was released earlier this month, and I’m looking forward to trying it the traditional way, mixed with water and melted sugar.
I hadn’t had gin since that night in 1982 when … Well, let’s not go there, but I’ve been enjoying Old Home Distillers gin in gin and tonics all summer long (photo below). It has a nice crisp flavor, and the botanicals, including juniper, cardamom, coriander and star anise, really pop, making for a refreshing drink. We also came home with a bottle of Peppershine, a corn whiskey infused with locally grown chili peppers, which gives Bloody Marys a different twist. Peppershine packs some heat and is more flavor-forward than vodka.
We visited Old Home Distillers on a Friday and asked in advance if we could tour the distillery. It’s not every day that you get to see a copper still and sip spirits that are made by hand. Adam Carvell was a great host, answering all of our questions about ingredients, equipment, processes, and products with knowledge, enthusiasm and humor. We appreciate the time he spent with us.
Old Home Distillers is at 964 Campbell Road, Lebanon. The distillery is open noon to 4 p.m. Thursday and noon to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. There is no charge for tastings. Adam Carvell told us that anyone who finds their way to the off-the-beaten-path location near the geographic center of New York State gets to sample for free. Consider a visit while the leaves are changing color. It’s a beautiful drive.
You can also find Old Home Distillers at the Central New York Regional Market in Syracuse and at several other markets in Central New York. Visit the website or call 315-837-4123 for more information.
LABSinthe photo courtesy of Old Home Distillers, on Facebook
All others photos © Margaret McCormick
