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April 29, 2020 VIRAL BUSINESS

Limited-release distillery spirit aims to provide ‘Relief’

PHOTO | Contributed
By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo

A Waterbury-based distillery may be new, but it is already on its way to helping fellow beverage makers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

Continuum Distilling has launched Relief Drops, a limited-release spirit described as having a  “floral, bright and hoppy” flavor, to benefit its new CT Brewery Relief Fund.

The business will donate $10 from the sale of every $35 bottle to area breweries. Relief is similar in flavor to a gin and can be served on the rocks or mixed with lemonade, in martinis or in cucumber mint drinks.

“We want to help our brewery partners during this unprecedented time,” Continuum announced on its website. 

The crisis has caused many bars and restaurants to close temporarily, and they are key customers for the region’s brewers. In addition to helping breweries financially, Continuum indicated it will hire some out-of-work individuals to assist with production and distribution of the new line.

Continuum creates spirits using “trimmings” or leftovers, from the beer brewing process — including sugars, fermented out beer with yeast in suspension and flavorful solids. Continuum works with a group of partner craft brewers, such as Black Hog Brewing in Oxford and Charter Oak Brewing in Waterbury, which donate these trimmings for free. 

Through the Relief Drops release and relief fund effort, Continuum aims to give back to its partners.

Brandon Collins, owner, founder and head distiller at Continuum, said Relief Drops is distilled much more quickly than his other products.

“It has a bolder flavor and is something new and invigorating,” Collins said. “The hope is to give money back to breweries to soften the blow [of the pandemic].”

Collins’ goal is to raise $10,000 for the relief fund, and the campaign will run through the end of May. 

Trying to find a silver lining

Continuum, which started distilling spirits last summer, had just celebrated the official opening of its tasting room at 2066 Thomaston Ave., Waterbury, in February, shortly before the pandemic struck. 

Collins said the tasting room attracted many guests up until Gov. Ned Lamont’s March order, which forced Collins to close that aspect of his operation.

“Sales had been really good,” Collins said. “We went from a vibrant operation with lots of guests in the tasting room to the rug being pulled out.”

Since then, sales have been “stagnant.” Collins had launched statewide distribution in mid-March. However, building up liquor store merchant interest in his new products, such as through tastings, has been challenging due to the pandemic. 

For now, Collins is focused primarily on the distilling side of his business.

Continuum has a “green” focus, as it works to reuse leftovers which would otherwise be discarded. With restaurants and bars temporarily closed due to the pandemic, it has created a situation where kegs of beer likely won’t be consumed before their expiration date. 

“We saw this happening, and thought about what we could do to help get this beer to us and prevent it from being dumped,” Collins said. “We also wanted to help the breweries which had spent money making and packaging all of this beer.”

One positive aspect is that Continuum is getting an “inundation” of trimmings it can use to create its spirits.

“When this is over, we will have a significant amount of inventory, so that is the silver lining,” Collins said. “I am trying to work with as many breweries as possible to prevent liquid from going down the drain.”

The business also reclaims barrels and containers that previously held products such as olive oil, syrups, juices, spirits and beer. It then uses these for its spirit aging process. 

Donlin Law in Hamden is doing a matching campaign for the Relief Drops. For every bottle sold, Donlin Law will buy a gift bottle which customers can donate to an essential worker of their choice. The matching campaign is for up to 100 bottles.

Relief Drops bottles are available for curbside pickup after May 1, and can be ordered on the distillery’s website, at https://continuumdistilling.com/.

Contact Michelle Tuccitto Sullo at msullo@newhavenbiz.com.

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