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01/14/2012 12:47 PM

First Beer, Now Gin For Brooklyn Brewery Co-Founder

By: Jeanine Ramirez

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Potent gin is the latest project for Brooklyn Brewery co-founder Tom Potter and mixologist Allen Katz, who joined forces to create the New York Distilling Company. NY1’s Jeanine Ramirez filed the following report.

Tom Potter started with beer in Brooklyn. He co-founded the Brooklyn Brewery. Now he's kicked it up several notches with super strong gin—114 proof. He's producing it at the New York Distilling Company.

"I think gin is poised for a resurgence. I think for many years gin had been elbowed out by vodka, but it's coming back because gin was the product that was used in all the classic cocktails,” says Potter.

He calls one of the bottles Perry's Tot. It’s named after a naval commander who lived at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Its “Navy Strength” is a variety of gin that's only been sold overseas until now, and it includes some local botanicals.

"We use New York State wildflower honey, which kind of softens it just a little bit. It's a real strong, strong gin, and so the wildflower honey just softens the edges a little bit and makes it remarkably smooth," says Potter.

The outside of the distillery looks much as it did when NY1 first did a story on local distilleries back in 2010, but after an interior transformation, complete with a copper pot still, the company can now produce 100 cases of gin a day.

First Beer, Now Gin For Brooklyn Brewery Co-Founder
The public's entrance to the distillery is on the side of the building. It's a bar called the Shanty.

It’s there that co-founder Allen Katz mixes drinks. He recently served one up with the other brand the company produces called Dorothy Parker American Gin. It’s a lighter version named after the famed writer and satirist.

"It's a bit of a labor of love as we're fans of Dorothy Parker. Certainly her history, her wit, her connection to New York City of course, and that she was just a great drinker, a great spirit who enjoyed a good martini," says Katz.

The bar has windows that look out into the production area so visitors can see the distilling process. The Shanty is open every day from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.

The gin is also on the shelves at liquor stores around the city. It sells for about $35 per bottle.