Wags + Whiskey at 10th Mountain Distillery in Gypsum pairs delicious drinks with dog adoptions

News News | May 19, 2023

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What's better than a little tag-waggin’ to elevate your spirits — both literally and metaphorically? During Wags + Whiskey, puppies add plenty of laughter to an afternoon of sipping craft cocktails at 10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Co. with your friends — and perhaps your new best friend.

The distillery in Gypsum launched the monthly adoption event on April 30 to an enthusiastic crowd. More than 70 people attended, admittedly causing a bit of a parking issue, said Amber Griggs, event manager of 10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Co. But what's a little parking challenge when it comes to a good cause?

The distillery is partnering with Eagle County Animal Shelter and Services to help pair people with their new four-legged best buddies. In April, they adopted three of the six dogs at the event, plus an additional pup someone met at the event and adopted through the shelter afterward.

"People were trying to adopt the dogs before the event started," Griggs said. "Since it's downvalley in Gypsum, we were expecting to have a lower turnout, but we got a lot of local support."

The event will typically be held on Sundays, but this month, it’ll kick off Memorial Day weekend, starting at 3 p.m. May 26. The June event will take place over Father's Day weekend, on June 18.

Eagle County Animal Shelter works with partners in Utah, New Mexico, Texas and other states to bring puppies born on reservations to forever homes.

Of course, there's no pressure to adopt; you can always just play with some furry friends.

"It's not only working with the community and (an event where) businesses can benefit, but also it gets the animals out in a different setting socializing with people, and it gives people a better idea of what (the dogs) will be like," said Rhiannon Rowe, manager at the shelter, adding that spring and summer are great times to adopt because the weather is warmer, to aid in multiple potty training outings. "Adoptions have been steadily increasing, but there is an uptick in surrenders because of housing issues."

The shelter also offers a significant discount for people adopting at Wags + Whiskey.

Griggs originally launched a similar event (called Pints and Pups) last summer when she worked at 7 Hermits Brewing in Eagle. She loves dogs and the community, she said, and wanted to find a way to help.

"It's nice to work with Amber because she's so ambitious and passionate. She just goes above and beyond," Rowe said.

For the May 26 event, Griggs booked Trees Don't Move, a local alternative rock band that draws influence from the early 2000s punk scene, as well as other genres like ska, Midwest emo and grunge. In 2022, the group earned Best Local Band in the Best of Vail Valley reader poll.

Craft cocktails designed by tasting room manager Connor Zink round out the afternoon, punctuated by drink specials. You can choose from a variety of 10th Mountain spirits to pair with your choice of mixer. Some include: fire weed, a mango-Thai chili, or the pack mule with ginger. The Alpenglow Cordial is infused with Palisade peaches, vanilla and sage for a sweet and delicious taste. Currently, one of the most popular cocktails is the Magic Carpet, a vodka infused with butterfly pea flowers, lavender syrup, orgeat and Alpenglow, topped with lemon juice, which changes the cocktail from purple to pink.

"It's just a cool chemistry experiment, so it's been popular," Griggs said, "and it's also refreshing."

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