Local Distillery Unveils Limited-Time Chocolate Brandy Just in Time for Holiday Gift-Giving & Creative Cocktail Cheers-ing

Heads up chocolate fans. There’s something new to crave this holiday season as the cofounders of Central Standard Craft Distillery are unveiling today the next brandy in their Flannel Series: North Wisconsin Chocolate brandy, a decadent combination of North Wisconsin brandy and dark chocolate.

“Our new Chocolate brandy is a ‘must try’ this season as almost a pound of dark chocolate is infused into each bottle,” said distillery Cofounder Evan Hughes. “The result is a rich, flavorful and festive brandy with hints of dry cherry, vanilla and, of course, chocolate. It tastes like the holidays in a bottle.“

To help make the season bright, mixologists from the Central Standard Crafthouse & Kitchen created eight all-new cocktail recipes featuring the new North Wisconsin Chocolate Flannel Series brandy. The easy-to-make-at home recipes can be found at thecentralstandard.com/flannel-series.

Cocktail recipe highlights include the “Nostalgic Nightcap” (North Wisconsin Chocolate brandy, Irish cream, and half & half on the rocks); “Chocolate Snap” (North Wisconsin Chocolate brandy, ginger beer and an orange twist in a Collins glass); and “The Zoolander” (North Wisconsin Chocolate brandy, Triple Sec, simple syrup, and Central Standard Daily Grind Coffee Vodka on the rocks or as a martini).

“No matter folks’ level of behind-the-bar experience, our North Wisconsin Chocolate brandy and these new recipes makes whipping up festive cocktails easy,” said Central Standard Cofounder Pat McQuillan. “Our new chocolate brandy is also the perfect bottle to gift the host of your next holiday gathering or place under the tree for that someone special.”

The new North Wisconsin Flannel Series Chocolate brandy sells in 750ml bottles and is priced between $29.99 and $34.99. Only a limited number of bottles are being released.

“And, when we’re sold out, we’re sold out, no matter if it’s next Tuesday or the week before Christmas,” Hughes added. “This year, we say skip the pie and start a new tradition when you gather with friends and family by enjoying a cocktail with our new Chocolate brandy after your big holiday meal instead.”

Central Standard’s new Chocolate Brandy is the second release in the distillery’s flannel series, which debuted in June with North Blackberry Brandy. “Like that favorite flannel shirt in your closet, we created this limited-edition series to be comfortable and very approachable,” McQuillan concluded. “We can’t wait for folks to try our new Chocolate Brandy, as well as what else we have up our sleeve for the flannel series in 2023 and beyond.”

Central Standard Craft Distillery, a small batch, craft distillery in Milwaukee and the fastest growing top-10 Wisconsin-based distiller, handcrafts award-winning bourbon, whiskey, vodka and gin from locally sourced ingredients. Founded in 2014, Central Standard spirits have won 37 medals across multiple craft distilling categories.

“For us, it’s not about the awards or accolades,” Hughes explained. “It’s about making the best-tasting craft spirits with the finest local ingredients that bring to life the outdoors lifestyle of the Midwest.

Central Standard’s portfolio of premium spirits includes Red Cabin Bourbon, Door County Cherry Vodka and North Wisconsin Brandy*. Door County Cherry Vodka is a blend of Central Standard’s award-winning 100% handcrafted vodka infused with Door County cherries, which are mellowed with a touch of local-harvested, fresh honey. North Brandy, which is handmade in small batches and aged for a minimum of two years, is finished in Central Standard bourbon barrels. Red Cabin Bourbon is aged to perfection and then finished in California Cabernet wine barrels. Thanks to the red-wine-barrel-finishing, Red Cabin Bourbon – which won a Gold Medal at the Los Angeles International Wine and Spirits competition in 2019, delivers a complex-yet-approachable taste.

In August, Hughes and McQuillan completed a multi-million-dollar project that transformed a formerly vacant three-story, 11,700-square-foot building in downtown Milwaukee into the Central Standard Crafthouse and Kitchen. The distillery’s new home, the first urban distillery and restaurant in the Midwest, boasts a tasting room, tour operation, restaurant, private-events space and rooftop patio. In addition, the renovated building, which was built in 1874 and is one of the oldest in Milwaukee, houses a 100-gallon pot still that will produce all spirits served and sold on site.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.