In 2015, Marble Distilling Co. won a $197,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for water conservation and energy efficiency.

won a $197,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for water conservation and energy efficiency. The distillery was built to 85 percent green code specifications.

In 2017, the Sierra Club called Marble's Gingercello one of "Six Spirits to Help Toast the Planet's Health."

When we were planning Marble Distilling Co., my husband and I visited about 50 other distilleries. We were shocked by the amount of water and energy loss in this industry. Unlike urban distilleries, which are often in repurposed buildings, we undertook a ground-up project in a vacant lot because we wanted to follow green building specifications and build a first-of-its-kind sustainable distillery.

Today we are a zero-waste facility. It’s about the water. We are incredibly proud of our pristine water, hauled from our own well in Marble, Colorado.

That water comes from the headwaters of the fast-moving Crystal River, which drains from a glacial valley and is mainly filtered through Yule marble. (Trivia: The Yule Marble quarry was the source for the white marble used to create the Lincoln Memorial columns and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.)

Yule marble is a metamorphized limestone, which makes for a perfect filtration system, adding a bit of natural minerality (nutrients that add to the final taste) into our spirits.

Marble Distilling designed and built a first-of-its-kind water energy thermal system. The system recycles 100 percent of the water we use in a closed-loop reuse system—meaning the water can be recycled indefinitely without degradation of properties. It then harvests all the energy off that (hot) water for reuse in our building. In 2016 we saved more than four million gallons of water and reclaimed 1.8 billion Btus—enough energy to power 20 homes—to reuse in our building.

The bottom line: We love spirits but don’t want to destroy the planet when we make them. We say we’re working to save the planet one bottle at a time. If any other distillers are reading this, come visit us. We love to share what we’ve learned.

3 Marble Spirits You Must Try

Vodka 80



Locally grown soft white wheat and malted barley, distilled six times in copper pots, yields a smooth and creamy texture.

Gingercello

A lightly sweetened version of the Italian classic with citrus brightness and some ginger spiciness.

Moonlight EXpresso

Uses locally roasted Guatemalan coffee and Ugandan vanilla beans for a rich, dark coffee profile with a smoky, chocolate finish.

Connie Baker is the Head Distiller at Marble Distilling Co. in Carbondale, Colorado.

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