Hoarfrost Premium Vodkas
At Hoarfrost Distilling we specialize in world class sipping vodkas. Toivo studied vodka making for 25 years before opening the distillery. Our vodka is made by hand from 100% Alaskan barley and Alaskan water. We do every step in house starting from grinding the barley to bottling and labeling.
Hoarfrost Premium Crystal Vodka is our flagship vodka. It is recognizable from it’s blue and silver label. It is produced from extremely high-efficiency distillation and extensive activated carbon polishing.
This vodka is very smooth. The high quality really stands out when compared to comparably priced vodkas on the market. Neat or in cocktails, Hoarfrost Crystal is a staple for any discerning drinker.
Hoarfrost Premium Brilliant Vodka is our supreme sipping vodka, and comes with a gold and red label. This is our finest product which we are happy to compare with any vodka in the world. We distill and filter much more rigorously than the Crystal. We do not serve Brilliant in mixed drinks, but we are confident that we can put it on any table in the world with pride. Among other awards, we took gold in The Fifty Best Domestic Vodkas Spirits Competition in 2019.
Flavored Vodkas – Infused by Hand
Vanilla Lime is made by infusing vodka with lime zest and a little fresh vanilla bean. The lime oils from the zest allow a robust citrus flavor which the smoothing effect of vanilla round out pleasantly. We generally use this in citrus based cocktails like our signature Alpenglow.
Earl Grey Tea is infused with high quality loose-leaf tea. Bergamot, a constituent of Earl Grey, adds a citrus overtone to the tea leaves. This vodka makes for a very pleasing martini with a smidge of lemon.
Garden Vegetable forms the backbone of our bloody marys. We infuse our vodka with celery, cucumber, tomato, scallion, dill pickle, lemon, garlic and a judicious amount of sliced jalapeno. The flavor is robust, and makes for an vibrant bloody mary.
Mountain Ash (Rianbinovka) is an ultra-specialty recipe brought from Russia and Eastern Europe. It’s like a drinkable bitter. The astringent flavor is very popular, and held to have healthy properties including as a palliative for hangovers. Mountain ash or Rowan trees grow well in the Fairbanks area and folklore has it that they are good protection from ghosts and evil spirits.
Spruce Tip is a very seasonal product. In spring the white spruce first growth appears as buds. They give the vodka a gentle juniper-like flavor with citrus overtones. The time during which spruce tips are optimal is very limited, so we make what we can and hope it lasts through the year.
Alaskan Wildflower Vodka is made by infusing Crystal vodka with Alaskan fireweed petals. They add a floral flavor to the vodka making it uniquely charming when served up and on the rocks, and subtly improving many cocktails. It gives a particularly pleasing effect with mixed with our hand crafted tonic water.
Liqueurs – The Alaskan Berry Collection
These cordials are all made from 100% Alaskan ingredients. We use hand-picked berries and process them all manually. Because of Alaska’s short, intense growing season new batches are released from late summer until December and are often out of stock. We make as much as we can, but popular products sell out.
Alaskan Chokecherry
Chokecherries are grown all around Fairbanks. They were planted as ornamentals and few bother to harvest the fruit. We mostly compete with local birds to collect chokecherries in the fall to make this complex and luxurious liqueur. It’s similar to a tawny port with cherry overtones.
Alaskan Red Currant Liqueur
Red currants grow wild around Alaska, but we have several plants in our garden and consider them a real treasure. The flavor of the liqueur is tart, sweet, and very vivid.
Alaskan Blackcurrant Liqueur (Creme de Cassis)
This is the most amazing liqueur that we make. Blackcurrants are rare in the US because of a long ban. They were thought to be associated with a blight that damaged the commercial timber industry and are still illegal in many states. We use a an extravagant amount of currant per bottle and it takes four months of aging to reach maturity. Toivo recommends a couple of ounces with a thin layer of heavy cream poured on top, but it’s amazing in a kir or kir royale as well.
Alaskan Blueberry Liqueur
One of the iconic berries of interior Alaska is our amazing wild blueberry. They have an intensity of flavor and color that puts commercial blueberries to shame. Our blueberry liqueur is a staple, with enough flavor to satisfy any palate.
Alaskan Raspberry Liqueur
Probably the most common berry in Alaska, raspberries also make up our most popular liqueur. The berries are loaded with a flavor that everyone enjoys.
Alaskan Cherry Liqueur
True cherries are relatively new in interior Alaska. We have several varieties in our farm, but so far only the pin cherries have matured enough to give us fruit. These are sour cherries and they make for a very lively tart cordial. Because cherries are rare here, production of the liqueur is very limited and this tends to be one of the first of which we sell out.
Alaskan Cranberry Liqueur (Lingonberry)
Low bush cranberries, or Lingonberries, are another staple berry of interior Alaska, and this liqueur is another big seller. Cranberry jams and jellies abound, and this liqueur is a must have for any Alaskan berry fan. They are tart berries somewhat similar to red currants but with a very different flavor that is more commonly recognizable.
Alaskan Gooseberry Liqueur
Gooseberry liqueur take months and months for the flavor to mature, but when it reaches top quality it is really amazing and extremely popular. We produce this liqueur in very limited amounts due to the paucity of the berries available so it is quite rare.
Alaskan Honeyberry Liqueur
Honeyberries (or haskap) are similar in color and appearance to a blueberry but with the body shape of a yam. The flavor is said to share characteristics of blueberry and raspberry.
Other Liqueurs
Limoncello
Similar to the Italian libation, but handmade in Alaska. We zest carefully selected lemons to infuse in our ultra-smooth Crystal vodka. We use 100 proof vodka because the higher alcohol content allows better dissolution of the oils of the lemon zest. The result is a very smooth, luxuriously flavored lemon liqueur. Try for yourself and see if it isn’t the best limoncello you’ve ever had.
Coffee Liqueur
We’re very proud of this delicate, smooth coffee cordial. It is made from freshly ground coffee beans roasted locally with a hint of other natural flavors. The flavor intensity and proof are ideal for drinking with no more than a bit of ice or a touch of cream.
Strong Coffee Liqueur
This is similar to our coffee liqueur, but with a more intense flavor and higher proof. It’s also delicious alone, but it is intended for mixed drinks because there is plenty of flavor to withstand dilution.
Orange Liqueur (Triple Sec)
This is a high-proof orange liqueur made from fresh navel orange zest and dried bitter orange peels. Orange liqueurs are used in a huge number of cocktail recipes, and this is a fantastic mixer, but it really shines when sipped neat like brandy. The flavor is reminiscent of some of the great European orange liqueurs. As with some of the berry liqueurs, the aging process is quite long as the optimal flavor takes months to develop.