The distilling landscape in Brooklyn has just taken a hit, with the closure of Van Brunt Stillhouse, a Red Hook-based distillery that had been operating for 13 years. Van Brunt, known for its craft whiskeys, has seen a surge in demand for its final bottles, where prices are now soaring after its doors have closed. According to Eater New York, resale prices online for 750 ml bottles of Van Brunt whiskey, originally around $60, are being hawked for nearly $190. The distillery founder, Daric Schlesselman, cited "rising rents, rising production costs, and his own rising health care costs," as reasons for the shuttering, during a time when bottle prices remained constant.
Schlesselman's announcement stirred a buying frenzy among whiskey fans. As reported by the Gothamist, Jon Pichaya Ferry, a resident of Bushwick and longtime fan of Van Brunt, spent around $1,000 stockpiling any remaining bottles he could find. "If I'm correct, then it was a great play," Ferry told Gothamist, acknowledging the gamble he's taken. Similarly, Zachary Ostrow from Brooklyn Heights scoured over 20 stores in search of the coveted whiskey without success: “Everywhere pretty much told me the same thing — ‘I haven’t seen it or carried it in a few years.’”
The sudden scarcity and the resulting price hike didn't escape Schlesselman's notice, who remarked wryly, "Welcome to capitalism," when informed about the resale situation. Despite the setbacks that led to the end of Van Brunt Stillhouse, Schlesselman has moved on to consulting in the beverage space, leaving a legacy that other entrepreneurs are keen to embrace, as detailed by Gothamist.
In an encouraging development for the Red Hook neighborhood, Brooklyn Gin has taken over the lease for the former distillery and plans to reopen it with a tasting room next month. Emil Jättne, co-founder of Brooklyn Gin, shared their enthusiasm with Gothamist: “We love the community here and we have a deep respect for what Daric has built there. Our goal is to build on that legacy,” he said, indicating a seamless transition from whiskey to gin within the same space.
