DISTILLERY REBRANDS AS PART OF GROWTH PLANS

Bridgeport’s sole distillery is going by a new name as part of owner Robert Schulten’s growth plan.

“Everyone knew us as Asylum (Distillery), but we’re growing up,” he said, following a recent announcement that his 259 Asylum St. business is operating as Fifth State Distillery following a brand consolidation.

The Fifth State brand used to only represent his whiskey products, while all other spirits fell under the Asylum name. Now all his spirits are under one the banner.

“A lot of people liked (the name), but it was just a little edgy,” Schulten said, adding the renaming would better represent the brand that he and his wife Bridget started more than three years ago.

Since starting in 2014, the Bridgeport-based distillery has built its reputation around making spirits with locally sourced ingredients. Fifth state uses non-GMO corn grown from the Pleasant View Farms in the town of Somers as the base and main ingredient in its three products, Asylum Vodka, Whiskey and Gin.

According to Schulten, “Fifth State” is inspired by Connecticut being the fifth state to join the Union in 1788.

The distillery has added a batch of new products to mark the change, including “Wonderful Water” nutmeg liqueur using a Connecticut recipe dating back more than 200 years.

“I like it because you get inside the mind of the distillers in the late 1700s,” Schulten said. “These were mostly products that were available here (back then).”

The distillery also added a new limoncello, “orangecello,” and orange-flavored gin.

Schulten started the distillery with three products, but its product list has increased over the years to more than a dozen items. While many are shortrunning or distillery-only products, Fifth State has made its way onto shelves in 255 stores across Connecticut, according to Schulten.

“We’re trying to pull the people into the distillery,” he said.

The Bridgeport distillery, along with others statewide, is poised to see additional business this year with incoming permitting changes.

Gov. Ned Lamont signed a law out of the 2019 state legislative session meant to streamline the beer and alcohol industry, including a craft café permit which would pave the way for distilleries to serve drinks out of their own taprooms.

Starting in July, the new permit will allow distillers, brewers and vintners to sell alcohol if it’s manufactured in the state.

Contributed photo Bridgeport’s Asylum Distillery has been rebranded and renamed Fifth State Distillery.